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New Eden 23

Part of the Pack [Fallen and Secret]

Continued from Otherworld Tavern... When the fire dissipated, Fallen and Brittany were standing in what appeared to be a penthouse overlooking a brightly lit city. It was stylish and lavish in every sense of the word, but there were pictures around. A fair few of them had Fallen in them, standing with a blonde that looked about the same age and a younger looking brunette. Only one picture had a different blonde in it, but otherwise, those three male smiles dominated the apartment. They were his family... his pack. Some pictures seemed candid, the blonde reading with a pair of glasses hanging on his nose or the brunette sleeping on a couch. It seemed like a cozy place, yet despite the city being covered in snow, was clearly not the place that the demon had told the vampire about. Almost as soon as they had appeared, the young brunette from the photos came through the door with something in-hand. He was wearing a nicely tailored suit, but it was soon clear that this was the butler Fallen had told Brittany about. Purple eyes regarded the vampire briefly, but not warily, offering her a polite smile as he approached. "Good evening, master... miss." He offered Fallen the thing in his hand, which turned out to be a fresh set of bandages. It would soon be apparent that the ones covering Fallen's arm had become soaked with some blood. Brittany would smell the blood as normal blood, though... not that special stuff she had tasted before. Maybe she might suspect something was off about it, though." Thank you, Tristen. This is Brittany. Brittany, my brother Tristen. But he prefers 'servant'. Doesn't matter how many times I've told him otherwise." Fallen smirked as he pulled his shirt off and began to change the dressing, a subtle change coming over him as he set the small silver chain aside momentarily. His arm had the continuation of that tribal marking that had stopped at his shoulder, and it was covered in blood. After cleaning up, he began wrapped the arm back up. "Of course, Miss Brittany, a pleasure to meet you. My lord can wax for days over this detail, but certain facts remain. I suspect that this is the one that has had you so troubled lately? Shall she require special accommodations?" Fallen frowned at Tristen before a look of realization overcame him. "Fucking Asher... the town crier and resident drama queen... do I not have the luxury of sharing the details of my own life anymore at the time of my choosing? Where is the bastard, anyway?" "He stopped in last night to tell Rowen and me about your struggle because he was sure you wouldn't... at least, not before he had the chance to." "Fuck him. Umm... Brittany will need blood, so make sure this place is stocked with it. That should be all for now." Tristen nodded and moved to take Brittany's bag from her. "May I, Miss?" When it was mentioned that he had a male butler, and he was described in such a way, she hoped that it didn't mean they were expected to share and share alike. Brittany didn't want to be passed around anymore. Dynamic of their relationship would be for him to keep his hands to himself, dammit. He wasn't Tamil, she reminded and scolded herself. Brittany put her head on his chest and didn't move until the flames died down. They certainly were a lovely color. Why did she smell blood? Looking around when the fire died away, she didn't think they were where he had told her about. She noticed several pictures of three males, one being Fallen. The portraits seemed kinda gay, but she said nothing. What business of hers was it if that was the case. She already knew that he wouldn't be faithful to her. Why again was she not bitching about that? Oh. Right. Because he should want to give her that freely not like the crispy critter that was his ex had demanded. She felt empty thinking on it, and the way it made her feel didn't coalesce one bit with giving her submission happily. It made her sullen and petulant." Hello," she said politely. Brittany stared into the purple wires of the brunette butler, whom she recognized from the photos around the room. He'd brought bandages, and she realized that the blood scent was Fallen. She watched without hunger as he took his bandages off. Brother? "Hello, Tristen." She didn't understand the reasoning behind it all and found it odd. It wasn't her business though. What was wrong with his arm? She didn't understand what she saw, but nor did she ask." Nice to meet you, too." She smiled brightly, all dimples and pearly whites. Wait. What? She looked to Fallen, confusion clouding her features. She hadn't the foggiest idea what was going on. Furthermore, she decided to stand there and look pretty until Tristen asked about her bag. "Oh. Yes, of course. Here you go. Thank you." She felt odd with someone regarding her in such a way. The sharply dressed demon took Brittany's bag from her with a smile before leaving the room and Fallen finished redressing his arm. Apparently, there was nothing disfiguring about the arm, but the bandages were for some sort of spontaneous bleeding. Once everything was back in place, he put his shirt back on and turned to Brittany. "So... we are in the penthouse over the club right now. Since we are... together, my home is your home, and you are free to come and go as you please. If you ever need anything and I am not around, simply call Tristen's name, and he will be along momentarily. I only ask that if you wish to go outside the club, you consult with me first. So long as you are within these walls, you are under their protection. Outside of them, the neutral territory is much more difficult to police." Fallen turned to her with a smile, sitting on the comfortable couch. "I don't tell you this to make you in any way afraid. You would actually be quite safe based on the odds. I would equate it to being a human in a large city... except with vampires, werewolves and the like instead of robbers and muggers." Brittany's eyes held lingering questions as her gaze swept over her lover. Those questions didn't dare pass her tongue, at least for the time being. Her eyes moved over his body, and she grinned slowly, remembering how it felt against her. Barely resisting the urge to run her hands over his back, she balled her fists up, letting her fingers relax as he turned around. She smiled brightly at him. Together. She liked the sound of that. It was the mention of neutral territory, and leaving the club that worried her. "I will consult you if I have any reason to leave." She honestly couldn't fathom it; she'd never been outside the Tavern or the Baths since she'd become property of Secret. The beach was part of the tavern. That was what she'd miss the most. The beach under the moonlight, the pull of the waves as the moon shone so beautifully overhead. It was almost orgasmic. It pulled what soul she had left. Did vampires really lose their souls? Or was that a line given so that they could do what they wanted and detach from humanity? Moving toward him, she sat down on his lap and leaned against his chest. He was warm and she liked that. "I understand." She smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth. "What happened to make Tristan be your servant the way that he is? You mentioned that he was your brother. He obviously adores you. I could tell that in just the few moments he was here." She wanted to know more about his family. "And…why do I have you troubled?" That bothered her. She didn't want to be trouble for him. Fallen let Brittany occupy his lap, circling an arm around her as she kissed the corner of his mouth. She might not know it, but this action was most appropriate between them as it was a sign of deference and submission among wolves. "Good. I will have to leave before too long to attend a meeting of the local leaders, but I cannot take you with me, so I wanted to be sure that you would stay here while I was occupied. In the meantime, you are welcome to go down into the club and drink and party to your heart's content. Tristen will be sure that the bartenders and bouncers know you are to be taken care of." Fallen knew there would be eyes on her so long as it was known that she belonged to him. Then Brittany was asking about Tristen and Fallen frowned as he lay his head back on the couch, thinking back. "It's been some time... but I remember it like it was yesterday, really. Trust was but a pup, as I had once been... and I was getting old enough to start thinking I knew everything about the way the universe and the things in it worked. The actual 'how' of my coming across Tristen's master is of no consequence. Suffice it to say that the demon's reputation for collecting... pets... was notorious at best. When I saw these pets and how they lived and were treated, well... I felt it only right to destroy him. The fight almost killed me and Tristen was one of the few that didn't go running blindly the moment his master was dead. I went to him and offered him my hand, swearing that he would never call another creature 'master' so long as he lived." Fallen sighed softly, glancing at Brittany. There was sadness in his eyes. "I think Tristen was broken... had been too young when that bastard had gotten him and had been raised to believe this was the way of the world. That, or his mind had been broken from so many years of torture and brainwashing. Either way... he said that the only suitable way for him to live was as my servant until one or both of us died. I tried for many years to change this dynamic of our relationship, but at the end of any day, Trust was assured me that it was truly his choice and that he would gladly serve one so benevolent as me. To date, he has shown that to be true... I have never seen him out of sorts so long as he has served me." The demon turned with a smile and kissed Brittany briefly before answering her next question, which was a little more easily explained. "You have me troubled because you stand be a most significant part of my life. In this instance, being 'troubled' is not necessarily a bad thing. Youhadme troubled when I feared that I was merely a means to gaining your freedom. You gave that freedom up to me willingly, though, and I no longer fear that. So long as you are a woman and, more importantly mine, you will always have me troubled, flustered, bothered and vexed, though it need not be a negative thing. It is the way of the world that females give males such a condition." The news of his impending departure saddened here. She pouted a bit but didn't move away and nor did she pitch a fit. There would be business. Secret had left often, but it hadn't ever bothered Brittany. "I'll stay here." Where else would she go? She didn't want to go anywhere. When he leaned his head back, she kissed the column of his throat, though very sweetly. Her lips curled into a smile as he spoke about when he was a pup. Horror showed on her face as she listened to the tale of woe about Tristen. She saw the sadness in his eyes and stroked his cheek softly." Then maybe that's what he truly wants," she offered quietly. "And it's not hard to get broken down in the care of another, when your choices are always made for you. I'm not the same person I was when I was turned, nor am I the same person I was when Desmond sold or gave me to Secret. With my condition that's a good thing. Maybe it makes Tristen happy? Because he's not hurting. I served Secret obediently for that reason. I was so happy not to be with Desmond. Maybe it's Tristen's way of repaying your kindness. You obviously put a lot on the line for him and the others. She grinned at the kiss, her eyes sparkling as she listened. When he was done, she spoke. "I did, and do, like the idea of my freedom. Secret might have granted it had I truly fought for it. I don't know. I never tried. Furthermore, I never really thought that there was anything other than that for me, to until you came. Furthermore, I had hoped to be your partner, but you don't want that. You told me what you wanted and I agreed. I'm not bothered by my decision. It just means that you have to take care of me and that the decisions you make for me have to be good ones because you don't let me make them myself. It puts more work on you, honestly. But I think you like that. I think you need to be needed." She leaned down and kissed him softly. "And that's good because I do need you. I don't want to go back to the tavern, not really." Fallen listened to Brittany's insight on being a slave to another being, and it did help his perspective to a degree to hear it from someone other than Tristen. Regardless, he could never fully comprehend their position because it was not one he had ever actually been in. He enjoyed the small gentle kisses she planted on his throat as his head lay back. Each kiss sent a hum of pleasure through his being. "I guess it does make him happy to serve me. It seems like such a simple pleasure that I both pity him and envy him for it. It just saddens me that he was given such a view of the world. He always says, though, that some people just live to make others happy in whatever way they can." Brittany spoke of how she felt about her freedom, but did not seem as though she regretted her decision to give her life to him in the slightest. He hadn't been prepared to be told that he liked to be needed... but, as much as she had surprised him with her observation, he could not deny that she was right to some degree. Then she was kissing him before telling him that she needed him. That her statement filled him with a sense of happiness and belonging was evidence enough of the truth of her assertion. "I... do feel a certain happiness when I am needed that is hard to match. I'm sure it has a lot to do with my upbringing and the way I was treated back then." Fallen wrapped his arms around Brittany and lay them both down on the couch, his body coming to rest atop hers. His fingers combed into her hair and took gentles handfuls of the beautiful mane. "It makes me happier than I can put into words that you... need me and don't wish to return to your old life. I am happy that you are completely mine. You need to also understand, though, that yearly partner. At the end of the day, my word is your law and I... need that control." Brittany didn't know how to reply to Fallen's comments about not knowing whether to pity or envy Tristen. She cared about Fallen, but the truth was that she feared his little slave. If that slave got jealous of her, then she could lose Fallen. "He's right, some do, but that's not the case for most people. Some only think of their own happiness and don't care if they hurt others." She hoped that he wasn't going to be like that to her. She didn't even know him, and yet she feared him. Not one to have to be right, Brittany only nodded and smiled slightly when he admitted that she was right, at least to a point. "It's not a bad thing, Daddy," she said softly, leaning in to give him a soft kiss. But then she deepened it, unable to resist being in her Daddy's arms. Her eyes burned with caring and lust as he wound his hands in her hair. "I'll do anything you want me to, Daddy. I'll do anything you say." Fallen closed his eyes and returned his pet's kiss, and happily jumped into its deeper depths when she pushed it further. It was easy to get lost in passion with this vampire, and she made him want her all the time. He realized it could be trouble when they started going into more public places, because he wouldn't hesitate to put his hands on her... and who knew where he would draw the line. He moaned softly into the kiss, his hips grinding his half-hardened length against her through their clothing. When the kiss broke, warm words from the beautiful creature in his grasp only stirred the demon's passion. Brittany knew what to say to make the beast in him rattle the bars of its cage and throw its weight against them to tear her clothes off and fuck her with abandon... fulfill its primal urge to mate and spread its seed. "You know just what to say to please your daddy." A low rumbling growl vibrated in Fallen's chest as he kissed her again, but it ended in a groan as he buried his face in her neck. "Fuuuuuck... I can't do this now, no matter howbadlyI want to... I need you, but Have go to this meeting, baby." It was obvious that it pained him as he slowly released Brittany and stood up. As she moved to stand up, his fingers combed through her hair and pulled her face against the hard lump in his jeans. "Just know that is all yours, my sweet Brittany... and I'll have a hard time focusing on business because I'll only be able to think about my sweet girl." Fallen stepped away and over to a mirror to straighten his shirt and hair before he turned back to Brittany one last time. "Feel free to go down to the club... drink to your heart's content, dance, whatever. Just, please don't leave the building." The demon moved close to kiss her one last time before he went to the elevator and disappeared behind its doors. Brittany sighed softly when he said that he still had to go. She understood, but she didn't look forward to going to a club, or dancing, or doing any of that stuff. She pouted softly to herself as he left her. Deciding to take a nap, as she had no desire to mingle downstairs, or drink or anything else, she rolled over on the couch. She didn't know of his thoughts of touching her in public, if she had, she might have begged him not to think along those lines. She used her arms for a pillow and thought about how lonely she felt. That was a true first. She'd never felt lonely in those regards, but there they were. He was gone, she was terrified of how Tristen would be without their Master present, and she ached for Fallen to return. How long was he to be gone again? She didn't even want to fathom it. No, it was best if she just let the sweet fingers of sleep claim her. She didn't want to think about the desires that he stirred inside of her, or the rage that she felt with him gone. Rage that tangoed with sadness, where both took turns taking the lead. Whimpering, she curled up into a ball on the couch and hugged herself, her arms wrapped around her, as she dozed off. Fallen spent the following hours in an opulent room at a large table with luxurious chairs listening to multiple races argue over why the deserved the territory belonging to another pack or more blood rights or something else that had no bearing on his own livelihood. As the leader of the neutral territory, it was his job to facilitate the meetings between other princes and alphas as well as ensure that the needs of those that fell under his protection were seen to. Yet, through the whole of the meeting, all Fallen could think about was the loyal and gentle vampire he had left in his loft. He had no idea that she felt so lonely without him, but if he had, he would have appreciated her all the more. He figured that she had gone down into the club to dance and drink and enjoy herself. But a small part of him hoped she was thinking about him, too. Much of the meeting, he didn't have to listen, and he just thought of gathering Brittany up in his arms when he returned him and making love to her for the rest of the night. Hours felt like days, and when the demon had finally had enough of the petty squabbling, he declared that the disputes were inconsequential to the overall welfare of all groups debating them. The neutral territories were the swing group for the other factions, and unless a vote was on the horizon, they didn't bother acknowledging those that did not fall under the banner of one group or another. That's because the neutral territories were filled with exiles, bastards, hybrids, anarchists and anyone that did not care for the politics of their kind. Casting a no-vote was never a popular move, but after listening to the arguments going in circles, the demon knew he had more important things to take care of. When he finally returned to the penthouse and saw the sweet vampire curled up on the couch asleep, he quietly crossed the room and knelt next to her. At some point in his absence and during her sleep, Tristen had laid a blanket over her. Fallen found himself thinking that Brittany looked just like an angel when she slept. He gently gathered the vampire up in his arms and took her to his bedroom before laying her down to sleep on the much more comfortable bed. Groggily she opened her eyes when her body lifted off of the couch cushions. Blinking, Brittany twisted to see who had her, with a stiff and rigid frame. When she saw Fallen, she smiled and instantly turned limp in his arms. She went from cold steel to marshmallow in an instant." How'd the meeting go?" she asked, her tone caring as she squirmed around in his arms, wrapping her own around him. She snuggled against the covers and looked up at him with love in her eyes. Grinning, she sat up, pushing off the bed to grab his arm and tug him down with her, though he was much larger than she was. Her hands slid up his arms, but she wasn't demanding with her touch. She wanted to see what he'd let her do, but wasn't pushy after she pulled him onto the bed. "I missed you." A bright grin lit her eyes and showed in her cheeks. Fallen smiled as Brittany stirred in his arms, relaxing and turning to wrap her arms around him as he carried her to bed. "It was long and stuffy and boring... basically a bunch of self-important princes and alphas arguing over details. Same song, different tune. I decided to think of you whenever I tuned out." The demon kicked the door to their room shut behind him and laid her down on the bed. He hadn't really gone anywhere, but she suddenly sat up to grab him and pull him down with her. Fallen chuckled softly, letting himself fall to the bed with her. He tried not to land on Brittany, though she had made that kind of difficult. He ended up only half falling on her. Furthermore, he really didn't mind letting her take liberties with him when it came to things like affection, and he hoped she would see that and show him plenty of affection in time. Sighing happily, he wrapped his vampire up in his arms and kissed the tip of her nose. "I missed you, too, my dear. I had hoped you wouldn't be too bored while I was gone, but I guess you must have been tired if you didn't go down to the club." Brittany looked up at him, snuggling closer to his almost furnace like heat. Being the good-natured creature that she was, she tended to like sources of heat. She didn't stay cold like most vampires, which was odd. Sun didn't hurt her either, but she just went along with that because people were odd about it if it didn't. She didn't want the stares. But she was cool to the touch. Her touch was gentle, and she hoped that he'd get it, but she wasn't about to be demanding or bossy. She didn't mind that he'd landed on her, she liked his weight. Perhaps too much. Giggling at the kiss to her nose, her bright eyes gazed at him with affection. "I didn't want to go to the club. You weren't there. There was nothing for me at the club. You didn’t say that I had to go." She smiled at that, loving little loopholes. He hadn't commanded it, but rather had offered it. Fallen smiled down at his beloved little vampire. She was already very cherished by him, and quite important to him. He didn't just mate with anyone. And they seemed to have a strong connection. It helped, as well, that they probably offered things to one another that they each needed. Fallen needed to be healed and mended, and Brittany seemed all too willing to do that. Moreover, she seemed to want nothing more than that. In turn, Fallen had the age and experience to help Brittany grow into what she was... and, he could also give her the love and companionship that she seemed to have been deprived of in life." Fair enough. I figured it might be a nice place for you to mingle. There are plenty of folks of all types down there, and you're free to make friends. I figure you're probably smart enough to know the ones to stay away from. That, and you practically wreak of me. Though, my scent could be getting a little weak." He grinned and kissed Brittany lovingly. "I'm not a fan of being in a room with no one that I know, Daddy. Whether I reek of you or not." Her tone was soft, though her words were to the point. There had been no reason for her to go and feel stared at, possibly ostracized or even hated by other women because she was his. She was his slave, and she didn't know if they would know that or not. The stares hadn't bothered her with Secret. Secret didn'tpanther. No one was jealous of jewelry, an adornment on one's arm. A possession that wasn't treasured. She kissed him back and pressed closer, almost in a needy way. Her cheeks flushed, and she dialed herself back, her eyes darting away from his. She bit her lip and smiled softly, her cheeks still pink with embarrassment." Sorry, Daddy." She leaned toward him again, trying to control herself as she kissed him again. Fallen's body pushed back against his precious girl's as she pushed up into him, his soft bed giving ever so slightly, but otherwise pinning her against him as he slipped between her thighs and pressed into her soft body. But Brittany seemed to suddenly get shy... or something, her cheeks flushing as her eyes went away from him and she bit her lip. She was adorable and sexy in every way possible. He didn't think about her reservations as far as going into the club and being met with other women smelling like his cum and cologne. But then, while there were interested women in his club, they either tried to play hard to get with him, or got the message that he wasn't looking. But then, he had gone to Secret's tavern... and something had changed. And now he had Brittany... forever. "What, dearest? What's wrong? Why be sorry?" Brittany loved his body against hers, and she pressed back eagerly. He set her libido into over drive just being near him. Maybe it was the way he smelled? So virile and masculine? It made her body tingle in ways that she was told that she couldn't do. But yet she could." Nothing is wrong," she stated simply. "I… just haven't felt like this before. I didn't know thingscouldbe like this." She grinned, her cheeks still pink. "I just can't…get enough of you. It's so silly, I know. I feel like a stupid teenager that I used to make fun of when I was one." She smiled at him and watched him carefully, her eyes playful. She wanted him, she just didn't know how to say it, or in what capacity. Furthermore, she didn't know what she wanted. To fuck or to be held. Or to kiss and snuggle. She was conflicted and in every direction. Fallen smiled even bigger as he squeezed her smaller frame to him. Brittany was rewarded for her honesty with lots of small kisses all over her face and neck. He wanted to kiss every inch of her, and learn her entire body with his lips and hands. When they had mated, it had been incredible and intense, but it seemed like it had been far too long since that one act... and even it had seemed too short, even if they had made it last. But, he also didn't want to go shredding her clothes off and ravaging her all the time. He didn't want Brittany to think that all she was a body to fuck to him. Because she was much more than that. Even if he took a hundred women to bed, there would only ever be one that took that title of mate. But holding Brittany, he didn't see himself with anyone else. Perhaps it was enough just to have the option. Wolves, by and large, weren't monogamous by nature. Sure, they would form a bonded pair with their mate, but they would always take others. Fallen had denied that nature for Raven. If he had done that for someone who had betrayed him, could he not do that for Brittany, too? It wasn't like he couldn't be happy with just her, right? Technically, this was only his second relationship in his entire life." You're not the only one, baby girl. You are like a drug that I just can't get enough of... and I crave you constantly." Giggling at the kisses that he peppered over her face and neck, she wiggled away. She didn't know what he was thinking, thankfully. She snuggled against him, thinking that he was sweet, silly, and fun. Furthermore, she was just glad that he did care. Furthermore, she didn't want to talk badly about Secret, but it was a far different type of owner situation. Secret cared, but not in the way that she was pretty sure that Fallen did. She wanted to be crazy and tell him to never leave her again, rather ask, but tell him that she wanted him to never leave her again, but that would be stupid. Life still had to be lived, so to speak. Things happened around them and people depended upon him. Brittany looked into his eyes and smiled widely, her mischief still present. "Good. I like being craved. I've never had that." Still torn in what she wanted to do, she reminded herself that it would ultimately be whathewanted anyway. Because he needed to control everything. That wasn't a bad thing, she just had traded one form of slavery for another. Also, not a bad thing. She just didn't know how to say it without it sounding like she was upset about it when she wasn't." I crave you too." The demon smiled at his mate, snuggling close to her as they enjoyed the solitude of each other's company. The fire she inspired in him seemed to stay at the steady blaze of a furnace. Fallen's heart thundered when Brittany touched him. Her sweet scent made the beast in him want to hunt and chase her, but not to hurt her. Rather, it was more of a play sort of thing. "Good... I hope that craving can never be fully satisfied." Fallen kissed her as he thought about the irony. What was it with wolves and vampires being such a popular pairing lately in human media? Even if he was a demon, he felt like they still fell into the stereotype to some degree. Not that it bothered him. After all, it still felt like a very real slice of fantasy to him. "So... Providing I don't fall asleep in such a comfy position, what would you like to do? I don't have another meeting until tomorrow night." "I don't know what I'd like to do. I'm a bit overwhelmed with all of these feelings coursing through me. I'm horny, but it's a slow burn, there's that, but then there's this need to be as close to you as I can. It makes me want to claw my skin off." She leaned over to kiss him gently, smiling. "It's overwhelming, I mean, the last two days have been so different." What do you want to do? We could go outside and play in the snow." She wrapped her leg over him. "I'm not familiar with your realm or the nuances of it." Fallen chuckled and kissed Brittany again. This kiss was a bit deeper... a bit steamier, his tongue slipping between her lips to gently play with hers. "Well, I'd rather you didn't claw all that beautiful, cool skin off. It's mine, after all, and I like it where it is." He said jokingly, fingers slipping under her shirt and trailing over her stomach gently. "And yeah, the last couple of days have beenverydifferent. Though, I wouldn't say in a bad way, considering we ended up in one another's arms." Fallen leaned in and nuzzled Brittany, kissing her jaw and cheek a few more times. He chuckled at her wording. "My realm..." He said idly. It wasn't really so much his realm. "I wouldn't say this ismyrealm... the club is mine, but the territory it lies in is neutral zone... kept in trust for those bastards like myself that didn't have a pack or coven or family. Of course, I do now... but not everyone does. Even if I am considered the... leader of them, it's not my realm." Fallen realized he had been rambling and shook his head with a chuckle. "Sorry, I know can get long-winded sometimes." With a sigh, Kira looked out a nearby window at the light of the morning sun. "We could go and play in the snow... but not in this crappy city. I would rather do that at home. It's late, and I'm a bit tired after transporting both of us here and having to deal with a meeting. Is there something else we could do here that doesn't require me to rest? Are you hungry?" He still wanted Brittany to bite him, but wasn't going to bring it up unless she did. She laughed, exasperated but not in a bad way. "I just mean that I don't know what to do. I'm frustrated, but not in any direction. I'm at your mercy, not a bad thing, but I'm in a place I've never been in and everything is just so much." She grinned at him. "Definitely not different in a bad way." She couldn't imagine life without him, the thought of him being gone sent panic into her heart. She thought that was a bit ridiculous, and that she needed to get a grip, but she couldn't help that urgent, breathless feeling that threatened to consume her and pull her down into the dark spiraling depths of grief. As she kept quiet through him explaining about his realm, she only smiled. When he was finally done, she spoke very softly and with a bit of worry. "I only mean that your world is different from mine, and I'm not familiar with anything here. I didn't mean to imply that you owned it or make you feel upset over anything." She hoped that she hadn't upset him, though, granted, he had chuckled. She watched him look out of the window, her head tilted as she watched the sun coming up. Her attention was drawn when he mentioned food. "I'm very hungry. For both a cheeseburger and blood." She often snuck regular food behind Secret's back; she wasn't supposed to be able to eat it. Yet she did. She didn't understand it, she just knew that blood alone didn't fill her up, and she liked meat. A lot of blood, yes, would do it, but not a bottle or whatever snack she'd been given. It didn't cross Brittany's mind at that moment to bite him. She would one day if he truly wanted it, but it scared her because she didn't want to hurt him. Fallen smiled at his little mate, his hand coming up to caress her cheek. He was happy for the first time since Raven had betrayed him. A part of himknewthat Brittany would never turn on him or betray him, and more than just because he owned her. Still, that didn't stop him from being frightened of the possibility in the deepest, darkest corners of his being. "You didn't upset me. I was just explaining how it worked around here. Everyone will know you are mine, and you will be safe here." Kissing her gently after he reassured her, Fallen squeezed her closer to him. A knock came at the door and in stepped a sharply dressed young man with dark hair and a warm smile at Fallen's invitation. It was clear by his attire that he was the one that Fallen had mentioned to Brittany about being his slave, and that he accomplished this by filling the role of a butler." It occurred to me, my lord, that I should ensure that the lady of the house is well-fed before she sleeps for the day... if she is a day-sleeper, at that is." He carried the silver tray to the bedside and set it down before removing the lid like they were at a five-star restaurant. On it was a bottle of what appeared to be wine, but was blood by the smell of it, and a wine glass. Next to it, oddly enough, was a cheeseburger and some fries, still steaming with how fresh it all was. There must have been a look on Brittany's face, because the young man just smiled. "Most people tend to have a similar reaction, though I won't stoop to say that I am 'one hell of a butler'. No, just old-fashioned intuition." Fallen grinned at Brittany. "Thanks, Tristen, I think she'll be quite fond of your cooking." With a bow, the young man let himself out and Fallen filled the glass for his mate, taking a sip of the blood before handing it to her. Would she be safe? She didn't know, but that was because she was in a whole other place than what she was used to, and she had no private space. She didn't think he'd let her have that, either. Furthermore, she'd had her own room with Secret, a place that she could go and relax. To be away from everyone else. She knew that she'd have time to herself when he was away. She didn't look forward to him being away, on the other hand. When Tristen entered the room, she nodded at the sibling of her Master, whom she'd met some hours before. "Day sleeping isn't a requirement. Sun doesn't bother me." She was honest about it. "I had to pretend it did before, because everyone said it should." She looked at the tray with a smile, her stomach rumbling. She could smell the blood and the cheeseburger." How'd you know I'd want food though?" she asked. She wasn't supposed to like food. Just blood. She took the offered glass of blood, watching Tristen disappear through the door. She took a long sip and smiled. Furthermore, she looked anxiously at the cheeseburger, and then at her Master, before she would reach for it. Fallen shrugged at Brittany's question after handing off her glass of wine. "He really is an amazing cook, and to this day, I don't know how he knows the things he does. Some days I swear he has the house wired. But, in answer to your question, he probably knew that not all vampires are cursed to be unable to eat. And even if you were, he knew I would eat it." He was soon plucking a french fry from the platter, seeing the look that Brittany was giving him." I don't know what you're looking at me fore, dear, he brought the food for you." He teased her as he laid back in the bed with a sigh. He had no problem giving Brittany her own room or her space if she needed it, though he did know that would give him some anxiety if it were too long or too frequent. With her, however, he doubted such would be the case.

Part of the Pack [Fallen and Secret]|rating:4.0

Talislanta_ Wild, Wild West! Char-Gen and Cast Thread.

Standard 5th Edition rules apply. You get to choose three paths. When in doubt, ask! Your GMs and the other players will help you. And if you want to do something a little different, like changing out a weapon from your official path for one that makes more sense for your concept, by all means ask...but be prepared to hear 'yes'. We're lenient!(will update with character sheet template shortly) FIRST! (OK here's my summary) I haven't quite finished the full length character sheet yet. Viorica Juliana Petrarch/Culture: SaristaPaths: Initiate Witch, Con-Artist, Witch Gender: Female Age: 28 yrs Height: 5'4"Weight: 95lbsHair: Black Eyes: Brown/Olive Skin: Topaz Appearance:(has long hair, a slender body which might generally be thought of as attractively tan, though her skin tends more toward a honeyed-hue. She has elaborate tattoos down her back but none on her face. She frequently wears Arista style jewelry, but her clothing may vary. Background:Vitoria was raised in a very traditional fashion among her people. Her family was split in two parts. Her mother's side of the family tended to be greatly involved in witchcraft while her father's side of the family was enamored with life on the road and making a living through trade, craft and music. Her grandmother chose her at a young age to begin studying the art of Witchcraft which she did, leaving her father's caravan to pursue several years in her grandmother's care. Furthermore, her grandmother was somewhat elderly, but her advice and healing remedies were greatly sought after by a great many Arista who knew of her. Vitoria learned to respect and admire her grandmother's trade. The time came that Vitoria became homesick for her father's caravan though and so when they had returned to Silva nus her grandmother opted to join them in traveling east along the trade roads. Despite her years the old grandmother still enjoyed the company of her daughter and granddaughter. With the family all together they celebrated and laughed into the evenings. Unfortunately their journey took them across And and into the path of a witch hunter. The man trailed after their caravan for several weeks keeping the men on edge. It was commonplace when anywhere near Amman to lie about Vitoria's grandmother or anything to do with her trade, and they did not allow for anyone to sell fortunes. The witch hunter that followed them though had been studying the Arista, and he was quite corrupt, having allowed his sadistic desire to destroy witches to overrun his pious observation of his homeland's concept of spiritual purity. He managed to sneak into their camp late at night and murdered Vitoria's grandmother in her sleep. Viorica shared her grandmother's wagon, and so she woke in alarm to see a man in the wagon. Before she could cry out the man silenced her and told her that she would have to repent her wicked ways, or he would kill her too. She was but a novice witch then and was very fearful for her life. Seeing that Death would surely have her if she were to refuse, she agreed since sooner or later Fortuna would be on her side. What followed was far from ideal in Vitoria's mind. The witch hunter kidnapped her and brought her into the belly of Amman. He made her dress in the fashion of his people and used her as an example of a good repented heathen. She thought he was a madman and played the role she was expected to follow, mostly through deception. She had to hide everything she knew of witchcraft. Her efforts to deceive worked far better than she could have hoped and within a year the man had decided to make her his wife. His family was displeased with the choice, especially his younger brother. She was not of Amman. She did not even belong there. The union took place however and Vitoria endured the unhappy marriage long enough to learn the man's habits and to get close enough to him to take his life. She had never murdered another person in her life, but it was far easier to lay a hex on the man after she had lain in his bed. The hard part was not in the killing so much as in escaping from Amman after the deed was done. She disguised herself quickly after the fact, took his money and supplies and made for the road once again praising Fortuna all the way. It was over a year before she was able to reconnect with her family's caravan. They were in tears to see her alive and well after so long. They had believed that Death had taken her after they had discovered what had become of her grandmother. Unfortunately, after all that had happened, she had seen too much of the world. She had killed a man, and she knew that her husband's younger brother, who had also been learning the ways of the witch hunter, was likely to come after her. If she remained in her father's caravan, then she was likely to be discovered. So instead she returned to Silva nus to meditate and learn ways to stay ahead of Death's dark intents. Order/Magical Modes: Witchcraft/Conjuration +1, Divination +4, Enchantment +1, Influence +1, Move +1, Transmutation +5, Ward +6Weapon Skills: Short Blade +1Additional Notes:I haven't finished the long character sheet here (#Viorica_Petra) I need to finish sorting out what spells she knows and figure out if I want to buy anything more with the starting money she gets from her racial background and paths. Currently, her weapon skill was purchased with 2 skill points since I assumed short blade was not a preferred skill for her paths. (Seemed like some kind of blade should be for arista with Tantra being a freebie but oh well). I think I've gotten most of this sorted out. Adding the list of threads for ease of reference.IC thread (thread (thread (thread (fun! Isn't Tantra usually performed with a more sword-like blade, Drift? I just sent my third character to Mad Panda for approval, and will definitely play one of those :P. So, guys and gals, which one would you rather have me play, the dueling student of magic, or the hedonistic Thracian musician-wizard with negative skills in physical combat >:)? ThalealiusThaecian - awaiting finishing touches(I was considering Thanks Thanks for a name :P Yeah, I am kidding)Bio: Left Thalia to see distant lands, do some foreign women, and get the money of foreigners who treasure art. He loves dancing, seduction, and using magic on the scene to enhance his skills, which fits well with a neophyte Wizard. He travelled a lot, but the natural telepathy always warned him in time for the incoming dangers. Furthermore, he probably should be grateful to his distant relative who did say Muse... At the beginning of the game, he is a traveler who is popular with the Arista, and everybody else who likes a good time. Last time he was planning to visit Bandit, but some other fancy might yet strike him. Appearance: 6’3”, 1750 lbs. Skin covered with fine silvery scales, deep blue eyes Natural Telepathy +1Base Attributes:INT +2 PER +2 WILL -2CHA +2 STR -1 DEX +1CON +0 SPD +0CR -2 RC -1 MR +3Hit Points: 18 Skills: Language (Thracian - native), Language (High Talisman - fluent), Language (Archean - fluent), Language - Low Talisman+2 Cultures (Thalia) +5,Seduction +6Dance+4,Music+4,Haggle+2,Swim +2Influence Mode +1Transmutation +1Illusion +1 (+3 bonus from Order)Divination +1Enchant +2Ward +1Move +1Arcane Lore +2 Quirks: Attractive, Order Quirk (Wizardry), Sensual Voice, Stunning, Dilute Telepathy, 2 negative quirks Starting Equipment: Diaphanous gossamer robes; gossamer purse and shoulder pouch; Sturdy linen breeches and tunic; hide boots; leather boots; colorful garments; cloak;domesticated animal, animal of choice (non-mount);flask of Thracian nectar; waterski;coin purse with 126 GL in pentacles, 100 g, l. in coins, gemstones (Phaeacians don’t use currency themselves)Starting Equipment: Spell book (note: all spells are inscribed in "scroll" format); belt pouch containing various spell components; dagger; room at boarding house;QuatterstaffSpell list:Enchant mode:Enhance Musical Instrument Mode: Enchantment Duration: 3 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -5 (level 3 base)Upon casting this spell, the Wizard targets an instrument and causes it to glow faintly with green arcane force. The force increases the Skill of the wielder with the Musical instrument (+1) for the duration of the spell. Arcane Dexterity Mode: Enchantment Duration: 3 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -7 (level 5 base)With this spell, the Magicians skin starts to glow bright green. The arcane forces present enhance the Magicians DEX (+1). Divination mode Hidden in the Folds (Conceal)Mode: Divination Duration: 1 minutes Range: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: +1 (level 1 base)When cast, this spell allows the magician to hide an object somewhere on their person, usually within the folds of their robes. The object can be of any size that the magician can usually carry, although weight is not effected. Influence modeTranceMode: Influence Duration: 5 rounds Range: 5 feet Casting Modifiers: -5 (level 1 base + duration)Upon casting, the magicians eyes glow with a sparkling blue light, capturing the intended targets attention and sending them into a trance-like state, unable to act for 5 rounds. Transmutation Odessa's Minor Healing of the Body’s Wounds Mode: Transmutation (Heal)Duration: Instant Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -5 (level 5 base)When this spell is cast, the Wizards hand glow faintly with a blue light. Upon touching an individual, 5 HP are restored as the targets wounds are healed through the power of arcane forces. Incitement of the Spinning Sickness Mode: Transmutation (Harm)Duration: Instant Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -10 (level 10 base)Upon casting, the Wizards hands become covered in blue, green and black vortices. When the caster touches the target, the vortexes move up the body from the point of contact and swirl around the victims head. This causes the victim to suddenly become afflicted with Spinning Sickness, luckily for the victim, this disease is not fatal and usually runs its course in a few days. Illusion mode Illuminating Globe Mode: Illusion Duration: 1 minute Range: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -11 (level 1 base + duration +magnitude)With a gesture, the caster produces a small globe of light that will move as directed. The globe produces light as a torch, and can be used to blind opponents with a ranged attack roll using the Illusion Mode rating with a -7 aiming modifiers, or enhance a performance. Ward mode Arcane Aura Mode: Ward Duration: 5 rounds Range: Self Casting Modifiers: -1 (level 1 base)When cast, the Wizard glows with an amber light and is surrounded by crackling arcane energies, which will shield him from physical and magical attacks that might otherwise do damage. Move mode Arcane Fingers Mode: Move Duration: 1minuteRange: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -6 (level 1 base + duration)A glowing hand of green arcane energy appears and moves at the discretion of the caster. The hand can pick up objects and move them slowly around within range. Arcane Flight Mode: Move Duration: 1minuteRange: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -7 (level 1 base + SPD)This spell covers the target in a purple glow and allows them to fly for a short period of time, at SPD –7 (30 feet per round). For the duration of this spell, the effected individual will be able to control their movements very precisely and will also be able to hover if so desired. Note that this spell must be cast at a high enough level to lift the targets weight. Subjugating Force Mode: Move Duration: 1minuteRange: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -7 (level 1 base + area)Shimmering forces slam down on those within a 6’x6’ area. This spell causes those within the area of effect to make an STR roll vs 1/3 the spells level, or fall to their knees. Dinigorgeus, commonly shortened toDingoCymrillian sword-wizardCymril's wizard's schools Are known for insolent pupils. Here you meet a fine example! In short, he was born in Cyril, went to wizard's school, and not hurrying with lessons. He devotes about half his time to studies and half to drinking, whoring and duels, which are in vogue. He even duels for money sometimes. After all, these taxes don't pay themselves! On the other hand, he got to meet lots of very interesting people. And now he's got to travel, after a duel he was paid to hurt his opponent ended with said opponent lying in a pool of his own blood... He decided to try his luck in And. Probably has something to do with the Cervantes :P. Appearance: 6’3”, 155 lbs. Pale green skin and hair, golden eyes, slender build, handsome features; may alter appearance with magical enhancements. Base Attributes:INT +1 PER +0 WILL +0CHA +1 STR +0 DEX +0CON +0 SPD +0CR +1 RC +0 MR +4Hit Points: 20 Skills: Language (Low Talisman - native), Language (High Talisman - fluent), Language (Archean -fluent), Cultures (Civilian) +5, Cultures (Seven Kingdoms) +3, Fashion (Seven Kingdoms) +5. Streetwise+1Swim+1Large Blades +4Small blades +4Arcane Lore+1Oratory+1,Conjuration Mode+1Enchantment Mode+2 (+3 bonus)Move Mode+1Transmutation mode +1Ward Mode+2Illusion mode+1Literate, Pet, Attractive, Battle Magic, Bandit Swordsmanship, Sharp tongue, Wizardry (or Necromancy, but unlikely) Order Starting Gear: linen tunic and breeches; sandals; cloth cap; high collared cloak, breeches and tunic of various colors; dyed leather boots; high collared cloak; leather boots; velveteen cloak; knee high boots; silver hairbands, ring and bracelets;belt pouch; belt pouch 2; shoulder bag; minor magical trinket, well-looking Bandit sword; Bandit dueling sword and a dagger; dormitory room at Lyceum Arcane; modest apartment in urban center; Emus with tack and saddle;coin purse with 195 GL in gold pentacles. Spangalor armor;Spell book (note: Transmutation spells are inscribed in scroll format)Conjuration Mode The Bandit Dueling Wizard’s Hope Mode: Conjuration Duration: 1 minute Range: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -7 (level 1 base + duration)Upon completion of this incantation, the Wizard conjures a blade made of sparkling energy, with a DR of 6, which disappears after 1 minute. Main-Gauche In The Arcane Hands Mode: Conjuration Duration: 1 minute Range: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -5 (level 1 base + duration)Upon completion of this incantation, the Wizard conjures a blade made of sparkling energy, with a DR of 4, which disappears after 1 minute. Enchantment Mode Enhance Weapon Mode: Enchantment Duration: 1 minute Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -3 (level 3 base)Upon casting this spell, the Wizard targets a weapon and causes it to glow with blue arcane force. This force increases the DR of the weapon (+1). Enhance Armor Mode: Enchantment Duration: 1 minute Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -3 (level 3 base)This incantation causes the touched armor to shimmer with a silver light, increasing the PR of the Armor (+1). Arcane Strength Mode: Enchantment Duration: 1 minute Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -5 (level 5 base)With this spell, the Magicians skin starts to glow bright green. The arcane forces present enhance the Magicians STR (+1). Arcane Dexterity Mode: Enchantment Duration: 3 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -7 (level 5 base)With this spell, the Magicians skin starts to glow bright green. The arcane forces present enhance the Magicians DEX (+1). Move Mode Arcane Fingers Mode: Move Duration: 1minuteRange: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -6 (level 1 base + duration)A glowing hand of green arcane energy appears and moves at the discretion of the caster. The hand can pick up objects and move them slowly around within range. Transmutation mode Healing of the Body’s Wounds Mode: Transmutation (Heal)Duration: Instant Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -10 (level 10 base)When this spell is cast, the Wizards hand glow brightly with a blue light. Upon touching an individual, 10 HP are restored as the targets wounds are healed through the power of arcane forces. Ward Mode The Honorable Duel Mode: Ward Duration: 5 rounds Range: Self Casting Modifiers: -7 (level 1 base + area)The caster creates a barrier of bright blue force big enough to encompass himself, and his opponent in an 2,5 m circle. This allows both combatants to focus on the duel without having to worry about friends that the other might have. Wizards Wall Mode: Ward Duration: 1 minute Range: Self Casting Modifiers: -6 (level 1 base + duration)This spell has been used for centuries to block off an escape, or to stop pursuers. By speaking a brief incantation and pointing at an area, the wizard creates a shimmering wall of arcane force that lasts for a single minute. Illusion mode Wizard's Cloak Of Decency Mode: Illusion Duration: 3 minute Range: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -5 (level 1 base + duration)This spell has been used for centuries by wizards having illicit affairs with married partners. In case the husband arrives, the wizard has to cast it real fast. When cast, the spell creates a cloak that covers the wizard, not allowing to notice that he might be naked. Some rumors speak of a wizard that uses a similar spell to hide he's wearing armor during a duel. Illuminating Globe Mode: Illusion Duration: 1 minute Range: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -11 (less?) (level 1 base + duration +magnitude - how much for a spell that does the same in a limited area, and probably cannot blind opponents?) With a gesture, the caster produces a small globe of light that will move as directed. The globe produces light as a torch, and can be used to blind opponents with a ranged attack roll using the Illusion Mode rating with a -7 aiming modifiers. Character Summary: DJIA the Mask Race/Culture: RajanPaths: Urban, Assassin, Assassin Gender: Female Age: 23Height: 5'4"Weight: 110Hair: Black Eyes: Blood Redskin: Dark Brown Appearance:Horn-like protrusions from chin and forehead, wears her hair cut short and tied back with a thong, has (unenchanted) Daffier mask cut around horns. Normally dresses like an Primate. Beneath the mask, she's a bit plain (even considering her Trajan traits) and her training has left her boyishly slender. Personality:DJIA is quiet and observant, rarely offering her own two copper minims until she chooses to act...which she does with brutal efficiency. She is somewhat gregarious, and habitually nocturnal...which, in And, is not a bad combination! Background:What very little is known of DJIA the Mask's life before she turned up in the West indicates that she was the daughter of a wealthy Trajan nobleman. The precise circumstances of her departure are unclear, but may have involved an arranged marriage...in any case, she fell in with a band of Primate mercenaries and somehow convinced them to take her with them. In Arm, she fell under the wing of an independent woman who helped train her...and who turned out to be a member of the Revenants. DJIA is technically not a member of the cult, but may be working for them indirectly (even though she's got the worst cover possible for such a role). Weapon Skills: Small Blades, Thrown Blades Additional Notes:Attributes INT +0 PER +0 WILL +0CHA -1 STR +0 DEX +1CON +1 SPD +0CR +2 RC +1 MR +0Hit Points: 21 Skills:Culture (Trajan) +5 Doctrines (Black Mystic Cult) +4Language (Reimann - native)Assassinate +3Climbing +2Evade +3Disable Device +2Search +2Stealth +2Swim +2 Blades, small +4 Blades, Thrown +3Haggle +1Language: Low Talisman +2Streetwise +1Swim +1Quirks: Terrain Familiarity (desert), Nocturnal, Indebted, Primate Knife Fighting, Stealthy Starting Equipment: fur vest, hide boots, sackcloth breeches and shirt, black iron armbands and earrings; bottle of chaos, 3 daggers, deep blue silk shirt and pants, belt, backpack; short bow with ammunition; tent, rugged traveling clothes, bedroll; six glass vials of poison (paralytic poison, Venom wood resin, and Viper’s Blood), pouch of Morpheus Powder (four doses); small apartment, wardrobe with 50 GL of disguises, heavy storage chest with lock; thieves’ tools; coin purse with 70 g.l. in assorted currency. Aspects:"You want him dead? Pay me." Can't decline a good challenge. I know a lot for someone this shy! I just want to remind you something, everybody ;)! MadPanda said it best, and I'm too lazy to type it again. Quote from: Mad Panda on 17-09-2010, 04:20:47For the record, folks, if working through the Path system is taking too long, or if you have any trouble figuring some of this stuff out, feel free to snag one of the templates (section starts on page 242 and runs through 252) to speed things along. :-)Also, you can customize the templates to some extent, so you are not just taking a "standard" character ;)! Well, the starting equipment she had was a short blade (daggers) :/ So if you're recommending I go to a long blade I could, but it might be better if I go to a cutlass and keep short blade proficiency... I don't know. The rules really didn't say anything to that effect. Hey GM! Tantra (which adds your dance skill to parry/disarm) does it have to be a long blade? Seems to me, you ought to be able to do it with short blades too (just would require getting in closer to your opponent methinks). I'm ok with buying her some alternate weaponry. Her starting equipment made no sense in that respect... oh yeah witches get spears as a preferred weapon but start with quarterstaves and daggers :P I do need to finish working on her equipment list. I'm not "recommending" it, it just sounds like the classical option of dancing with swords :P. Other than that, no, I don't object to it, and I'm not saying it should always be performed with a sword ;)! Use whatever you'd like to describe, if it's a knife, use a knife! Character Summary: XionphanRace/Culture: XambrianPaths: Wandering, Wizard Hunter, Wizard Hunter Gender: Mileage: 32Height: 6'Weight: 185 lbs Hair: Black Eyes: Purple Skin: Off White Appearance:This somber looking man of above average height and off-white complexion holds himself with a quiet dignity in most situations. He is well-built; toned but not bulky and his movement is easy and unhindered, if not quite as graceful as some of the lither races. His shoulder long hair is black and naturally curved, held in place by a silver circlet on his brow and his calm eyes are an unremarkable purple shade. He is clean-shaven, leaving his hard featured face exposed, and he dresses in black breeches, vest and cloak. What stands out are the pair of silver mail gauntlets that cover his hands and forearms, as well as the sword sheathed at his belt; too long for a long sword, but not big enough for a great sword. Personality:Usually business like, Orphan has little time for inane niceties or meaningless chatter. If he is not on a Calling he is easier in his manners and can even be pleasant when the mood strikes him, but if he is searching for a reincarnation he can be quite brusque. Background:Where he was born or who his blood parents were is unknown to Orphan. He was reared as the youngest member of a Draconian household in the city of Deadwood in the south of the Plains of Clarion. As the years passed he grew to realize that he was different from his family, what with his completely different appearance and the strange sounds and images that had begun to visit his mind. As he approached his teens he lived in a twilight existence in which he could not be sure whether the visitations were true or of he was losing his mind, or which possibility was worse. But on his thirteenth birthday the makers of his visions came to him more clearly than ever, and he told of the legacy of the Cambrians, of their sorrow and the oath they had taken to wreak vengeance upon the Torquay reincarnations. That day he came to his foster parents and asked them to hand him his spirit blade. They were both surprised and disturbed at the request, for the boy's blood mother had predicted this very meeting and told them what they had to do. Presenting the sword his mother had left for him, they had to bid him fare well, unknowing if they would ever see their child again. His ancestors were now his mentors and trainers, teaching him through their visions and voices the art of the blade and the Cambrians' innate gift of dispelling. Every time he stopped for the day he would train and every morning he would once more set out towards that place which beckoned to him, though he did not truly know where the feet were taking him. It took many weeks of hard travel and adventures may be told in some other story, but in the end he found himself at the foot of a great hill, three hundred feet high and composed primarily out of skulls. Adrian skulls. The place was Omen; the Mountain of Skulls and he climbed its grim slopes to the summit where he made his camp that night. As the sun set he sat and waited for what he was sure to come, and he was not disappointed. That night he communed with his ancestors more clearly than ever and through their memories he experienced the former glory of his people and lived through the horror of their demise at the hands of the Trimarans. He witnessed the forging of the spirit blades and swearing of the oath. The next morning any hesitation he might have harbored had been dispelled. He would be a Wizard Hunter, and he knew where to find his first foe, as directed by his ancestors. It was his first Calling, and it took several years for him to achieve its success, but it would not be his last and in due time he grew to become an able Hunter and had his own pair of silver gauntlets forged to show his profession. He was not always on a Calling and would support himself as mercenary, bodyguard and freelance hunter of the occult. Weapon Skills: Large blades Additional Notes:Attributes:INT +1 PER +2 WILL +2CHA -1 STR +1 DEX +0CON +1 SPD +0CR +3 RC +0 MR +3Hit Points:20 Skills:Arcane Lore Blades, large +8 (+2)Brawling +3CartographyCoerceConveyanceCookCulture (Cambrian) +2Dispel Magic +6 (+4)GeographyHaggleInterrogationLanguage (Low Talisman - native)Language (Archean - fluent)Language (Cambrian - fluent)Ride (Strider) +4Tracking +2Stealth +4 SwimQuirks:Spirit force, Single Minded, Strong Willed, Threatening Voice Starting Equipment:57 g.l.6 s.l. SpiritbladeXambrian Silver GauntletsDaggerLeather vest, breeches and cloak of black strider hide Belt (leather)Boots (leather)Headband (silver)Large shoulder bagBedrollCoin purse (2)Scabbard (leather)Grapnel (black iron)Rope (100')Tinder box Torch (10)Waterski, small (2)Strider Saddle and packsaddle bag (2)Road rations (4 weeks) One very important note:There's a Sanguine moment or five in the char-gen process. Your first path should be one of the 'background' ones that can only be taken once (Urban, Rural, Wanderer, et cetera). This modifies your starting 'racial' template and covers your background before you started adventuring. It's implied in the way they built the templates that follow the path section, but not actually stated in the rules. Please double-check to make sure you've done this. (And apologies to all for not catching this one sooner.) Drift's character used Initiate witch, which can only be taken once. Your character started with Urban, and my own started with Urban or Rural, accordingly. And I remind everybody that the templates are still a legal choice in the 5th edition;). Everybody, the GMs decided the game will be starting Monday, somewhere in the evening. The important part is, if you are ready with a concept and race until then, you can even post alongside everybody! If you aren't ready with the mechanics of your characters yet, you have time until Friday to post them. If you need to roll before the character is posted in the charge thread, your overall skill will be considered +1 before modifiers, though, with a +0 for attribute rolls ;). After Friday, only fully completed characters will continue in the game. I think this is the moment to remind you that if you get stuck for time, you can use a template character, which means you'd need all of 15 seconds to post the mechanics. Adding the list of threads for ease of reference.IC thread (thread (thread (thread (fun! Character Summary: Alan (Raj-Alas)Race/Culture:Warpaths: Wandering, Assassin, Hunter Gender:Mileage: 34Height:5’9Weight:170 lbs Hair:Silvery-gray Eyes:Green with a bronze shine Fur:Black Appearance: Alan looks as the standard aka except for a queue that reaches halfway down his back and is often concealed inside his clothes. Because of the nature of his mane, it is often hard to spot. He also has a kanji on his left shoulder, depicting a Trajan scorpion, both product of a successful bet. He has broad shoulders and a toned body, with his height it is enough to deter those that aren’t trained from getting in a fight with him. Furthermore, he keeps his fur trimmed but long enough to protect him from the sun and rain and in the rare event, of cold. Furthermore, he keeps a calm expression and an affable demeanor. Furthermore, he only wears his mask when inside Trajan settlements. Personality: Alan’s upbringing showed him that life can turn around in any moment. He tries to remain calm and regard each situation as a separate case, making sure to follow the decisions that best suit him. Although he can focus on a specific task when needed, when relaxed, his prone to getting distracted by sounds, sights or scents around him. Still he is quite keen and is capable on focusing on a conversation while methodically analyzing his surroundings. Distrustful to boot, he keeps his upbringing to himself and only reveals it when it is absolutely necessary. Overall, he is social and easygoing, except when he is alone since he dedicates his time to plot his next move. Everything he has done since his childhood was to follow the orders given to him, although he has found ways to involve his personal interests in their accomplishment. He might not be the brightest, but he is experienced enough to get his way when he needs to. Background:Alan’s mother was captured and sold in a brief transaction to an eccentric Trajan general. Much to his surprise, and discomfort, she happened to be pregnant. Unknown to the slave trader, she had been taken the night after one of the males had claimed her. Seeing the child as an unwanted burden, he talked with a contact he had among the rain to take the boy away. Knowledgeable of the aka’s fear of magic he thought it would eventually get him killed. Luckily for him, his mother had prepared an amulet for him when her master was not around so he had it when he was taken, she also taught him the ways of the aka, in hope that he would one day return to his people. Despite his lack of proficiency in magic, he excelled in the rest of his training and the general devised a new idea for him, he would finish his training and be sent to different countries to infiltrate and gather information on their costumes and military so the other rain could use it against them. His first assignment was among the King, again in a try to get him killed. By chance, he happened to be in a bar and make a bet with an already drunk King, a drinking game of course. Whoever passed away first would show the other the ways of his people. He was careful to add some narcoleptic on the King’s drink to ensure his victory. Drunk, but conscious, he was taken to the King’s home and learned their ways, from their language to getting a kanji as he stayed with them for a year. From his host, he got a recommendation later, again when he was drunk, to follow to his next target, an old Ariane that had been travelling to acquire knowledge in his Tamar and then return it to the obelisk. He travelled with him as bodyguard for a few months and when they were about to part ways he asked for an introduction letter to an arm trading group that was supposed to be around the place they were, killing him afterward leaving a Dorian hook he had stolen from his host stuck in his throat. He took the Tamar and some arrows to conceal his next job.road. The request had been sent by another revenant since this one had escaped the control of the cult. With the letter, he joined them and learned the primate knife fighting in exchange for his knowledge in King combat from the cult member, concealing the fact that he knew who he was. After getting another letter from the revenant cult member, he assassinated him with an Ariane arrow which he drove into when they were alone. He called for the others who took his body and the arrow as proof of his murder. Due to the lack of assignments, he went to live among the aka and reunited with his father, who taught him about the wild beasts and the abilities of the hunters. From his father he acquired a nighthawk hatchling, which both trained together. Mustering his courage and after some years, he confessed his father his assassinations and what happened to his mother. He swore to rescuer her as soon as he had the funds or the name among the rajahs. Years later, he used the letter acquired from the arm to live among the gnome kin, his interest in them was to gain access the arista, his job to kill a prominent figure that would be attending a wedding that would be celebrated in a few months. He didn’t stay much, but got a few experiences against the subterranoids and helped around with dragging the crystals. He arrived at the wedding with gnome kin that was hired to create a crystal statue for the gardens. Weapon Skills:Small Blade +5Large Blade +5 Bows +4Thrown +4Base Attributes:INT 0 PER +5 WILL +1CHA -1 STR +1 DEX +4CON +1 SPD +3CR +4 RC +3 MR +1Movement: 200 feet Encumbrance: 112,5 pounds Hit Points: 23Special Abilities:Sixth Sense +5Without their talismans aka react to magic with INT -4. Skills:Language (Low Talisman - native)Language(Reimann-native)Language (Sign) +2 Cultures (Aka) +5 Cultures (Trajan)Cultures (King)Stealth +2(+4) +6 [+5/+3, stealthy quirk bonus] +11/+9Survival (forest) +2(+1) Survival (desert) +2Deception +2Geography +2Lip-Reading +6Haggle +1(-1) 0Assassinate +4 Quirks:Night Vision, Soft Landing, Stealthy, Fear (magic), Magic Item: Luck Talisman, Acute sense (Smell), Fearless, Pain Tolerance, Strong Willed, Tireless, Primate Knife Fighting, Pet (Nighthawk)Starting Equipment:Loincloth, vest & arm and leg bracers (all boiled leather); hide shield, hide cloak, damaged Tamar, linen tunic and breeches, leather boots, cloth cloak, hide cap, black silk shirt and pants, rugged traveling clothes, Trajan mask Belt, 2 backpack, thieves’ tools, Luck Talisman Dagger, short bow with ammunition, spear, malcontent, 2 bedrolls, 50’ rope, tinderbox, 2 waterski, lantern, pint of oil Three glass vials of poison (paralytic poison, Venom wood resin, and Viper’s Blood), pouch of Morpheus Powder (two doses);Small apartment, wardrobe with 50 GL of disguises, heavy storage chest with lock;Coin purse with 45 g.l. in assorted currency.25 GL in skins, hides and other valuables. Silvermane emus with saddle and tack Trained Nighthawk (Yum eh)Aspects:Quick eye Vengeance Is My Middle Name Your nose gets you where your eyes couldn't go. I see you haven't adjusted your blade and thrown skills yet, so I'm going to wait for a final version before checking it. You remember out-of-race quirks would be more expensive, right? I think the beast lore quirk has to be repurchased if you want to speak with more than one species. In this case, you just add a new specie after the quirk. However, if Mad Panda has a better idea, I'd be inclined to adopt his ruling ;). He has definitely known the system and the setting far longer than I had. For a given value of the word 'known' since what's been on my bookshelf since the halcyon days of my reddish youth was the ol' Second Edition. Beast Lore is a Special Ability, not a Quirk (p 270) and is purchased like any other skill. I suspect a Sanguine moment in editing. (It was a skill in 4th Edition.) I have to wonder how, exactly, this fellow ended up with a Subterranean weapon. I'm inclined to say 'no' since that's a wee bit like wandering about Rohan with an Orc blade in hand...and letting a friend and allay have one isn't really something the Gnome kin seem likely to do. May I humbly suggest Kantian instead of Primate Knife Fighting? It seems to fit the backstory a bit better. That's a lot of quirks you have listed. How many did you actually buy? Beast Lore is only available through the Beast Master path, which you haven't taken either. It would be taken as a skill (annoyingly enough it IS listed as a Quirk in your racial description, but as a special ability in the Path and in the Skills and Quirks chapter). I'm iffy about allowing you the Assassin path, since it isn't open to Aka, but even considering that Kantian would make more sense than Primate knife fighting. Quirks (except any starting freebies for your race) cost two skill ranks apiece, one point if you take a negative quirk. Counting your negative quirk, that's still seventeen points out of a max of thirty starting points for your listed combination of paths. I'mreallynot sure about the subterranean weapon. Quote from: Leo robin on 30-09-2010, 02:04:51Well he was wandering with the mentioned gnome kin when they were attacked. Since his perception rating and sixth sense allows him an edge on surprise attacks, over the gnome kin at least, he managed to avoid damage. The gunmen was hurt though and after a combat with the subterranean, they got help and the gnome kin was taken to get some medical assistance, he seized the chance and took the dead subterranean's sword. So it is of recent acquisition. He kept it concealed, of course. Is there any reason why he would prefer that specific blade over others he doesn't have to keep concealed? And how do you keep a sword concealed? The Highlander series makes it look easier than it is ;). Consider the sword a 'no' at this point. We may let you gain one in play, if things go the right way. Yes, please, double-check your math. You seem to have either far too many skills or far too many quirks...and I'm not sure how many of the ones you get for being a Aka should apply, given that your character wasn't really raised as one. You would not use the Rajananything. Your character is Aka. The question is how many of those starting quirks would not be available to a character not raised among Aka. Better PM me and Thu fir with your math, then, because something's getting lost in translation. Please make clear how and where you spent what: if you AREN'T spending skill ranks on a skill, leave it off your sheet. My spells and the names are ready. I think the Cyrillic should hate his parents ;D!MP, would you check the spells, especially the changed Globe of light and the first spell of the Cyrillic? Character Summary: Level Esprit BashaldeRace/Culture: SaristaPaths: Urban, Gambler, Guide Gender: Female Age:25Height: 5'11"Weight: 120Hair: White Eyes: Midnight Blue Skin: Light Blue Appearance:Unique among her race, Nevada stands apart from the Arista with her hauntingly, beautiful aquamarine skin and stark white hair. She is tall and slender with a sense of Christian style, adorned with ornate jewelry in vibrant clothing. Nevada proudly displays her Christian heritage with confidence and pride every day. Personality:Nevada tends to be proactive, always keeping a keen eye on her surroundings. She tries to let nothing escape her notice, both in the gambler’s den and on the trail. She plays her little games well, but she knows that life is the real game, and she likes being ahead in the scores. Furthermore, she enjoys the thrill of cheating Death and seeing Fortuna’s invisible hand turn events one way or another. Nevada tries to fill her days with excitement and interesting new places. She abhors boredom, and constantly seems to be doing something or other, which has developed some insomniac tendencies as she has a hard time relaxing. Background:Nevada is the daughter of a prominent Arista merchant, Romero Basal, and famous musician, Esumaraela Basal. Nevada spent most of her life moving between major towns as her father sold wares to the cities where her mother performed. As Nevada grew, it became obvious that she did not possess her mother’s talent for music nor her father’s business-like attitude. Nevada enjoyed spending money on shiny trinkets and couldn’t hold a tune in a bucket, but she could remember the path to anywhere they ever traveled. She was fascinated by the changing landscapes and other cultures, despite her parents’ warning against taking an interest in passing societies. Nevada never grew attached to any other culture besides her own beautiful culture of the Arista, but she liked watching the other denizens, to see what made them tick, and how they could be used to benefit herself and others It was a warm summer day when Nevada discovered a use for her love of paths and culture. A few miles outside a Silva nus city making a crude map, Nevada happened upon a lost group of weary travelers. After a few minutes of overhearing the travelers’ conversation, Nevada gained the courage to ask the group if they would like a guide to the city. It took several more minutes to ease the travelers’ suspicions, but they finally agreed and Nevada showed the travelers to the city, carefully deciding which streets to lead them down. After showing the travelers to the beautiful city and the most affordable inn, the leader of the group kindly gave Nevada a silver piece for her service. Nevada gave a bright smile and small curtsy before walking off down one of the allies, knowing that the travelers lost far more than just one silver piece during their trip into the city. Aevala ran home and told her parents of her splendid new enterprise, one that would both benefit the clan and herself. While sadden that their only daughter would not follow down either path of music or peddling, Nevada’s parents were happy that their daughter finally found her place within the Arista society. Nevada soon began an apprenticeship with a guide and learned the ways of the land by day and the ways of the table by night. Nevada became well acquainted with gambling dens and inns, picking up new games quickly and pocketing a great deal of coin along her travels. After several years of learning the trades, Nevada finally was released from her apprenticeship to become her own guide. At her informal graduation, Nevada was given two special gifts by her parents to aid her along her paths: a brilliant Grahame and a family heirloom: a six-foot-long blade staff. Nevada was both profoundly grateful for the gifts and shocked by her parents' generosity, but her parents insisted that Nevada keep the gifts, including the legendary blade staff that her great-great-great grand pappy had received by outwitting a Warfarin into signing a contract to produce the elongated weapon. Aevala was overwhelmed and elated, but scared. She had never truly been alone from other Arista, but it was time for her to become her own guide and bring a steady flow of coin into her pockets and other Arista. Nervous, but hopeful, Nevada left the next day on her new companion to guide a small caravan to And’s capital city, Anti. She left Silva nus uneasily, but soon gained knowledge and insight along her many travels. It’s been two years since Nevada’s first duty as a guide, and she has found herself in that same city of Anti once again. She enjoyed the city of Anti, as they seemed to possess the sameSaristian appreciation for colorful fashion and a zeal for life. Additional Notes: Due to Nevada’s skin condition, she tends to have a lot of scarves and hats that she carries with her. Also, the name of her EU is Bright Storm, depicting her intelligent personality and her gray coat. Weapon Skills:Pole arms (Blade staff)Attributes:Int:+1Per: +1Wil:+0Cha:+3Str:+0Dex: +2Con:+0Spd:+1CR:+1RC:+1MR: +1Hit Points: 20 Skills:Deception: +4Gambling: +3Gamecraft: +2Evade: +3Cartography: +1Guide: +2Ride: +2Search: +2Survival (Forest): +1Survival (Swamp): +1Weapon (Pole arms): +2Language (High Talisman): +2Language (Low Talisman - Native)Language (Marisa - Native)Cultures (China): +2 Cultures (Arista) + 5 Cultures (Bandit) +2Fashion (Arista) +2 Quirks: Acute Sense (Sight), Literate, Terrain Familiarity: Forest, Terrain Familiarity: Swamp Negative Quirks: Albino, Insomniac, Alcohol Intolerance Equipment: Quality garments, leather boots, 10 caltrops, unenchanted Zohar deck, quadrillion deck, belt pouch, small metal mirror, silver earnings; Blade staff (weapon of choice), map & charts, hide scroll case, backpack, bedroll, tent, leather armor, 50’ rope, Grahame steed w/ saddle back (4) & tack; linen tunic & breeches, sandals, cloth cap, belt pouch, shoulder bag; aquavit bottles (2), chaos bottle (1), grog bottles (2), bandit wine bottle (1), lantern flowers (5), large waterski, notebook, pick + shovel, hammer, sharpening stone, large glass vials (5), 5 weeks food rations, iron hip flask. 100 GL. Current GL:25 Thanks for all the help. Hi, Baroque, glad to have you on board! (AratheaAge:23Occupation:Ahura Witch of the White Covenant Social Class:Slave Character Sheet Attributes:INT +2 PER +0 WILL +2CHA +8 STR -1 DEX +0CON +0 SPD +0CR +0 RC +0 MR +4 Hitpoints: 18 Skills:Language (Elder Tongue, Native)Language (Low Talisman, Fluent)Cultures (China) +5 Cultures (Arista) +1Survival (Forest) +1Herb Lore +3Healer +4Dance +4 Doctrines (Old Gods) +1Song +4Weapon (Spear) +1Mode (Divination) +3 (+5)Mode (Wards) +3 (+5)Mode (Influence) +3Mode (Transformation) +3 (+5)Mode (Conjuration) +1Quirks:Ahura Kiss (Will roll, - characters CIA)Attractive (+1 CIA with males)Literate Strong Willed (+2WIL vs mind effects and interrogation)Disease Immunity Negative Quirks:DestitudeFear (King race)Enemy (Jhang, King Warlord)Aspects:Blessed by the Old Gods Appearance Rather is youthful Ahura, 5´2 and lithe body weighting only 93 pounds. Her honey colored eyes and sensual features can't be hidden. She's walking dream of men and some women. Her black hair makes corona of darkness around her face, giving mystical allure. Around her throat, she has black metal collar that has ornate symbols on it. Collar is melted shut, making it extremely dangerous to remove. Personality Rather has been through hell, and that has forged her into steal willed young woman. Her natural gift manifested fully, while being subjugated Jhang's constant abuse. Background Rather was living with her clan, deep in the Were wood, living as Covenant Initiate. She was captured by slave hunters, when she was alone on trip to collect rare moon blossoms. Slavers sold her to Jhang, King Warlord of Sinatra Clan, as his bed slave and concubine, to follow him where ever he went. She suffered years and years of constant abuse, her willpower almost crushed, until one day, when the bastard Jhang was terrible wounded, and resting, she found an opening. She hides in travelling merchants' wagon, and knew that she needed to get quickly away, as far as she could. Furthermore, she found that she was in Bandit, unknown city to her, where people spoke unfamiliar languages. Alone and without anything but clothes on her back, she started her new life. Items Slave outfit she wears and black metal collar with King symbols on it. Money pouch (27 gold lumens)China WitcheryDhuna Witching ways:(+2 Divination, Warding, Transformation, -3 Attack)Power of Binding (no range on spells, if close connection to target)Limitation (Casting roll `13` always fails)Witch's Curse (Transformation, gives 1 animal trait to target each day, until full animal for 7 days)Second Sight Second Sight Mode: Divination Duration: 5 minutes Range: 100 feet Casting Modifiers: +1 (level 1 base + Order bonus)By concentrating on her inner self, and speaking softly to the forgotten gods, the witch may see into the future. The player should be able to ask a specific question, and the GM should answer as truthfully and as accurately as the spell level and success dictates, the higher the spells level, the more detailed the information, the better the roll, the less cryptic the information will be. Aura of Enchantment Aura of Allurement Mode: Enchantment Duration: 5 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -7 (level 3 base + duration)Through the use of this enchantment the caster can make a designated subject appear more attractive and alluring. In game terms, the spell adds to the beneficiary’s appearance, but does not affect leadership or other facets of the Charisma attribute. Members of the same (or similar) race will usually respond far more favorably to the subject for the duration of the spell. ObsessionObsessionMode: Influence Duration: 5 rounds Range: 5 feet Casting Modifiers: -5 (level 1 base + duration)A simple curse, this spell enables the caster to afflict a subject with an overwhelming craving or desire of the caster’s choice. For example: the urge to eat or drink to excess, affection for a particular person or creature, a fixation upon obtaining some object of desire, or compulsive behavior of some sort. The subject may resist the spell with a WILL check at –1/2 the spells level. Altered VIsage Altered Visage Mode: Transmutation Duration: 5 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -9 (level 5 base + duration)With this spell, the Witch may assume the facial features of any member of the various cultures of man (Cyrillic, Armenian, Draconian, Arista, etc.). The China use this spell to great effectiveness for the purposes of traveling freely as well as other acts of deception. Eldrich Healing Eldritch Healing Mode: Transmutation Duration: Instant Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -8 (level 10 base + Order bonus)Calling upon the ancient god of healing, a witch can channel the energies of this god into heal herself or others. The recipient of this spell will be healed of 10 points of damage and feel a warming sensation as the energies course through them. Eldrich Barrier Eldritch Barrier Mode: Ward Duration: 1 minute Range: Self Casting Modifiers: -6 (level 1 base + duration)By speaking a brief incantation calling upon long forgotten gods, and pointing at an area, a witch can create a wall of eldritch force that lasts for a single minute. This wall will appear as a shimmering barrier that is almost imperceptible at certain angles. Eldrich Aura Eldritch Aura Mode: Ward Duration: 5 rounds Range: Self Casting Modifiers: -1 (level 1 base)By calling upon long forgotten gods, the Witch may envelop herself in the eldritch energies of those beings. Green fire will swirl about her for the duration of the spell, protecting her from harm. Ward against Hexes Ward against Hexes Mode: Ward Duration: 3 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -10 (level 10 base + duration + Order bonus)Due to the nature of certain covens, the China teach this spell to all the younger initiates in order to protect them. This spell will ensure that the recipient is untouched by any hex for a period of 3 minutes, although it is commonly used in enchantments. Hide Magic Hide Magic Mode: Divination (Conceal)Duration: 3 minutes Range: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -1 (level 1 base + duration + Order bonus)This spell allows the caster to disguise any enchanted object, artifact, creature, or being, causing it to appear to be non-magical in nature. A PER roll using the spells level as a negative modifier must be made in order to see through the effect. Open WitchgateOpen Witch gate (Unique)Mode: Conjuration Duration: 2 minutes Range: Target Casting Time: 13 rounds Casting Modifiers: -13 (level 12 base + duration)By casting this spell on a Witch gate, the caster opens a dimensional portal, enabling them to step through and reappear at another Witch gate. The second gate must be chosen when the spell is cast and cannot be changed for the duration of the spell. China covens guard the secret of this spell, as well as the location of the Witch gates, very closely so that the gates will not be destroyed, and so that others cannot use them against the China. Cause Boils Cause Boils Mode: Transmutation (Harm)Duration: Instant Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -4 (level 6 base + Order bonus)With this potent curse, the Witch calls upon dark forces that will cause boils and blisters to cover an individuals body with a touch. This affliction is extremely painful, and the recipient suffers a –6 to all rolls requiring concentration until a cure has been affected. Quote from: Baroque on 05-04-2011, 20:05:09(AratheaAge: 23Occupation: Ahura Witch of the White Covenant Social Class: Slave Character Sheet Attributes:INT +2 PER +0 WILL +2CHA +8 STR -1 DEX +0CON +0 SPD +0CR +0 RC +0 MR +4 Hitpoints: 18 Skills:Language (Elder Tongue, Native)Language (Low Talisman, Fluent)Cultures (China) +5 Cultures (Arista) +1Survival (Forest) +1Herb Lore +3Healer +4Dance +4 Doctrines (Old Gods) +1Song +4Weapon (Spear) +1Mode (Divination) +3 (+5)Mode (Wards) +3 (+5)Mode (Influence) +3Mode (Transformation) +3 (+5)Mode (Conjuration) +1Quirks:Ahura Kiss (Will roll, - characters CIA)Attractive (+1 CIA with males)Literate Strong Willed (+2WIL vs mind effects and interrogation)Disease Immunity Negative Quirks:DestitudeFear (King race)Enemy (Jhang, King Warlord)Appearance Rather is youthful Ahura, 5´2 and lithe body weighting only 93 pounds. Her honey colored eyes and sensual features can't be hidden. She's walking dream of men and some women. Her black hair makes corona of darkness around her face, giving mystical allure. Around her throat, she has black metal collar that has ornate symbols on it. Collar is melted shut, making it extremely dangerous to remove. Personality Rather has been through hell, and that has forged her into steal willed young woman. Her natural gift manifested fully, while being subjugated Jhang's constant abuse. Background Rather was living with her clan, deep in the Were wood, living as Covenant Initiate. She was captured by slave hunters, when she was alone on trip to collect rare moon blossoms. Slavers sold her to Jhang, King Warlord of Sinatra Clan, as his bed slave and concubine, to follow him where ever he went. She suffered years and years of constant abuse, her willpower almost crushed, until one day, when the bastard Jhang was terrible wounded, and resting, she found an opening. She hides in travelling merchants' wagon, and knew that she needed to get quickly away, as far as she could. Furthermore, she found that she was in Bandit, unknown city to her, where people spoke unfamiliar languages. Alone and without anything but clothes on her back, she started her new life. Items Slave outfit she wears and black metal collar with King symbols on it. Dhuna WitcheryDhuna Witching ways:(+2 Divination, Warding, Transformation, -3 Attack)Power of Binding (no range on spells, if close connection to target)Limitation (Casting roll `13` always fails)Witch's Curse (Transformation, gives 1 animal trait to target each day, until full animal for 7 days)Second Sight Second Sight Mode: Divination Duration: 5 minutes Range: 100 feet Casting Modifiers: +1 (level 1 base + Order bonus)By concentrating on her inner self, and speaking softly to the forgotten gods, the witch may see into the future. The player should be able to ask a specific question, and the GM should answer as truthfully and as accurately as the spell level and success dictates, the higher the spells level, the more detailed the information, the better the roll, the less cryptic the information will be. Aura of Enchantment Aura of Allurement Mode: Enchantment Duration: 5 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -7 (level 3 base + duration)Through the use of this enchantment the caster can make a designated subject appear more attractive and alluring. In game terms, the spell adds to the beneficiary’s appearance, but does not affect leadership or other facets of the Charisma attribute. Members of the same (or similar) race will usually respond far more favorably to the subject for the duration of the spell. ObsessionObsessionMode: Influence Duration: 5 rounds Range: 5 feet Casting Modifiers: -5 (level 1 base + duration)A simple curse, this spell enables the caster to afflict a subject with an overwhelming craving or desire of the caster’s choice. For example: the urge to eat or drink to excess, affection for a particular person or creature, a fixation upon obtaining some object of desire, or compulsive behavior of some sort. The subject may resist the spell with a WILL check at –1/2 the spells level. Altered VIsage Altered Visage Mode: Transmutation Duration: 5 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -9 (level 5 base + duration)With this spell, the Witch may assume the facial features of any member of the various cultures of man (Cyrillic, Armenian, Draconian, Arista, etc.). The China use this spell to great effectiveness for the purposes of traveling freely as well as other acts of deception. Eldrich Healing Eldritch Healing Mode: Transmutation Duration: Instant Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -8 (level 10 base + Order bonus)Calling upon the ancient god of healing, a witch can channel the energies of this god into heal herself or others. The recipient of this spell will be healed of 10 points of damage and feel a warming sensation as the energies course through them. Eldrich Barrier Eldritch Barrier Mode: Ward Duration: 1 minute Range: Self Casting Modifiers: -6 (level 1 base + duration)By speaking a brief incantation calling upon long forgotten gods, and pointing at an area, a witch can create a wall of eldritch force that lasts for a single minute. This wall will appear as a shimmering barrier that is almost imperceptible at certain angles. Eldrich Aura Eldritch Aura Mode: Ward Duration: 5 rounds Range: Self Casting Modifiers: -1 (level 1 base)By calling upon long forgotten gods, the Witch may envelop herself in the eldritch energies of those beings. Green fire will swirl about her for the duration of the spell, protecting her from harm. Ward against Hexes Ward against Hexes Mode: Ward Duration: 3 minutes Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -10 (level 10 base + duration + Order bonus)Due to the nature of certain covens, the China teach this spell to all the younger initiates in order to protect them. This spell will ensure that the recipient is untouched by any hex for a period of 3 minutes, although it is commonly used in enchantments. Hide Magic Hide Magic Mode: Divination (Conceal)Duration: 3 minutes Range: 50 feet Casting Modifiers: -1 (level 1 base + duration + Order bonus)This spell allows the caster to disguise any enchanted object, artifact, creature, or being, causing it to appear to be non-magical in nature. A PER roll using the spells level as a negative modifier must be made in order to see through the effect. Open WitchgateOpen Witch gate (Unique)Mode: Conjuration Duration: 2 minutes Range: Target Casting Time: 13 rounds Casting Modifiers: -13 (level 12 base + duration)By casting this spell on a Witch gate, the caster opens a dimensional portal, enabling them to step through and reappear at another Witch gate. The second gate must be chosen when the spell is cast and cannot be changed for the duration of the spell. China covens guard the secret of this spell, as well as the location of the Witch gates, very closely so that the gates will not be destroyed, and so that others cannot use them against the China. Cause Boils Cause Boils Mode: Transmutation (Harm)Duration: Instant Range: Touch Casting Modifiers: -4 (level 6 base + Order bonus)With this potent curse, the Witch calls upon dark forces that will cause boils and blisters to cover an individuals body with a touch. This affliction is extremely painful, and the recipient suffers a –6 to all rolls requiring concentration until a cure has been affected. Character is approved now. Baroque can take a point, or something, for getting it done in almost record time ;). We'll give her some nice Aspects after we see her in play, right >:)? Aspect? (is lost....) Quote from: Thu fir HAWA on 11-01-2011, 16:51:41[...] First, I've been toying with the idea of introducing [your=#aspects]Aspects[/URL] that you can activate once per scene after a roll for a +1 or +2 bonuses. Of course, that would mean they can be compelled, to 8-)! Second, I'm considering to allow Death Gifts (just in case a PC dies. No, I don't envision anyone dying, but it's always a possibility. Why not make it fun Sgt;:)?[...] Quote from: Thu fir HAWA on 14-01-2011, 09:35:38[...] As for aspects, adding to the role-play is spot on, they tend to help that. I haven't decided whether to use Fate points, or just to give you a number of aspects, usable once per scene, and compilable once per scene, by the GM or anyone else ;). They don't refresh automatically, but when someone compels them against you. Of course, you could refuse a comped, but it would use up your aspect for this scene, or if used already, impose you a penalty equal to the Aspect bonus for an appropriate action. I kinda lean towards this one, mostly because it's easier to explain, but your thoughts would be welcome.[...] Aspects are not skills, so they don't get a rating. It's more like a quirk-lite, a distinguishing feature or descriptor that is not always useful. You get to benefit it only occasionally, and at times, people get to For example, you could have an Aspect "Master Posteropiris taught me the blade staff". It's still the same rating in Blade staff, but once in a while, you could use one of his secret tricks. Of course, if you hear said master is in danger, or someone insulting his honor and skills, you might be compelled to act upon it, or an enemy of said master could give you a penalty to your attack - because, you know, he wouldn't be here if he didn't know how to counter his tricks. And yes, once you use an Aspect, it's no more useful for now. OTOH, if someone compels it, it refreshes, and you get to use it again! Like, the master is glad you defended his honor and teaches you a new trick - or maybe you affirm how important this skill is to you, and use it with abandon. Yeah, I agree, it's often used in a quite meta-Gama manner, but it doesn't have to be. Also, I plan to let you determine one of your aspects yourself, and the other two players determine one aspect each. You can start by picking an Aspect for yourself, and another for Alan and DJIA each ;). I'll be writing the IC post when I wake up. I edited the bits that aren't related out. ([...]) I left the part about death gifts since it was talked about when you weren't around. Got it, thanks. And I talked with Thu fir HAWA about Aspects. I think I got them down. (it down...still waiting 2 more from you guys) Yes indeed, I've got one of those two Aspects ready for her. Just waiting to see her in play, so I could make it fit the way the character is played. Which reminds me that you should really tell me your plans if I am to move the IC thread ;D! Alan will try to get what information he can in the 'bar' while Hume scouts from the outside. He has some interest in the virago, more like amusement at her behavior and also some commercial interest due to her comment of getting a nighthawk.

Talislanta_ Wild, Wild West! Char-Gen and Cast Thread.|rating:3.0

Monsters in the Night

Heather Landon walked down the sidewalk, heading home after work, debating whether she should order out or make something to eat. It was a windy night and the wind caused her long auburn colored hair to fly all over the place, sometimes blocking her vision. The only time that she hated her long hair, was when it was windy. She was passing a wooded area and heard movement in there. She turned to look in, but figured it was just an animal and just continued on her way. Man would be walking down the street on her side of the street his walking cane large black glass covering his face he slowly walks down the sidewalk making his way using his walking stick to guide him he turns his head someone walking at him so he step aside little but keep walking making sure not to let his walking cane get caught on something as he walked. He pass her as they walked & he slow his pace to almost a stop as he turns his head to hear her walking away from him as if he was checking her out his walking cane in both hands pointed at the ground he then turns his head to start to make his way down the street. Heather heard a tapping noise then heard it stop and turned her head to see what it was. A man stood there with a red and white cane and sunglasses. Is he lost? She thought and walked over to him. "Sir? Do you need some help finding your way somewhere?" She asked him, being the nice person she was. She could be too nice for her own good. Furthermore, she helped strangers of all kinds when they needed it. Furthermore, she was too trusting. He stops as she asked him if he needs help & he shakes his head in low voice that had no emotion to it“Just out for a walk.” He starts to walk away from her heading door the sidewalk away from her his cane swing in front of him he takes his time as he walked. Heather shrugged and walked towards her house. He seemed distant. Maybe he was just thinking about something else. She thought as she reached her house. She opened her door and walked in. Furthermore, she set her purse down and went to her fridge and looked through it. As she looks through the fridge two metal tentacles would move over the floor of her kitchen quietly they move under her table to stay hidden & as soon they were close to her feet they lash out to grab her ankles & try to pull her under the table quickly. Where 4 more metal tentacles waited for her & warp around her body to keep her from moving there grip would make her feel like the air in her lungs would be pushed out as they would fight her moving body to get grip on her quickly. Heather grabbed some leftovers from the other night and placed them on the table to start getting them ready to eat. When she stepped up to the table, she felt something grab her around the ankles and pull her feet out from under her and drag her under the table. She let out a scream as something began to wrap around her body, pressing her down, not allowing her to breath very well. Heather began to tug on the things surrounding her body, but there was no give. After realizing she couldn't get them loose, she started screaming. "Help me! Somebody help!" Hoping somebody would hear her cries for help. Two of the tentacles would un warp from her chest to let her breath as if it realized its grip was too tight & then start to slide in to her cloths one moving in to her panties & one moving under her bra moving around her left breast. She would be able to the feel the coldness of the metal but a small layer of some type of slim that was warm that would be coming out of the metal joints as it warped her breast it would tighten its grip as if it was trying to pup her breast like balloon. As the one in her panties would seam to move around her hips near her pussy a few times & then it would rip out of her cloths & then force the head of the tentacle in to her pussy but it only half of the head was in her as something stopped it form going any deeper in to her. Her chest was released and she screamed again. She gasped as the tentacles went into her clothes and wrapped around her breast and slid slightly into her pussy. She started crying as the tentacle around her breast started to tighten until it seemed like her breast was going to pop. Furthermore, she started grabbing at it, trying to yank it off. "Help me! Please! Someone!" She screamed over and over, hoping she would be heard. As soon she tried to grab the tentacle that was around her breast she gets shock of electricity give her jolt of pain as if it was defending itself, or it wanted her to shut up. The one in her pussy pulls out for some reason & slide around to her ass she is able to feel the cold metal of the tentacle slide through her ass crack & then she feels its head dive in to her ass hard as if it was trying to go as deep as if could in to her ass. She feels the warm feeling of the slim as if entered her asshole & it starts to move around inside her ass as if it was enjoying itself as the one around her breast would loosen it grip little & then burst out of her cloths to ripe them off her then would grab for her left nipple to as the head seam to open in to a mouth full of slime. Heather screamed as she felt the electricity go through her. As the tentacle pulled out of her puss, she relaxed, thinking it wouldn't do anything more. She screamed as it rammed up into her ass, trying to pull up off of it. She cried as it moved around in her ass. Furthermore, she sighed as the pressure around her breast eased, then gasped as her clothes were ripped off of her. Furthermore, she started to struggle as the tip of the tentacle opened and closed around her nipple. Furthermore, she didn't want any of this, and she screamed again, not saying anything, just screaming. After a while, her voice went hoarse, and she began crying as her body continued to get violated. Tentacle on her nipple started to suck on it as if it was trying to feed from her nipple as the one in her ass started to move in & out of her ass as if it was fucking her ass & it would get a little bit fast every few fucks as if it was enjoying itself. The rest they have her warped would star to move over her body slowly the warm slime starting to coat the tentacles as there heads start to moving over her body as if they were feeling for something as one of them reached her ass it would thrust it way in to her ass with the other one that was ass fucking her. Heather struggled as the tentacles start to wrap around her and move all over her body. She felt another thrust into her ass and she screamed in pain. She had two tentacles in her ass, and tentacles wrapped all over her body. Furthermore, she couldn't believe this was possible. Furthermore, she begged for them to stop, but it just continued. Tentacles would start fucking her ass faster as all the tentacles start to feel warmer than before & one more from that seam to explore her body would slide over her body to her ass & thrust in to it to join the other two as on the one on her nipple would pull & twist it getting some type of pleasure out of doing it. Heather screamed in pain as yet another tentacle entered her ass. She started twisting around, trying to get them out of her. She started begging more and more for whatever was controlling them to stop. It hurt so much, and she wanted it to stop. Tentacles in her ass would seam to fuck her faster & faster & the heat from them would seam to grow as a new tentacle would fly out of the shadows from were the other cam from & would try to force it in to her mouth as to make her suck on it as if it was some type of cock & it would also be very warm. Her ass started to grow warmer, and she knew it was from the tentacles in her ass. She saw another tentacle move towards her mouth and she clammed it shut before it could enter her mouth. She didn't want anymore violating her body. Furthermore, she started crying harder. Tentacles in her ass were fucking her at great speed as the one hit her lips trying to force it way in to her mouth it would slowly warp around her neck not tightly just to place itself near her mouth so it could enter it the first chance it got. Soon the tentacles in her ass would make one deep thrust in to her & then large amount of warm slim would fill her as they cum in her ass, three would fill her abdomen with their cum & it would make her belly start to bulge from the large amount of warm cum filling her abdomen. As they came in her ass, Heather opened her mouth and cried out in pain. "STOP!" She screamed, wanting all this to stop. Her ass was stretched painfully, and now it was so full of cum that it bulged out. She started crying harder. As soon she opens her mouth the tentacle near her mouth would try to force its way in to her as the other tentacles would fill her with last of their cum & sit in her bulge abdomen for little but longer as if this thing in enjoyed itself like that. Then the tentacles would slowly start to drag her out of the room heading for the back door of her home as the still moved over her body slowly as they started to rip off the last bits of her cloths form her body to make her fully naked. Heather turned her face away from the tentacle, but it still entered her mouth. She bit down on it, hoping it would leave her mouth, but since it was metal, it just hurt her jaw to try. She started to grab onto things as they dragged her out of the room towards the backdoor. As she passed through the doorway, she grabbed onto the jam, hoping she would be able to hold on long enough. Tentacle in her mouth would start to force itself deep in to her throat then out again as if it was fucking her mouth & seen a warm slime would start to come from the metal joints, she is able to feel something soft & warm almost living flash in the back of her throat. As she grabs the door frame the tentacles would pull hard & then lift her up hard to the Roof then slam her down on the floor hard to stun her then try to drag her out in the backward going into the woods as if this thing was going to do something to her. When she was slammed to the ground, her ability to breath left her. Her grip loosened, and she was dragged towards the woods and dread filled her. What were they going to do to her? Tentacles would lift her in the air so she would not get scraped up by the brush & soon she finds her self in the clearing & this strange thing that looked like mostly metal tentacles was sitting in the clearing pulling her to itself. Then voice would ring out from the darkness “If there is more fun if one waits.” then the tentacles would move over her body to grab each hand & foot then lift her in the air arms & legs spread out the other tentacles letting her go as the warm cum start to ooze out of her ass on to the ground below her. Heather jumped when she heard the voice. She sighed in relief when the tentacles pulled out of her and the cum began draining out of her. She looked at the monster in front of her. "What are you going to do to me?" She asked quietly. The tentacles would pull on her arms & legs when she asked what it was going to do to her, it feels like it pull her arms out of their joints. “You're going to be my pet as I have gotten so very bore on this world.” Voice would come from the darkness behind the monster not the monster itself. The man would walk out of the darkness a skin tight dark blue cloth on that showed each of his toned muscles he looks almost human if not the pure white hair & the pale skin. A white & blue visor was across his face covering his eyes & over his ears. "Who are you? What are you?" She demanded, still struggling against the tentacles holding her. She didn't like this at all, and she just wanted to go back to her home and pretend none of this happened. "Why did you choose me, I didn't even do anything to draw your attention." “Who I am is all you need to know is I am your new owner, I’m not from this worthless world that is all you need to know.” The tentacles would stop pulling her arm & legs but keep her in the air as if she was on display for him.“I could have chosen any female & have many times you are just “unlucky” I think you world calls it I just call it I hunt & I have my prey.” he looks her over the blue line moves across the visor then two tentacles would fly up & grab her nipples the heads of them opening with sharp teeth like needles then would bite in her breast around her nipples as the tentacles would seam to injecting something in to her. Heather screamed in pain as the tentacles bit her. She felt something getting injected into her. "What are you doing?" She screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Let me go! I didn't do anything to you. I just want to go home." “My guard needs it food as well & your human females make food for there young at after they give birth what my guard is injecting if drug that will grow breast size every time what you humans call it… Cum or climax after sexual pleasure & soon your breast will start making food for my guard.” Tentacles would let her breast go & small drops of blood would fall over her breast where she was injected then one tentacle would move up under her & thrust in to her pussy hard as the tentacle holding her would pull her down on it to start to fuck her pussy slowly. Heather looked at him incredulous. "You think I will cum to this? That I get pleasure from it? You're insane!" She screamed at the thing. "If you think that I'll be lactating, think again. It takes pregnancy to start it." “Does it look like I care if you get any pleasure from it as for lactating that drug is used for that I had you injected.” the tentacles would quicken there pace moving her up & down on the tentacle in her pussy as this man just watch her getting fucked in midair.”if you don’t I have something that will help with the pleasure, but I real don’t want to go that far so soon.” two more tentacles would move up over her body slowly & softly moving over her skin almost like lover touch as one would stop at her clit & start to play with it. Heather tried to ignore the feelings the gentle touches over her skin and then the sensations as her clit became stimulated. "Please, stop. I don't want this. I won't tell anyone about this, I swear, just please, let me go." She begged, tears falling down her cheeks. Tentacle count to play over her skin as on the one would open it tip of the tentacle where it mouth was & soon she feels something warm playing over her clit it would be sticky feeling but very inviting as the tentacles count to lift her up & down on the tentacle in her pussy as if she was the one fucking it not them making her.“Why stop never seen one of you human females climax they say it very primitive & carnal.” voice seam to be getting some type of pleasure from what was happening as if he was getting off on what was happening to her, he licks his lips light his blue tongue would be seen for one sec. Heather bit her lip to keep from moaning in pleasure as the tentacle slid something warm over her clit. It felt nice, but she wouldn't let that thing know it. "I don't want this, that's why." She growled when he asked why he should stop. "You are the one that is primitive and carnal, not me." He looks over her his visor blue light would change to red light moving across it, he would just stand there & it would seam to smirk as the tentacle playing with her clit would work it faster almost like it was sucking on it as the other tentacles would keep up the same pace of fucking her on the tentacle in her pussy.“You may say that, but your body says something other, you like this & you may want more of this, admit you like the idea of caring for nothing but your own pleasure to feel like your climaxing all the time.” he step back one step to get better look at her his visor would seam to stop on her pussy. She just shook her head. "Leave me alone. Let me go you sick fuck." She screamed at him. She pulled on the tentacles, trying to get her hands free. Furthermore, she tried to move her body away from the tentacles touching her. He would laugh at her calling him names then she gets shock of energy through each tentacle even the one in her pussy & the one on her clit as if it was told to shock her for her loud mouth & he just counts to laugh as all the tentacles would do is shock her for about 5 sec then stop to let her get over the pain.“Your mine now female so just get use to it & try to get any enjoyment you can out of it.” he snap his left-hand fingers & her clit would get a new shock not as powerful but good she gets feeling of pain & pleasure at the same time. Heather felt a sudden pain through her body and she screamed out in pain. "Stop, please! I'm sorry, please, just stop." After a few seconds it stopped and she sagged in relief. Another shock started against her clit and she rose up away from it, but it followed. She started crying out in pleasure. He laughs as her body seams to surrender to the pain & pleasure now would her mind he thinks not but Human Females were so very weak-minded when it come to emotions. “You like that don’t you, you like the tentacles moving over your body you like them using you body for there pleasure, no climax female & let get the drugs started my guardian is hungry.” Soon the tentacles would start to lift her up & down on the tentacle in her pussy faster now & each time they bring her all the way done on it the one on her clit would give her small shock to her clit to start to teach her body was pleasure & what was not. Heather shook her head in denial. She couldn't like this. It wasn't possible. With the continued stimulation, she started to scream as she came. The stimulation continued, and she wondered what was going to happen next. Her breasts soon started to feel heavier, and she looked down and saw that they were starting to swell. What he had said about her lactating after an orgasm was true. He watches as she screamed as she came an evil smirk would cross his lip as he watches her being moved up & down on the tentacle in her pussy. “You think I was lying about your breasts, your breast will grow one you call it cup size, very strange name for it every time you Climax & maybe two sizes with a more powerful climax. One more climax & my guardian will have a chance to feed it is very hungry it would have eating you already if I had not full control over it. Tentacles would keep her body moving on the tentacle in her pussy but as she came one more tentacle would slide up the one in her pussy, so now two would be in her pussy every time she was push down on them to fill her pussy more so she would feel more full of each time they enter her pussy. A cup size? Her breasts were going to be huge! She thought to her self. She couldn't believe this was going to happen to her. As the second tentacle entered her pussy, she screamed in pain. "Why are you doing this?!" She screamed. "It hurts!" She started her struggling again, not caring she had a far greater chance of hurting herself than getting free. “Just to get what I want & be sides I always had a thing for seeing lower life form at there lowest.” The tentacles that enter her pussy would warp the first one so it feels like large tentacle as well they start to feel warm as the tentacles that were touching her body.“don’t you human females like being mated with large males does it not give you more pleasure.” his tone was almost joking as she gets one more large shock as she tried to brake her self free every tentacle that touched her would give her shock. The ones hat were holding her hands & legs to the two in her pussy, as well the one playing with her clit the shock was powerful to make her feel pain, but the one on her clit would be mixed of pleasure & pain. "Not this big!" She yelled at him. "It's too big." She continued trying to get free until she felt shocks through her body. She screamed in pain. "Stop! Please stop!" She began sobbing. She didn't want to be there, but she didn't want to be shocked even more. Furthermore, she stopped struggling, hoping the shocks would stop. “Maybe I went to fast well never use human female like this before.” the 2nd tentacle would slide half away down the first one in her pussy so it only goes in half her pussy every time she was fucked on it & yes the shock stopped when she stopped struggling.”you should try to enjoy this it will make the time go by faster for you.” sly tone in his voice as the tentacles start to fuck her faster on the tentacle in her pussy as the one on her clit moved away from her body the warmth of the tentacles was getting easier to feel. "Who could enjoy being raped?" She demanded as they began going faster. She wouldn't tell him, but she was beginning to enjoy this. It seemed wrong to enjoy it, but she couldn't help it. She clenched her jaw to keep from moaning, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her enjoying it. “All females come to enjoy it in time from ever race I have ever had the time to “interact” with.” tentacles that were fucking her on the tentacle in her pussy would start to speed up there pace as all the tentacle heat would get warmer. "I'm not those women." She told him through clenched teeth. She moved slightly against the tentacles. Furthermore, she noticed the tentacles getting warmer inside her, but didn't acknowledge it. "Stop it! I don't want this." She yelled at him. The light on his visor would change again then tentacles would speed up the fucking of her body going up & down at good pace all the time the tentacles in her pussy would never leave it to make sure she had constant stimulation. Heather tensed up as she screamed again in pleasure. She had cum again. She moved against the tentacles in her, not realizing she did so, as she came. After she calmed, she waited to sew hat he would do next. As he watches her cum again he just smiles as he knew her body would give in again & her breast would grow again by two sizes they would start to make milk for his guardian & he started to think how large of breast could this human female have. As she cums the tentacles would keep her body fucking the tentacles in her pussy as there heat started to become much hotter as he cum flows over the tentacles in her pussy it would seam to glow in size so it fills her pussy with little bigger size.“See you like it your getting pleasure out of it but wait for this.” two tentacles would fly for her nipples open up & latch on with fine teeth as something start to suck on you nipples slowly trying to draw out the milk that was being made in your breast. Heather moaned as the tentacles grew hotter inside of her, and they grew in size. She gasped in surprise when two tentacles latched onto her nipples, biting into them and began sucking. She looked down and noticed her breasts had grown in size again. Furthermore, she started pulling away again, not yet comprehending that if she struggled, she got shocked. The tentacles that bit in to her nipples would not be removed by any means that she could & she not gets shock for the struggle as the heat of the tentacles would rise higher as she was fucked on the large tentacles in her pussy a few more times with one more last thrust down on to the larger tentacles them seam to go deeper than before & then you feel them cum in side you pussy. Two tentacles would start to fill you pussy with large amount of cum quickly it would feel very warm almost close to burning as you pussy & womb would start to inflate from the large amount of cum filling them this would give you some pain & maybe pleasure as you abdomen expands again from a large amount of cum. Heather cried out in pain as the tentacles came inside of her. It was so hot. She cried out again as it kept on filling her up, causing her stomach to expand. "Stop, please, stop. It hurts." She begged to no avail. Her pussy and womb kept on getting filled to the brim with cum from the monster tentacles. She cried harder from the pain of it all. Tentacles would cum a little bit more than it would stop the tentacles that hold on to her arm & legs would let her go, so her body would be impaled on the tentacles in her pussy which would close around her pussy to keep the cum from coming out to quickly.“Only two Tentacles make you look like that then just think what 3 cum in you would look like.” he said with slit joke “looks like this human females can take very much cum 4 would make her pop like ripe fruit & now that would be just messy. Does not that feel good having that warm cum in side you making you feel all full?” The two tentacles on her nipples would start to get little milk out of her larger breast not much but as soon they taste the milk they suck harder to get more out of her like she was something that was just for feeding on. Heather screamed when all her weight went onto the tentacles in her pussy. "No!" She screamed and shook her head when he asked her if it felt good. "Please let it out. It hurts so much." She begged. She tried to pull the tentacles off her breasts when they started sucking harder. With the wave of his left hand the 2nd tentacle that was in her pussy would come out of her letting the large amount of cum start to come out of her not fast, but it was flowing down over the tentacle in her pussy on to the ground below her.“I only did that as you feeding my guardian now & think it's time to give it rest.” The tentacle in your pussy would lower to the ground then slide out to lay you on the ground with both tentacles on your nipples sucking away as if your struggling did nothing to them. Heather continued to try to pull them off of her breasts. "Get them off of me!" She yelled trying to stand up and move away. "You're a monster. Go back to where you came from." She screamed. He laughs as she gets mad then tentacle on her nipples would let her go as he waves his left hand. “Let the female have time to relax & then we come back for some feeding.” evil smirk on his lips as he turns to leave. “See you again female I enjoyed our little time together we will see each other again.” Heather stood up and immediately ran towards her home. When she got there, she started closing and locking each door and window. She went to the bathroom and went into the shower and washed the evidence of what happened off of her. How could this happen to her? Why her? She started crying and slid down to the floor and cried as the water ran over her. He watches her run away from him knowing her large breasts would last for at lest 6 hours before the drug would were off as he then walks in to the night to get some rest as he was tried from the nights fun & had to plan his next time of fun with her as he comes to like tormenting her. When she was finished with her shower, she dried off and laid down in her bed and curled up. Her large breasts made it hard to get as tight as she wanted to. She would have to come up with some reason as to why her breasts where larger. She couldn't come up with anything. Furthermore, she drifted off to sleep and had nightmares of it happening again and again to her, not realizing that that was what would happen. He would seemly vanish in to the night to rest & ready for the next night he did not more than just torment females but they never no he just enjoyed his work little too much would say he thinks over the feeling of using her body & the feel of her body as he breast grow from the drug that was in her system, her breast would go back to normal size after few hours after the drug wears off. Heather woke up quite a few hours later and was relieved to find that her breasts had returned to a normal size. She rolled onto her back and sat up, looking around. It was day time by the light that was drifting into her windows. She looked at the clock. 8:30 am. Should she call in sick for work? She knew she deserved it. She grabbed her phone and called in sick. It was a Saturday so she didn't have any classes so she could just sit around and mope all day. He would keep resting as the night before had weakened him from the pleasure & he did not want his guardian over doing much as it was his protection he would rest till tonight then he goes have fun with his new play thing. Heather went around her house, making sure no one was in the house and that every window and door into the place was closed and locked. When she was sure that the house was closed up, she went and sat down on the couch and curled up and watched TV. Let him try and get into her house with no entryway. He would wake then get ready for the night readying his guardian for the night activities as well readying himself for it as he has gotten a good amount of pleasure form her last night, yet he showed it as for tonight he plans to make her want more of it so he could have his fun with her. Heather walked into the kitchen and made herself a sandwich to eat. She sat at the kitchen table, then moved into the living room remembering that was where she had been taken the previous day. He would head out in his human form walking with cane as if he was blind as he head for her home at dark he would enjoy tonight again & he was going to make her enjoy it as well even if it killed her, he smirks little as he moved down the street. Getting a little any after sitting around most of the day, Heather stood up and began moving around her house. Not really going anywhere, just moving from room to room. She turned her music on again and danced to it slowly as she walked. He vanishes from sight in to the woods behind her place & make his way with his guardian right behind him to her place & would stop just in the tree line watching her place seeing her move about her place he would start to plan his moves. She moved into her kitchen again to get herself a small snack. She looked in her fridge and grabbed an apple and began to cut it into quarters then grabbing her peanut butter and dipping the apples into it and taking a bite of it. Furthermore, she moved to the window, and saw a silhouette standing there. Furthermore, she looked closer and saw it vanish. Must have been a trick of the light. She thought to herself as she shrugged and walked away. He looks to the back door then his guardian would move through the shadows to her back door & with the wave of his hand the lock on the door would slowly & quietly unlock, like lock on this world could stop him. As soon the door was open his guardian tentacles would move through the rooms staying in the shadows to the room she was in waiting for the moment to strike. Heather walked into the living room and sat back down to watch more TV as she ate her snack. She had thought there was a silhouette outside, but then it vanished. Maybe she was going crazy after last night. Maybe last night never even happened. She thought to herself. It had just been a bad dream. As soon she sits down to watch what she was watching the tentacles would wait few moments then move across the floor quickly the heads of two the tentacles would open up to land to bits in to her hip to inject her with the venom that would make her horny as well the drug to make her breast grow each time she climaxed. The bad thing about the drug that would make her horny it could become addicting as the reason he did not use it so much, but tonight he wanted to her nice to hot for his guardian & to give his guardian a nice meal tonight. Heather jumped and cried out when something bit into her. "What the-No!" She yelled when she saw a tentacle on her lap. She shot off of the couch and backed away from it. How did it get in here? As she backed away, she started to feel horny. No, not again! She thought and ran from the room. She went into her room and slammed the door shut and leaned against it. The tentacles would move after her as she would run for her room she her them hit the door then would hit the door again & again as if they were trying to get in but all they were doing was keeping her focus on them as two more tentacles made there way in to her room a different way. Heather kept her weight on the door to keep them out. She looked around her room for some sort of weapon but found none. She hadn't thought about the fact that her vent was open and that the tentacles were going through it to get to her. Tentacles would move through her vent quietly & when would burst out move quickly for her to warp her up in them to capture her again as it was time for her to get used by the tentacles & for her to learn her new place in her life, toy & food source. She screamed when the tentacles burst into her room from the vent and tried to run, but they grabbed onto her and wrapped her up. She continued to struggle, hoping to get away but having no success. Furthermore, she began to cry as they took her clothes off, shaking her head in denial. The tentacles would feel warm on her skin both from that drug & tentacles as the ripped her cloths off as they move under her cloth over her skin. The one at the door would stop hitting it as a voice would fill the room & her mind. "You think you get away so soon." /heather looked around, trying to find the owner of the voice, but no one was there. "Why are you doing this? I've done nothing to you. I've done nothing to deserve this!" she yelled. She struggled against the things restraining her. The tentacles would warp tightly around her skin there warmth would feel like loves touch as the drug in her system would start to work as it would turn pain in to pleasure & make her skin start to react to each touch as if it was highly sensitive for some reason."You're my new play toy female & just enjoy your self, as I know your going to tonight." the voice would seam to be in the room & her head at the same time as evil sounding laugh would fill the room. She shook her head when he told her to just enjoy herself. Her body may be responding to the things touches, but her mind refused to let her enjoy it. She struggled, still trying to get out, not letting her body give in to what it wanted. As the last of her cloths would hit the floor the tentacles would seam drag her to her bed as one started to force it way between her thighs to force it way in to her pussy which should be warm by now from the drug that was running through her body. As the head of the tentacle reach her pussy it forces its way in to slowly fuck her trying to drive her body wild with pleasure in small bursts as if it was enjoying itself again. Heather cried out in pleasure as the tentacle entered into her. She arced up as best she could, not believing how her body was reacting to this messed up rape. She shook her head in denial of the pleasure, even as she moaned and gasped from it. "Just let go & enjoy it this would go alone easier for the both of us." the voice would ring out again through the room or was it her head as the tentacle would slowly fuck her with her legs closed tight by the other tentacles so she feels each movement in her pussy as the heads of the other tentacles would start to play with her nipples. The drug would make the small amount of pain in to pleasure & make what normal pleasure greater so she may have different night then she had before...maybe. She moaned louder as the tentacles starting playing with her nipples. She grew wetter, surprising herself. Furthermore, she struggled again, but not as strongly as at first. Her body wanted what was happening and refused to listen to her brain telling it to fight. She tried to move away, but she was held tight and still. What really surprised her was she felt no pain, only pleasure when she expected to feel pain. "You are enjoying this good let you self go given in to the pleasure & enjoy the life you now have." the voice was still hard to tell if it was in her head of the rooms the tentacle would speed up the movement over her body as the start to warp around her breasts. Heather groaned as the voice told her that. She was beginning to like it, but she didn't want to do nothing but this. She would go insane from having this thing rape her every single day, multiple times at that. Furthermore, she cried out and arched up as the tentacles sped up. The tentacle warped around her breasts would open there head sot start to suck on her nipples slowly trying to build her up to large climax, so her breast would grow quicker & larger than before as a tentacle would force its way in to her ass hard & powerful & start to move with the tentacle in her pussy. Heather arced up and cried out as a tentacle entered her ass. By the time the thing was done with her, her ass would be extremely sore and abused, but she didn't seem to care. She moaned and continued to try to move with them, only to be held still by the tentacles. Feeling her body seemly give in to the feeling of pleasure the tentacles were give her they move her to her bed & unwary form her to let her move as she wanted as the feeling of pleasure had seam to take her over thanks to the drug in her body. The tentacle in her ass & pussy would move as one in & out at good pace trying to rise her level of pleasure slowly as the tentacle on her lips sucked harder hoping to drink her lovely breast milk soon. She found her body free to move and arced her back up and moved against the tentacles moving within her. She felt her orgasm nearing, and she moved faster, trying to get the tentacles to move faster. When her orgasm finally came, she arced up and screamed in pleasure. As the night before, when she orgasmed, her breasts expanded and began producing milk for the tentacles. The voice would ring through her room or her head hard to tell, but the voice was talking to her as the tentacles would speed up after her first orgasm she has to orgasm one more time for her breasts to start making milk, but that would be in no time at the way she body was moving with the tentacles foreign in & out of her pussy & ass." There is that not better female, dose that not just fill you with pleasure & how about some more." as soon the voice said that one more tentacle would force its way in to her pussy to move at different pace as the one in her pussy so when one was coming out one was going in. Heather cried out as another entered her pussy. She moaned louder and louder, nodding her head. She loved this. Furthermore, she shouldn't, but she did. Furthermore, she got more and more aroused as they kept moving in and out of her. Furthermore, she clenched down around them and moaned as they kept going. Furthermore, she found herself saying, "More," to him and found she actually wanted more. Furthermore, she would hear a laugh ring out around her after she asked for more as soon the laughter stopped two more tentacles would fly out of the shadows one would enter her ass with the other one as if it was one larger tentacle fucking her ass all this time moving with the ones in her pussy so she has the tentacle filling her body at all times. The other one would move over her body a warm feeling up between her breast to her mouth would force itself in to her mouth to start to face fuck her hard & slow it would taste sweet for some reason as that tentacle would let her taste the drug that make her breast grow with ever two climaxes just the more drug in her body the bigger they grow each time. Heather cried out as the tentacle entered her ass, orgasming at the sensation. She had grown into a woman that loved getting fucked by tentacles. She moved with them, hoping to get them in deeper. Furthermore, she sucked on the tentacle that entered her mouth, savoring the taste of it. She felt the weight on her chest growing slowly and looked down to see her breasts were getting bigger. That's right. She was its food source. And she wanted to be. She wanted to feel the tentacles sucking her milk out of her. She moaned at the sight and thrust her chest up as the pressure started building. As soon her breast had grown to the size to start making milk she would be flipped over on her back as two new tentacles would come out of the shadows to & start to suck on her nipples to draw her milk from them, they suck hard not caring for her body as if he becomes just food to it. The tentacles would push in to her ass & pussy faster as he is feeling them starting to get warmer even the one in her mouth was getting warmer as that one tried to push deeper in to her mouth as if it was starting to fuck her face as if it was her pussy or ass." See you like it, you may even want this every night to be used & played with like some little toy." the voice would have a tone in it as if he was enjoying himself having her raped & used like she was. Heather's breath hitched as she was flipped and her nipples were encased by tentacles. She moaned loudly as they sucked on her hard. She felt the warmth from the tentacle sane wondered what was going to happen. Furthermore, she cried out as her mouth got fucked more roughly, loving every minute of it. She nodded her head saying she wanted that. Furthermore, she loved the sound of it and looked forward to it. If it was the drug or herself, she didn't know, but she wanted it. Tentacles would speed up as the heat they gave off rose it feels like some very Large cock was in her pussy instead of tentacle warped in metal plating as the one in her mouth would try to push in to her throat to deep mouth fuck as the one on her nipples would dig in to suck harder he milk that her breasts were now making. Heather cried out as all of this happened. She was in a world of pleasure. She couldn't believe this was happening to her, in her home and that she liked it. Furthermore, she moved her hips against the tentacles moving within her. Furthermore, she started to grow warm from the warmth of the tentacles. The tentacles would keep up there movement in her pussy & ass as well her mouth, with time the heat she would feel would get hotter if not for the slime & the juices from her body it could almost start feel like light burn feeling. Out of nowhere they start to fuck her faster & harder as if some force push them to do it filling her pussy so fast that it feel like there was one large tentacle in her as well her ass, the one in her mouth would fill her throat as if face fuck her at the same speed as the other tentacles. She felt the tentacles growing hotter and tried to ignore it, which wasn't that hard with all three of her openings being fucked. She bucked against them as they grew faster and faster. The largeness of the tentacles in her puss and ass drove pleasure through her body, but she couldn't cry out because of the tentacle fucking her throat. Tentacles would keep up there fast pass as the heat they gave would get higher to level that it seam they burn her even with the slim & juices covering the tentacles & soon the stop thrusting with one large thrust in to her mouth, ass & pussy. Soon they thrust them self as deep as they could in to her body they tentacles would fill her with their hot cum the one in her ass filling her bowls with large amount of cum to make her stomach expand the same with the tentacles in her pussy make her pussy expand to a very large size then the one in her mouth would fill her with it cum as it fill her stomach with large amount of cum as well & they sit her still as he fills her body with their hot cum. Heather started noticing the heat from the tentacles growing more and more. It soon became unbearable, and she started to squirm, hoping they would either cool down or pull out of her, but they did neither. The continued to plow into her until they shoved as deep as they could go, and she felt her body start to get filled. She started to feel her skin around her stomach start to stretch and looked down and struggled to get loose upon seeing her stomach growing bigger and bigger, but the tentacles just held her still, not allowing her to move as they came inside of her. Tentacls would hold still as they cum inside her but let there cum start to exit around them as the monster was enjoying its fuck of her body as the tentacles keep sucking more milk from her large breasts as a vice ring through the room." Look at the human female she looks like she about to pop maybe next time I see just how much cum she could take in her body at one time." a laugh ring there the room that had an evil tone to it. Heather listened to the voice, fear creeping into her mind. Was he going to kill her? Or was he going to keep her as she was, not giving her a chance to live her life. She had a feeling that it would be the latter, and she would be kept prisoner by this alien thing that forced her into enjoying what he was doing to her. The tentacles in side her would slide out of her & let her lay on her bed with one the one on her nipples touching her as the suck the milk from her breasts with force that you think the monster was starving. "We will have to see how far human female can go later we will let you get your rest as soon he's done feeding." the tone in his voice was evil sounding as if he has plans for her for some reason. Dread filled her at his words. She didn't want to know what he was talking about. Didn't want to find out. She tried to get up and run, but she wouldn't get far with the tentacles in the same room or house as her. They'd just grab her and hold her still. Tentacles would let her large nipples go as the monster would seam done feeding as a few tentacles moved over her skin light & slowly then would vanish in the shadows of the room. "Little surprised my guardian is much fuller then I think after feeding of lowly human female, I will have to take look at that reason." the voice would seam to fad away with the tentacles to leave her on her bed used. Heather stayed where she was, full of the monsters cum, drained of energy, drained of everything. She fell asleep, not having the energy to even go take a shower. When she woke up, she realized the cum that was in her had drained out of her and all over the bed. She proceeded to clean it up and start thinking of a way that she could get away from the monsters that raped her. Left her to clean up & to run some test he did not think human female milk would give his guardian some much energy as he runs his test he relaxes & wait for the coming night to see if his guardian was Hungary for more human female milk, he was not sure starting off maybe it was the drugs he gave her it changed her milk some way, or maybe it changes the way her body made the milk only the tests would tell. Making her decision, she packed a bag and went out to her car, getting in and began driving out of town and away from where the monster was. She'd get as far away from him as she could and keep away from him. When night started falling, she pulled into a motel and paid for a room. She was about 300 miles away from her home and away from the monster. She entered the room and set her things down on the bed and sat down herself. As the tests finish he looked over the data some of it was surprising as most of it was normal what he had seen happen before with females of lower races he needs to do some more tests on this human female so he waits till night & go have some fun with her again. As the day began to fade into night, dread filled her. Would he find her? Had she gone far enough from him? Maybe she should have kept driving, not giving him the time to find her. She locked the door and windows, shoving something into the keyhole so he couldn't unlock it and closed of all the vents, learning her lesson from last night. As night cam around he made his way to the home of his new play toy & stopped in the shadows behind her place was about to send his guardian in when he got the feeling something was off, so he scanned the building & could not find his new toy. "The lower life form thinks she could get away from me that easy." he turns & leaves the place back to where he rest to come back a different time. She laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, jumping at every sound, thinking it was the beast there to take her away, but nothing entered the room. Soon she fell into a dreamless sleep, not realizing she had done so. He head back to his place of rest he did not need to play with his new toy all the time as he thinks of it now, if he keeps it up she becomes just toy for other human males as he changes her in wanting as the human call them "slut". When she woke up the next morning, she breathed a sigh of relief when she realized the beast hadn't found her. She left the motel and went to get some food to eat. She returned and turned the TV on and began to watch it for a while. Getting tired of wait for his new play toy to come back he takes his pet out & jump a woman that walked down the wrong road & leaves her to be found the next day beaten & raped with no idea what happen to her just that she had been raped badly. Heather shut the TV off, deciding to take off again, getting further away from him, not wanting to lose the head start she had. She checked out of her room and continued, checking her rearview mirror to make sure no one was following her. Ended.

Monsters in the Night|rating:2.0

є ͼ ℓ ɩ p ƨ є (( 7_7 taken ))

IƞτσCherry blossoms petals drifted from the hundreds of trees as a scream of pain tore the still, shadowed day. The moon had begun to drift in front of the sun, blocking its light. Another scream ripped through the air as the moon continued to creep towards the center of the sun. When the moon eclipsed the sun, everything fell silent. In the middle of the cherry tree forest, leaning up against a tree, was a woman, a bundle of silk in her arms. Her breaths came out in shallow gasps, sweat glistening on her brow. The bundle shifted as the woman slid down the trunk of the tree, petals falling past her like soft pink snow. No cry was uttered as the silk slid from the newborn baby's face, a peaceful expressing there instead. Dark hair already appeared on the crown of its head, a swirl of white cutting through the ebony locks. As the baby's eyes opened, a gasp sounded from the woman. The eyes were black where white was supposed to be; the irises white and the pupil black. And so, the child of the New Age was born. ---------- ҎℓστA New Age had been destined to begin when a child, born under the eclipse, unites with a god. Few people know, however, that the child must unite with a god in order for the New Age to come about. No one knows what the New Age will bring, but over time, people have believed that it will be a better, more prosperous age. The Child, immediately recognizable because of the hair and eyes, was immediately placed under the care of the most respectable religious figures, Seers, and tutors. Never allowed to leave the room given to the child, never allowed to see anyone other than those who are caring for the child, and taught of the evils of the world, the child has grown up with a fear of the world beyond the walls. Conditioned at an early age to give into instruction, not fight back; all rebellious behavior was crushed at an early age, and thoughts of the outside world quelled. What the people in care of the child don't understand, is why the New Age hasn't begun. Fourteen years they have waited with the child in their care, yet nothing has happened. They do not know of the final step for the New Age to begin, and are growing frustrated. One day, a stranger came to Harmony. Clothes worn almost through, traveling cloak ragged with holes and tears, and armed to the teeth. The people, who are normally hospitable to all newcomers, kept their distance from this stranger. He walked around the city as if he knew it all, a menacing aura surrounding him and keeping all wary. He quickly arrived at the tower, proceeding to the room that the child stayed in. The few who dared to step in his way were killed swiftly and quietly - the first murders to ever occur in Harmony. Finally, the Flute stepped in his way, adorned in the black robes to represent his rank. The stranger ceased his pace, and explained an important fact to the Flute before leaving just as quickly as he had arrived. The Flute, stunned by what he was told, rushed to make an announcement that was to be heard around the world. Six persons, of any sex, and a master in their given ability or rank, must report to Harmony. The reward will be great, and the task a great challenge. ---------- ϨɛττıƞgDeep within a forest, a forest that takes up half a continent itself, resides Lost. Lost is exactly what it sounds like - lost. It is deep within the large forest, only able to be found by random chance. The city itself, the old building covered in moss and vines; water flowing through any opening where it can reach, was once a grand city. Life thrived in the perfect environment; there was no war, there was no food shortage, and the water was always crisp and clean. This vibrant city, once the paradise of the world, fell. The people left the forest for the outside world, abandoning the glorious city to the wilds of the forest. However, the plants aren't the only things that inhabit Lost. It has become a haven for Gods and Goddess alike - away from any population, and full of life. Lost has become the city for Gods, and not a single souls know. Harmony is where everything begins. From the towering buildings, shining gold, red, orange, pink and brown, one person is above important. The Child of the New Age lives in the tallest building within Harmony, and has everything a heart could desire. However, the child is kept from the outside world, the religious figures preaching about the poison of the people and the evils of the outside world. The Child of the New Age could not be tainted, corrupted. And so, the child is trapped in the tallest tower. The technology of the city has progressed substantially. Small hovering vehicles carry people around; they almost look like small carriages. Trains are just two parts for passengers, but since they fly through the air like a giant mechanical worm, the trains don't need a lot of space to accommodate many people. Races [o.1] ... Follow the rules. [o.2] When you send your profile, title the PM with your favorite sugar filled food. Sweet yummy-yummy. That's not tough! Simple. And it's right here; no tricks in finding the title. People get it wrong sometimes and that's just ridiculous.... Plus! My bellies will be small, I find huge ones demanding x amount of paragraphs for just the bio, annoying. There probably won't even be a bio! So, yes. Small Kellie, hard to make mistakes. [o.3] Respect eeeeeeeeeveryone in the playing arena. If you have a complaint, don't EXPLODE like things do in microwaves. Try to be calm, collected, and nice about the complaining/issue. Or, if you can't handle it, tell me and I'll handle it. C: Also, dry to post ONCE a week. It's annoying when people leave without an explanation, and they're character was involved in the plot. I'm sure everyone has had that happen to them, and then POOF, dead role-play. And everyone should know this stuff by now: swearing, everyone knows the limits. Romance, again, everyone knows the limits. No auto-hitting, god modding, peppering, or killing without someone else's permission. Yeah. Repetitive? Duh. I don't like typing it, but there's always that guy. [o.4] Keep me informed! If you need to leave for a week, or a few days, tell me. I don't eat peoples' heads. Someone else might, but not me. [o.5] Spelling, grammar: decent, but I don't expect perfection. Along with that, I expect NO ONE-LINERS. None. At least a paragraph or more per post, and I could easily demand more because I can type five if I wanted to, and make that a rule for everyone else. But I'm lazy, and I'm sure everyone else is too. x3 Font sizes of posts will be between ... regular and 1? O-o. Also, as for how decorative the post is, there are limits, believe it or not. I have no problem with pretty posts! Just, make the font readable, don't take up HALF of the post with one single picture, and don't have a huge picture and little to no text. That's an epic fail. Pictures = reasonable size; extra text = not over powering the post itself. [o.6] Ha, didn't get to nine rule! Things... Anyway, I can change rules whenever I want. But if I do so, I'll say so. I'll also tell you if I update, so cheeeeeeck the updates! ’D They're usually important to what is going on! Like, plot change, plot twist, new character, setting change, who - if anyone - dies. Things like that. [o.7] I'm Queen of this thing. Fear meh. [o.8] All NEW rules are posted in this color. Just so you know what's new and what's old. C: [o.1o] I lied. It reached nine, so I skipped it. Sgt;’D Right, so, the point of this rule. Because of what is in the plot, there are only SEVEN characters total. NPC's not included. Now, I will allow more if they are needed, but I like to keep things small so that it doesn't all clump and everything gets confusing. Seven people, all together, is difficult to role-play out, so I'd like to stay at that number. It's gets difficult to do anything afterwords. ** Sidenote: I'm from Gaia, so I'm really confused on this posting set up. ;Sgt;Sgt; I don't understand why it's all in one huge post that won't separate, but I'm working on it! D; ** ---------- Ϩkԑℓℓιԑ Code: My Name Is... [NAME, duh. First, middle, and last, if you please.] [APPEARANCE. Not huge, not tiny or page stretching. Anime, please. I think it would be hard to find actually people to fit this kind of place.] I've Lived For... [Age, i.e.: Thirty-two years.] My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... [Gender.] What I'm Good At... [Skills, abilities, stuff like that. Don't go overboard, and a minimum of three.] My Parents Made Me A... [HUMAN. Everyone is HUMAN. Just with... powers of some sort.] The Song of My Soul... [Theme song. Make it representative of your character, it'll help determine the personality.] My Controller... [... You.] My Role-play Example... [Link, actual post, one or the other works. I just don't want people who can't write at all here. 3;] * New Notes! I don't want to play the Child of New Age. It's open for grabs, but some of the personality of him/her is laid out in the plot. Please don't deter from that, it's rather important. But everything else is up to whomever creates them. ---------- Updατεѕ // PɾoʃıℓεsMy Name Is... [Ariel Lee Anemone] I've Lived For... [Twenty-one] My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... [Female. What I'm Good At... [Ariel is a thief, a skilled thief. Ever since she was a child she has had a sever case of kleptomania and couldn't help but take a little of this, and a little of that. And, without facing her problem and doing something about it, it progressed and worsened over the years. Now, she is a world-renowned thief that can steal anything, no matter what it's size or value. Ariel's daggers each carry an element of their own, and drain on her energy when she taps into those elements. They're family heirlooms, and work only for people who share her blood. My Parents Made Me A... [human] The Song of My Soul... [Invincible ;; Deltas Way] My Controller... [` l o k i] My Name Is... [Bowman "Bo" Glass Eon] I've Lived For... [Twenty-eight] My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... [Male] What I'm Good At... [Deadly with two blades, can generate magical forces to do physical damage to his enemies, and to defend himself, and has a gift with animals. My Parents Made Me A... [human] The Song of My Soul... [Master Passion Greed ;; Night wish] My Controller... [` l o k i] Quote: Originally Posted by Backlash My Name Is... [Kane Katsuki] I've Lived For... Nineteen] My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... [Male] What I'm Good At... [Kane is simply a healer. Though he is very good at what he does. He is also a very religious person. At least that is the persona he lets on. He also likes to paint in his spare time. A bit out of mix, but it is very relaxing.] My Parents Made Me A... [Human. Kane can heal any injury on other people. Though he can not heal himself] The Song of My Soul... [How to Save a Life// The Fray] My Controller... [Backlash] Quote: Originally Posted by Kyoto My Name Is... [Lore Sear Research.] I've Lived For... [around sixteen. My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... [Male.] What I'm Good At... [Can call upon spirits, manipulates darkness, and changes into another form when he loses control. My Parents Made Me A... [HUMAN.] The Song of My Soul... [I Am All Of Me] My Controller... [Kyoto] Quote: Originally Posted by Secure My Name Is... Canada Echo [Echo for short] [imagine her eyes are the way you described it ^^"] I've Lived For... Fifteen years My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... Female What I'm Good At... Obedient, can manipulate ice, and able to use daggers which appear out of her sleeves, but she doesn't use those at all. My Parents Made Me A... Human The Song of My Soul... Brave Song [AOI Taxa] My Controller... Secure Quote: Originally Posted by CrownofEblan My Name Is... {Thomas. Erik Azrael Thomas} I've Lived For... {thirty years} My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... {male} What I'm Good At... {Archery, woodland tracking, hunting, the works. Erik a ranger by trade proficient with both bow and staff, and has been known to best even swordsman who challenge him with his simple wooden stave. Anyone who asks how is greeted with an enigmatic smile and THS simple word "Practice".} My Parents Made Me A... {human, (and by their absence one who survives through all obstacles)} The Song of My Soul... {No Grave by Newsboys and The Motions by Matthew West} My Controller... {CrownofEblan} Quote: Originally Posted by Kendra Lozano My Name Is... {Case Farrell Lymph app Herne, though nowadays he's simply known without his family title.} {The Wild} I've Lived For... {Twenty-three years.} My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... {Male.} What I'm Good At... {Case has the ability to shape-shift, or "body change"as he calls it. In reality, this ability is more akin to mimicry, in that Case can take on the appearance and voice of a person or animal; to imitate humans, he must have seen the person and heard their voice. As if to compliment his mimicry abilities is innate wild magic, which grants him the ability to literally communicate with nature, contrary to others who would "hear" nature due to their experience in it. Born in a nomadic tribe and raised in more primitive settings, Case, as a male, leads his life as a hunter, and is incredibly skilled in what he does, from foraging to tracking to stalking. Thus, his senses are trained to a point they are more animal than human, and is quite limber and acrobatic.} My Parents Made Me A... {Human.} The Song of My Soul... {Cúchulainn's Last Battle - Jeff Johnson camp; Brian Dunning.} My Controller... {Kendra Lozano} Quote: Originally Posted by Katie Scarlett Divine My Name Is... Katie Scarlett Divine I've Lived For... [Nineteen years.] My Private Parts Indicate That I'm... [female] What I'm Good At... [She can control the elements water and earth, by doing this she can move water and make forms with it or use it as a weapon, and for earth she can use nature, like plants and animals.] My Parents Made Me A... [human] The Song of My Soul... [We won't back down -by Escape The Fate] My Controller... Katie Scarlett Divine To all the standing cities and barely running towns, the message for the skilled had been sent. It had spread all the way to the forest where Lost was said to be, even. But even that wildfire couldn't penetrate the woods' defenses, and the whisperings of the message from the Flute ended there. But the message had been spread, and Ariel had heard it and was more than tempted by the reward it promised to those chosen six. This temptation had spared her latest victims of being relieved of their more precious possessions, as she made her way to Harmony. The trip itself had taken a few days, both by foot and unruly transportation where she had to get rough with fellow travelers. With a sigh of relief and a bored look on her face, Ariel stared at the tall, orange and vine encrusted gates of Harmony. She had been there once, maybe twice before, and the gates had never changed. Perhaps become a little more green, but never anything else. By her feet lay a small bag containing just the essentials for travel: clothes, money, jewels, and water. Everything else she carried on her person: two daggers and a number of smoke bombs. The smoke bombs Ariel rarely ever needed, but they did come in handy when she needed to make a quick escape. Or just elude people for a little bit. Picking a piece of dirt out of her nails, she took her time before picking up the small bag and strolling into Harmony. The building itself that she would need to look for would be the tallest, grandest building in Harmony. What else would the Child and Flute live in, anyway? A small smirk tugged at her lips, with such a grand building, there would have to be a few things worth stealing. Kane's travels had brought him to the large city of harmony. It always did. Two or three times a year. Being a monk and healer, he was to visit the magnificent view, and to get in touch with his holy side. Even though Kane was really no holy man. He was in fact probably one of the worst. In his defense, Kane did not want to be as such. His parents before him wanted their son to follow in their path. Still, as a holy man Kane did get a lot of free bees. He had been in the tower when the mysterious man attacked. Not hiding at all. In fact Kane was healing all he could, though most of the men still faced the end. It was a very sad time in deed. Kane now was in the washroom. For the third time today. He could just feel blood covering every inch of his body, and even though he was a doctor, seeing those sights could shake anyone up a bit. He got out and dried off. Pulling on his usual blue robes before stepping out of the large building. He sat on the sidewalk out front, not really thinking about anything. Or at least trying not to. It was becoming easier each day.((Sorry it's short. I wasn't sure what to type about.)) Canada sat at her bed in her room. It was same routine every day, yet, she was too afraid to stray away from her everyday activities for her "guardians" had told her about the "evils" of the outside world. Her room was on the tallest tower that overlooked the city, but it had no windows in fear that she would be "tainted." Her room was simple, yet she loved the different blues and such. The problem was, she was naive, unaware of the outside world. Yet her curiosity was crushed by her guardians who told her otherwise. So, to pass the time, she made small ice sculptures using her "abilities."[eh, not my best, but It's as long as I could make it~] When the old world began to fall, leaving millions in a live or die situation, rose the Flute. The first. His station in the world was higher than what people used to call the "Pope". The only difference is that he didn't follow a religion, nor was he the grand schemer behind one. The Flute was a leader of peace and tranquility among those who followed him. Among those who followed him, were always cared for. Financially, emotionally, physically; anything. As the years passed, the Flutes popularity rose steadily. Now, there is a Flute in every city around the planet. They are given immense power over the city and its citizens; they are the supreme law in courts, maker of laws; they regulate economy and trade. Such power doesn't come without consequences. Flutes have become tainted in recent years, using the power presented to them to their own advantages. For power, glory, women, and an immunity to the law. One of the few pure Flutes sighed heavily in his room, the heavy black robes feeling heavier than they usually did. Long highlight blond hair fell down to the middle of his back, and around his face and into his eyes. He wasn't even twenty-six yet, and he had obtained this powerful position in Harmony. Some said it was the work of magic, other of trickery. He kept his methods to himself. He turned away from the window just as a train flashed by. Canada would be leaving today, and would no longer be under his care. Had the decisions to keep her locked away in a room made her a delicate creature? Too delicate to face the world outside? Cain frowned. How would she deal with her first encounter with cruelty, greed, temptation, and illness? One could only hope that she didn't crumble at the sight of them all. Despite his best efforts, Harmony didn't exactly live up to its name. Cain ran a hand through his long hair, sighing once more as he swiftly exited his room and walked slowly down the large hallway that led to Canada's. A brief vision of the stranger who had arrived just days before flashed in his minds eye. His words echoed in Cain's head. Who was that man, to know more of the prophecy than he himself? Pale blue eyes narrowed slightly. Cain had sent people to track down the man, but he had disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared. The guards outside the doors didn't even report him leaving, even though they had seen him enter. He knew there was magic in this world, Canada herself possessed some. From which of her parents, he wouldn't know. They both abandoned her at the sight of her odd eyes. But what kind of magic could simply make a man disappear like the stranger had? Just thinking of him darkened Cain's mood. "Canada?" the door was closed, and Cain raised his hand to knock. There wasn't any use thinking about the strange man who was alone responsible for the events to happen. Cain lowered his hand as an afterthought, and entered the room instead. Cain didn't say anything for a second, the words caught in his throat as he saw the young girl playing with her ill-gotten gift of sorcery. "Canada," he said gently, to get the girls' attention. "We have a few things to discuss, about your future. I'll need your full attention, because I can only explain things once." Canada looked up at Cain, who had entered. She smiled softly at him,"Hi Cain!" She said, stopping what she was currently doing. Canada put her full attention on him,"Okay, start then." She finally said. Canada seemed to not notice how tense Cain was at first. After a moment she stopped smiling,"Really, what is it?" She asked. Her room was simple, blue canopy bed, blue closet, blue everything! The only items that weren't blue were her assorted stuffed animals, which lay in a corner in many different colors. IOC;;Sorry, there are sever tornado/flood warnings in my area. ;>> I'm not staying near my computer at the moment... [no problem~] Λ ɾ ı ɛ ℓxxxxAriel wasn't sure if she should be aggravated that there were so many people lining the sidewalks. Sure, Harmony was a big place. She half expected there to be this many people. Just not all in one place, or on one street. With an irritated grunt, she shoved a man out of her way, ignoring his angry shouts. Another problem with these people being everywhere, none of them were going in one direction. Ariel had to weave her way through the crowds, all the while trying to locate the building where the Child and Flute would be. Because, after all, that was where her reward would be! "Hey!" she yelled, her thoughts distracting her long enough for her to stumble into a blue robed figure. Her blue and green eyes quickly looked over him, before determining that he wouldn't have anything of value. "Watch where you're going," she muttered as an afterthought, spotting a few droplets of blood on his person. [waiting for time to post~] Life....it never meet anything more than just a period of time to people. And now it's too late...so much has happened, but it is the same. None of these words make sense. When given a chance at a new life, do you take it? Or run and hide?... Liore wondered these things as he looked up at the sky. His mind was always clouded with such thoughts, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was anyone out there who thought the same as him. Probably not.... He was alone as he had always been. A wanderer it never made any difference where he was. He had never had a place to call home many didn't want him around. He sighs and looks up once more at the sky it was nice out. The thoughts play back on his mind over and over like a broken headache. He sighed and stood from his seat. HE looked around him, he was in the middle of nowhere. He wondered if he should head into the nearby town, or just keep walking. He sighed once more to himself. Furthermore, he needed provisions. Food and shelter he could tell it would rain soon and he didn't like the rain. It was sad, like the earth was crying, and he was powerless to comfort it. People made the earth cry, they destroyed all of its naturalness and beauty for their own gain. Maybe these thoughts were why he chose to live off the land as being one with it. He wondered if that made him similar to the ones that had tried to do the same in the times passed. The air smelled a bit of salt, and he guessed he was near water either an ocean or sea. He turned in the direction that would do for now. Water would quench his thirst and allow him to distract himself with a swim. He was tense he knew others were around, and eventually he would run into them but for now he would avoid them and be alone. It was more peaceful that way, and he could be his own. He headed to the water and to its edge. Taking off his shirt he could feel the heat of the day on his skin. He smiled a bit and closed his eyes leaning his face up to the sun. It was nice and as soon as he dived in the sudden shock of the cold water lit up his senses like lightning in the sky. He dove as far as he could go on his one breath, then made his way to the surface. He takes a few calming breaths then deeper ones to stretch his lungs. Furthermore, he looks out in the direction where he felt others coming for....they would meet soon... IOC;;I'm going to be going to someone's house for a night, and they don't have a computer. So I won't have anything up until tomorrow. Sorry this is going so slowly, I promise it'll go faster once I have a little more time to get everything together! 3; ((skies lol that's fine)) {{Have fun, Loki - trickster god}} The entire wood had been anxious, filled with a restless energy that was driving poor Erik insane. Every day of travel left him feeling super-charged up; each night filled with endless tossing and turning, too agitated to rest and sleep. He'd finally succumbed to the pressure and left his leafy sanctuary and wound up in a small tavern near the outskirts of his forest 'domain'. The small establishment seemed much more crowded than usual. Not like he'd know, considering the last time he had been there was over a year ago. The place seemed almost as abuzz as the forest was, but at least here the feeling wasn't sinking into his very core. Words spun quickly, fragments of conversation clouding his already tired mind. ’D'yeah 'ear 'bout the reward? I 'are..." "... the greatest riches of Harmony..." "...rumor says that you'd have to go through the deepest of Vineland..."...ole' Bob SAI' them crazy people's talkin' 'bot a new era er sum such..." "... Weel, I Kane spake for ya gen'men, boot I ain't goin' NER the doors 'good fer all d'riches o' Arabia..." Slowly the pieces of conversation began to fit together in his mind, his eyebrows rising a hair in alarm. The forest knew. He never questioned how; it always did. It was anticipation and worry and curiosity that wouldn't let him sleep at night. Hearing about treasure wasn't very heartening either. If there was only one thing he understood about his fellow man, it was their greed. He left the tavern much earlier than was his routine, instead of staying the night he simply paid for his drink and slipped out of the door before anyone could take notice of him. Erik faded into the forest, moving swiftly and silently to the giant oak tree near the deeper edges of his 'domain', roughly halfway to the invisible boundary that marked when you left the forest and entered into a place heavy with ancient power and forgotten memories, the forest's core. He slowed as he reached the countless millennia-old tree, scaling up it's side until he reached a small niche. He crawled inside and placed his hands gently on the walls of the natural enclave. The tree thrummed with energy, and he listened to the quick breeze that whistled by and rustled the great leaves. His eyes widened in shock. "Not serious." The tree seemed to sway as if indicating that yes, it was. "Go. Chosen?" He shoots his head, "That's crazy." The forest seemed to decide that this was enough of a conversation and did not answer. "Fine. Got it." The forest remained silent, though the tension seemed to lessen, as though acknowledging it had head Erik's answer. He grumbled under his breath as he gathered his things, taking with him the hardwood staff that was wedged in the farthest corner of the 'room', stealing of into the night back the way he came. Back towards 'civilization'. That had been nearly two weeks ago, and now he was standing, rather uncomfortable and out of place, in the cold town of harmony. There was no breath of life here, no serenity, just busy, clanging noise and bright, garish colors that made him want to shut his eyes with the dull thudding of the headache that was beginning to form. He reached back into his memory, trying to bring up foggy images of what he'd been told a guard was supposed to look like. A whisper of wind brushed by his face, a small leaf landing on his shoulder, the organic matter out of place in the town of metal and stone. He followed his instincts and reasoning towards the center of the town, making his way with purpose towards the tallest of the buildings. It made sense in his odd sort of way. The people around him obviously didn't understand that the closer one was to the ground the better they understood the earth under their feet and the life that lived on it, so their leader-this Flute, or whatever he was-must be towards the sky. He finally reached the base of the tower, looking up with a disapproving look on his face. It was tall, true, but not nearly as tall as some of the greater trees on the forest, and clearly much less friendly. He turned towards one of the men that seemed like a guard, and grasped him gently on the shoulder to get his attention. Erik was a rather tall man, and he probably seemed rather intimidating to the poor, overly-harassed guard. (The greed of men these days, TCH.) Erik met the man’s gaze, his voice quiet and earnest, unaware of how strange his normal, abrupt speech was. "Master ranger." He gestured to himself. "Sent. Flute?" He shifted his weight back and crossed his arms in front of his chest, a patient look in his eyes and a small almost-frown, as if waiting for the guard. Λ ɾ ı ɛ ℓxxxxOoC;;@Eblan;; DDD I love my username! There, just a little farther ahead, Ariel could see the tower that she had spent the better half of her day looking for. Well, the time she could have spent doing something more productive with her time instead of wandering around Harmony like the rest of the tourists were. Sure, it was a pretty place. That didn't mean it should be filled with absurd amount of people asking her directions for places she didn't know existed, when she couldn't even find her own way to a tower that should have been very easy to locate. Ariel rolled a few coins in her hand, relishing the cold feel of the metal and the clinking sound they made when they hit each other. Any situation could be turned into a slightly positive one, in any case. These people were so carefree with her money, she had easily swiped a good amount from unsuspecting street wanders. Coming to a halt before the tall tower, squinting as she looked all the up its impressive height. It seemed to disappear into the sky, and reflect the sun as the orange color grew brighter farther up. How could the Flute manage to keep a kid locked up in a tower like this for years? They would have a few to envy, and could see for miles and miles. Imagine, even, what Harmony must look like from that height! She would have grown too curious to stay and would have done everything in her power to leave, no matter the consequences. Sighing loudly, Ariel tore her gaze away from the near blinding spectacle of the towers top. Her eyes stung and felt dry, but she ignored it as her attention fell onto the two guards standing at attention in front of the doors that led into the tower. A slim white brow rose, Guards? Was the Flute so untrusting of the people that he needed guards to protect his precious tower? What was more peculiar, though, was the taller, more gruff looking man standing there. Where had he come from, exactly? Ariel watched him for a moment, curious. It wasn't often she saw someone who looked more earthy than a clump of dirt. He probably didn't have anything on him that was worth her attention, to add to that. "I don't know about you," she said after a moment, slipping the coins she had been fiddling with into her large coat, "but I'm going inside." Ariel smirked slightly, before stepping through the large double doors. [NEH Loki~ when can I do something?? ^^"] IOC;;When a good majority of the people get there. Last time I started this role-play, the person playing the Child didn't get a post up until the third page. So you'll just have to be patient, and try to not take up post space with IOC stuff that could be sent through PM. c: [ohhhh okay~ *skips off singing*] Kane relaxed a bit while just sitting in front of the tower. The two guards did not seem to mind his presence. Mainly since they knew who Kane was. He sighed. Breathing in the crisp air into his newly terrified lungs. Although Kane appeared completely normal from the outside. Just a young man relaxing on the step. On the inside his young mind wondered faster that a big cat chasing its prey. The memories of that strange man murdering tens of monks played in his mind. Becoming nothing but a haunting place. He closed his eyes, remembering how he was holding the holes of two monks. Applying pressure so they would have a chance of life. Nothing. He had failed, multiple times. Suddenly he felt somebody walk into him. He looked up to see a girl. Dressed very lightly, and seemly very confident in herself. If he guessed right, the girl was up to no good. Although she ended up wondering away after telling him to watch where he was going. Made no sense since he was the one just sitting there. Kane could hear her enter the doors just a few seconds later. Though he just sat on the sidewalk for a bit longer.((Loki, you can't post the same picture over and over either. Its called Flopping. Another rule I hate lol)) {{@loki;; I could make you different variations of the picture, or you could just title each post {{Ariel}} or {{Ciel}} to differentiate between persons. "----" lines could distinguish if you wanted to do both in the same post and, frankly, as long as all your posts have dialogue, we could simply go by the fact that Ariel speaks in purple and Cain in sky blue. Just a suggestion. I also appreciate your username, Trickster god. ’D}} Erik looked briefly at the girl who had spoken, and seeing no reaction from the guards, shrugged his shoulders before following after her. He pushed past the glass doors and his eyes widened fractionally at the simple blankness of the place, cold and cool while shimmering with all the warm colors of one of the pearlescent opals that women oft prized in their jewelry. It reminded him of some of the shells of the seashore, which he had visited once long ago, with its creamy whites and pastel oranges and pinks. His dark browns and greens seemed out of place in the tower, down to the shining floors. Marble, he remembered from the snatches he had heard and seen when he wasn’t in his forest. The walls were probably polished granite, with its vein lines of complimentary impurities. He tapped the girl on the shoulder lightly, to get her attention. He swept his arm out to indicate the hall. "This. Normal?" He stepped back without waiting for her to answer and looked out the glass door to the man still sitting on the sidewalk. Erik opened the door and gave the man an inquisitive look. He seemed to have come here to answer this 'challenge' but he seemed a little lost in his thoughts. Well, it never hurt to be polite. "Coming in?" He held the door open and motioned for that man, shifting his shoulder and re-adjusting the staff that was strapped awkwardly across his back. IOC;; @Ash;; D: Noway. Thanks for the warning! I actually never saw that anywhere when I went over the rules... ;3; -mustkickoldhabits.- @Eblan;; Don't worry about the variations, I have three different pictures of the same girl, and I can make different versions of her. Yay for obsessively searching photobucket! ’D -gasoline- That was a lesson I learned long ago. 3; It is an immense help when people use different dialogue colors with different characters, I find. ’D Oh baby. I'll live up to it! I hope. .____.;; Even with the picture differences, just stick with outfit look she had in the first one. ;Sgt;Sgt; Makes it easier... Ariel felt a small rush of relief as the cool air washed over her. Had it really been that warm outside? She took in a deep breath of the cool air, her lungs stinging as they expanded farther than they were used to. She exhaled the air loudly through her nose, nostrils flaring. Furthermore, she glanced over her shoulder as she felt warm air at her back, the earthy man stepping through the doors. The doors were silent as they closed, the warm air disappeared. Ariel didn't look at him long as she walked farther into the room, glancing around. It was a beautiful room, so simple yet elegant at the same time. The colors evoked an emotion deep within her that felt both peaceful and sad. She glanced around the room once more, pushing away the odd feeling to replace it with an age-old habit - observation. The simplicity of the room left nothing for it to hide. There were just three sets of door; the double set of glass that led back outside, another double door set of pure black to her left, and an ordinary wood door in front of her. They all seemed out of place in the room, and she felt out of place. Odd, right? The furniture was also simple. A single, round table in the middle of two chairs and two love chairs. Enough places for six people... Ariel jumped visibly when she felt someone tap her shoulder, spinning around on her heel, hair spinning around her face. She watched the earthy men gesture, but was caught off guard when he spoke. Two rather blunt words. She'd never heard anyone speak so frankly about anything before - it was strange. Ariel wasn't sure to chalk it up to no social skills, or something else, because he moved away from her before she could even answer him. "That is not normal...," she muttered to herself, turning around to go sit in one of the chairs in the room. Ariel only glanced momentarily towards the door when she could feel the warm air once more, but didn't whoever was in the doors way any more attention than that. She was growing bored and impatient. ((OCC: I'm in the middle of nowhere lol where's everyone going?)) IOC;;Giant tower in Harmony. Two guards outside, so just... basically go with that description, and then what has been described as what is inside of it. C:I'm working on Cain's post, 'cause I haven't posted as him in a while. [Us, cause I'm like here 4ever, yet I don't post XD] {{Case Farrell Lymph}} The Wild Hunter Noise. Everywhere. People. Everywhere. The hunter felt like he was in a forest. A forest that choked and screamed and bound. Case hated cities. It didn't matter if it was a tiny town or a massive metropolis. He hated being in them. He hated the press of bodies, the constant chaos of noise, the assault of smells. Furthermore, he hated feeling like he was caged in. It was nothing like his forests, where the undergrowth never pressed in, where its songs never grated, where the scents never clashed. And he was never quite as claustrophobic as he was right now. But the thing he hated most about them were the rules. Ever since his exile from his clan, the fiery-haired man had never lived with a set of rules beyond "hunt or be hunted". His lifestyle was one that was loose, unstructured. He slept where he wanted, bathed where he wanted, ate where he wanted. But not in these places. In one town he'd been imprisoned for "stealing"; in his own defense, this was before he'd known what money was, and he'd been hungry. In another, he'd been chased out of an inn he could legitimately pay for "not showing modesty"; his entire life, he'd never found a need for a top or shoes in any season other than winter. There were so many standards these people lived by that Case was hard-pressed to satisfy them all. What usually made his brief comings and goings in the random town or city he'd stumble upon was the attention. Granted, most people carrying around a full deer pelt and stag antler were quite noticeable, but he knew how the citizens saw him: a tall, rather intimidating wild man, decked out in nomadic apparel, way too many accessories, and armed. And that drew a lot of attention. It took the man every fiber of his being to ignore the stares and whispers that had become customary to his appearance, and instead set his gaze as close to his target as possible (without blinding himself): the towers of Harmony. Ironic, how despite its name, the town seemed to be less than harmonious. As he neared the gates, the nomad spotted people there ahead of him. Two males, one female. The female had silvery hair, and her behavior was that of a weasel or a raccoon. Another man was seated on the steps, his uncolored hair short. The other was a tall, tall fellow, almost like a tree himself. Though the one with the golden hair remained, the other two passed by the guards. The same two guards gave him apprehensive stares as he strode past them. Inside, it was much cooler than it was outside. Case felt goosebumps appear on his arms in the cool air, and fidgeted a little; he wasn't cold, but he wasn't comfortable at this temperature. As the doors swung shut behind him, he felt as if someone had suddenly sealed away the forests. The only smells here were of cold stone, and the two people who had gone in. The place made him edgy. Trying to distract himself from the lack of natural scents and sights in the building, the bronze-skinned man took to observing the other two in the edifice with him. The girl's eyes were interesting, one the color of a bluebird, the other as vibrant a verdure as spring grasses. He cocked his head curiously at her for a moment, then promptly ignored her as a faint, familiar smell met his nostrils. The other man was dressed in earthy tones, and had the appearance of a hunter; not quite Case's own brand of hunter, but a hunter nonetheless. That, however, wasn't what got the nomad, whose own vivid hair and fiery tones seemed entirely out of place. It was that the tall tree-man smelled like forest. Curiosity piqued, the man who was closer to animal shuffled a little closer, sniffing the air as he scrutinized the taller man. The earthy-toned fellow was older than I by at least five season-cycles, and he didn't look like a nomad. Strange, strange. Amber eyes glimmering as he grinned selfishly, Case straightened. "Tree-man, smell like forest." He wandered off a bit, this time inspecting the seats at the table. As he looked up from picking at the seams of one of the love seats, he continued, "Is here for good hunt. Tree-man and snow-hair girl, here for good hunt also?" C ı ɛ ℓxxxSoft blue eyes looked at the girl for a while before he spoke, thinking over his words before he could even begin to speak. "Downstairs there will be six individuals convening, six of skill and... unknown motives." Including a reward with transporting Canada would make the more rotten and greedy flock, Cain knew, but without it, the worthy wouldn't come, either. Just because he wanted peace and kept himself in a tower most of his days didn't mean the young man was ignorant of the ways of the world outside. Filled with greed, hate, envy, lust. "You will be leaving, after all six have arrived," he continued on, feeling a twinge of both guilt and sadness in his gut as his spoke the words. Since she was but a baby she had been living here, and Cain had only just been in her life for a few years since he became Flute, but he had grown attached to her quickly. He knew a few others would be sad to see her go, too. Perhaps even bitter, but this was how it was to be. "The world outside is a dangerous place, and you're not ready for it. You never will be, which is why these people will be accompanying you towards your," he paused for a moment, "destination." Could it be put any other way? "They will know the world, uniquely themselves, and will be able to protect you and guide you through it. And, thus, you will be leaving my protection." Another twinge of sadness. Cain could only wonder with a grave heart: could she survive, outside these walls of isolation? Had the protection he and others offered her from the outside world been a mistake? A horrible, horrible mistake that they would only just begin to see? ((Guys, please remember that posting flows in your posts is not allowed. You can differentiate between your characters using different colors/fonts/etc., but please don't post the same picture in each of your posts . :yes: You can put your character's name with formatting in the FIRST post by that character, but after that, it's not allowed. Just a heads-up. ’D Thanks!)) (I've never heard of that.......but whatever now I do!) Kanade didn't say a thing as Cain spoke. She didn't know what to say, going out to places she had never seen before? Sure it made her excited but, she wasn't sure how to defend herself if the other six watching her were to be knocked out or something. Canada looked up at Cain, her eyes were filled to the brim with tears, but she was smiling,"If that's how it is then so be it, but can I ask why?" She needed to know why. If they sent her off with an unknown group she was sure that they may abuse her or even worse! Katie Scarlett Divinely;3As Katie entered the large building all she could think about was how elegant looking it was, the chairs, the paintings, everything looked well-thought-out. She quietly shut the door behind her and noticed the others. Of course there were others. . . There were supposed to be six. She took a deep breath and looked at them offering a small smile to be polite and then continued to look around the room, not exactly knowing what to do. All she did was act like she was interested in everything, even though she had already looked at it. She felt very out of place here and just wondered about everything she possibly could. She wondered about her childhood, their childhoods, were they got that exquisite vase, or who painted the marvelous painting. Furthermore, she had no intention of asking someone if they knew anything about this more then she did, since she was stumped. The duties of a messenger tended to be overlooked by soldiers, guards, servants, scholars, and others of the like that stayed within the massive building that looked more like a fortress than a home. However, the duties of the lone messenger of this home took his duties seriously and was terrified out of his mind, so his adrenaline, fear, and muscles carried him down the halls with all the speed he could muster. Behind him, there were shouts from the soldiers that were on duty. The sounds of gun fire, screams. Then silence. The messenger ran faster. He nearly ran into the double doors, his muscles twitching with exhaustion and threatening to give out on him before he had a chance to tell his master what was assailing his house. Despite the size of the doors, the swung open without barely a push, and the messenger rushed in at the sound of a howl. The Master, a blond, tall man that was just hitting his twenty-eighth year of life, looked up at that howl, his shockingly bright green eyes narrowed in worry and dread. "What is happening?" he snapped at the messenger, who had fallen to his knees just feet from the door, his breaths coming out in heavy, quick gasps as he tried to suck air into his burning lungs. "We don't know. She got through the gates - blew them apart. No one stood a chance, sir. She was at the doors in a matter of seconds, and I came here." He rasped, out of breath. "She's faster than your beast, and was right on my heels -" "And you led her here?" he hissed, taking a few steps towards the fallen man, a dangerous aura radiating off of him. The master had a legendary temper, a power to back it up. "I-I had to warn y-you -" "Shut up," the blond man snapped. "She's here," he looked up from the man, the threatening aura disappearing. "Leave, unless you want to die," he whispered darkly; the messenger wasted no time in exiting the room. Just seconds later, the woman appeared. She was tall, taller than he was, and he stood at 6'5". Her hair was as golden as the sun, and her eyes as blue and changing like the ocean. He was taken aback by her - the power she radiated, the regal air she commanded. The brown and green cloth floated around her form, and her hair drifted as if a constant breeze was moving it around her. He took a step back as she took one forward. The woman laughed, "You don't know who I am? I'm insulted, Bowman." Bowman paused, but his suspicion didn't waver in the slightest. Ballast had howled, after all. He never did that unless there was something dangerous afoot, and she was just oozing dangerous. He watched the woman as she smiled and spread her arms in a warm, motherly gesture. Then, it clicked. Bowman fell to his knees. "Mother," he gasped. "Rise, my son, I have need of you. But first, I need to tell of a child, far away from here, that give the Gods... concern." She frowned slightly and Bowman stood. "Will you preform the task that I have in plan for you?" Bowman nodded as Ballast, his giant wolf, padded into the room and lay beside the Mother Goddess. "Excellent," she smiled and lay a hand on the giant wolves head. IOC;; DUNDUNDUUUUUN. (ANO.....creepy much?) Erik stood still, mildly shocked as a boy and another girl just went right by him as he was holding the door open with hardly a word. (Well, the boy had said something, and seemed vaguely familiar, perhaps someone he had found in his forest often or something, but he didn't give much more thought that that.) He shrugged good naturally and shut the door. Just before the door shut, a breath of wind seemed to slip through, causing him to instinctively clutch his side like he'd been hit. It was as if... he could feel something was about to go wrong in his domain. He shook his head as if to clear such crazy thoughts out of his head before sitting down at the table. He looked around at the others. "So, wait?" He placed his arms crossed on the table and began to focus off into space, peaceful and quiet, detached from his surroundings. Better to just wait for instructions until someone decided to give some sort of directions. {{@Katie;; Sorry, no offense meant or anything but the picture of your character irks me like no tomorrow. I've just seen it some many times. Akldbs;gods. It makes me want to go kick a puppy or something. D:}} ((Sorry! >. I've been sick all week and didn't really feel like finding another picture. ._____. Please don't kick a puppy):)) Λ ɾ ı ɛ ℓxxxxAriel had barely noticed the arrival of the other man, but when she finally did catch sight of him, it startled her. Tall, like the other one, and dressed in the same fashion. Wild men. Men of the forests, the land. Even though she belonged in the cities, where she and the rest of her thieving kind could thrive, Ariel could see that they didn't quite fit in. They couldn't survive here, even with all their skill at surviving outside the walls of civilization. She studied the new forest man for a minute. He was more decked out than the other one - had more accessories. Her fingers twitched involuntarily with an age-old urge, and clenched her fist and a bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep her mind from wandering into its usual one. Stealing from this man wouldn't do her any good, especially if she would be stuck with him for a while. Plus, he had weapons. It would be better to see what he could do with those first, before she tried anything drastic. Ariel turned her attention from him to the woman who had entered, looking at her for a moment as she stared at the room and all its strange contents. It somewhat apparent what the two men were skilled at, but what could she do? There was a point when Ariel tried to ignore when things were odd around her, and that happened when the fiery haired hunter began to sniff around the more earthy one. She didn't have to look directly in the direction of the men to see it, it was clear enough through her peripherals from where she was seated. But she couldn't help but sigh when he spoke. Snow-hair girl? Hunt? Ariel rubbed her eyes, was she going to be the only one who could form sentences used by normal people? "We have to wait until the Flute or whoever comes down to see up, Tree-man," Ariel said, grinning to herself. What an odd, yet appropriate name for him. "We probably have to wait for the others, too. They're supposed to be six." IOC;; Katie, if you want, I can give you the info to my photobucket account, and you'd be free to raid it. C: I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed - but that's only if you want to change your picture. (*humming* it takes a while for the others to get here, huh?) ((I'd like to since I'm feeling better now (:)) Seeing everyone was migrating to the table and the seats, Case figured he might as well join the crowd. Instead of going around the chair like a normal person, however, he simply vaulted over the back of the love seat whose seams he'd been picking at and landed with a muffled plunk on one side. Ohhhh, it was soft! Like the lush mosses that lined some of the rivers. Only, this one also felt kind of hard. Too unnatural. And his sandals were starting to bug his feet. Well, that could be easily fixed. With a swift tug, the fiery hunter boinked off the obstructing leather footwear and, wrapping the thongs around the soles, shoved it into the satchel he carried. Ahhh~ Much better. His feet could feel again. Positively more relaxed, Case wiggled his toes to stretch them out a bit, then pulled himself into a crouch on the plush seat. "Wait good for hunt. Hunter wait, get good prey to catch." He licked his chops, like the very idea of chasing down a frightened animal through the depths of a forest was the most delicious thing to imagine. Which it was. For him. Case lived for the hunt; what else was a hunter supposed to live for? His bracelets and necklaces and anklets were all proof of his livelihood. Interspersed with carefully crafted semi-precious stones, his bracelets and anklets had a single bone bead painstakingly carved from each animal he'd slain, while one of his necklaces featured a fang or claw for each predator he'd battled and won. They clicked quietly together as he traced the faintly chafed lines the straps of his sandals had made on his feet. The hunter's golden eyes flicked up to stare at the second girl that had entered. More strange! The girl had the lingering scents of rain and soil, yet though those were natural, it didn't smell. . . Natural. There was some enigmatic variation to it that didn't make it the scent that he smelled on the tall earthy man. What could possibly do that? Case was about to investigate further when the snowy-haired girl spoke. The tanned man's lips stretched into a toothy grin as he snickered at the girl's use of his name for the other male in the room. "Is what Case hears. Us, miss two more, yes?" The beast-man looked incredibly pleased that he could do the calculation. The mention of the Flute reminded him of something that had been bothering him for a while. A furrow appeared between his brows as he added, "But, strange city-men. Why name 'Flight'? City-men much like birds?" Kane pretty much ignored everyone around him. He was lost in his thoughts, not really wanting to come out as if yet. Everything had just happened so suddenly... A few more people had entered the ginormous tower. Kane felt he should probably head in also. Seeing as he was one of them. Slowly he drunkenly got up. Swaying a bit from his sudden weight change. His normally loose fitting blue robe loosened more, forcing him to retie it right there on the sidewalk. He liked those robes. They looked more expensive than they really were. And they were very light. Great for traveling and moving. Not to mention his old white ones had been covered in blood... Bringing a hand up, Kane shifted his hair a bit to the side. Keeping it out of his bright face as he turned and headed in. It was quiet inside. Though sometimes a voice would break the silence. He passed a fellow monk. They stopped to exchange a few words. Mainly ones or worry, and about Kane's other party members. A bit of worry washed over Kane like a great plague. What were these people going to be like? Once he already knew for sure was a thief. The others he was unsure about. They said their goodbyes and good lucks as they each headed in opposite directions. Kane wondered about. Following the voices to where he found a few familiar faces. "Greetings Everyone." Kane said rather formally to the small group of people already inside. Erik's mind was in hyperdrive, looking closely at the marks and trying to analyze their meaning. There was very little that went on in his forest without his knowing. Finally, dress and adornments began to click into place in his mind and he identified what he was looking for. "You are of Herne, are you not?" Erik's voice was quiet and somewhat raspy, the way it normally was when he defined to speak in sentences longer than three words in length. "The Flute are..." he paused, not entirely sure what the equivalent would be. Something from his stretch of the forest. Erik had seen flashes and tracks of him and his kin, though he'd only outright interacted with a couple of them. It had to be something that the boy would understand. Something of life. "They are like... the great tree of the forest, who guides and directs with its wisdom. Only the Flute has no such great knowledge as the tree." A yes, the great tree of the forest, where he often rested and listened to its words and teachings. He missed its guidance and companionship. Dearly missed it. Some thought he must have some power to be able to read the signs of the wood. No power, just practice and patience and the ability to learn quickly and listen to what was going on and being said by the subtle hints that nature left behind. He glanced around the room again as a sardonic twitch at the corner of his mouth began to show itself. He was probably one of the most 'powerless' out of their whole little bunch. They were in a city, and forestry was little good, here. The entry of the golden-haired man he'd seen at the gates prompted more inspection from the ever-curious hunter squatting on the love seat. Now that they were away from other smells, he could smell the man much better. He smelled of blood and light and those strange liquids that city people used to make their wounds better. He'd once allowed someone to apply some onto a cut he'd received from battling a rogue wolf. A faint shudder ran through him as he recalled the scalding fire that had been left on his wound. He was much happier with his natural poultices. Tree-man's soft rumbling voice sounded; he sounded like he was talking to. . . Amber eyes flashed dangerously to the tall man as the name "Herne" left his lips. For a moment those eyes became slotted like a cat's. Then they were normal again, though the flame-haired hunter was still giving the earthy man a look of pointy warning. "Case, no clan," Case growled softly, low in his throat, sounding more animal than human. "Clan Herne have no Case." Not anymore, at least. Not that he was about to share that with anyone. How had he known? Case himself was but a child when the Seer had commanded he is cast from the clan. Something about dark fortunes and ill omens and whatnot. He'd been too young to remember, and he didn't find it all important. What did matter was the stripping of his clan name, leaving a young boy who had only just gotten his first clan tattoos bound by his ankles and feet deep in the heart of the forest? And since then, Case Farrell Lymph had been alone. The man was still talking. Of the city-men who named themselves after what birds could do. Anger forgotten at this new piece of information, the tanned young man cocked his head inquisitively to one side, almost like a bird himself. So they were city-men who were like the great tree of the city people? Of course their knowledge was nowhere near as vast as that of the great tree! Human lives were like blinking to trees. If trees could blink. The great tree was very wise. He would know from personal experience. "Strange city-people. Think they are like great tree." he mused. "But still not answer. Why name 'Flight'? Much strange." Erik took in Case's look and squatted down, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Case is of the forest, and the forest protects her own. Case lives in Erik's domain, and Erik is of the great tree. You are of the great tree's clan, and that is the greatest honor of all." He stood up and walked a short ways away, as if nothing had happened. "Flute. Foolish Men." Back to his two-word sentences. He ran a hand through his short hair and looked around the hall impatiently. This man was keeping them waiting, whether or no there were to be six. Let the last come and find them, should he (or she, Erik admitted, glancing around at his present company) feel the need to join. Every moment he spent away from his domain was one more stitch of worry, one more unnatural twitch, one more second of anxious anticipation. He snorted quietly at himself. He was a mess. Never should have left. Λ ɾ ı ɛ ℓxxxxConfusion spread openly on Ariel's face, her multicolored eyes narrowed as they darted back and forth between the two odd men. Did they have some sort of history together that they were talking about, and she just couldn't grasp because of their short, blunt, broken language? It was frustrating, and she was glad for the short distraction as the blond man - whom she had stumbled into earlier - appeared once more. She gave him a small smile in return for his greeting, her patience too thin to really bother to return it verbally. Ariel couldn't help it, it was in her nature - so she ended up listening to the broken conversation over the Flute and forest and trees and clans. This was the first time she had ever heard the Flute be compared to a tree. She didn't even know that a tree could be wise - a thought she should better keep to herself with those two around, with how they carried on. But during the conversation on had mentioned his own name, Case, was it? "I once heard that men greatest dream was to fly, and to do so was to taste true freedom," Ariel said, cutting into the forests' men conversation over the Flutes seemingly controversial title. "Perhaps that's why his name is "Flute", to symbolize that freedom and to give it to the people he's watching over." She shrugged slightly, taking out her few coins again and flipping them through her fingers. "But what does a thief now of these things, hmm? I keep to things I know," she muttered to herself, glancing over to the trinkets Case had, with a small smirk on her lips. IOC;; D: I had an epic fail with Ariel, and forgot to follow my own profile rules. Sgt;Lt; I added onto her skills, because I only gave her one. It has to do with her daggers. And I'll have a Flute post up soon, so we'll carry on soon. I was just hoping the other guy would post soon... Starts with a "K"... ;;Sgt;Sgt; (Kyoto where are you??) ((I don't know what to post =. =)) C ı ɛ ℓxxxCiel was surprised at her readiness to accept her fate. He thought that she would have protested more, or at least been upset. But she was right - she did deserve an answer. Cain wasn't sure he could give it to her, however. The whole situation still confused him and left him feel dark inside. His gut told him what he was doing was wrong - ever part of him did, but he had to do it. Even if he wasn't religious, the Gods demanded something from him. "I'll explain a few things on the way to down to the bottom floor," Cain finally said, after a few minutes of silence, waving her over to him while he opened the door to usher her out. "A few weeks ago, we had a visitor," he began after the door shut behind them both, leaving them in the sky blue hallway. "He was strange; dressed in rags. He entered the building with the guards knowing, but left without them seeing him. I'm not sure how he did that - it's the only way out this tower." Cain frowned slightly, recalling it once more. "We spoke for some time, and he told me about a... prophecy, if you will. One that only the Gods knew for the longest of times, because it was forgotten among us humans. But it was about a child, a child born on an eclipse with reversed eyes. "You're to go to Lost," he said suddenly, sure that the point was made that she was the child the old prophecy was talking about. "The people that are coming are to take you there and keep you safe along the way, which is why I called for the most skilled individuals - not just anyone." Cain stopped in front of the elevator, the black doors gleaming. "You do not have a choice, Canada, and I do apologize for that. But I'm doing what I can to keep you safe along the way, because I cannot accompany you along the way." Cain glanced at the doors, so that Canada couldn't see the guilt in his eyes. One of the reasons he had been given this position at such an early age was because he was honest and bad at hiding his emotions. He knew his distress would be written all over his face, but he wouldn't let it effect his thinking. He would do what he had to. The door opened to reveal the off-white marble interior of the elevator. "After you leave, we'll probably never see each other again." Cain waited for her to enter the waiting elevator before he did. In case she tried to run, he'd have to be quick enough to catch her. IOC;; Sorry if it seemed like I was peppering. X-x;; (no prob~)Canada nodded silently and entered the elevator, not saying a single word. In fact, she seemed to find the floor very interesting today. Finally, she said,"I see...." Then went silent again, tears were streaming out of her eyes as Cain mentioned them not seeing each other ever again. I've been with him my whole life, and now we won't see each other again?! She thought, the tears silently dropping onto the floor. She didn't know what to say. For the first time in her life she experienced sadness and anger towards Cain. She shook her head, I should be happy, he has taken care of me so far, now it's like I'll be given to new carers who I'll probably learn to like as much I have with Cain.... ((Still don't know what to post =. =)) Kane followed the broken conversation the best he could. Though found it to be a bit confusing. He did just come in. Something about the Flute being a tree? Who knew. There were many different people in the world, with many different ideas. Kane listened to the Theory a bit. In fact each theory was interesting. Though he had to admit Miss Ariel's made the most sense. He fixed himself a bit. Bring his blue robes up a bit higher. He seemed to be surrounded by people who were completely different from me. It would be a strange journey. That is for sure. He heard Aral's remark about herself. "A simple thief can know much if given the chance to speak." He paused, tossing words around in his mind. "A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing; only at different times. Anyhow, the Flute is still a man, yes? I believe that is all that honestly matters." Kane said. Probably a bit out a term, but then again, he still was not sure what they had been speaking about beforehand. ((Come to us.)) Katie walked into a room where it seemed a conversation about a Flute was taking place. She stood by the door, just listening as they all spoke. . . Not knowing what to say or do. ((Sorry it's so short.but I don't know what to post...))

є ͼ ℓ ɩ p ƨ є (( 7_7 taken ))|rating:3.0

The War-Bitch [CopperLily & Inkidu]

The library was on fire. Marcus pushed through the smoke and tried to find the servant's entrance. He didn't trust the servants. Revolution was bathing the streets in red. Magi were the focus of the commoners' wrath and Marcus was a mage, and a powerful one at that, even if he was barely a man in his seventeenth year. Still, even the best magi could only call on so much magic, especially under pressure. Stumbling down the stairs he was accosted by several angry gun wielding commoners. He ducked and pushed his power outward. Invisible lances of energy smashed into the peasants blood exploded in horrendous bouts as the magic force evaporated exposing the opened veins and arteries to the air. Several shots cracked out, and he tumbled down the last flight, at first he thought he'd been shot, but he just tripped. Scrambling on all fours through the library lobby. He headed for the back exit and past several women wearing red armbands. The Freedom movement finally had its teeth it would seem. Truly too young to care for the sins of his magical fathers, Marcus pushed past them trying to put a shell of energy around himself. The sheen of energy pushed the pitchfork-wielding women. The tines of their forks sparked off, but he was through. The effort for conjuring so much powerful magic was robbing his breath from him. Marcus had to get through this, he had to get to the kennel. She would protect him. The men and women were rallied around as he made his way to the kennel courtyard. They headed him off, they began to surround him. There were a dozen of them. He began whistling, his lips were dry, but this was a whistle he had practiced every day since he was ten. Focusing, Marcus extended a finger and cast a single needle of energy through a man's heart, but his aim was off, and the man was hit in the lung. If needle of force hit true it would have opened a rapid bleed in the heart. Where it hit though might not even be noticed other than the stabbing pain. He tried a few more needles, but his energy left him." Please don't kill me..." he begged, trying to keep up his whistling. He only had one way to save himself from a dozen or so people when his physical energy could no longer focus his magic. Be believed in his heart she was coming to save him. This close he could feel her. She was frustrated, but he knew that no cage or binding could hold back her strength. The surrounding men laughed and took their time. While their gloating did give him time to scrape together some energy, but their kicks hurt his body and the connection with his mind." If you leave now, you leave alive." He hadn't known what happened to everyone else's dog, but his had been visiting the kennel today for a thorough grooming. The men laughed at him, they assured him of their numbers, but Marcus could feel the wave of triumph from his dog as she broke free of whatever held her for her grooming. He didn't know if she had her weapons, but he knew that she could easily handle a dozen people even without her war claws or iron fangs." Your dogs are all dead, we poisoned them all." One of the women said. Unlike the men, the women seemed filled with stony hatred." Not... my dog... I can feel her..." He spat blood on the ground. The group changed instantly, but it was too late. She was called Strafing, after an ancient goddess of war of a now dead people. She had been annoyed with the kennel-attendant before this had all started. The girl was new, and while she had cleansed her inside and out, she had been slow in polishing and sharpening her equipment. She was going to miss the afternoon meal with her sisters - she knew that already, and could feel the hunger in her core. Her enhanced metabolism demanded a staggering amount of food, and she could feel her irritation growing. That was before of course. Now she cursed the girl as a coward, who had fled, leaving her stuck in the bindings used to secure her while she was groomed. Keeping her open and accessible. Not enough to stop her - of course - but enough to slow her. It had taken her precious minutes to tear through them and bound into the hallway beyond. Her sisters were dead - she was the last of her litter. She did not know how she knew this, but she knew it. The lack of blood in the hallways confirmed it. They could only have been brought down without spilling lakes of blood if they had been the subjects of treachery, and murdered to the last. But her Master was not yet dead. She felt his call, heard his whistle, and raced to his aid. The secrets of her creation were a closely guarded secret. There were rumors that the girls taken were a subterfuge, and that she was the process of careful breeding, descending from a line started from an enslaved princess from a tribe of warrior-women. Rumors of binding demons into the flesh of women. Rumors of magic and alchemy applied carefully, and painstakingly - and with pain - over years. The truth is, it did not matter - she was what she was. A war-bitch, bound to a Magi. A creature of singular focus, who lived a simple, uncomplicated existence of devotion, companionship, and protection. In another life she might have been thought of as a great beauty. A picture of womanhood - her muscles sleek and taut, without robbing her of a feminine shape. A curved, inviting rear made Moreno by her position on all fours. Perfect skin and shapely breasts. Many might even have overlooked the unusual turn of her legs, and the uncomfortable bent to her arms that made life on all fours easier. But few would look past the sharpened caps on her teeth, or the knife-long talons adorning her hands and feet. Few would see the woman that had been unmade - only what she had become. Racing through the kennel to the courtyard, she felt a rush of adrenaline, and fear, and joy. She did not know what her Master called it, or even if the Magi who made her had a word for it. She called it the kill song, and she welcomed it in her heart as she charged forward. Furthermore, she was naked, save for the single war claw that the attendant had finished before she had fled, but it was enough. Furthermore, she let out a snarl, and placed herself between her Master and his attackers. The first to die was the man her Master had wounded. She smelled the blood on his breath, and plowed headlong into him. Her shoulder impacted his chest. A rib snapped. A hole became a tear as he fell. An instant later, her back paw crushed his windpipe. She was onto the others by then. Claw slashing, gutting one and cutting the throat of another. She grunted as a club struck her flank, cursing the lack of her normal garments, and broke the arm of the man wielding it. She was a whirlwind of violence. A few tried to flee, and when at last she came to a stop, none had escaped the courtyard. One yet lived - the woman - who tried crawling away, the tendons of her ankles missing - before Strafing placed a paw on her back, pressing the whimpering woman to the ground, panting softly as she looked worriedly at her Master. The violence was extraordinary as it was brutal. There was nothing that could stop a war-bitch from defending her master. He watched as she overpowered fully grown men. Many of the people had the good sense to run. They only had to outrun their slower compatriots. Almost none made it away, and none made it away unharmed. Marcus gently held up a hand and gave a weak whistle to put her on the defensive but not at heel. "Follow." He said, not really needing to say it, but thinking was almost too hard. First they walked back to the kennel, and he managed to get her other claws affixed to her remaining hands and legs. He took a moment to straighten her stockings and other garments. Tying her sash he gave her back a good rub." Thank you, Era... you're a good girl." He smiled weakly. There was no armor for her to wear, but her hard muscles were not human. He stroked her hair and grabbed a pack for her. "We're leaving." He told her. He didn't know where the other magi were. The capital was not the only bastion of magic. Civil war was on the horizon, but Marcus didn't care, he just wanted to live and get Strafing to safety. He'd always loved his war-bitch more than a mage should, but he'd known her since she'd first been gifted to him at thirteen, and she was just beginning to become a hound. He didn't clip a lead on her because he wanted her mobile. Her mottled garment eventually absorbed and eliminated by the magic in her clothes. With a wave of his hand the blood disappeared off his hound. It was one of those spells he'd learned quickly. Normally he would like to have bathed her himself in a tub, but there was no time. He took a few pistols from the attacking commoners and slipped them into the holsters on her harness. They would need to find more ammo for them. Marcus slipped into the kitchen that was kept from the main building to prevent any fire hazards. He walked with a hand on her shoulder. He was pretty well beaten up. When he could take the time to focus he could use his magic to heal his injuries. In the kitchen he found some travel food in the soldiers rations. He didn't trust the regular food. It could possibly still be poisoned, but solider food was high in calories and kept. He filled most of the knapsack with it and then carried some in his own backpack. With meager rations secured the pair of them fled into the city. Marcus thought it would be safer in the city, but it wasn't. Commoners wearing the red armbands marched the streets looting and revolting. Grabbing a duster from a nearby clothes line he threw it around his shoulders. Now more collected he sent Strafing the command to stalk and not walk next to him. A war-bitch was a dead giveaway that he was a magus, but putting her in the shadows of alleys and eaves meant that she was never far from saving him again. The woman pinned beneath her paw died - perhaps mercifully - as one of the talons slid between the bones of her neck, cutting her spine. She followed him, stalking beside him, not obediently at his side but moving in a slow, defensive orbit until they reached the kennel, and he assisted her in clothing herself - and rearming. It was one of the reasons she was made the way she was - deadly as a war-bitch was, she was relatively helpless to take care of herself. That meant safety when she was disarmed, for the most part. It also meant she had learned, for much of her life, to look to her Master with dependent devotion. She sighed in contentment at being told she was a good girl, nuzzling his leg reassuringly, staying still as he loaded her with what they would need to carry, and then advancing alongside him, letting him use her frame to support his weight. She did so without complaint - he was her life. Furthermore, she truly didn't remember much of what had come before. Furthermore, she was his, his hound, raised by his hand, and she would die by his side, one way or the other. Looking longingly at the rations, but forcing down her hunger so as not to add more pressure or stress to his situation, she slunk off into the shadows. Given her form - a beautiful woman on all fours, steel glinting on her fingers and in her mouth - she should have been hard to see, but she moved swiftly, darting from one piece of concealment to the next, trying not to draw attention to them, but never being more than a beat or two away from his side. Marcus pushed through the alley. He could feel Era's need to eat. He knew that her current hunger was a sign that her life had been saved. It didn't happen often, but it was not uncommon in times of war for magi to lose their hounds, but he couldn't imagine losing Strafing. She was his best friend. Hand on the walls of the surrounding alley, he tried to focus on gathering the shreds of his power. He didn't know what he could do with it, but he knew he would need it. He could rely on Era's speed from the shadows if he needed it, but he wanted to get out of the city and feed his hungry hound. Furthermore, he knew that she would not have strength forever without some food and rest, but he needed her for a little while longer. Crossing across the main thoroughfare into another alley. He could see the great gates of the city, and he could also see the numerous rebels guarding it and barring people from leaving. Marcus took a sharp turn. That would not do, but he used to sneak out into the countryside with an old side gate. "Okay," he said, pushing the emotional thought toward her. She'd snuck out with him every time to the fields to play with him. He didn't know where they would go after that, but he knew that to stay in the city would mean death. Marcus was almost to the abandoned gatehouse when a group of men in worker's clothes with red armbands stepped out from the alleyways. "Well, well, well, where's your armband brother?" Taking a step back Marcus put his hands up, "I'm... I'm just trying to get out of town..." The leader smirked and smacked his club against the wall, making a little stucco fly off, "Well, you see, that's a problem... if you're not with the revolution then you might be a magi sympathizer."" I'm not..." which wasn't a total lie, "I'm just trying to--""Shut the fuck up!" Another man pulled a sword he took off a dead guard and another brandished a rifle. Marcus didn't want to put Era in unnecessarily danger, but this was better odds than the first fight. She didn't have armor, but she was fully armed. Marcus let out one sharp shrill whistle, sealing their fate, and for their credit they realized exactly what had happened, but a moment too late. And very often the only thing between life and death was a single solitary moment. Marcus lunged at the guy with the rifle before he could bring it to bear, but again the man with the gun was looking for the female dog, fear in his eyes. It took the group precious seconds to decide whether they should run or kill him. Either way it was far, far too late. She swiftly realized where they were headed - they had been there before, and even in times not...like this...he often told her to keep to the shadows, his forays out the gate and to the meadows and woodlands beyond something he preferred to keep a secret, or at least not advertise widely. She had fond memories of those times - they were peaceful, and he allowed her to be... Something different. Most Magi treated their hounds well, but inherently as tools. As weapons. Respected and cared for ones, but weapons nonetheless. When they had been alone, she had felt like she had been cared for more deeply than that, allowed to be...a young woman who had given her life to service and devotion, and was seen for that. Her heart ached for a moment, but she quickly pushed that aside as a small group of men emerged from another alley. She willed them to move on, but instead, they seemed intent on threatening Marcus. He whistled, and she once more burst into action. The man with the gun was the most dangerous, and so died first. She tackled him, and in essence simply ran over him, the effect of her iron-shod hands and feet being that his abdomen and chest were reduced to bloody ribbons. She took a glancing blow from the club, grunting, and a bit down on the wrist of the man wielding it, mangling the limb as she tossed her head from side to side. Furthermore, she slashed his throat to keep him from screaming, and then bounded after the man with the discarded sword, who had chosen to flee. He might reach his friends. He might tell them of her Master. She tore out the tendons of his heel with her teeth, and as he fell, snapped his neck, leaving him bleeding in the street. Panting slightly, she returned to Marcus's side, mutely nudging one of the red armbands - the least bloody of them - and looking at him. Unless you knew magic it was impossible to convey just how draining it was. Era knew because she could feel him, just like he could feel her. The effect of their bond only strengthened with their physical proximity, and it took several leagues to truly feel nothing from her. Most of the minor emotions they'd learned to accept over the years, but she would know how hard he was flagging, how ripped to shreds his muscles felt. Normally he could actually trust her to bear him. Not quite like a mount, but like previously when she'd let him rest on her back. He took a moment to whisk away the blood (one did not leave blood around to track as it was a potent magical focus) from the Strafing and the armband before putting it on his right arm like before. "Cleverest of girls," he said, giving her hair a stroke. "Come." He said making a gesture toward the gate. Again he beckoned her to hide and take her way up the gate. He would have to take the front, but she could scale the wall, especially wearing her claws. Putting on his best look of panic he ran up to the men." Hurry, goddammit, the magi are routing just to the north, they're killing us right and left. They don't have their dogs, but loyalist soldiers are rallying to their masters' banners!" He hoped his language was neutral enough to convince them he knew what he was talking about. Up until the bloody coup you couldn't go one day without hearing a re-render talking about overthrowing the corrupt magi, no matter how many times they were hauled off to the dungeons. For once something worked right, and he was able to slip out the back door and meet back up with Era. Together they stole a horse and covered cart and were soon headed down the road past the fields where they played to the river. "We'll have to go out into the canyon wastes, get away from here." Sometime around nightfall the wagon bogged down on a deer trail. "As good a place as any for a night." he whined softly. Having gotten some of his magic back he was now more or less physically fine, but emotionally he was drained. "Scout and hunt, make sure we're not being followed. I will make camp. If you do smell other people come back and point their direction and distance." Years ago she had learned to point and the tap language that would let her give him basic information like numbers and miles away. "Be safe, I can't lose you too, Era..." he touched his forehead to hers and held her for a moment. She was his hound, a war-bitch, but his. He used her as he needed, but he hated thinking of her as a tool. Using some magic he set a small fire alight and began heating up a few packs of military rations. He was hungry and she was probably starving. If she brought back some game he could cook it for her. Despite being hounds they couldn't readily eat raw food, and he'd always spoiled her anyway. She could kill and skin a deer and haul the thing back under more ideal circumstances anyway. It was why they chose women for the role as war-bitches. Smart as humans, docile as dogs. Marcus ran his hands through his honey-colored hair and used the warm water from the boiling camp pot to wash up as best he could. She could feel his exhaustion, and while her own muscles ached, she tried to bear as much of his weight as she could, and would stoically wait and support him if he needed a rest as they fled the town. She was grateful then, especially after hauling herself up the wall - a not inconsiderable feat even for her - that there was a chance to rest even a little, huddled beneath a canvas cover in the cart until they stopped. Furthermore, she slipped out from the cover, and was preparing to try to push the cart out when he declared they would instead camp for the night. She nuzzled him softly, and then bounded off into the twilight, pushing her own exhaustion down. If she needed to, she would run herself to death to see him safe. She prayed to gods she did not think listened to the likes of her that that wasn't what would happen, but she knew she would. It was dark, the night cooling rapidly, by the time she returned. A lamb, already skinned and dressed, was draped over her shoulders, and when she reached the fire, she eased herself down carefully before wiggling out from under it - a movement that was, in the way she ended up raising her beautifully tone rear - more than a little visually appealing. Lessened somewhat by the blood on her talons and shoulders. She tapped out a few pieces of information. Farm. 6 miles. 3 people. The symbol for "Bad". It seemed likely the farmer hadn't survived the revolt either, and would not come looking for his pilfered lamb. Marcus took the lamb and began to carefully section it out for skewers on the fire. He also waved a hand to get rid of the blood on her. Again, he would love to take her for a real bath with hot water, as he found the simple removal of grime and blood by magic effective, but leaving him mildly tense. He imagined it was the same for her. The accidental showing off of her rear was not unnoticed, but he wrestled like all magi did with such temptations. While magical men bedding with war-bitches was how more war-bitches had been made in the past the magi caste had worked for hundreds of years to not do something seen as backwards. Instead, pulling females from families with force and coin. It was one such family from which Strafing had been plucked. He looked at her, in terms of hounds she was beyond even her peer. The first of her litter to receive every new treatment and procedure. She took to it better than the breeders hoped. The only downside was her high demand for calories, but without doses of heavy poison or catastrophic damage she could recover from nearly anything. "Thank you, Era." He said waiting for the lamb to cook. He didn't like the bad news, but he could do nothing about it. The red-bands seemed intent on overthrowing everything. Marcus couldn't entirely blame them. What had started several years as a movement by women to stop the taking of their daughters for the breeding programs (a less than non-lethal process), had definitely been allowed to grow out of hand? Perhaps through magi hubris. Thinking with magic and the hounds they were untouchable in their great libraries and towers. While he waited for the meat to cook he took Era's war gear off, until she was down in her cloth and leathers. They were alone by her report, and she would hear or smell someone coming. So wanting desperately to feel normal he pat his lap and let her crawl into it. She was a heavy girl, hard muscles and overbearing curves, and it wasn't proper to still let a hound lie in his lap, but what was proper was back in the city burning. He stoked her hair gently as they waited, rubbing her back. "Who's my good girl?" He asked, not adopting they syrupy voice most others would with animal pets. Marcus had been impressed upon not to talk down to your hound. They were far too smart to be patronized. Plus she would feel insincerity in their link." I love you." He said. "Thank you for saving me, twice." She'd never had to save him before, but even untested she'd preformed admirably. "That's my Era, as strong as she is beautiful." He gave her a little kiss on the nose. Strafing lay down once he removed the blood and sweat from her, missing his touch, but glad at least to be rid of the hot, sticky feeling on her skin. She was used to thereof killing in his defense, and this was not the first time she had shed blood, but it was the first time she had shed quite somehow it, and in such short order. Her tongue tasted of blood and the metallic taint of the hormones and stimulants her modified body produced. She settled beside him, unaware of his thoughts on her form. It was ironic - simply breeding war-bitches might have saved the Magi from much of their current turmoil, and while to her knowledge none of his kind had everaskedthe opinion of their quasi-canine companions, most would have found their bitches perfectly willing. Era would have counted herself in that number. She had been little more than a child when she was taken, and as much as she had been trained and changed, she was still a woman. Taught that her duty was singular devotion to Marcus, as she blossomed into a woman, her latent thoughts and desires about sex and desire could only have ever taken one path. Her body was his, and while he only asked one service of it, she would gladly have performed others. But that was not her place to say. Her muscles ached as he unburdened her of most of her gear, and she did as he bid, crawling so that her body was draped over his legs, trying to make herself as small as possible. She let out a soft, contented noise at his question, laying her head against his body, and nuzzled him happily in acknowledgement of his thanks, a remarkably girlish blush coloring her cheeks. Marcus ran his hands over her body affectionately. Using some magic he found the magic thrumming throughout her own body and helped her regeneration ability to work quicker and ease her sore muscles without using the calories she just consumed. There was always the man who thought about lying with his hound. However, this behavior was quickly corrected by a young magi's tutor. A dog could be used for oral or other forms of secondary pleasure, but lying with a hound like a woman was forbidden. It was never a big secret. A few hundred years ago a magi powerful in prophecy said that the union of a magi and his hound would cause the impossible:: A female magi. Such a thing was said to destroy magic itself. Marcus didn't know what he thought about that, but Era was his beloved hound, and he didn't want to take advantage of her. She was his responsibility. The funny part was that before today she'd never been made to kill in his defense or otherwise. Oh, she hunted of course, she liked it. It was fun for her; he could always feel the pride rolling off of her when she downed a stag or even a bear. However, she was mostly his happy girl. She was his constant companion. Once the lamb had been consumed (Era getting most of it, as she was just able to eat much more) he extinguished the fire and let Era climb up into the wagon first. A couple of minutes later, and they were both sidled up together in a makeshift sleeping roll. Marcus and Strafing shared a bed for most of their lives, though once she'd been fully mature she got her own bed. The tutors were very strict about this, and they would make sure that magi and hounds stopped sleeping snuggled up. Marcus was happy to have the old comforting feeling of Era next to him again. If he had been less wrung out he might have been feeling very differently, but right now she was just a warm body of soft curves and hard muscles. Morning would come early, and he realized her skirt was hiked up, and his pelvis was pushed against her broad backside. She was still wearing her underthings so it was more innocent than it felt. He gently roused her and gave her hair a soft combing with her fingers. "Let's go." He groaned setting the horses to task and putting a bucket of water down for Era to drink from. Setting the coat around his shoulders and letting Era ride in the back and poke her head out onto the front. Sadly, there was no good way to hide Era. A war-bitch was unmistakable. He rubbed her head, "Smell anything?" He asked. Furthermore, he wasn't wearing the armband, quickly adopting the appearance of some fleeing refugee merchant. It wasn't a fantastic cover, but he needed to avoid as many rebels as possible. "I think we need to go to the desert." We're going to need supplies. The magi had a second sanctum that had once been the capital, but it was moved. Marcus doubted that rebels had taken the seaside jewel of the old capital. "If you need to go run just slip out the back and be careful." He gave her a gentle stroke on her face. Era let out a remarkably feminine sigh of relief and pleasure as his magic flowed over her, easing soreness in her muscles, reknitting strained tissues in her body, and allowing her to heal. Her own body would do so as well, but it would take far longer, and demand much of what she was about to just eat. A bitch like her was a formidable creature, but hardly an efficient one. She longed for his touch, physically and psychologically, and cherished each and every moment of it. Though of course it rarely occurred to those Magi concerned about taking advantage of their hounds to ask the girl's opinion -S era would gladly - happily - served him in that aspect as well. She was proud of what and who she was - all of it. Including the happy, barely clothed, beautiful young woman she was when not letting the kill song flow through her mind. Wolfing down the lamb she was given, eating as a true-hound did, without a knife or fork, she climbed into the wagon, nestling in a corner to take up as little space as she could, welcoming once more the feeling of having him beside her. When they had taken that away, she had cried for the first few nights, and she felt fresh tears feeling him once more against her, falling into a comforted sleep. She slept, unaware of their shifting positions in the night, him cradling his tightly curled hound, his pelvis against her rear, and stirred happily at his touch, stretching once and drinking her fill before slipping back into the cart, knowing she was the most incriminating thing that would uncover his identity. Sniffing the air, she shook her head before nestling back down. It was noon before she made a soft growl to get his attention, tapping out a quick signal. Horses. Ducking back into the cart, he might first think she was trying to hide, but when he turned back around, she had vanished completely. Marcus felt her apprehension before she growled but not by much. He heard the hoofbeats across the dirt road they were currently traveling. Thankfully they had left the rolling hilltop fields and were now headed through Mist well forest. Marcus often traveled this way going to Slate port, the sister city to the capital. It existed as a main artery to feeding the ruling magi class. Needless to say that he was not really eager to go to Slate port, but they would need to find a way to get down river. It was the only way to safely and reasonably bypass the Wall. The riders approached, and they were bandits. He hadn't bothered putting Era's backpack on, but she was wearing her claws, though not her fangs. They weren't the most comfortable thing for her to wear, and he never did like petting her when she had the steel muzzle on her mouth that allowed her to bite with vicious murderous lethality. He knew she was close, it was just the way things were. When he'd been young it had been disconcerting feeling the thoughts of her when she was a puppy. They hadn't been together since her birth or his, but he'd known her since he was ten. They'd played together and bonded. She couldn't use his gift, but it linked the two of them. The farther she got, the more the link was strained, but he knew she was close by. He just didn't know where. Nine riders, all wearing red bands ran up. Marcus reached back into the wagon and pulled two things. The first was the red band, and then one of the empty flintlock pistols. It wasn't loaded, but they didn't know that. As a magus, he didn't gain much in the way of combat experience. Magi fought with magic, not with blades. He knew how to use them, just not as well as even some highwaymen. They pulled alongside and leveled rifles lazily in his direction." Lookie here, boys, look what we found. Looks like a magi sympathizer to me..."" Not me--" Marcus tried to brandish his red band, but the man pulled a pistol on him." Shut up, you are what we say you are. Now toss that pistol and take us around back, let's see what you got." Marcus tossed the pistol into the dirt. He got down from the driver's seat and was prodded by rifle muzzle to the back. He opened it to reveal an empty wagon with some of the military rations, spare tools, and empty barrels and crates. "You ain't got shit." The leader said." Yeah, I'm just going to... uh... Slate port to get more supplies for securing the capital." The leader hit him with the rifle stock knocking him to the ground. He saw Era hiding beneath the wagon. It wasn't the best position for her to attack several men, but they'd been approached quickly. Marcus grunted as he was hauled back to his feet. He didn't want her to attack, at least not overtly. There were lots of exposed hamstrings, but Marcus also had a lot of guns on him. Guns were not a death sentence to mages, but the bullets too far more effort to deflect than blades. Marcus had many spells he could call upon, but without the ability to use a focus crystal it required his own energy. Life force sounded more dire than it was, as his body would simply give out before he did any real damage to his body, but make him as weak as a kitten. It might be best to make the first punch. Balling up his energy he let it slam outward. Some men shot, but the shield held to the impacts, but it took some of the heat out of the move. He gave a sharp whistle and gave a sharp kick to the leader gabbing the man's rifle and shooting it at another recovering man. The remaining men knew the whistle though, and they grabbed him putting a gun to his head. "You call it off!" Marcus spit out blood. "Yeah, and you shoot me, and she goes into her swan song and you die anyway. I just want to be left alone. Put down your weapons and put your hands up..."" Fuck you, you shit bird!" The leader said getting up and picking his rifle up." You two, hold him, we'll kill the bitch and be heroes. She can't get us all and if we stay bunched up she can't spread us out to pick us off. The remaining six men circled up. The two holding him looked around nervously." She's not just any war-bitch, she's the best we've ever made. Just put your weapons down--""Shut the fuck up!" The man rounded on him, punching him in the face. Unfortunately for the man, it put him--and more importantly his blood--within the small sphere Marcus could control without access to his hands and fingers. The man began to twitch as Marcus took control of the man's blood. The split in his lip providing a way in. Blood magic was not something done lightly, and Marcus didn't want to do it, but he didn't want to die more. Marcus simply began to force the man's blood out of his skin. The sight panicked one of his captors, he used this to break free and punch the remaining man, giving a sharp whistle as he fell to the ground with his captor. He got shot in the leg for his trouble, but he could fix that. He had to let control of the leader go, and the man fell to the ground screaming in pain. Marcus punched the man with a magic force caving his face in. He ran for the reigns, getting the horses to start moving and giving Era some possible cover to finish them off. Without their trump card, however, many of the men through their weapons away and began running. Hoping to take Marcus up on his offer it would seem. To her, the creaking of the wood of the wagon sounded impossibly loud - yet she remained hidden, her claws dug in as she clutched the bottom. It was not a perfect hiding place, but it would do for the moment. Perhaps they would... From the tone of the riders, she knew immediately that this would end in blood. There were a lot of them, and she didn't have the best position. But she would have the element of surprise at least. She had been planning her moves well before she heard the whistle. Her training took over as she dropped to the ground, rolling out from under the wagon and lunging forward. She remembered her training. She was a singular fighter, and while she was exceptional, that was also her weakness. A Magi's bitch fought alone - even if multiple Magi took to the field, their hounds fought independently, protecting their Masters. The most dangerous thing to one of her kind was an organized military unit. Nine men alone, she could slaughter, as she had in the kennels. Nine men, working in an organized group, especially with guns? That was a genuine threat. And so she had to break them as a unit, before tearing them apart as individuals. They should have dismounted. Her Master apparently thought the same thing. A horse went down, screaming, blood fountain from its neck, colliding with another in its panic, starting a chain reaction. Men were thrown - two died without her involvement, one trampled, another snapping his neck. One was pulled from his mount by her, talons digging into the meat of his leg, dead before he hit the ground. Anything resembling coherence broke. In the end, as she had much of the time these past few days, she ended covered in blood. Six of the men were dead, including the one killed by her Master. Another three knelt, their hands raised and weapons dropped, the bitch prowling around them. Another three had managed to flee. She nodded in that direction, and scratched out a question. Hunt/Stalk?. A human, over the course of a few days, could outpace a horse at a march. She could do it in twelve hours. If he commanded it, she could track and kill the survivors, perhaps before word got out of his survival - but it would leave him dangerously exposed. Marcus caught his breath and checked his cuts. "No," he said panting and waving his hand he again did her the common task of getting rid of the blood, it did take him longer to focus, "we don't have time. I know you want to get them because they hurt me, but we just need distance." He wasn't sure if he believed what he was saying, but he just wanted to run. He was bettered and tired. Furthermore, he took a moment to magically fix the worst of his injuries, but unlike her, it took more out of him. Still he clambered up into the seat and got the wagon moving again. "Give a loud howl. The hunting one. Make them think they're being chased. That'll... that'll keep them from trying to double back. As bad as that fight had been it did give him access to several powder and shot bags worth of ammunition. "If I wasn't so tired, I'd enchant some of this short" He smiled and flicked the charm on her collar. It was the first thing he'd ever enchanted, and it was basically the strongest ward he knew how to make." You look so pretty with your collar..." he said, obviously thinking of happier times. A war-bitch's collar was her bond to her master, but it wasn't just some fancy necklace. A war-bitch wasn't just something given to a magus because he was a magus. He had to make her collar and fuse it with magic. It was also a test of a young magi's skill and power, and Marcus had been skilled enough (if not powerful enough) to collar Searching, the pride and joy of the kennels. The most perfect hound ever produced." You were never as haughty as all the titles they put on you should suggest. It was around sunset where they pulled into Slate port. The red bands were everywhere, but they were less focused on patrolling the town as they were sending supplies and troops north to the capital to insure no loyalist counter uprisings took root. Marcus carefully maneuvered the wagon in the encroaching darkness, keeping his feelings attuned to Era's lest she sense something he might miss otherwise. The trip was uneventful, and he even managed to offload some of the guns and extras from the dead men into some money. Not that it lasted long. He shoved all of it into a merchant captain's hands for passage through the Iron Straits. The man was quickly swayed and gave Marcus access to the private quarters usually reserved for guests. Idly tapping Era a route down into the cargo bay from a cannon bay he encoded where the room was and for her to wait in their while he slowed the captain. He wasn't sure if the captain was loyal, but he didn't want to find out either way. She nodded, helping toss things back into the cart, before letting out a long, baying howl, as low and menacing as he suspected a human woman's vocal cords could likely manage. It would keep them on their toes for a while, and perhaps put the fear of more bloodshed in them. Her Master was tired, but she was as yet unwounded. Even if the group managed to find their courage again, they had proven an unpalatable target. The bitch gave him a soft, adoring smile when he commented on her appearance - deliberately hiding her fangs behind closed lips. He could tell she was flattered though, her chest pressed out slightly, expression pleased - but as he had put it, not as arrogant as might have been expected from a creature of her pedigree. Beautiful, powerful, and devoted, but notably lacking in the sort of self-regard some war-bitches carried with them. It was not due to the relatively junior rank or her Master, nor through insecurity on her part - it simply did not occur to her. She spent the rest of the day under the cart's cover, pressed as low as she could get to avoid drawing anyone's eye, and once he had booked passage on the ship, she nodded once and slipped out to hide somewhere in the docks, lying low until the crew were distracted with loading cargo. Scaling the side of the ship was easy enough, and with no threats in the harbor, the dark gun deck was deserted as she slipped into the ship proper, eventually settling down among a pile of already loaded crates, well out of the way of where she might be discovered. Once the ship was out to sea and the night watch set, Marcus stole away into the cargo hold. It was somewhat tricky going, but no one paid him any mind as long as he stayed out of the way of their duties. He smiled and was friendly, but all the while he was charting a seldom used route through the ship. In the cargo hold he spent several minutes making sure he was alone before tapping out something on a creation, followed by a low whistle. Despite their best efforts the kennel masters the hounds never could get to where they could hear supersonic sounds, but even the softest of his whistles could not be mistaken in such quiet confines." There you are." He said happily enjoying watching the womanly beauty walk before him. "Good girl, come on." Taking his charted course back he got her in his room and locked the door. The room was nice, the bed was bolted to the wall and would be rather intimate. It even had a tub for bathing and a magical stone provided enough warm water for one thousand baths. "Nice to know my silver got me something. Not really worried about Serena seeing him naked he disrobed. Like many mages, he was lithe, bulk was not seen as favorable in the elite, but he was in immaculate shape and youth. Yes, he could clean them both with magic, but that never made him feel clean. Still, it was good for the laundry. Not really sure why, but needing the comfort he bade her closer and helped her out of her clothes and leather stockings, until she was naked too. "Come on, get in." He helped her into the tub, and soon he was lying naked with her, his hand rubbing her back. Marcus wished he didn't have to abstain from being with her, but... she was also all he had now." You're so pretty, the pretties' girl." He began rubbing her hair. All of a sudden he kissed her on the lips. It wasn't something he'd done since he'd been whipped for doing it as a youth. That was the day she could no longer share his bed with him. He broke away, as if expecting the lash to come down, but nothing happened, and he kissed her again. Men used to bed their hounds all the time. She was all he had. "I love you, Strafing." He said gently, "You're all I have left..." She rested, crouched in the quiet, dark corner of the hold, listening to the ship rock softly, until she heard his summons, faint but discernible. She moved from the nook, her hips moving slightly from side to side, her relaxed strides full of a liquid grace that was somehow both distinctly feminine but also unique to...her kind. Furthermore, she fell in line behind him, her expression alert in case they were discovered, until they slipped into his cabin and the relative safety therein. Taking the room in, she actually presumed she wasn't going to share his bed, but would rather find some unoccupied corner - or beneath it - to sleep in, with little enough complaint. Her berth in the kennel had not been overly comfortable either - the Mages believing that such a place would foster sloth in their war-bitches, or encourage them to look forward to the end of their day's service. She obviously had little to no shame as he got undressed - she had seen him that way before, and she was his, why should be felt the need to hide from her? Quirking her head to the side, she obediently crawled to him, staying still and docile as he undressed her as well, getting into the tub with an uncertainty born more of the unusual circumstance than any hesitation she had getting into the tub itself. Blushing softly as he praised her again, she let out a squeak of surprise - but she didn't balk. And then he kissed her again. And he told her he loved her. What was he doing? Was he really doing this? Would she...would she be able to bear it if this got taken away? There was a part of her, part of being a woman, that she had forced aside to serve him once. Could she do it again? She looked at him silently, timidly, at that moment looking impossibly vulnerable. There weren't words in the language she knew to express what she wanted to - why would you have such expressions for a war-bitch? Instead, facing him, she subtly arched her back, her legs parting slightly. A subtle offer of herself to him. Marcus smiled as she cuddled into the water next to him. He saw her subtle offering of her body. Never before would have thought Era would want him in such a way, and never before would he have thought to indulge in it. All his teenage and young adult life told him that his dog was a tool. She was their to defend him. However, she was all he had from his old life. So far he had run, clung to survival. "Era..." he said softly. He had been very content to bathe the beautiful female before him." I... can we?" He stroked a hand over her wet hair and down her back. He squeezed her to him tightly. "You know I can't take your womanhood." He had been informed that when that happened it would create a need in her. It was generally called the heat. She could orgasm, but having male seed inside her sex would awaken some elements of the various processes in her alchemizes. He wasn't told what would happen, but he was assured it would not be beneficial for either of them. Regardless of that, Marcus remembered that one time a magus had taken his war-bitch and he had her taken away, and she was put down when it was found out she was pregnant. Losing Era was more than he could bear, but there were no more magisters to look over his shoulder. There was a way though. He suddenly realized he was very hard. "I... we would have to do it..." He let a finger slip between her large ass cheeks and brush over her other hole. Boy talked about it all the time. He'd heard more than one female whine in some mixture of pain and pleasure, but he didn't want to hurt Strafing. Kissing her gently he pushed and exploratory finger into her tight hole. As many magi his age, he wasn't really allowed to stay in female company for long periods of time unsupervised. He was expected to marry some noblewoman and produce more male magi. As such he never really explored. "Does that feel good?" He asked, not quite believing it should. "It's really tight..." Marcus was quite well-endowed, but Era seemed a little more content now that his fingers were working in and out, water providing lubrication. "You're the biggest strongest dog..." he said trying to stroke her ego. She might not have a big one, but there was pride. She was the first successful product of the new formulations. Tall, flawlessly curvaceous, insanely muscular. She could easily lift a grown man if her body was still configured to do so. She was fierce and flawless." I... I have thought about it... Furthermore, I don't want you to think I've never... appreciated your femininity..." He gave her a wry smile, "Ever since your ass came in you have been showing it off to me..." A dog was still a woman, and it was not unheard of for them to try and seduce their bandmates, but a magus was supposed to resist. "Letting your dresses ride up." Need overtook him, and he was suddenly pushing his face into her neck, gripping her hips and sliding himself into her asshole. "Shhh..." he pleaded, needing her to be quiet. Soon she was sitting atop him, and he had a very pleased look on his face. He hadn't dared move yet, trying to read her emotions in her eyes, hands dwarfed as they tried to grip her rear for her support. Her forearms over his shoulders. She nodded softly. She knew precisely what she was offering - what he would be able to claim, and what he would not. Furthermore, she had come to peace with that before she had offered - indeed, she had come to peace with it long ago. Even this most intimate aspect of serving her Master meant some pain on her part, and his pleasure placed over hers. As it should be. Her kennel sisters even had a word for it in their gesture-language, a modification of the word "to serve", with a level of nuance to it that she could never describe, but which suggested both joy and humiliation in one. A gesture, naturally, none of their overseers were aware of. Seraphina had wept the day she had been told - all bitches were told, for it was one of the few orders they were trained to expressly refuse from their Masters, even to the point of fighting them. She had never been toldwhyshe would never fully be a woman, merely that it was forbidden. If there had ever been an aspect of breeding war-bitches, as some of the rumors suggested, that lore had long since fallen into disuse, in favor of transforming girls tithed from the local population. Perhaps to the detriment of all - she knew of none of her Sisters who would not have gladly born the child of their Master, and most would have stoically accepted being bred to another as part of their duty. Instead, the Magi had come to rely on the daughter's of those they ruled. They paid, of course, but the price was insultingly low - the average bride price of the village, to compensate the family for the loss of their daughter. Hardly a gift, especially considering they were girls already remarkable for their beauty and intelligence. It had come to be viewed as what it was - a tax, taken in flesh. Some magi even favored particular families or bloodlines - the most egregious of which may well have formed the seed of this most recent uprising, as a pair of triplets were all claimed in a single year. They had been remarkable women - war-bitches were not trained to fight as a unit, but rather as individuals protecting their Masters, but those three could act in deadly concert in a way that could only have been described as beautiful. Part of Era was glad they were dead - they always ate together, and she could not imagine the sorrow of one of them surviving her true-sisters. She parted her legs a little more, trying to communicate her understanding and assent, letting out a soft grunt as his finger slipped within her, blushing as he complemented her, ducking her head girlishly when he spoke of her femininity. She had, she would admit, never hidden it from him. Furthermore, she had always loved him, and had little enough ways of showing it, but had hoped the occasional glimpse of a taut curve might bring him some joy. The hound made a small noise of surprise as he suddenly shifted, his desire overtaking him, and he pressed her face to her neck, his length sliding into her rear entry, the flesh stretching as he entered her. She buried her own face in his shoulder, letting out a soft cry, adjusting to his length. She knew she had to be quiet - there was no female passenger on this vessel - and as she began to ease herself off him, and then back down, she bore both the pleasure and discomfort in silence. Marcus was unaware of the prophecy that had scared the magi order into its current operation of enslaving girls form families (mostly poor families) to turn them into little more than dogs. It was the closely held secret of the Masters. A female magus, something that was never to exist. The red queen was often the name given to the figure from prophecy or the Blood Goddess. No one knew if it was really blood, just that red figured prominently into the vision. A woman with all the gifts of a magus, but none of the drawback because of her mothers inhuman stamina. Yet she would walk upright, be impossible in her very nature. But the prophecy was clear on one thing, it would mean the end of all the magi knew about the world. Marcus only knew that he could never be with his hound the way they both wanted to be. Her cries were so soft and cute. Her nature so beautifully female. Furthermore, her size and weight were noticeable, but it was clear by his hips that Era's combination of impossibly womanly curves and her hard muscle from potions and years of training were exactly what her master wanted. Water sloshed all too noisily as he thrust into her, not moving her despite how fast they were both now moving. His Era were so strong, so lovely. She was perfect and he'd always loved her. Even when she'd thrown him over a fence that one time to show her strength. They were both young, and she'd just come back from her first round of treatments and was reveling in her new quadrupedal strength. His mouth found one of her large breasts, and he moaned as she pushed it into his mouth. She was so good and quiet. He wanted her to scream, but he knew she couldn't. Marcus's hands became vice-like on her bottom as he hammered his manhood into her with abandon water sloshed onto the deck as he finally made love to his beautiful hound. Grunting softly he gripped her hips and pulled her down furiously atop him. He kissed her neck, and soon he realized he was planting his seed within her, but like many magi it dragged on and on, his cock remaining hard even as they slowed he was still quite hard within her. So he simply held her and told her how good she was, she hardly seemed winded, but he could tell by her blush she'd enjoyed most of it. He though, he was quite breathless. He patted her broad ass. "Better than I thought'd it be.' he breathed not letting her move herself from him, wanting the closeness. It was a strange thing, to yield herself completely, biting her lip to suppress her cries as he thrust into her rear, her passage stretched around him, body gripped tightly in his hands. She was pulled down, and buried her head in his shoulders to muffle another cry as he plunged deep within her, filling her with his seed. She lay against him, careful not to put too much of her weight on him, his grip signaling that he wished her by him - and perhaps to remain within her. She complied - as she would always do - and rested her head against his shoulder, nuzzling it gently. It had hurt a little, but she felt...full. Complete. Not perhaps what she wanted in her heart of hearts, but a step closer to it. Marcus groaned as copious hot seed left him to only be mostly obliterated in the water. He'd masturbated before, but nothing was as delightful as what he'd done to Era's backside. She seemed a little uncomfortable at first, but she hardly seemed to notice him smacking into her rear. Given her tough nature, maybe he should be a little more forceful in the future? Then again, they were trying not to get caught. That could only be problematic at best. She looked happy and pleased though. Taking into his arms he pulled a little more of her weight onto him. "It's okay, I like it..." he assured her. Nothing felt as good as sleeping beneath her weight. After the bath grew cold they retreated to the bed, and he made her get in first so she could hide against the wall while he blocked any would-be interlopers. He took time to brush out her hair and oil her down. A mage never went anywhere without some of the things used to care for his hound. The oil was magical so it didn't have to be applied at every bath. It helped keep down road grime and other issues so he didn't have to keep casting the spell. It also smelled nice and made her glow in the low light. Marcus also got to enjoy oiling her again, and this time more intimately than he would have ever been allowed otherwise. Carefully, he worked her over massaging it into large breasts and wide hips. He finished with her ass of course, taking his time with it. Laying kisses of his happiness all over her skin. She smiled, resting against him, happy to linger there until he signaled he was ready to leave, the water cooled enough that lingering within it - or within her - was no longer purely comfortable. As they got into bed, she nodded her head down, indicating that he wanted she could sleep on the floor beneath. Regardless, she went where she was told, enjoying the feeling of him brushing out her hair and oiling her tired muscles, letting out a soft, pleased moan, looking up at him adoringly. She raised her rear slightly, more in appreciation and to try to communicate that, now that he seemed to have broken that threshold, she would gladly yield to him as he pleased, squirming softly as he kissed her skin, her joy obvious, despite the trials they had both faced. She was with him, and that was all she needed. Marcus slept peaceful lulled by the rocking of the ocean and the softness of her body. He woke between her breasts when someone banged on the door to rouse him. Thankfully they respected his privacy. Getting dressed her quickly threw the covers over her and told her to stay put while he went to get the breakfast he'd been called for. It wasn't hard to make an excuse to take his food back to the cabin where he split it with her, giving her the bulk of it. Thankfully sailors at big rations. His eyes slid down her naked frame as she ate, she would feel him on her bottom. "I really shouldn't be thinking about doing that again so soon." He chided himself. "Not that it wasn't delightful..." she was just more to him than something to sleep with. It felt wrong, but it also felt very right to take her the way he had. "You're so strong..." he said looking at her curves and muscles. He couldn't really harm her if he tried. Oh, he could hurt her emotionally, but physically he was just a man and she was a hound. Regular lovemaking might bore her anyway. He opened the porthole to look out at the surrounding ocean. "I don't know where we're going, not yet. I hoped that things would get clearer, but they're not." He stroked her hair. She was still naked, no reason to dress her. The ocean air was cool but not cold, though it did make her nipples firm. He idly massaged one of her large breasts. The rocking of the ship was still as soothing as it was last night. "We're going to be on this ship a day or so more wind prevailing. He began to dress her in her clothes and stockings. Her weapons were stowed on his person. She wouldn't need them in such tight confines if things went poorly, but so far no one suspected anything. They were all happy to just let him ride out his voyage without any social interaction. They passed the time by playing some tapping games, riddles and whatnot played in the tapping and sign language of hounds and their masters. Era was so smart she often won his little challenges. Getting pets as a reward. Eventually he sat on the bed his head using her rear as a pillow. He tapped out, "I love you, Era..." on the bulkhead. She cushioned him as best as she could in the small confines of the bed, his comfort paramount, enjoying the feeling of his body against hers, resting his head on her chest. When they were awoken by the door, and scrambled into a tiny ball, curled tightly so she could be hidden as just part of a pile of discarded pillows and stray sheets. When he returned, it would take a moment for even him to find her - hiding beneath the bed, pressed into the shadows until he motioned her out. He offered her some of his food when he was finished, setting his place on the floor, and she ate ravenously, aware he was looking at her as she ate, though she only realizedhowhe was looking at her when he chided himself. She blushed brightly, but shifted her stance a little to afford him a better view, the invitation - now or in the future - obvious. She came to his side as he opened the window, closing her eyes as he stroked her hair, small bumps rising on her skin in the cool sea air - as well as her nipples. Furthermore, she groaned softly with pleasure as he idly kneaded one of her breasts, otherwise remaining still as he dressed her, though she remained relaxed, the ship feeling relatively safe for the moment, letting time pass, his head resting on her rear. The hound-girl blushed deeply as he tapped out his message on the bulkhead, taking some to think of a response." I am yours Master." Her tapping had a subtly different inflection to it than normal - "yours" wasn't a flat statement, or an acknowledgement of her status, but something else. Something more profound than that. A concept that wrapped up love and loyalty and ownership into a single thing. Marcus rolled over and looked into Strafing's eyes for a long moment. Part of him wanted to question where her love was coming from, but he left it unsaid. In truth, he was a coward and didn't want to know the answer. He just wanted her to love him. She was all he had left. He spent a long time trimming and brushing her hair. It was generally seen as proper for hounds to have short hair or long braids, so right now he worked on braiding her hair into one long intricate braid that wouldn't get in the way. It was euphemistically called the Leash. Sera was a flawless creature and the absolute pride and joy of the kennel masters. With all of her sisters dead she was the only hound like her in all the world. Idly he squeezed one of her powerful muscles. He stood up and stretched. "I need to meditate..." he tapped onto the bed frame. Marcus was a powerful mage, and that was impressive in its own right, but it did come with some requirements. He needed to channel the energies of the ephemera into his body." It's too bad we could rescue my sash." Part of what a hand did was wear a leather belt studded with large gemstones, each one having a void within it that held magic. A mage could put magic into such inclusions for later, but normally they let the actions of their hound do it for them as it was exhausting to do it oneself. Part of the Redland rebellion had been to steal away such powerful repositories of magic. If Marcus had been less powerful he would not have survived long enough to have Era save him. Sitting cross-legged on the bed he closed his eyes and focused on the channels running through his own body, trusting his hound to keep him safe. He knew he could open up more of himself to the ephemera, but that ran the risk of destroying his physical body. Nothing was gained for free. Lines began to glow, tracing along his veins, they were simultaneously every color and no color. Era's eyes would see something all together different, but he would need to be like this for at least an hour. At the end of it his eyes snapped open, and he returned to normal in a matter of moments. Exhausted but full of energy at the same time he lay back on the bed. "Not nearly as fun as being with you..." he groaned softly. She gazed at him, adoration in her eyes, and he looked like he was going to ask her something for a moment before he broke the gaze. She settled down to let him braid her hair, enjoying his hands doing it, rather than an attendant. In another time this would have been a rare treat. As much as she resented the circumstances that had landed them in this situation, she would take the small gifts that came along with it. Grunting as he squeezed a thigh muscle, she nodded and positioned herself to guard him. Her body blocked the door, and would obstruct anyone who tried to force their way in. Beyond that, she would be able to hold the door long enough that... If she was being honest with herself, she could hold the door unless the crew managed to reposition a cannon. What would restrain her was the need for them to sail. But what she was prepared for did not come to pass, and an hour later, he was coming to. She padded over to him, nuzzling him softly, a remarkably girlish blush to her cheeks. A thought came to her, that there were less active ways for a hound to be pleasing, but she didn't dare voice these, fearing she had already gone too far. Instead, she simply nestled next to him, content to be nearby and watchful. As always his Strafing was waiting for him when he came back up. She was so sweet. Honestly, Marcus sometimes thought if it weren't for that fierce protective instinct in her, she probably would have not made it to be selected as hound material. Sighing the rand his hands over her form just a little. She wasn't a human anymore, not entirely. Her body spoke to that. Muscles and soft curves, her bones were reworked to make running on all fours possible. Her powerful shapely flanks would be the envy of any woman if it weren't for the other things done to his Era to make her what she was. The trip was much more boring than tense after the first day. No one bothered him and Marcus found honing in on his magic to be more taxing. Normally he would have many outlets to relieve the built-up magical energy, but for now he only had making love to Era to do the task, and while he knew she'd be willing if not eager, he hated using her so. Still, something had to be done. So in the middle of the night he roused her gently. Despite being left alone he couldn't risk making love to her where someone might here. The skeleton crew of the night watch made the best time. Marcus had gotten a bottle of olive oil from the galley, making the cook a few coins happier. Oiling himself and her asshole he carefully inserted himself into his Era before grabbing her around her impressive hips and bucking into her with abandon quiet fits. It was raw and hungry, but she knew he loved her. "I'm sorry, Era... you're going to get so much." Part of being a mage meant that his body thrummed with magic, and well... to a hound magical seed was a potent agent of pleasure. Still, Marcus wanted it, wanted to smash into her soft curves and steely muscles... and he was going to do it until dawn. They had one more day weather providing, and he didn't want her to make landfall exhausted. In truth, he was right - if not for that protective impulse, and a great deal of sorcerers reworking, Strafing would likely have been better suited to being a maid or another domestic servant in the confines of the Mage's holdings. Given the occasional abuses inflicted on those girls, likely a popular one as well, though she would also be dead - along, presumably, with Marcus. But alternative futures like that were not something Era considered - not because she could not grasp the concept, but simply because it seemed unthinkable. She was what she was. This was simply True. Her bones had been remade, her mind subjected to spells and magic, her body altered in a way that made her beautiful, but also warped and deadly. To be anything other than what she was...made no sense. There was mental conditioning to prevent her from dwelling on it, lest the seeds of doubt be planted. But beyond that, it just seemed...silly. It was easy to tell that Marcus was bored, and frustrating that there was little she could do to relieve that - she herself was content with restful vigilance, her own capacity for boredom, like her capacity for violence, increased. And so she watched, and guarded, and slept, trying to keep her energy usage, and thus her food needs, down to a more sustainable level. Which meant she was sleeping lightly when he gently roused her, and while she was alert for danger, one look at him suggested he had other uses for his bitch in mind. She positioned herself on the bed, braced against it, her legs held open, blushing slightly as he oiled her. Grunting softly, she buried her head against the thin mattress, bearing his pleasure as he thrust into her, his need obvious. He was hers to bear, and she did so gladly, panting softly as he used her. Her sex was alight with desire, but she knew that would be impossible. Instead, she offered her taut, upturned rear for as long and as frequently as he wished, finding joy and comfort in that. Marcus had a moment of hesitation. Years of being told what he was doing was not to be done couldn't be overturned in one night, but as she had accepted him without reservation his needier nature came to the fore. Pushing against her, he felt her powerful body beneath her. He understood why young men had such trouble resisting the urge to lie with their hounds. While mages were expected to wed normal noble ladies, Marcus had a difficult time believing that anyone was as strong or as beautiful as his Era. He was holding nothing back, and she seemed as content as could be. On some level Marcus knew that if he took a normal woman so completely she would not be enjoying it nearly as much as Era seemed to be. His hands were groping both of her large breasts as the cool night air washed over their heated bodies from the porthole. The choppy smashing of ocean waves against the hull of the ship hiding the evidence of their lovemaking. His first orgasm came swiftly enough, flooding into her and out of her. However, he wasn't done in the slightest. He kissed her strong back and neck, inhaling her scent as his hips kept up the rhythm of his hunger for her. At some point a hand found her womanhood, and he held back for only a moment before plunging two fingers into her sex. As long as it wasn't his manhood it would be okay. She was so powerful but all his. It was something truly amazing to savor as her body easily claimed everything he had to give and more. A hand gripping her braid, both of them spent in the sheets, a lewd picture of love to be sure, but he finally rolled from atop her as dawn painted the skies over the see in playful dozy pinks and oranges. His war-bitch grunted softly as he thrust into her, happy - and eager - to bear his pleasure. To devote herself fully to him. The taboos, the beliefs, that the mages held were different for their hounds, who viewed such things with longing. Another aspect of their service that was rare, but to be valued. It came with pain, and self-sacrifice, and thus had virtue. And so she braced herself, offered up her rear, and let him ride her as vigorously as he wished, nothing more than the occasional grunt or squeal escaping her. Her breasts bounced with his thrusts as he gripped them, letting out a soft sigh as he filled her rear with his seed. Resting beneath him, she felt him kiss her back and neck, the muscles of her back firm and taut, and she let out as gasp of surprise when his attentions turned to her womanhood. The noises that escaped her as he worked his fingers in her were lighter, more feminine, letting out an eager groan as he gripped her braid, trembling against his fingers. She came swiftly, her passage tensing against him, leaving her once more panting, nuzzling him gratefully for the unlooked-for gift. Marcus felt her orgasm and it was something powerful. She trembled beneath him, and he panted in her ear. She seemed to be more satisfied than even the first time they'd been together. Stroking her hair. She was so good. Most hounds went through a phase where they fought their would-be masters. Not always physically, but there was almost always a point where the female would be bullheaded and stubborn about following orders, and they might run their mage up a tree at some point. Any girl who was too violent would not survive to go through the final physical changes. Not Strafing. She was always gentle, always sweet, and that had come with problems of its own. As a new concept of their alchemizes the masters were nervous that they had clearly failed in making their most powerful hound ever. However, Era proved violently protective of anything that looked like it could hurt her Marcus, and the masters' ambitions were rewarded when she (and to a lesser extent her littermates) was the most successful recipient of the alchemizes. Feeling her muscles and her... very feminine curves... they were very successful. Marcus kept his manhood within her, letting his hips take over. He laughed a little. "It's a good thing you've got such a big butt..." he teased her gently. Honestly, he didn't know how he kept away from her for so long. He kissed her neck, picking the pace back up again, pushing her into the bed as he needed more and more of his Strafing. Gripping her around the middle he laid over the top of her, knowing she could probably get up and carry him around regardless. As a mage, he was expected to keep in shape, but the idea of bulking up with muscle was not popular. Mages should look svelte, like they never did any physical labor. "I meant it when I said I'd love you until dawn... do you want that?" He asked. Shewascontent. Fulfilled. Her heart still ached for her sisters, and if given the chance to avenge them, she would bathe in blood. Her failure to save them, to save the mages, still stung. But her Master clearly did not hold that against her. She had spent so much time with him, and his willingness to use her... She felt fulfilled. Furthermore, she had always been loyal, nearly to a fault, but now...she had given him everything she could offer. The hound let out a soft, satisfied noise, groaning as he continued to work in and out of her, blushing softly, ducking her head in a remarkably girlish motion, betraying that at her core, she was still a young woman parting her legs for the man she loved. He asked her if she wanted him to go all night. She knew it would mean spending the next day tired and sore. She didn't care. His bitch tapped out an emphatic "Yes" and bucked her hips back to impale herself on him. Marcus wasn't going to lie, the image of his narrow hips smashing into her wide, overbearingly curvaceous body did a lot to keep him hot for Era. Still, even as the pounding dragged through the night she seemed only more and more eager to show her love and willingness. It was sweet. He'd always been told that if he ever did something like this with his war-bitch he was just taking advantage of someone no better than an animal. He knew it was to scare him away from doing things like that in the first place, but Era was so smart and beautiful. Sometime just before dawn he gave one last orgasm to her with both his cock and his fingers and flopped against her spent." Sleep..." he told her, "I'll be okay." He rubbed her bottom after pulling out, realizing he shouldn't have been with her. Not because it was wrong, but because they really made a mess. The captain was good enough about giving him spare bedclothes, but Marcus had to spend all morning erasing the remnants of the inhumanly passionate lovemaking with magic. Still, every time he looked at that bleary-eyed smile on Era's phase he felt no small swell of male pride in his heart. No man could ever please her like he had. Marcus let her sleep and when she woke he shared most of his food with her, knowing she was really not getting enough to eat. It was perhaps the most unladylike quality of the hounds, but their superhuman bodies required much more energy to function even on a basic level. Marcus was happy to give her the lion's share of most of his meals, keeping her able to do the things she needed was paramount to his survival. After she was done eating he drew her a bath by using buckets of salt water and took a nice hot bath with her again. No sex this time, but he did not keep his hands from any inch of her body and was not afraid to give her a few more hot and furious fingerings in her womanhood after learning last night just how sweet it was to make her cum. He let her lay against him while he stroked her hair and maybe a large breast. It wasn't the most relaxing journey, but he was just happy he had Era with him. With her, he knew he could make it. The devoted creature looked willing to continue soldiering on, despite the sheen of sweat that covered her skin, and the exhaustion in her movement. She would without complaint, but he told her to sleep, and so she settled down obediently, her sleep deep and contented, the curvaceous war-hound exhausted and well-used. It pained her to take the lion's share of his food when she awoke - it was necessary, but she both knew it meant he would be hungry as well, and having woken up merely sore, rather than sore and covered in a layer of dried seed, she knew he had devoted energy to cleaning them both. Energy he needed. She did her best to care for him the rest of the day, protesting softly as he fingered her to another shuddering climax, supporting him as he lay in bed, stroking her idly. She resolved to thank him for his kindness. There was...something else the bitches discussed in their kennel, another way to serve their Masters that violated none of their orders. Perhaps... She shifted a little, her form wriggling down until she was nestled at the foot of the bed, curled at his feet. And then, her eyes cast up at him, Era gently nudged his crotch with her face, her expression hesitant but...apparently willing. This would be the day they made port if the talk in the galley was correct. Marcus smiled as he returned with the food, giving her more of the lion's share. He felt the pang of hunger, but as someone who regularly got more than enough to eat on any given day, he chalked it up to simple new trials he would have to suffer through. Honestly, having made it through the revolt in and of itself was half a miracle. Safety seemed so close. One more day and he could run to the embrace of another conclave of magi. Marcus was not expecting to have his crotch nuzzled, and it made him sit up. He was not ignorant of what the war bitches often did when their masters demanded it. He was sure that a few had even broken the most sacrosanct of rules. Having felt Era's sex tighten around his fingers and wash his hand in sweet hot need, he could definitely see the appeal. Her master knew all too well what she was driving at. "Really?" He raised an eyebrow. To call Era beautiful was a sin. She was beyond that. There was a reason she'd been named after the angel of vengeance itself. She was so flawlessly gorgeous. Oh, she had a little scar here, a mark there, but it all seemed so perfect to him. He saw her chest move up and down as she breathed, her hips wiggling a little bit. "I mean... if you want to do it... I won't stop you, but only if you know you don't ever have to do these things for me." He lies back down, "I don't want you to do it because you feel you have to, Era..." he said softly. "I know I could make you, but I already make you do so much... I need you so much... it's your choice." Of course, Marcus would make if her is she wanted to be made to do it. Some hounds had that kind of streak in them, but he wanted her to know she had a choice. What could he say, he'd always been a gentle touch when training her. She responded better to rewards than punishments. She noticed his surprise when she nuzzled his crotch, and it pleased her a little. It was a demand often placed on her kind by their owners - service that kept to the spirit of the prohibitions, but still allowed a Mage the luxury of the captive attentions of a beautiful woman. But to many of the hounds themselves, it was regarded as an enjoyable - if often forced - activity. The degree of trust it required, to force a creature who could tear your throat out to instead suck your cock was - in the minds of the girl's at least - profound. The war-bitch looked up at him, her eyes soft, feminine, looking very much the beautiful woman she was at that moment. Her hips moved slightly, as he tried to reassure her that she didn't have to, that he didn't want to force her." Want" was a difficult concept for her to express. Still, she tried. Need to serve. You. Force. No Force. The same. Bitch. It was an attempt, and it was punctuated by a long, reassuring stroke of her tongue along his length as she took him into her mouth. Marcus sighed, choice seemed to matter so little to Era, especially when he was with him. There were times when she was very particular about anyone else who groomed her, but whenever it was him she couldn't be any happier. Marcus sighed again, but this time for a different reason. Full lips and eager tongue were running over his manhood with eagerness and elan. The young mage groaned happily. This was something that he always thought he might try with Era one day when his resolve finally broke, and he could see why many mages made their hounds perform this. Well, he could take solace in the fact that he wasn't exactly making her do this, but, oh, did it feel so good. He found his hands going to her blonde hair and stroking her braid, she seemed to have no trouble getting all of him in her mouth or playing with him as she saw fit. His hips pitched upward in instinctive need." That feels so good..." he admitted, keeping his voice low. Her body looked so beautiful and powerful in the warm light of lanterns. Era was very enthusiastic. Marcus could tell by the was her big bottom was in the air and swaying from side to side. Something she only did when a task or game had her full, undivided attention. Soon he began leaking the first hot spurts of his need for her, but Era knew what he was capable of, knew that it was only the beginning. Marcus wanted to mark her, but her drinking it all down would probably be the more prudent option. He moaned and told her she was beautiful before the first of hopefully many orgasms made his spine arch. He could almost feel Era smiling. Furthermore, he was correct that choice meant little to her - the greatest choice of her life, who to serve, had been made for her, and from there, it was a matter of simply throwing herself fully into what her life was meant to be. In truth, she wasn't sure he *could* force her, because the idea of refusing his desires, of not wanting to please him in whatever way she was being asked to do so, felt like a strange concept. A familiar scene with something out of place, or a room that wasn't quite square. And so she ran her tongue over his shaft, and in due time, drew him into her mouth, her tongue still dancing across his flesh as she began to bob her head, his bitch making soft, wet sounds as she bobbed her head up and down, plunging her mouth deep onto him, her hips waving in unconscious pleasure. Soon, she felt the slight movements of his hips, and the hand on her braid, grow a little erratic, and knew he was close. She kept herself on him, lips wrapped tightly around him, quietly, dutifully, and joyfully gulping down the seed that poured into her mouth and throat until she was confident he was spent. Withdrawing, she took a few more strokes to lick him clean, removing what evidence there was of her service, and settled down beside his cot with a contented sounding sigh. As a testament to Era's skill Marcus slept exceptionally well, he did stroke her until he fell asleep his hand stroking her braid and back. He got up early and collected their food. He gave her most of the gruel, "Don't worry, today we'll be going to a mage conclave, and I'll be able to eat, and we'll get you some proper pretty clothes." Era had little to look forward to that didn't involve pleasing and protecting him, but she did love being doted and dressed. While it once started out as war paint, the act of painting a war bitch's face was also something she enjoyed. Though it wasn't all good, he might have to be less cavalier with their alone time in the future once they were under the watchful eyes of other magi again. Still, he knew he could never go back to not having her. There was no way his heart could bear it. Marcus helped her dress and then dressed himself. The ship slowly pulled into the harbor and Marcus sent her ahead so she could slip off. She was back in friendly territory so unless she saw indication that she shouldn't be, she would be allowed to walk in the open. Still, he wasn't sure so he told her to be cautious until she could feel safe. Marcus bid the captain farewell and descended the gangplank and his boots hit the dock. What he saw was something that he did not like. Again red banners of the revolution were flying over the harbor. Several men and women with the red band on their arms of several people walking by. However, as he looked toward the palace where the magi lived, he could still see normal banners of the order flying over what seemed to be the last bastion in the city. Marcus could hear shouting a fighting as he tried to head for the less populated portions of the dock. He knocked against a crate with a stick, mostly trying to look nonchalant, but he was also trying to get Era's attention, hoping desperately that nothing bad happened to her. He needed her now more than ever. She watched over him as he slept, still, her muscles coiled but no more than that, savoring the feeling of his hand on her skin, and knowing the peace of their journey, and the indulgence the confined privacy of the cabin allowed would soon be coming to an end. She smiled at his reassurance, that she would be properly attired again, and admitted to herself a measure of vanity in desiring that. When they docked, she resumed her old ways, slipping free of their cabin through the small window, her claws digging slight furrows in the wet wood of the ship to slow her descent, and she slipped into the water, advancing beneath the docks until she once more found a place in the shadows of a pile of shipping crates, waiting for her Master to progress via more conventional methods. She, too, saw the red bands, and feared what it would portend for her Master. At his signal, she gave him a knowing nod, once more sticking to the shadows and blind passageways until it was safe for him to be seen with her. The city was clearly still the home of pitched combat. The problem was that he had to find a way to get to the city citadel, and the fighting sounded the fiercest. Sticking to the alleyways he wanted to reach out and trying to find Serra but if the Red Bands had something that might be able to detect or nullify magic. There were so many things he didn't know. How had this happened? Could a multitude of people without any magical power really overrun those who could command the very fabric of reality? Marcus was lost in his musings when he heard shouting. More Red Bands came running his way and he ducked into an alleyway to let them pass. It was clear the bastion was being besieged, but these terrorists were not stupid. They stayed away from the walls, which might give him the means to sneak in. However, he realized he might be just as much a target for either side if they did or did not know he was a mage. Taking a deep breath he ran his hands through his hair and tried tapping for Serra again. When she showed up he scrawled a quick message and tucked it securely into the belt loop on her collar. "Okay, I need you to do your best cat paws and get up to the keep and let them know I'm stuck outside and that we need to devise a way to get me in without alerting the Reds." He waited for her response, it was a big ask, no matter how faithful she was. She wasn't exactly built for stealth, but she was the best of her breed and she'd done well so far. Her heightened senses picked up the sounds and smells of combat, and she had to resist her desire to simply charge forward, massacring those who stood in their way, avenging her fallen sisters and the insult to her Master and the other mages. She suspected she would die in the process of that, but it would be a death worthy of song and memory. But that was not what her Master needed, and so she avoided conflict as best she could, hugging the shadows and skulking behind the rubble of battle to avoid conflict. When he summoned her, she appeared at his side, staying still as he tucked the note into her collar. She gave him a concerned noise - obeying him would mean leaving his side in a hostile city. That made her fear for his safety, but she had her duty, and she knew that this would help him reach safety. Giving him a lingering, concerned look, but then left to obey. Getting closer to the citadel, it was harder to remain hidden - both due to the rebels, and that the mages has cleared the approaches to the citadel in order to prevent the walls from being scaled. Which is exactly what she was about to attempt to do. The difference between her and the rebels however - beyond her physical capabilities - was that she would impale herself on a pike if it would serve her Master's needs, and do so gladly. There was a gutter, one she could barely squeeze through, slick with water and algae, that would allow her entry. One that involved hurling herself from a tree, trusting her claws to catch her. If she failed...hopefully the broken body of a war hound would be enough of a sign to the mages. She landed, hard, and her claws scrabbled on the wood and stone of the gutter, and then dug in, arresting her fall and allowing her to draw herself forward, folding herself as small as she could manage to be, wriggling up the stream before emerging on the other side, landing within the walls, dirty, wet and exhausted. The first thing Era would see approaching were more war hounds. None quite as powerful as her, and would have probably not been able to make the jump she just had. They snarled and snapped, but then they saw and smelled her and went to heel instantly. A man might pretend to be a mage to gain entry, but there was just no faking the raw feral majesty of a war-bitch. The mage guards caught up to their hounds, puzzled at first why they weren't attacking, but then when they saw the filthy creature they sighed. The men on the battlements knew better than to try and command the war hound before them, but they were used to it. "Come along, girl, let's deliver your message." They beckoned her over and took her down to the inner keep. They didn't try to clean her off, the muck leaving faint footprints on the carpets, but battle had seen that cleanliness was becoming a secondary concern. "Lord Magister, we have a war hound from outside the walls." The head guard said. A man in gray robes and gray-streaked hair looked up and stood, "Well that is news of some kind." He said and slipped the note out of her collar with a wave of his hand making it levitate toward him. He knew better than to try and breach the wards placed on the war hound, she would feel it and attack, but the paper was specifically enchanted to be lifted out by magic and not fingers. Scanning the note, "It's as we feared, the capital has fallen completely." The assembled men groaned, their dogs whining. "Marcus and his hound seem to be the only one's left. Captain send men to the cargo gate. Take Strafing with you, she'll identify her master and bring him back." The captain saluted and about ten mages and their hounds trotted off, letting Era follow. Outside things weren't going smoothly for Marcus. He tried to slip closer to the wall, but the patrols of Reds because thicker and thicker. The space running up to the wall was a no-man's land, kept barren by the mages. He wasn't sure his message had gotten through. He rounded the corner and saw a patrol of five red band men and women brandishing firearms. Thankfully he was still in disguise so he tried to look like he was on errands elsewhere. He was almost past when a charm on a pendant one of the Reds had begun to pulse with changing colors." Magic!" The owner shouted and immediately everyone focused on Marcus. The second the man shouted Marcus had bolted though, and the other five gave chase. Marcus made a beeline for the wall, there was nothing to do about it except hope Era got through and there weren't some magical traps waiting to immolate or skewer him. She was filthy, and exhausted, but as her sisters approached she maintained her bearing, not overtly challenging but not submissive either, her body relaxed, conveying no threat as the guards who approached eventually puzzled out that the filthy, naked woman before them was indeed a war hound. When beckoned she followed, unconcerned with her appearance, sitting in the respectful crouch her kind had been taught to adopt near senior mages, tilting her head to one side as if to ease the removal of her note, even if - given the magic used - such a gesture was more symbolic than anything else. Seraphina waited patiently while the Magister read the note, its contents unknown to her, though she could guess. As the cargo gate was opened - barely wide enough to allow for the passage of a single man - she let out a sharp bark when she saw her Master - and saw him being pursued. While the guards she was with began to frantically take down the wards and defenses they had erected, Strafing charged forward, a snarl in her throat. She ran toward Marcus, and past him, barreling into the closest rebel who was near on his heels, ramming into him with her shoulder with enough force to crack a rib or two. She kicked out at a second, forcing them to dive to the side to avoid the blow, and turned, catching up with her Master and shielding him as well as she could manage with her own form. A mage was powerful but limited. Magic was only limited by how much power a mage could call upon. Marcus was a master of focusing his magic to use as little as possible, but until only about a week ago had he ever used it to harm anyone else. Mostly he destroyed an innocent piece of fruit or threw up a barrier to stop a rotten vegetable. So it wasn't hard to believe that all of that focus went right out the open window. He fired the shots from his reclaimed pistols and dropped them. Sliding to a stop he pivoted and threw up a hasty barrier. The lead runners smashed into the invisible wall, bones snapping and noses breaking. The tips of bayonets and swords blunted instantly. Not letting it drop he pushed back, and he tried to retreat, but lead rounds smashed into his shield overwhelming it until aurora-like cracks of magic showed. Not one to throw it way, he pitched the construct at the pursuers. It shattered like a pane of stained-glass and cut those at the fore to ribbons. It was about this time he felt Era's strong arms pull him around. Not even she could carry him, but he got the message. The pair of them ran for more cover, and to the defending mages' credit they threw up a combined barrier blunting the spearhead of the attacking Reds further while those on the walls lobbed down darts of fire. Knowing they were beat the Reds grabbed their wounded and retreated. Once safely inside, Marcus dropped to the floor and hugged his hound, "Good girl, smart girl..." he didn't care how much she needed a bath. The pair of them were brought before the head mage." Don't get me wrong, young master, I'm glad you and your hound look none the worse for wear, though I think she might be bleeding." Marcus did a double take, but it wasn't terribly serious. It took more than a single bullet to fell a war hound, it was why poison was the preferred tactic. Marcus spent a good half an hour briefing the head mage before he was sent to a room with his hound. No one seemed very eager to stand on proper decorum. In fact there seemed to be no mage interested in even having his girl out of his sight let alone in a kennel. Considering the mass poisonings, Marcus didn't blame them. The room was the opulence he didn't know he'd come to expect, or miss being honest. A gold lined tub sat in a corner. Marcus locked the door with magic and clapped, "Bath, go. I'm going to clean you up lest you get something infected." Despite the clip of his voice the tone said he was nothing but ecstatic. Something hit her. Something that left a trail of burning pain in her flank. But it didn't matter. She would get him to safety. They could shoot her if they wished - as long as it did not reach him. She collapsed when they reached the safety of the interior, panting softly." Good girl. Smart girl." Her heart sang. She had done what she was meant to do. He was safe, at least for the moment. She followed him up the stairs, back to the chamber of the chief Magister, her head respectfully bowed, her pace dogged as she tried to keep up, her own energy reserves, from the leap, and the fight, and days of eating sparingly, finally taking their toll on her. Doing her best to ignore the pain in her flank, the feeling of flesh...not holding together quite right. When it was brought to her Master's attention, she too turned, confirming his belief that she would recover, and that while she might have been bleeding, she could still serve. And remain stoically by his side until he was sent to his new chambers, staggering toward the tub and slipping into the warm water with an exhausted whimper. There was a fundamental rule of magic. It could not create, only change what was already there. The more firm the substance the harder it was to do, the more dangerous it was to mold. It was based on material hierarchy. Energy, air, water, and earth. Directly manipulating human flesh fell in the domain of earth and was nigh impossible for him to do. It was why trying to aim a lance of air or burn a man was easier than making his arm move five inches to the right against his will. If Marcus had an abundance of energy he might remove the blood (an aspect of water) from an attacker's veins, but that was just inefficient and potentially fatal for him. But he couldn't heal. Not ever. It was part of why so much alchemy went into Era. He could remove the blood, the dirt. He could not sew her flesh back together. When he saw the cloud of red appear in her bath water her flank. "Era..." he said a chiding worry in his tone. Looking around the room he came back with a doctors kit. Thankfully it wouldn't need stitches, but he did remove a bullet fragment from her side. "Looks like a ricochet. If a real bullet had hit you in the flank you'd probably have something broken." He packed it with water-resistant alchemical jelly and let her return to her bath. In the morning she'd be good as new. He also found a grooming kit. It had been so long since he'd given her a grooming himself. Though most mages never really cottoned onto the idea, every young man learned how to care for his hound from tip to toe. Once she was in the bath he picked up her feet and began trimming her nails, cleaning the dirt from beneath them. He did the same for her hands. Her hair was combed and trimmed as she sat in repose. It was care for his hound, pure and simple. She knew he could not use his magic to heal her - that was not his talent, nor did she expect him to. She served her duty, and sometimes that duty was to bleed for him. At least she had had the chance to do so, unlike her sisters. She looked up at him, hearing his worried tone, her eyes soft and reassuring. Staying still, she let out a soft grunt as he pulled the small fragment of metal from her flank. She pushed past the pulsing pain in her side, nuzzling him as he returned with a grooming kit. That was always something she looked forward to - prior to the voyage on the ship, that was as close as she ever thought she'd come to him. She still savored it - the feeling of his touch, the careful attention he paid to her as he began to trim and clean her nails, which had come out rather worse for the wear by trying to scale the pipe into the fortress. Sera's favorite part however was when he combed her hair-he was always so attentive about it, and she always felt more feminine when it was done, an aspect of her so oft neglected. Once her hair was trimmed and every ounce of grim removed from the perfect form of a purebred war bitch. It wasn't long before he was drying her and combing out her hair to be braided once more. He also took the time and effort to trim and shape her nails, painting them over with a lightly tinted translucent lacquer. He did the same to her toenails. While no hound was what one would call overly pampered, many of them did grow used to certain expectations of luxury. And while Marcus had tried--to the chagrin of his instructors--to spoil her at every available opportunity. There was a certain self-seriousness to Strafing that kept her weirdly aloof and humble. Still, even she must like some return to the life she'd grown accustomed to having. Other than training and the occasional bout of combat most hounds didn't really live lives of strife. The mages were very careful to train a girl over her entire childhood so that when she became a woman she was hound and always had been. He finally got his hands on quality wear for her too. He ignored some of the lusher silks for mottled gray and black tight fitting clothing. It was made from the silks of several insects. Unlike the silkworm this stuff was tough as steel, flexible, hugged every curve of her and would wick moisture away and provide her some measure of protection from fire and knives. Armor was meant to go over it, but for now he'd settle for watching her move. He let her lie on the bed, she earned it." I'm going to send for food." He said, "Do you want something particular?" Era clearly enjoyed the attention - she wasn't vain, but she knew that she took pride in her appearance, and more importantly, in her mind her appearance reflected on her owner. She liked striking a beautiful, composed, and flawless image. She had given up her life to serve - she wanted to serve perfectly. And it did make her feel cared for - for so long it had been the only way she might have been cared for, and that still carried an impact on her. It left her at peace. Fulfilled. Ready to serve him, however she was able. Allowing him to help her into her clothing - which is truth did little to hide her beauty, but did act as a functional layer of protection and kept her - mostly - from being quite too eye-catching in terms of her exposure, she gratefully settled on the bed, her movements exhausted. She perked up slightly at the thought of food, but shook her head - she had never had strong preferences in that regard, and the regimented life of a war hound had reduced whatever she had already had to nothing. She would eat, and enjoy food, but it was hard to her to articulate wants in that regard. Era was very regimented in her mien. It did make for some mild frustration. The woman was never not affectionate, but she was aloof in many ways. It did not anger Marcus, but he wished that sometimes she would see something beyond her service to him in the world. He stood and realized that was probably unfair. If Era wanted to devote her life to such a cause she could, even though it had never really been her choice. Sighing lightly he ran a hand over her back. "Well, I'll just have to surprise you then, won't I?" He made for the door, "You can stay here, rest up. I'll be fine." He didn't voice it, but he did not trust anyone else to prepare Era's food. While he hadn't been there for the initial poisoning of the kennel back at the capital, it was the only thing that made logical sense. The only way for normal people, even heavily armed people, to take down a kennel would be from the inside. Era's grooming had run over. A half an hour later and she would be dead with the rest of them, and he would have followed soon after. Making his way to the kitchen he noticed several mages and their hounds keeping watch. It would seem he wasn't the only one who had the same idea. Taking time to prepare a balanced meal of steak and vegetables he brought it back. He wasn't the world's best cook, but he often went camping with Era and learned to at least apply fire in the proper way. It didn't hurt that hounds like their beef still bloody. He also picked up some other things, but he tried to stay away from anything that looked too tempting. He returned to Era. Despite being safe the tension had him very much on edge. She smiled up at him, knowing her answer had triggered some thought, but unsure what she had done, and nodded softly. He had always taken care of her, and she did have faith that his choice would be good. Sera let out a soft whine at the idea of leaving him alone - the last time she had been in a Magister fortress, they had felt safe as well, until suddenly they weren't, and she was loath to leave his side. They were, admittedly, now in a fortress that was on alert, but she had spent so much time on alert, by his side, that if felt painful now to be separated. Still, she obeyed, laying down by the door to wait for him. His return was greeted with her immediately perking up, her relief obvious as she returned to his side, nuzzling his thigh affectionately. This was a strange place, not their home, and it was clear that while perhaps she should have felt safe, she did not, following him to the small table in the room, but settling down in a way that she was conspicuously between him and the door. Marcus felt and immediate wave of relief once he was back in Era's sight. "Come on, eat up." He sighed. He put the plate down in front of her. Furthermore, he gave her head a rub, letting her eat it. There were only a few poisons that could kill a hound, but he was sure that the food was clean. It was a relief to him that the other mages seemed to have cottoned onto the idea that the food might not be safe. Though, it might be a standard practice for sieges. He ate his portion of the food. There was some guilt, he felt so happy to have a full meal for once. Not that he resented Era. He knew that he needed her, but he hated even possibly entertaining the notion that the big strong, beautiful hound. She was the only reason he wasn't as dead as any other mage back in the capital. He rolled his shoulders and put the plates outside for the staff. How loyal was the staff? He shook his head. He didn't know who he could trust. How much had the Red Bands been able to infiltrate the mage order. It was almost impossible to fathom how deep the rebellion ran. It was also hard to reconcile his place in causing this rebellion. He knew he didn't do anything but live his life beneath the rule of the magisters, but he knew that trying to split that particular hair with the Red Bands would only get him shot. It was too much to think about. Sighing he pushed whatever dark thoughts were in his mind as far to the fringes as he could. Getting up, he stretched stiffly to the bath and bathed, letting her keep guard, but not keeping her away from him as one might normally, letting her explore a bit, keep patrol as it were. She smiled up at him when he rubbed her head, feeling a soft surge of pleasure at the touch. She stifled her urge for more - that time seemed past. They were back in the walls of a Magister Fort, not alone and possibly isolated in the hold of a ship. She forced herself to accept that what they had done might very well be confined to pleasant memories of the past, and that the cherished sense of beinghiswas possibly all she would have. And it was enough. She was his. Lowering her head, she ate quietly, enjoying the feeling - as he did - of having a full meal, and enjoying freedom from the guilt of knowing that the requirements of her form had taken food from him. It was one less thing to worry about, and she knew she would need to keep her strength - they were safe, for the moment, but the rebels in the town hardly felt welcoming, or as if they were on the verge of defeat. As he bathed - he caught her looking appreciatively at him a time or two - she prowled in slow circles, guarding him while also inspecting the room. What barriers could be put near the window to make it difficult to enter from. What corners could she use to protect his flanks while she used her body to guard his front? Where could she hide, if the necessity arose, to mount an ambush? Marcus finished bathing. He would never look at Era as just his hound any longer. They'd been far too intimate with one another. It was something that was on his mind more than once when his thoughts weren't forced to be focused on survival. So the fact that she was very beautiful and he was very much safe. Once the tension rolled off of him he could see that they might have time for other things. There was one thing that wasn't going to happen. He was not going to be leaving his hound in the care of anyone but himself. Without Sera, he would be dead. After his bath he dressed and sat on the meditation pillow and tried to center himself so that he could collect his energy. There wasn't much he could do against another determined attack, especially one that uses nefarious tactics like sabotage and poison. He knew that Era had lost her whole kennel. He knew that he was important to her, but hounds were trained to work together and rely on one another. While Era's priority was to protect him, she was also a member of a pack. After a good attempt to try and meditate he gave up. He would just have to try and reserve his power. Without the surrounding danger, simply focusing seemed somehow more taxing. Still, Marcus couldn't help but fear that their safety might not be as permanent as he hoped. She could hear the other hounds in the castle as they passed the room - the soft click of nails on the hard stone floors, the passage of a shadow lower to the ground than an upright human. She yearned for their company, but her heart ached as well - they weren't her Sisters. They were of the same breed, to be sure, but that was not the same. The pack she had grown up with, shared secrets with, whose successes she celebrated and whose hurts she mourned...they were dead. Every one of them. And they had died badly - in pain, but without blood on their teeth or claws. They had not died how they were meant to have died. It left her in a pensive mood, this shift - not safe, but not on the run - and as her Master meditated she quietly prowled his chambers, trying to focus her mind and calm herself in her own way, but failing to do so as well, finally settling at the foot of the large bed with a sigh, her pose watchful and tense. Marcus gave up on meditation after a long while and stood to stretch. He spied Era as she dozed at the foot of the bed. There was a need in him, deep within to communicate with her, but not even the tap language would be safe. When it came to being intimate with a hound, he couldn't be guaranteed that one of the other hounds or mages wouldn't hear them conspire together. He trusted Era to be quiet with his needs in all things, but this wasn't some young man's foray into ordering his war bitch to service him, this was a time of unrest. Who could trust a mood like that. The fire that burned him damned the consequences as soon as they entered his mind. What if he died tomorrow? He loved his Strafing, he always had, and knowing she loved him in duty and beyond was amazing. He reached into the drawer and found what he was looking for. The leather wrapped wooden mouthpiece creaked. It was a muzzle. Something that was almost never used, but never too far just in case a battle lust got a little too out of hand. He burned for her, needed her, but she'd just bathed, just relaxed. He put the muzzle away. It wasn't the time. Still, if he didn't do something it was going to happen whether he wanted it to or not. Gently he gestured for her to come to the bathroom. Closing the door behind them and running the tap again, just to be safe. "Era," he said softly as he lowered his pants to floor. What he needed went unsaid, it couldn't be asked for not hear, not now. Whether it was an order or not was immaterial, he just yearned for his hound. She sensed the shift in his movements as he discontinued his meditations, but remained lightly asleep - the movement was not yet the kind of thing that required her attention, one way or the other, and there was always a balance of attentiveness and distance to be kept with her kind. Even Masters like Marcus did not often want a hound following literally their every movement. Sera did however open an eye, looking at him curiously, as he pulled a muzzle from a drawer, guessing his intent was not the use of the tool in battle, but to silence her for...other reasons. Then he put it away, and she nearly settled down before he motioned her to him and secured the door. Looking up at him, her eyes were soft, understanding, and more than willing. Kneeling at his feet, her breasts brushing his legs, she nuzzled him, the warmth of her tongue dancing across him before she drew him slowly, carefully, into her mouth. His Strafing's lips were heaven. There was a moment of guilt. Not because she wasn't willing, even eager, but because she was. It was something Marcus struggled with. He didn't even know if he could really see her as a woman anymore, but none of that mattered when he felt so good and she was doing it. He let his head lean back. It was his own fault. He could blame her looks, her sinful curves. That perfectly firm body of hers. But was it really anyone's fault? Marcus loved her, he knew that much. They'd grown up together, he'd trained her personally, always refusing to take advantage of her trust. The truth was, he'd enjoyed taking his hound in her rear, it was hot, it was a little more than naughty, and it gave him a feeling of completeness he'd never enjoyed with anyone. Era was the only woman he'd ever known in such a way. But he knew if he asked, if he ordered, she would give what she shouldn't to him, and he knew he wouldn't resist that offer. So it was best to stick to quiet suckling and lovely strokes of her tongue against him. Maybe if things got too much another slip between her full cheeks Marcus panted heavily as he leaned against the wall, letting Era service him. She never broke eye contact with him, so trusting gentle. So beautiful and ruthless. "Gods, you're too beautiful..." he pleaded. Groaning he came, just the preamble to more, something to excite her. Marcus knew the scent of him got her excited. He feared she might enter a heat if they kept fooling around like this, but part of him wanted it. Wanted to feel that kind of power turn on him, just a little. It was usually what brought an end to many of these kinds of trysts for young mages. If a hound entered heat, there was no hiding it if it couldn't be dealt with immediately, the war-bitch's strength and focus became honed on one thing: her master and the satisfaction only he could bring. Still, he trusted Era, she was the strongest and smartest of her litter. Marcus would have to keep an eye out for the signs though and use herbs to curb such an event if began to present. Strafing sucked quietly, her tongue sliding over his shaft as she bobbed her head, mindful of her teeth as she took him into her. She adored him, loved him - unquestioningly - and he was her entire world. And while this was a secret, they had broken no rules - she knew mages took pleasure from their charges, just so long as that last taboo wasn't broken. She ached for that as well, but she knew she could not - and that was enough. She was content with this, another expression of her devotion to him. Another aspect of her service, her head bobbing as he told her she was beautiful. And so she continued, her attention, her skill, and her devotion all singularly turned to his shaft in her mouth, the movements of her tongue, her desire to please him. To be his. Era made things so hard to focus on, but she also relieved so much of his tension and worry. He grunted and came in her mouth, letting her do with it as she pleased. The look on her face was so sweet. He didn't know what Era thought about the torrent of seed he could produce, but he knew what he felt when he got to be with her like this, and it only made him hungrier. Breathing deeply he pulled his still-hard cock from her lips. A need in his loins made him go to the bath and begin filling it with steaming water before swapping to cold. Once the bath was drawn he removed his clothes and grabbed the bottle of oil usually reserved for oiling a hound after a bath (and it would probably still be used for that too). "Era, let's disrobe... and well... if you would like me to do what we did the last time we bathed I will." Era was dutiful, but he would love to see her eyes light up, and those hips shake as she assumed the position in the bath. Marcus ran a hand up her back. "If you want, I think I could spend all night with you if you want?" Marcus smiled, why was he trying to seduce his hound? Why was he doing what he knew he really shouldn't be doing. When he really thought about it though he was excited to spend all night testing his hound's endurance.

The War-Bitch [CopperLily & Inkidu]|rating:4.0

Deliverance, War of Peace [HC-Gal-x-Soturo Ayami]

Like a pack of wild beasts, they did chase after their prey. A large party of men, soldiers in light armor, brandishing steel sabers, murder upon their minds, the words of the commander still fresh in their mind. Hunt down and kill their leader! An order no less like the lash of whips at their backs, they charged without question or hesitation. The other opposing forces had been routed, destroyed and now the leader was alone. They barked and yelled orders between them, the forest was thick, and it was a place they did not want to be, so the fear was no less subtle than the bloodlust, the eagerness to draw blood. It was a forbidden forest, given tales of monsters and demons, creatures that would snack upon them if they were not wary. The yells and calls let them know each other were still around and made sure they didn't lose focus. But every once in a while, without even noticing it, they did lose focus. Looking away in a moment of distraction at the shadows and the corners of the forest as they passed. Some would stop, sure they saw something in the shade, something move, something shift, a whisper on the wind, a shade that haunted them. But the moment was so swift, so scarce that they could never realize it fully, calling it simple paranoia, foolishness, betrayals of their own minds. And yet, there it stood, upon the limb of a tree, a dark cloak draped over its shoulders, the hood raised as a face below watched, not a twitch, not a movement, not a sound, still like the forest. Yet even as a soldier was sure he spied something on the limb, he looked up to see nothing, more branches, more leaves, no cloaked figure, no silhouette to enhance his already panic-stricken mind. And it watched them, waiting silently, learning the nature of their intrusion. Judging them. Kwabenahad pulled back his forces. They were out numbered, out-witted and out matched. To save his few left they escaped into the dark forest and split up. It would serve as cover, and he would hopefully draw their attention away. His heavy breath was left unheard as he darted listlessly around trees and over branches and bush. His body heavy with sweat he began to wonder if he would ever make it out of there alive. He knew the stories of men going into the forests, of the things that lived here, of what could happen, but he had been around them his whole life, and he always felt he had had nothing to fear. Until now. Fear curled in his gut unabated by the comfort of the midnight moon's shadow. His only worry was that he got what was left his men safe. For those reasons he ignored the shadows, ignored the danger. He was upset at their loss and his distraction would cost him. He took a dive a hill crying out as he landed ungracefully on the dirt and rocks below. He panted gripping his leg tightly. Furthermore, he twisted his leg on the way down. Shit. He gnashed his teeth together turning over as he began to limp away. He was tired and bloody and broken. Furthermore, he had just wanted to be able to live his life. Make it so his family his friends, his people would be able to live without suffering. Those damn tyrants pushed and pushed his own people to their limits, when his reach extended to outside his cities walls he had crossed a line. They had been peaceful people. His mother had sacrificed everything for their livelihood and his father more. He hung his head solemnly as he leaned against a tree. SABENA could go no further. He would die this night. "There he is!" Howled one of the soldiers, laughing in near-hysterics, certainly one of the more unstable. His call was enough to get half a dozen in sight, the rest filing in one by one until the large group loomed over SABENA from no more than several yards, surrounding him slowly. One began to laugh a little more triumphantly,"This is it? The leader of that little rebellion? What did you expect was going to happen?!" He chortled, adjusting the sword in his hand, then motioned for two of the others to go forward, "Grab him boys, I'm going to gut this fool like a pig. Our lord will be pleased once we bring back his head." The two he'd ordered didn't move. He stared between them for a moment, confused, they weren't moving, frankly they looked stupefied,"What?!" He demanded, eventually staring at SABENA again. Standing behind him, faced in the opposite direction, was the cloaked figure. The one they had glimpsed and never really seen. The figure that had been driving their imagination wild this entire time, and they never realized it. It was no less like a thousand sets of eyes that had watched them the entire day, and he to found himself frozen. Thy could not see its face, but they felt its eyes, a pale shadow beneath the hood staring back at them one-by-one as it turned slowly and placed a hand upon SABENA's shoulder. It was feminine, soft, peach flesh, perfect and unharmed. She stepped past the injured fellow and held out her other hand to the apparent commander,"Repent." She stated simply. It was like an arrow of light, it shot from her palm and struck the man like lightning, energy crackled over his armor and he fell back. There was no damage to the light steel plate, or his body, he got up as though bowled over by a hammer-blow. She turned, repeating the action, blasting each and every soldier that got too close until the very last fell, only to stand again. The soldiers looked confused, they seemed stunned at this sudden appearance, but more-over they looked. Different. So different, that one fell to his knees, hands over his face. He was. Crying. His sobs could be heard, even as the other soldiers tried hard not to do the same, tears forming in their eyes as the hooded figure turned to SABENA, silent, almost unmoving, her hand returning to his shoulder, whilst the other slowly pulled her hood away to reveal thewomanbeneath it,"Tell me where it hurts," She stated calmly, "A pain of the heart I cannot heal, although the darkness I can take away. A pain of the body I can remove, the damage I can repair." SABENA gave the men gathered around him a weary glare. He was ready to fight if he needed to. There was no hope in winning but if he was going to go down he was taking some of these suckers with him. Ignoring them he moved to defend himself as they go to grab him, but then he just sees them frozen. The looks on their faces must have mirrored his. Why weren't they attacking him? Not that he reallywantedthem to but that was what they had chased him for. The cloaked figure had startled him just as much as it had them. The woman had done something to them to make them stop. He watched with wide eyes as she struck them down with some sort of light, all of them. One by one they fell and SABENA couldn't have moved if he wanted to. He was mesmerized by the sight, they had even begun to cry. He stumbled back a bit falling over against a tree as she approached him. Furthermore, he was right to think it was a woman, wasn't as if he couldn't tell by her voice. SABENA just stared at her a moment. He was grateful that she'd saved him, but he was still kind of worried. She had struck those men down without mercy, obviously she carried a lot of power. Maybe she was a wizard like his brother had been trying to be. He hadn't seen Refile in a very long time. He hoped against hope that he was safe where ever he was. Shaking his head he focused on her words."Ah, I'm...alright." He mumbles suddenly feeling very fatigued. The adrenaline was slowly seeping from his body and he was very aware of how utterly tired he was after the battle. With a wince he presses his hand against the tree and stood slowly." I appreciate your help, but I think I will be fine. I must get back home." He bowed his head to her hand pressed against his side. Even saying so he would probably pass out half way there. The woman watched him brave his pains, an odd smile on her face, almost satisfied with what she saw as she reached over to place warm fingers on the side of his cheek, furthest from her so she could turn his head softly,"Please. You need not mistrust me." The woman replied, "I am. How to say it. Laird'the Ten Shaw'Gojek? No-no. In your tongue it is difficult to translate. Where I come from we are named with an idea, after moments of nature and ideals of the heart and soul. We do not take a singular label. Call me. Divinity.?" She went through the motions of picking her name by writing in the air, not that anything showed up. Shewasactually having a little difficulty with the language barrier. The woman withdrew her hand,"I cannot let you go anywhere, not in your condition. It is my obligation to see that you no longer feel pain, that you are uninjured and well." She looked about at the soldiers. So lost in their own misery and confusion were they that they had completely forgotten about chasing the young man, some were even hugging one another, mumbling apologies and crying for forgiveness, but they weren't sure yet what for, they seemed directionless. Almost pitiable." And it is my obligation to bless you. With gifts, you may not understand." Her piercing blue eyes returned to SABENA, "Please do not deny me. It would hurt me as deeply as the hurt these men now feel." SABENA sighed when she pressed a hand to his face. He really was tired. He only half heard her as he was trying to gather his thoughts. Furthermore, he was he to trust her, even though she said, even with what he saw. Furthermore, he didn't believe what people said anymore. Of course, she had just saved his life. If she wanted him dead she would have just killed him or let the other men do so. For all he knew they would go back to trying to kill him, and he didn't want to stick around and find out. Not to mention all of their actions were starting to worry him out a bit. He diverted his eyes glancing off into the distance. SABENA could not see his way back, but he knew which direction it was." I...do not care what you are..." He says running a hand over his face. "Friend or foe, I shall not wait here in this forest. If you really wish to help me, I must get home." He adjusted the fur shrugs covering his shoulders. They would damage and would not see another day, but he would keep it for later. Sighing heavily he continued down a mental path. He hoped the others had made it back. He wanted to take care of his people first. His wounds were minor, but he knew some of them had had to hobble off. They would not have made it this far is such a short time unless they found the others, or they were found by other soldiers." If you must help me... I would ask that you help the others first." He panted lightly leaning against a tree." I am fine but..."he wasn't sure if Colby had come back from his journey. And his son was no healer, Guides was a shipwright and his mother could only do so much. The woman remained serene, calm, she had expected about this much stubbornness. After all, he was only human. But her duty and obligation meant that she had to help him, after all, he was now under her protection, once she'd extended her hand and knocked the first soldier off their feet she'd tied her fate to SABENA. Perhaps foolish on her part, perhaps not. She placed a hand upon his shoulder once more, but it was strangely cold this time, but not the kind of cold that chilled some-one, that froze them, no it was a soothing, radiant cold, like the taste of mint, the crisp, refreshed feel. It coursed from her hand, throughout SABENA's body, washing away the ills, the pains, cleansing wounds and relieving him of some fatigue. She couldn't fully revitalize his body's lost energy, but she certainly could sacrifice a portion to return him to strength." If it makes you trust me." She turned around, looking at the forest, "I'll find who I can and bring them back to you. Go home, we will speak again." The woman raised her hood once more, staring about at the soldiers as they tried to recollect themselves. But they still seemed lost. The purpose they once had, washed away, they dared not even look over at SABENA, their hands never straying to their swords, not even as the woman walked amongst them. She looked over her shoulder one more time to SABENA with a smile, then down to the soldiers,"If you wish to do something of worth, then protect him on his way home and surrender yourselves." She ordered quite calmly and the men looked at her for a while before standing slowly one by one and picking up their swords, which they sheathed at their sides whilst they dried their faces some and looked to SABENA. These men were not-at-all the same as before. SABENA stopped startled by the feeling that had washed over him. He felt a bit better from whatever she had done. Refile could do similar things but when his brother acted as healer, it was hot almost searing. He said it was because he was still trying to get the spell right, and he only ever allowed himself to work on SABENA because SABENA only allowed himself to be a Guinea pig. Dropping his hand from his side he stood up straight glancing over his shoulder at the woman. She had instructed the men to follow him home. The thought brought a slight panic to him. If the others saw him being followed by the guard the people at the gate to Sonoma would fire on them. If they were really going to go with him, they would have to drop their weapons at the gate before the archers spot them. He'd instruct them to do so when he got there. He didn't really have any more fight in him to argue with the woman who was helping him, and she was offering to find his teammates. There were only three he knew would be headed home. Rue, Devonand Rufus. Rue was the first to slip into the forest. He blended in with the shadow better than the rest of them did. He would have made it back before any of them did. Rufus was the one who had been injured, so Devon had gone with him. She was half carrying him, his broken leg and a few ribs for sure. He sighed again. "I... Thank you." He mutters taking off towards his city. The woman smiled one last time at SABENA before disappearing into the forest again. Her presence moved and shifted throughout the trees, searching, seeking those associated with him. The intricacies of life were complex, the links and fingerprints of one's existence could be traced in any number of ways, but what concerned her most as she searched was the sense of companionship, friendship, the link that made two bonded people capable of fighting together, dying together. It was by far one of the strongest life-links she could trace, even through the murky darkness. In the forbidden forest where she had waited, long and silent for the right time, the time to serve him. Truth be told she'd never expected SABENA, she'd never known what to expect, but what she had expected was the feeling of who he was. The idea. That was what she recognized. There! She turned her gaze through the dark to a hobbling man, aided by a woman. She questioned herself sometimes, thinking back to her brief meeting with SABENA. Furthermore, she realized a fault of her own, her forwardness, a lack of consideration for the feelings of others. It was difficult to deal with them sometimes. These people. They could be so strange. Perhaps a less sudden approach would suffice more greatly. She wanted so much to be of help that she would forget herself. She stopped close tot hem, but not too close, perhaps a few ten meters ahead of them before stepping out from the shadows, hood down, her hand raised as a soft blue light hovered above her palm, bathing the surrounding area in its gentle touch, so that even the grass glowed with life, her other hand held out to them,"This way." The female spoke calmly, "SABENA sent me for you, I am.-" She hesitated, but only for a fraction of a moment, it was more than enough for her to pick an appropriate term, "-A healer. Of sorts." Devon looked up drawing her weapon. She glared as the woman walked out of the shadow of the trees. Rufus had passed out somewhere halfway through their journey, and she was still running on the high from the battle. Her heart was racing as they made it though the forest. Luckily SABENA had dragged them off into the forest after him and not then. She cursed Rue for not stopping to help, but he would be the first to inform the city of their failure and ready them if they needed to attack. Her eyes appraised the woman harshly, he grips on her friend tightening as she took a step back. You learn one thing and one thing only, never trust someone who says trust me. When she spoke it was with a thin accent reminiscent from her travels. And elvish speech mixed with diatonic." I don't know you from a spits-throw, why should I follow you, males?, "She says her eyes never blinking or moving. Not even to take in the glowing scenery around her. She had an injured man with her, and it would make it very difficult to fight in. But she would do it push come shove. Odd humans. So complicated, she'd tried to be more pre-cautious to her approach. Maybe she needed to work on it a little more, but it was a little too late for that as she just smiled at the woman, not budging an inch, even at the drawn weapon, she'd seen many weapons in her time, one more wouldn't be a bother,"I'd be surprised if you did know me. I certainly haven't introduced myself yet. Your friend needs help and SABENA awaits you both, my duty and obligation to him is more important than your misplaced distrust," She replied, looking about at the forest quietly, if this woman wasted too much time the soldiers would be attracted to their position, and she didn't want. Divinity again focused on them, wondering if she should try humor? Maybe that would work, it was worth a try at the very least,"If you would much rather I leave you here for the soldiers, I would have to decline your request." She added in an oddly dry manner, a smirk creeping on her face. She was a little disheartened to deal with some-one difficult but then, she also understood the mistrust for what it was, considering how things were going for them, the rebellion was at a disadvantage, and they needed something if they were going to compete against their enemies. She would give them that, with time. Devon sneered at the woman. Who did she think she was? Devon adjusted Rufus body over her shoulder. She had some nerve to put herself on such a pedestal. Well she wasn't having it. And herhumoras it was, did not help in the least. Devon fixed the woman with an idle glare before continuing onward. Misplaced distrust indeed. To take someone at their word one would have to be a fool or a child. And the woman did not look a child she had ever seen. What was it to say this was not a trap set up by those fools those soldiers. What guarantee did she have that she was sent by SABENA in the first place? Somewhere off in the distance SABENA sneezed. Well whatever the reason, Devon would not be made a fool. If she wanted joke that was her right, but she would not stand for it. As of right now this woman was her enemy. She thought herself so high and mighty to put herdutyas she put it over her caution. Devon walked past Divinity not even stopping to give her a fleeting glance. She stumbled before righting herself and continuing forward." Sister Devon please do not be angry." A voice sounded from above. Rues head poked out from the canopy his white blonde hair falling into his black eyes and tan face, which held a nervous grin." Do not be upset. I apologize forthwith that I was not here to intercept you." Rue turned his head to the other woman with a small nod. "Master SABENA has made it home safely, and he asks that you do not attack our allies." Devon breathed a sigh of relief to hear that SABENA had made it home, and she threw a glance over her shoulder motioning for Rue to come down. The thin six-foot tall male slipped down from the branch with practiced ease. His lanky form stood over Devon's diminutive height, and he slouched forward as the woman pushed Rufus at him." Take him home." She mutters angrily and rue nods before disappearing amongst the trees again." Damn him and his timing." She mutters through gritted teeth. "How sharper than the serpents tooth." The woman smiled as Devon walked past,, shifting her head when Rue came along, however she could only chuckle to herself, "To strike away the offered hand and clutch desperately to one's fear, masked and dressed to look like pride. Are these truly the ones he wanted me to serve?" She wondered aloud, shrugging her shoulders to herself and shaking her head, "Childish. Silly." She added and waved her hand, the glowing light dissipating, "I leave you to your solitude then, if a friend you do not seek, then a friend the darkness shall make of you." Her voice lingered, but she was gone. Her priority was SABENA, that man and the idea. There were many more people to protect there than this single fool in the woods. A pity though, to be so stubborn and difficult with her made things so much harder, she couldn't even perform a peaceful task, had she known humans would be so much more stubborn she would have taken it into account and prepared for it. Troublesome really. She didn't have time for immature, childish games, no time for it at all. She could feel the hands of fate shifting, every second that passed, so did they move, her task was to stop them, redirect them, give these people a chance at peace. Or risk their death, every last one. She couldn't allow this, not at all. Devon just growled as she made her way home. It didn't matter what that woman thought. She might not understand Devon's mistrust, but then most people who didn't know her we always left in the dark about it. Gingerly she ran a hand over her blind eye, tracing the scar down her neck and collarbone. She had made the too many times to trust anyone and only a few knew what for. Childish it may be but to her, it was all that was keeping her alive.---------------SABENA greeted Rue at the gate. He took Rufus into his mother's house, it was the first house you ran into as you came into the ruined city. The others were further down a hill that lead to a beach that lead into the ocean. Many buildings still stood, but they were old and some destroyed. SABENA always felt the anger bubble up as he watched his friends his people, his family go about their day. It was all they had to keep the imperial army at bay, but it had cost a lot. A lost of good people, good friends. SABENA clenched his fist leaning against the porch railing his eyes hard against the scene. Sometimes he couldn't even look at it, preferring to run off the cliffs and into the churning waters below like he did when he and SABENA were young. Letting the waves take him under and over, rolling over his head until he broke the surface. It was freedom falling through the air then being pulled and pushed by the ocean, under its ultimate control it was a lovely feeling. Behind him his mother walked out of the front door as he waited. She patted him on the shoulder kindly, leaning against his larger frame. "You did well." She mutters rubbing his shoulder reassuringly. Shazatook his hand and pulled him down onto the rocking chairs she had set out years ago. The small buxom woman didn't really look like much, but she was more just a mother than anything else. She had been a warrior in her day but since Berks had died she hadn't taken up her sword. She patted her sons hand and rocked gently in her chair. Now they waited for Devon and this healer that SABENA had mentioned. She wasn't certain about it but if SABENA trusted her she would let him have his way for now. What a strange sight. The woman looked at the half damaged city that SABENA had returned to. Her eyes cast about at the broken homes as she wondered silently through, the dark of the night did nothing to stop her seeing the ruined monoliths that were the wooden homes of those who suffered during the attack. It made sense. So many souls had come from this place, but they were a proud, strong people, certainly proud enough to fight for what was left of their city. Strength and pride are not enough this time.she thought to herself as she knelt down, grasping a child's doll and holding it up, its limp arms dangling back, button-eyes staring up at her almost desperately, wiry, woolen hair flopping to the side. She could feel the death of its owner in the palm of her hand, the last remnants of a child's fear. Her other hand reached up to brush dirt away from it, dust and muck sprinkling away, revealing the once-white cloth that made its 'skin', the rest bleached a less-than-pleasant yellow in the rays of the sun. Such a sad sight, incomplete, only partly itself, like this city. And while she could not heal an entire city like an open wound, she could protect it, give it a chance, like a body, to fight for itself, to rebuild and repair itself, with her between it and the harm that would seek to come to it once more. She vanished from between the broken houses, seeking SABENA once more, the key to her success lay with him, she needed what he was to do what she could do. And like a mirage she appeared in the street, a soft whirlwind of dust and light bringing her back to full form as she looked around quietly, hood still down so she could look more clearly on the people, and then to SABENA, her face turning to a smile only when looking towards him again,"I was a little less successful than I hoped. Please forgive me," She stated, looking over to Sheila. A stronger link there, than most others, certainly the bond of family, the cloaked woman placed her hands together, crossing them and kneeling politely, her head hung low, "And my intrusion," Sheila looked down at the woman and stood motioning for SABENA to sit. She took the three steps down the porch to stand before the seemingly young woman before her. She had learned over the years not to make assumptions. Furthermore, she knelt in front of the girl, lifting her head slightly. The woman stared her in the eyes for a few moments before taking Divinity's hand and leading her back up the steps." Well isn't she cute. You didn't say anything about how pretty she was. And she saved your butt I imagine. Ha, reminds me of your father." Shaza chuckled bringing the taller girl in through the front door. SABENA just stared after him mother before following them inside as well. "My names Sheila by the way." The small woman spoke, dragging the girl into the living room, a large open space made of cherry wood. It was set up like a mini hospital at the moment with a few people bustling about. "And you aren't intruding on a private moment. We were waiting for you and Devon, though I see you didn't bring her with you." Shaza turns on her sharply." If I find that she had come to harm or that you have left her for dead we'll have a serious problem." She said in a low voice but the small smile on her face never left. She glanced over the woman's shoulder at SABENA who glanced away sheepishly. Devon was one of his oldest friends. The half elf monk was just an orphan who lived in the city and Refile and him had made quick friends with her. Back then she didn't even look like a girl and even now sometimes when she wore her cloak she had such androgynous features that she just looked like an effeminate man. Not that her attitude suggest any different, she was as stubborn and rough and tumble as the rest of them. He supposed it didn't help that she was raised by their temple which only had male monks. Sheila gave her son a casting grin before letting go of Divinity's hand." Make yourself at home but don't get comfortable we have work to do." She calls over her shoulder. Kwabena dipped his head picking lightly at the bandages covering his shoulder and torso." I'm...sorry about that." He sighs standing in the archway that lead into the living room. His mother moved about pushing nervous looking youngster out of the way so she can help, all the while giving them instruction on what they were doing." She worries." "Sheila." Divinity repeated half quietly to herself, being lead into the room, her eyes shifted about amongst the people, there were certainly a few inquisitive glances. They weren't used to seeing some-one like her, certainly, except with a blade aimed toward them, or whatever the weapon of choice might be. Then came the subject of Devon, but the blue-eyed woman smiled simply,"If I had left her for dead I would know-" She pointed at her chest, "-In here... I can still feel those I have passed, her life energy remains." Her head shifted as she looked around in the room almost as if amazed, "Look about at this room, you see wounded, those who need tending to. But what I see is breathtaking, energy perhaps? Life itself, clinging to existence or restoring itself little-by-little, I see the color and the glow as though everyone here is a light. Do you also see it?" She turned her gaze back to SABENA and grinned gently,"She is not the only one who worries." The woman responded, looking around at the people as she focused on each one individually, drowning out the energy of the others in her minds eye. She followed Sheila kneeling by the one they were tending to, but she didn't grab tools or equipment, no bandages or medicine to aid in the process. Instead, she moved a hand, her right to be precise, and what followed in its wake could only be described as a ghost-trail of blue light, rising from below her arm, the sleeve of her cloak revealing the elegant, milk flesh as it then descended towards the injured party. As her fingers touched the wounded, a soft ripple of light spread from each fingertip, another larger one as her palm was placed down, lower abdomen now subject to the cooling touch, concentrated energy surging throughout the body to find the injuries, to root sickness and tear away the pain, leaving only peace and warmth to return,"I have no CIA'd'Rashad. Er no 'idea'? For your tongue, so as I told your SABENA; call me Divinity it was the only fitting idea I could come up with on short notice." They were more surprised than shocked by the woman. Most didn't want to help them. They were actually quite the mixed group. A high elf stood over Divinity shoulder as she worked. He was rather impressed by her skills. He tapped his staff against the ground, leaning on it as he chuckled." Well Sheila I am glad you found someone to help me." He chided her over the recovering patient. The woman gave a snorting laugh waving a hand at him dismissively."Oh, shut it you old codger. SABENA's the one who found her." She smirked up at he mans before stick her tongue out at him, causing him to laugh. The high elf was almost as tall as SABENA, his green eyes held an old wisdom and a fleck of amusement that never seemed to change. He had been Refile's first teacher. The old Elf wizard had lived in this town long before even Sheila was born, but that didn't make them any less than the friends they were. He was pale unlike his son who worked in the marina, with high cheek bones a thin goatee. He didn't look much like a wizard with his leather doublet and black leather pants, and he was more built than any elf any had come across." Woman, sometimes I wonder about you. Let your kids wonder around the world. I made mine stay home." He grinned back at her." What do ya want from me? You're the one who let Refile storm out of ya house the day he decided he wanted to be a more powerful wizard. I think you might have a rival." Sheila placed her hands on her wide hips. "Well, I'm looking forward to seeing what he comes up with. But I have been rude, introduce me to your new friend." He glanced down at the cloaked woman with a curious and almost piercing gaze. "Colby, Divinity, Divinity, Colby." Shaza introduced them moving onto another patient. Kwabena smiled softly as he watched them work. Another boy had walked over to him this one with pale red eyes and long black hair. He was walking around shirt less leaving his almost white chest bare, a tool belt hanging off of his hip and fingerless leather gloves. It left SABENA to shake his head at him, but he wrapped the kid in a hug. "SijamboKwabena!" The boy greeted him patting the taller male on the back. "Rambo Various." He took a step back and placed his hands on his shoulders. The boy wasn't really a boy at all, but he looked young. SABENA flicked the ring hanging from the top of Various' pointed ear." What are you doing all the way up here and away from Guides? I thought you guys were trying to finish the ship." He only responded with a fanged grin jabbing SABENA in the stomach." I heard you died." He laughed." Wondering if I could get a piece off ya before you were sent off to sea." Kwabena responded by laughing boastfully. Puffing out his chest. "What me? Of course not. I'll out live you if Guides catches you sneaking off again!" SABENA threw his arm over Various' shoulder and Various in turn locked his arms around SABENA's middle, sweeping his leg under the man and dropping the both to the ground, Various on his side. They rolled around a few times one trying to pin the other. All the while laughing." Boy, what'd I tell you about rough housin'?!" Sheila half shouts over the two. They stop looking up at her a moment. Before they both respond." Take it outside?" She nodded kicking the both of them out the back door, both rolling down the back steps into the backyard. She shook her head at the two as they continued to wrestle about. Colby threw his head back and laughed the woman throwing him an exasperated look. [Who's Colby?] Divinity looked back up at the Elf for a moment, but remained oddly silent, so far she'd always been one to talk. However she looked at Sheila and the way she related to him, they acted strangely normal. Elves were overly proud creatures, and she'd once had to deal with them a long time ago. But it wasn't something she wanted to say out loud. Perhaps the old hatreds had settled aside. But she didn't want to test her luck around him. The woman shifted away from the patient she'd helped and began to look around quietly, trying to search for the next injured party. She was prioritizing those with the greatest chances of dying, the rest were small injuries and sicknesses that could be taken care of with time. The woman weaved gently in between the people to another injured man, then another, one-by-one passing on the miraculous healing energy. Eventually, however, she stopped, standing by one young man she'd just helped, but her eyes were staring into the distance past the people in the room. She'd become almost statue-like, unmoving and quiet, however after a little while moved away, moving past Sheila and the elf, to find SABENA again,"The young men in the forest." She started simply, folding her hands behind her back as she tilted her head, "Where did you take them?" She asked, although it probably would have been easier to sense them she figured it would be better to do this on their terms. But those soldiers. She would need them. As much as magic could be a powerful tool, so could these soldiers be a powerful symbol. The woman couldn't use her magic to fight an entire war. Divinity wasn't that powerful, and even if she tried it would cost her greatly. She was already feeling the strain from today. Changing the hearts of those men, healing so many people. She didn't realize that she looked tired, but it was as she stood she felt a strange weakness and lost her stance, collapsing partially to the side and sitting down, a hand raising to her head,"Oh my. Let me just. Get my bearings." ((Apologies. ^^; I forgot to add his name to the post before. I have fixed it!)) Shaza placed a hand on her hip as she sighed, wiping her forehead. She glanced over towards the woman as the boys continued to roll about for a little." They are in the make shift jail we have set up." Sheila tells her offering the girl a pat on the shoulder. For all they were, there weren't cruel to others. This had at one point been pirate harbor after all. All kinds of life and forms came to live here, eat, here, shop here. It was a port after all. They had even had a few merfolks (as general as that was Sheila had never met all manner of them and had gotten in trouble at one point for making such a general assumption). They stopped just long enough to laugh at each other and SABENA winced gripping his shoulder lightly. Various punched him in the aching arm sticking his tongue out at the taller boy. "Pansy." He teased punching him in the shoulder a little harder this time. All the while they kept grinning."Oh, shut it. I didn't see you out on the battlefield today." "Yeah well you know Guides, gotta leave someone here in case they go for a frontal attack or come in from the ocean like last time." Various just shrugged haphazardly while SABENA nursed his now throbbing shoulder. He'd get the boy back for it later when he was feeling better. He had glanced up in just enough time to see Divinity nearly faint. SABENA stood using Various as a hand hold for a moment and ignoring the boys protest and glare. He looked to his mother curiously, and she motioned up the stairs to the many rooms they had." You must be tired." He said sympathetically with a smile. "I know the feeling. Come we probably both need the rest." He nodded matter-of-factly taking the woman's arm. Colby moved up besides Sheila. He placed a hand on her shoulder leaning on her slightly. He was much taller the five-four form, she didn't bat an eyelash at it, just shifting her hip so she could stand in a more comfortable position. "We appreciate your help. Rest up we'll have work in the morning to do." Without missing a beat Colby leaned down and swept his arms under Sheila's knees. With practiced ease he threw her own his shoulder with no manner of discomfort making sure her dress stayed down to preserve her modesty. Though it seemed she didn't appreciate the gesture. "See you in the morning." He nodded lightly with a grin as he went up the stairs ahead of them. Sheila bet at his back angrily a furious blush falling over her face." You Sonoma- put me down! You hear me, Colby you ass! Damn it. Put. Me. Down! Are you even listening?! Don't you even thing about smacking my-AH!"" Just makin' sure you sleep woman." A loud smack, laughter and a door closing could be heard as people went about their business." And that is my cue to leave." Various grinned lecherously poking the girl in the arm lightly and punching SABENA in the back. "Names Various by the way. I'll be seein' ya tomorrow." He winked at her as SABENA pushed him towards the front door. Of course, he had to just add to the stress of the day didn't he. SABENA just sighed tiredly because to him this was nothing new, but he looked towards Divinity just to see her reaction.

Deliverance, War of Peace [HC-Gal-x-Soturo Ayami]|rating:4.0

Heroes of Fallcrest

The people of Fall crest are celebrating the summer solstice and the streets of the town are crowded with cheerful people. Traders from all around the Center Vale are selling their goods, local nobles and religious leaders make speeches, and archery and knife throwing contests are held, and mock battles are staged. Later in the evening, the festivities continue in the Lowdown, where traveling performers display their skills: magic shows, juggling, sword dancing, music, comedy, fire eating...---IOC: Describe your character's actions during the day and evening. If you want, your character may also enter a contest or perform on the street to earn a few gold pieces. Make a relevant check to represent your character's success. Example: Your character enters an archery contest. Make a ranged attack roll to represent their success in the contest. Example: Your character entertains passers-by with tumbling and acrobatics. Make an Acrobatics check. Fallcrest map(I'll provide some info on the locations later...) Some info on Fall crest:Spoiler Hide A small town built from the ruins of a larger city, Fall crest is the crossroads of the Center Vale. Population: 1,350; another 900 or so live in the countryside within a few miles of the town. The people of Fall crest are mostly humans, halflings, and dwarves. No dragon born or Aladdin are permanent residents, but travelers of all races pass through on occasion. Government: The human noble Far Markedly is the Lord Warden (hereditary lord) of the town. He is in charge of the town’s justice, defense, and laws. The Lord Warden appoints a town council to look after routine commerce and public projects. Defense: The Fall crest Guard numbers sixty warriors (see the accompanying statistics block), who also serve as constables. Moonstone Keep is their barracks. The Lord Warden can call up 350 militias at need. Inns: Center Inn; Silver Unicorn. The Silver Unicorn is pricier and offers better service; the Center Inn sees a more interesting clientele. Taverns: Blue Moon Alehouse; Lucky Gnome Tap house; Center Inn taproom. Supplies: Half moon Trading House; Sander cot Provisioners. Temples: Temple of Era this; Moon song Temple (Jeanine); House of the Sun (Below). Fall crest’s Story Up until four centuries or so ago, the Moon Hills and the surrounding Center Vale were thinly settled borderlands, home to quarrelsome human hill-chieftains and remote realms of nonhumans such as dwarves and elves. Giants, Minotaur, orcs, ogres, and goblins plagued the area. Ruins such as those on the Gray Downs or the ring-forts atop the Old Hills date back to these days, as do stories of the hero Vendor and the dragon of the Center. With the rise of the empire of Neath to the south, human settlers began to move up the Center, establishing towns such as Restormel, Harken wold, and Winter haven. A Nathan hero named Amanda Markedly obtained a charter to build a keep at the portage of the Center Falls. She raised a simple tower at the site of Moonstone Keep three hundred ten years ago, and under its protection the town of Fall crest began to grow. Over the next two centuries, Fall crest grew into a small and prosperous city. It was a natural crossroads for trade, and the Markelhays ruled it well. When the empire of Neath began to crumble about a century ago, Fall crest continued to flourish—for a time. Ninety years ago, a fierce horde of orcs known as the Blood spears descended from the Stone march and swept over the vale. Fall crest’s army was defeated in a rash attempt to halt the Blood spears out on Bradbury Downs. The Blood spears burned and pillaged Fall crest and went on to wreak havoc all across the Center Vale. In the decades since the Blood spear War, Fall crest has struggled to reestablish itself. The town is a shadow of the former city; little trade passes up and down the river these days. The countryside for scores of miles around is dotted with abandoned homesteads and manors from the days of Neath. Once again the Center Vale is a thinly settled borderland where few folk live. This is a place in need of a few heroes. Yuri Yuri's troupe rolls into town amid a cheering and clapping crowd. Delighted to have a crowd to entertain, Yuri spends the day on the streets, doing card tricks and other "magic" for gold. Afterward he spends his time in the markets, scrounging for material components. Spoiler Hide Thievery roll for busking (1d20+6)[9] IOC: Yuri's dialog isDarkOrchid. Lankan wakes from his room at the Center Inn. He has been staying there for some time now. Though a quiet, slender elf, he tells stories of his travels, of his desert home, and of his battles to any who ask. He hopes to share that knowledge....and perhaps earn enough to pay for room and food from time to time. As expected by the townsfolk who know him, LAN enters the archery contest with his powerful longbow. After the contest, he spends some time in solitude, walking outside the town. Though not specifically looking for threats to the town, he keeps a watchful eye, not wanting harm to come to his temporary adopted home. He returns for the evenings festivities, Longbow always strung to his back, always within reach. Spoiler Hide Ranged ATT (1d20+7)[18] IOC: are we rolling in spoilers? LAN's dialog will be Green Yuri Having failed at his days work of busking (made worse when a hidden deck of cards falls from his sleeve), Yuri decides to put on magic show in the evening, the dusk backdrop highlighting his fireworks display. As the night draws on, he goes to find his troupe, but instead decides to spend a few hours at the closest tavern, preferring to get away from his chores for a while longer. A member of his troops mentioned the Center Inn, so he makes his way there. Spoiler Hide Magic Show (arcane) (1d20+12)[27] IOC: I assume we roll in spoilers since there's no dice thread and spoilers make the posts neater. And sorry for the extra tries for gold, Yuri's troupe would be mad if he has to borrow more money of them. Yuri only manages to get amused looks with his card tricks but no gold. However, his flashier magic tricks in the evening seem to fascinate and entertain the townspeople to no end. He earns 7 GP. A young boy approaches him after the show, saying "Wow! I've never seen anything like that before. Only dull card tricks and such. How did you..." but a man wearing fancy clothes, apparently the boy's father interrupts him "Come on already, don't bother the magicians! It's late, we shall be off to home now." Lan's archery skills seem to impress the spectators. An elderly sergeant watching the contest nods approvingly and says: "Damn fine shots, lad. An elf like you should consider joining the town guard, if ya think you got what it takes." Spoiler Hide IOC: Yes, let's roll in spoilers. I'll wait for the other three players to post before I announce the winner of the archery contest. Lands the other competitors take their shots, LAN leans casually on his longbow talking to the sergeant." You honor me Sergeant. While I want nothing more than the peace and security Fall crest enjoys now to remain, I fear I would not be a suitable addition to the Guard. I am here now, but for how long, I cannot say. I will return home one day, but there is much of the world I wish to see yet. That said, if any creature thinks Fall crest would make good prey, you can trust that my bow will fell more than one before it is over! Pandora Pandora sifted through the few outfits she'd brought with her, trying a few on in front of the mirror before putting them back in the armor. Finally, finding a suitable summer dress, and braiding a few daisies into her golden hair, she eagerly headed off to the free. Most of her day was spent wandering from booth to booth, playing games and cheering on others as they tossed rings over bottles, tossed tomatoes at jesters with their heads through wooden walls, and tossed back tall mugs of ale. Though she managed to keep her dress clean for most of the day, the greased pig contest looked like too much fun to pass up. Stepping in a line (filled mostly with farm boys), she waited her turn to chase after the squealing, grease-covered linker in the hopes of wrestling it to the ground. Spoiler Hide Athleticism check: (1d20+8)[28] [Apologies if this is a duplicate post -- my original post doesn't seem to have "stuck".] JakeAs the Solstice festival surges through the streets of Fall crest, Jake finds himself utterly in his element. Moving from tavern to tavern, he joins games of cards and of dice, cheating only when it's clear that the game is already rigged. Throughout the process, he keeps his eye open for the young noble or merchant's scion with the right combination of greed and gullibility to serve as the mark of a truly memorable con. As night approaches, the innumerable contests in the street begin to narrow down to a few more serious ones. Jake loses a few coins in a complicated wager involving a busking magician, then wins them back betting on an unknown even archer to defeat the local champions. Finally. He finds himself sizing up the competitors in a greased-pig competition. After a long pause to assess the talent, he announces his odds and begins taking bets from his fellow onlookers... Spoiler Hide I don't know how to work the Giant ITP dice roller. Storyteller, would you mind making a few rolls for me by hand? 1d20 + 9 Thievery, for the games where he tried to out cheat his opponents. 1d20 + 8 Bluff, for the games where he tried to out bluff them fair and square. 1d20 + 5 Insight, to decide who to back in the pig-catching competition. And by the way, I'd be grateful for a crash course in how to work the roller. Katharine Dragon born arrived the town just at the right moment. He was received with dances and festivals. He decided to rest after the journey and rest by tiring himself in the party. Bathar goes around from stand to stand, watching what many things the town has to offer and when he wanted to buy something, he finds out he's running low on cash. So, the Dragon born enters a contest he can win." Wrestling Match." He says grinning when he spots the announcement. He tries to put fear into his opponents first by displaying his strength, giving a strong roar and spitting acid to the ground before each match. I wanted to make sure he was dangerous. After this act, he would give it all in the match... Spoiler Hide Sorry for that, busy day. So, wrestling match.... That will make it an Intimidation check and a Strength check, right? Intimidate - (1d20+10)[24] Strength - (1d20+4)[15] When Pandora steps in the line, the other contestants give her amused looks. The old farmer who owns the pigs shakes his head and says: "Now there lass, ye sure ye want to get yer pretty summer dress dirty? Ahh, I don't want to sound mean, but ye see, better let the lads catch the sinkers." But Pandora insists on entering the contest and the old farmer just sighs and shrugs. "Ah well then, yer turn lass." More than a few jaws drop when Pandora catches the pig in less than 5 seconds and carries it back to the owner with relative ease. After the contest is over, the old farmer congratulates Pandora. "Well, it looks like... ye see... ye're the new champion! I don't know what yer secret is... but here's yer prize, lass!" He hands over a pig statuette. "The statuette's hollow ye see, I'll show ye how to open it. Have a look inside." Spoiler Hide Inside the statuette Pandora finds 5 GP. Jake tries his luck at Three Dragon Ante. The cards do not favor him this time, but he manages to pull elaborate bluffs and win even when his hand is worse. In the greased pig contest Jake picks the wrong guy - it turns out that the winner is the only female contestant, not one of the local boys. All in all, Jake earns 4 GP that day. The sergeant pats LAN on the back. "Looks like you're winning, elf. Only one more to go." The last contestant, a stranger from Winter haven surprises everyone by firing five flawless shots, hardly even stopping to aim between the shots. "Huh, didn't see that coming" says the sergeant to the equally perplexed elf. Bathar wrestles against three human wrestlers. He beats the first two wrestles easily, but the third one, a bald man nearly as tall as Bather, manages to pin him after 4 minutes. Bather earns 3 GP. It's almost midnight, but the festivities still continue in Lowdown. Many people have gathered to the Market Green (26 on the map) and it looks like a man is about to make a speech. He's climbed onto a stage that the performers used earlier this evening. The player characters are also near the Market Green." Dear friends, people of Fall crest and travelers alike, it is time for yet another spectacle. Please, gather around the stage, so everyone can see." Jake (After the pig contest)Jake's jaw dropped in disbelief at the stranger's record-breaking feat of pig-wrangling. It was worth losing the bet, he decided, just to see that performance...and to see the comically stunned expressions on the other onlookers' faces. Then he realized that he must look just as stupid as the rest of them, and quickly closed his mouth and collected his wits." She doesn't look like she's ever handled a pig in her life," he thought as the smiling young woman accepted her prize. Then it hit him: of course she hadn't shown up looking like she could win. She was running a con. His professional interest piqued, Jake scanned the crowd with an analytical eye. Who else was in on it? The farmer who had prepared the pigs, and had made a show of trying to talk the girl out of entering? Maybe...but in the wake of her performance, half the other contestants had already been poking and grabbing at the pig in question, and it seemed as spirited and elusive as any of the other animals. The gnarled old man who'd been taking bets was certainly one of her partners; that much was given. As far as Jake could remember, no one had bet on the harmless-looking blonde; the bookie must be walking away with ten times the actual contest prize. At least the cleaning bill for that dress won't be a problem, Jake reflected with a grin. The true sign of artistry, though, was that none of the marks who had lost money here were walking away angry. In fact, they were all hailing the girl as a minor hero. And an artist of that caliber must have more schemes running...it would be an interesting challenge to find out what they were. As the crowd slowly dispersed, Jake approached the winner, who still managed to look sunny and composed despite her greasy dress and the garish ceramic pig in her hands. "Hey," he said, with a shy grin. "I, uh, had to tell you, that was...well, I don't quite know the word for it. Astounding, would be a start."" I knew you would win," he lied, "but I'll be damned if I expected you to make it look that easy." Since she was in cahoots with the old bookie, she would know Jake had actually bet against her...but that would just help hide the fact that he was onto their game. "Can I buy you a drink?"(Later, in the market green)Another spectacle? Jake raises an eyebrow. With some of the things that had already gone on today, the man would have a tough act to follow...but might as well let him try. Along with the rest of the crowd, Jake drifts toward the stage to see what's going to happen next. Yuri Stumbling from the inn, Yuri makes his way back to his troupe. He falls in line with a couple of the local farmers boys, complaining about the fact some girl had beaten them at pig chasing. I would have loved to see that, he thought, lost in an idle fantasy. Not usually one to miss a crowd, Yuri is stunned as he walks straight into one, more specifically a large member of one. Falling back, Yuri utters a few choice curses in diatonic before realizing the man he'd bumped into was a dragon born. Picking himself up, he bows courtly and offers his apologies." Sorry if I have offended, I didn't see you there." He switches to common in the odd chance the dragon born doesn't speak diatonic."What's going on?" Spoiler Hide @Disorder- rolls are made using the [roll]ADY+Z[/roll]function Edit: forgot to buy drinks, spends 1gp Jake -- fixing character errors was just looking over Jake's character sheet, and I noticed that I botched the point buy; he has 23 points worth of abilities instead of 22. I think I forgot that the jump from 13 to 14 now costs an extra point. I'm going to lower his constitution to fix the error, and raise wisdom instead. (Probably fits his personality better anyway; despite his complete misreading of the Pandora situation, he's usually a perceptive guy.) I'll make all the relevant changes on his sheet, but I wanted you to know, Storyteller, in case you had already copied character stats to your own files. Spoiler Hide Thanks for the instructions on the die roller, Jokes. Trying it out here, just to make sure I understand how it works: [roll0] LAN"Perhaps that fellow is the man you want in the guard." Lan says to the old sergeant. He walks up to the winner of the Archery competition and offers his hand. Congratulations. Very fine shooting indeed. You must practice a great deal. I would be very interested in knowing your techniques, as I am always looking to increase my own skills, and I'm not ashamed to admit defeat Later in the evening returns to town to watch the evening festivities. He hears rumors of a woman defeating all the men in the pig catching competition. While they all seem astounded, LAN recalls the Even females of his own tribe in the desert, and is not at all surprised. Lan stands off to the side of the stage, a good bit back. His keen Even sight affords him a view from afar the humans cannot, and he is curious to allow them to get close. He leans on his bow casually, and awaits the spectacle he's been promised. Pandora[QUOTE=disorder;4482333]As the crowd slowly dispersed, Jake approached the winner, who still managed to look sunny and composed despite her greasy dress and the garish ceramic pig in her hands. "Hey," he said, with a shy grin. "I, uh, had to tell you, that was...well, I don't quite know the word for it. Astounding, would be a start."" I knew you would win," he lied, "but I'll be damned if I expected you to make it look that easy." Since she was in cahoots with the old bookie, she would know Jake had actually bet against her...but that would just help hide the fact that he was onto their game. "Can I buy you a drink?"[QUOTE]Coming closer Jake can make out that the woman is of partially even ancestry, her ears slightly longer and her facial features just slightly more finely cut than pure humans. She's talking and laughing with the locals when Jake approaches." No, you cannot buy me a drink!"she shoots back at Jake..." Not when I can buy you one." She punctuates this statement by holding the oversized white and pink glazed ceramic piggy bank above her head and shaking it noisily, the coins clanging around inside."DRINKS ON ME!"she yells out to the nearby crowd." I'M BUYING TILL THIS LITTLE PIGGY RUNS DRY!" If Jake joins her at the ale tent she'll continue the conversation there. Otherwise, most of the afternoon will be spent boozing it up and sharing drinking songs (she doesn't actually drink that much herself and mostly just enjoys the camaraderie).-5 GP... spending all her winnings on summer ale..... Later in the evening, with the crowds dwindling, she makes her way to the stage, still carrying the empty piggy bank with her. Finding a comfortable spot to settle in, she waits for the last event and hopes to find it exciting enough to ward off midnight's growing drowsiness lest she pass out unceremoniously on the free lawn. "Thanks. Can't turn down an offer like that," Jake says agreeably, and falls into step beside Pandora as she and a dozen others head toward the ale tent. "Name's Jake, by the way. It's an honor to be drinking with a champion." As the evening passes and the drinks flow, Jake continues to make light conversation with the enigmatic pig catcher, but he finds himself no closer to deducing what new scheme she's hatching. He's more convinced than ever, though, that she must be a master con artist. Spending her winnings on drinks was a smart move, if she wants to quickly build a name for herself. Not only were the jovial crowd members constantly retelling the Saga of the Greased Pigs to new arrivals, but everyone would remember that she kept no winnings for herself...unaware, of course, of her share of the bookie's take. Whatever her next game was, her quickly spreading reputation as a skilled and generous heroine of the festival must be a key first step. As the contents of the pig statue run low, other members of Pandora's boisterous contingent begin helping to pay. Jake stands a couple of rounds for the crowd, spending most of his winnings from the day's card game. He doesn't mind at all; it's well worth the expense to have a chance to crack this puzzle...and besides, he's having a great time.((Jake spends 3 GP on drinks, and continues to watch carefully for clues to Pandora's non-existent con game. At this rate, he's going to think the entire adventure is some elaborate ruse that she and the bookie designed.)) At the archery range Spoiler Hide "I am Will Anton of the Winter haven Rangers. I've earned my skills by shooting goblins and wild beasts in the environs of Winter haven. As a matter of fact, this is my first time here at the summer solstice festival of Fall crest. But I didn't come to celebrate; I have more important matters to address. Suffice to say, there's something brewing in Center Vale... the monsters have been restless in the past few months." Will's expression is grim, and he wipes sweat off his brow. "I have been here for a week and lord Markedly hasn't granted me an audience yet. I only hope nothing bad will happen in Winter haven while I am idling here..." Will looks at Lana gain "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worried by telling you all of this..." Will looks sadly at the golden arrow and pouch of silver coins he won from the contest "...but that is the reason I'm here, not the contest." Later in the evening The man continues his speech: "Hailing from lands beyond the Center Vale, the magnificent, LOUD, dazzling... bloody hell! Look out!" You look behind and see a carriage drawn by two horses moving fast towards the stage and crowd from the south. The driver appears to be dead or unconscious, and the horses are panicked and likely to crash straight into the crowd. You have two rounds to act before the carriage crashes into the crowd. The characters may want to organize the crowd so that they can get out of the way in time, stop the horses somehow, or do whatever seems appropriate. Use your skills, class features or powers - whatever works. If your character is not feeling particularly heroic today, he/she may just want to get out of the way (Acrobatics or Athletics DC 15 to push through the crowd and out of the way). The carriage is currently 20 squares (100 feet) from the edge of the crowd, and it moves 12 squares (60 feet) per round. Roll initiative! The carriage moves on initiative count 5 (modifier +1). If you beat its initiative, you may act immediately, regardless of whether you beat the initiative rolls of other players (just to speed up things). IOC:Here's the IOC thread for Heroes of Fall crest. Initiative=(1d20+1)[9]Yuri Yuri considers attacking the horses with a magic missile, but dismisses the idea as it comes to him. Not having much else to do, he starts directing people away from the clearing. He readies Ghost Sound (very loud yell "Halt") to use when the horses are at 10 squares away, to try and spook them to stop. Archery range Spoiler Hide "I am LAN. That is troubling news you bring with you. I briefly traveled through the vale. At the time, if memory serves me, there was calm...although I do recall some excitement with a pack of wolves. I had to hide my scent in mud and spend a day in a crevasse before they gave up the hunt!! Why has the Lord denied your request? Has your request reached his ears? While I have not met him during my short stay in Fall crest, I have heard him to be a good man. Have their been attacks against the townsfolk yet? When the wilds are not in balance, great calamities can occur. Perhaps our sergeant friend in the guard can assist you in gaining access to the Lord? I hear all new recruits are greeted by the Lord when they swear their oaths to Fall crest. LAN sees the cart heading for the audience and runs through his options in his mind. His first though is to use his bow to stop them in their tracks, but he cannot to such majestic, frightened creatures. He decides if he can get into the cart and grab control of the reigns, he can maneuver the creatures away. He runs towards them at full speed, and as soon as he's close enough, he will attempt to get onto the cart and control the horses. Spoiler Hide initiative: (1d20+5)[21] acrobatics to get on the cart and gain control: (1d20+10)[13] This is going to hurt when he makes that jump and misses!! Initiative roll:(1d20+1)[19] Pandora rushes towards the carriage, calling out to the civilians as she moves." Everyone to my left, run left. Everyone to my right, run right. Get out of the way of that carriage!" Minor Action: None Move Action: Move 6 squares closer to the carriage Standard Action: Diplomacy check to try to help the crowd calm down enough to escape in a more orderly fashion. Diplomacy Check result:(1d20+10)[18] As the barker launches his pitch, Jake leans back in the grass, reflecting on the night's events. The starry sky wheels slowly across his field of vision, reminding him that he's had one more round of ale than was strictly wise." Bloody hell! Look out!" The barker's shout startles Jake from his reverie. His first thought is instant: this must be the start of Pandora's next con. She is already on her feet, shouting commands and running toward..." Damn!" Jake leaps to his feet as well, adrenaline burning the haze from his brain as he sprints to intercept the careening cart. If this was part of Pandora's plan, or of anyone's, then something must have gone dangerously wrong... Actions:Jake will sprint toward the cart and, like LAN, will try to jump aboard and grab the reins. Looks like we might barely be able to do that in one round...eight-square run action (including the +2 speed for running), plus the cart's 12-square move to close the 20-square distance...then use the remaining standard action to jump aboard. If it is possible to do it this round, here's an acrobatics roll:Spoiler Hide Initiative: (d20+8)[11] Acrobatics: (d20+9)[11] LAN camp; Will Spoiler Hide "When they told me the third time that their Lord "has serious matters to attend to and cannot receive visitors for the time being" I thought about scaling the walls of the keep and finding out what's so important" will says with a laugh, "but when dealing with nobles, one has got to follow the etiquette" he says in a sarcastic tone. "I get the feeling that Winter haven is just too insignificant for them and because I'm not nobility, whatever I might say is not important. I hope I'm wrong." "People of Winter haven are used to goblin and kobold raids, and we can hold our own. It's just that the attacks have become more organized in the past few months, and it has been increasingly difficult to repel them. Inside the walls of Winter haven it's safe, but the King's Road is no longer safe to travel near Winter haven. It is also alarming that they have started kidnapping people." Round 1Both LAN and Jake ran towards the horses and tried to get aboard the carriage and grab the reins. But neither managed to jump into the driver's perch; they're now holding onto the side rail of the carriage, LAN on the left side and Jake on the right. It takes a move action and a DC 15 Athletics check to climb into the driver's bench and a standard action and a Nature check (DC unknown) to control the horses (handle animal). Logically, both of you may try to climb up but only one of you can try to control the horses. Lan and Jake notice small arrows jutting from the sides of the carriage, the driver's body and the hind quarters of one of the horses. Pandora also ran towards the carriage, calling out to the people to get out of the way in a more orderly fashion. Thanks to her efforts, most of the people manage to get out of the way in time, but there's still a few people near the stage who might get hurt. And to make things worse, the horses are racing headlong toward the stage... Suddenly, a very loud "HALT!" rings out in front of the horses. The poor animals are already scared witless and unfortunately, the loud sound only makes them even more frightened, if possible. Round 2 begins! Act in free order!IOC: Corinthian hasn't been posting in a while... I'll find out whether he's still interested. Yuri Rats, Yuri thought, we'd trained our horses to obey that... I hope those two can stop them better than I can. Not feeling like watching the people on stage being trampled, he runs towards them, yelling at them to get off the stage. As a last ditch effort, he readies a thunder wave in case the horses haven't been stopped. Spoiler Hide Man, I wish I'd prepared sleep today. I'm not really sure where the stage is in relation to the edge of the crowd, but Yuri uses his move to run to it. If the horses come within 3 squares of Yuri (and they are not under control), he unleashes a thunder wave, hoping that pushing them back will either stop them, turn them or give an extra round for the two brave souls to gain control. Diplomacy=(d20)[2] Thunder wave attack: horse 1 (d20+4)[13] horse 2 [roll]d20+4] (if one hits and one misses, I'm hoping it will cause one to be pushed back, turning the horses away from the stage. Yeah, I know I'm grasping at straws here...) Damage (1d6+4)[10] edit: I can't remember if you can add dice rolls after posting, so I'll fix the horse 2 roll in the IOC thread. (rolled a 7) Pandora Pandora leaps to the side as the carriage thunders by, screaming at the driver to wake up in the hopes that he still has some life left in him." Wake up!! You can pull through this!! We need you to help get your horses under control!! Move action: Move up to 6 squares to get alongside the wagon as it passes. Minor action: Use "Inspiring Word" Warlord encounter power on the carriage driver (hopefully he's unconscious and not dead). Allows the target to spend a healing surge and gain 1d6 HP in addition to the healing granted by their healing surge. 5 square range (she should be within that now). Seeing more people still in the path of the carriage, frozen in fear, she calls out to them." There's still time everyone, please get out of the way! You still have time to move!" Standard Action: Diplomacy check:(1d20+10)[11]((yeah, that'd be a failure on the diplomacy check, haha)) LanArcherySpoiler Hide Knowledge Nature (creature) check on kobolds and goblins. Have they been known to work together, or perform kidnappings? Kobold: (1d20+10)[20] Goblin: (1d20+10)[11] "That is troubling news indeed Will. I have not heard of any urgent news in Fall crest that might prevent the Lord from speaking with you. Something doesn't seem right about that. How much longer can you afford to wait in town before you must return? Perhaps there is some way to get your message across. I am certainly willing to help. LAN sees the other man attempt the same feat he did, and end with the same result!" They came under attack!! I will attempt to get into the driver's seat and control the horses. If I fail, can you reach the reign of the horse running along on your side of the cart, and give it a good pull? That should at least turn the horses away from the stage." Spoiler Hide Move action: Athletics: (1d20)[6] Std action: Nature (handle animal): (1d20+10)[21] Some games, you roll the dice, some games, the dice roll you! "Right," Jake calls back. The thunder of hoofbeats and rattling carriage hardware kept him from catching all the stranger's words, but he thinks he's understood the gist of the plan. He also detected an even accent, and he fervently hopes that elves are as skilled with animals as their reputation holds. With a jarring bang and a sideways lurch, the cart crashes across some deep rut or sinkhole in the earth. Jake scrabbles to keep his grip, legs scrabbling wildly over empty space. His foot touches the whirring spokes of the nearest wheel, and hobnails scream in brief protest as the heel of his boot rips away. Trying not to think about what would have happened had his foot moved an inch further into the spokes, Jake shifts his grip on the railing, and makes another desperate try to heave himself onto the cart. Actions:Jake will take his move action to try another acrobatics check, in hopes of getting onto the cart. If he and LAN both get aboard, he'll let the elf handle the horses, while he does his best to disentangle the reins or otherwise lend a hand. (Using his nature check in "Aid Another" mode; if he scores a 10 or better, he can give a +2 bonuses to LAN's check.) If Jake makes it aboard, but LAN does not, he'll try to control the horses himself. If neither of them get onto the cart, l Jake will use an action point to gain another move action, and try again. (Unless the first roll was so bad that he fell off the cart altogether.) Only if this still fails will he make a last-ditch try to reach the reins, or anything else attached to a horse, from the side of the cart where he's hanging. Throughout this plan, if Jake fails any roll but is still in a position to try it again if he had an extra move or standard action, he'll spend an action point and try again. If everything fails and a wreck is inevitable, Jake will try to jump clear of the cart at the last instant, while yelling for LAN to do the same. (If he needs an action point for this extra move, and if he still has one available, he'll use it here.) Now, the rolls:Spoiler Hide Acrobatics Check: [roll0] Nature Check (either to aid LAN, or to try control the horses himself if necessary): [roll1] Another d20 roll, if he uses an action point to try something again: [roll2] All right, something went wrong with those rolls. Let's try this again:Spoiler Hide Acrobatics roll: (1d20+9)[20] Nature roll (to aid LAN, or if necessary, to try to control the horses himself): (1d20+1)[18] Extra d20 roll, if needed because he spends an action point to gain another try at something: (1d20)[20] Yuri prepares to cast a spell that hopefully will stop or even slow down the horses if everything else fails. Lan starts climbing from an awkward position, hanging onto the side rail with both hands and trying to find footholds. Just as he is reaching for the driver's seat, he hears the enigmatic pig catcher champion calling out to the driver. The driver's eyes pop open, and he instinctively recoils and pushes LAN's hand away when he sees it reaching for the seat. LAN falls and the rear wheel of the carriage hits his elbow ((2d10)[16]damage). Jake manages to grab the reigns and alert the driver of the impending danger. The two work together to steer the horses away from the stage and make the horses stop running. As soon as the townspeople notice they're no longer in danger, they start gathering again to the market green. One of them notices Jake next to the driver "Look it's Jake! He bought us drinks when we were celebrating the pig catcher lass! He saved our lives! Jake! Jake! Jake! Jake!..." Soon dozens of people join the chant. The town of Fall crest has a new hero. The driver's in pretty bad shape. He seems to be in severe pain and is barely able to speak. He thanks Jake in a weak voice. One of the doors of the carriage opens slightly. "Isis it safe to now? Angus! Angus? Are you all right?" Spoiler Hide Jake had to use an action point because I asked for an Athletics check and your roll would not have been enough, but the second roll you got from the extra action was good enough to climb into the driver's seat. Lankan slowly rises and begins dusting himself off. He looks at his bruised and battered elbow. Will he ever fire his bow again? Slowly, he begins to walk back towards the crowd, all chanting Jake's name. Never being one who was concerned about credit for his actions, LAN walks up to Jake and offers his good hand." Thank you for saving them. I am LAN, and I am off to find a healer!" Jake could see the sincerity in the thanks offered by LAN. With that, he heads towards the local temple. Slowly. Stretching his elbow as he hobbles. Yuri Yuri breathes a sigh of relief as he lets his spell fizzle into the ether. After a moment of stunned silence, the crowd behind him begins to cheer. Overjoyed, he starts to turn around and bow (more of habit than anything), before he notices the crowd are cheering on the man on the carriage. Instead, he lets the crowd rush past him toward the carriage. His heart was pounding fast. He'd never been so excited in all his life. He could only imagine what it was like for those lads who had leapt onto a moving carriage! Pulling himself together, he makes his way over to the cheering crowd. One of the fellows, the one that fell from the carriage, walks toward him, holding his elbow." Ho, wow, are you hurt? That was some fall!" He shrugs,"I'd offer my hand, but you seem to be needing both." He bows deeply. "I am Yuri, and anyone who can try a stunt like that, regardless of success, is welcome at our troupes fire any time. Shame we have no healer at the moment so I had best let you on your way and get that healed." He lets the man pass and continues toward the carriage. Jake winces at the sound of voices shouting his name. In his line of work, a degree of anonymity is vital; when too many people know your face, it's time to move on. Of course, most of the shouting mobs he's encountered in the past have been much less friendly than this crowd...but still, this feels dangerous." Hey, no, it was this fellow who stopped the horses," he shouts, indicating the driver. "And he did it while shot full of arrows! Can we get a healer over here? He's still losing blood!" He crouches down next to the wounded driver. "You did great back there, buddy. Now take it easy; they're bringing you help." Originally Posted by green stave Lankan walks up to Jake and offers his good hand. "Thank you for saving them. I am LAN, and I am off to find a healer!" Jake could see the sincerity in the thanks offered by LAN. Jake reaches over and shakes the proffered hand, recognizing the voice of the other man from the carriage. "I'm Jake. Glad to see you're still in one piece. But why don't you stay here; they'll bring a healer for the driver any moment." At least, I hope they will, he adds quietly to himself, scanning the scene to see if anyone has made progress toward finding a medic. LAN"Thank you, Yuri. I am LAN, and your offer is most generous!" Lan looks at Jake as he speaks, and back o Yuri." The man makes a good point. I will be OK though. Get the driver some assistance. I can wait. Maybe I'll just sit down here for a while.... Lan's voice trails off as he sits and waits, watching the surrounding spectacle unfold." They promised us a show, and I have to say, they delivered! He looks up and says to the two men. A young, well-dressed man steps out of the carriage, the door slamming shut loudly behind him. "Angus! You had better have a good explanation! What on earth..." the man looks around, notices the arrows, the onlookers, the injured elf and the driver, Angus. "Guards! Where are my guards?" He walks over to Jake and Angus and notices that his driver is in no shape to tell him what happened. He asks Jake "can you help him?" but it sounds more like a command than request. "Let's get him to the temple of Era this, I have some friends there." (see 13 on the map)He looks at Jake "Can you drive? I'll pay you 5 silver pieces." Spoiler Hide IOC: There are other temples in Fall crest. If your deity is one of those listed below, you know the location of the temple. 10: House of the Sun (Below, Word and Bahamas) 16: Moon song Temple (Jeanine, Corell on, Elora and Amanda) Green stave: see the IOC thread for knowledge check results Jake:"Sure I can drive a cart," Jake answers. "On those switchbacks up the bluff, at night, with scared horses -- and an arrow sticking out of one of them? Not so sure." He scans the milling crowd of onlookers again, then cups his hands to his mouth and shouts above the excited hubbub of conversation: "Has anyone gone to find this man a healer?"((IOC: If it looks like a healer is on the way, Jake will ask for help moving the driver to the ground and making him comfortable. If not, he'll suggest detaching the unwounded horse from the cart, and sending one rider up the hill to the temple to bring back help. Even with the round trip, it should be faster than trying to maneuver the carriage up the bluff in the dark. He'll offer to go himself, or defer to anyone else who is a better rider.))" Who attacked you, anyway -- and how far back?" he asks the carriage owner as they work on the agreed tasks. "Is the town in danger?" Yuri Yuri grabs a small boy from the crowd." Quick, run up to the Moon song temple and fetch a healer." He pulls a copper piece from behind the boys ear and gives it to him." You get another when you get back." Pandora The half-elf looks on with relief as Jake and the driver are able to get the carriage under control leaving the townsfolk unharmed. Spying the man who fell off cradling his bruised arm and looking for a healer she approaches him." Looks like that wagon was a bit tougher to hold on to then the greased pig. It was brave of you to try though, there were a lot of people who might've been killed if you hadn't." The soothing and admirable tone with which she speaks is somehow inspirational, and Yuri finds his arm perhaps just needs some more stretching than anything else. ((2nd use of inspiring word twice-per-encounter power. Yuri can spend a healing surge and regain 1d6 additional to the surge value))." It sounds like that noble has some connections at the Temple of Era this. If the driver's in need of some true healing maybe we should escort them just in case whoever attacked them tries to finish the job." The boy runs to the temple and a healer arrives a few minutes later. He heals the driver and casts a Healing Word on LAN (you may spend a healing surge and regain an additional 1d6 hp). The healer speaks to the young noble: "Master Markedly, are there others who are injured and in need of healing?" The noble shrugs but the driver stands up, looking better now, and replies: "It was an ambush. They attacked us half a mile from here, down the south road. I didn't see the attackers, but a volley of arrows killed the guards outright. I was lucky to escape... but no, I don't think anyone else was injured."IOC: sorry about the delay! Furthermore, I'll try to post more often :) Yuri As the healer arrives, Yuri hands over the promised copper piece to the boy and follows the healer to the carriage. "Are bandits common in the area? My troupe is planning on heading out that way in a few days." Anarchy range Spoiler Hide Goblins AND Kobolds together? They hate each other. They would never work together unless they've been forced to. What could force those two to work together. And kidnappings? These creatures are purely chaotic. They loot, and pillage. I've never heard of them taking hostages, especially not alive. We have to get this knowledge to the Lord. He must know about this. After the festival, I will go with you to seek an audience. I admit I have no special treatment here, but perhaps word of an even archer in town has reached his ears. LAN looks at the lady and laughs along with her. I guess I don't know my own strength. I thought it was more! Thank you for your kind words."he says to her. Then he walks over the Lord and joins the crowd, still shaking off the pain from his elbow Lord Markedly, I am LAN, a traveler to your town. Did you see who it was that attacked you? I met a man today from Winter haven who says there have been many attacks to the North. He did not think they had traveled this far South yet. Lan looks around, to see if he can spot Will through all this commotion. Spoiler Hide IOC: Do the two extra +1d6's stack when I spend my healing surge? One from the healer and one from Pandora? ((assuming that Jake learned Pandora's name at some point during all the rounds of celebratory drinks))Jake looks up at the sound of Pandora's voice and smiles. "Pandora! Glad to see you again." He had still been half-wondering if this was all an elaborate distraction on her part, while she slipped away to pull some heist...but the driver's wounds are very real. If this is really a troupe of con-artists, he reflects, then Angus is willing to make impressive sacrifices for his art. Jake's smile only broadens at Lord Markedly's casual disregard for his dead or injured retainers. This loathsome little man was born to be swindled. Just need to watch him for a little while, learn his weaknesses, then design a fittingly humiliating and profitable con. Of course, Jake reflects, it would put a real crimp in his plans if the town were overrun by brigands. He pulls a few arrows from the side of the carriage and hands them, fletching first, to LAN. "Do you recognize the style of these arrows?" he asks, looking around to also extend the question to Yuri, Pandora, Angus, and even the young nobleman. The young noble laughs "Lord Markedly...? That would be my father. I see you're not from Fall crest, elf."" Bandits, yes I've heard stories of bandits attacking merchants. But within half a mile from the town..." Angus shakes his head. Lan inspects the arrows. The shafts are unusually short. Why would bandits use such short arrows?IOC: Unfortunately, the extra 1d6s do not stack. LAN may spend two healing surges and get +1d6 on each. Yuri"If there is any hint of danger to my troupe, I suggest we investigate." He looks at the group arranged around the carriage, trying to avoid any puzzled stares." For the good of the town too, of course." He prefers not to mention that he enjoyed the adrenaline rush earlier. LAN"My apologies, young Prince." Lan bows deeply as he apologizes, believing he is getting a good impression of the young prince's thoughts towards him, and likely all commoners. Lan inspects the arrows in the side of the cart." These arrow shafts are short. They certainly were not fired from any normal bow. The short shaft suggests they are designed to fire from some small bow like weapon, possibly hidden, and only for short ranges. They must have been close to the cart when they fired. That, or they have some magical properties that I cannot discern. Lan hangs on to one of the arrow heads, and then turns to regard the driver and the prince"Are you sure you saw nothing of the bandits, driver? Where were you heading back from? Prince, is there any way you can grant me an audience with your father? I've heard news he would do well to hear himself. Yuri"Magical properties?" Yuri raises an eyebrow,"I somehow doubt these are, but if the bows were, maybe a trace of magic rubbed onto the arrows." He pulls an arrow from the carriage and inspects it, turning the arrow slowly in his hands. Spoiler Hide Arcane (1d20+12)[13] edit: and I know the answer already :(The noble is talking to himself "Great! Now I need new guards. Good guards are hard to find." Meanwhile, Angus is discussing the possibility of investigating like Yuri suggested, but the noble seems uninterested or just isn't listening. Angus scratches his chin and says "There's a dwarf smith here - cannot remember his name - whom I've overheard talking about bandits. It might be a good idea to talk to him first." The arrows seem otherwise normal, but they've just sized for a smaller person than regular bandits. Halflings maybe... or kobolds, goblins? Yuri"A blacksmith, huh?" Yuri yawns and stretches." As important as all this is, it is getting late. I think we should start our investigations tomorrow." He nods to Angus, "If you are going towards the north gate, would it be too much to ask for a ride?" "Aye. A ride?" Angus casts a sideways glance at his master who is frowning." Of course Yuri." He looks at Pandora, LAN and Jake. "Hop in if you need a ride."IOC:Angus takes you to the Center Inn (unless someone wants to spend the night elsewhere). He talks to the proprietor, a half-elf named Randi Memoir, and a minute later he tells you that as a thanks for your help, he has taken care of the payment. Below you can see more info on the locations in Fall crest. Randi the innkeeper knows a great deal about the town, so it's useful to ask him if you want to know more about the key locations marked on the map. You may also continue the conversation with Angus. The map.1. Tower of Waiting2. Upper Quays3. Five-Arch Bridge4. Center Inn5. Knight's Gate6. Silver Unicorn Inn7. Half moon Trading House8. Moonstone Keep9. The Tombwood10. House of the Sun11. House Azaer12. The Center Falls13. Temple of Erathis14. The Bluffs15. The Catacombs16. Moon song Temple17. Fall crest Stables18. Wizard's Gate19. Neruda's Imports20. Mammoth Estate21. Moon wash Falls22. Sept arch's Tower23. Blue Moon Alehouse24. Teleostean's Arms25. King's Gate26. Market Green27. Sander cot Provisioners28. Lucky Gnome Taphouse29. Lower Quays Yuri Yuri accepts the generous hospitality and stay at the Center the night. He first decides to get question the Innkeeper." I was told that a Dwarves smith might know something about the bandits, do you know where I can find him?" He also asks about Lord Markedly. After which he tries to convince many of the patrons to buy rounds for the heroes. Spoiler Hide Diplomacy (1d20+0)[12] Originally Posted by storyteller "Aye. A ride?" Angus casts a sideways glance at his master who is frowning. "Of course Yuri." He looks at Pandora, LAN and Jake. "Hop in if you need a ride." Jake hesitates for a moment, trying to sort out exactly what is going on. This sequence of events seems far too surreal to be anything but an elaborate setup...but he's no longer sure at all who are the players, and who is being played. The harder he tries to tie together all the threads, the more tangled his thoughts become...and as the adrenaline rush of the chase fades, his head is beginning to spin faintly again from the night's drinking. Ah, well. Whatever happens next is bound to be interesting; may as well play along." I'm in," Jake responds with a grin, and climbs on board the cart. "By the way," he adds, turning to Yuri, "we haven't exactly met, but I did catch your name. I'm Jake. That was a damned impressive fireworks display you put on earlier."(Later, at the Inn)As long as Yuri, Pandora, and LAN are still talking in the barroom, Jake will stay up chatting amiably with them, trying to learn what he can about their characters and guess their intentions. In the morning, he'll accompany the others to the blacksmith, or on any other missions of inquiry they suggest.

Heroes of Fallcrest|rating:4.0

Evil Overlords_

Yeah, yeah, I know. This is me going against everything I just ranted about. Oh, well. I need to write, and I think this idea's at least moderate. Anyway, here's the pitch:How about finally playing on the other side of the spectrum? How about finally being your own boss, morals firmly under your own control? Well, become an Evil Overlord! In this thread, characters will take the roles of competing Evil Overlords (or their slightly less evil lackeys) and attempt to Take Over/Destroy the World! Or, you can be those be damned goody-goodies and try to shut us down. If you're interested, post and tell me 1) Character description, 2) Faction, 3) Type of Evil Overlord(Super-villain; Evil Genius; etc.) or lackey(#2; mercenary; nameless, faceless ground troop; etc., and if he's/she's conquered one 4) Nation. Feel free to include character's level of technology (modern, futuristic, extremely futuristic, ancient). My Character:Name: The Unstoppable Type of Evil Overlord: SupervillainFaction: The Black Claw Height: 8'3; Weight: 425 lbs. Eyes: Golden Powers: Super Strength; Incredible Endurance, Stamina; Genius Suit: Close-fitting adamantine armor fitted all over body, except face. Loose Chain mail all over face, covering everything but eyes. Level of Technology: Futuristic Nation: Japan Description: Abused as a child, he grew up Jason Wagner, a friendless kid who excelled at everything he did, planning on using success to get back at all his childhood acquaintances. He grew up, went to West Point, graduated top of his class, and promptly left the country, moving to Japan, where he studied advanced chemistry. After over 60 years of research, the 80-year-old had finished his product! He injected himself full of it, and as his body began to change and writhe, he knocked the rest of it down. As it hit the ground, it ignited, burning the research. However, the fire did not consume Jason's body, just his mind and soul. He walked from the ashes of his laboratory a hulking figure of a man, muscles rippling all across him, suddenly able to understand more and more as the capacity of his brain moved from 10% to 60%. He was instantly restored to a 22-year-old, and has since managed to shut down his age-genes. However, his face was horribly altered by the pain of his ascendance. Now, he always wears a mask of chain mail to cover himself, and his eyes blaze from his enlightenment. After striking back at his old enemies, he started the Black Claw Organization in Japan. As the Triad felt its old territory being encroached upon, it was already too late. The Black Claw had struck, sleeper agents eliminating the leaders of the Triad and absorbing it. What followed was five years of war as the Black Claw assimilated very criminal organization in Japan, from the largest syndicates to the lowest gangs. Then, fully built up, The Black Claw lashed out, crushing Japan's defenses and quickly taking the government. Now, The Unstoppable, as he has renamed himself, rules all of Totalitarian Japan, and as he sees his new power, he yearns for even more. So even as the fires roar below his castle, and lawlessness rules the day, he gazes ever westward, ever towards the mainland, conquest, and power. Here is an idea for my character. What do you think? My Character:Name: KhirtaSex: Female Type of Evil Overlord: Evil Assassin...a real loner and easy to buy Age: 18Height: 5' 7"Weight: 150 lbs...slim but curvy Eyes: Sapphire Hair: Waist-long wavy black hair Powers: Extensive knowledge in weapons, martial arts, explosives, computer hacker, street smarts Clothes: Black cotton dress that is form fitting from neck to waist then hangs heavy and close to the legs with slits easy to move and attack in and covered with black duster Level of Technology: Which ever comes her way Nation: None...is a wanderer Description: Orphaned at ten in Canada. Father was a computer specialist and mother was an American in the US Marines. After their deaths she was taken in by the American government and trained to be an assassin. After several missions in her early teens, she discovered her contempt for America and is plotting several ways to eventually destroy the United States Government. She is currently second in a flat in Belgium. She can only be contacted through the email address Dark Assassin_13. Name:September FairchildGender:Mileage:27Type:Corporate Raider Faction:Paradigm Corporation Description:Height:5'11"Weight:200 Eyes:Greenware:Neatly combed brown hair Abilities:A childhood prodigy, September has an IQ incalculable by standard means. His genius combined with his photographic memory has allowed him to master the applied sciences and memorize the entirety of recorded history, his ability to track the market and predict trends is unrivaled. He has also developed his body with a strict regime of exercise, diet, and chemo-therapy. Wardrobe:September's wardrobe is dominated by custom tailored double-breasted suits, but he will wear whatever he pleases. Technology:Bleeding Edge Futuristic Nation:The United States of America Description:Born to wealth and privilege, September was to be the greatest scion of the enable Mayflower family known as Fairchild. He was named by his father who looked upon the newborn child and saw an autumn person. His genius was apart from an early age when he began to spell out sentences with blocks before he could even speak. He was given multiple aptitude, intelligence, and psychological tests which concluded that any schooling prior to college would be a waste of time so he was admitted to the Harvard School of Business at the age of 5. Although he amassed enough credits to graduate inside two years he remained for the full four years in which he voraciously read every book available to him. He was only ten years old when he cut the ribbon outside the door to the monolithic Paradigm Corporation Tower in Boston. Seventeen years later he has effectively gained control of the nation. Through an extensive web of shadow, dummy, and advisor companies he has gained a monopoly on every industry in the states including the media. With his clout he has directed the three branches of the Republic to institute changes to his liking and has used the media to great effect, creating great public support for his ideas. He thus rules America from the shadows, allowing the people to have their elections. Although he has done nothing to strip people of their rights he has removed all options other than leaving the country. Although he is more interested in the economy and keeping things orderly, he recognizes the growing threat represented by The Black Claw. While tyrants and dictators would not bother him ordinarily, September is taking a castle wreathed in flames as a definitebadsign. He will crush whoever threatens "free enterprise" and "democracy", it's a simple matter of telling the president where to send the troops, armed of course with his advanced technology... IOC: I'll start the actual IC part now. If anyone else feels like joining, they should just post their character's bio and jump in. Well, here we go.IC: The Unstoppable sat atop his throne, turning over the still-bloody skull in one hand. With a grunt, he crushed it, littering pieces everywhere. He was hearing some extremely disturbing news. It seemed that the United States was massing for war. As he sat there and contemplated, ideas and plans branching out in all directions. He pulled out his cell phone from a pocket. "It's me. I've got some orders for you. Put simply, I need you to make a trip to the U.S. I need some business take care of there. I want the government appeased. Furthermore, I see war clouds on the horizon, but we're not ready. Now, snap to it," he ordered his envoy. Immediately after he hung up the phone, he pulled free his laptop. Setting up the satellite connection, his blazing T9 connected him instantly. He opened up the mail. In the name field, he typed in an old contact, DarkAssassin13. Into the field, he wrote, "My castle. Unlimited funds. All resources. Details discussed later. For old time's sake". Satisfied, he shut the laptop down and moved it aside. He leaned back in his throne and smiled. Finding a fault in how a guard stood at attention, he called for members of his harem, food and wine. He then promptly began to explain to the guard how to correctly do it. Then, as his entertainment for the evening arrived, he went back to his throne, reclining and smiling. He would make sure that he was indeed prepared when the war clouds arrived. Thirty:While in her flat in Belgium preparing her favorite dish Froot Loops in a black tank top and thong, she noticed a beeping penetrating through her Nine-Inch Nails music from her desk." Man which is it now, I just put the milk in." She snatched up her laptop and opened her email. She had a new buyer. Furthermore, she quickly picked up the bowl of cereal and opened the email. Furthermore, she grinned at the few words written and began to reply. She typed: Sure thing. Be at Castle tonight. ASAP. See you then, for old time sake."God, I haven't had a job in a month this is great. I wonder who I get to demolish now," she paused for a second. "I need to lay of the Jackie Chan movies. She put on her ear phones blasting Metallica and sent off the email and set up her trip all on the web. She loved having a Swiss Bank account. IOC:Just wanted to say I am so excited we finally started boohoo! September's eyes darted around, the wall before him was a giant screen, partitioned into smaller screens each of which was playing a news channel or a stock ticker. It was morning absorption time, when he learned of everything that was going on that morning. Really it was an extension of evening absorption time when news was fed to him subliminally while he slept. His hands danced across his keyboard in the typical Buy/Sell dance. His left eye glanced towards a smaller screen at the corner which displayed his agenda, it was 7:04:30, half a minute away from his first appointment of the day. As the clock struck 7:05:02 the door was opened by his secretary and some representatives from Ortega Motors came in with their presentation. They were one second late, it was forgivable though. Their presentation went well enough, as expected. He had ushered in the latest retro style, cars that looked like those from the 50s equipped with the latest technology. The Pride is Back! That was catchphrase these days. All over America they were feeling it too. Proud people spend money, keeps the wheels turning. With domestic products dominating the market and with a healthy percentage of exports it did not seem likely that any tyrant worth his salt would want trouble, it would be bad for business.7:14:50"Miss Jennings, please show these gentlemen out and show Senator Tenenbaum in." It would indeed be a typical morning. IOC:Stupid Question Time. Is there a specific order we have to go in? IOC:Nope, not really.IC: Muskie Kari walked into the Oval Office, sitting down unbidden in a chair opposite the President's. "Mr. President, let's dispense with formalities and get right down to business. Frankly, the Black Claw is unnerved and distressed by the recent actions taken by the United States against the free nation of Japan. We would like an immediate cease of these barbaric warmongering. Trust me, neither of our countries would appreciate war", he spoke in fluent English. "Mr. Kari, I can't just-", he was cut short as Kari put up his hand. "Cut the shit. The Black Claw doesn't appreciate stupidity. We know you're just a puppet. Frankly, my boss would like to be put into contact with your boss". He promptly stood up and walked to the door. As he made his way to the exit, he turned. "You can contact me with how to contact your boss at the Imperial Hotel," he said, then turned and left. (IOC: What action did the states take against Japan? I think I missed something, and it's the very beginning too.) The markets had opened in Milan and September was at work, an Italian fashion design company was soon under his majority control and a meat packing plant was put under. September was spreading the light of the American way to the distant corners of the globe. He was minimizing cultures within their own nation while driving up the demand for American goods. His right hand and eye turned to engage another computer which had prompted the opening of the market in Istanbul." Excuse me mister Fairchild? I have a fax from the White House, shall I read it aloud for you?" Miss Jennings stopped, waiting for September to reply through the intercom, a slight cough was his only indication for her to begin reading. The fax detailed Mr. Kari's visit with the President. The idiocy of the event was above and beyond the call of duty on both parties." This is fascinating, the Black Claw wants to make contact? I don't meet with their type. Prepare a response, tell them to send the information to this Mr. Ikari. If he wants's to meet the man who gives the orders to the executive branch then so be it." Mr. Ikari was sent the information he requested, the man he wanted to meet was one Richard Filly, a backtrack insider with considerable influence. Any research performed on Mr. Filoy would reveal the following, he graduated from Yale in 1975 with a Masters in Engineering. He was employed for many years by the Capricorn Petrol Foundation, an umbrella group of oil conglomerates in the states. He garnered considerable influence before he made a "coup" and joined Halifax Insurance. Filly is the type of man who lobbies for various causes both his and those of a few close associates. He has considerable vested interests in both Capricorn and Halifax, two major businesses in the states. Thirty:She stood in the hangar looking at her plane as it was being loaded and grinned. She pulled her shades from out of her duster pocket which was buttoned over her usual black dress and put them on. Her hair was up in a long ponytail which she always seemed to use to her advantage in a good fight. She turned her headphones on blaring her favorite Nine-Inch Nails song and got into the plane. She went directly to the cockpit of the small two-seater that had been made especially for by a Russian friend named Kristof. He had added all the newest and even some unknown technology to the plane. It was easy to fly without being seen or detected. It gave her a major thrill just to fly it five feet. She got the motor running and drove the plane out onto the runway to go see here old friend at his castle. She would make it by tonight with a few stops on the way. Furthermore, she began her take off while singing along to her favorite song." I want to Fuck you like an animal! I want to feel you from the inside. Furthermore, I want to Fuck you like an animal. My whole existence is flawed. You bring me closer to GOD!" IOC: When I said actions, I meant nothing direct. I meant blind accusations cast at Japan. This kind of thing always accompanies the preparation for war as the government attempts to turn the populace to its side.IC: The Unstoppable finished the luxuriant meal, pushing the tray away. A servant hustled to his side, snatching the tray and bustling away with it. The Unstoppable sat there, waiting patiently. Kari had failed him. Instead of diplomacy, he had used aggression. The idiot was inviting war! Well, people only failed the Black Claw once. All the while, he kept thinking. He found that his mind was rarely doing nothing. The smell of garlic butter and cooking meat was divine, the phonograph in the corner of the room played an old record. As the soothing melody of "Maybe" floated in the air, September armed himself with a large steak knife and cut surgically into his porterhouse. He looked across the room to his bank of screens, the action began to slow down across the globe as markets started to close and those on the other side of the hemisphere were starting to open. It would soon be time for his evening constitutional, and then sleep. Sleep and dreams of working, for as his mind rested his body would continue into the wee hours. He finished his steak and summer squash, dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin and pushed the plate aside. September changed into exercise clothes and took to the roof where his evening constitutional took place, a bit of jogging, swim a few laps, and twenty minutes on the bike before bed." So it is, so shall it always be." Thirty:She was tired but too excited to rest after landing in Japan and getting a room at a nearby hotel. She rented a black jeep to drive around in and to get to the castle. She ate some more Froot Loops and had some Sushi. Khirta took a shower, pulled her hair into a ponytail, and did yoga to get herself into a calm set of mind. She finally dressed in her black dress with duster but left off the shades. She grabbed a couple duffle bags of stuff and went out to the jeep. It didn't take too long to get there and seemed like they were expecting her. She pulled up as a guard came out to check her identity. The only way was by a number imprinted on the underside of her arm that had been given to her by the US govt. She was then escorted in and waited to be shown to The Unstoppable. She smiled remembering him. IOC: Sorry. Been spending the last few days trying to get rid of this one worm that was crippling my comp.IC: The Unstoppable actually stood up to meet her. He bowed low as Thirty entered. "And good eve to you, my Lady," he said eloquently. Then, laughing, he straightened. "It's good seeing you again. How are you? Come, sit and have a little dinner with me, and we'll talk some more," he said, waving his hand over a small table. As they both sat, he dismissed everyone else. They hustled out of the room, snapping to their leader's command. As the massive door was shut behind them, the Unstoppable pulled his chain helm free, exposing the horribly scarred face of Jason Wagner. "Not quite what you were expecting, eh? Just feels good to eat without this damn helm and eat some real food the real way," he said, cracking his neck twice and bending to eat. Kira:She blinked at the sight of his face and winced looking down at her dinner. She then looked up and smiled at him." It is good to see you too. It has been a while. I am quite well as you see and bored beyond the edge of the Earth. I was thrilled with your email. Will you tell me about this job you have for me? I really can not wait."IOC: sorry took me a while to reply, but I have been moving. IOC: No problem.IC: The Unstoppable just sat there for a few moments, savoring the scrumptious beef. Swallowing, he looked up. "Hamm? Oh, the job. I needed the best, so naturally, I called you. I have a few problems with my fledgling country. No. 1: We have a small army. No. 2: We have no nuclear weaponry. No. 3: There's no heir. No. 4: You haven't truly joined us. And No. 5: I am not yet at my full power. I would like to correct all 5 within a few days. Your mission? Infiltrate the North Korean government. Bring me Kim Jong-il. Then, do the same with the Chinese. We have sleeper agents in positions so that they will take rulership, giving me both WMD's and an army. As for No. 3, well, that'll have to be arranged. Not just anyone can bear my child. For No. 4, I am willing to spend any resource to enlist you. And as for No. 5, that's being corrected as we speak," he said, golden eyes boring into her. Then, he poured himself a cup of wine. "Watch. Behold the next step to ascension!" he exclaimed, drawing forth a hidden vial and pouring a sickly purple substance into the wine. "To power", he toasted, then, with one gulp, downed it. Instantly, he dropped, clutching his sides as a scream tore from his lips. Silver swirled into the gold in his eyes, and from then on, his eyes would be an ever-changing mixture of the two. His already massive muscles grew more, and his intelligence escalated rapidly. With one final scream, he looked up. "Haha. I... I have now... unlocked 70% of my brain. Only the most difficult part left! Behold!" he gasped, using his newfound power to levitate a piece of beef to his open mouth. "I am almost there! I am not one to miser over my power. Together, Thirty, we will rule all! Soon, very soon." With that, he burst into laughter.IOC: His new power, by the way, is low-level telepathy and telekinesis. He can move stuff and he can read minds. Thirty:She had never seen him transform like that and had stood up and backed away a step slightly afraid of if he had done something to hurt himself more than out of fear for herself. She watched him as he levitated the beef and slowly sat back down as he seemed to return to his normal mood. She smiled." Well, number three is going to require an extensive search of all the female sex. Who are you going to get to do that? I will take the job and find who you need and bring them back as quickly as possible. The only thing is Unstoppable, you know that ever since my past I have not wanted to join a certain power or country. I like living alone where I am and being on my own. Free to do any job that comes along. I no longer wish to be known by a number," she lifted her arm to show the number that had been imprinted by the US Government. She sighs, "Let me think on it ok? You were great to offer me this job and I will do it in all secrecy. But I just don't feel this is the right time to get attached to a certain place," she looked down at her dinner and pushed her food around in a manner very unlike her confident self. "Of course. It's all up to you. No pressure," he said, winking friend lily. "Just get back to me with an answer, whatever it is, whenever you're comfortable," he said. "I know I am the best and have some very good connections, but why are you going so far as to have me go after these people? Who is involved? Is the US at all involved in why you want me here?" "There has been growing pressure from the U.S. against people such as me. Unfortunately, they could crushed my army like it was nothing and annihilate all I worked so hard for. I need an empire - a powerful one-under my control. You are the best. You can succeed where others failed", he spoke slowly, eyes drilling into hers. "Have you been hearing rumors about a guy in the US who is taking control? I recently got a tip from a reliable source about it. Not sure what to do about...maybe after I help you. Now do you have all the instructions for me written down? I don't have a brain like yours. I am staying at a hotel an hour or so away from here. If you need anything else please email me," Thirty stood up, "Oh and," she leaned in close to Unstoppable and kissed his cheek, "I would volunteer to be the mother of your children...if I wasn't such a loner." She walked away saying, "You got a bathroom in this huge place?" The Unstoppable rubbed his cheek where she had kissed him. He smiled, the first real smile born of joy in over 80 years. "Sir! You will never learn if all you do is dodge!" September sidestepped another punch, and another, his instructor attempted a feint, but it failed. So it went with these lessons, it was the second week and September couldn't even throw a proper punch but all the same he couldn't be touched." Honestly, I don't understand how someone with such a low aptitude as yours is able to even dodge." September signaled for a break in the fight, and he coughed lightly,"Your body language, the way the air moves prior to your attacks, careful calculations based on recorded martial artists of various skill levels. In short 'sensei', I know your every move before you make it. I'll never need to learn how to throw a punch because nobody will ever hit me. You are dismissed, your check is at the receptionist's desk, don't come back." The instructor, a champion black belt who had won many highly publicized competitions shook his head and walked out." How dreadfully boring, and I could have used that money on the building's day care center. The children could use more toys, or whatever the hell it is they do down there, they could use more of it." Miss Jennings walked in and put down some paperwork on his desk, some might wonder at a secretary walking in without knocking, but September dismissed such notions with her instead giving her a strict schedule. Jennings was the only one of his secretaries to ever last more than six months. The others had been fired, a rare few quit due to the stress. As she was walking out September frowned." Sorry sir, I won't wear these shoes again." His frown turned upside down, yes, this one would do well for now. Thirty:After being directed to the restrooms, Thirty finally took off her coat and came back to the hall her black thick heeled boots clicking on the floor and the top of her gown at the neck unbuttoned a couple of buttons." So is there anything else you need, or should I leave? Anything you want to go over because if I get going I can talk to my friend Kristof. He may have some new equipment for me." She looked into Unstoppable's eyes and said, "You're doing ok?" "Fine," he said softly. "Go ahead. Feel free to do whatever," he whispered, his voice barely coming to her across the room. Thirty:She was disappointed. Usually she could get some sort of reaction from guys. She tapped her foot and then sat down across the table from him and finished her dinner." Alright, I've thought about it. I will join forces with you. It will make communicating with you easier and since you think I am the best I might as well be part of the best. I will stay." She drank down her wine and smiled across the table. He nodded, pleased. "Thank you. What more can I say?" "Alright, well then, I will be on my way back to my hotel and I will bring back this Kim Jong-il. I will see you as soon as possible." Khirta turned on her heal, grabbed her jacket and a folder of info from a guard and left without looking back. She wondered what had brought him to this point in life to only want power and nothing else in life but realized that she had some things she didn't tell everyone either. IOC: At this point September has no immediate evil agenda, he's young and patient he's just going to continue as usual until something abnormal happens. IOC: K. The Unstoppable'll be taking a seat back until thirty finishes her mission. IOC: Sorry it has taken this long to do this...been trying to figure out how to go about it. It might not be that good lol.IC:Thirty silently crossed the mansion's roof. She had the picture of this Kim Jong-il in her black dress's zipper pocket. She had on night vision goggles and held her favorite laser gun made to zap a person unconscious instead of kill. Furthermore, she had another gun for that. Her silencer was at her waist. As she crossed the roof she had to zap four gunners. She opened a skylight according to a small hand-held computer would drop her in Jong-il's bathroom of his suite. God, she hoped he was sleeping. It was one in the morning. She quickly picked the lock to the skylight and dropped silently into a dark room. She Lyon the bottom of the large jacuzzi tub as someone passed the open bathroom door. She could hear a female voice saying in Korean, "You want a massage tonight, handsome?" Then a man, she hoped was Jong-il, said, "Ah yes, my flower. Go into the bathroom. Your things are there under the sink." How easy could anything get? She prepared to grab the Korean woman when the lights came on. The sink was directly across from the tub. She quietly crouched in the tub looking at the oblivious woman. She sprang for her and wrapped an arm around the woman's throat so that she couldn't scream or even barely breathe. She twisted the girl's neck thinking she was just another whore and laid her in the tub. Furthermore, she grabbed the lotion and looked out into the bedroom. He was laying on the bed waiting. Khirta took her gun and walked to him. Before he knew it, she stunned him and he went limp. She pushed him onto his back to confirm his identity and seemed to be having a good night. Kim Jong-il was completely out. She picked him up and slung him over her shoulder. Exiting would be harder. She went back into the bathroom and grabbed a grappling hook in sewn into her belt. She pulled out some wire and shot it out of the skylight. Furthermore, she held Jong-il in her arms and pressed the up button. Once in sight of the roof she lifted him to the roof and pulled herself to the roof. She heard some noise below along the ground. Someone had been trying to contact the roof guards and nowhere on alert. She, non-too-gently, dragged Jong-il across the roof and slung him back on her shoulder and climbed down the tree she had gained access to the roof. She was seen just as she ran to the woods and disappeared. Then her helicopter could be heard but not seen as she quickly flew away to meet up with the Unstoppable again. At least she didn't get shot this time. IOC: Me like IC: The Unstoppable smiled as he watched C-SPAN. Every channel was going on about the same thing. Kim Jong-il kidnapped, not traces, no clues. The Korean government saying their regrets but planning to appoint Do run Mail in his stead. Of course, the idiots didn't even suspect that Do run was the Unstoppable's sleeper. His smile widened, and he relaxed. September was greatly interested in news of Kim Jong-il's disappearance, he had built quite the cult of personality around himself in North Korea...if he were deposed perhaps this new player could be reasoned with. The unification of the Korea's seemed like a possibility all over again, it would of course need to be carefully handled, or it might turn up like Germany did after the wall fell. Of course Germany recovered, but these southeast Asian nations were so quaint and barbaric. He began making calls to South Korea. Thirty:She landed the helicopter directly in front of the castle with its shield up. Once landed, she dropped the cloaking device and went to the locked cell her sleeping victim was in. She picked him up putting him over her shoulder. She got out of the helicopter and entered the castle."Oh, Sir!!!!! I'm HOME!" Khirta grinned and awaited to see the Unstoppable. The Unstoppable emerged from a shadowed corridor next to Thirty, smiling broadly. "Excellent work. It was clean, perfect. You left the country free for my sleepers to take over. Even now they're centralizing control. As for him," he said, pointing in disgust towards IL, "throw him in the prison. Finally, I'd like to meet you back in my throne room," he said excitedly. Thirty nodded and took Jong-il to the prison sector of the castle then returned to the throne room where the Unstoppable was sitting on his throne watching her intently. As Thirty entered, a servant ran forward with a chair, placing it before her, then turning and shuffling back to a corner. "Thirty, I, I must ask you something? Did you mean what you said before your mission?" "I said a lot before I took the mission. Could you please elaborate about what we are talking about here?" Khirta sat and looked the Unstoppable dead in the eye. "I would volunteer to be the mother of your children...if I wasn't such a loner," he repeated. "Did you mean it?" he asked softly. Thirty blushed, "Yes. I meant it. I have always enjoyed working with you and have always thought you are lot like me...you seem like a loner. Furthermore, I was telling the truth." She fiddled with her dress and looked down at the ground, so unlike herself. The Unstoppable looked at her straight. "That's the first compassionate thing I've ever been told. Thank you," he said gently. Thirty looked into his eyes and nodded, "Your welcome," she coughed. "I still have some work to do. Who am I after now?" She stood up and began to pace the floor. "I need you to take out Riding Shin-mun of the South Korean government. It's really quite simple," he said. Richard Filly had been a guest of Riding Shin-Mun within hours of the reports of Kim's disappearance. In his typical wheeling and dealing manner he was able to secure American (and consequently British and Australian) military assistance to move into North Korea along with South Korean forces as part of a peace keeping force to secure the North and pave the way for reunification. There were already plans in place to minimize the damage on South Korean currency once the two were combined, as well as get some high-tech industries and education opportunities into the north. They had called in favors and China, who was looking less Communist every day, agreed to stay out of this. They posted a token force to the north to keep out any possible waves of immigrants, but they weren't expecting anything too bad. Of course Filly's backers were concerned with possible attempts on Shin-Mun's life as they were still not 100% certain of the perpetrators of Kim's disappearance though it smacked of Japanese lunacy. There was a multinational force of counterterrorist and counterintelligence personal there disguised as diplomatic attaches. American Secret Service and CIA agents, Israeli Mossad assassins, British MI5 spies, and Australian BASIS "consultants" were guarding the Presidential Palace and other key sites from attack, alongside South Korean police and military. "Then," Thirty stood up and put her coat back on, "I am off to South Korea. I believe he works late so I may have to check out his workplace first before his home. I will try not to take too long," she smiled at the Unstoppable. "I will make sure to come back in one piece." Being the cocky ass she was, she bowed to him, blew a kiss, turned on her heel and left the castle to do his bidding. IOC: sorry it took so long to get this posted.IC:Thirty watched outside the window as the man moved about his bedroom. The minute the lights went out she went into action. She silently moved a laser glass cutter into position. She cut a small hole next to the latch so that her hand could get through. Furthermore, she unlocked the window and entered into the room blending in perfectly wearing her black dress. Khirta looked about the room for any kind of alarm device then stepped up close to the bed grabbing her stun gun. Everything changed in an instant. The man on the bed sat up and turned on the light. Thirty was stunned for about a second and stunned him before he could grab the gun in the side table drawer. She picked him up quickly, tossed him out the window gently, and made for her helicopter with him over her shoulder. As she began to run she heard the sirens of the security and the shouting. She tried to run faster but was slowed down by the guy. She cried out and staggered but didn't lose her footing as she was shot twice. Once through the arm and another in her ribs. She raced into the helicopter and started it up. She raced off and made for the castle again. The minute she landed she was greeted by some men of the Unstoppable. They took the man and noticed her condition. Someone carried her into the castle and another went to notify the Unstoppable as she was taken to a couch to be seen. Anthony woke up in a holding cell with his hands bound tightly with some high-tech mechanism. The kidnapper had come just as expected, and took the bait. Opening his fake tooth with the flick of a tongue he found the special pill that had been provided by Filly or whoever he was working for rather, the man's backers had incredible technology. He bit down on the gel pill and felt the drug's effects almost at once. With a surge of strength he ripped his restraints off and tore off his Riding Shin-Mun disguise, the South Korean leader had been miles away from the Presidential Palace in an underground bunker also provided by Filly's backers. He put his ear to the door and with his drug enhanced senses could make out the guards' conversation. He counted to three in his head before knocking the door down and using it to beat the two guards into submission. Furthermore, he grabbed one of their guns and ran down the corridor, activating the GPS transmitter hidden by his groin, under a fake skin patch. Using his contact sense camera he filmed the corridors and rooms as he snuck through them, mapping out a small portion of the castle interior before finding a console he could use to get a message to his people."GPS confirms my location, Japan. The kidnappers are from the Japanese Criminal Government. The coordinates match the location of the Castle belonging to their leader. Send extraction unit at once, I'm relaying what I've mapped to you."" We copy. That's a negative on the Evan. You're going to have to get out of the castle. Over and out." Just then he was spotted by a patrol of guards. There was an intense but brief fire-fight in which a handful of guards were shot down by the BASIS agent. When reinforcements came though he was quickly killed. When a guard attempted to confirm his death the spy burst into intense flames and heat, burning straight to the bone in moments, The guard couldn't make out much else due to the blackening of the bones, but it seemed as if the agents teeth had also been worn smooth by the mechanism that killed him making that form of identification impossible. As soon as he received news of Thirty's condition, the Unstoppable ran to the couch, heavy legs leaving indentations in the floor. He arrived as quietly as he could. "Hey," he whispered as she looked up. "Hey," she said trying to smile but grimaced, "I guess I spoke too soon about the whole shooting thing. Doesn't look too bad just hurts. I should be fine in a day. I will be able to do your bidding again soon." The Unstoppable looked down on her. "Please don't call it they-" he was cut off as a guard ran up to him and began to urgently whisper to him. After the man finished, the Unstoppable cursed loudly and ran off after the guard. Within minutes, they arrived at the burned corpse of Anthony. "Shit. Not enough organic matter left to do a precise I.D." he cursed. "Who's got this kind of technology, sir?" asked the guard. "Only one place that I know of. Fuck. They've made their move. I wonder what ours will be?" he muttered. Then, with a spin, he walked off. Thirty looked at the door he had stormed out of. Had she said something wrong? What had the guard said? Would he come back to talk to her? OH, GOD! Maybe she had really screwed up a mission this time. She tried to get up and walk across the floor, but she fell to the floor and screamed. The Unstoppable walked back into Thirty's room, saw her on the floor and instantly ran to her, lifting her up and putting laying her down. "Just relax. It's just some minor business. It's okay," he whispered. "I'll be in my room. If you need me, send a guard for me. I don't want you walking around just yet. Just rest." With that, he stood and walked out. Thirty waited for a doctor to be brought in and laid completely still as the doctor took care of her. She then tried to sleep and as morning dawned she finally fell asleep. She wondered when she would be able to get up again. Furthermore, she hated being idle. When she woke in the morning, she stretched and winced. She tried standing, but she fell slowly to her knees and without thought burst into tears. She hated life sometimes. September felt at ease, a violin tucked beneath his chin he played on as his adjutant and latest lover, the ever faithful Miss Jennings played the Milanese markets under his watchful eye." Miss Jennings. How is it that you have tolerated me this far? There have been others you know. Gold diggers of course, and a few genuine loves here and there, others a convenient joining of minds and bodies to satisfy stimulation on both fronts..."" Well sir, it isn't love. We don't have that kind of chemistry. I suppose it's part admiration, part adoration, and part gold digging. It's obvious that you are a winner, but there are other winners of course, but you are special. I intend to see how far this goes, until it's over I am yours." He looked out his window down on the great city of Boston." It's never over,"he whispers to himself.Meanwhile, is South Korea Filly toys with the now used remote control that he had used to activate Anthony's self-destruct. He chuckled a wetyiddishchuckle through his Hollywood smile and put the remote on his desktop smashing it with a hammer before sweeping it into his Burbage bin.

Evil Overlords_|rating:3.0

Behind the Scenes (Open - PM for invite)

IOC - Role filled by Rocket1010ICShit. Shit. Shit. Running up the stairs from the lobby all the way to the fifth floor of the New York City high rise, Sara Coinenearly tripped in her three-inch heels. The elevator just had to break down today of all days. Already late for her first day, Sara was not looking forward to finally arriving at the sound stage covered in sweat from running up the five flights of stairs. Fresh from college, the twenty-two-year-old had been lucky to land a job on the writing team of the newest soap opera to hit the small screen. Life and Death was quickly becoming the Days of Our Lives of her generation and Sara was excited to be in on the first floor of the show. Already halfway into its second season, the producers of the show were looking for newer ideas, ones that were fresh and young in order to bring in a younger demographic. Enter Sara. She had met one of the head writers by accident when she had, quite literally, run into him at a dog park a few months before graduation. They had struck up a conversation, with him asking what she was studying at NYU and what she was looking at doing after graduation. He had then offered to read over a script Sara was working on for a theater class. Having been impressed with her writing, he invited her to join the new writing staff he was building, on a trial basis of course. Which led to Sara now running frantically up the stairs. Finally, she reached the fifth floor and flung open the door. An ominous thud, followed by a string of swear words made Sara pause." Oh fuck," she breathed, as she walked around the door and came face to face with the star of Life and Death. "Steve how in the fuck am I supposed to read this shit in front of the camera,"roared at the head writer. "When are you going to get someone who can write something that makes sense. Something that will make my character memorable. God knows you have been given every chance to make this work." Steve looked at the lead actor in the new hit soap opera. Life and Death. He slowly shook his head as if to acknowledge the temper tantrum. "Johnny look we are trying our best," he responded trying to appease the actor. "You have given us a chance too. We are not miracle workers!" John Lloyd, Johnny to everyone on the set, looked at the head writer with withering glance as he stared out at the city from the fifth floor windows. He had worked hard to make it in this industry. Starting out as a child actor at the age of 10, his parents pushed him into acting. He got bit parts on some sitcoms, but there was nothing exciting until he landed the part of Dr. Robert Jones, head of Mutual Hospital's staff. He was the caring doctor who had an answer for everything and there was nothing in the world of medicine he couldn't solve. The first season started slow with poor ratings and the show was deemed to fail. But then something happened, something that show business people still marvel at, the show found a following. As the ratings climbed, everyone started to take credit for the success of the show. Johnny was no exception and as his adoring fan club of younger and older women grew, he bathed in the limelight of adulation. He found it easy to bed any woman he wanted and during the first season he had plenty of it and enjoyed the sex with no commitments. Besides the sex, John found that he was wanting more of a say in the writing and during the close of the first season, he objected more and more to Steve, the head writer. Some of the lesser skinned writers were intimidated by his tactics of ranting and raving after each take. At one point he demanded the removal of three young writers, or he would simply quit. The producers seeing they had a potential long run hit on their hands, succumbed to his wishes and fired them. Season two started out with blockbuster ratings, but the in-fighting behind the scenes was just starting to brew. To everyone in the public John Lloyd was Dr. Robert Jones, the caring and loving doctor who had an answer and cure for everything. After the last show another writer threw up her hands in disgust, walking out of the office, when John asked for more script freedom. Now as the season was hitting its stride, John turned from the large windows. "Well God damn it Steve you had better start making some fucking miracles happen, or I'm going upstairs, and you know what the fuck that means don't you?" he screamed at the top of his lungs. Johnny's face was red with anger as he slammed down the latest script. Everyone in the room looked at the door as it swung open. There in the frame of the door stood a young woman out of breath whispering something." Who are you to barge in on this meeting and what the fuck do you want?" he vented." Johnny this is the new writer I hired since you got rid of the last few good ones," Steve Buford interjected with anger as they watched the young woman stand frozen at his abrasive words. "Who are you to barge in on this meeting and what the fuck do you want?" Sara starred up at John Lloyd's angry expression, her knees instantly turning to jelly and her nerves causing her hands to shake. Quickly, she stuffed her hands behind her back. Sara was pretty certain that, given his demeanor, John Lloyd would pounce on and devour anyone who showed the slightest bit of fear." Johnny this is the new writer I hired since you got rid of the last few good ones,"Steve Buford, the show's head writer, jumped in to save her, his own anger palpable. Sara could have kissed his feet, and any other part of his body that he wanted, at that moment." Um...hi." She said weakly, the hint of a smile trying to pull at her lips, which seemed to be frozen into place. Clearing her throat delicately, Sara forced herself to be calm and to not allow John Lloyd's deadly stare frighten her. "I'm sorry I'm late, that's not the impression I wanted to give on my first day." Holding out a hand, the shaking now reduced dramatically, Sara pushed her lips the rest of the way up into a brilliant smile. "I'm Sara Coin, it's very nice to meet you Mr. Lloyd, I'm a big fan of the show and look forward to working with you and everyone else very much." Sara waited, her nervousness returning slowly as her hand remained in limbo, for John Lloyd to shake her hand. He stared at her hand briefly, then returned his burning gaze to her. Quickly, she dropped her hand back to her side. Fine, she thought, if that's how he wants to be then so be it. Determined not to let this diva get the better of her, Sara squared her shoulders and faced Steve, her new boss." Sorry again, that I'm late. But, if you direct me to my seat I am ready to get to work." She said, addressing him with as much dignity as she could muster with all those eyes staring at her. Steve pointed to a vacant chair at the table and Sara quickly took her seat between two of the other writers. One of them, a female not much older than herself, pushed a blank notepad and pen towards Sara. With a grateful smile, Sara uncapped the pen and listened to Steve as he went over what they hoped to accomplish in the new season. John looked at the young woman standing meekly near the door as she made some lame excuse for being late on her first day. He glanced at her long black hair and dark eyes as she smiled broadly and held out her hand to him. He simply stood his ground and ignored the act of friendship being offered by this woman. Didn’t she realize they had a script to get out, and she was plainly wasting everyone’s valuable time? He glared at her, seeing a bit of nervousness in her dark eyes but then in an instant her look turned more determined. He stood watching her as Steve directed Sara to a chair. Steve was the level-headed boss of the writers and even though John screamed at him, he had to admit Steve had a real knack for getting the most out his writers. The problem was the writers could not take the abuse from John, and they quit before they could show Steve their true potential. Steve and John disagreed on most of the script as John wanted more say in what he had to say on stage. Besides, wasn’t he the one that the adoring fans wanted to see? The fans never, in his mind, wanted to see the writers.“I’m sure there is a chair for our late comer,” he said sarcastically. As she walked to the empty chair John couldn’t help but add. “I sure as hell hope you are ready to work Ms. … Ms. … Ms. Coine, is it? We have a lot of re-writes to do before the next show, and we don’t really have time to chit-chat about why you are late. I assume Steve told you the time and I would suggest you be on time in the future. Oh, and one other thing writers on this show typically have their own notepads and pens to write with. You know you are a writer, aren’t you?” Steve watched Sara sit between two writers and then said, “Look John you don’t have to be god-damn belligerent. I’m sure Sara has a good reason for being late and just so you know she is very good at writing script. So just shut your mouth for a few minutes, and we can get this back on track.”“Yea just like the last two writers that quit.” John glared at all the young writers seated at the table and then trained his gaze on Sara. “Well Ms. Coin I sure hope you don’t fuck up like the last writers Steve hired. Just so you know Ms. Coin I am the one out front; the one who takes all the heat if this show fails. I expect you to write good script and if I want to change something that is my prerogative.” Steve now glared at John and turned a more sympathy look at Sara. “I hire the best writer’s in town John and you just have to give them a chance or by god you WILL be the one out there all on your own writing your own script and fail.” Steve smiled at Sara as he talked to her. “I have to keep reminding him that without us there is no Dr. Robert Jones and there is no show.”“Ok already can we now get back to the script,” John interjected sarcastically. Steve picked up the script John had thrown on the table, scanning the cover. “Look everyone we already have the first few scripts completed for the upcoming season. Early polls show we are probably going to start the season on top and as you all know the only direction to go is down. So we need new ideas for the next few episodes. The first one involves Dr. Jones on vacation in the mountains, and he comes across a mysterious ailment that seems to threaten the small mountain town.” The head writer looked at Sara and thought to spare her the trauma and embarrassment since this was her first day. He looked at Janice who had slid the notepad and pen to Sara. “Ok Janice what kind of ideas do you have for this episode?” She took the abuse silently, her cheeks turning red under John's verbal attack. With a deep, fortifying breath, Sara forced herself not to respond. It was only her first day, hell her first ten minutes, and already she was on the star's shit list. Never in her life had she received such treatment from someone, even if that person was as pompous as John Lloyd. But Sara wasn't going to let him see her sweat. She was damn good at what she did, and she would let her work speak for her. And as far as not bringing a pad of paper and pen, she had both tucked away in her bag, but the woman next to her, Janice, had been kind enough to hand her one before she needed to dig for her own. The more that he talked, the more that Sara became assured that John Lloyd was nothing more than an arrogant jackass who was in love with the sound of his own voice." So we need new ideas for the next few episodes. The first one involves Dr. Jones on vacation in the mountains, and he comes across a mysterious ailment that seems to threaten the small mountain town. Ok Janice what kind of ideas do you have for this episode?” Steve's eyes landed on Sara before he quickly moved to Janice. Though she was grateful that Steve wanted to save her any further embarrassment on her first day, Sara didn't need anyone fighting her battles for her. Janice fumbled for a moment trying to think quickly on her feet, her panicked eyes glancing around the room, landing briefly on John and then skittering around to the other writers for help. Sara met her gaze and gave her a calming smile." If I may," she interjected politely. Janice gave a small sigh of relief and Steve nodded to her to continue. "Obviously the viewers are going to want some romance and sex for our oh so brilliant leading man," she shot a smirk over to John, "so why not, before the first patient appears, have Dr. Jones become involved with a woman from the town. But she can't' be just anyone, she has to be someone the viewers can relate to. Maybe a young woman who works in the hotel he's staying at. Then, as the illness spreads through the town, she's one of its victims." Steve sat back in his chair, hands steepled under his chin as he surveyed Sara and thought over her suggestion." I like it," he said finally. "Sara, I'm putting you and Janice together to come up with the romance angle. Be ready to present it at tomorrow's meeting. Alright, anyone else got ideas outside the romance department..." Steve looked around the room once more, waiting for his writers to speak up. But John's presence in the room always made them silent and fearful. Sometimes Steve wished that John would just go away and let them all do their work. As the silence continued, Sara noticed that all the writers kept glancing, fearfully, at John, as if they were waiting for him to pounce on them for their horrible ideas. She sat quietly as well, waiting to see if he would pronounce her own idea as stupid and over done. Whatever he said, however, it didn't matter. She was not going to let this man drive her away from what could potentially be an amazing job. John waited for Steve to get the meeting rolling again and as he waited he looked at the new writer. “Not bad,” he thought as she had her eyes on Steve. “We’ll just to see if she has what it takes to write for this show.” He rolled his eyes to the ceiling when Janice fumbled trying to come up with something interesting for the episode. He glanced around the table at the other writers waiting for someone to help poor Janice. Furthermore, he had to admit she was a good writer but in times like now she got nervous and had mental blocks. The other writers fidgeted with their pens and some would glance at him and then cast their eyes down to the table or simply look away. He was thinking that they really don’t give a shit about Janice and was about to speak when he heard the voice of the newest writer on his left. Turning to look at her, he smirked, thinking, “Now what the hell does she know about their show?” As he listened to her, he sensed a relief coming from the rest of the writing staff. She was talking about romance and sex and how his character would meet someone, become involved, and then the illness would affect his lover. Steve interjected, telling everyone that he liked it. Steve could feel a pall settle over the room, and it seemed all eyes were directed at him and then at John. He knew from experience that John would simply not like the idea, quash the thought and then get up and tell them to find something better for his character. A small smile spread across his face. “Ms. Coin I think this idea of romance and sex may have some merit. You evidently must have some considerable experience in both matters. From your vast knowledge of the subject, I would be interested in hearing more details of how they meet and they interact. And as I’m sure you know this is prime time so we can’t have people running around naked. And as a final comment Dr. Robert Jones is a respected physical and as such we can’t have him fucking just any ole mountain gal now can we?” With that he got up and announced, “I look forward to hearing all the sordid details tomorrow.” Without another word he walked out of the room to the sound of relieved sighs. A sigh of relief echoed throughout the writers' room as the door closed behind John. The tension visibly eased, and the very air seemed lighter and easier to breathe. As Steve got the meeting back on track, it seemed as if every writer in the room had ideas that could be bounced back and forth. The change in the room made Sara wonder if she'd made the right decision in accepting the job. If the star was that difficult to work with, would she be able to handle writing for him? With a mental shake of her head, Sara reminded herself that it wasn't John Lloyd she was writing for, but rather Life and Death. John Lloyd was just the arrogant star who thought he should be making all the big decisions. Honestly, Sara couldn't understand why anyone put up with the man's ego. Once the meeting was dismissed, Janice offered to give Sara a tour of the set." It's not much." She said, as the two made their way from the writers' room to the studio area where the four main sets for the show were located. "You've got the hospital, Dr. Jones' office, his apartment, and the park outside the hospital. We try to stage each scene in one of these locations, but, if we feel that we need a different setting we try to make it something that will be easy for the set crew to build." All around her, men and women bustled about, setting up lighting, checking microphones, and positioning cameras. So much activity in one small space set Sara's head spinning." They'll be starting to film soon," Janice continued as she led Sara towards the food service table, "so we can hang back here, and you can see what all goes on behind the scenes. Steve likes to have one or two writers in addition to himself on the set when they're filming, just in case something needs to be rewritten." Janice inspected the plate of sandwiches on the table before picking up a veggie wrap, the whole time her mouth never stopping. Sara was amazed at how much one person could talk. But she was grateful to Janice for showing her around." Any questions?" Janice asked, having swallowed her bite of wrap. Sara glanced around, making sure that no one was in ear shot." I do have one question," she said quietly,"it's been bugging me ever since the meeting. How can you guys put up with John Lloyd? I mean, the rest of the actors weren't in the meeting today making demands, so what makes him any different. I didn't think the actors had so much say in what their characters do or don't do. And to be quite honest, that guy is a huge egomaniac. I don't understand it." Janice's eyes widened as Sara spoke, and gave small, nearly unnoticeable shakes of her head. But Sara didn't understand why until she heard the throat clear behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, Sara's heart dropped into her stomach as her eyes met with John Lloyd's.Oh, shit. John left the writers meeting shaking his head. The writers never seemed to open up when he was around, and he knew he intimidated some of them. "Hell if they can't take some criticism, they shouldn't be writing for the show," he thought as he headed for make-up. He found Lois waiting for him in the dressing room. She had been his make-to stylist since the show began. "How did the writers meeting go," she asked as he sat in the chair. John smiled at Lois in the large mirrors set behind her make-up table. "It was the usual bullshit Lois. Most of them wouldn't answer Steve when he asked for ideas except the new gal Sara. She was the only one who was willing to speak up, and her ideas were not too bad." John thought about Sara as Lois applied the final touches to his make-up. He sensed that she was not like the other writers. She seemed to have a fire within her from the way she was willing to jump right in her first day. "I'll need to keep my eye on her," he thought as Lois finished the final touch up. Walking to the set for the doctor office scene, he spied Janice talking to the new gal at the food table. He walked up to the two women, and he saw Janice shaking her head and looking at him. He heard Sara tell Janice that he was an egomaniac. Furthermore, he saw the "oh shit what did I say look on her face when she turned toward him. He instantly felt his cheeks get hot from her comment. "So you think I have a big ego Ms. Coin? You have been here at your new job less than four hours, and you think you know all about me. You think just because you came up with one suggestion for the series that you can judge me? I am the one on the front line and if think you can do better than maybe you should play a part in the next show, and then we would see how you like being criticized by the reviewers." His hands were shaking with rage. Steve walked in as he was dressing down Sara. "Steve you need to have a talk with your new writer. I have to get ready for my scene. You need to make her watch this next take, and maybe she will get an idea on what we actors have to deal with when we have inadequate scripts." John walked away in a huff as Steve looked at Janice and Sara, saying, "what the hell just happened?" "I am so, so, so sorry, Steve." Sara could not stop apologizing to her boss as John Lloyd stalked off to film his scene. "Me and my big mouth, it gets me in trouble all the time. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been saying the things I was. Furthermore, I'm the new girl, I know, I need to learn my place. Please, give me another chance. I promise I'll stop fucking up." Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, but Sara refused to let them fall. The last thing she needed was to be the girl who cried on her first day. Drawing in a deep breath, she tried to steady herself." Don't worry about it." Steve said, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "Johnny just likes to throw his weight around. Don't take him too seriously. But, to be on the safe side, you might want to get your butt into your office and start working on that concept for tomorrow's meeting."" Of course, thank you, Steve. I promise I won't screw this up." Sara could feel the tension slowly ebbing away as her shoulders relaxed, and she followed Janice to the office that she'd be sharing with the other woman and one of the other writers. The rest of the afternoon was spent brainstorming ideas and working on a basic script to pitch at the next meeting. Sara had missed working with other writers. In college, she hadn't had much opportunity to bounce ideas of others and to really work at getting her creative juices flowing. But now, she felt as if she'd found a place where she could belong. Granted she didn't screw it up by putting her foot in her mouth...again." Do you think John Lloyd is going to try and get me fired?" They were five hours into their work and Sara couldn't get rid of that nagging thought in the back of her head. "I mean, he's gotten other writers fired, right? What's to say he won't do the same with me because of what I said."" Forget it, Sara," Janice shook her head and took a long swallow of her coffee. "Johnny's an ass. People have spent their whole lives telling him how great he is and that the sun shines out his ass, and now he's believing them. He thinks that we write shit around here, and complains that he can't act off what we give him. But the guy is a major diva and thinks he could write a better script than we can. So if I was you, I wouldn't give him another thought." She glanced at the clock on her computer. "Well that's quitting time." Janice got up from her desk and began to gather her stuff. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early." She moved to walk out of the room before stopping and facing Sara. "You got any plans tonight? A bunch of us are going to go out for drinks." While drinks sounds amazing, especially after her nightmare run-ons with John that day, Sara shook her head." No," she said, "I think I'll stay and work a little bit on this script. But thanks for the invite. Maybe tomorrow." Janice nodded and waved goodbye. "Don't work too hard, you'll make the rest of us look bad." Sara chuckled as the door closed behind Janice. Turning back to her computer, she reread the outline they'd put together before setting to work on finalizing the script. Time slipped past, unnoticed, as Sara became consumed with her work. Before she knew it, her stomach was growling and the clock on her computer read ten o'clock. Deciding to call it a night, Sara printed out the pages she'd worked on so that she could read them over once more at her apartment. Juggling the fifty pages, her purse, and a half full cup of cold coffee, Sara closed the door to the office and tried to dig the key out of her purse so she could lock it. As her hand slipped inside the purse, all fifty of the loose pages fell out of her arms." Damn it." She muttered. Bending to pick them up, her coffee cup overturned and the pages were soaked. Hitting her forehead against the door, Sara sighed. "This is just not my day." John Lloyd glanced back at the trio as he walked onto the set. Steve was talking to Janice and the new girl, Sara. He could see the look of distress on Sara’s face and though he could not hear what they were talking about, John knew Steve was trying to soothe the hurt feelings of the new writer. “Hell she should be more careful about trashing other people. If she is going to badmouth everyone, and it’s only her first day she should get the hell out of this business,” he mumbled as the director met him on the set. As John began to read his script, he saw Janice and Sara leaving the set. “Steve probably sent them back to the office to some of the re-writes he suggested,” he thought to himself as he tried to get into character. John concentrated on the part for a few minutes and soon was transformed to the kind Dr. Robert Jones. During the reading he found himself thinking of the new gal, and he had to admit she was a very beautiful woman. He wondered what she was doing as he read and re-read the parts with the cast to make them flow effortlessly. Amazingly the first part of the session went well. At the end of the reading, the director braced himself for what was sure to be a blasting from the star of the show. When John walked off the set smiling, the director again waited and hearing nothing he looked to the stagehands that were also waiting for the usual stream of cuss words about the script lacking any merit. When John smiled everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief along with a look of confusion. This was not like the actor they knew but no one complained. The camera drew were instructed as to how to shoot the next scene and during the interlude, John walked to the food table for a break. As he picked out some fruit, Steve approached him. “John I need to have a word with you.” John looked at Steve as he popped a strawberry into his mouth. “Did I make your new writer cry?”“No you didn’t do that, but you do owe her an apology for your outburst this morning. You had no right to say those awful things to her especially on her first day.”“So you want me to get down on my hands and knees and beg forgiveness,” he replied sarcastically.“John we have known each other for a lot of years and I knew you when you were a struggling actor. So you can’t bullshit me with your holier than now attitude. I only put up with it because you are a good actor and a friend. Sara did nothing to deserve the grief and agony you displayed towards her today and I think you went too far today.”“Steve she told Janice that I was an egomaniac and I don’t think I deserved that from her. Hell she has only been here one day, and she thinks she owns the place!” he said in a rather loud voice. Steve smiled at John as he responded. “Well John if you ask me I think she hit the nail right on the head. The way you have been acting, you think you are God’s gift to acting. Someday you are going to find out there are plenty of character actors out in the world who would be willing to jump into your shoes. And one thing you keep forgetting friend, only the owners can fire me so your little tirade about going upstairs is also bullshit.”“Steve if we weren’t friends I'd kick your ass all over this set,” John stated with some righteous anger. Steve knew better than to pick a fight with John. “Just remember my words John and if you give Sara half the chance I think you will find a woman with a brilliant mind for writing scripts. That is one of the reasons I hired her!” John pondered Steve’s words as the director called for the next scene. “I’ll think about it Steve,” he said as he turned to walk back to the set. John worked well with the co-stars and the crew on the next scene to the utter amazement of everyone. There had been a few days on the set where there was no bickering about the script or where he was supposed to come in on cue. They worked late and finally wrapped up at 9:00 pm. The director told them they all did a fabulous job, and they would begin shooting the next day after the writer’s meeting. They all looked at John, wondering how they got through the day without a blow up. Walking to his dressing room, John could not get the conversation with Steve out of his head. He knew deep down that one of the reasons he yelled and screamed was because he was still that scared little actor struggling to make it big. He felt that sometimes he needed to let them know that he was not just some other pretty face. Lois had left early and so John finished cleaning off the makeup and then headed out the door for a late night meal. Just as he rounded a corner he heard a clatter, and then he saw Sara with her head against the door muttering“Damn it. This is just not my day." He saw the ruined script in her hands and the coffee still pooling on the floor at her feet. John's first thought was to scold her for being incompetent and clumsy but then Steve’s words came to him. "Maybe I should give her a break," he thought as he walked silently to her, coughing to make his presence known. “Ms. Coin, I see you have a bit of a mess on your hands at this late hour.” He was not laughing and did not make any rude comments as he approached her. He saw a look of hesitation on her face as she realized who was speaking to her. John was impressed that the new girl was the only one left in the writer’s wing. And by looking at her, he surmised that she had not left the building to get something to eat. “Let me help you clean this mess up Ms. Coin. I'm going out for dinner and would love to have you join me for a late dinner. I know of a nice restaurant on Fifth Street. Maybe you could share some of your script ideas with me.” Looking up at John Lloyd, Sara wished that she could sink into the ground and disappear. In her hands the script pages were quickly turning brown as they soaked up the coffee.“Ms. Coin, I see you have a bit of a mess on your hands at this late hour. Let me help you clean this mess up Ms. Coin. I'm going out for dinner and would love to have you join me for a late dinner. I know of a nice restaurant on Fifth Street. Maybe you could share some of your script ideas with me.” She eyed him suspiciously. Why was he being so nice? Just a few hours ago he'd been ready to hand her ass to her, so why the sudden change?" I've got it, thanks." She said, quickly gathering everything up and opening the door to the writer's room. Throwing everything into the trash can by her desk, Sara sat down in her chair and rebooted the computer. She would print out new copies and, hopefully, not spill anything on these. Sara could feel John's presence behind her and glanced over her shoulder as the computer whirred to life. Was he waiting for her answer to his dinner invitation? Sara's brow furrowed as she studied him. What the hell was he still doing there? His presence did nothing to put her at ease, and she wished he would just go away." Thanks for the invite," she said, hoping he'd get the hint, "but I've got a lot of work to do before tomorrow. So, if you don't mind..." Turning back to the computer she opened up the file she needed and started up the printer. As the pages flew out of the printer, Sara shot a look over her shoulder to see if he was still there. John felt the sting of her rebuff when she told him." I've got it, thanks." He watched as she picked up the remaining damaged script, completely ignoring him, and then unlocking the office door. She hurried into the dark office turning on a few lights and then throwing everything in the trash. She had a determined look on her face as she went about rebooting her computer and printer. He had to admit she appeared very different from the other writer’s Steve had hired in the past. Here it was after 10:00 pm, and it was only her first day on the job, and she was the only one left in the office. He could not recall any of the other writer's staying so late after Steve left the office. He stood silently by the door watching her work her magic with the computer. With her back to him, he stared at her sleek feminine body. His eyes drifted to her long dark hair hung over her shoulders and cascading down her back. He smiled at her thin waist and the nice soft curves of her ass. “Maybe I was too harsh on her,” he thought while his eyes continued to take in her lovely features. He was about to say something when she turned abruptly and said in a brisk voice.“Thanks for the invite, but I've got a lot of work to do before tomorrow. So, if you don't mind..." It was the classic brush-off and the way she said it told him she was pissed at him for his behavior. He couldn’t blame her, and then she turned back to her computer. John stayed rooted and when she turned to see if he was still in the office, he smiled. “Ms. Coin we are the only ones left in the building, and it is not safe for a young woman like you to be alone on the streets. I’ll wait for you to finish and then hail you a taxi to take you home.” He saw the look of mistrust on her face as she turned from him and worked silently, finishing the printing and then gathering her things. John could feel the coldness of her anger toward him as they waited for the elevator. The silence was deafening in the elevator as they quickly descended the five floors to the lobby. The night guard, Gerry, was sitting at his desk reading the sports page. He smiled as they approached the elderly man. “Late night Mr. Lloyd?” His eyes were drawn to the young woman walking with him.“Yes it was Gerry. By the way I want to introduce you to Ms. Coin. She is a new writer for Steve, and I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot of her.” John glanced outside and saw heavy raindrops falling hard on the sidewalk. “Gerry I have to go back upstairs for my umbrella. If you was so kind as to call Ms. Coin a taxi I would appreciate it.”“Sure thing Mr. Lloyd.” Gerry picked up the phone and began speaking. John thought about apologizing to her but then thought better of it. Maybe Steve was right about her being a great writer. But he sensed her anger so he simply said, “Well Ms. Coin I hope you get your work done tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow at the writer’s meeting. I hope you have some good stuff for us to review.” With that he turned, not looking back as he went to the bank of elevators. As the taxi drove down the bustling city streets, Sara sat back against the seat, her head tilted to watch out the window as New York City whirled past in a kaleidoscopic of life and color. Her day had been, to put it simply, eventful and Sara didn't know what to think of that. John Lloyd in particular was giving her the most food for thought as the taxi driver wove his way through the traffic, shouting the occasional curse in his native language, which she guessed to be Paris. Lloyd had proven to be an enigma to Sara. At first jumping down her throat for her lateness and her comments, which in her defense he had not been meant to hear. And then, asking that she have dinner with him and, after her refusal, not taking no for an answer when he insisted he walk her down and help her get a cab. The man was a complete mystery and Sara was starting to see why women flocked to him, drawn like moths to a flame. But she would not be taken in. Absolutely not. If there was one thing that Sara knew, it was never get involved with the people you work with, especially if they are the star of the show. During her years at NYU, Sara had been burned more than once when a star in the theater department had taken an interest. It was not a road she wanted to go down again, especially not when she had landed a job that could potentially lead to a satisfying career. The rain had let up some by the time the taxi pulled up in front of Sara's fifth floor walk-up. Quickly paying the driver, she gathered her bag and hurried inside. Dropping her stuff just inside the door, Sara moved into her living room/bedroom and changed into a pair of pink flannel pajama pants and a gray t-shirt. She wrapped her hair up in a bun and filled her tea kettle with water before placing it on the stove to heat up. The clock above the stove read eleven o'clock. Next door she could hear her neighbors going at it, their sharp cries of pleasure echoing inside her apartment. How long had it been since she'd been laid? Too long. Though she'd never been much of a voyeur, Sara could feel herself getting worked up as their passionate cries continued, the headboard of their bed hitting against the adjoining wall. Casting a glance at the bag filled with script pages, Sara thought for a second. A tightening inside her stomach that traveled down between her legs made her decision for her. Sitting back on her bed, she slowly stripped off her pajama pants, leaving her in only her t-shirt and blue lace panties. Sara opened the drawer of her bedside table and pulled out the eight inch, lime green vibrator that sat inside. Turning it on low, she slid her hand down inside her panties and placed the vibe against her clit, moaning softly at the sensation. Next door, her neighbors were nearing their climax, and she could hear the impassioned cries of the woman to "fuck my pussy harder!" Her own pussy quickly growing moist, Sara turned the vibrator onto a higher speed and eased it gently inside herself." Fuck," she groaned as the vibrations traveled through her body. Sliding the vibrator in and out slowly, her eyes closed as she listened to the couple. She lost herself completely in the sensations, starting to buck against the vibrator as it fucked in and out of her pussy, the movements getting faster, rougher as she drew close to her own orgasm." Fuck yes." She moaned, one hand moving up underneath her shirt to play with her breasts. Pinching her left nipple between her thumb and forefinger, she rolled the hardened pebble, tugging at it lustily as she continued to fuck herself with the vibe. Her hips rose to meet each thrust of the vibrator, her lips parting as she panted for breath, her pulse and heartbeat racing as the orgasm built inside her. On the stove, the teapot began to whistle, steam billowing out of the spout. Walking into the writer's room the next day, Janice greeted Sara with a smile and a vent café mocha from Starbucks." You ready for the meeting today?" She asked as Sara took the coffee with an appreciative smile." I think so." She said, pulling the pages that she had completely ignored the night before from her bag. "I just hope they don't suck, because I really don't want to get reamed out by John Lloyd today. I am definitely not in the mood for a repeat of yesterday."" Don't worry," Janice said as she turned back to her own computer, "I think we'll do just fine. Remember, writer's meeting is in fifteen minutes, so if you have any changes you want to make do 'em quick." Sitting in the writer's room fifteen minutes later, Sara nervously toyed with the pages of the script. Her eyes flashed to the door as it opened, and John Lloyd walked in." Here we go." Janice whispered to her as Steve called the meeting to order. John retrieved his umbrella from his office and as he rode the elevator down to the lobby, he wondered if Sara had changed her mind about dinner. He was sort of hopeful but when he arrived and saw George alone near the front entrance he knew she was gone. He couldn't blame her though since he really gave her a hard time on her first day. "I take it Ms. Coins got a taxi OK George?"" Yes Mr. Lloyd. She seems like a pretty young thing. Didn't say much, but I got the feeling she is not very happy with you."" Well George," he said with a laugh. "You know how I can be sometimes, and today I berated her on her first day at work." The old man rubbed his chin. "You had better try and be nice to her Mr. Lloyd. From what little I saw of her, she seems pretty independent. Hopefully you will not run her off like you did the other writers last month." John smiled at the old man. While it was true that he gave the writers a hard time, he felt they should at least stick up for their writing and not run away like scared rabbits. He also knew that rumors flew in this business whether they were right or wrong, but he knew George was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. "I'll think about your advice George. But she is missing out on a good meal tonight." John bid the old man goodnight and then walked out into the rain. It seemed to him the rain was coming down a lot harder than when he and Sara first came into the lobby. Some people were scrambling under awnings to keep from getting wet, and he chuckled as he walked under the protection of the umbrella. He watched as people scurried out of the rain. He loved walking in the rain and as he walked, his thoughts turned to the dark haired Sara, and he wondered if she really had what it takes to be on the firing line day after day. As he arrived at the restaurant he ducked under the long awning that spanned from the building to the street. "Oh well," he thought. "We'll know soon enough if Ms. Coins has what it takes to write for a very successful show." He smiled as he walked in the front door and was met by Charles, the owner, who stood behind a very ornate podium. "Good evening Mr. Lloyd. I have your table ready for you.""Thanks, Charles." Following him through the crowded restaurant, John was always amazed at how people would stop and stare at him. Some nudging their partners and whispering, "That's John Lloyd isn't it?" Others who were not into the arts would simply look and then go back to their conversations. Sometimes he could hear the replies but for the most part, the replies were whispers, but he enjoyed the fact they were talking about him. When he was seated a pretty waitress came to the table wearing a big smile. "The usual Mr. Lloyd?" He gave her his Dr. Robert Jones smile. The smile that he knew disarmed some women. "Yes Rebecca," he replied as his eyes were drawn to her ample breasts that seemed ready to fall out of her skimpy uniform. I'll have a scotch and water before dinner and then a glass of Merlot with dinner. When she returned he ordered his meal and then sat back looking at the late evening crowd. He thought briefly of Sara, the new writer, but then dismissed it. "She is probably at home eating leftovers. It's her loss not mine," he mused as he glanced around the room. He noticed a few women at the piano bar and one in particular was staring at him. She had long dark hair that for a moment reminded him of Sara's long strands of dark hair. He dismissed the thought as he took in her tight-fitting outfit that showed every womanly curve. It had been awhile since he had sex and this woman piqued his interest. As he ate his dinner, he watched as some men approached her only to be summarily dismissed. Her head turned every so often toward him, glancing over her shoulder as if to make sure he was still there. Finishing his dinner and then sipping another glass of Merlot, he wondered what it would be like to fuck this woman. The woman smiled at him and then whispered something to her companion, a red head who was dressed to kill just like her companion. The dark haired woman stood and then walked toward him, her hips swaying, conveying to all the patrons that she had sex appeal and that she had something sensual on her mind. When she reached the table, she leaned on the table, a silver pendant hovering over her rather fake breasts. "Excuse me but aren't you John Lloyd the actor?"" Yes I am and who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"" I'm Janelle Anderson and that is my friend Roxanne at the bar." John looked in Roxanne's direction, smiling and then giving her a small wave. "It's nice to meet you Janelle. Are you a fan of the show?"" Ohhh yes Mr. Lloyd. I watch it every week. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Furthermore, I just love how you know so much about medicine and I think you are one of the best actors on television." John gave a small laugh and then smiled. He had heard this come-on line before, but he never tired of hearing it from fan. Especially from a fan who was dressed for sex and she knew it. She was not after an autograph, or she would have asked for one immediately. No! John knew the signs, and she wanted more than just his name on paper. She wanted to tell all her friends at the office tomorrow that she went to bed with John Lloyd, the famous actor." Why don't you have a seat Janelle? We can have an after-dinner drink and get to know each other." The woman sat next to him smiling broadly at everyone who looked at her. She was basking in the glow of being with a major star. Rebecca came and smiled at John Lloyd. She knew what was happening as she had seen this scene unfold many times. They ordered their drinks, and then she began to ask him all the questions that his curious fans asked. How did he get into show business? Did he have a girlfriend? Who would he save on the next episode? On and on the same old boring questions went, and he obliged her because he had an ulterior motive. He wanted to take her to bed and fuck her. As they talked, she put her hand on his thigh and slowly ran her fingernails up and down his muscular leg. The time was ripe for him to make his move knowing she would not resist him. He grabbed her hand and pulled it up to the apex of his thighs so she could feel his manhood. "Janelle why don't we take this party somewhere more private?" The way her hand squeezed the inside of his thigh said it all. He waved to Rebecca who brought the check and then as they were leaving he saw Janelle give her friend a thumbs up. "We can invite your friend if you want," he chuckled." Ohhh no Mr. Lloyd I don't want to share you with anyone." The taxi ride to his Central Park apartment was a blur of kissing, touching, each of them wanting to do nothing more than rip their clothes off. The taxi driver got quite a show in his rearview mirror as Janelle practically raped him in the back seat. When they got to the apartment, John paid the Abbie, and then they tried to act normal walking into the elegant apartment building. Adam, the night manager, opened the door and gave John a sly smile, having seen him bring other women home. The apartment was not really John's. He was lucky that a friend was living in Europe and wanted him to watch after the place for him. John readily agreed, and secretly he hoped his friend would not come back to the states. Janelle was like a wide-eyes puppy as they walked to the elevator. Inside they again pawed at each other until the bell rang signaling they arrived at their floor. Once they were in the apartment, Janelle attacked him. She pushed him against a wall pressing her body against his wanting to feel what it was like to fuck a star. They stripped off their clothes as they made their way to the bedroom and then John pushed her down on the bed, his head lowering to her sex, tasting the sweetness that he loved. She squirmed on the bed as he worked her over until she had an orgasm. When John picked up his head, she turned him over onto to his back and then sucked his cock until he was stiff and moaning loudly. Climbing on top him, she rode him fast and furious until they both found their release.Afterward John politely told her she could not stay the night. She looked disappointed as he called down to Adam to call her taxi. When she was gone John looked out over the park satisfied for the moment but not really satisfied. He enjoyed the women, but there was nothing lasting and no real satisfaction, and he was alone again. He looked at the clock on the wall and was surprised to see that it was 1:00 am. He stretched and fell into bed thinking that he had a long day tomorrow. As he fell asleep he wondered if he would ever find a woman who made him whole. John walked into the building and went to his office before going to the writer's session. His usual coffee was waiting for him and reviewed his e-mails and fan mail. Looking at the clock he picked up his coffee and headed down to the writer's room where he knew he was not really welcomed. He saw Janice sitting next to Sara, and he smiled at her. As he sat in a soft leather chair across from her, he looked at the thick script sitting in front of him. Flashes of Sara spilling coffee on the filled his mind." I take it you arrived home safely Ms. Coins. You definitely missed out on a good meal." Steve and Janice as well as the other writers looked at Sara and then at John. Steve did not want this turning into a rumor mill but John's words were already spurring thoughts in the minds of everyone in the room. He called the meeting to order. "Today we have a preliminary script prepared by Janice and Sara for a show that will air in about four weeks. We have to start ironing out the wrinkles before we go to final edit." Steve glances around the room at the writers and John. "Janice and Sara have the script in front of you so if you would pick it up we can get started. Sara I understand you put the final touches on this last night. I want you to give us a quick overview of what you proposed. And for those of you who forgot, Sara suggested that the good doctor stays in a small mountain town and an illness takes over the town and our good doctor." He paused for a moment to look at John who was reading the synopsis. "Not hearing John tear into anything he continued. "Sara tells what you and Janice have in mind." John stopped reading, and then all eyes were on Sara. Flashes of her interactions with John Lloyd flashed through Sara's mind as the man in question took his seat at the table." I take it you arrived home safely Ms. Coins. You definitely missed out on a good meal." His words, and the reactions of the other writers, sent a hot flush of color up Sara's neck and over her cheeks. She remembered her play time the night before and the way that his face had flashed into her mind just as she reached orgasm. The memory caused her cheeks to grow even more red." I did, thank you." She said, trying to regain her composure. "And thank you for your invitation last night, I'm sorry I couldn't accept it what with the work I needed to finish." At that moment, Steve walked into the room and called them to attention. Sara's relief at having the attention drawn away from her was short-lived as Steve asked her to walk them all through the script she and Janice had been working on." Well, it's just a rough draft right now," Sara said, flipping open the pages before her. "The basic concept is that Dr. Jones is in a mountain town that's known for its ski resorts and other winter activities. On his first night there he's in the restaurant of his resort and is waited on by Meg Carson. Meg is in her mid-twenties, she's lived in the town her whole life. She's college educated, and her father actually owns the resort that Dr. Jones is staying in. The two of them have a bit of a flirtation going on that night, but she doesn't ever tell him that she's actually getting ready to take over running the business for her father. That night the first person gets sick with the mysterious illness - we're still working out the details on this since Janice and I weren't able to talk with the medical consultants yesterday." Sara pauses as she shuffles through the script in front of her." Now, if you'll skip ahead to page thirty-two," she continued, "you'll see that Meg and Dr. Jones have gotten to spend a little more time together and are steadily building a relationship. Feeling that she's something special and different from his usual 'type', the good doctor is taking his time with this relationship. We've written it so that the sexual tension between the two has time to build, and the viewers will be even more eager to see them fall into bed together. We want to build the tension between them until its absolutely impossible for them to keep from ripping each other's clothes off. Immediately following this, Meg will fall ill and now Jones is emotionally invested in the outcome of this disease." Glancing around the table, Sara surveyed her fellow writers and John Lloyd. "Are there any questions so far?" John studied Sara closely, looking into those dark eyes of hers as she went through the first part of the script. He was curious as to what new ailment he was going to have to solve on this show but remained quiet for now. As he watched her read and explain the script to the others around the table, he couldn't help but take in her professional demeanor. She seemed like a totally different person than the one he ambushed yesterday. He couldn't help but think to himself, "Maybe Steve finally hired someone with brains." His ears perked up when she asked everyone to turn to page thirty-two, explaining that Meg Carson and the good doctor were going to have a relationship. While she talked about Meg and the doctor building up a sexual tension that would leave them and the audience panting for them rip their clothes off, John envisioned the girl she was describing as Meg and that woman was Sara. He took more notice of Sara's soft curves as she told everyone of the actor's passion, and then she would fall ill. John's mind was already conjuring up images of them at first cuddling and then fondling, their passion growing more with each visit. Their wanting of each other would mount out of control, eventually leading them to no longer put off their inevitable union. Their desire for each other would ultimately make them unable to resist the temptation to take that final deliberate step. He was still thinking of how this would all come to pass when he realized Sara had stopped talking, and he shook his head slightly to bring him back into the present. There was a long silence in the room when Sara asked,"Are there any questions so far?" Most of the writers in the room were still thinking about what Sara and Janice had come up with for a script. But they also knew that Steve and the cantankerous John Lloyd would have the most to say. Steve cleared his throat. "Well MMM ..... well MMM .... let just say that you two have given it a lot of effort, and it seems to be a great step in the right direction." He paused for a moment taking in the silence of the other writers and then continued. "One thing is for certain Sara. You seem to have a knack for getting to the plot right away." It was obvious that he was referring to the sexual tension that would develop between Meg and the doctor. He looked at John and then turned his attention back to Sara and Janice. "What you are proposing is for a show that is possibly two to three episodes long. As you know the show is only on for an hour so it would be impossible to have them ..... as you say ..... want to rip their clothes off." There was some snickering from some of the other writers, but Steve waved his hand. "I think this has a good chance to keep the audience's attention and besides the good doctor needs to have some fun rather than saving the world every week." All eyes turned to John who sat listening to the head writer critique the script. "What do you say John do we take this upstairs to see how they might like to have multiple episodes?"" Ms. Coin I think Steve has some good points. You have to remember that this is a family show, and so we can't have them tearing off their clothes as you suggest. I hope you remember that we have a wide fan base and some of them may not take too kindly to seeing the good doctor fucking his leading lady." He laughed as he added," though I think it would be quite delightful to give our viewers an eye full ..... if you know what I mean." His comment was followed by laughter from the other writers. He looked around the room and they immediately became quiet. "I agree with Steve that we should take this upstairs and pitch it to the owners. In fact, we should take a trip to this resort to get the feel for the atmosphere." He looked back to Sara and smiled. "So Ms. Coin did you have someone in mind that would love to fuck the doctor?" "Ms. Coin I think Steve has some good points. You have to remember that this is a family show, and so we can't have them tearing off their clothes as you suggest. I hope you remember that we have a wide fan base and some of them may not take too kindly to seeing the good doctor fucking his leading lady. Though I think it would be quite delightful to give our viewers an eye full ..... if you know what I mean.... So Ms. Coin did you have someone in mind that would love to fuck the doctor?" Though his comments were innocent enough, Sara could feel her defenses coming up. There was something about John Lloyd that put her immediately on the defensive." Well, obviously, I'm not saying we turn the episodes into a full on porn video." She said, her tone a tad more biting than she had meant it to be. "But, because we're on at a later time, we have a bit more leeway in showing scenes of a more intimate nature. I'm not suggesting that we show full nudity, a woman in her underwear is common enough even on shows geared towards teenagers. But I do understand your hesitation. We can tame things down a bit if, during the filming, they seem to go too far." Her gaze went back and forth between Lloyd and Steve until they came back to rest on John Lloyd." And as far as someone who would, what did you say, 'love to fuck the doctor?' I haven't put much thought into that. After all, that's the job of the casting department. I merely write the script. Perhaps you'd like to audition the actresses up for the part? You seem to have your hands in everything else on set, why not have one in your new leading lady?" She cocked her head slightly as she surveyed him. The other writers in the room looked away uncomfortably, each one afraid of what John Lloyd would do next. John smiled as Sara told the group"Well, obviously, I'm not saying we turn the episodes into a full on porn video." He had thrown out the idea more to see her reaction, and now she was defending her position. He looked around the room as she continued telling them since it was on later the network could get away with more risqué programming. The show had never revealed the sensuous side of the doctor. He was always battling diseases and if not saving the patient, fighting for injustices in the medical and legal field. He rather liked the fiery approach of the new writer, and maybe it was time for the public to see another side of him. His attention was drawn back to Sara when she stopped talking, and he saw her looking around the room for either help or maybe confirmation that she was right. She looked at Steve who said nothing. He was prone to sit back and digest everything before he spoke. He always thought it's best to let everyone have their say. But ever since Sara showed up yesterday, it seemed everyone was trying to steer clear of the obvious conflict between her and John Lloyd. Besides this was her idea and while some of them liked the idea they were willing to shut up and not pick sides. When Steve did not speak and no one else spoke in favor or against the idea she turned her attention back to him." And as far as someone who would, what did you say, 'love to fuck the doctor?' I haven't put much thought into that. After all, that's the job of the casting department. I merely write the script. Perhaps you'd like to audition the actresses up for the part? You seem to have your hands in everything else on set, why not have one in your new leading lady?" When she finished and cocked her head in a defiant way, John returned the look with a smug smile. "She may understand programming and viewers preferences, but he knew she was young and probably did not have all that much sexual experience. He glanced around the table quickly and could tell that everyone was waiting for the scathing string of cuss words that usually came out of his mouth. But instead of cuss words he gave her a very confident smile. "Ms. Coin you bring up some very good points and I have to applaud you for taking the initiative to take the show in a different direction." He waved his arm in a sweeping motion. "It seems up until now the writers for this hit show have been more concerned with the good doctor saving the world from disease. You bring something that the viewers and fans have not really seen in the doctor." He took a moment to let anyone speak, but the room was silent. No one, not even Steve, was about to enter this fray. He turned back to Sara and gave her his most disarming smile. "I understand that writers write from experience Ms. Coin. Experience gives them some perspective of what they are writing about, and they can transform those experiences down onto paper. Since you want to turn the show into somewhat of a sensual escapade, I assume you have vast sexual experience to draw from for the good doctor and his leading lady. Would you care to share some of those with us?" Steve interrupted John, seeing that they were treading on a subject that was still taboo in modern society. "Sara you don't have to answer that question. John you know that is out of line, and we don't need to talk about Sara's sexual experiences here in this room.""Oh, come on Steve. If she has all these great ideas for the good doctor they must have come from somewhere," he said in a very bating and biting tone." And by the way Ms. Coin you are correct that the casting department will pick the lucky lady to have sex with the doctor. Maybe you should consider auditioning yourself." Steve let out a long groan knowing this meeting was turning into a cat and mouse game between Sara and John. "Can we move on Sara with some of your ideas?" Fuming, Sara slammed the pages of the script down on her desk. Her face burned with rage at the way John Lloyd had spoked to her in the meeting. If he wasn't the star of the show she would have slugged him. How dare he speak to her in such a way. The innuendos left her flustered, though she tried not to show it, and down right embarrassed. Apparently the John Lloyd that had tried to make amends the night before was gone, and in his place was the arrogant actor that Sara had first met. Sitting in her chair, she could not focus on anything other than her anger. The pages in front of her completely forgotten, Sara grabbed her bag and headed for the stairwell. Taking the stairs two at a time, she made her way to the rooftop. Leaning against the brick ledge, Sara looked out over the bustling city. Every bit of her wanted to walk up to John Lloyd and smack the smug grin off his face. With shaking hands, Sara searched her bag for the pack of three-year-old cigarettes that she always carried. The age of the pack was testament to how often she actually smoked. The thought of smoking disgusted her, but, in extreme circumstances, it did help to clear her head and calm her nerves. Lighting up, Sara inhaled slowly, allowing the nicotine to work its magic." I'm not going to let him beat me." She said to the city below. "I'm not going to let John Lloyd get under my skin." Sara threw the cigarette on the ground and stamped it out roughly, grinding it below the heel of her boot. Seeing the seething look on Sara's face from John's rude remarks, Steve called an end to the meeting. Sara and Janice had quickly picked up their scripts and exited the room. Steve turned his attention to John." John that was way out of line and I mean way out. There was no reason to bait her like that. Where she got the ideas is of no concern of yours. The only thing you should focus on is trying to act on what she writes. You had better get your head on straight. You and I both know that this charade you are putting on is a bunch of bull shit." John looked at his long time friend. "Steve I was only playing with her head and you know it. If she can't give and take on some harmless bantering how is she going to make it in this business."" You said that before, and I'm telling you that you need to straighten up or else no one will want to write a script for you. You are not this holier than now person John. She can be one of your greatest allies if you would only give her half the chance. Do you understand?" He thought a moment and then looked at Steve. "Yea I understand. I will try to make amends, but that may be pretty hard. I have this feeling she is really pissed at me right about now."" Well my friend you will have to turn your charm on and get her into your corner." Steve looked at his watch. "We need to get upstairs and pitch the new programming to the bosses. If they buy this you and her will be working a lot closer together in the coming months."*******************************************************Stave and John walked out of the chairman's office with smiles on their face. As they waited for the elevator Steve looked at John's reflection in the polished elevator doors. "John you did an excellent job in their. You had them eating out of the palm of your hand. Now all you have to do is convince your head writer for the three episodes to go with you to the resort and gather ideas." John smiled back at Steve in the elevator doors. "I didn't expect the boss to give in so easily to taking a trip."" He was impressed with your description of the episodes, and you know you owe all of it to Sara don't you?"" Yea but I also didn't expect him to tell me to take the writer responsible for the ideas. And when I mentioned her name he acted like he knew her. Hell she has only been here two days, and she seems to have impressed the chairman." Steve laughed and thought to himself as the elevator doors opened. "There are some things you don't need to know John." As they rode down, Steve looked at John and in all seriousness said," You need to make amends with her or the two of you are going to have one hell of time on this trip."***********************************************************John walked into the writer's office and saw Sara's desk empty. He walked to Janice's desk and smiled. "Do you know where Sara is Janice? I need to talk to her immediately." She looked at John with a sneer on her face and then replied. "She walked out of here in a huff, and she may have had enough of your callous bullshit. I don't know when she will be back."" I would appreciate it if when she returns, would you please ask her to come to the set. Furthermore, I have to talk to her about something important."" It is against my better judgement, but I will pass on your request," she said and then turned away from him as to dismiss him."Thanks, Janice. That's all I ask." John turned a walked out of the office wondering if his message would be delivered. "You'll never guess who was just here looking for you." Janice said as Sara walked back into the office. Dropping her bag on the floor, she shot a curious glance at her co-worker." Who?" She asked as she unwrapped a piece of gum and popped it in her mouth." Mr. John Lloyd himself." Janice leaned towards her, a devilish grin on her face." Oh," she paused mid-chew, "what did Satan's spawn want?" Janice chuckled. "Satan's spawn? I like that. He wants you to meet him on the set. Something important he said he needed to talk to you about."" Great, probably going to harass me about my sex life again." Sara ran a hand through her long curls, giving her hair a tousled look. "Alright, well wish me luck. And pray that I don't kick him in the balls in sheer frustration." She walked out of the office, Janice's laughter ringing behind her. Making her way onto the set, Sara looked around and saw John Lloyd sitting in a director's chair, his name printed on the back, a make-up artist doing quick touch ups as he looked over his script." So, I hear you were looking for me." Sara said, stepping in front of him, her arms crossed defensively. All of a sudden her nicotine fix evaporated. John was busy reading his script while Lois tried to apply make-up on him. His mind was on the character and when he did, he was almost lost in his fantasy world. The more he got into the role, the more he became the character if only for a few minutes or hours. He saw a shadow move over his script and was surprised to see Sara standing in front of him with her arms folded in a very defensive posture." So, I hear you were looking for me." Her dark alluring eyes were staring at him and from her posture he was sure she was ready to pounce on him. There was anger in her facial expression and John was not sure how to begin. He laid his copy of the script on a nearby table and then sat looking at the dark haired beauty, noticing her long tresses dangling over her shoulders." Ms. Coin I'm glad to see you got my message. First off let me apologize for my unkindly behavior. I know you are pretty pissed at me and rightfully so. I was a bastard to you on your first two days here." His eyes remained locked with hers, and she stood in front of him listening to his apology but did not utter a sound. Hearing no reply, John continued. "As you know Steve and I went to the bosses upstairs after the meeting to pitch your idea. The chairman, who seems to have heard of your work, was all for the idea of a multiple episode involving the doctor staying at a resort and then trying to overcome the disaster. They also seemed to like the romantic idea of the doctor and one of the staff having an affair." John could see Sara was waiting for the punch in the stomach about how good they thought it was but sorry no cigar this time around. He smiled and then broke the news to her." Ms. Coin the boys upstairs liked your idea so much that they want to send a team to a resort to gather ideas and then possibly shoot the scenes at the resort. I was surprised when they had already selected the resort. It was if they had already had an inkling of what Steve and I were going to tell them before we started talking about your ideas. The resort is located about 90 miles from the city in the Hudson Valley. It is a Victorian castle built on spectacular cliffs and has 259 rooms. They think it would be a great setting for the disaster, and they have already talked to the hotel about researching and possibly shooting some scenes. John reached over to his script and pulled a picture from the back of the script. He handed it to Sara and said," this is a picture they gave me of the hotel. Her eyes opened as he continued. "They want to send me and the head writer for the episodes to the resort for a week starting next week. That head writer is you Sara. That is if you want to go," Sara looked down at the photo John handed her as he explained how the show's executives wanted her to head up the script for the episodes taking place at the resort. It was all too much for her to wrap her head around. This was only her second day, and already she was being placed in charge of a whole episode arch and was being sent to scout the location. What the hell! And add John's apology on top of all that, Sara felt as if she would faint." Are you fucking with me?" She asked, suddenly afraid that this was all one big joke. Her eyes snapped up to John Lloyd's, slightly anxious that he was pulling one over on her. "Because if you are, it's not funny." She waited for his answer, her head spinning, hoping and praying that this was all real. "Are you fucking with me? Because if you are, it's not funny." John could see a somewhat apprehensive look on Sara’s face as if to take this all in. “No Sara I’m not fucking with you. You can ask Steve about our meeting with the bosses, and he will tell you the same thing.” He waited a second as she took in his words. “I know Steve and you met in the dog park, and he read some of your writing before he offered you the position. But somehow you also impressed Jacob Sebring the CEO. Hell he had a copy of your script on his desk when we met with him.” The phone on his hip rang and John picked it up and looked at the number. “One sec Sara while I get this.” John spoke in the phone but never let his eyes off Sara. She is a great looking woman he thought as he listened to the person on the other end. “Yea she is right here, and I just told her about it, and she is in disbelief,” he chuckled. “Ok Steve you will let Jake and Robin know?” He clicked the off button and then looked at Sara. “That was Steve. Jake and Robin the photographers will be going along for a few days to take some promo shots.”“Mr. Lloyd they are ready for you on the set,” announced one of the assistant directors.“Tell them I’ll be right there, but first I have to ask this question. “Ms. Coin how is it that the CEO knows about our young rising star of a writer and gets a great assignment right out of the blocks? Do you know him from NYU?” “Ms. Coin how is it that the CEO knows about our young rising star of a writer and gets a great assignment right out of the blocks? Do you know him from NYU?” Jacob Sebring. Where did Sara know that name from? It was so familiar, right there on the tip of her tongue, but for the life of her she could not place it." I don't know." She muttered, shaking her head as she tried to think. "I mean, I know that I know that name." She met John's eye. "I honestly can't remember." The assistant director called for John again." You should go." She said, "I guess I'll be seeing you when we leave for the hotel." The days leading up to their leaving went by in a blur of activity. Sara worked long hours on the concept, holed up in the office with Janice and Steve and the rest of the team. She was the only one who would be going to the resort, however, and she wanted to make sure that they had a nearly perfect concept worked out before she had to work in the details of the resort. In that time, she barely laid eyes on John Lloyd, which was perfectly fine with her. Though she'd forgiven him for the comments he'd made, Sara wasn't ready to tell him that yet. Finally, the day arrived and Sara got to the office early in the morning with her suitcase packed for the next couple of days. During the past days she had been searching her brain for how she knew Jacob Sebring, and it had finally come to her. She just wasn't sure if she wanted to tell John Lloyd. Speak of the devil, she thought as the actor walked into the building's lobby, his hair carefully tousled to give him that 'just woke up' appearance." Mr. Lloyd." She said, nodding in greeting as she sipped the Starbucks coffee she'd picked up on her way to the office. John looked at Sara as she tried hard to remember Jacob Sebring. Her facial expressions displayed that she was either a damn good liar or she truly did not make the connection with the CEO." You should go. I guess I'll be seeing you when we leave for the hotel." John looked at the assistant standing nearby with her hands on her hips. “The director will be highly pissed at me if you don’t come now.” Looking back to Sara, he smiled. “I have to go and try to please this asshole of a director. Yea I guess I will be seeing you when we leave for the resort.” As he watched Sara walk away, he still had the nagging question in the back of his mind. “How in the hell did a young writer right out of college land a coup to write a series of episodes for one of the most watched shows on television.” He shook his head, but he smiled while watching her cute butt sway enticingly to the exit. The thought of grabbing her tight ass in his hands crossed his mind as the assistant stood nearby watching him.“Mr. Lloyd you need to come onto the set right now instead of staring at the young woman’s rear end!”“Tell the fucking bastard that I’m on my way Cynthia!” Clambering off the high stool he walked onto the set and tried his best to put on a sweet smile for the director. “This is going to be a long fucking day,” he whispered as the director assembled the crew and called out.”Well it looks like we finally get the attention of the almighty Dr. Jones,” The director was fuming that the star took his sweet time coming onto the set. The next few days flew by as he concentrated on finishing an episode. Part of the deal was he had to wrap up the episode in order for him to make the trip to the resort. Mr. Sebring was very clear that the director would make sure it was complete. John and the director did not see eye to eye on a lot of things, always arguing back and forth, and he was just happy to finally complete the shoot. The night before they were to leave for the resort, John lay in bed thinking about the trip but mostly about the new writer. Steve told him a few days ago that the staff was working hard to put together a more detail script for the resort episodes. He told him that Sara in particular was very instrumental with ideas and writing skill. They also talked about Sara’s relationship to Jacob Sebring and Steve had to confide that he still didn’t know. As he fell asleep, John made a mental note to ask about it on the trip up state. When he saw her standing in the front foyer of the office with her coffee and bags at her feet, he couldn’t help but smile. She seemed especially energetic and ready to go, but John wasn’t so sure this was going to be a very pleasant trip. She had not forgiven him for his outbursts last week, and he had not seen her since the set, but she looked refreshed and didn’t seem all that mad at him.“Hi Sara. You look like your ready for the trip," as he glanced down at the suitcases. "I have my car in the front of the building. All we need to do is get your things, and we are ready to hit the road.” He carried her cases down to the car, putting them in the trunk of his BMW. As John loaded them into the trunk he laughed. “It feels like you packed for a month.” John loved the way his car handled on the road and as they left the city on I-87 north to the resort. He looked at Sara, her seat belt holding her into the seat was nestled between her breasts. He took a moment to admire the way her breasts were outlined. Glancing up to her face, he saw Sara watching him. There was an awkward moment and he knew he was caught looking. “So Sara did you ever figure out how Mr. Sebring came to have a copy of your preliminary script?” Though she was looking forward to the trip, Sara was still uncertain of spending so much time with John, especially when she still was a bit pissed at him for his comments. She graciously allowed him to load her bags into his car, a BMW that she got the impression she was supposed to be impressed by.“It feels like you packed for a month.” He joked as he loaded her bags into the trunk." I like to be prepared for everything." Sara replied, readjusting her purse as it slipped off her shoulder. As they drove off, there was an uncomfortable silence in the car, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. Sara could feel his eyes on her every once in a while and, when she finally glanced over at him, she found his eyes on her breasts, which were outlined perfectly by the seat belt. She frowned at him and he quickly averted his eyes. “So Sara did you ever figure out how Mr. Sebring came to have a copy of your preliminary script?” He asked, trying to change the subject before she could admonish him for staring at her breasts. Sara turned her head to stare out the window at the highway speeding by. Dare she tell him? Did she really want John Lloyd to know that Jacob Sebring had been a guest lecturer at NYU during her freshman year? She hadn't remembered his name until a day or two ago, but there was no forgetting the time she had spent in his class. It had been during Sara's very first semester at NYU and Sebring had been teaching a script workshop. The workshop had been very large, and she hadn't had much face-to-face time with Sebring. There had been one day, however, when he had met with each student individually to go over their scripts and, when Sara had gone in for her meeting, he had made a few unwanted advances. She had been an impressionable freshman at the time and didn't know what to do. After telling him a flat out "no" she had kept quiet about the whole situation and never told another soul. It shocked her that he should now be the executive of the show she was working on. Had it been a coincidence? Sara had no idea." No," she shook her head, "I have no clue how he got a copy." There was no way she was going to let John Lloyd have such information in his back pocket. Better to keep her secret safe and to herself. The rest of the drive passed in relative, uncomfortable, silence and Sara couldn't have been more happy when they finally pulled up in front of the resort. Climbing out of the car after John had parked, she took a deep breath to calm herself. This was, no doubt, going to be a long next couple of days. John asked that both he and Steve had not been able to answer. He was hoping that she remembered, and he was surprised when she remained silent for a few moments, staring out the window at the passing landscape. Just the way she looked away and remained silent seemed to say that she somehow knew the CEO." No, I have no clue how he got a copy." John knew better, but it was pretty evident that however she knew him, she didn’t want to talk about it. He filed it away to the back of his brain, thinking he would tell Steve about this conversation when they returned to the city. It was also pretty evident she was still pissed at him. The way she glared at him when she caught him staring at her breasts said volumes. He wondered if she would ever forgive him for his behavior. He simply shrugged his shoulders at the thought and drove in silence, lost in his own thoughts. Those thoughts were of the resort and having to spend the next week with Sara. He was beginning to have new respect for her for the way she stood up to him but if they continued to be adversaries it would be one hell of a long week. Arriving at the resort, John was directed to a private parking stall in front of the main entrance. This area was reserved for celebrities and other important persons and was cordoned off from the other parking areas. Getting out of the car, he saw her stretch, admiring the way her breasts pushed against her sweater. He was caught staring during the trip, and she didn’t bring it up. He stood on his side of the car catching another glimpse of what seemed a well toned body. Furthermore, he turned his head away before she could catch him and looked at the hotel staff coming to greet them.“I was hoping for a little piece and quiet and maybe some privacy,” he muttered as the captain ran to the car.”Mr. Lloyd, it is such an honor to have you staying at our resort. We will take everything to your rooms, and you can check in with the front desk. You and Ms. Coin are in adjoining rooms as requested by your office.” He glanced to Sara and smiled as he added. “I think there are some people who would like to see you in the hotel lobby.” John was a bit taken back by his statement. This trip was not supposed to be highly publicized. They were at the resort to only take a look at the location, but he got the impression that they were expecting much more. John looked at Sara who was not smiling. He didn’t know why, but he was sure it had to do with the bell captain's comment about adjoining rooms. The bell captain led the way and as they entered the lobby, John’s smiled turned sour. There in the lobby was a large group of women who obviously had heard that John Lloyd, the famous television doctor, was going to be staying at the hotel.“There he is …. Dr. Jones,” shouted one excited fan.“Ohhhh such a dream boat,” shouted another.”That must be his new girlfriend,” another called out to a series of groans. The bell captain directed John and Sara to the front desk as he admonished the crowd of women to stay back. He called out in a loud booming voice. “Ladies please Mr. Lloyd will be available for photographs and autographs tonight in the main dining room.” John looked at the bell captain with a very puzzled look and then at Sara. “I’m sorry Sara I didn’t think the studio would do this. I thought this would be a quiet time for us to put our heads together on the script.” He hooked his arm with Sara’s, giving the women his best Dr, Robert Jones smile. She tried to pull away, but he held her arm fast against him. He whispered through clenched smiling teeth as they ventured through the crowd of women fans toward the front desk. “I know one thing. When we get back to the city that goddamn publicity asshole, Greg Sanders, is going to hear about this. There are times when I just want to have some peace and quiet too.”

Behind the Scenes (Open - PM for invite)|rating:3.0

Destiny, South Dakota

Doug Stevens drove his pickup into Destiny, South Dakota, parking on Main Street. He got out and waved at the two older men sat outside the pharmacy hunched over a chess board. Zac peered at him with rheumy eyes and gave a wave back before turning his attentions back to the game. Doug took his time heading down to the hardware store of his hometown. He stretched his long legs as he pulled his well muscled young farmer's physique from behind the wheel. It was good to get away from the farm for a while. He enjoyed his ranch, but this was a busy time, often away in the fields overnight, planting to oversee and the bills to pay. The hardware store had a smell of its own that hadn't changed since his dad had brought him there when he was young. Linseed oil, wood, charcoal, all battled for attention. He nodded to Colin, the gangly son of the owner Doug still remembered from his childhood. It was good a family business was being passed on. A cloud flitted across his mind as it often did at times like this, and he wondered if he and Karen would ever have children, be able to keep the ranch in the family for a fourth generation." Hi Col, how's it going? I've called for those chains I ordered, your Dad phoned earlier to say they were in." The young man headed into the storeroom and Doug eventually helped him with them to the pickup and paid his account. He decided to stay and get a coffee before heading back to the ranch and made his way to Mae's café. He grinned and waved to the buxom jovial owner who was taking another order, so one of the local girls came, and he ordered a coffee and studied the sway of her hips as she sashayed into the interior of the café while he sat on one of the chrome seats on the sidewalk. Mae came over and hit him over his head with her order pad." What would Karen say if she says you ogling that young girl?" Mae grinned despite the "rebuke" and so did Doug." Why Mae? You want ogling too?"" I get my share," the big woman laughed and met his keen blue-eyed gaze and talk turned to if it was a good spring and the price of beans and cattle. As his coffee was brought out he was distracted by an out-of-town car pulling slowly along Main Street. He frowned at the profile of the woman inside. Surely - it couldn't be? Closed for Flurtyshus and me; feel free to comment in PM's. Hollis Holbrook Hollis Holbrook stepped out of her sleek charcoal Lexus and inhaled a steadying breath. She still wasn’t sure this was the right thing to do, coming back to Destiny after all this time, but as her father had once been fond of saying, “That ship had sailed.” She caught sight of her reflection in the dark tint of her car window and was once again reminded that she was a different person. Furthermore, she was a stronger person there in her crème colored business suit and her platinum Jimmy Choo’s. Furthermore, she wasn’t the scared little girl that had run away from Destiny so long ago in her own personal trail of tears. Furthermore, she was a woman now. And the man that had been her reason for running, well….he was no longer alive to be afraid of. The wind blew just then and lifted her silky raven locks into a cloud that shifted around her cleanly sculpted face before settling down again just below her shoulders. Out of habit, she reached up catching a few wayward strands and twirled them a few times to comfort herself before tucking them behind her ear. Hollis made her way around the hood of her car and stood just outside the storefront windows and felt a surge of pride well up in her chest. The floor to ceiling glass she’d ordered for the Studio/Gallery she now owned suited the place perfectly. Lifting one well manicured hand up to a pane, she traced the beautifully scripted double ‘H’ monogram that had been delicately etched into the glass. It was just the way she’d imagined it. Just the way she’d designed it in fact, and she wanted to see if the inside was just like she’d laid out as well. She cupped her hands around her eyes and leaning close to the glass, cried out with delight. There were the light oak wood floors, polished to a high gloss and the sunlights in the ceiling casting down as much natural ambient light to the place as was possible. There were plush chairs, benches and pillows all picked by her own hand in her favorite colors of dove gray and with accents of spring green. And several of her own favorite images were boldly framed along the east wall, which was painted a gray so pale it was almost white. Anywhere there was silver or chrome it shined and anywhere there was fabric it was pleasing to the eye and to touch. Frustrated that the realtor, Karen Stevens, had not been able to meet with her today, Hollis satisfied herself with one last look at the interior and turned to take in another landscape; that of Destiny’s Main street. She noted the changes with a pang of regret that she’d not seen them happen first hand. The tiny movie theater now had boarded up windows, the old dollar store was now a Cut & Curl and the 5 & Dime had been replaced by a Piggy Wiggly’s Grocery Store. There were some old standards still around however, like the Hammer & Nails, the old hardware store that had started over fifty years ago and all they supplied had been hammer and nails. And then there was Mae’s. Good ‘of Mae's, had the best grilled cheese and strawberry shake she’d ever had. Just the thought of it had brought her old craving back, and she was of a mind to stroll right across the main two lanes and get her some, but she knew the minute she walked through those doors, word that she was back in town would spread like wildfire, and she didn’t want that. Not even her mother and brother knew she was back in town, and she wanted to keep it that way for as long as she possibly could. Taking one last covetous glance at Mae’s front door, Hollis rounded her car once again and was just lowering herself into the driver’s seat when she heard her name. "HOL? Hollis - it is you!" Hollis knew is voice straight away - how could she not. Well it had always been a faint hope to keep her comeback secret but now -She uncurled from the car as Doug stood awkwardly for a moment before moving closer. He almost felt he should just shake her hand, his long departed girlfriend from times when they were close - so close that...but eventually he moved towards her and took her in his arms with a hug. He stood back, a goofy grin on his face covering up his thoughts, and she couldn't help smiling back." Been a long time," he said and she nodded. A recollection of her disappearing came to him, disrupting the dust of years that had intervened, had covered the scars of loosing her. The recollections that haunted him every day too bubbled under this strange encounter. He turned his hands palms up, almost speechless. "You're here," he said, stating another obvious fact and she giggled. "Yes, yes I am."" Want to - get a coffee or something?" he asked, and she bit her lip." I was hoping to stay incognito for a day or two, while I set up," she nodded towards the shopfront, and he looked around and smiled at the monogram. He had been so busy he hadn't been able to get into town. Karen had occasionally mentioned there was a new business starting up, but he was often tired when they chatted, and he hadn't really taken it in. Karen had been a newcomer to the town herself and Doug had never really told her about Hollis - it was something he didn't want to rake up, something that could have easily come between him and his wife if he'd scratched the scars of losing Hollis. And the baby. His head swirled with memories, hopes, fears - NAD now-he would have to tell Karen. Doug nodded and shuffled his boots in the dust before blurting out, "I guess you know my wife," he looked at the realtor's board still on the property. "Karen?" Hollis nodded slowly, trying to extend the small talk, to avoid the deep subjects she knew, by coming back, they would have to explore. She said, quickly, "yes. Karen - congratulations - how long?" He frowned." Have you been married?" She finished the sentence for him." Three years - this August," he said with a nod, the conversation now a game to avoid the real questions hanging in the air between them." Look - I should be getting back - I'm on the ranch now. Pa died - left it to me." He didn't add the memory of how they had talked and talked about their life in Destiny when they were in high school and their hopes and dreams - joint hopes and dreams that saw them, one day on the farm together. With their family. He cleared his throat. More avoiding the subject. "We need to catch up sometime when you're set up." Catch up. The two words held so much. Hollis Holbrook There was an awkward pause and when Hollis didn’t volunteer any response, Doug blurted out a question to fill the silence. He never had been good with silences.“So what’s this about?” He gestured to the etched glass. “What’s the new business?”“Ohhh.” She sighed. She wasn’t sure she wanted to go there with him right now. In fact, she was sure she didn’t want to but if she didn’t tell him he’d find out soon enough. So technically she wasn’t bearing her soul to the man she still loved somewhere in her heart, any more than she was to the rest of the world. “It’s an art gallery and studio. I, uh…could finally afford to do it the way I wanted and….here I am.”“A gallery, huh?” He asked thoughtfully. “You always did love pictures.”“Photos.” She corrected him tersely. “There’s a difference.” Doug smiled, and it was so reminiscent of the old days tears sprung to her eyes. This was an old argument for them, the artistic difference between a snapshot and a photograph. She saw a difference. He didn’t. Hollis tilted her head back to clear the tears from her eyes and when they once again met his, she could tell by his lowered lids and shifting feet he was about to say something sentimental. She couldn’t take this. She’d met her torture quotient for one day.“It was good seeing you again Doug.” Her hand fleetingly touched his arm, and then she quickly unlocked her car doors by remote and got in.“Hollis, wait, we need…” Hollis heard his muffled protest, but she was done battling demons for one day. She felt guilty. She felt cornered. Furthermore, she felt overwhelmed by an old sense of loss that took her breath away. Why the hell hadn’t it crossed her mind before that she might run into Doug? She chided herself. The minute she heard his voice, she had known she was in deep shit. It was the same low gravelly timber as it had been back in high school, and it had the same effect on her now as it had back then. The moment he’d said her name a knot sadness and ....vulnerability tied itself in the pit of her stomach. And even though she was now 5 miles down the road, the knot sat in her stomach threatening to make her vomit any time now. Hollis drove the accelerator damn near through the floor boards and when she whipped down the dirt drive to the little house she rented, tears she didn’t think she had left in her to cry fell down her cheeks. By the time she put the Lexus in park she was wracked by deep sobs she didn’t think would ever end. She slumped forward, cradling the steering wheel and just let it all go. There was a tapping at her window followed by a hesitant greeting. “Ms. Holbrook? Are you ok?” Hollis’ head snapped up. Silhouetted by the setting sun, was a petite little blonde standing outside her car door. The bob cut and efficiently applied makeup set off warning bells. Something was very familiar about this woman. Hollis swiped at her eyes and face and stepped out of the car putting on the brightest smile she could manage. “I’m sorry. Can I help you?”“Well, if you are Hollis Holbrook, then I thought I’d help you.” The woman watched her curiously. “I knew I said that I couldn’t meet you at your store with the keys, but my meeting ended early so I thought I’d just drop them off. I hope that was ok.” God was determined to punish her. She just knew it.“Keys?” Hollis mumbled, vying for time; trying to regain her composure.“Oh, forgive me! Where are my manners? Karen Stevens, your real estate agent.” Karen smiled brightly and stuck out her hand.“Oh hi!” Hollis distracted herself by pulling her bags out of the trunk and making a big show of needing to go unload them. Karen took the hint. “Well I see that you are in the middle of settling in. Here are your keys, and if you have any questions about the property feel free to call me.” Hollis nodded unable to bring herself to look this woman in the eye, took the keys and card she offered and turned toward the house. She was almost to the door, almost home free when Karen tossed out one more comment. One more little nail in the coffin of her day.“Oh and Hollis? I hope it’s ok to call you Hollis. When you have the gallery opening, I would love to come. My husband needs to be exposed to some of the more refined and sophisticated arts and I believe your gallery will be just the stepping stone for that.” A wave was all she could manage before she quickly unlocked the door to the tiny little house and shut herself off from the world. As usual, he hid his feelings by working harder and longer for the rest of the day. She was back and he - well, he stopped himself thinking about her as much as he could. Memories though, like curling strands of smoke, filtered through the fire door his mind was already building, through into his consciousness as he saw his long time friend and farm manager Bill Laplace of the Cheyenne River Sioux. They talked over the plans for the cattle until the sun was going down, until Bill said he'd better get home and mentioned the baby he and his wife had recently had. Bill frowned at the cloud that seemed to cross Doug's face but didn't think too much of it. Karen had told him he was working too much, and he assumed that he was tired. After Bill left Doug went into the barn, reluctant to head into the house. He tinkered with the tractor unnecessarily until he was left in a pool of yellow light from the naked bulb and moonlight washed the scrubby grass outside. He wiped his fingers on a rag and stretched, still pushing aside any deeper thoughts about Hollis, what might have been - and of course, what was. Slowly he headed into the house and Karen, walking through the hall in just an oversize sweater and legwarmers, looked back over her shoulder and said, "finally!" with a smile. "Dinner's keeping warm when you're ready. Lasagna." He nodded and smiled, heading upstairs to the shower. Slowly but surely the smoke of memories from his time with Hollis was becoming heated; the door his mind had tried to shut on them was burning away and as he stepped into the shower he remembered a time with her - not Karen - when they had made love under the water, the heat of their bodies outdoing the heat of the rivulets running down them. He stood there for a while, letting the water grow cooler until he stepped out clean but still troubled. He dried off and dressed in some loose sweatpants and a muscle t shirt." Doug? Are you coming?"" Yep, on my way," he said. They had wine and salad and lasagna and more wine, and they eventually sat on the couch, Karen's feet on Doug's lap as she ate some strawberries with honey and passed him one. She was pleased to see his crooked grin as she did so, as he lapped the honey on her fingers while he traced a hand up her warm, equally honey colored thigh. She shivered pleasantly and small talked her way around to the gallery and to Hollis and Doug looked away." You know, we should go when it opens - she seems a nice person. Her photos are arty, she has this website. I think that's where she makes most of her sales and this place is a sort of business venture maybe come tax relief thing." She shrugged at her guesses why a well known photographer would want to come to Destiny in the back of beyond. Doug nodded and didn't meet her eyes. He knew if he did she would see the flames behind his gaze and he would have to tell her everything. But if not now - when? Not for the first time Doug knew what was the right thing today, but his emotional introversion stopped him speaking. Not now - soon. She'll understand, he said to himself." Shall we see what's on TV?" He had himself under control enough to glance her way. "Before going to bed?" He grinned, and she nodded, rubbing her heel between his legs playfully.****Karen was asleep after their lovemaking and Doug sat with the reading lamp at his side of the bed on when he slipped out of bed without disturbing his wife and went to the office she kept at home. It was like some violation, going through her things, private, confidential information - but there was no stopping himself. Karen was neat, methodical, a filer. He sat on the revolving leather office chair and looked at the files on her desk. HOLBROOK, H. He flipped it open and saw a photo of the place in town - the studio. Beneath that a picture of the house she had rented - and her phone numbers. He wrote them down on a scrap of paper and went to put them in his clean overalls for the following day. Eventually he fell into a fitful sleep. Hollis Holbrook After an hour-long bath and an equally long cry Hollis decided it was time she reached out to the one tie she had left in Destiny. Checking the wall clock she found it was only nine thirty. If she left now, she could still make it to the reservation at a decent hour. Flipping open one of her unpacked suitcases, she dug through until she found her favorite jeans and drew them up slim supple thighs. Over that she quickly buttoned an over-sized men shirt and slid her feet into a pair of well-worn Tony Lama’s. Locking up, she made her way down the porch steps and into her car, put on her seatbelt and pulled out onto a highway she would never forget. It was the same highway she’d driven ten years ago, her body broken and bloodied. She’d been driving then to where she was going now; her only safe haven. Hollis glanced down at her gas gauge when she spotted the hand carved sign that whispered “White Wing Indian Reservation: 5 miles.” She could see the lights winking in homes across the flat land, but they were deceptively close. Many a tourist had broken down on that old dirt road because of the sheer mileage you had to cover to get out there. Fourty five minutes later, she pulled up to the side of a single wide trailer just below a red rock bluff. The mutt tied out front barked frantically until she stepped out of the car, and it was able to catch her scent. The barks turned into low happy whines that said ‘come pet me.’ She stood in the yard just outside the porch awning closed her eyes and breathed deeply. The warm scent of roses caressed her face and it soothed her. There was a sudden squeak in the black hole beneath the awning a square of yellow light appeared framing a hulking silhouette of a man with his long hair blowing in the wind. No words were said. They watched each other quietly until the silhouette lifted his arms to her. Her heart broke in two then. “Oh Uncle!” Hollis cried out and rushed into his arms. Work was his answer, like it had been for his family. Work and don't talk about your dreams. Though this time people noticed something was on his mind; normally, for a boss, he got on with the guys and was easy going, but that day something was eating him. He didn't take it out on them but seemed to withdraw, there was no banter. Trouble was, they were just like him - barbed wire boys, not used to talking about feelings. They let it pass, putting it down to one of those days they all had. He sat in his truck out by one of the fields he was visiting and let the air conditioning run to fend off the growing warmth, even of the springtime, and he ate his lunch alone and looked at the piece of paper he had scribbled the numbers down on. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the home number. It was more a sort of ceremony; he knew she probably wouldn't be there not at this time. She'd more than likely be down at the gallery. He listened to the phone keep ringing and jumped when it stopped, a lump in his throat wondering what to say. He heard her voice." Hi, this is HOL, sorry I'm not able to pick up, leave me a message. Thanks!" He breathed in a deep breath and closed the phone. What would he have said if she'd been there? He looked at her cell phone number and then put the paper away and his own phone. It was crazy. Yes, he wanted to know - everything - there were lots of "why's" floating round in his head. He watched a fly land on the windshield and said, "Why'd you leave HOL?" Yes, he remembered walking round fields much the same as the one he sat next to talking about how she wanted to go to college, go be a photographer, go walk down the Champs-Élysées, cross the Bridge of Sighs. He wished he's paid more attention in geography - or read a few more books. But she was still crazy for him...back then. She still went to bed with him every chance she could. He grinned and a bit into an apple. No - not bed - they made love everywhere they could, and she didn't think he lacked imagination then. Maybe he hadn't been bothered about seeing the world, maybe he was the stay at home good boy - not like his brother, he mused. But he was the one that got the farm, not Ralph. He was out there somewhere, probably still in New York. The dark earth of the Dakotas wasn't for him and neither Doug nor his mother - even when she'd been sick last year and Doug had tried to reach him - neither of them had heard a word from him. He shook his head. So many ghosts turning up in his mind all at once. So many ways the world could have been different suddenly raising their heads. He threw the apple core out of the window and focussed on HOL again. HOL - and his baby that she was carrying the last time he had seen her. And now? Yes, they had a lot to catch up. He started the engine and thought of the work he had to do that afternoon. Why'd she have to come back? After all, something had made her run pretty fast. He screwed his eyes up and put the truck in gear. Work. Work and Karen. Yes, he'd have to talk to her. Maybe tomorrow. Hollis Holbrook“I shouldn’t have come back here.” Hollis paced the short length of the trailer.“It was time.” Her uncle, Alexander Thundercloud, said simply in his deep halting voice. When she’d come in her uncle had folded his tall frame down onto an old brown plaid couch that matched nothing else in the trailer and set up one of his silent vigils. He had a habit of leaving the TV on but muting it, so she could see some sitcom playing while captions for the hearing impaired ran up the screen. It was always so easy for him, the quiet and listening. It sometimes drove her crazy that he could say so much without having said a word. Needing a distraction, Hollis paused in her pacing and looked around the trailer, noticing the cracks in the linoleum floor, the tattered carpeting, the completely worn counters and dings and dents in the furniture. Exasperated she barked, “Uncle why do you live like this?!” Alexander Thundercloud was the Assistant Director of American Indian Studies at the University of South Dakota as well as being an associate professor for several community colleges offering traditional native arts & music classes. Hollis knew that he made good money, and yet he stayed in this crap trailer that smelled like dust from the desert.“Don’t change the subject cingula Wicca,” Her uncle addressed her in the Lakota way for ‘little girl.’ “I live life the way I choose; simply. You on the other hand live trying to escape. Your mother should have named you Running Deer.” Hollis spun around tears filling her eyes. “How can you say that to me?!” The accusation of betrayal hung on her every word. “You saw what he did to me! My father tried to kill me. You saw!!”“No question what he did was wrong.” She began to protest, but his outstretched hand stopped her. He began again. “No question. Your father is paying for his sins against you. But when you punished him, my cingula Alicia…my little warrior, you punished us all. Those are your sins against your family. It is why you stay wounded.”“They wounded me! They took his side and believed him over me!” Hollis could hear her voice bouncing off the close walls and the old desperation she’d felt ten years ago was coming back, and she didn’t know how to let it go. She didn’t know how to let any of this go.“Hollis. You didn’t stick around long enough to give them your side. So who else were they to believe?” She knew he was making sense, but she still had to argue a little longer. Without the anger fueling her she didn’t know what emotion would replace it or how she would react when it bubbled up. “Didn’t you tell them?” A sad smile appeared in the middle of her uncles beautifully copper face framed by his long hair. “It wasn’t my place Wicca. It wasn’t my story to tell.” The truth of it began to settle in the pit of her stomach like a lead weight and Hollis felt like crying, but she was all cried out. She ran long caramel fingers up through her own long dark hair and stopped at the nape of her neck intertwining her hands there. Hollis couldn’t help but feel like she was six years old again. That was when she’d met her mother’s brother for the first time, and they’d been bonded ever since. And just as he used to when she was six, he patted his thigh indicating that she should take her place. She hadn’t known it, but Hollis had been waiting for that very thing since she stepped through his door. She lay down on the couch beside him, put her head on his thigh and curled into the fetal position. Just like old times he began to run one strong steady hand across her head, smoothing her hair and soothing her as nothing else had since she was a little girl.“You came back to heal.” He explained. “To get some waste` Ceuta….good medicine.” She was haunting his thoughts. He decided to engineer a trip into town the following day to call at the gallery. When he still saw it deserted he turned to Mae, the font of all knowledge. She hadn't seen anyone near the gallery, and she was keeping her eyes open to take the owner over some "welcome to town" coffee - and a chance to find out all about them before anyone else. Doug kept to himself who that owner was. Doug looked at the facade of glass and its monogram as he sat and drank lemonade on the sidewalk outside Mae's place. His mind went back through the years to HOL's disappearance. He remembered, even though he wasn't exactly their first choice for a boyfriend for their daughter, he'd gone around to HOL's parent's place after she didn't turn up or call him for a day or two. There was no one there either. At first, he figured they'd all gone away together - but she'd not mentioned anything. Perhaps it was her telling them about the baby; he wondered if they'd taken her to some doctor who would help her with her "problem." He'd continued to wonder back then when they would come around and have it out with his own family - who he didn't tell about what had happened. In fact, he told no one, just kept it inside, as usual, gnawing at him. He had few close friends, but even they didn't know what she had told him. There was no phone call and the Holbrook's house remained empty for quite a while. There were rumors they had all gone back to the reservation - traditional medicine, a traditional birth - he didn't know why. He told his parents something about her having some family reason to disappear and wondered when they would find out exactly what that was. Then, they came back - at least the mother and HOL's sister came back. They even passed the time of day in the street with Doug's parents - his mother had told him they did and that was how he got to know they had made up some similar excuse - family matters meant she'd had to go away. Only once did Hollis's mother meet him alone, as he was coming out of high school." It's for the best, son," she said. He remembered her tight drawn lips and the parasol she held keeping off the sun. She wore dark glasses with a retro fifties style, and he couldn't see her eyes." Where is she?" he remembered asking. For a moment her mother said nothing then twitched her nose and said, "California." Doug remembered standing in the street as she walked off to her car. They hadn't spoken about her again; it was like that for him back then. Shy, introverted - he wanted her but somehow couldn't do anything to make that happen. He didn't know what he felt - then as now. She was gone and so was the baby. He met Karen when she moved to the area a couple of years later, when his father was taken ill the first time. She was a live wire, a year his senior. She'd organized amateur dramatics and tried to get him to act. Furthermore, she soon realized he was better with the props. Even though the leading man tried to seduce her, she slowly fell for Doug. Doug stretched and put away his recollections and stood up, heading down Main Street with a wave to Mae. He wanted to walk to gain some privacy as he pulled out the piece of paper with the telephone numbers and dialed HOL's cell. Hollis awoke suddenly and for a moment was disoriented. Her dark hair tumbled wildly around her head and she blew a puff of air to move one strand out of the way so she could see. As the cloud of sleep cleared, she finally realised she was in her uncle’s trailer covered by a quilt she knew to be her grandmother’s pattern. She allowed herself to revel in the comfort of having gotten a good nights sleep, amazing as it was, but now she wanted to know what had woken her up. She listened hard but heard nothing so she decided to investigate, although sleep left her with little motivation to do much more than lean precariously off the edge of the couch, peering down the hallway. From that vantage point she could just see in to her uncle’s bedroom and knew he wasn’t there with the door standing wide and a crisply made bed. She was just about to get up when she heard the key turn in the trailer door. Relief washed over her, and she lie back down expecting he would be bearing great gifts of a hot breakfast. Her stomach fairly growled at the idea. Turning on her side to face the door in greeting Hollis froze when she heard the voice of a strange man command her uncle’s dog to “heel”. She didn’t recognize the voice but when the door opened there was just enough light cast on the face of the man that had her throwing the blanket over her head. Her breathing came in quick gulps, but she did her level best to pretend she was still asleep. The man halted only briefly when he saw the body lying on his uncle’s couch and proceeded on into the kitchen. By the bumps and bangs she heard, it sounded to Hollis as if he’d grabbed a bowl and was now rooting around under the kitchen sink. What the hell was he looking for? The minute he started to rustle in a bag, her uncles’ dog began howling outside on the porch. Ahh, dog food, she surmised. Again the man halted as he passed by her again and Hollis held tight to her breath. Please go away. Not now. Not yet. She prayed silently. And then realised just how big a baby she was for hiding this way. But the realization wasn’t enough to make her come out until the man had gone outside and relooked the door. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Hollis eased down onto the floor and crawled over to the little window by the front door. Easing two blinds apart, Hollis spied the man leaning over and setting a bowl of food down for the mutt and then turning toward his car. As he walked past the Lexus, he turned briefly, taking a few steps backward, clearly admiring the car, then shaking his head in bewilderment he turned back, hopped in his pickup truck and drove away. Those few moments had been enough to let her know a few things. A-Ten years hadn’t changed the fact that her brother was still her mirror image despite the fact that they were two years apart. And B- Jonah didn’t know she was back. She was certain if he’d had any inkling the Lexus was hers he’d have stormed back into the house and torn it apart at the very least. More likely though, he’d have kicked out her windows and dented the doors. When the plume of dust had disappeared, signaling that he was well and truly gone, Hollis ran out to the car and left White Wing in her own cloud of dust. When she hit the main highway, her cell signal apparently came back as it chirped to let her know she had a missed call. Scrolling through to the new calls, Hollis gasped as the name D. Stevens appeared on the L.C.D. screen. What did Doug want? How had he gotten her private cell phone number? And how was it he could find her now? For years, he’d apparently been content not knowing what happened to her….hadn’t given a crap about her and now all of a sudden he wanted to talk? After all these years he’d never once tried to find her, but now he was mister super sleuth. Hollis flipped the phone shut and tossed it into the passenger seat. As her anger came back like an old friend to fuel her, Hollis settled into the driver’s seat. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. Healing was one thing. Opening old wounds was another thing entirely. Doug left Hollis a message. Then another. The days were long and the work longer, but his mind was still being gnawed at by the stories from his past and by what they would mean to him now. He still didn't tell Karen; find out from HOL first what was happening, what had happened to their child - that would be the time to tell her. The passing of time now began to rankle with him. Surely he wasn't that repellent to her, she couldn't have the courtesy to call him, to spend some time with him. She'd come back to town, damn her - if she couldn't be bothered to be civilized he wasn't going to be the one to make the first move. He didn't have to go into town much and found it easy to avoid the situation having made his decision to be mule-headed. It wasn't until one evening when Karen said, "hey, guess what?" He looked over and cocked an eyebrow in question." That gallery we talked about is opening - she's a photographer, you remember?" He nodded slowly wondering what she was going to say." I went over to see how they were getting on," Karen went on blithely. "She seemed a bit nervous - probably busy with the new place, but I did get a ticket to the opening show. I got an extra one too," she smiled at him. He nodded, asking when it was and being told in a couple of days time." You know I'm not big on arty stuff," Doug said trying to prevaricate as usual." You'll enjoy it, besides..." Karen walked over and playful poked him in the chest, "I have a surprise for you, mister." He flinched more at the words even though she was grinning in an unconcerned manner." Yes?" he asked, not trusting more words wouldn't better display his nervousness." She came from round here - you probably knew her. Hollis Holbrook." He nodded trying to form his face into a blank look. Somewhere words tried to push him to use this opportunity to tell his wife everything he knew about Hollis." Yes. We were in high school together. Went out a few times. Her family went away." All the sentences were true; it was what had been cut away by his frightened mind that lay in invisible tatters around them both. Oh, yes and by the way she was having our baby. He kept seeing HOL's mother's face on the street when they had spoken after she'd come back. "It's for the best."" You can reminisce about the good old days, uh," Karen said. Doug cleared his throat. "Did - did she say why she'd come back?" Karen shrugged. "Not really. Maybe she missed the old place." Hollis Holbrook Hollis knew it wouldn’t be long now before everyone in Destiny knew she was back. Because she’d been operating largely under the cover of night getting the gallery ready, Hollis had managed not to have much interaction with the people in town. The late hours hadn’t bothered her a bit. In fact, it was very much her usual routine to work at night unless she had a specific job to do during the day. But her hours had proven to be of great consternation to an eager young reporter who’d been chasing her for nearly a week wanting a “scoop.” When she’d found him asleep on the front steps of the gallery one evening, she’d finally agreed to give him an exclusive interview after the gallery opening on the condition that he not breathe a word about her in the paper until then. He’d agreed with such freckle faced innocence and exuberance that she almost felt bad making him wait. In truth though, that was only three days from today and the mere thought had been making her alternately queasy and excited for several days now. She opted to focus on the excitement just now because she’d finally completed installation on one of her most favorite series of photos. Along a ribbon of gray paint at eye level on the east wall, there were twenty-three free floating glass frames and in each of them was a different man photographed uniquely with an infant or toddler. The key to the series were the expressions on the men’s faces. They were all in a state of upset. Several men had been brought to tears during their sessions with their children, and it was then that Hollis had captured their truest essence in that frame of mind. Her very favorite was a tight shot of a little boy after having placed a kiss on his father’s forehead gazing up at him forlornly, his big eyes shimmering with unshed empathetic tears, his tiny hand resting on his fathers cheek as a tear slid down his father’s face. Three-year-old Toby Grace hadn’t understood why his daddy had been crying, but he had known what comfort had meant. Hollis smiled sadly at the memory and emotion that had welled up in her heart. It was some of those same emotions that had led her to name the series “The Agony of Longing.” Hollis stood awhile longer gazing at the images, feeling her emotions stir, lift and settle again. It was at that moment she decided to call the true inspiration for the series. Walking the three feet to one of the benches where she’d tossed her things, she dug until she found her cell phone and sat down on the bench. One deep breath fortified her, and she scanned through the numbers until she found the most recent call he’d made to her phone. Hollis pressed the button that would dial his number from the caller i.d. and waited. Three rings later and his voice mail came on. “Hey it’s Doug you’ve reached. If it’s not me you wanted then you dialed the wrong number. If it IS me you wanted…and who doesn’t?....then leave a message after the beep.” The beep sounded and for a moment she floundered about what to say. “I.uh… I’m sorry Dougie I just realised its like 3 a.m. No wonder you didn’t answer. I mean…shit…what the hell am I doing?… Sorry. Bye.” Hollis closed her eyes and just shook her head at herself. Calling him had been a stupid thing to do. All it would end up doing was encouraging him and that certainly hadn't been her intention. Dragging a hand through her hair and grabbing up her stuff, Hollis decided it had been a long night and tomorrow she had to go talk with the caterer...it was time to call it a night. Tomorrow was going to be a long, long day. "I wear a tie to visit the bank, not to go look at pictures." Karen sighed and gave up trying and muttered something about mules as he pulled on the pale blue tee shirt. "Hey, I'm at least wearing the jacket," he said pulling on the cream linen as he spoke." Now, you," he said as he helped her zip up her black dress, "look good enough to..." he bent and nuzzled her neck. She wriggled away." Later," she said, "I don't want anything smudged!" She checked her lipstick in the mirror.****They walked in the late evening sun to the gallery and Karen began to meet and greet the great and the good of the county. She'd always been more for the social scene; if it wasn't for her Doug would have few friends outside the farm business and his occasional nights at the bar. A soft music played, and the finger food was good; even the caterer's wine was passable, Karen joked with the mayor's wife. She looked around for Doug but didn't see him. In a way she was pleased he had gone off and presumably found someone to talk to. He had gone off but as, yet he hadn't found the person he wanted to talk to. He'd listened to her early morning message a couple of times but decided not to try and get her on the phone when he knew that he'd be seeing her soon. As he wandered he suddenly realized that there were, in fact, pictures in the gallery. He ate one of the small delicate sandwiches ND started to look at one of the images. Two black men - one obviously older, stouter, rear but both in basketball shirts. The young man held the basketball casually under his arm and had a big grin on his face, his other arm around the shoulders of the older man. Doug smiled and looked around for a program. The Agony of Longing. He looked up and down the pictures on the wall, looking simplistically for something that told him where to start looking. He didn't find it so he wandered around. Father and daughter, the baby still smeared just after her birth. Children playing on a street, with trees and a man reading a newspaper. The girl was about ten he supposed. She was seen from the back, giving her father a hug. Doug swallowed and moved on to the next image, hearing complimentary things being murmured and "ashes" and "Oohs" as he moved on. The small child on the steps of a school, just letting GP of his father's hand. Doug bit his lip and wiped his eye. He looked around for the restrooms and made it in before he sobbed silently to himself, pulling out tissue from the stalls to dab his eyes before splashing his face with water and drying it. He ventured out again and the first person he saw was Hollis Holbrook who was in conversation with a small older woman." Do you do weddings? Sara s looking for someone, you know." Doug stood until the conversation ended, the older woman taking a card from HOL. He walked forward." Hi HOL." She looked around quickly at his familiar voice. He wanted to ask if his child was there, with the person she thought of as her father. He inclined his head to the pictures. "Do you have a favorite?" Hollis Holbrook When Hollis stepped through the doors of “Heavenly Hosts” wonderful smells instantly assailed her; a good sign for sure. You never could tell about small town bakeries and caterers. However, if the aroma’s coming from the kitchen were any indication then “Heavenly Hosts” looked…or rather smelled quite promising. The display cases were even more proof that Hollis was in the right place. She could tell. Hundreds of little chocolates, pastries, pies and cakes were freshly laid out in well lit, refrigerated shelves behind pristine glass. The coconut crème and raspberry parfaits had her mouth watering. She decided on the spot that some of those would be coming home with her that very evening. Her decision firmly made Hollis looked around for an employee but found no one. She did however see a sign that said, “Ring Bell for Service”. So Hollis promptly rang the bell. There was some shuffling from the back and the sound of metal sliding against metal before a young brown skinned girl, clearly Native American upon closer inspection, came rushing around the corner, her hair tied back in a wayward ponytail, her white apron askew.“I’m so sorry!” The girl brushed herself off and flour roofed off her in great clouds. “I couldn’t hear the front…” The girl abruptly clamped her mouth shut when she looked Hollis in the face and like a fish she opened and closed her lips, formed in a little ‘O’ several more times.“What’s the matter?” Hollis asked, alarm easing into her chest. The last thing she needed was this girl having a stroke or some other dramatic incident right now.“You look…. I’m sorry it’s just that for a minute you were almost Jonah.” The girl stammered. Hollis stopped breathing. “Jonah?”“My boyfriend. But clearly you aren’t him. You’re a girl. Yea? And your hair is shorter…and he doesn’t have boobs but why would he, right?” The girl giggled in a nervous burst of sound, and then she clamped a hand over her mouth. Hollis lowered her eyes to the girls name tag. It read, “Naomi” in big girlish loops. This girl was Jonah’s girlfriend? Hollis decided her best tactic was to ignore her, get her order in and get the hell out of there. She didn’t want Naomi of the big girlish loops scrutinizing her any further. “Naomi, how would I go about getting an event catered?” Naomi perked up, and the confusion finally melted away from her round features. “That’s easy. You take this menu and this checklist and mark the things you need and when you need them by and give it back to me. Easy, yea?” Hollis politely thanked her, sat down at a table and quickly went through the catering menu. After choosing approximately seven items, she filled out the name, address and phone number section and took the form back to Naomi who was eagerly fidgeting behind the counter. Naomi scanned the form. “Oh Great! Pauline will be happy to have a catering job so soon. We just opened last month. This is so cool! I’ll finally get to wear my girly tux to help with the catering. Pauline said I’d get to walk around with a tray with real champagne and everything. Business has been kind of slow so she’ll be excited about a Gallery opening. You’re the new artist, yea?”“Yea. If Pauline has any questions, have her call me, yea?” Hollis heard herself and then winced at the old pattern of speech she recognized in Naomi from her childhood.“Sure.” Naomi smiled and went back to reading the completed form. Hollis knew it was time to leave and walked quickly toward the door. Naomi seemed to know her brother and also had a mouth that said too much. Hollis didn’t want her playing “guess who came in the store today” with Jonah or her mother before she had the chance to prepare herself. She was almost home free when she heard a startled gasp.“Hey! Wait! Your last name is Holbrook? That’s my boyfriend’s last name!” Hollis waved as if she hadn’t heard the girl and ran across the street. “Shit! Shit! And double shit!” Burying her face in her hands, Hollis took a deep breath and gave in to the fact that the end was nigh. HOL smiled at him, but Doug couldn't tell what it meant; she distractedly looked over to the pictures and seemed pleased when another person walked over to her and began discussing the photographs. Doug sighed and moved a little further away, catching sight of Karen walking over. Hollis looked nervously over at Doug and his wife and continued talking to the man who was asking technical questions about how she had taken the images." So, how'd you like it?" Karen said linking her arm through his. He nodded and turned away towards the wall and looked again at the moving scenes HOL had caught." They're good. She was always good."" Have you had a chance to say hi yet?" Karen asked, leafing through her catalog." No. No, not really." She smiled at him, and they walked down the side of the gallery discussing the images; Karen was pleased he seemed happy to talk about them; normally he was a "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like," man. Thre was a ripple of movement by the door and the clatter of one of the trays of food being knocked over. They both looked at the source of the disruption. He drew in a deep breath. Hollis' mother looked older, gaunter than she had. Her eyes scanned the crowd, presumably for her daughter and alighted on him and stayed there for a few seconds before she moved further into the room. Behind her, HOL's brother looked brooding and menacing, showing no interest in anyone around him. Outside, another car pulled up, and another Native American stepped out. Doug had forgotten his name but knew he worked at the university nearby but still lived in an old trailer in the middle of nowhere. He, too, headed for the door. Hollis Holbrook Hollis heard the tray crash to the floor and her head whipped around. Her eyes fell on Naomi who was now crouching on the floor attempting to clean up the mess she’d made. Normally, she would have felt nothing more than mere irritation at a dropped tray but something in Naomi’s face, and the way her eyes kept flicking to something that Hollis couldn’t see sent an immense feeling of dread coursing through her. Propelled by more than curiosity, her eyes scanned the throng of attendees and landed on a silhouette of three; two powerful males flanking one petite form. The mere site of her mother and brother standing in such proximity set off a panic attack. Hollis had the presence of mind to excuse herself politely, even if a bit shakily, from the women she’s been speaking with and took three steps backward toward the hallway leading to her office. Just as she was about to make her escape, she felt a hand splay across her back. The touch was familiar, kind but firm in its intention, which was plain that it wouldn’t let her retreat any further. Her panicked eyes rose and found Douglas standing silently at her side. Confused, she made a move to side step out of his grasp, but his hand slid around to her hip and held her firmly to his side.“Suck it up HOL,” he whispered underneath his breath. “You can’t make a scene in front of all these people. This is your opening and this is your doing. Now make the best of it.” Hollis eyed him for the long moment that it took her family to make their way across the room and decided that Douglas was enjoying this. She knew somewhere inside him, he thought she deserved this and now here he was making sure he was front and center to witness the whole thing go down. Before she could summon the anger he deserved, her Uncle was there in front of her, cupping her face and waiting until her eyes met his.“Cingula Wicca.” He murmured the endearment, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. “You’ve done well.” Tears stung her eyes, and then he was gone replaced by her brother. Tall, grown up Jonah. The look on his face said he wanted to slap her and that it was taking every bit of will power he had not to and when he grabbed her upper arms and jerked her forward, she thought he’d decided shaking her to death was a better option.“You-left-me.” Jonah leaned down until his silky curtain of hair slipped down off of his shoulders and shielded both their faces and when he spoke it was through clenched teeth. “What-kind-of-sister-leaves-her-brother?” Hollis hadn’t known what she’d expected, but it certainly wasn’t the deep hurt she heard now. As if they were operating of their own accord, Hollis watched her hands lift and cup Jonah’s face. He growled low in his throat as if he didn’t want her to do it, but then his head bowed until his forehead rested on hers.“Ohhh, sunk.” Hollis whispered the Lakota term for little brother and wrapped her arms around his neck. Nothing had felt as good as holding her baby brother in her arms, in a long time. His body heaved as if he might sob and Hollis held him tighter. A tear slipped down his cheek and suddenly his hands came up, ripped her arms away from his neck and he stormed away from her through the crowd.“Jonah!” Hollis cried and made to follow him, but her mother appeared in her path. The slap her mother delivered her took her breath away and caused the crowd to gasp collectively. “He cousin ye!!” When she could talk again, Hollis shouted, “Don’t do what mother?! What?! Toga he?”“Tokyo Vaughan who?!” Her mother screamed at her as her Uncle Alexander wrapped his big arms around her to restrain her from hitting her again. Hollis went very still. “It’s not like you care where I’ve been mother. If you had, you’d have come looking.” People began to drift away from the opening quickly after the family arrived. Doug rejoined Karen and they both made bemused faces at one another and Karen said in a low voice, "I think the place might be on the market again pretty quick." Doug nodded as he watched the obviously heated though vocally muted exchange that was going on between Hollis and her mother before he and Karen headed out to the street.****Doug waited a couple of days before he went into town. The gallery was still open. This surprised him, and he stopped the car to have a look inside. Hollis sat behind the desk on the phone, and she was smiling. He caught a few words; "you know how families are. Yes. So, I can come around now?" She looked up and caught his eye, a small smile as she said goodbye on the phone." Still in business then," said Doug." Still in business. And business as usual with the family," she said with a sigh and a shake of the head as if trying to dismiss it. Doug wanted to know what was going on, but he bit back the questions for another time, instead asking if that was a business call. She nodded enthusiastically looking at the note she had scribbled to herself. "Adam Langham?" Doug nodded his head and explained how Adam, and he shot some pool occasionally, and he worked for the electric company as a lineman." Great! You busy?" Doug frowned a question back at her." Want to come along - might help break the ice if he sees I already have acquaintances in town. Plus you can drive - you know where he lives?"" Sure."" He wants some pictures of his family plus the house," she said, pulling out an already full equipment bag. "I'll go check out the place, I said." Doug smiled and led the way out to his pickup. As they drove, Doug glanced over at HOL as she soaked up the atmosphere, her designer sunglasses reflecting the light back out into the summer heat. He also noticed her legs; as long and shapely as they ever were. He blinked and tried to keep his eyes on the road.

Destiny, South Dakota|rating:4.0

We are Fantastic Stars in the Sky!

A small grunt of displeasure left her lips as the ringing of her alarm broke into her dreams. Time to get up. Swinging an arm out of her warm cocoon, she missed the pink device by about eight inches. With her second attempt, she managed to hit the "Snooze" button. Then Rose Tyler just slid her arm back against her chest. It was the same morning routine every day. She would lay in bed for fifty-two seconds after hitting her alarm and then push her covers off of her in an attempt to thwart off the temptation of just going back to sleep. It was a lot like ripping a bandied off, you had to do it quick and just deal with the pain all at once, rather than drawing out the agony of bargaining with her alarm clock and then her mother. Right on cue, as Rose was getting out of bed, she heard her mother call from the kitchen, saying that she had better get up now or risk being late for work. Rose rubbed the drowsiness from her blue eyes and pulled her pajamas off. It took her three minutes and eighteen seconds to get dressed on a good day and today was looking to be a good day, an average one at best. As her mother started to call out to her for the second of three that morning, Rose opened her bedroom door. "Yeah, I heard ya." She said and slipped into the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth and hair. Soon she was back out and checking her jeans for her wallet, keys and cell phone. Her mother pointed to the couch where her daughter's keys had been deposited several hours ago when Rose had gotten in the night before. She and Mickey had been out at the pub watching a match and having a few drinks. Rose walked home, having brushed off her boyfriend's offer to escort her, and tossed her keys on the couch before finding her bed and promptly going to bed. Thankfully, the blond twenty-year-old wasn't feeling many of the next-day side effects of late night partying. Even so, she didn't like doing it too often, mostly because she was often strapped for cash, and it just wasn't that fun. The same old thing day in and day out...what kind of life was that? Still, even though Rose found little interest in her life, she had no idea how to go about changing it or finding her passion. When she was in school, she would draw pictures of other worlds and other people. But like most, when she grew up and was forced to pick a career for the rest of their life, she panicked and decided to just get right to work, rather than continue on to higher education. That, and she had been dating a boy who wasn't either into University so she decided her time could be better spent with him, rather than in classes. And as she found herself hopping off the red bus, she knew she had made a mistake. That relationship didn't last long, but it did manage to take any wind that were once in Rose's sails. And two years later, she was still working in the same shop in the mall. It wasn't fun or glamorous, but Rose still hadn't looked at University or at least finding a more fulfilling job. To her, thinking about the future was scary, and she wasn't even that old. There was a lot ahead of her, she told herself that it would get better. She had yet to learn that for things to get better, you had to actually do something. After clocking in, she started her shift and texted Mickey during the downtime. While they couldn't meet after work, they made plans to do something on the weekend. It was Thursday and not much was happening, but that didn't seem to bother Rose. Not much happened anyway. At the end of her shift, she called her mum and asked if she needed to pick them up anything for supper later, but her mother said she would be out for the night which meant Rose could just grab something quick on the way home and the flat would be hers for the rest of the day. Rose had feeling if she texted Mickey about the apartment being free, he'd drop his plans and come over. Which was why she didn't tell him. She grabbed something from a nearby McDonald's and headed back home early. When she got back, she heard an odd noise coming from the back. "Mum?" She called out. It was possible her mother was leaving, but Rose had thought she had already gone. As quickly as the nose was heard, it had faded away. "Weird." Rose muttered to herself and set the bag of greasy food on the couch and went to get changed out of her jeans and into something more comfortable and lazy. Upon entering her room however, she found a blue box of some sort parked right next to her bed. Was this a joke? Rose looked around, her room was pretty tight, and she wasn't sure if the box could even fit through the door. Her curiosity was turning into panic as she debated on what to do. The Police Public Call Box or whatever wasn't really a threat aside from it being in her flat uninvited. Even if she did ring up the police, what would they do? Or even think? Telling herself it was nothing, she dashed out of her room, the idea of changing now out of her head. As she stood in the small hallway, she began to debate about what to do. How could she enjoy hours of television and fast food when there was a giant box in her bedroom? Rose quickly went back into her bedroom and marched over to the box and knocked on the door. "Is anybody in there?" She called out, feeling rather ridiculous. The blond girl waited six seconds before the door was pulled open from the inside. "Bloody hell!" Rose exclaimed and ended up staggering into the wall. While she hadn't any expectations, having someone just open the door so casually was not what she thought might happen. Her heart began to race as the idea of calling someone, even Mickey, popped back into her head." Blimey..." Rose crumpled to the floor and put a hand to her chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack." She sighed and looked up to see a tall man standing outside the blue box. He said hello and offered her a hand. "Thanks." She swallowed and accepted it. Even now that she was on her feet, the man was still at least a foot or so taller than her. Her eyes went from him to the box which was now closed. "Why are you in my bedroom? Wait, howdid you get in my bedroom? Is this a joke or somethin'?" She questioned, her lips turning down slightly. She was still pretty weary of the man, but things like this never happened. And it was more interesting than whatever was on the telly. "Though I reckon this isn't Mickey's doing or Share's." She muttered and ran a hand through her hair. This was certainly not how she thought her day would go." You're not from around here, are you?" She then asked him, noticing his Northern accent. She moved to sit on her bed so she could think about this whole event. It was so weird. Yet at the same time, Rose was slightly excited. She was so used to the mundane routine of her day-to-day life that anything was surprisingly welcomed. And if that meant a half day with the flat to herself and some random bloke in her room, so bet it. She almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Maybe I should show you around the city or something." She joked a little and cracked a small smile. The console was smoking. Not a little flutter of steam like when the TARDIS has a tantrum at the edge of a time-lock, oh no -- she wasbillowingwith Missy hot rage. It swirled and loomed white with a sulfur smell that gagged in the Doctor's new throat. He coughed, crawled along the floor with splayed limbs, grabbed the hot console and dragged himself to his feet, wheezing. The walls were cracking. The smoke made his eyes water. At least he had eyes. And hands. And feet, in proper working order as far as he could tell. He blinked away the film from his eyes just as the TARDIS lurched; the console slammed into his stomach and knocked the breath out of him." Gaaaa-hahaha!" he laughed in pain and with the joy of being alive and whole, and he launched himself to proper standing position. "All right, come on then!" he hollered, racing clockwise round the console from button to lever to switch, even as the floor stilled and steamed. A fire sprang up between his feet, and he jumped and stumbled backward, grabbed a fire extinguisher (wherever did he get that?) and fumbled with it for a moment before dousing the fire down good with a thick stream of foam. It was at this moment that there was a distinct knocking at the door. Knocking? He was sure he had been hurtling through space! Whoever could beknockinghalfway between galaxies? Without a second thought he bounded to the door, yanked it open and stuck out his head through a billow of white smoke, eyes wide with curiosity. What he found was a human girl sitting on the floor and staring at him with -- well, quite the sort of face you would expect from a person who'd just found a man in a box in her house." Oh. Hello! Sorry!" He grinned amiably and dawdled out into the room, the fire extinguisher dripping in one hand and the other let down help her to her feet. He was dressed in old Victorian clothes that didn't quite fit him (and didn't at all suit him): a scarf and a frilly shirt and a coat that had once been properly neat but now was scuffed and charred. The shoes were all pinch, too." I'm just a little busy now," he interrupted her, and he jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the smoke that was billowing into Rose's room. "Shifting dimensions and all that, no time to talk. Come back later, 'Kay?" His smile was goofy and bright, and he hopped back into the TARDIS and yanked the door shut behind him. A second passed before the door opened again, letting in another flow of smoke, and he stuck his head out, his brow furrowed curiously. "Is this your bedroom?" he asked in a lilting voice, as he glanced around at the stuffed animals and pink duvet. It wasn't often the TARDIS materialized so precisely inside a building without his guiding finesse. "Huh." He withdrew suddenly, and the door was shut once again. The oddly dressed man who smelled strongly of smoke quickly dismissed her and headed back into his box. Rose shook her head, not sure what was going on or why. It was all too weird. But before she could think about anything else, he came back out and asked if they were in her bedroom. "Um yeah." She replied. Her head was spinning. How was he to ask about their whereabouts, it was obvious wasn't it? At least to her, it was. The man then vanished back into the box and Rose stood up and quickly walked out of her bedroom. She had no idea what was going or even why. He had mentioned something about dimensions or something but that made no sense at all. Was this some sort of science experiment gone awry? Rose felt as though a heavy weight was pushing down upon her shoulders. Fresh air. She needed fresh air. Maybe then, the weird guy would be gone, and she could move on and enjoy the rest of the day on her own as planned. Seeming to function on autopilot, she headed out the door and up the stairs to the roof of her apartment complex. She loved the view and how no one else was ever around to bother her. Rose liked the peace of being on top of the world, in her imagination. Even Mickey knew Rose liked to go to the roof for her privacy. She lived in close quarters with her mother, space was necessary no matter where she sought to find it. After five minutes of deep breathing, she decided to head back down to her flat and try to make proper sense of the absurd event. She headed back down the stairs and headed back inside the apartment. It was then that she got a text from Mickey saying he was on his way. She cringed, not thinking that his presence would help things. She tried to think of an excuse to turn him around, but none came to mind. Just great. Rose waited by the front door and soon began to pace around the living room. Before she knew it, her boyfriend had let himself in as he usually did, which annoyed Jackie. "Hey Rose, I thought I'd pop by and surprise you. I guess you can't consider it a surprise if I said I was on my way." He smiled a little." This isn't a good time." Rose tried to explain though she really couldn't." Why? Your mum around?"" No, some guy is actually..."" What? Who?"" I don't know-" She began to say, but Mickey moved past her and headed back in her bedroom, obviously thinking the worst. Rose was quick to chase after him. "Mickey, wait! It's not what it sounds like. H-he just showed up out thin air like some wacky magician." She yammered and got to her room to see Mickey staring at the blue police box. Another knot formed its way in the pit of her stomach. How was she going to explain when she didn't even know what was happening. Rose looked off and felt a headache coming on. "I don't even know him." Rose said to Mickey, trying to calm him down." That's one weird thing after another." Mickey muttered and looked back at his girlfriend. "A weird trash bin moved on it's on and now this? I think we're mental." He rubbed his head." You're mental." Rose corrected with a bit of a glare. "Trash bins may have wheels, but they can't move on their own and this has got to be some kind of joke or something." She insisted. Though this could be something else. Or it couldn't, they could have just had too much to drink the night before. That was a simple explanation right? What else could be happening? Just at that moment, on perfect cue, the police box door popped open, and the Doctor leaned out of it. The smoke had gone, and he'd changed his clothes -- all leather and boots, like he'd just walked off an 80s film set. "Sorry, but did I hear someone say a trash binmovedon its own?" He looked between Rose and Mickey with a curious and slightly concerned furrow of his brows -- but his eyes fixed on Rose, and he smiled in recognition." Hello again!" He stepped forward and offered his hand. "So this is your bedroom, is it? Very nice, love the teddies. But sorry about barging in like this," he gestured at the box behind him, "the TARDIS has been acting a little wonky lately, I've completely lost the steering, she won't be dematerializing anytime soon." He tipped his head in greeting. "I'm the Doctor by the way, how d'ya do, lots your name?" He noticed Mickey, and he turned away from Rose with a bright grin and grabbed the boy's hand. "Hello, I'm the Doctor, pleasure ta meet you. We're in London aren't we?" he asked of them both. "Twentieth century? No -- twenty-first, yes, fantastic, twenty-first century Britain, I love it, all you Londoners with your cellphones and telly and chips and have you got anything to eat I'famished," he asked this of Rose, meekly, and he gave her an apologetic grin." But!" He turned suddenly toward Mickey and gave him a look of intense curiosity and possibly grave importance. He wasn't quite sure yet whether there was anything very important, but strange things tended to end up being important when they happened where he happened to be. "Tell me then, what was it you were saying about movin' trash bins?" Rose had no idea what to think anymore. She looked to the man who had quickly done some sort of wardrobe change, which in her opinion suited him better than the period clothes he had on before. The man looked to Mickey but then mostly at her. "Um yeah hi." She smiled a little, giving a bit of a finger wave in his direction. The man then went on to compliment her teddy bear collection to which she pouted her lips slightly. Bears were cute and cuddly. So what if they were a bit beyond her age range? Thankfully the topic switched, but the man simply began to speak about things which Rose knew absolutely nothing about. Finally, he finished by saying he was known as the Doctor. "I'm Rose, Rose Tyler and this is Mickey." She said, scratching her head a little. The Doctor then shifted to Mickey and shook his head. "Hello." Mickey just said, still as bewildered as Rose was. "What's a TARDIS?" He asked the Doctor, though he had a feeling it was the blue box. What else could it be? But the man simply continued to ramble about the era they were in. Mickey gave Rose a sideways glance. The Doctor ended up asking about food, but before Rose could speak up, the man looked back to the dark skinned boy who was just a wee bit older than the blond. "Trash bins?" He blinked. "Oh right. Well we were down by this café and me and my mate, Kyle were talking 'bout the match last night, and we were right by these recycling bins yeah? So we threw some bits away and kept walking." He paused as if he was trying to make sense of it himself." Then what?" Rose asked." Well we turned back around and then heard something. We turned back, and the bins had moved 'bout a few meters toward us. It was really strange. We thought someone had just moved them, but there wasn't anyone else around." He finished. "So we kept on walking and when we looked back, they were right back by the curb where they had started." He shrugged a little. "We thought it was some kids messing around or something." Mickey said. Rose looked to Mickey, usually he was one to joke around, but he seemed pretty serious about the incident. Odd. "Well I do have something to eat, it's not much but just some chips and a burger." She spoke up to the Doctor. He had mentioned several odd things about her time and then his weird box. Rose wasn't sure what to make of the Doctor but so far, it beat watching the telly. "We can always go out and get something, see if anything else is after Mickey." She gave a bit of a teasing smile. The boy just shook his head, not sure what they should do. "Oh yes, let's go out!" the Doctor piped immediately at Rose's suggestion, his eyes as big and excited as he grins -- and with the TARDIS door shut behind him, he strode out of the room, unable to stand still a moment longer now that he'd had a taste of mystery. He was already in the hall with his hand on the door and an impatient glee in his voice. "Mickey, could ya show us where you saw those bins? They were by a café you said, right? I love cafés. They're a perfect place to hide in plain sight." He gave them both a wink, yanked open the door and disappeared out onto the landing." Come on, you two!" he called, and he spun around and leaned over the banister to stare down in to the apartment building courtyard, pushed himself upright again and stretched as he walked. His legs worked, his arms worked, he could still see and hear and taste and smell. He was in London, hot on the trail of some new and interesting and fantastic thing. It was glorious to be alive. His legs suddenly gave out halfway down the stairs, and he grabbed the railing and watched his feet fly out from under him. He gave a terrific cough, wheezed, and leaned over the rail; A warm tingle of energy bubbled up his throat just before a wisp of gold trickled out between his lips. He'd have to keep the exertion down, he thought to himself. At least it wasn't as bad aslasttime. He lifted his head and blinked out at the courtyard. He could've sworn he'd seen something small and dark scurry across the ground and out through the gate. It had been running on two legs. At the Doctor's bright and readily response to go out, Mickey rolled his eyes, clearly not too eager for this new addition. They didn't even know him. Before he could talk Rose out of it, she had already jogged off to catch up to the wide-eyed man called the Doctor. Mickey was hoping to spend some time with his girl, not with the addition of a third wheel. Rose chased after the Doctor as he headed down the open hallway and hurried down the steps which were on the side of the complex. "Hey, hold on will you!" She called out to him. As she ran after him and finally closed the gap, she saw him hunched over the stairs. "Are you alright?" She asked him. Mickey then caught up to them, already a bit annoyed at the man who was butting into something that wasn't even his business." This is stupid." Mickey tried to tell Rose, but she waved a hand at him." Oh, such." She said and turned back to the Doctor who seemed to have regained his composure though she could have sworn she saw some sort of odd golden glow come out of his mouth. Was she imagining things? This day was just too weird. At any rate, they continued along with Mickey grumbling a bit under his breath. Rose understood why he was upset, but they had a mystery on their hands, right? It was better than just sitting around, making out during commercial breaks while they lounged on the couch watching TV. "Anyway let's go." She said as the man gazed out at the courtyard. She wasn't sure what he was looking at or for, but he seemed serious either way." Let's just go back and let him worry about this. It's not our problem."" A look around ain't going to hurt." Rose smiled to Mickey. "You don't have to come if you don't want to." She shrugged, the last thing she wanted to put up was a disgruntled Mickey." And leave you with Mr. Tall and Leather? No way."" Suit yourself." She smiled and they continued down the stairs. Once there, Mickey realized he had forgotten something in Rose's flat. "Hurry back." She told Mickey who quickly headed back up the many flights of stairs. Now that they were alone, Rose had a better chance to sum up the man who just went by Doctor. "You're really an odd sort of fellow." She noted with mild interest and amusement. She glanced up and decided they could move on and not deal with Mickey's lollygagging. "I think I know the café he's talking about." Rose said and led the Doctor down the street until they arrived at a small but quaint café. It was wood and copper and held a nice charm about it. "We can grab a bite in here if you're starving." She offered. Outside there were the trash and recycling bins Mickey had mentioned but to Rose, they seemed unmoving and lifeless. "They got great sandwiches here, tea is good as well." She commented and wondered where Mickey had gone, as it shouldn't take him this long to catch up with them. She was unaware of course, that as Mickey headed down the stairs for the second time, he had spotted the same blue box outside. He assumed it had moved, for whatever reason. He had gotten close and tried to open it. It was thick and rubbery in texture, yet didn't budge. As Mickey retracted his hand, it was stuck like glue and the replica TARDIS ended up pulling the black boy in and swallowing him whole. Crikey." Why are you so interested in this anyway?" Rose asked the Doctor. "It's nothing, right?" The Doctor was almost too preoccupied with his thoughts to notice that Mickey had left -- but the distinct lack of irritable muttering in the background was a wonderful relief. He gave Rose an appreciative grin, and he loped easily along beside her in the cool dark, hands clasped behind his back, glad for her company and her curiosity. He decided he liked this girl, whose first instinct upon finding a strange man in a box in her bedroom was to invite him to tea. She didn't jump to judgments, and that was a rare and funny thing." Nothing?" At her question he tipped his head with a closed smile and a crinkled brow, and he laughed. "Rose Tyler, nothingis nothing!" He hopped forward and spun around, walking backward then sideways while his arms encompassed the sky and the trees and the fences and potholes. "Everything is [/i]something[/i]. The tiniest atom on the smallest speck of existence," he hunched his shoulders and pinched the air, "once gave birth to a universe. Every thought in your head," he tapped his temple, "has infinite potential to change the course of time and history. So recycle bins that move on their own? No, I don't think that's nothing at all!" He winked and strolled ahead, eager to see these mysterious bins, even while he smiled to himself at the look on Rose's face." That must be them!" He rushed across the street, and he circled the culprit bins with a satisfied grin, as if he expected them to apologize for their misbehavior. When they obstinately did nothing of the sort, the Doctor reached inside his coat, flipped the sonic screwdriver in the air, and pointed it with gusto at the guilty party. WhirrrrrrrrrrrrrHe circled round the bins like a tiger stalks its prey, poked the screwdriver at the sides and wheels and lids, peering intently at the readouts above his thumb. His victorious grin was fading with each second of silence. He yanked a lid open and pointed the little light down into the pile cans and bottles, then peered close at the readouts, his brow furrowed. He dropped the lid with a disappointed snap." Well," he sighed, spinning around to face Rose again, hands in his pockets, "maybe they are nothin' after all. But best we keep an eye on them, justin case. Café's the perfect spot! How 'bout those sandwiches, yeah?" He gestured hopefully toward the café. "I'd love a cup of tea." Just around the corner, a couple of trash bins scuttled quietly into the alley. Nothing was anything? Well she couldn't argue with that, could she? And then the man sprang to life and stuck a pose, stating that everything was something. Well again, she couldn't much argue with that. A slight smirk grew on her lips as she watched him get quite excited. He then went on to talk about atoms, to babble about one's thoughts. He seemed very passionate about the universe, and she decided that she wouldn't mind sticking around him for a little bit longer. She wasn't sure what to say when his tirade of sorts concluded. "A-alright." She surrendered. Rose shook her head a little, surprised at how amused she was. The Doctor then turned back around to carry on with the mission at hand. Plastic bins. Darting after him, she looked at the bins Mickey had mentioned. They looked normal to her. She kept quiet and waited for the man to do something, since he clearly had a beef with plastic things. He then took out an odd metal object and poked and prodded the innocent looking inanimate objects. "Um everything alright?" She asked him. Though it looked as though his glee was fading with each passing second with no real response of movement. "Maybe we have to be looking somewhere else? A watched pot never boils, something like that?" She suggested, it seemed he looked much better with a grin, rather than a frown of disappointment. Even so, she wasn't totally convinced that this so-called something was really something, but she held her tongue at any rate. He spun back to her and decided that they could move on, while keeping an eye on them at any rate. He then brought up her offer of food. "Oh yeah sure. My treat." She guessed though she wasn't sure why she had to. Technically he may be considered her guest, but he wasn't really an invited one. He sort of just showed up out of thin air. "Come on then, Doctor." Rose laughed a little and headed into the café. Looking around, she spotted a table and took a seat. It was a quaint round table, nice polished but aged wood. The chairs were cushioned, and the air held a scent of fresh bread, coffee and sweetness. Rose snagged one of the tiny menus on the table. She wondered where Mickey was. It was about time for him to come back unless he just ditched her. But that didn't sound like him. Sure, he wasn't happy about the change in plan, but she didn't think Mickey would leave her alone with an odd stranger. She pulled out of her cell phone and sent her friend a text and then put it away. She told herself that he was being a Muppet." So far, nothing's happened." She glanced out the window which they were sitting next to. The pair had a full view of the street, passersby, the bins, etc. Rose looked back at the menu, quick to pick out her usual tea and sandwich. Part of her wanted to suggest once more that Mickey was just being bonkers, but another part pushed that aside. For now anyway. Rose looked up as a waitress came over to take their drink and food order. Once they had been given, she left them alone. "So where exactly are you from? Did you say?" Rose asked the Doctor. The way he spoke about atoms and space and the grand picture of sorts, she was quite interested." Your accent, it's Northern." She commented. But then there was his blue box he seemed so fond of. That was something she knew nothing about, then again her geography wasn't up to par as it should be. The Doctor also seemed interested in odd events, like some fanatic from the internet who believed in aliens or Bigfoot. Was he one of those people? Some crazy Star Trek fan or something? Sure, that was possible, she told herself, but Rose didn't get that vibe from him. What was it then? What was it about the man called the Doctor that made him stick out like a sore thumb? The café was perfect. The Doctor dropped comfortably into a chair, and he surveyed his surroundings with an interested smile. No one in the universe could pull off a cozy little eatery quite like the Londoners. He loved the soft textures, the worn-in tables, the sweet aromas of coffee and baking bread, the clink of cups and the murmur of conversation. He couldn't live without the wild and the strange and the fascinating -- but it was the little things that made life worth living. Rose asked him a question, and at her comment on his dialect he gave her a smug grin. "Yes, it is!" he encouraged her, and he let himself be distracted by a gorgeous stack of blueberry pancakes that was being carried past them. He intentionally paused before his answer, just to drag out the dramatics; it was such great fun to tantalize Rose's curiosity. He could see her in the corner of his eye, and he waited until she was just bursting with more questions before he leaned his elbows on the table and peered at her with interest. Some people he lied to, just to gently satisfy their small minds; others he would intimidate purposely with the truth just to watch their heads explode. Rose, though -- Rose was curious. He took a breath. "If I told you that I come from a far-distant planet, and that the big blue box in your bedroom is my spaceship, would you believe me?" At that moment, there was a terrific crash, smash and clatter in the kitchen, like an entire shelf of plates had toppled to the floor. The Doctor sprang immediately from his chair, swung around behind the bar and pushed his way into the kitchen, where shards and bits of porcelain littered the floor. Everyone was talking at once, pointing in all directions, blaming one another for the incident, but some claimed to have seen a little darkthingsprinting through the debris toward the stock shelves. The Doctor set to scanning the kitchen with the sonic screwdriver, searching for signs of intelligent plastic despite the cook and waitress behind him who insisted he leave at once. If only he could catch one! While everyone in the café craned their necks to see what was going on, something small and dark skittered across the floor past Rose, toward the door that led outside. It moved too fast to see clearly, but it was no more than eight inches tall and ran on two legs, and it was dressed in a playhouse doll's outfit. It had a silver key clutched in its tiny hands. The man piped up and agreed that his accent was in fact Northern but rather than elaborate, he sort of paused. Rose gave him a bemused look, waiting for him to continue. "Yeah?" She grinned a little. But then he posed an odd sort of question, asking how she'd react if he told her he was from a far distant planet and that he box in her room was a spaceship. Before she could even think about the slim possibility of him being honest, there was a sudden crash in the kitchen. Looking over to see what was going on, the Doctor had already run off into the back to see what had happened. The blond on the other hand, wasn't too concerned. So what? She had worked briefly in the food industry before, hated it, and knew accidents could happen. And if she were back there, the last thing she'd want was a patron poking around making things worse. "Doctor?" She remained sitting but craned her neck to try and see anything. Shaking her head, she wasn't sure what to do. In the chaos, she wondered if he was telling the truth, as absurd as it was, it made sense. Sort of. If he was an alien or something, then his interest in strange happens could be explaining. Rose was never sure if she believed in ghosts or aliens or anything like that. But strange things were happening and the only person with answers was off in the kitchen. She hoped he was at least getting her a sandwich while he was at it. Looking down, she saw something tiny scuttle across the floor towards the exit. "What in the world...?" She got up and looked back toward the kitchen." Oi, Doctor!" She called out. Before she could consider getting him herself, the blond decided to just run after the little doll herself. She ran after it as it let itself out. She wondered if someone was remote controlling it. How else could it be moving on its own? Rose saw it turn down the street, and she was quick to follow after it. "Um 'cue me, sorry, sorry." Rose pushed past some people on the sidewalk as she tried to keep up with the plastic pipsqueak. Looking up ahead, she saw it was headed for the crosswalk. "Oh no you don't!" She darted ahead and cut it off. It tried to turn back around, but she dove for it and grabbed it. It squirmed with a surprising amount of strength. Rose got to her feet and moved out of the way of people trying to cross the street. She let out a tired sigh and took the key it had. She looked at it. It was an ordinary key. What was so special about it? She held the door with one hand, holding it by the back of its neck like you would a cat. Looking, she saw the Doctor hurrying over to her. "Hey, 'bout time you showed up. Look what I got." She smirked and held up the doll for him to see. It was quite feisty at this point. "I guess you were right, something weird is going on, we hit the jackpot. Way better than trash bins, I reckon." She said and then opened her other hand, revealing the silver key." It had this. Any idea what it is, mister alien?" She asked, unaware that it just so happened to be the key to his very own spaceship. The sky up above was slowly churning, slowly filtering out the final bursts of sunlight. Soon, the sun would descend, and the moon would be upon them. Daylight still remained, but they only had an hour or so left before the streetlights would come on and things would become even more tricky if they wanted to find more answers. "Have you seen Mickey?" She asked the Doctor though she had a feeling he hadn't, but it didn't hurt to ask. "You think it's possible some tiny plastic man's kidnapped him?" Rose joked a little, not really taking that notion seriously at all. It was more likely he just got bored and left. Idiot. "Anyway, what should we do now?" She asked him. "If you really do get a spaceship, you must have some kind of...lab or something like that." She waved her hand a bit. When the Doctor discovered that Rose was no longer in the booth he'd left her in, he'd spun about on his heels and craned his neck and looked under tables and behind the counter. And when she didn't appear to be at the café at all, he barreled out the front door and very nearly stumbled into Rose herself. He straightened and teetered a bit, and he blinked at the squirmy little ugly thing wrenching in her hands." Whoa. Feisty little fella!" He laughed and patted the angry flailing plastic on the head, then leaned his hands on his knees to get a closer look. "Much better than a trash bin, I'll say. This is a full-blown auto: he's all plastic -- solid plastic, if ya feel the weight of 'I'm -- being controlled by a remote intelligence." He tapped his temple with a grin. "Fantastic stuff, just the link we need. Well done, Rose!" But at the presentation of the little silver key, his expression fell. He smacked the lapels of his jacket and checked all his pockets before he submitted to take the key from Rose's hand. "This little bugger hadthiskey?" The Nesting Consciousness must know what it's for -- which means he was being targeted. Which means the Consciousness knew where the TARDIS was. Which means--The Doctor was pacing in a small circle, muttering to himself, so he barely heard her questions about Mickey. When he finally did come up for air, he took the little plastic man into one arm and grabbed Rose's hand with the other. "Mickey'll just have to find us on his own, we've got no time. We've got to go back to your apartment, now, and we've got to run. Come on!" With that, they were sprinting along the roadside and down the quiet dusky streets, the Doctor dragging Rose along without waiting for an answer, back the way they had come." This key is the key to my spaceship," he explained as they ran, and he tightened his grip on the squirming little auto. "But why would the Nesting Consciousness need a key unless it had a lock?" This was bad. This was potentially very, very bad. When they entered the courtyard of Rose's complex, the Doctor let go of her hand and barreled up the stairs, though it was Rose who had the means by which to get into the apartment at all. He was forced to wait for her, pacing, unable to stand still, holding the auto now by both arms with its feet dangling. Inside the apartment, the TARDIS had gone. The praise from the Doctor was a bit unexpected but welcomed. She gave him a smile and looked down, back at the thing she had caught. His disposition then changed when he noticed it had a key. It clearly belonged to him and which was unsettling in any situation, but Rose had yet figured out the real gravity of the plastic author whatever having said key. Rose watched him pace around in a circle, trying to think or something. She looked around though no one seemed to be paying them any mind, nor did it seem like any more plastic stuff was coming to life. Still, something didn't feel right. The Doctor soon snapped from his daze and grabbed the small plastic doll and then her hand. Before she could say anything else, he was pulling off back toward her apartment. "Hey, wait!" She couldn't do anything else but run to keep up with him and make sure her arm didn't fall off in the process. "Doctor!" She figured that if they got to her flat, they would just poke around his spaceship though she wasn't sure if there'd be much room in there for her as well. So many questions and curiosities had been left unanswered, and yet she wasn't feeling deterred in the slightest. As they ran, he mentioned that the key it had was to his spaceship. Oh. Oh, wow! "Do you think they got it somehow or wanted to gain access to it or something?" She asked him. But upon getting back to the courtyard in front of her complex, he let go and went on his own. "Hey, wait!" She called out again and continued up the stairs after him. When she got up, she unlocked the door and the Doctor hurried inside. Rose looked around and saw no sign of Mickey. Following him inside, she shut the door and locked it to be safe. "Doctor?" She went into her bedroom and found it was gone. Based on the man's expression, he hadn't moved it. So who had? "Didn't you say it was busted or something?" She asked him. She really wasn't fond of the idea of another stranger getting inside of her house and mucking about. "Well how far could they have taken it if you know is sort of broken?" She asked him. But sadly as she looked around, there weren't any obvious clues that could point them in a proper direction. Rose let out a sigh, beginning to realize that she wouldn't be eating anytime soon and her idiot boyfriend was nowhere to be found." So you said these nesting things...are like transmitting signals, yeah? Maybe if we find where it's coming from, we could find your blue box?" She mentioned. There was a knock at her door and she headed off to check it out. She looked through the small hole and backed up. "Doctor! I think you've got a visitor!" She yelled and ran back to her room. "There like an army of these mannequins, and they look furious...for plastic dummies." She muttered. And it wasn't really army, but there were three of them and the banging wouldn't let up. "Can't we just melt them or something?" She suggested frantically. The only thing she knew was that she didn't want to stick around to experiment. "If that thing is useless without your ship, then drop him and come on!" Rose wasn't pleased with the idea of being killed over kidnapping some plastic doll. She didn't think there was another way out of the apartment though. They were trapped like dingy rats. She didn't see any other way though, they had try and make a break for it. "I'm not sticking around to be chopped to bits by a barbie doll, come on." She grabbed the Doctor's hand and opened the front door and then hurried down the hall and down the steps. Luckily the white mannequins weren't too fast and that meant she and the alien could get away to make a better plan. There were so many plastic things though, in a sense they could be surrounded no matter where they went." Let's try by the water or something." She suggested. Maybe plastic people couldn't swim. Gone! The Doctor -- clutching the scrabbling ugly doll to his chest -- spun around in the middle of Rose's room, peered at the ceiling, ducked and squinted under the bed, threw himself at the window and stared down, but there was no possible way the TARDIS could have got out of there --And then Rose's voice brought him the news ofmannequinsoutside the only door. He barreled down the hall and glued his eye to the peephole, beyond which was, indeed, a trio of faceless plastic heads. The door shuddered with every angry knock. "They want the key," he breathed. "They've got the TARDIS, and they want the key --"And then, Rose's hand was in his and the door was flung open, much to the shock of the three autos. The Doctor made a surprised noise and stumbled out after her, dropping the little ugly doll in his wake." Rose! Wait! Oh, no, no no, no no!" He picked up the pace and chanced a look behind them, where all three autos were pointing their plastic hands at the fleeing targets. Their fingers fell down on a hinge. "Get down!" He sheltered her with an arm and ducked over her and kept moving as quickly as possible. PEW! PEW! PEW! Shots of light whizzed past their ears and exploded deep craters into the wall beyond them; the Doctor swung Rose around and down the stairs, keeping himself between her and the crossfire, and he was grinning like a lunatic. He laughed at the thrill of being shot at, squeezed her hand and raced down into the courtyard, side by side with the girl who understood more than she knew." Let's go!" he agreed, intrigued by Rose's impeccable instincts, and turned their route toward the waterfront. He flinched as another close shot showered them with pieces of brick and cement, and he shielded Rose with his jacket and matched her running pace out of the complex. Crowds of people were screaming in the distance. The autos were on the move throughout London, and they weren't happy. "We have to find the consciousness and shut it down," he called to her over the din of cars and buses. He weaved his way across the street to the tune of honks and horns. "It'll be underground, somewhere with access to a transmitter. Something big and round and metal." He held little hope of finding it alone. He was even considering a call to UNIT: as much as the idea left a bad taste in his mouth, they couldn't afford to waste time while people were dying. "What?!" Rose looked over her shoulder as she heard shots being fired. Were they actually shooting at them? How?! She saw their hands were shooting lasers at them, and she had to double take to actually believe what she was seeing. First an alien in a box, moving plastic and now the plastic was trying to kill people? And where was Mickey in all this? She didn't have time to think any more about him or even her mum or mates as she hurried with the Doctor, trying to get out of harm's way. The two of them hastily rounded a corner and started down the long flight of stairs. The blond looked over at the man but rather than be fearful or worried, he was actually laughing as though he were on some roller coaster. Was he mental? Rose shook her head and tried to keep up with him. "If there's a joke I'm missing, let me know!" She said as they made it into the large space though now they could be considered sitting ducks. Rose stopped to catch her breath, not having done this much running since school. They let go of one another and headed off with a new destination in mind. The trio of dolls was on their tail it seemed. They took another shot at them and the Doctor quickly moved her out of the way. "Thanks." She said and ducked down behind his jacket, though she didn't think it was good enough to deflect lasers. As they ran along, it seemed more panic was spreading as more plastic things sprung to life. This was bad. Very, very bad. Rose looked around, trying to spot anyone she might know, but it was all a blur. Rose followed the Doctor as they quickly crossed a street, and he began to explain how they could fix everything. "A what?" Though he filled in her in on what the transmitter could be. She thought for a while. The clock tower might work. "Big and round?" She muttered and started to think. "Oh! I have an idea! Come on." She said and took the lead. Rose ran along until the large Ferris Wheel came into view. "How about that?" She grinned at the Doctor. It seemed a possible place that had enough space to send a big signal out though Rose wasn't sure if this was happening all over the world or if this was just in London. Either way, something had to be done." Wait...what are you going to do anyway?" She asked him." I mean you're unarmed right? You think you can just walk in and ask them to stop taking over the city?" Rose frowned as they looked around for a way to get in. She wasn't sure why she hadn't yet gone off and tried to help others or look for her mum or Mickey but a part of her wanted to see this boggling mystery to the end. And she wanted to get a good look at whatever was terrorizing her hometown. She had a right to know after all. And the Doctor and her got along well enough, she wasn't getting the vibe that she should leave him alone or that he wanted his space. The London Eye! Fantastic! He never would've thought of it! The Doctor gave Rose a gleefully amazed grin, glad to have been the one dragged off toward danger. Her eager curiosity fueled his own energy, until he thought he might go mad if he stood still a moment longer. He took her hand again and yanked her along the riverside with a triumphant laugh; the laser fire followed them like mosquitoes. Whatwashis plan, then? Seagulls screeched overhead, and a cargo ship hulled past on the river; somewhere they'd lost their plastic pursuers. They'd come full-stop to the edge of Theo Not Enter signs of the closed Ferris wheel -- but whoever paid attention to signs anyway? The Doctor hopped a fence, jumped down closer to the water and reached up to help Rose do the same. "Pretty much, yeah!" he answered her question, and he gave her a wink as he grabbed her hand. He'd barely turned round when he stopped short, and his expression fell in surprise. Rose was standing in front of them. Well, it wasn'ttactuallyRose. Itlookedlike Rose, but this Rose was a bit off on her shiny, soulless expression. She wore the same clothes, her hair was in the same style, she even had the same makeup molded creepily into her cold hard face. Plastic-Rose was pointing a hand at the two, who were pretty much caught between a wall and the water below." Well hello!" the Doctor crooned, grinning even as he raised his hands above his head. "You've got better at this, didn't know you could make a copy without an original, very sophisticated, who did your hair?"" We knew you'd come" Plastic-Rose replied in a slightly flatter version of Rose's own voice. "A strand of her hair was on the boy's jacket. That's all we needed. We'd hoped you would have left her behind.""DNA replication, brilliant!" The Doctor smiled and nudged Rose (the real one), expecting her to be as shocked and impressed at the Nesting advancements as he was. "Not modest either, I like it." Plastic-Rose held out her other hand, the one that wasn't loaded. "Give us the key." The Doctor raised his chin. He said, "No," like a defiant child. Plastic-Rose's fingers dropped, and the laser whirred as it powered up. Having come to a sign that was meant to keep punk teenagers away, the Doctor seemed eager to disobey it. Rose looked around over her shoulder and saw no sign of plastic people or police officers. She bit her lip and decided that she was already in too deep to just walk away. She climbed to the top and the Doctor helped her get down the other side. Thankfully she had on jeans so she wasn't busy worrying about her heels or her clothes or anything stupid like that. She looked around and saw the city lights across the river coming on. In her mind, it was preferable to fix everything before it got too dark to even see. And people often went out at night and if people were out in public, they were at risk. Right? Rose felt the Doctor take her hand after she had made it down safely. He seemed nonchalant about the plan she swung at him but for now she decided to trust the weird guy, he seemed to know what he was doing. More or less. More than her anyway." Doctor! What do we do now?" Rose took a cautious step back but then took one forward, looking at the plastic clone of herself. "Is that what my hair looks like? I need to get it cut or at least trimmed. What do you think?" She glanced to the Doctor who had just commented on the copy's hair. Rose would take the indirect compliment, since she didn't think some dummy would really care about gossip and idle chit-chat about hair or trendy fashion." O-oh wow! Yeah, that's...really amazin'..." Rose glanced to the Doctor, a bit confused as to why they'd want to get so chummy with the enemy. The plastic Rose didn't seem too bothered and then demanded the key. What key? To the spaceship thing? Rose licked her lips and looked to the Doctor who refused to give it up. "F-fine, we'll give you the key." She said, quickly thinking on her feet. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the key to her flat. From far away they looked nearly identical. "On...on one condition!" She said nervously and glanced back to the Doctor, still holding his hand with her other, quite tightly. What should she demand? For them to leave? Would the key be enough for them to leave?" I uh...um I won't give it to you, you're just...just a lowly servant of the Nesting Consciousness...right? We give you this, but we have to meet you directly. You know, proper business etiquette and all that." She cleared her throat. Hopefully the Doctor had a plan because she didn't think the weird aliens would enjoy being tricked. "Wait." it suddenly hit her, what the plastic her had mention. They had Mickey?! "I also want my boyfriend back, and for none of us to be um...harmed." Rose attempted to add to her list of demands in exchange for some dinky old key. The plastic Rose looked to them and new orders were transmitted to it. "Alright, follow me." She said flatly and led the Doctor and Rose down under the wheel. As it opened the door, it grabbed Rose and held her back. Two other plastic henchmen then grabbed the Doctor. The key was quickly taken from Rose, and she was pushed over to where Mickey was being guarded. They were now in a hot underground facility of some sort. "Rose! They took me! I thought they took you too!" Mickey babbled and hugged her."No, no, I was perfectly fine with the Doctor."" This is all his fault!" Mickey pointed to the Doctor." He's trying to help." Rose tried to explain." This key is incorrect." The plastic Rose turned to the vat of fiery looking goo. A gurgling noise got Rose's attention as she saw the two plastic beings drag the Doctor over to it. Rose pried Mickey off of her as the ones guarding them aimed their laser hands at them. Rose looked around, not sure what she could do. She had to do something, everything was going wrong and from the faint screams outside, it sounded like they didn't have any more time." Mickey, distract them for me, will ya?" She asked the petrified boy." Wha-no! Stay here."" And do what? Nothing? How's that going to help?" Rose muttered and ducked off as Mickey started to make a scene, though from the sounds of it, he had been doing that long before she and the Doctor turned up. She was so glad to have him unharmed, now she had to figure out how to help the Doctor clean up this mess. She quickly climbed up onto a ledge and scratched her head. The plastic guards suddenly spotted her and went after her. "Crap." Rose looked around frantically. The Doctor was too preoccupied to help, muttering something about Shadow Proclamations or whatever. Seeing a dangling chain, she reached for it." Gotcha." She pulled on it but decided to test its durability herself since there wasn't any time to look for anything else. She grabbed on tight and pushed herself from the ledge and kicked the back of one of the plastic guys, pushing him out of the way. Letting out a bit of a squeal, she let go and got to her feet. "Doctor, you alright?" She asked as she saw some smoke begin to rise from the floor under them. "What's going on now?" She asked nervously. "Mickey?!" Where had he gone off to? She heard him mention a blue box and how it was the root of their troubles. What blue box? How could it be where they were? I thought an IOC would be better since we've been able to settle on some key facts:What? Doctor Who. When? New Who, redoing season one and onward. Who? The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler, plus some other cool folks. How? From three to a billion paragraphs? But, don't give me a billion please. Why? Because its fun. Yeah! So far we've also established some general starting points such as the fact we can jump off of the usual "Rose" plot with the Nesting Plastics. But rather than have Nine snoop around shops by himself, his TARDIS will malfunction (*wink* read: matchmaking meddler) and park itself right in the middle of Rose's flat. I assumed living room, but Rose's bedroom would be even more ridiculous. I mean how on earth can Rose hide a random alien in her bedroom? And playing a feisty Jackie is almost as fun as being a flirty Jack. I don't mind sharing Rose's mom unless you want her, and I'll nab Mickey, poor bloke. And Nine just having recently regenerated is cool with me, I'm not picky. I mean it's how it was assumed in the beginning before the anniversary (which did Ten a terrible injustice if you ask me and why was Clara even around and Bad Wolf was a missed opportunity...) so sure. Hopefully Nine won't be too angst ridden though. Since we're kicking things off slightly different, will the TARDIS give Nine the tip about the aliens lurking? Or will some weird "plastics moved" story in the paper written by some crazy guy? Sorry, does that make sense? Foot! Ok, I think we're onto something. And yes, that totally makes sense. As far as angst goes --I know I proposed before that the Time War is still going on -- but what if there is no Time War altogether? What if Gallery is simply alive and well? The Doctor would simply be doing what he's been doing for the past 8 generations -- having fun! -- without a shred of angst. As far as I can tell, up to the 8th Doctor he and the other Time Lords had an understanding: he'd keep saving the universe and the Time Lords would look the other way. What do you think? It'd mean episodes like Dale wouldn't have so much impact -- or else they would turn out very differently. I'm fine with no time war, I had no real feelings for or against it since it was a bit random and kind of hastily put together and then sort of "paused" and put somewhere else. *shrugs* So I can get an intro up if you want me to? Awesome -- intro would be great! :)And yeah, I seriously got the impression that the writers didn't know what the hell they were doing with the whole time war thing -- nothing about it made any sense. So, yay, never happened! Yeah, not to mention those who supposedly died came back. I mean, what was the point of emphasizing Dales being killed along with the Time Lords when somehow a shit tone of Dales survived? I mean, why would one Time Lord, maybe another counting the Master, be the only survivors? And then suddenly it got taken to a whole other dimension, while a neat 'trick" it just...it just did a lot of stuff that could have been polished. And then there's the crap with Clara's timeline in tune with the Doctor and River. The last two seasons have been rather sloppy. So yay for rewrites. I'll get an intro up ASAP. Do you mind if the TARDIS comes in the bedroom itself or something concealable like her closet?EDIT - & you didn't mention whether you wanted the TARDIS to tip them off to the Plastics or if you wanted an incident or even a rumor to alert them. The middle of the room or the closet, doesn't matter to me! Although Rose would have to have a pretty huge closet. TDI think it'd make more sense for the Doctor to find out via an incident or newspaper or TV or hearsay or something. I can't think of any circumstance where the TARDIS actually gave the Doctor a tip about anything. He'll immediately know what's going on though -- the Nesting Consciousness and the Autos are directly lifted from the first episode of the Third Doctor -- right down to the walking mannequins with the guns in their hands. XD Okay good, then. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page. As soon as I finish up some homework, I'll finish up my post. 3 Did Nine withdraw into the TARDIS or out of it, in the end? I just want to be sure. Since Nine didn't respond to her offer, I'll probably bring Mickey in to stir things up since there is much else Rose can do presently. I could introduce a time skip, but I wanted to allow you the opportunity to have Rose react. I don't like assuming what your character would do, and I will never not allow you the chance to respond. If you'd rather assume Rose does absolutely nothing and has no problem whatsoever with a strange older man hiding in a box in her bedroom (sounds pretty damn sketchy to me, I'd freak the fuck out, but I'm not Rose), I can add to the post after a period of IC time (say fifteen minutes or so) during which time the Doctor will stabilize the faulty TARDIS, find a leather jacket and properly introduce himself. Well she's freaked out that's for sure, she's probably more bewildered and curious than upset. Of course, it's not like you'd trust a random guy who shows up out of nowhere. I figure if I needed to bring Mickey in, he could have mentioned something about hearing strange stories about plastic coming to life, considering he could hear it around the pub or something. Otherwise, the other thought would be to have Rose head off to the roof to get some space and clear her head, since a babbling guy with something on fire isn't really being helpful. If we wanted to have the plastics already attacking people, something could happen down below to catch their eye? (assume Nine follows Rose or doesn't) We could still have her get into the same sort of trouble from the canon episode if needed. I'm going to be really picky right now and say I really can't plot things out ahead of time. I guarantee I will get bored and frustrated if the characters' actions are forced to end up at a certain place. Furthermore, I have to be able to drop in plot points as they come, develop the plot as we go, and not know what's coming until we get to it. When the story calls for it, I'll drop in a clue or a walking Barbie doll or a newspaper article -- whatever would make sense or drive the story in that particular moment. You, of course, are free to do the same, and I hope you will. Just please don't storyboard ahead of time, and don't control my characters. I know not a lot of people RP this way, and if you like plotting ahead that's awesome, but I can't. My philosophy is, do anything you want to do, drop in any plot device or alien monkey-llama or Jackie-is-a-cyborg wrench in the gears without a word ahead of time, and I'll gladly run with it. Have an idea and write it. Surprise me. I plan to go where the wind blows. So if you want to bring in Mickey, go for it. If you have a crazy idea that would totally derail the plot, even better. I don't need to planeverysingle thing ahead time, but I was just unsure of what direction you had in mind based on the end of your post. I figured he'd take Rose's bait, and they'd look around the city or something, Nine was busy, I get it. But I do find it a bit pointless to wait for every response just to get a character moving in the same direction. I don't control people's characters unless it's to make something move along that's been decided. (ex: a question about direction is asked such as going out, and if as a writer I know we are going in said direction anyway, I can move along with the characters and not need to wait for a post to confirm something so we can just get moving). Doing things as we go is fine by me, but I can't do things off the fly if there isn't much of even an implied direction or desire. I like talking with partners, making sure both people are happy with the story, if people just do whatever they went, things tend to dwindle, as I've found. Your style is to just go with the flow, mine isn't. It's best we try to meet in the middle. Or stop now and say we tired. :/Character actions don't reflect writer's actions, I know this to be true. But if you want Nine to swan off and find something out on his own, that's fine, but I won't be able to keep justifying Rose asking all of these questions and sticking around without some event or glue that makes Nine stand out instead of being labeled some crazy guy who might be a bit mental ya know? ^^; He just arrived, and she has no idea what to make of him. I can keep my posts much shorter if you want to deal with some dialogue or something. I'm just trying to make this work. At any rate, I got something up. I just want us to feel comfortable. I'm okay with trying to be more "spontaneous" but you'll have to try to ease my worries if I think we're writing ourselves into a corner. We're new with another, I'm sure the kinks can work themselves out if we just communicate, doesn't have to be detail planning. I got a bit miffed at having the character's first actions dictated for me, and I may have reacted badly, sorry. I should've waited, cooled off and put some logic to it. Furthermore, I've been in a mood lately for other reasons, so of course I've been completely illogical, selfish and jumpy in handling everything. That's not me, usually. I realize I haven't really been trying to meet you halfway, but I will try! In almost every way, though, it seems we do things in opposite ways, and I can see the two of us getting pretty frustrated with each other -- unless we actually do find a middle ground that works. ^^; I don't know, maybe at least give it a few more posts and see if we can strike a rhythm. A lot of times it takes that long to loosen up and figure out the beat. But I liked your recent post quite a lot, actually. :)Again, sorry I've been an idiot. :/ I feel like I really ticked you off, which wasn't my intention at all. If you're ever uncomfortable, I'd like to know, so I can fix it but at the same time, we both need to be enjoying things and not taking things too seriously, which is something I know I have to work on in terms of over planning things, so I'm sorry if I crossed a line already... Hopefully we can shake some kinks and try to come to an agreement in terms of A) going with the flow of things while B) making sure we're both on the same page in terms of goals and plot. I don't need to plan EVERYTHING as long as I know what we're doing in general, which means a general idea, the last thing I want to do is throw a twist or do something that's unwelcomed, is all I want to avoid. So my school has settled down, I should get something up for you within 24 hours. It's okay, I don't want us to get off on the wrong foot and despite having different tactics, I don't think it would be impossible for us to make something cool. Yeah cool, thanks. 3 I had seriously bitchy PMS last week -- I'm still apologizing to 4 different people. More like groveling. XD Ok, so, RAW. Ahem. What's the plan, then? Go out for chips on the boardwalk, get shot at by crazy autos, get Mickey eaten? Wax museum? What else is plastic? Creepy little dolls? There should totally be little Chucky-issue dolls running around causing terror. Let's chase a doll out into the street! I just had a thought that maybe somehow they steal the TARDIS and replace it with a plastic replica. Or lots of plastic replicas. Because the Nesting Consciousness had a terrible sense of humor. Don't forget the Doctor's still regenerating and prone to complications. Rose and Mickey (and Jackie?) could be on their own for a bit. I got a post up. It's not glorious but it's there. ^^; I liked yours btw. Mickey should get eaten...by a plastic TARDIS. Oh boy, he's going to hate that thing for the rest of his life. XD They could hit up some playground with plastic structures or something, that would be very freaky. Thanks! 3Aw man, yes to all of the above! I'm all for making Mickey think he's losing his mind. Poor Mickey. x3 Mickey is such an easy target...XD Ha, got something up! Finally! Foot! *parties* And now you'll get something soon too! Everything alright? Hi, yeah, sorry. I've been in a slump lately. The Doctor, especially, has been impossible to write -- he's just so happy! I've kept putting it off hoping inspiration will strike me. I don't want to write a crap post. :/ I didn't realize I'd put it off THAT long. >> Oops. No worries, just me know if you're trying to get your muse going, maybe I can help somehow. I just got a bit worried since you were fairly active elsewhere.

We are Fantastic Stars in the Sky!|rating:4.0

VIP Room at The Sin Bin

Said sighed slightly as he checked himself in the long mirror that backed the door to his office. Appearance is everything, especially on nights such as these. After all, you own this place, you control the pussy, and as such - control every hard-on that comes through that door, he reminded himself, adjusting his tie and making sure that his suit jacket sat nicely on the toned body that he had spent many an hour sculpting in the gym. Clearing his throat, he stepped out into the Sin Bin's VIP area. Already, he could hear the DJ testing the club's quality sound system, gauging the right audio levels for his set. Said surveyed the floor. The poles were polished, the stage was clear. Bar staff were placing iced bottles of green and black absinthe on each of the tables that lay in front of the unending couch which snaked around the wall of the club. VIPs got Italian leather, only the best for those who were willing to pay in kind. Sayid could sense that his staff were feeling his eyes on them, for they worked quickly and quietly. He smiled at the efficiency, uttering only one word for them all to hear before turning on his heel:"Excellent." Sayid quickly moved over to a corner of the bar, upon which, a man in his late twenties was frantically crossing out figures and flicking through pieces of paper. Conor was the man who helped Said maximize his profit. Therefore, he was automatically Said's favorite employee. Conor truly was a classic nerd, obsessed with his work and measuring his own success with dollar signs and multiple zeros, that being, in turn, Said's success. He was exactly the kind of guy that a high-end strip club like the Bin needed, and to be fair, a guy like Conor needed the Bin. It was no secret that being the boss' favorite had its benefits. Said loved to keep his employees happy, after all." Right my friend," he started, with the slightest hint of an Arabian dialect, "If you have those figures ready, let's go tell the girls what's what as regards their finances for this evening." Sayid didn't even wait for a response, but instantly began walking back down the corridor past his office, towards the special dressing room that was utilized only on occasions such as this, and only for Said's best dancers, the missing pieces of the puzzle. Sayid contemplated the clientele he was expecting for the evening as he walked. Various invitations had been sent to important, wealthy people, and several had sent their hefty cover charges in advance. They were to be mostly local businessman, some of whose businesses were less reputable than others, and curiously, at the owner's own deliberate purpose - members of local law enforcement were also to be present. Said was a complete cynic when it came to understanding human behavior. When it came to cops, he knew that a free ride was enough to keep them quiet and to let his operations slip under the radar, and of course, that what exactly what he was going to provide. He didn't need to turn around, for he knew that Conor had followed, despite the fact that he couldn't hear his footsteps behind him over the music. Any man would have followed with the promise of gaining entrance into the VIP Dressing Room of a strip club. Sayid nodded to Vinny, the bouncer guarding the door and took a deep breath, composing himself by attaining a state of mind that made him somewhat impervious to arousal. He laughed to himself as he recited one of his many mottos in his head, Good owner = No boner. There would be time to play later."Let's get down to business then,"he said to his associate behind him as he pushed open the door, uttering an obligatory"Knock"as the two entered the dressing room without obstruction. . . It was Gabrielle Yule first night in the club as a dancer. She was nervous as hell, who could ever think she was planning to do such thing. Her mother will cry blood tears if she finds out. She didn’t care. Gabrielle had it with the way they wanted to control her life. But tonight she will show them, she took charge of her own life It was the night Juicy was born. A sudden knock on the door almost made her jump.For god’s sake girl why your so nervous, get over yourself can you. Opening the door, she came face to face with Said. She still couldn’t get over how handsome he was. The way he looked at her the first time she came for audition, made her feel naked with clothes on. And now, standing in front of him in a white lace embroidered corset with a matching garter and lace g-string. Her body flushed red immediately. Her heart was beating so fast she was afraid it will jump out of her chest. She was so deep in thought; she didn’t even realize she was staring at him. Lacy was the type of girl who loved spontaneity. Surprises in her life were usually pleasant ones. Nothing too traumatic. Lacy and her friends were the spunky anti-sorority chicks on campus that fit in neither the feminist nor superficial categories. Just the random traveling party girls. They'd make friends with complete strangers, and the next year go traveling to stay at said stranger's house. She danced on tables in the karaoke room. A speaker at clubs. Booty contests at nightclubs. The person being described sounded utterly spontaneous and confident right? Which was the reason Lacy was coming down hard on herself. Her nerves were on edge, and although she wasn't, Lacy felt like she was sweating bullets right now. As she sat in the dressing room full of half naked girls she didn't know, she felt unsettled. Questioning whether to bail while she could. She played with the lapel of her silk robe. Wishing they'd turn the stinking air conditioning down. Just long enough to discern if she was having cold feet, or if it was the a.c. making her have the jitters. On top of everything, she was semi pissed. The girl that recruited her into the Sin Bin promised Lacy that she'd be working along with her that night. But she was nowhere to be found. Lacy checked her phone constantly. Only her friend's voice mail came on. "I thought you said you'd be sitting in the chair next to me, doing your makeup when I got here. What the fuck Cindy? Where are you!?" She spoke into the receiver, cupping her hand over her mouth, so no one could read her lips. "Call me back bitch." While she delivered the first part of her message with a sound of panic in her voice, the last part was for shits and giggles. When she hung up, an abrupt knock at the door made Lacy back up into her vanity. The makeup and hair products toppling over from the impact. A sudden wave of nausea hit her as the door opened. Not because the men standing outside made her ill. She didn't know them well enough to read yet. Despite that, she was dreading the close interaction with so many strange men without her friends to be her 'wing men.' These were no mere college boys she was set to entertain. Whose idea of a good time was a titty flash and a make out session. These were businessmen, elitists of the aristate area. Who Lacy assumed were all sleazy, married womanizers. She didn't have to sleep with any of them, did she? As the thought crossed her mind, the girl bit down on her index finger. Maybe the waiting was what bothered her. Once she was out on stage, she would feel better, she hoped. (Conor followed Said in with his nose still in his projections. He walked right into Gabrielle, his hand at exactly the right height to press into her breasts. He jumped aside, stepping on and crushing some lip gloss that Lacy had spilled on the floor.“Ohh SHIT! Ladies I am so sorry. That was so retarded” He mumbled. The last word, retarded, came out with his Boston accent, sounding like “retarded.” He had long struggled to get the South Boston out of his speech, but it came out in times of stress. Conor fumbled with his papers and laptop, then placed them down by a whiteboard in the corner of the room. He used the white board to explain what the ladies should expect on a given night, and the tips they should ask for based on the expected volume.“Ahem.” He cleared his throat and waited for the ladies to quiet down.“Ladies, this is what we are expecting tonight. In addition to the normal crowd, which should be about 75 men in the club at any one time, there will be many special clients here by special invitation. They either have paid or will pay the VIP entrance fee and come strait into the VIP room. That is, except for some high ranking members of the police department. The usual arrangements apply to them.” He meant by that, the high ranking cops got blow jobs or laid for free and Said took care of the girl’s tip. It was good for business.“Anyway, the fees for the VIP room have increased, but we fully expect you will see a 500% ROI. That means that you should walk out tonight with $1200 or more net.”“To help you make this, we will switch the usual bottle of wine that comes with a VIP fee with a bottle of tequila or absinthe. As you know, the more they drink, the more they pay you. For credit card security we want the usual, driver’s license, a thumbprint and the credit card”“Also, I have done some research on the MMM foibles of some of the guest that have said they are coming tonight. You can see me about special treatment or who can be expected to tip big, ok?”“Gabrielle, Charlie Johnson, the guy who owns the Lexus and Jaguar dealers will be here. He likes your sort of look, you know that preppy and innocent on the outside.” Conor was mumbling, his shyness was coming through. “You should know he expects to get the least a hummer from a girl, but he pays very well for it.”“And Lacey, umm sorry about your makeup. Listen, the CFO of AIG is in town tonight and will be here. He likes your type, and he has just gotten a big bonus, so he’ll have some money.” He glanced at her. “If you are could have a shot of absinthe. It’ll warm ya.” Smiling sweetly at Conner. His shyness was so funny. Conner, don’t call me by my name. Please.Besides, I’m new at this, what you mean with a hummer from a girl? Good god, I need to drink something. My nerves getting to me. Sitting behind her mirror. Her makeup and hairstyle was still perfect. Her wavy curls fall neatly on her back. My first client. She had butterflies in her stomach. Tell me more about this co guy, Conner. Watching him patiently with a comforting smile. Ok but I never keep your dancing names strait because I do your payroll. Anyway, you see that guy over there who just walked in. The one with all the good suit and the pinky ring? He is Johnson. He likes to sit back and watch the dancers, then pick one. Furthermore, he always goes for your type." And a hummer is a blow job. Or is that a Boston way of saying it? Good luck. Any other ladies have questions? Malika walked into the bar, her bag thrown over her shoulder. She was working the latter shows tonight, but she'd thought to get there early, to check out how things were going, how the crowd was going to be. She winked at Vinny as she made her way in, smiling when he gave her a nod of his head and hint of a smile right back. Vinny was a good guy but all business at the door. Her brown hair was left loose and dark glasses sat on her face. She wore a large gray sweatshirt and old baggy jeans that effectively hid the body that was in those clothes. No sense giving the customers a peek for what they would pay for later. She slid the glasses up over her head, walking down the hall to the dancers rooms. She walked in to see Connor there, discussing..... blow jobs?" Or you could just say sucking his cock" Malika said with a grin as she looked at Connor." Hi, thought I'd make it in early to see what the crowd was looking like." she said to him as she brushed past him. Robert stepped out of his patrol car, leaving his partner slightly disappointed. It was still fairly early, and not really a big deal. The club wasn't even open yet, or at least hadn't been open for the night very long. He would be surprised to see any customers come in, this was more of a friendly introduction. He walked up to front entrance adjusting his badge with one hand and making eye contact with the bouncer. It was a bit odd to him that a place like this would invite a continued police presence. In his previous experience he was treated politely, given veiled bribes and promptly escorted out of the building assured that nothing was out of the ordinary. Even if he was called back shortly there after to escort some rowdy drunks or hands punks to spend an evening in a cell." Evening Sir. Can you direct me to Mr. Said?" Conner's bungling entrance distracted Lacy's nerves a little. She even managed a slight smile as she watched him break make up that belonged to her friend. “And Lacey, umm sorry about your makeup.” "It's fine." She swatted the air lightly in gesture to her remark. Then once again wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "Listen, the CFO of AIG is in town tonight and will be here. He likes your type, and he has just gotten a big bonus, so he’ll have some money.” Lacy's brows furrowed at the thought. 'AIG? This guy's going to be old.' Lacy thought to herself. It sent a twitch through her body that Connor read as a shiver from the cold. “If you are could have a shot of absinthe. It’ll warm ya.” "You do realize that I'm nineteen. Won't you guys have the liquor commission up your ass if I get hammered?" There were many more questions the girl had. But absinthe was the first that came to mind. The least embarrassing. As Conner kept talking, Lacy craned her neck to peek outside. The man he was motioning their attention to did have a gaudy pinky ring on. Like he was some sort of 'Don'. It made Lacy's anxiety skyrocket. "Forget what I said earlier...about my age." She walked to the small liquor cart in their dressing room and took a giant gulp of absinthe, straight from the bottle. "So...the guy I'm... She wasn't sure what words to use, 'hosting', 'entertaining', 'escorting.' Sh she just skipped it all together. "He's not a sex fiend or anything like that, is he? Cause-well...this is my first night and I just... Her shoulders shrugged, hoping Connor would get the hint.(Charlie Johnson she whispered smiled at his comment about Boston saying. Walks slowly behind lacy. Looking at the man with the pinky ring Connor was talking about. Man, she wined that is the Charlie I have to entertain. Good god, pass me that bottle. Don’t get to drunk before the night sweetie. Taking the bottle from lacy hand, pouring some in a cup. Sipping little by little. Looking at lacy with scared eyes as she asked if the man was a sex fiend or something. Of course, he must be why he is like her type of girls, Innocent looking. Taking a deep breath. Hey Malika is your name right. Said said something about girls that worked here already. I’m juicy. Nice meeting you. "Damn Lacey, you look nervous. He isn't a geezer or anything. Just a middle age guy who is bored with his wife and thinks he is still 25. He is very generous. Easy on the booze, by the way. You need to dance in hi heels and still be standing at the end of the night."" Ok, schedule!" He yelled. "Malika you are the most experience dancer here. Can you get changed fast and show the noobs how this is done please? I would appreciate it and I will send some big spenders your way." He smiled at her. She winked at Connor... "Sure thing. Send the big boys my way so I can show them a good time" she laughed, as she stripped her sweatshirt off, her sunglasses already in her own little area. She wore a simple cotton bra and jeans now." I wasn't scheduled til later tonight Con. I expect something for this" she teased him. He should know that she was just pulling his leg, she didn't mind starting early, she liked to dance and like he said the big spenders were out there. She looked at Juicy and smiled." I'm Malika... or Ali when I'm out there, nice to meet ya sweetie" She said, pulling out a men's black blazer and a g-string and bikini top that matched. A hat and tie lay there with them. "OK. businessman... or sweet innocent little girl?" she asked as she pulled out a teddy bear, pink sheer robe and pink baby-doll négligée. "What do you girls think?" asking the other girls who were there ... their opinions as well. Francisco drove his Rs8 Prototype (down the street and turned into the parking lot of the Sin Bin with streak of burning rubber and white smoke. The car seemed to roar a few last moments as the engine was cut and the modified suicide doors opened up. Stepping out of the car he activated the security system and stepped towards the club. Stepping in front of the bouncer he fixed his outfit for the evening (and made sure he looked presentable before pulling out the selective invitation and a crisp hundred dollar bill for the bouncer." Dis...is for you mi friend..." His accent was thick and deeply Spanish, English was a second language to him, but he couldn't care less if people understood him when he had enough cash flowing in to make a rich man's mouth water. He loved America and how easy it was to exploit the people and their vices for the native plant of his mother's homeland. Curling his lips into a smile as he nodded his head, when he moved down to see the bill he let himself into the club. Scanning the lower are of the club, he shook his head and made his way up towards the VIP room, every club had them. He made his way to the bar and leaned over."tree patrons y RNA...umm how you say... Rum n cope"He took a seat on one of the stools and swung his body around so he could take a look at the stage. Not much was going on right now, so he had time for a few drinks to get him loosened up. While the bartender made his drinks he turned his head back and asked,"Dense.girls...they the BES this town have?" A mischievous grin crossed his face, as the entire scene of the club was absorbed by his scanning vision, nodding in approval he liked what he saw so far. "Definitely sweet and innocent"said Said suddenly, who had remained remarkably silent throughout." There's enough business going on in this place without you girls adding to the mix." He had let the banter between Conor and the dancers roll on, it was good for both parties after all, but enough was enough. He smiled at Malika and openly stared at her cleavage. Furthermore, he knows it quite well after all, having allowed himself as the owner of the club the occasional sample of what his creation had to offer. Naturally, Malika was no exception to that rule. Far from it, in fact." Don't worry about tips, just worry about putting on a good show"he said to the girls sternly." Money's going to come from somewhere, don't worry. $1200 isn't a guarantee, but it's a pretty good estimate of what's to come tonight"he added. He paused for a second, knowing full well that although heneverpaid for the attention of his girls - he was a damn good tipper. His dancers knew this especially." If we could focus on finances for just one moment more, please,"he said, his mind collected, ignoring the tingle he spontaneously felt in his pants as he stood there." Whatever you earn on the floor, that's yours. But I strongly advise that you put it away in your lockers in here as often as you can. There's no sense in running around with green-lined underwear all night, especially when Vinny and the boys are going to chop half of whatever you come out of the booths with right out of your garters." He let that final fact linger in the air, for he knew it would be the one that the girl's would detest hearing the most. No matter where the money came from, if it was on their person on leaving a booth with a customer, half went to the house." As for private entertainment in the booths. . . "He trailed off, realizing that he was on yet another sensitive subject." You're all dancers, so dance. However, I will say that if you wish to perform certain acts to earn a little extra tonight, you have my personal assurance that it will go noticed. Create your own rates individually as you wish, but I'd strongly advise using the $80 private nude dance price tag as a benchmark for everything else,"he said. Said looked at each one in turn as he spoke, letting his words hit home, making sure that they understood the nature of tonight's business operation." Stay topless on the floor, and topless ONLY. We're relaxing the rules about touching in public so long as you permit the customer to do so, but we want to keep things above the belt." He saw Conor nod beside him." Malika. . . Ali honey, you're on first. Show them what it's all about."he smiled at her, his eyes drifting to her chest-level once again." Girls, sort out your own roster. I want 3-song sets and I don't want the stage empty for the next hour starting now, after which I hope that you should all be otherwise engaged. Dance, suck, blow, he'll go and sell pictures of their dicks to the papers, I don't care. I don't want to know, I just want to see the results stuffed into your panties,"he said, his own crudity coming out in him." I have customers to greet,"he said to all of them, Conor in particular." And by the way, cops tip what they like, there's no pressure there. You'll be reimbursed for your troubles later, all of you." And with that, he walked out. As he did so, the bouncer from the back door, Dax, informed him of a policeman who'd been asking for him. . ." Sayid Hilton. A pleasure,"he said, ushering the cop into the club. Said wasted no time in exchanging pleasantries, finding him a seat next to the stage, in ordering him a drink and assuring him of the pleasurable evening he was about to have." Please be so kind as to drink to your heart's content from the bottle of the Czech Republic's finest and enjoy the impending show, Mr. Buchanan,"he said, doing everything that he could with words to make him feel as comfortable as possible." It's on the house. Everything." He said finally. . . Smiling at Ali, who seems very confident and sure of what she was doing. The business suit I shot. I’m sure those guys would love having business with you. Laughing and looked around. It was still early, and she wanted to see Ali perform. God, that said is a serious one, to serious for her taste. And very direct. Top less She never walked around people topless. Thank god she had brought pasties of silver hearts. Slowly slide off her bra turning her back towards every one and add the pasties. It was now or never, she better get accustom from now. Slip quietly out the room, exploring the club. To get accustom to the place. Taking the entire exit door and hiding places available. You never know, in case something bad would happen, Let’s hope not. There were some people already in the club. Sighed, she wasn’t sure, about dancing in front of all of them. It was creeping her out. The place was co cold, her hope the pasties stay on. She seriously needed something to calm her down and walk straight to the bartender need something strong, don’t care what it is. Francisco's father had a saying"Never ask for the devil, or he will appear in front of you"here it was coming true before his very eyes. He was curious who this near nude women was, asking for a drink from the bartender. He pushed over a shot of his Patron (Tequila) and ordered a second round as he killed the second shit without a grimace, not that it was needed, the liquid fire went down smooth." Wat IZ your name hula?" His face was looking on over the stage, as his body carelessly slumped back with his elbows on the bar watching the crowd then twisted his head back to give her a glance. Starting at her legs he worked his way up slowly, enjoying the view.(Hula is Spanish for cutey/beauty) Surprised by his accent. Which sounded a little funny?she turned to look at the stranger next to her, her body flushed red. She had to admit. His whole look made her curious about who he was. Chula? Where had she heard that before? She was staring at him form under her eyelashes, trying to hide how nervous she was feeling. Now that drink would have come handy. Good, lord he was staring at her openly and not even hiding what would be going through his mind. Taking in all her curves. She was feeling exposed. Just in time the bartender handed her a shot glass. Calm down juicy, drink something and act cool. Quickly lower her eyes as they made eye contact. Taking a deep breath and smiled, looking back at him. Hope Spanish classes she took in school would help her. I’m Juicy, Papi. Y used. Seeing her cheeks go red made his smile grow more wicked, her body was nearly shivering from stage fright. Drinking another shot down, the alcohol coursed through his body and began to dull his senses a bit." Juicy...me Gustav...you almost have my name...mos of leis hulas call me... Aiiiii Papilio Chu lo..." He shifted his body over and faced her completely a cocky grin on his face, not sure if she would pick up his hints, looking her over from head to toe this time." Are you a waitress or a danger?" Giggles, awkwardly at his comment. Papi could? Laughing and feeling more relax after her shot. It was now or never she thought; remember it was her choice to do this. So stop being a coward and go for it. She slowly turns to face him, giving him a complete view of her body especially her naked breast. The other dude could go to hell. She really didn’t feel like entertaining the older man anymore. At least this one in front of her was handsome. In catlike motion she slowly sways towards him, holding the sides of the chair he was sitting on. Sensually lean in towards his ear and whispered. I’m anything you want me to be, PPI could. Move away, leaving the scent of her perfume hanging in the air. Waiting for his reaction, with a confident smile on the faces "Mere...we can go elsewhere...this seat IZ Nat good for a private dance... Chula..." His eyebrow raised as he made his suggestion taking a drink from his rum and coke, watching her try to work him over but noticed her eyes darted to look at an older man in the club. He looked over and shook his head with a smile, a hand coming up to gently stroke her chin." I don't think you can handle me... I hope your hips are sturdy... I like women who can shake her ass" While he was talking, Malika had worked herself into the pink nightie and the robe. She quickly pulled her hair up in pigtails and grabbed the stuffed bear that sat in front of her mirror. On her feet went hot pink stilettos. She looked over at her boss, doing a quick turn for him." This innocent enough for you?" she asked, knowing that the look might be innocent, but she was far from it. She'd worked in a strip club before but nothing as nice as this, it was one of the reasons that Said had been able to convince her to come work for him, leaving her old boss behind. This club was high class, the big time players were here and this was the place to be. She was tired of the Jimmy-Joe-Bobs who barely had a twenty to their name asking her for freebies or wanting to grope her for a buck. Screw that. She was a worth way more, and here she'd get it. She and Said had an understanding, she knew how serious he was about business and knew she was serious about making money. It wasn't a bad combination. She licked her lips, adding some gloss and a touch of pink before she looked over at the DJ who motioned to her that he was ready." Alright girls... once my song is done, I expect the next one of you ready right after me, we'll rotate for the hour... should give us each 3 songs" she said before moving for the stage. As the song started, she walked out, sucking her thumb, grinning as she did. The music started then, a hard rock song that had the guys cheering as she began to shake her ass, her body moving to the music like she was born to do this. Her head rocked as did her hips, her hands moving over her body, the bear dropped to the floor as she used the pole as if it were an extension of her. She was into what she was doing then, and nothing else mattered but moving, dancing and the money that was going in her string. (song Malika is dancing to)) Buchanan made a mental note of the different patrons. He seemed to be getting here just in time, watching as one of the girls started to strike up a conversation and turning his head to the stage as the music began. He tilted his head from one side to the other in an effort to stretch and compose himself. His attention returning now to the owner." Everything is on the house you say? You wouldn't be trying to buy me now, would you Said?" He says it with a half smile, of course he would never admit to something like that. He gives a wave of dismissal toward the bar. "No drink, I'm on duty. I suppose I can enjoy the view, but just make sure your men are aware I'll be making rounds at some point. Make sure you're keeping things legit." When Malika walked in Lacy's drool needed to be wiped from the corner of her mouth. The woman was so confident with her body that it was emulating so much hotness. Gabrielle was blessed as well. The girl acted like she had done this a million times. Yet it was her first night too. Lacy almost looked to the heavens and asked the lord, 'What the fuck?'. But calling on god in a place like this was literal blasphemy. Plus her mother would probably detect it and have a stroke. Damn holy roller. Lacy had nothing to be shy about either. Her body was proportioned, and very tight. Her breasts were a perky, young 34 C. A tiny 24-inch waist curved into 34 inch hips. Furthermore, her butt was like a Brazilian supermodel. She ran a lot. Tonight she wore a black tank and matching underwear with printed cherries on them. Her stockings were secured with garters. Her makeup was 30s Hollywood starlet like, as did her hair do. She almost looked like a Shirley Temple look alike. Down to the dimples. And as she listened to Said lay the club's ground rules, she found that being naked was the least of her worries. "Whatever you earn on the floor, that's yours. But I strongly advise that you put it away in your lockers in here as often as you can. There's no sense in running around with green-lined underwear all night, especially when Vinny and the boys are going to chop half of whatever you come out of the booths with right out of your garters." "I can run a marathon in heals." Lacy said quietly to Conner. It was true. The girl was in heals, playing "Princess" since she was three. It wasn't a problem. And as the absinthe began saturating her innards, the girl was feeling more inhibited. Enough to live with herself the next day, because she most likely wouldn't remember this the next day. Of course, she would have to consume a shitload of liquor before that happened. Her tolerance was unusually high for her body frame. She was part German...quarter Irish. So tonight, it seemed that sobriety was a curse rather than a blessing. After one long, hard blink, Lacy dropped her robe. While in passing, she addressed her bosses. "Don't freak out on me. But I'm leaving this on." Pointing to her covered chest. The cherry tank's fabric shimmered in the club's light. "This...is all part of the tease." She gave them a sarcastic thumbs up. About to leave, she had another thought to shoot at them. "I decided on Cherry... I think it sounds better than Fresh Meat." She perused out on to the floor. Her body lilting to the music. Finding the booth belonging to the AIG guy. There were already so many people in the club. It was hard not to get distracted, or intimidated.(Jim was at his office when he received his VIP invitation, he hadn't thought much about it when he filled out the membership papers the night when he first went into The Sin Bin. He had given them his office address for obviously reasons, his wife finding out being the biggest, and the thought of never hearing the end of it from his temporary live in mother-in-law made him cringe. He enjoyed that first night very much, the women were beautiful, and the atmosphere of the upscale club seemed welcoming and relaxed, it was such a contrast from the seedy dimly lit strip clubs he remembered he and his friends frequented in law school. Furthermore, he spent a couple of thousand that first night, enjoying a little bit of a cash bonus one of the firms more wealthy clients had slipped him for saving him millions on a divorce. Jim left work that evening with a smile on his face, His VIP invitation in hand as he drove his car quickly to the club. He greeted the doorman, showing him the invitation and was escorted to the VIP room, a smile painted on his lips as he was lead to an empty table "Thank you" he said to the doorman. Malika grinned, enjoying herself on the stage. She was still thinking about the look that Lacy had given her when she walked in. Lacy was a hot little number, so were most of her co-workers, but she had a thing for brunettes. Trying to get her mind back on focus; She slid down to the stage floor, pulling her feet up, a playful yet sexy gesture before she rose to hands and knees, crawling toward the men at the end of the stage. The nifty had come off and left her in just the pink thong and heels. She slid her hands down over her body, back up over her breasts, pinching the nipples, letting her head fall back as if it was the most erotic thing she could have done. It did feel good, but she was working now. Fun came later. Bills were held and waved in her direction and she turned. She rocked her hips, shaking her ass in their direction as bills were tucked here and there. She grinned as one young businessman shoved a $100 in her thong, before yelling. "I want you all to myself tonight"She batted eyes at him and turned, moving around the stage, taking money from those she could. "Thank God for suit jackets" Conor thought, blessing the fact that they hid the huge hard on he had gotten watching the 3 treaties strut from the room. Fantasies of a ménage a trios with Malika and Lacy were spinning in his head. He noticed Jim had arrived. Conor had a great memory for faces and what they spent. He got Malika's attention and gestured to Jim." Your payback" he mouthed to her, and moved back to his office to watch the action on video. Smiling at him seductively. Of course, I can handle you PPI, I aim to please. This was getting like a challenge to her. She wanted to see if she could get him to pay for her. To go private. She hoped he would. That would be her perfect break in as... Paused, just thinking about it. The word for what she was doing didn’t sound pretty. But that was what she was and she will accept it. If only her father could see her now. I hope you will allow me to take you private after my show. And you can tell me if you liked it personally. Slink in between his open legs, slightly sitting on his lap. Grinding her hips slowly. Concentrating on the huge bulge she was feeling between her legs. She leans on his chest, turning her head to face him. Softly and sensually kissed his cheek before standing up to walk away look back to see his reaction before she disappeared behind the dressing room door. She needed to get dress before her performance. Ali was amazing on the stage. She just hoped she could be just as good as her He sipped at drink, finally letting the buzz take over him. She was forward a bit to forward, but she was like many other dancers, a blood hound for the good of American dollar. A smile crossed his face as he straightened a wrinkle in his pants her grinding had left behind. He would see how committed she was to the private booth once she realized that bulge in his pants was his father's greatest gift to him. Confidence was one of his greatest traits, and he had a whole heaping amount of it down his pants. Finishing his shots, he got up from the bar and found a seat among the back rows, signaling for a waitress to keep bringing him drinks and anything he could munch on to keep himself in check." I love America..." He whispered to himself as he lounged forward and enjoyed the show. Juicy was blushing from head to toe. It was amazing how the control felt. She was sure he wanted her. And in a way she wanted him to be her first client. Not that old sleazy ball. She will deal with that type after. The alcohol was making her feel hot, and it was turning her on. His lap was comfy and almost made her purr. But maybe she got to open. And couldn't contain how she was feeling around him.no more drinks or tonight, only water. She needed to stay focuses and don’t make a fool of herself on the stage Peeking at her made costume she bought the day before. Juicy had five costumes and some lingerie .one never could have too many. To wear in these cases. Slipping the hair in a ponytail. And slide her apron like black with white ruffles dress on. The dress was backless. Showing her black tong. Sitting in front of the mirror, applying cherry red lipstick and a little blush. Putting on the clothes wasn’t a problem. How to take them of on the stage was what was making her nervous, and yet still it exited her. Only the though of those man groping at her, wasn’t really the part she wanted to experience. Staring at her image in the mirror she still felt his body heat covering her skin. He didn’t even tell me his name, but I will get it before the night finish. Or ells my name isn’t juicy. Juicy was her alter ego, confident and sexy. A total contradiction to Gabrielle, sweet and innocent. Leaving the dressing room, trembling a little. She stood backstage waiting or Ali to finish. Malika ended the song on her knees, her back arched, in an almost bridge to the screams, hollers and whistles of the men who'd been watching. She stood, gathering money even as she walked to the back by men who were holding it out, offering her a good time, more money for some alone time later too. She caught Connor's words and her brows arched as she looked toward the businessman. Well, well ... it looked like the fun times were starting. She moved backstage, behind the curtain and grinned as she began grabbing money from the thong,"The boys are really handing it out tonight ladies. " She said, knowing she had a great beginning to the night already. She grabbed a robe and slipped it on, just letting it hang open as she began to place the money in a small wallet that went in her own personal lockbox. She looked over at Lacy, grinning. "So what do you planning on wearing out there tonight sweetie?" Jim sat there sipping the vodka tonic the waitress had brought for him, he couldn't believe how much better the VIP room was from the rest of the bar, the normal area was full of beautiful women, but the VIP room even managed to top that. He smiled at everyone he saw, noting that the crowd even seemed more upscale, business suits and tuxedos rather than jeans and tennis shoes. He got up and tipped a couple of times, getting closer to the stage for a better look at the girls, he also saw several lawyers, and high profile policemen, as well as some more well known figures from the darker side of town. Furthermore, he felt a little honored actually, to be included in such an odd group. All gathered to have a good time and enjoy the pleasures that women can give. He saw a woman on stage finishing her set, she was introduced by the DJ as Ali, and she truly made his head spin. He watched as she left the stage, summoning a waitress to take a drink to her in the dressing room. Conor sat behind his desk and pointed one of the security cameras at the booth where the AIG guy sat. He was nervous about Lacey. He had not realized she would be so tense about starting. Most of the girls juice themselves up a bit before they come in, he thought. A bit of coke or weed can go a long way in this business. Ahh well, she'll learn or get out after tonight. I hope she learns. She is really cute. He checked out Jim, a local high-flying lawyer, then the AIG guy, wishing he could be a bug on the wall when they talked about work to the dancers. These guys would run their mouths about their clients and deals, revealing all sorts of information that would move the stock market. Information he could trade on. A bug on the wall... The security system had a listening device! JACKPOT! I will like this job he thought. Malika made her way out to the room, now wearing a pair of tight boys cut panties and nothing else but stiletto heels. Her brown hair wasn't in pigtails but now left loose to flow around her shoulders. She made a direct line for Jim, smiling at him as she offered him a beer she'd grabbed from the bar." On me" she said holding it out for him, grabbing a chair to bring it around and sit next to him." I'm Ali" she said, holding out her hand to him. Jim smiled and took the beer from her before shaking her hand, "Hello, I'm Jim" he said. "I couldn't help but notice you one stage" he said with a smile, "your breathtaking". Sipping the last of the vodka from his class and setting the empty glass toward the other end of the table. He let his eyes drift from hers momentarily to survey her body "Very breathtaking" he said again with a larger smile than before. "So how are you tonight?" he asked. Watching Ali pass near her towards the dressing room. Ok, Gabrielle lets do this. It will soon be over. She could feel her blood rushing though her veins. Walking slowly on the stage swaying he hips side to side. The lights on her were showing every detail on her body. And her maid costume wasn’t hiding much neither. She was feeling the music a very slow beat. Making her feel sexy and confident. Juicy was ready to make e her entry. Moving her hips to the music in a soft circular kind of motion. Taking her time. Her eyes were searching for him, but she couldn’t see him. She wanted to dance as if they were alone in private, and she was dancing only or him. But juicy couldn't ind her foreign stranger. Choosing a man each time and seductively making eye contact for a while. Making them feel special, like they were the one she wanted. But she knew better. Thinking, fools.smiling sweetly at each one. Gracefully walks towards the pole, standing with her right side facing the pole. Reaching high and grasp the pole. Smoothly building momentum to complete the move by walking quickly and gracefully in a clockwise direction around the pole..., one arm floating on the outer side as she makes the turn. Her time watching stripper’s videos will sure do their work now. Coming around to her original position and without losing momentum, wrap her right leg around the pole. Grasping the pole with the back of her knee. Making a 1/2 turn and then, in one smooth motion. Grasp the pole with her left hand at about chest level and lift her left foot straight out in front of her, like an ice skater. Only God knew how glad she was her mother made her take ballet classes. Completing the first turn. She tucks her left leg back even with the right so that both legs are bent at the knees and tucked under her body. Spinning her body around the pole in the ice skater pole dance move. She slowly allows her body to slide down the pole until your knees come gently to the ground. Slowly rising back to her feet, her hands above her head, pulling the elastic out o her hair setting it free. Leaving it fall across her face. The guys went crazy in the place and money was filling up the stage. Begging her to come by them for the money. Slipping her hand behind her back, she sips down her dress. Leaving it all at her 6-inch heels. Exposing her perky 36c breast. Sliding down the pole swaying her hips. She lean forward, crawling towards the stage edge to accept her tips. Biting her lips when the groping started, which she smoothly brushes of with a smile. Picking up all her cash and quickly leave the stage to the dressing room Lacy stopped at the bar before greeting her guest. Since her boss expected the employees to bank tonight, the girl thought 'Why not get this fucker ripped out of his mind.' Plotting that all that liquor would leave her client so relaxed, that by the end of their session, she'd have to do practically nothing to get all of his cash. "I need a bottle of Ever clear and an unopened bottle of Courvoisier." The bartender grinned. Setting the Ever clear in front of Lacy. He went back to wiping classes and said lazily, "No cognac in stock sweetie. Maybe he'll settle for some bourbon." He quirked his brow. Waiting irritatedly for her confirmation of the alternative. "No, thanks. But I'll take the Martell (hiding behind you against the wall. Cheeky bastard." "Push, forget it junior. That's VSOP. And the guy you're playing with don't have a wallet big enough to afford it. Run along." Lacy was young and nervous. But naivety and the word 'No' were two things she could rise above. "I was going to entice you with a cut of my profits tonight. But...okay." She wrapped her dainty fingers around the neck of the Ever clear bottle and turned to leave. The bartender thumped his last wet glass down on the rubber mat and uttered, "Get back here." Lacy's brows were lifted innocently. "Reeves?" Her dimples peaking out as her wide grin urged him to speak." If you can pay for the bottle tonight...it'll be a miracle. You're cute, but maybe a little presumptuous. It'll be fun seeing you try. That's all." He held out the golden liquid floating in the premium bottle. Shooing her away like she was the biggest pest he'd ever encountered. "That wasn't so hard." She winked as she took the bottle. Smirking at his challenge. "Not only will I pay for this stinkin' bottle... I'll tip you out. That's how good I am." She held up a bottle and wagged it in a sort of wave as she walked away. The absinthe she took in the dressing room definitely giving her a big pair at the moment. When she got to the table her client was at, Lacy put on a character she created in drama club. She didn't have a name for the character. But guessed it would be Cherry now. This girl Lacy had cooked up was overly perk, and full of innuendos. Something not too far-fetched from herself. So it was easy to act out. Lacy held the two bottles of liquor up in front of her two breasts. "Hi... I'm Cherry. Someone told me you were thirsty. So I'm here to get you wet." Her blue eyes roved over the man in the booth. He wasn't unfortunate. Actually, he was kind of hot. Even his smile was sincere. "Cherry... I think I'm going to have fun tonight." He said her name with a moan. Like he could taste her. Lacy was oddly pleased to hear it. She walked into the booth on her knees. Still holding the bottles of alcohol in both hands. Her dramatic curled hair bouncing as she moved." Who can think with so many stuffy clothes on?" Lacy gingerly put the bottles on the table and yanked the knot of the AIG guy's tie loose. Taking it off him fully, she draped it around her neck. Still facing the AIG guy, she climbed over him, sitting on the table-top. Her legs semi spread. Her red fishnets reflecting its color onto the empty glass she slides between her. Securing the glass between her thighs. She pealed the seal of the Martell opened. "Uncork it for me?" Lacy held out the metal piece and the cognac. She watched the man pop the bottle open with ease. Lacy promptly took it away from him. Pouring some of it into the glass. His hands caressed her hips, then went to her inner thighs. Opening them wider. He only took the glass from between her. The night was off to a good start for her. The character she had created was doing exceptional in the sex kitten department. After letting the guy settle in, she stood on the table. There was a smaller version of a dance pole. Like the one Malika was dancing on. Lacy strutted 'round it. Taking care not to knock over any of the glass items. Fittingly Usher's, "Love In This Club" (came on just as she started her dance.(Malika smiled at him as she sipped a bottled water." Well thank you, Jim, it's nice to know you are enjoying yourself tonight" She said, smiling as she tipped her head, looking at him from the corner of her eye." So what really brings you here tonight sweetheart?" Jim's couldn't force himself not to smile, "I came here for the first time two weeks ago, and had a great time. I received a VIP invitation at work earlier this week, and I have to say it's a lot nicer in the VIP room than it is the rest of the bar, but even that is wonderful." He said with a smile. "The women are beautiful here, your boss must be very selective on who he hires." Jim swallowed a little of the beer and heard the song playing "That's Usher right?" he asked already knowing the answer, but for the sake of keeping the conversation going was willing to play dumb. "What type of music do you like to dance to?" She smiled. "Well I am very glad you decided to come tonight" she looked back toward the DJ then to him." I love Usher, I like hard rock... pop, dance. I'm kind of weird when it comes to music. Give me a sexy groove, and I'll dance to it" she said as she looked toward the private rooms, then to him. "Care for a private dance?" Jim smiled "sure, I'd love one" he said, putting his beer down. "What do you think the next song will be? I prefer a slow seductive song" he said with a little laugh. "I guess I'm a bit of a romantic". She took his hand, leading him down the hall. "We can choose the music once we get into the private rooms. It's a nice little set up back there. You're going to love it" She told him Down the hall were a set of doors, each room had a large soft leather couch (for easy clean up in those cases when people got... carried away) a pole in the center of the room, as well as an armchair and speakers in every corner of the room. The rooms were sound proofed so if people got carried away, nothing to hear outside. She closed the door behind them and leaned against it." So tell me what song you'd like me to dance to for you" she told him. "And then you can tell me how to make you feel even better" Jim smiled "Do they hovered Light Specially TLC?" he asked as he sat down in the armchair, or really anything you like to dance to, I think you know the type of music I like" he said. His eyes running up and down her body as she turned to play the songs. "I know what the rules are in the rest of the bar, but like I said, this is my first time in the VIP area, are the rules up here different?" he asked, not wanting to get kicked out on his first night back there. She grinned as she went to the small laptop there, that was hooked to the speakers. Literally thousands of songs were kept there, and she licked her lips, finding his requested song." The rules in here.are whatever I say they are. And right now. If you have the money, you make the rules" She said grinning at him as the music started, and she made her way over toward him." You tell me what you want sweetheart" "Well, since you make the rules, for starters is a blowjob out of the question?" he asked, watching her pull up music on the laptop. "And maybe more" he said with a wink, he heard the music start and the lights din just a bit. "Very nice atmosphere" he complimented, settling back in the armchair. "A Hundred to start. For the blow job. But I promise worth every penny" She said as she walked to the pole in the room, wrapping her arm around it, spinning as the music started. She sang along with the music, keeping her eyes on him as her hips swayed. It was obvious she liked the song, and her voice wasn't too loud, just soft enough to be seductive, but not like she was singing over the music, just with it." I'll let you touch it, if you.... like to go down. I'll let you go further if you take the southern route" she sang, her body moving to now stand between his legs, looking down at him. Jim's hands slid to her thighs as she stood between his legs, he gently stroked her thighs and hips looking up at her. "I hope you liked the song" he said looking into her eyes with a smile, his thumbs hooking the sides of her boy short panties "can we go ahead and get rid of these?" he asked with a devious smile. Jim could feel his heart beating faster his face becoming warmer and his cock beginning to throb to life with each heartbeat. He felt so restrained by his slacks, but it was so hard not to be excited by the beautiful woman in front of him... even if he was having to pay for it. She grinned, nodding. "Of course we can" She said as she turned, leaning over to rest her hands on his knees slightly, her ass in his face. "You don't mind doing it?" she asked, knowing he wouldn't. She could see the bulge in his slacks before she ever turned around and that made her smile too. Nothing like a well hung man. If she was going to have to screw him then all the better to know she was going to enjoy it. She could feel his hands on her skin and she smiled, closing her eyes. "Mummy.very nice hands" She cooed. "Thanks Ali" Jim whispered before leaning forward and kissing the base of her spine. His thumbs tugging the soft fabric of her panties down until they fell loosely around her ankles. His hands sliding back up her thighs and continued to explore the curves of her body. "Very nice" he said, almost a whisper "I might need more than a blowjob" he said... his hands sliding up and gently spreading her ass cheeks, inspecting every inch of her. She purred as he touched her, there was no other word for it. His hands were soft, and it was obvious he wasn't like some men who just wanted to paw on a woman. He wanted to see her, touch her, explore her, and she was all for it. She kicked the panties aside, turning to face him, the heels still on. "More than a blowjob... gets a little pricey. You sure you're willing to go that far?" she asked, reaching for his tie, letting her hands slide along it, then loosen it." But I'd love to ride that hard cock of yours all night long, if you're willing to pay for it" Jim smiled "define pricey?" his hands sliding to her thighs again, he loved the feel of her skin, it was so soft and supple, he enjoyed the look in her eyes the most, and her willingness to please. He felt his tie being loosened and finally pulled From him, his breath quickening as his left hand slid between her thighs, his fingertips feeling the very soft tender skin, sliding up and down, but not touching her sex. "God your body feels so good" he said. She grinned, pulling his tie loose but keep it around his neck, pulling him forward so she could kiss him, a soft touch of her lips against his, giving him a taste of the strawberry flavored lip gloss." Why don't we just finish your dance, and then we can maybe get together later to discuss our. Extracurricular activities" She said, licking his lips with her tongue before climbing into his lap.((IOC NOTE TO ALL PLAYERS))((I'm not sure what and how far the girls are going to go in the private rooms. Is this going to be full on sex, or do they take the guys someplace else? Just curious to know how this is going to play out)) Francisco's phone vibrated in his pocket, he dug down and pulled it out along with a thick wad of bills he had in his pants. Pushing the phone to his ear he shoved the clip into his coat pocket, the pocket square pushed down and the bills sticking out, enticing any dancer with a wandering eye. He mumbled a few words in Spanish, mostly code in the event this place was wired to catch anyone foolish to open their mouths. Nodding as he spoke, ignoring the music in the background while reaching into his coat's inner pocket for a cigar. Cigars are his father's trait, and it was becoming his slowly, lightning it with a wooden match he puffed one it slowly. The smoke wafting up into the air, the sweet aroma of the best tobacco Cuba had to offer wafted around his comfortable leather chair. He looked around for...he snapped his finger trying to remember, accidentally summoning a waitress." Gime anode round Miami..." He winked at her while he tried to recall her name. Quote from: SakiaWarner on 22-11-2008, 06:38:05((IOC NOTE TO ALL PLAYERS))((I'm not sure what and how far the girls are going to go in the private rooms. Is this going to be full on sex, or do they take the guys someplace else? Just curious to know how this is going to play out))IOC response think it would be helpful to some of the plot elements (particularly ones I am thinking of) if you did it in the private rooms. It will also help you make money. After one guy gets tapped out, as it were, you move onto the next. Conor watched July and Lacey. He turned to the bar tender, who had entered the office to deposit some receipts." You sure it is the first time for those two? They look like pros. Placing her freshly earned money in her locker. And changing her clothes. Her waive curls falling on her shoulder. She sits in front of the mirror to fix her make up. She was all alone in the dressing room. And needed to get outside before she got in trouble. What to put on? She wanted something to arouse him. If she could find him. She wanted to know who he was. Hope he wasn’t some kind of foreign mafia Putin on a lace red tong and red pasties. Juicy shake her hair one last time to give it volume and walk out of the dressing room. Slowly taking in all the costumers, trying to remember all the faces. While she once in a while get pull on one of them laps. Allowing them to slide money inside her tong in exchange for a little touch. Her eyes searching all over, did he leave? A loud slap was heard for anyone with range, a puff of smoking escaped Francisco's lips as he chuckled and looked over at the waitress rubbing her bottom, cursing at him. She looked like she was about to punch him in the face, but he had offered her a good tip to be allowed to do that. The alcohol in his system was breaking his inhibitions now, as his hand traveled up her thigh, to slip a bill into her thong." You said I cud Miami...why so angry?" She left the fresh drink on the table and disappeared behind the bar, then into the club serving more drinks. Sitting up in the seat he patiently awaited for the next dancer to come on stage or the opportunity for a private show to arise. Feeling tired after her dance and walking on those heels went easy neither. She needed to sit down or a while. Out of every body's view. Quietly slips pass the costumers to the back of the place and sit on one of the tables. Taking of her heels to relax her foot. This was a very good exercise, on these damn heels. She softly grumbled between teethsSighed, at the thought of having to dance again soon. After two more songs. But more because she gives up on looking for the Latin stranger. Nice relax her feet awaiting her turn to dance. Jim rested his hands back on her hips as she moved to his lap, his hands slid up cupping her breasts, gently squeezing them "You're a very good dancer" he said with a smile, his cock so hard, straining relentlessly against his slacks, and the pressure she was putting on it wasn't helping much. His hands slid back to her hips and continued to gently caress her soft tan skin. Said took stock of the goings-on of the club thus far. Two girls had come and gone on stage, and both had received a handsome amount from the channel who had chosen to watch and reward their performances. He cared little about that money, for he'd already agreed that stage tips were 100% theirs. Ali had already disappeared into a booth with a customer." Simply the best,"he thought to himself, his dick tingling, his thoughts wandering." Great tits too"he chuckled to himself, making yet another of his private jokes. Being on the upper echelon of the Sin Bin meant that he was usually his own target audience when it came to his variety of comedy. He was aware that the eyes of law enforcement were watching, but so far he could see nothing for which he could be prosecuted. In fact, Said knew quite well that sooner or later, Paul Buchanan would be serviced in such a way that would absolutely prevent him from shutting down the VIP activities of the club. . . Something had caught the owner's eye. Lacey had been conversing with a bartender, which she was entitled to do, but, she'd walked away with a gold bottle from the shelf. Said couldn't help but notice that no money had changed hands, but nonetheless, she had returned to Mr. AIG with the spirit. Sayid slyly walked over to the bar, peering over the counter and noticing the gap on the shelf. He addressed the bartender immediately:"That bottle you gave her was no home brand. No sir, that most certainly was not from the cheap shelf". He didn't say her name, he didn't say his name, Said just let his words hang over him like a dark cloud about to unleash a bolt of lightning upon him. The man blubbered in response, arguing helplessly." She was so sure of herself about making enough money to pay the house back and. . . Stuff". He himself knew that he'd done wrong. Said hardly listened:"Neither of you had permission to take such an expensive risk. You and I know damn well that you just fell victim to a hot pair of legs. The only difference is that I can't disturb her, because those same legs pull in a lot more than you do. Hence, making you more disposable. . . let's hope it doesn't come to that,"he warned. The bartender merely looked at the floor." In the meantime Daniel, keep staring at those high heels of hers from across the floor, you might not ever have the chance again,"and with that, he walked off, making a mental note to catch Lacey and give out to her similarly, just as soon as she lifted herself from the bulge in the AIG executive's pants. . . His focus was drawn to the girl working over some old fart in the corner, irritated by such an old man having such a pretty girl all over him. He suppressed the urge to go and lure her away, not like the old man would be able to put up a fight. He had to remind himself that this was not his country, he could not do what he pleased...yet. Maybe once he made a few friends in the local government and a few officials high up in the food chain. The dancer on stage was nothing special, but once she was out he waited for the next one to come on stage, unaware it was the girl he met at the bar earlier that evening. After relaxing her legs a little. Juicy decided it was time to make her round in the place before going back to change. It seems Lacey was to busy with the old man to go on stage. And she didn’t feel like going up again. She better find anybody to take to the booth before they send her up the stage Walking slowly near the tables, stopping once in a while. She was getting annoyed. Most off them were older guys, and she wasn’t really interested in acting the first night. Hoping she didn’t have to pick one anyhow, as last resort. She didn’t really need the money, but it will help her. So she didn’t have to go to her father each time she needed something. He had money saved or her. But she wasn’t allowed to touch it unless she agrees to marry the man he chose for her. One drunken man, grab her hand and pull her roughly on his lap. Touching and squiring her breast. She didn’t like how he was roughing her up. There was nothing sensual in it. He was a brute. After a little one on one fight to get of his lap. Juicy realize that fighting wasn’t going to help. With her lose hand see caressed his face and kiss his cheek. Something that surprised him, and he loosen up his grip on her. Smiling innocently at him. She whispered in his ear causing him to smile like a dumb love struck Boyle quickly slide 50 dollar bill in her tong and let go of her Finally in the middle row, away from all the slobbering drunks. She saw him, but she pauses on her way. Quickly almost on tip toe, she slides behind him. Whispering in his ear." do you still want me, PPI? Lacy made sure her client's glass was always full. It wasn't hard to get it empty. He kept complaining that his mouth was dry, no doubt due to her little comment about wetting his mouth. So she supposed that was her own fault. He finished the bottle of Cognac, no problem. The Ever clear was more than half gone. She needed to help him with that one. Wrapping a leg around the pole, she did a back bend. Opening her mouth. He was very perceptive. Pouring a little bit down her throat, before nipping her lips. It was a little gross. His breath was wreaking. Like he must have drank at a bar before coming to the Sin Bin. She would seriously have to get a little more vodka in her, if he was going to keep doing stuff like that to her. The funniest thing was that she hardly had to touch him. His hands always sneaking bills into her garter clips and bra straps. She considered this the 'Princess Shift.' She knew how to play him. Pausing in awkward contortions with the pole. Promising to continue to dance again only if he drank. The fact that she urged him toward the liquor rather than demanded more money worked in her favor. He liked it so much that he was clear out of cash. He left the table, promising to be back once he found an ATM. 'Good luck with that.' Lacy thought. She didn't recall seeing any ATMs in this gentlemen' club. But like a good little girl, she whirled off the pole. Sitting on the booth seat. The cold leather shocking her bare legs. She pushed the feeling aside though. Deciding to hurry through sorting out her money. "Hell yes." Lacy sauntered to the bar and flung two hundred dollars in cash at the bar. Bills fluttering to the floor everywhere, like party confetti. "Done...son" She chuckled, not bothering to look back at the bartender. He was a dick. Her guy had been gone for five minutes. Far too long to wait. She'd probably get fired. She also couldn't keep all the rest of her cash just hanging out. Still fully clothed, Lacy got to the dressing room. She stuffed the cash in a smaller bag in her larger duffle, and locked them both up. Looking in the mirror, she touched up her make up, roofed her hair, and made her way to the main office. She hoped they wouldn't be pissed at her for bothering them. But she had a question that only her bosses could help her with. Knock "Hey... Connor?" Finding no answer from the office, the girl headed back to the main floor. There they were...watching everyone. She tapped Connor on the back. "Them" Her boss seemed lost in thought, because she knew he wouldn't outright ignore her. Maybe the bartender was complaining about her cockiness. Whatever. She circled around the club, unable to find Malika anywhere. She would be the next person in line to help her find some kind of fix to calm her returning, panicky nerves. "All I want is a little fix...can someone help me out...anyone?! Seriously, I'm in a club full of syndicates and I can't even get some herb." She was talking to herself as she made her way through the crowd. Unsure if she could go on to another client feeling like she didn't have to get naked. Getting hostile, with Lacy's last line an octave too high. Looking like a crazy girl, with her arms flinging in the air as she complained.(He was watching closely, the interaction between the old man who was worked for every single cent and the harlot who knew how to keep him wrapped around her seductive little finger. Removing the cigar from his lips, he grinned and knew this evening was just getting started. Watching her walk into the dressing room he marked one of the targets, now that the one from the bar had disappeared. Just as the scent of her skin was leaving his suit, replaced by the smoke of his cigar, he heard her sensual voice behind his ear. He suppressed the head shake of disbelief and surprise, knowing it would hit her face, not something he wanted to do. He looked forward onto the stage, playing her game, loving the challenge." Eso no ES min ombre...hula...are you sure you have they right person?" He grinned, he was not one to be made a fool out of. He had the cash, if they wanted it they would have to work for it. Years of Latin Machismo taught him that women are nothing more than objects for his personal pleasure. The seductress had walked out and was bothering a man, from the looks of it he was not a patron. Both eyes perked up as he heard her words, this is what he needed. That was the guy he needed to talk too, this outing was well worth it already." Why dun you introduce me to your friend over her... I don't think you can handle me all my yourself..." Francisco beckoned her over, signaling that he wanted a dance. Once they were in a booth, he would be able to give her what she so blatantly wanted. The bartender gave her that shooing motion again as a Latin man called Lacy over. How long had he been watching her? By the looks of it, Juicy was already occupying the patron's ear, and she had changed her outfit. 'Second cycle already?' Lacy was definitely slacking. Not that she cared too much about how many men had her ass in their faces, but her competitive nature was coming out. Since Conner didn't look back from his receipts, Lacy took that as a queue to follow the Latin man. He walked to a booth far from her AIG rep's had been. Not that she was one to judge, but she wondered 'Does he think he's going to get a threesome out of this?' Since Lacy had been trailing behind a few steps, she found the next waitress that passed her. Clutching her arm tight, so the girl couldn't leave without hearing what Lacy had to say first. "We need two bottles of absinthe. Hurry." She was just ordering people around left and right. Feeling horrible about it, but being bossy nonetheless. Living in a dorm, she had access to rookies and all kinds of date rape drugs. She had a mind to slip this new guy a Cilium if he tried making her do anything she didn't want to. 'Could I get fired for that?' Only if she got caught. And she wasn't stupid enough to take the inhibitor herself. The amnesiac was not fun to wake up from, so she heard. Instead of sitting in the booth with Juicy and her friend, Lacy climbed straight onto the table. Playing against the pole as she waited for the absinthe to arrive. "I hope you have a taste for Cherries." Lacy grinned. Letting her "character" loose once again.(Malika grinned at Jim, smiling as he touched her. She moaned softly for him, (more for his benefit than hers) and let her head fall back. "Thank you sweetheart" she whispered. The key was making them feel like they were special, as if you'd never had anything as good as them. So far, he wasn't so bad. He wasn't disgusting, or old enough to be her father, or grandfather for that matter. Her hips shifted, and she rocked herself against him, rubbing against that thick shaft in his pants, making him harder (if that was possible) loving the sounds he made against her lips as she kissed him. Surprised by his cockiness, Juicy hold back a little. She was caught off guard.He's eyes where other place. And she saw Lacey looking around nervous like she needed help in something. He looked like he was interested in her. She knew that she was losing him. Before she could protest he pulled them in the booth. She was extremely jealous. Never in her life had she had to share a guy before. And if he thought he was getting a threesome. He must be crazy. She never even kissed a girl. Imagine toughing one. As Lacy climbs on the table. Juicy put on her best smiley face mask. She already didn’t feel like acting and now this man wanted her to work harder to get something she could easily get. He must be out of his mind. Looking at him sweetly juicy said:" this is Lacey, and she will keep you company or as long as you want"Lean over to place a kiss on his cheek. To Lacey she whispered “go get him” and giggles She was jealous, it seems he preferred Lacey.Besides, she didn’t need to go over her head to get a guy in this place Maybe she wasn’t his type. He silently swore as Lacey let the AIG guy get away. “There is a cash machine by the men’s room! AND WE TAKE CREDIT CARDS!!” he thought. Note to self… tell the new girls that they can take credit cards for their tips, and they will be paid! These were a handsome small profit center, as they charged extra to cover the credit card fees and to cover the occasional asshole who contested the charges. That was why they had installed video recording for all the private shows. When someone contested a fee now, the video went up on YouTube, still went up on Photobucket and a discreet email went out to his wife or boss or employees or clients or all of them, if he was feeling particularly malicious. Still he had enough on the AIG guy to perhaps gain some leverage. The drunken fool was in the men’s room puking his guts out from all the booze. He signaled the men’s room attendant to send the man to his office once he had finished getting sick. He was pissed, mostly at himself, but he took it out on Lacey when she tried to get his attention. I should be more polite, he thought. She is a babe and I would love to have her as a side benefit sometime. He had seen Francisco slap the waitress. Violence against the girls repulsed him. More importantly it was bad for business. The girls needed to feel safe. He gestured to the bouncer. “If that Latino guy over there raises a hand to another girl in here, have one of our local law enforcement gents throw his ass in jail. If it is that rookie who came in tonight, make sure the dancers treat him well. You can tell him now to knock that shit off.” He then signaled to Lacey, who seemed to be having a tough time of things. “Come on in the office. You could use a little pick me up.” He smiled. His attention was drawn to the suit who tried to lure "Lacey" out of his grasp, he raised his hand with a "Stop" motion, then waved his finger "no" at him. Making sure that neither girl left his booth, he reached into his pocket and dropped them each a fifty dollar bill." Dat IZ just for a dance...more of that...if you ladies want to show me more than that..." Looking over at Juicy, he stopped her from leaving him." I am a man...who loves a show...get on they table wit her..." He smiled as the bill meant for her slid down her torso, squeezing her left breast on its journey down to her thong. With the bill in place his hand traveled over towards her ass, griping it and leading her on to the table. Both eyes stared at Juicy with a demanding stare, she could walk away and return to the old fuck in the corner or dance a stage for singles to the drunk nobodies. Or she could dance with a sexy girl, and put on a good show for him. He was no one to stop her. Sitting himself up on the chair, he slipped a shiny metal case out of his shirt pocket. The small box shined against the lights of the darkened room, he made sure that Lacy saw him hold it up to her, tempting her with what was inside before he hid it. He gestured at both ladies over to the private rooms, if they wanted what was inside. Last thing he wanted was get caught on camera sliding a stripper the best cocaine the United States had ever seen, everything else was chopped up shit when compared to his. Conor noticed the case and made a mental note. He might have been a geek, but he was a South Boston geek and knew cocaine when he saw it. He stopped the bouncer from going over. Never mind for now, but if that guy gives us any more shit, he has enough cocaine on him to merit some serious time in a Federal Felon hospitality center, if you know what I mean. Just let the cops know. Conor also made a mental note to let the chief know of his suspicions. The chief had no patience for drugs. Jim groaned gently against her lips as she put more and more pressure on his erect cock, he wished he could slide his slacks and boxers off. He looked at her breasts as their lips parted, leaning forward and licking her nipple softly. He scooted back in his chair a little and eased his hand between their bodies, his fingers sliding down and gently rubbing her labia and clit in a soft slow circle, not trying to push inside, just caressing her gently. "God your body's so beautiful" he whispered as he leaned up and kissed her lips again. She grinned down at him and grabbed his hand, gently easing it from her." Sorry sweetheart... you don't get much more for free" she whispered. "Gotta let me know what you want... and pay. Then we can have some fun" she said, batting her eyes at him. "Just the rules' sweetie" Watching the confrontation with Connor quietly .as none of them wasn’t allowed to leave the room. Before she had chance to slip out of the room he grab a hold off her and order getting on the table with Lacey. Slipping a fifty dollar bill in her tong he took his time in get acquainted with her body. Making her tremble under his touch. She wasn’t going to walk away now, he had something she wanted and for sure was going to get it. Climbing on the table, she lean on the other side of the pole. Strocking her body and playing with the pole. Making eye contact with him, transmit all those sexy thoughts she has racing through her mind. Continue swaying and passionately running her hands over her body. Breasts, ass, feet and slowly up to her sweet stuff. Juicy was touching herself as if she was completely turned on and wishing it was him touching her Bodmin between her moments dancing, she was looking at Lacey for help. Trying to convince her, to just give him the show he wants. Jim looked up, resting his hands on her hips again "I'm sorry Ali, you're just a hard woman not to want to touch "he whispered" letting the dance continue. "Were definitely going to have to spend some time together tonight though" he continued. His hands caressing her hips and sides, staying away from areas she had said no to. "Do we leave the bar to have more fun?" he asked, wondering if he needed to get a hotel room. "You tell me sweetie. You can pay for your dance now and meet me later, or I can take care of that for you here" she said, sliding her hand over the bulge in his pants. "... then we can hook up outside this place. You let me know what is best for you" "Let's get a hotel room" he said as he continued to stroke her hips gently. "I think it would be better to have a bed rather than a couch" he chuckled as the song ended. "Do you have a phone number I can get in touch with you at? To tell you the room number" he asked as he pulled his wallet out and pulled out a hundred dollar bill. After the lecture from Conner, and that smug look on the bastard bartender's face, going back to the bar was the last place Lacy wanted to be. She had screwed up with her first customer. But she could redeem herself, she was sure of it. Determined not to get fired tonight, she did naughty things to the pole. Watching their Latin gentleman pulling out money, and something Lacy was searching for earlier. Curious at what she had to do to get some of his blow, she climbed off the table and walked with him to the private room. Whispering to Gabrielle, "The stage name's Cherry. For future reference. The last thing I need are people trying to Google my ass. I probably have 'Girl's Gone Wild' videos online I don't know about." Just cause Lacy would eventually get what she asked for, didn't make it any less scary. She saw a movie about human trafficking. Girls being shipped off to god knows where, being forced to whore it up with disgusting men. For some reason, this guy reminded her of one of the lures in the movie. Too suave for his own good.(Frustrated in his attempt to play with Lacey, Conor decided to see how far he could get with the AIG guy. The bathroom attendant walked him in. He stank of commit and looked ... not at all well." Hello sir. You do not look so hot. Shall I call for a cab?"" Please. Can I take that dancer with me? What her name again? Jew… Juicy?”“No I do not think I can allow that sir. However, here is a complementary pass to the VIP club. You are welcome anytime.” There was no doubt Lacey had made a good deal of money off this guy in a very short time. Conor called for a cab.“Do you have the cash for this sir?”“Nope” he burped and the reek of sour booze filled the room. “That’s ok, we have an arrangement. Just give me a credit card and we’ll take care of it.” Conor did a double swipe on the card and checked it against his driver’s license. He wanted to chat with this fellow when he was sober. In the meantime, however…“I think I remember seeing you on the news sir. Aren’t you with AIG? I am working on an MBA in finance. What are you planning on doing sir? It would help me with class.” He gave the man his earnest student look.“Well, we will be spinning some of our sub. Sub SID libraries… subsidiaries off. So a smart guy could end up with some stock in the parent, and far more valuable stock in several smaller companies.”“I think that will impress my professors' sir.” He said. It would also fatten his returns when he bought AIG on margin and passed the tip along to his broker buddy, who paid very well for these tips. He got the AIG guy into his cab and switched the video monitors onto Lacey and “Juicy, who seemed to be getting juicier by the minute. He also watched Jim being driven to distraction. Keep him here baby, he thought. That way, we can play later, and you will still get your money, and I’ll get some insider tips when I tell him the tape will go to his wife. Francisco moved wrapped an arm around each girl, the public booth was now empty except for his multiple empty drink glasses. A huge grin across his face as he was lead to a Private booth. (She took the bill, tucking it down in her panties before she grabbed a card from a small stack. "This is me. Call that, and I can meet you wherever you want for some fun..." She leaned down, grinning at him. "All night. With me... $1500." She told him. No she wasn't cheap, but she was worth it, and she wouldn't lower that amount for any reason. She earned her money and if some guy wanted her for the night to fuck, well then he would pay.and pay well. Jim smiled at her as he took her card, "be expecting to hear from me as soon as I get a room" he said. "I bet tonight's going to be worth every penny with you" he said with a slight groan as he stood. "Thank you for the dance Ali, do you have time for another, or do you have to go onstage now?" Conor motioned Ali to come see him as soon as she was done with her customer. He could see what had happened and needed to set some boundaries. He also did not like women trying to leave early. It was bad for business. If they wanted to work again, they's need permission. Malika made her way over to Connor. "Make it quick, I have to get back onstage soon" she said looking at the stage then to him. "And your business boy and I will be meeting later for some alone time" she grinned. While business boy over there is cool, you should not be making those arrangements in here. First, you never know who is an undercover cop and I do not want to go to jail. The local cops might be cool, but the state police are not. Second, you should be doing that in a private room, it is the club's money. By rights, I should throw you out now and never let you dance here again. However...he grinned can be a forgiving man when motivated. I'll be in the office. "Umm I was Ina private room, and I was under the impression that the entire reason we were here was to do the extras" she shrugged her shoulders "throw me out. You think I can't get another job!?" She laughed "I came in early to help out not put up with your shit. Tell Said to call me when we can talk. Oh, you might want to get someone on stage because it won't be me" The extras will be done in here! And I am sure Said will agree, as it is his place and his money you are belching him on. Now, you can split that $1500 with him, or I can pretend not to know if you want to help me erase that memory. If you do, I'll be in my office. If not. He turned to Caroline, who had just exited the dressing room. She was a long-legged red head with a pretty face, lovely blue eyes and very good taste in lingerie. Well, we have 25 dancers in here tonight, and they are all good, however, you will not find the security or the money anyplace else in this town. Caroline, you are up on stage now please. Three songs. The guys will like her.("I'm not here to be your whore... you couldn't pay me enough. I came here to work for Said... and that's all. I can go work a lot of places with security as good. And if the money ain't as good, I'll just shake my ass a little more" Malika blew him a kiss. "See ya Conor" she said as she made her way to the back and began to pack up her things. There was no way she was going to stay someplace that they couldn't decide if they wanted you to fuck someone in the room, take it to a hotel for fear of the law, and if you did then bitch because they didn't get a cut. And she wasn't hired to work for a CPA who didn't know what the heck he was doing. Sayid could call her or not, she wouldn't lose sleep over it if he didn't. She could find work someplace else... it wasn't that hard. (was late not good on her first night her husband had insisted on dropping her off at the Factory where he believed she still worked it meant she then had to wait for him to leave and a taxi to arrive to get her to the cheap seedy motel room she had hired to transform herself into Suzette. She rushed the length of the street to the club dashing into the back hoping that Said or any off his staff had not seen her she quickly started looking through what outfits were available to her, she slipped into a nurses outfit the buttons on the front threatening to burst open. She sat for a moment thinking to herself tonight is the night you start to make the cash to change your life the only thing that had her slightly worried is if any of her hubby's friends or colleagues came in, but she had a plan to win then over if they did. Gemma - glad you are here. Can you please take the stage next? The words bought her back in to the moment "sure Mr O Malley" she rose from the seat checked her make up in the mirror now was the time to go make that new life. She walked to the side of the stage and peeked out into the club but could not see too much because of the bright lights shining on the stage. A deep breath and little wife Gemma disappeared and Suzette the Slut stepped on stage with a toss of her hair she paraded around the edge exaggerating the natural sway of her hips before taking the pole and bending from the waist presenting the watching audience with a view of her black g string and promising cleavage has she moved around it. The reaction gave her a boost and she slipped a few buttons on the nurses dress undone allowing the flesh off her breasts to sway with a movement of their own under the fabric she would make them wait for a full uncovering Conor watched Gemma in her Suzette role sway on the stage." Man will I need to sample that" he muttered to himself. But first, deal with Malika. He followed her into the changing room where the was getting her stuff together and grabbed her arms. He turned her towards him and said "Do not walk out on me, bitch! You can do whatever you want for money, but you MUST keep it in the club!" He could feel her breasts barely touching his shirt. All that exposure to gorgeous female flesh had him excited and the bulge in his pants showed it. "Get your hands off of me now." She said, her words low and menacing. "You think I haven't dealt with men twice your size and strength?" She jerked her hands off of him." You aren't my boss, you're the fucking accountant, and you can't keep me here. You aren't my pimp so don't tell me what I can and can't do. I'm done... you got me?" she said, zipping the bag closed." Touch me again" she growled as she jerked her sweatshirt over her head. "And you'll see just how much of a man you think you are"She jerked the bag from where it sat and then took off out the door into the parking lot. She wasn't watching where she was going and barreled right into a man almost knocking him and herself over. She stopped, staring down at him, thinking he looked very familiar, and then it hit her. Furthermore, she'd danced for him several times before at the club she worked at before here. Kaleb. He tipped well, and he wasn't bad looking at all." Oh My God, I am so sorry" she said as she looked at him. Conor walked back to his office. That bitch would learn. There was an informal network among the club owners so they could avoid trouble, both from problem customers and dancers. He went out to that forum, posted Malika's picture and information and let everyone know what had happened. No one wanted to risk possible police busts or loss of liquor licenses from running a brothel." Good luck there Malika, you bitch" he thought. He stepped back out and watched Gemma dance, wondering what it would be like to feast on those Lucius tits. Kaleb had been over to the 'Doll House' expecting to find Ali. When he got there though and didn't see her come out for a dance in some time he decided to ask around. She was one of his favorites, not that the other girls weren't attractive or anything but there was just something special about her, he always liked. Maybe it was the fact she seemed to always have fun on stage, she didn't treat it so much as a job as it was a hobby. It took a little asking around and some convincing to get anyone to admit that she had left for some new place. A bit more prying and a couple more dead presidents, and he had a club name. No sooner had he reached for the door to said club and went to pull it open it came swinging open quickly, and a short curvy girl crashed into his larger six-two frame. He wasn't huge in the muscular body build way, but he was not a stick figure that some six-year-old would draw for art class either. "Hey, hey, you alright?" He asked before he could see who even had run into him. When he glanced down to look at her, his arm around her waist steadying her, he realized that it was just the girl he came looking for. With a cocked grin and mischievous look on his face that was framed perfectly by his curly long dirty blond hair. "You know you're a hard girl to find. Expensive too." Malika looked up and almost choked when it was Kaleb standing there. He was probably her only real regular customer from the other club, and she was floored that he was here." You came looking for me? " She asked stunned. "What. Why... What are you doing here?" she asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder still rather shocked. Out of every customer she'd ever been with, ever danced for, he was the one she loved to dance for, the one she looked forward to seeing. She'd told several of the girls at her old place that if he came looking for her, they were to tell him where she was." Sorry... I couldn't really announce I was leaving" She said then frowned, her anger back. "But I should have stayed where I was. I'm done here... at least there they didn't want a piece of me plus my money" she grumbled then looked at him. "You... umm..." she was lost. Could she really ask a guy out? What was she even thinking? What was she going to do? Invite him for tea and crumpets? He had been paying far too much attention to the stage, and far too little to everything else. It was time to do some looking around. By the time he got to it, there wasn't much for him to catch. One of the girls had just stormed out, but he hadn't been close enough to hear why. And nothing he saw was enough to do anything without an official complaint. Instead, he made his way to a security office. Single shot views of private rooms, and plenty of dark corners left out. He was amazed at the lax security at this place, considering the number of camera's he thought he saw. It didn't occur to him that this was a dummy room, a few camerae he was meant to see. Especially since he didn't have time to think about it. One of those private rooms had an obstruction on the camera. Might be something going down. (totally immersed in her role has Suzette she was onto the second song of her stint she glanced at her hand sliding down the pole noticing she had not removed her wedding ring, it caught the lights shining, it helped focus her on her task she decided she would not remove it because of that very reason. Spinning off the pole on her heels she popped the last few buttons and shrugged out of the nurses dress her breasts springing free they were her pride and joy Gemma knew the effect they had on guys by the fact they always spoke to them before speaking to her face. She dropped to her knees and crawled to the edge of the stage her Blondie hair falling around her face and her breasts hanging like udders on a cow she smiled knowing they would make money just like a cow, she picked up the first bill she found and tucked it into her g string she was off and running. Conor moved into the security room after watching that Latino guy grope Lacey. She obviously did not like it. He would need to intervene." It's Buchanan, right. I'm Conor, the financial guy and general flunky here." He flipped a switch allowing Buchanan to get a full view of the private room in question. Lacey did not know about the override." You see that Latino dude there. He is a bit rough with the girls. Also, I am not sure what is in that case of his. If he gets rough with Lacey again, perhaps we should have a chat with him. What do you think? That sort of thing is bad for business. The girls need to feel safe." He watched Gabrielle suddenly leave. On a separate camera he saw her run for the ladies room. "Uh oh, clean up in stall 3" he thought. She had started early. She needed to learn to pace herself. He signalled the bathroom attendant to check and make sure she was ok. Buchanan didn't know whether to relax or get more involved. He went with relax, after all he never asked about the security room. There were no proof things were being hidden from him, just his own paranoia. "He gets rough with one girl and another runs out to the bathroom? I've seen surveillance like this before. I was in a squad for a drug bust, and it was part of the briefing." He taps the screen, pointing at the briefcase. "I'll need to watch that case, regardless of him getting hands, can you make sure the camera doesn't switch back to the obstruction?" Suzette was in full swing on her third dance allowing her breasts to sway just above the customers reach she thrilled has the ran their hands up her legs to tuck in the bills. It gave he such a thrill to be in charge and to have other men touch her instead of her controlling overweight husband MMM she thought I could get used to this. With one final twist on her heels and a toss of her hair she was done and swaying her hips in a farewell she looked over her shoulder and blew a kiss to the room before disappearing into darkness of the corridor to the dressing room. Once there she counted out the cash $200 well that's OK it covered her fee to the club and got her a start on saving for a new life she slipped a robe on and put her share into her bag the best go pay her due's to the club she went in search of Mr O Malley.(Reaching the bathroom just in time to pour her stomach out. She was feeling so sick. She knew she didn't had to take that crap. But he was looking so inviting, like it would lease him if she did. She isn’t going to fall again for that. Splashing water on her face she walked straight to the dressing room. She needed to relax a little before going to her next costumer. She had spoiled the night with the Latin guy and kind of ashamed to go back. O well plenty off fish in the sea. Once she felt better. Getting to Connor's office she found it empty she did not really know what the fee was or if there was one, but she assumed she would have to pay something to be able to dance in the club. Turning on her heels she thought she heard voices from another room and decided to hang on for a few moments to see if Mr O Malley came back Gemma did not want to start off on the wrong foot after already being late she needed this job. "Fine by me, officer Buchanan, though I think that dancer had a bit too much to drink. Just stay here and keep an eye on things. If Lacey feels threatened, she'll hit a button hidden under the couch, and that red light there will light. There are others alarms where the bouncers can see them and in my office." He left the room and headed to his office." Hello Gemma. Loved your set. Looks like you have started well. What are you going to do with all that cash?" He smiled at her. "Would you like me to point you to some of the guys who can get you more?" Seeing Mr O Malley walking towards her, she put on her best smile best keep on the right side of the bosses" I am glad you liked my dancing I enjoyed it as well and the customers sure seem too. Well some of the cash I thought could pay my fee to the club that is if you charge one, I know someplace do, but I forgot to ask when I got this job." The fact was she did not have a clue about other places having never done this before she just assumed that was the case. The offer of further money grabbed her interest immediately and she eagerly maybe to eagerly answered." Could you do that, I would be really grateful if you could, I need the cash"She absent mindfully played with her wedding band the gown barely covering her naked breasts from his view has she grasped at the offer. He led Gemma into his office." Poll fee first" he said, and took the $100. He gestured to the monitors. "We have tipping histories on all these guys. Plus, I throw bonuses to girls who get them to talk about inside business information. I find it useful for... my MBA classes." He did not add that he used it for trading stocks as well. He stood close behind her so she could feel his hardness against her gorgeous ass." I can point you to a guy who tips in the $500 to $1000 range when he is in here, who always gives quality information, so that would be another $250 from me. But I'd need to see just how grateful you would be." The figures quoted thrilled it was nearly as much as the factory paid for a week not that she saw it her husband took it all from her purse the same day well he would not get his hands on any more than that a week she had vowed. Her blue eyes scanned the screen she could feel Mr O Malley close to her his arousal obvious with pressure on her ass she knew what his question implied and knew if she was going to get the cash it was the only way, her desperation to get away from her situation at home meant she had already decided to prostitute herself if necessary and it ape rared it would be. Without moving, she dropped a tone in her voice to make it more seductive"I can be very grateful for that sort of money, what did you have in mind?" Well Gemma, step into my more private office, right here... (We need to get some more action in the main room, Conor thought. Perhaps an Asian lady to add to the mix." Ayako you are up." Ayako means pretty child and it certainly fit.(

VIP Room at The Sin Bin|rating:3.0

Scandalous_ CS

Please drop in your CS using the following: (Feel free to put as much or as little in your background story as you like)Name:Nickname:Age:Appearance: (Pic or GOOD description)Sexual Orientation:Family if notable:Personality:Occupation:Short History: (Include how you're connected to the limelight!) Other:** I will create a good spoiler up here with everyone's CS when we're all in here. ONLY PUT CS's IN HERE! FemalesEmma (Izabella)(Emma Trump Nickname: Image: 23Sexual Orientation: Straight Occupation: Jr. Officer of Trump Tower and the Trump Portfolio Family: Her father, Donald Trump (dying) and brother Jarred Trump (28)Personality: Em is confident and sure of herself and her actions, or so most think. She isn't warm and welcoming, but she's not hateful and Missy either. She's intimidating and demanding, greedy and calculating. Furthermore, she'll manipulate you in a New York minute to get what she wants and when you hand it over - you'll think it was your idea in the first place. Relationship Status: Single - no pre-existing Short History: Emma was raised in the lap of luxury, her mother and father divorcing early and her mother leaving, never to be heard from again. She was raised by Nannies and butlers, her father too busy with his empire to spent time at home. She was afforded everything she could possibly want in life and after years of throwing the biggest parties and shopping every weekend, she finally decided to pay a bit more attention in school, though her father was willing to pay to get her out. She graduated with her MBA after four years of school, moving to London to study abroad just to get away from her name, her fame - her future. Furthermore, she returned a few months before her father got sick with cancer and without even being asked was expected to step into the shoes of Jr. Exec for her brother so that he could take the acting CEO role for their illustrious father. Life in the media is about glamour and glitz and all things perfect and Emma trump plays their game to a tee... but perhaps the facade that is held so tightly in place slips now and again. Good thing she'd got enough money to cover up her faults and touch up her deceptions. So nice to be a pretty young rich thing - allows you to play in the nastiest of candles. Other: Emma has a tattoo that symbolizes freedom that covers her lower back, an inscription that says, "If I were to choose one thing this day to be - I would be free." "Se doves scalier SU cost quest Giorno DI essay Korea essay libero"Ophelia (Amelia)(Ophelia WintertonNickname: Ella Age: 22 Sexual Orientation: straight Relationship Status: single Family: Grandfather: Jeremiah Winterson, owner of the luxury hotel chain Winterson Hotels. Mother: a former supermodel, Rachelle Claude-Winterton, deceased. Father: the manager of Winterson Hotels, Jeremiah Winterson II. Brother: a fashion photographer, Jeremiah Winters III. Personality: Flirty, opportunist, spoiled, unloving, committophobic, egocentric, sensual Occupation: Socialite Short History: Ella was born into wealth and her face plastered on the front page of a magazine at the age of two days. She's been on their pretty much since, and as soon as she hit her supposed adulthood according to the media she's given no reason to stop tracking her every move. Be it innocent ventures like fundraisers or sex scandals involving senators and their sons, she's the life of any party and the name on everyone's lips. Her education was paid through by her father, but it did grant her a degree in art history. Once she has no intention of using any time soon. She has never worked nor been inspired to, and is perfectly content with the way her life spins. Her father, and more so her grandfather, have begun pressing her to do something "of value" with herself as of late. They fear that the patience of the public will start to fade eventually, and the cover of her dead mother no longer protect her. (Her mother OD'd when Ella was three.) Abigail (ElvenKitten)(Abigail Landry Nickname: Abi Age: 20Sexual Orientation: Bisexual (prefers females)Relationship Status: Single Personality: Abi is a bit naive and unused to her sudden fame and fortune. She is a good-natured and affectionate (some say too affectionate)Occupation: Singer songwriter Short History: Abi was always into music and came to the attention of a major record label. She went from being a small town girl to a pop idol almost overnight. Furthermore, she tried not to let the fame and fortune change her, but she has started on to become a bit of a party girl. Furthermore, she has had several high profile relationships over the years. Furthermore, she is currently unattached but always seems to have a guy or girl on her arm when she's out and about Other: She has become something of a sex addict. Helen (Catamaran)(Helen Van de GraaffNickname: Helena Age: 29Sexual Orientation: biOccupation: Owner and manager of purgatory™Family: None that is known, although she is rumored to be the grandchild of Robert Van de Graaff Personality: Helen is a businesswoman through and through. She's cold and calculating, and sees everything in a gain/loss frame. Relationship Status: Single Short History: Helen's origins are unknown, but much rumored. She arrived in the New York scene six years ago, by opening up her first nightclub Purgatory™. The fact that it caters only to a select group of people that have to be on the list, and succeeded at that was all the news, and sometimes is still mentioned. She now owns a dozen bars and clubs in New York, and another two dozen throughout the US, but none rival purgatory™Other: The popularity of her club is mostly due to the loose morals inside. Although the entirety of purgatory is covered by an internal CCTV network, not a single image of what happens inside ever made it to the media. Cora (Rainy High)(Cora Frontage: 25Appearance: Cora is 5'4" tall and weighs 130 pounds. She has gray eyes and blonde hair. Cora's lips are plump, and her bust is a modest C cup. Cora's skin can vary by the seasons. In the summer, it is often tanned from hours of being in the sun. In the winter, her color will fade to pale, as she is adverse to the cold weather. Sexual Orientation: Straight but curious about women. Family if notable: Her father is a California senator. Personality: Cora is polite for the most part. She tips well, she pushes in her chair, and she opens the door for the elderly. Once off-screen and her mouth opens--nothing, but pessimistic thoughts will flow. She feels as though her presence is a gift to those around her--she is arrogant. While Cora is not one to gossip, she will talk shit to people straight to their face. If you look at Cora, you would maybe think that she is a sweet person. As an actor, she can portray someone of honor, someone with sincerity. She lacks many of these traits in the real world. Occupation: Actress Short History: Cora favors her California roots, loving the sun and the warm ocean weather. Cora grew up well cared for. Her mother was a homemaker, and her father a lawyer. As a child, Cora loved the stage life; she did act in children's theater and made quite a resume. When she turned 18, she began to explore the silver screen, and loved it--until it went to her head. Cora developed a huge ego, feeling like she was the best actor in Hollywood. Now Cora is on a steady downfall, she's receiving less and less phone calls and more and more hate mail. Cora's picture was in the tabloids, she was smoking weed in the picture and her ex-boyfriend was there with her. She kept claiming it was fake, but it was real. Her ex-boyfriend told her not to worry about anything. Her father had her go to New York and away from Hollywood to take a break. Other: Cora is actually a good actor, but her personality as a person is not the best. Jasmine (Izabella)(Jasmine VartenceNickname: Jazz or Jazzy Age: 26Sexual Orientation: Straight Family if notable: None worth mentioning Personality: Jazz is very outgoing, her fan base in need of constant hugs and adoration. She's rather full of herself and why not be? The world thinks she hug the moon and stars, and she's happy to let them eat from her little palm. Her self-confidence borders arrogance, but she's just too beautiful for many to make the direct line and press the issue. She is in-your-face and rather antagonistic with men, especially her co-stars. Occupation: Grammy Award-winning Actress. Make eight movies, all box-office hits. Short History: Jasmine grew up in poverty, but her ability to sing, dance and act moved her into a special program for underprivileged kids, giving her a party as Annie in the Broadway show, Annie. She grew up quickly, her mother a single mother and their life nothing less than sorted and horrible. She developed into a beautiful young woman and was offered a modeling job at the age of twelve, which she took all of her money going to support her family. After a few years of continuing to beat down the doors of producers in LA, she got her big break and started in her first movie at 20, "Live and let Live." Moving into action films was new to her, but she pressed forward, her mind on the need to continue to support her mother and five siblings, though you'd not be able to tell it. She holds a facade together very tightly to appear to be something she's not. Though she's not slipped into using drugs or drinking heavily, she tinkers night and day on the verse of a breakdown, but that is the price of fame. Her latest movie, "Just below the surface" has just release and the media is going insane over the first ratings. She goes with the flow and gives them what they want - though doing so means loosing a little bit of the beautiful, humble woman that she once was. Other: In her spare time she slips into a wig and goes out to serve the community in fighting hunger, poverty or abuse. She lives 2 very different lives and just hopes that it remains that way. Males Alexander (A Japanese Dane)(Alexander Pierre Zeus de RothschildNicknames: Zeus, Red, Baronage: 28Sexual orientation: Bisexual Occupation: CEO of Rothschild Cyber Solutions Family: French Branch of the Rothschild Banking family, Baron David René de Rothschild (father), a host of siblings and cousins. Personality: Alexander is hyperactive, impulsive, almost always happy, but he has a greedy side to him. When it comes to business he's a cold and manipulative individual. He's well liked amongst the high class for his carefree and happy personality. He likes to show off his money, especially by arriving in one of a kind cars, or old cars that costs more than most make in a lifetime. Relationship Status: Single - no prior connections Short History: Alexander was born in the famous Rothschild banking family to an aging father and a mother and siblings with business sense. His father decided to pour all his attention, all his love and dedication into the schooling of Alexander to make sure he'd become a talented businessman at whatever field he chose. Alexander had always found computers to be interesting so he decided to study programming. He graduated top of his class from MIT at the tender age of 20. Borrowing some money from his father he founded Rothschild Cyber Solutions, a software firm specializing in security and office applications. Since his 10 birthday Alexander's personal net worth has grown to 430 million dollars due to his innovative investments and licensing of his products, and then release of his trust fund. He now spends most of his time partying with the worlds upper class. He enjoys the company of his peers, whether that be by doing drugs, drinking, driving fast cars, going on crazy trips etc. Furthermore, he likes to be the center of attention and often hosts elaborate parties. Other: Alexander is, unlike the rest of his family, Atheist Jeremiah (Amelia)(Jeremiah Winterson III Nickname: Average: 26 Sexual Orientation: bisexual, male preference Relationship Status: single Family: Grandfather: Jeremiah Winterson, owner of the luxury hotel chain Winterson Hotels. Mother: a former supermodel, Rachelle Claude-Winterton, deceased. Father: the manager of Winterson Hotels, Jeremiah Winterson II. Sister: a socialite, Ophelia Winters. Personality: laid back, carefree, sensual, artistic, confident, flirtatious, spontaneous Occupation: Fashion photographer Short History: Her was born with a silver spoon in his mouth but unlike his sister he's never quite enjoyed the limelight as such. He revels in attention of a more intimate kind, but he does his best to stay out of the tabloids. This of course has made him even more of a target since he is the heir of Winterson Hotels, after all. Of course the world must know what he's up to. The first scandals reported were images of him buried to the hilt in a football player whose five-page spread had been published days before, shot by the young Winterson. As soon as the media scene seemed to be calming about his homosexuality, he was spotted making out with a middle-aged socialite in one of the hottest clubs in town. Wouldn't have been such a fuss about it if she hadn't happened to be the wife of an anchorman. Jeremiah isn't often written about but when he is... His education was in photography, done abroad and on his own because his family refused to have anything to do with anything other than a business degree of some kind. Again, he's the Winterson Hotels heir. His career took off shortly upon arrival back in the states, and he's highly sought after, choosing to do work for Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan and other magazines of that caliber, either in the states or abroad. Nicolas (Catamaran)(Nicolas Bettencourt Nickname: Nick Age: 29Sexual Orientation: straight Occupation: Chairman of the board for L'orealFamily: His grandmother is Lilianna Bettencourt, the richest woman in the world, and heiress of the L'Oréal company her father created. Personality: Nicolas is an eternal playboy. Partying, drinking, fucking. He enjoys life to the fullest, and nothing can stop him. Relationship Status: Single Short History: Born into innumerable wealth, Nicolas was never shown the value, and as such never tried too hard at anything. He breezed to high school, studied history at the Sorbonne university and spent most of his time partying with friends. When his grandmother got diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Nick was made chairman at L'Oréal, which meant a meeting once a month, and nothing more. Brent (Moon Hound Hat)(Brent Black Nickname: Mr. Age: 26Sexual Orientation: Straight Family if notable: His father Joshua Black, an oil giant worth his weight several times in solid gold, and his wife, Maria, a former supermodel Personality: Brent is confident, outgoing, and straightforward. A bright bulb masquerading as a party boy, he knows exactly how to keep people happy and entertained. He learned how to read people and taught himself how to react to them in the best possible way. Occupation: Owner of nightclub "Eclipse"Short History: Brent was born with a silver tongue and a silver spoon in his mouth. A smooth talker with brains, he decided the best way to make money is to use those assets to good use. Being the "good" daddy's boy that he was, it did not take much to have his father help fund the construction of his nightclub, which Brent dubbed "Eclipse." For the last five years Brent has run the nightclub with great success, knowing exactly how to entertain people especially the many celebrity costumers that have made his club their go-to place every time they were in town. Brent marketed it as a "personal touch," having learned the various likes and dislikes of most of his regulars. Some preferred this type of champagne over the other. Some wanted to only be served by blonde waitresses. Those sorts of things. It could be a pain in the ass at times, but the pay was well worth it, as a happy celebrity was a well spending celebrity. Isreal (Nicholas)(( Israel Levi Solomon Nickname: none (a lot of people call him Levi, though)Age: 20Sexual Orientation: Gay Family if notable: -Relationship Status: Unknown Personality: Israel was raised in a traditional Jewish family. He certainly has good manners, if he wants to, but he knows that such things as manners, style and a certain kind of behavior opens many doors. On the other side, he is known to be vain and arrogant at times. He is determined, confident and slightly hedonistic. And of course, he earned quickly that his business is a shark pond. Only the strong survive. Additionally, he is quite efficient when it comes to making money and getting more of it. He has various people working for him. Lawyers, PR people and a Manager as well. Occupation: Supermodel Short History: Just one year ago, Israel was pretty much a nobody. His family was not exactly poor. The father a well known Lawyer in Boston, the mother a known Art Critic. But then, this one day last summer, while Israel was on vacation in L. A., a modelling scout from a famous NYC Agency happened to spot Israel on the beach in Malibu. And the young man was hired on the spot. He had what they were looking for, and within not even a year, the young man made it to billboards, magazine covers and various newspaper articles. Each famous designer and fashion company wants Israel to be on their catwalks, and some of them, who didn't get their hands on him yet, would probably die or kill to have him wear their clothes, or be on their magazine cover. The Vogue, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and each other high fashion magazine had his face on the cover already. All this opened the doors for Israel, to America's Upper class. It opened all the doors locked to the 'normal people', he made many connections, met many famous people, and the young man is enjoying the ride. They say that he is the face of the new Millennium. Young, handsome and easy to sell. Since then, Modelling Agencies and Photographers alike fight for the handsome face, everyone wants him in front of their lenses, and maybe in their beds as well. Rumors say that a certain, well known and famous fashion designer and owner of an own fashion label, has a special liking for young Israel. The man is over sixty already, and the past months he was seen more than once, in the company of Israel. It was, of course, scandalous, after all, the man easily could be Israels grandfather. Of course, the only statement from the older man was that Israel was his muse. But not only this is rumored. The model's affection for Cocaine was fodder for the paparazzi as well. His sexuality was never a big secret, neither was it any kind of scandal. Such a thing as being gay is nothing out of the ordinary, in his line of work. It didn't keep the papers and paparazzi from gossiping, though. Such a handsome face, and such a hedonistic lifestyle is perfect for gossips, after all. Jack (Legman)(Jack Johnson Nickname: Storage:27Appearance: (Pic or GOOD description) Standing 6ft3 with a black hair crew cut. The chiseled looks of a leading man and a bulging physique. Piercing blue eyes that most people don't know covered by contacts. Sexual Orientation: Straight Personality: Alpha male type in public. Knows what he wants and expects he will frequently get it. Can be charming when he wants to be. Though quickly can become tired of fools and hangers on. Occupation: Actor. Short History: Pulled off of the Midwestern college campus by a recruiter for a men's clothing line Jack did mail modeling for six months before jumping into films. Unfortunately for him his first few were what in a more refined era would be called "skin flicks" He does his best to keep that part of his work-life secret. As much as the reporters and paparazzi who surround him know he caught his first break in Stallone's last picture. Then it was off to the races. Increasingly lucrative contracts and endorsements. The macho every man who will kill the bad guys and love the ladies. Splitting his time between an apartment in New York and LA. He's always on the lookout for the most exclusive parties in the best clubs. Enzo (Locke pick)(Ibarra Nickname: Enzo, DJ Friction Age: 23Appearance: (See Picture)Sexual Orientation: Homosexual Family if notable: Nobody Notable Personality: Enzo had to fight and scrape to get amongst the social elite. He's suffered a fall from grace, but living the high life and partying with celebrities is a life he's not going to let go of without a fight. In general, he's the gregarious friend you loved, but your parents knew were bad for you. He's the kind of guy who will make you do something stupid, but feel perfect about yourself for doing it. He's gregarious, overly confident, and at times, even a little spiteful for those who have had it easier than he has. Occupation: Officially a 'Promoter' for parties and clubs. Unofficially a known dealer of whatever drugs the starlets need. Short History: Enzo first entered the limelight when he was eighteen as a DJ. He worked small events and clubs under the alias 'DJ Friction'. He was a high-school drop out, but eventually got up to more and more exclusive events until he was picked up by an agent. Soon, he was a household name, as far as DJs go, and was flying around the globe to headline clubs. It proved to be a passing trend, and soon work dried up as new names showed up on the scene. Enzo was unwilling to let go of the life he had found, and even though he wasn't spinning anymore, he worked his way into parties and events. Originally, supplying drugs for people was simply a way to increase his appeal. Now, it's become both a financial backing and an opportunity to secure himself amongst the ranks of the social elite. Other: Not many people know, or care, what DJs look like. Even if you're familiar with DJ Friction -- you may not recognize Enzo as such. Frankly, he prefers to not be recognized. Enzo claims to have worked with the producers on the albums of some of the popular electronic musicians, but these claims are only true in the broadest, disconnected sense of the word. (Emma Trump Nickname: Image: 23Sexual Orientation: Straight Occupation: Jr. Officer of Trump Tower and the Trump Portfolio Family: Her father, Donald Trump (dying) and brother Jarred Trump (28)Personality: Em is confident and sure of herself and her actions, or so most think. She isn't warm and welcoming, but she's not hateful and Missy either. She's intimidating and demanding, greedy and calculating. Furthermore, she'll manipulate you in a New York minute to get what she wants and when you hand it over - you'll think it was your idea in the first place. Relationship Status: Single - no pre-existing Short History: Emma was raised in the lap of luxury, her mother and father divorcing early and her mother leaving, never to be heard from again. She was raised by Nannies and butlers, her father too busy with his empire to spent time at home. She was afforded everything she could possibly want in life and after years of throwing the biggest parties and shopping every weekend, she finally decided to pay a bit more attention in school, though her father was willing to pay to get her out. She graduated with her MBA after four years of school, moving to London to study abroad just to get away from her name, her fame - her future. Furthermore, she returned a few months before her father got sick with cancer and without even being asked was expected to step into the shoes of Jr. Exec for her brother so that he could take the acting CEO role for their illustrious father. Life in the media is about glamour and glitz and all things perfect and Emma trump plays their game to a tee... but perhaps the facade that is held so tightly in place slips now and again. Good thing she'd got enough money to cover up her faults and touch up her deceptions. So nice to be a pretty young rich thing - allows you to play in the nastiest of candles. Other: Emma has a tattoo that symbolizes freedom that covers her lower back, an inscription that says, "If I were to choose one thing this day to be - I would be free."" Se doves scalier SU cost quest Giorno DI essay Korea essay libero" (Alexander Pierre Zeus de RothschildNicknames: Zeus, Red, Baronage: 28Sexual orientation: Bisexual Occupation: CEO of Rothschild Cyber Solutions Family: French Branch of the Rothschild Banking family, Baron David René de Rothschild (father), a host of siblings and cousins. Personality: Alexander is hyperactive, impulsive, almost always happy, but he has a greedy side to him. When it comes to business he's a cold and manipulative individual. He's well liked amongst the high class for his carefree and happy personality. He likes to show off his money, especially by arriving in one of a kind cars, or old cars that costs more than most make in a lifetime. Relationship Status: Single - no prior connections Short History: Alexander was born in the famous Rothschild banking family to an aging father and a mother and siblings with business sense. His father decided to pour all his attention, all his love and dedication into the schooling of Alexander to make sure he'd become a talented businessman at whatever field he chose. Alexander had always found computers to be interesting so he decided to study programming. He graduated top of his class from MIT at the tender age of 20. Borrowing some money from his father he founded Rothschild Cyber Solutions, a software firm specializing in security and office applications. Since his 10 birthday Alexander's personal net worth has grown to 430 million dollars due to his innovative investments and licensing of his products, and then release of his trust fund. He now spends most of his time partying with the worlds upper class. He enjoys the company of his peers, whether that be by doing drugs, drinking, driving fast cars, going on crazy trips etc. Furthermore, he likes to be the center of attention and often hosts elaborate parties. Other: Alexander is, unlike the rest of his family, Atheist Name: Jack Johnson Nickname: Storage:27Appearance: (Pic or GOOD description) Standing 6ft3 with a black hair crew cut. The chiseled looks of a leading man and a bulging physique. Piercing blue eyes that most people don't know covered by contacts. Sexual Orientation: Straight Personality: Alpha male type in public. Knows what he wants and expects he will frequently get it. Can be charming when he wants to be. Though quickly can become tired of fools and hangers on. Occupation: Actor. Short History: Pulled off of the Midwestern college campus by a recruiter for a men's clothing line Jack did mail modeling for six months before jumping into films. Unfortunately for him his first few were what in a more refined era would be called "skin flicks" He does his best to keep that part of his work-life secret. As much as the reporters and paparazzi who surround him know he caught his first break in Stallone's last picture. Then it was off to the races. Increasingly lucrative contracts and endorsements. The macho every man who will kill the bad guys and love the ladies. Splitting his time between an apartment in New York and LA. He's always on the lookout for the most exclusive parties in the best clubs. (WintertonNickname:Ella Age:22Sexual Orientation:straight Relationship Status:single Family:Grandfather: Jeremiah Winterson, owner of the luxury hotel chain Winterson Hotels. Mother: a former supermodel, Rachelle Claude-Winterton, deceased. Father: the manager of Winterson Hotels, Jeremiah Winterson II. Brother: a fashion photographer, Jeremiah Winters III. Personality:Flirty, opportunist, spoiled, unloving, committophobic, egocentric, sensual Occupation:Socialite Short History:Ella was born into wealth and her face plastered on the front page of a magazine at the age of two days. She's been on their pretty much since, and as soon as she hit her supposed adulthood according to the media she's given no reason to stop tracking her every move. Be it innocent ventures like fundraisers or sex scandals involving senators and their sons, she's the life of any party and the name on everyone's lips. Her education was paid through by her father, but it did grant her a degree in art history. Once she has no intention of using any time soon. She has never worked nor been inspired to, and is perfectly content with the way her life spins. Her father, and more so her grandfather, have begun pressing her to do something "of value" with herself as of late. They fear that the patience of the public will start to fade eventually, and the cover of her dead mother no longer protect her. (Her mother OD'd when Ella was three.) (Landry Nickname:Abi Age:20Sexual Orientation:Bisexual (prefers females)Relationship Status:Single Personality:Abi is a bit naive and unused to her sudden fame and fortune. She is a good-natured and affectionate (some say too affectionate)Occupation:Singer songwriter Short History:Abi was always into music and came to the attention of a major record label. She went from being a small town girl to a pop idol almost overnight. Furthermore, she tried not to let the fame and fortune change her, but she has started on to become a bit of a party girl. She has had several high profile relationships over the years. Furthermore, she is currently unattached but always seems to have a guy or girl on her arm when she's out and about Other:She has become something of a sex addict. (Winterson III Nickname:Average:26Sexual Orientation:bisexual, male preference Relationship Status:single Family:Grandfather: Jeremiah Winterson, owner of the luxury hotel chain Winterson Hotels. Mother: a former supermodel, Rachelle Claude-Winterton, deceased. Father: the manager of Winterson Hotels, Jeremiah Winterson II. Sister: a socialite, Ophelia Winters. Personality:laid back, carefree, sensual, artistic, confident, flirtatious, spontaneous Occupation:Fashion photographer Short History:Her was born with a silver spoon in his mouth but unlike his sister he's never quite enjoyed the limelight as such. He revels in attention of a more intimate kind, but he does his best to stay out of the tabloids. This of course has made him even more of a target since he is the heir of Winterson Hotels, after all. Of course the world must know what he's up to. The first scandals reported were images of him buried to the hilt in a football player whose five-page spread had been published days before, shot by the young Winterson. As soon as the media scene seemed to be calming about his homosexuality, he was spotted making out with a middle-aged socialite in one of the hottest clubs in town. Wouldn't have been such a fuss about it if she hadn't happened to be the wife of an anchorman. Jeremiah isn't often written about but when he is... His education was in photography, done abroad and on his own because his family refused to have anything to do with anything other than a business degree of some kind. Again, he's the Winterson Hotels heir. His career took off shortly upon arrival back in the states, and he's highly sought after, choosing to do work for Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan and other magazines of that caliber, either in the states or abroad. (Helen Van de GraaffNickname: Helena Age: 29Sexual Orientation: biOccupation: Owner and manager of purgatory™Family: None that is known, although she is rumored to be the grandchild of Robert Van de GraaffPersonality: Helen is a businesswoman through and through. She's cold and calculating, and sees everything in a gain/loss frame. Relationship Status: Single Short History: Helen's origins are unknown, but much rumored. She arrived in the New York scene six years ago, by opening up her first nightclub Purgatory™. The fact that it caters only to a select group of people that have to be on the list, and succeeded at that was all the news, and sometimes is still mentioned. She now owns a dozen bars and clubs in New York, and another two dozen throughout the US, but none rival purgatory™Other: The popularity of her club is mostly due to the loose morals inside. Although the entirety of purgatory is covered by an internal CCTV network, not a single image of what happens inside ever made it to the media. (Cora Frontage: 25More Info Appearance: Cora is 5'4" tall and weighs 130 pounds. She has gray eyes and blonde hair. Cora's lips are plump, and her bust is a modest C cup. Cora's skin can vary by the seasons. In the summer, it is often tanned from hours of being in the sun. In the winter, her color will fade to pale, as she is adverse to the cold weather. Sexual Orientation: Straight but curious about women. Family if notable: Her father is a California senator. Personality: Cora is polite for the most part. She tips well, she pushes in her chair, and she opens the door for the elderly. Once off-screen and her mouth opens--nothing, but pessimistic thoughts will flow. She feels as though her presence is a gift to those around her--she is arrogant. While Cora is not one to gossip, she will talk shit to people straight to their face. If you look at Cora, you would maybe think that she is a sweet person. As an actor, she can portray someone of honor, someone with sincerity. She lacks many of these traits in the real world. Occupation: Actress Short History: Cora favors her California roots, loving the sun and the warm ocean weather. Cora grew up well cared for. Her mother was a homemaker, and her father a lawyer. As a child, Cora loved the stage life; she did act in children's theater and made quite a resume. When she turned 18, she began to explore the silver screen, and loved it--until it went to her head. Cora developed a huge ego, feeling like she was the best actor in Hollywood. Now Cora is on a steady downfall, she's receiving less and less phone calls and more and more hate mail. Cora's picture was in the tabloids, she was smoking weed in the picture and her ex-boyfriend was there with her. She kept claiming it was fake, but it was real. Her ex-boyfriend told her not to worry about anything. Her father had her go to New York and away from Hollywood to take a break. Other: Cora is actually a good actor, but her personality as a person is not the best. (Nicolas Bettencourt Nickname: Nick Age: 29Sexual Orientation: straight Occupation: Chairman of the board for L'orealFamily: His grandmother is Lilianna Bettencourt, the richest woman in the world, and heiress of the L'Oréal company her father created. Personality: Nicolas is an eternal playboy. Partying, drinking, fucking. He enjoys life to the fullest, and nothing can stop him. Relationship Status: Single Short History: Born into innumerable wealth, Nicolas was never shown the value, and as such never tried too hard at anything. He breezed to high school, studied history at the Sorbonne university and spent most of his time partying with friends. When his grandmother got diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Nick was made chairman at L'Oréal, which meant a meeting once a month, and nothing more.[/quote] (Black Nickname:Mr. Age:26Sexual Orientation:Straight Family if notable:His father Joshua Black, an oil giant worth his weight several times in solid gold, and his wife, Maria, a former supermodel Personality:Brent is confident, outgoing, and straightforward. A bright bulb masquerading as a party boy, he knows exactly how to keep people happy and entertained. He learned how to read people and taught himself how to react to them in the best possible way. Occupation:Owner of nightclub "Eclipse"Short History:Brent was born with a silver tongue and a silver spoon in his mouth. A smooth talker with brains, he decided the best way to make money is to use those assets to good use. Being the "good" daddy's boy that he was, it did not take much to have his father help fund the construction of his nightclub, which Brent dubbed "Eclipse." For the last five years Brent has run the nightclub with great success, knowing exactly how to entertain people especially the many celebrity costumers that have made his club their go-to place every time they were in town. Brent marketed it as a "personal touch," having learned the various likes and dislikes of most of his regulars. Some preferred this type of champagne over the other. Some wanted to only be served by blonde waitresses. Those sorts of things. It could be a pain in the ass at times, but the pay was well worth it, as a happy celebrity was a well spending celebrity. Name: Israel Levi Solomon Nickname: none (a lot of people call him Levi, though)Age: 20Appearance: Character Pictures(Sexual Orientation: Gay Family if notable: -Relationship Status: Unknown Personality: Israel was raised in a traditional Jewish family. He certainly has good manners, if he wants to, but he knows that such things as manners, style and a certain kind of behavior opens many doors. On the other side, he is known to be vain and arrogant at times. He is determined, confident and slightly hedonistic. And of course, he earned quickly that his business is a shark pond. Only the strong survive. Additionally, he is quite efficient when it comes to making money and getting more of it. He has various people working for him. Lawyers, PR people and a Manager as well. Occupation: Supermodel Short History: Just one year ago, Israel was pretty much a nobody. His family was not exactly poor. The father a well known Lawyer in Boston, the mother a known Art Critic. But then, this one day last summer, while Israel was on vacation in L. A., a modelling scout from a famous NYC Agency happened to spot Israel on the beach in Malibu. And the young man was hired on the spot. He had what they were looking for, and within not even a year, the young man made it to billboards, magazine covers and various newspaper articles. Each famous designer and fashion company wants Israel to be on their catwalks, and some of them, who didn't get their hands on him yet, would probably die or kill to have him wear their clothes, or be on their magazine cover. The Vogue, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and each other high fashion magazine had his face on the cover already. All this opened the doors for Israel, to America's Upper class. It opened all the doors locked to the 'normal people', he made many connections, met many famous people, and the young man is enjoying the ride. They say that he is the face of the new Millennium. Young, handsome and easy to sell. Since then, Modelling Agencies and Photographers alike fight for the handsome face, everyone wants him in front of their lenses, and maybe in their beds as well. Rumors say that a certain, well known and famous fashion designer and owner of an own fashion label, has a special liking for young Israel. The man is over sixty already, and the past months he was seen more than once, in the company of Israel. It was, of course, scandalous, after all, the man easily could be Israels grandfather. Of course, the only statement from the older man was that Israel was his muse. But not only this is rumored. The model's affection for Cocaine was fodder for the paparazzi as well. His sexuality was never a big secret, neither was it any kind of scandal. Such a thing as being gay is nothing out of the ordinary, in his line of work. It didn't keep the papers and paparazzi from gossiping, though. Such a handsome face, and such a hedonistic lifestyle is perfect for gossips, after all. (Jasmine VartenceNickname: Jazz or Jazzy Age: 26Sexual Orientation: Straight Family if notable: None worth mentioning Personality: Jazz is very outgoing, her fan base in need of constant hugs and adoration. She's rather full of herself and why not be? The world thinks she hug the moon and stars, and she's happy to let them eat from her little palm. Her self-confidence borders arrogance, but she's just too beautiful for many to make the direct line and press the issue. She is in-your-face and rather antagonistic with men, especially her co-stars. Occupation: Grammy Award-winning Actress. Make eight movies, all box-office hits. Short History: Jasmine grew up in poverty, but her ability to sing, dance and act moved her into a special program for underprivileged kids, giving her a party as Annie in the Broadway show, Annie. She grew up quickly, her mother a single mother and their life nothing less than sorted and horrible. She developed into a beautiful young woman and was offered a modeling job at the age of twelve, which she took all of her money going to support her family. After a few years of continuing to beat down the doors of producers in LA, she got her big break and started in her first movie at 20, "Live and let Live." Moving into action films was new to her, but she pressed forward, her mind on the need to continue to support her mother and five siblings, though you'd not be able to tell it. She holds a facade together very tightly to appear to be something she's not. Though she's not slipped into using drugs or drinking heavily, she tinkers night and day on the verse of a breakdown, but that is the price of fame. Her latest movie, "Just below the surface" has just release and the media is going insane over the first ratings. She goes with the flow and gives them what they want - though doing so means loosing a little bit of the beautiful, humble woman that she once was. Other: In her spare time she slips into a wig and goes out to serve the community in fighting hunger, poverty or abuse. She lives 2 very different lives and just hopes that it remains that way. (Ibarra Nickname:Enzo, DJ Friction Age:23Appearance:(See Picture)Sexual Orientation:Homosexual Family if notable:Nobody Notable Personality:Enzo had to fight and scrape to get amongst the social elite. He's suffered a fall from grace, but living the high life and partying with celebrities is a life he's not going to let go of without a fight. In general, he's the gregarious friend you loved, but your parents knew were bad for you. He's the kind of guy who will make you do something stupid, but feel perfect about yourself for doing it. He's gregarious, overly confident, and at times, even a little spiteful for those who have had it easier than he has. Occupation:Officially a 'Promoter' for parties and clubs. Unofficially a known dealer of whatever drugs the starlets need. Short History:Enzo first entered the limelight when he was eighteen as a DJ. He worked small events and clubs under the alias 'DJ Friction'. He was a high-school drop out, but eventually got up to more and more exclusive events until he was picked up by an agent. Soon, he was a household name, as far as DJs go, and was flying around the globe to headline clubs. It proved to be a passing trend, and soon work dried up as new names showed up on the scene. Enzo was unwilling to let go of the life he had found, and even though he wasn't spinning anymore, he worked his way into parties and events. Originally, supplying drugs for people was simply a way to increase his appeal. Now, it's become both a financial backing and an opportunity to secure himself amongst the ranks of the social elite. Other:Not many people know, or care, what DJs look like. Even if you're familiar with DJ Friction -- you may not recognize Enzo as such. Frankly, he prefers tootle recognized. Enzo claims to have worked with the producers on the albums of some of the popular electronic musicians, but these claims are only true in the broadest, disconnected sense of the word. Name:Greta Chaney Nickname:Nonage:25Appearance:Greta is a redhead with a petite bone structure, and she is 5'4." She has an hourglass figure with ample hips and breasts, and is perhaps a bit curvier than is 'popular' nowadays...especially with celebrities and models. Her skin is pale, and she has bright blue eyes and delicate facial features. She has long red curls, and likes to dress in feminine outfits. Photo 1 (2 (3 (Orientation:Straight/Bi-Curious Family if notable:None Notable Personality:Greta is creative and smart, and is always passionate in whatever she does. She works in extremes, so she can love you one day and hate you the next. She is kind and generous, and very protective of other...especially children and animals. Furthermore, she is naturally maternal, and is annoyingly self-sacrificing. Furthermore, she can be moody and temperamental, and she is very stubborn. Furthermore, she is often lost in her own little world, and is easily distracted. Furthermore, she is often late, and says 'sorry' a lot. Trouble seems to follow her around, but she has a remarkable talent of getting away with things. She can manipulate men easily, but she doesn't usually do it on purpose. She can be socially awkward, and is often insecure and jealous. In a sexual situation, she wants to be submissive, and turns into a sensual eager lover...even though she is rather picky about her partners. She can come off as a prude in this group of friends. She is naively fearless, and as a special effects make-up artist, is not easily grossed out. Furthermore, she loves horror movies, and has a rather unexpected dark side. Occupation:Make-Up Artist (specializing in special effects and prosthetics)Short History:Greta was born in the Midwest, so unlike many of her friends, she was not born into fame and fortune. She grew up on a farm, and was a straight-A student. Close to her family, she had strong morals and remained a virgin up until college. When she went off to college, she majored in history and went to a small liberal arts school. Therefore, she didn't have a lot of parties, and didn't even have sex until her junior year when she slept with a long-time boyfriend. She is still rather sexually inexperienced, but she is a fast and eager learner. Once she graduated, she moved to a city, but her history degree did very little good at finding her a job. She needed to get her Master's and Ph.D. in order to pursue her goals, but she didn't have money. Therefore, she decided to turn to one of her other loves...entertainment. She had started as an actress, but found her niche backstage. She had always loved make-up, so she trained in make-up artistry and began working as a freelance make-up artist. She worked in indie films and photoshoots, and became known for her horror and injury make-up. Furthermore, she still did beauty, but she loved to explore all the creative avenues that make-up offered. Furthermore, she was struggling with money as a freelance artist in the city, though, and she knew she'd have to move to New York or L.A. in order to really make it. Moving to New York City, she began working in both the fashion industry, and on bigger films. Once she got in, her networking led her to more and more jobs, and soon she was doing quite well for herself. The nature of her job requires her to work with models, actors, entertainers and celebrities, so she became used to them. As the make-up artist is the crew member the star spends the most time with usually, she became good friends with several of the socialite and celebrity scene. Although her name isn't well-known, and she's not 'rich,' she knows most people in their group, and is good at networking. She is just as much a part of their social group as the other rich and famous people, and she spends most of her time with them. Nicholas has been pursuing her to work for L'Oréal for a while now, and has also been trying to get into her pants for just as long. So far, he hasn't succeeded. She likes the freedom of being freelance, and she is not into one-night stands and is wary of playboys. He keeps trying, and she keeps refusing...but it is still a light and fond friendship. Other:She isn't as famous or rich as the others, but she would know them from various places...whether she did their make-up or met them through friends, she would be a part of their social group. (Elks Nickname:Age:19Appearance:Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale to sun-kissed skin. His lips are lush despite his chiseled facial features. His lips are quite plump and seem to be one of the things most comment about when it comes to his appearance. His shoulders are broad, wide - however his body is only toned. He's no body-builder, but he's quite well-defined to say the least. Sexual Orientation:Homosexual Family if notable:Father is a famous movie producer, Thomas Elks Personality:Cold, often bored or unamused looking. He doesn't tend to show as much expression as most people unless something actually shocks or surprises him. However on the inside he's just unsure how to socialize and is quite nervous. He becomes comfortable in smaller groups and can carry a conversation, making him likeable. However, when flirted with, he becomes unsure - shy and retreats completely. Occupation:Singer, Songwriter Short History:Eden is now back in the U.S., having left for quite a decent amount of time finishing college overseas as well as pursuing a music career. He found himself in Sweden & Russia mostly, trying to go back to his roots from before his family moved to the U.S. His father remaining behind and still making movies as he did since the blonde was a kid. Marketing his kid asking him to perform at charity balls, helping his only son sell his album. Doing anything to get the boy ahead, Eden has always seemingly had it quite easy despite his past. His lack of a father due to his work, the only affection he received was his father doing things to get him ahead in life. Eden is still mostly unknown for his music in the U.S. only having around 14,000 followers on Twitter. He lives alone in an apartment that he pays for with what money he earns off the album and performing shows, charity-balls and the occasional modeling job. The blonde doesn't seem concerned with the spotlight being on him, but it definitely has its perks. Other:Can play the piano, learning to play the violin. His music (Jonathan Warren Nickname: Nonage: 28Sexual Orientation: Bisexual Family if notable: None. He is the youngest male to make police chief in the big city. Personality: Laid back around his people, but plays the facade of a high-strung individual. He is confident and cocky in the eye of the public, but humble and relaxed in the comfort of friends and those that pad his retirement account. He is whatever he needs to be, but trustworthy isn't one of those things... unless you have something on him. Occupation: Police Chief of one division in NYC Short History: Jonathan grew up in the slums of NYC, his father a dealer and his mother a whore amongst the stars. He hated every minute of his childhood and ran far and fast toward clean air and justice as quickly as he could. Little did he know that crime and corruption is even more readily available at the level of the stars. He pressed against the grain for as long as possible, but finally caved under the promises made and the desire to fit in. They all knew what they were doing when they sent in little Emma Trump to get him. He belongs to the less than savory that live in lofty places, his own life a bit of a nightmare because of having to hide their mess-ups and clean up their problems. He is calm, collective and very confident, knowing that he could turn the tables any moment on them, but most of them holding against him a few dark secrets that keep everyone in check and lets him live another day breathing in the sweet air of tainted freedom. Furthermore, he is a friend to the crooked, the druggie and the porn maker, but only so long as their padding his back account. Other: He had a quick assorted affair with Emma Trump, but their relationship is sorted at best. She'd rather hang from a high building by her panties than let him in them again. (HRH prince Said bin Abdullah Al SaudNickname: Said, Sheikh (Sometimes Prince of Persia, though never to his face)Age: 28Sexual orientation: Straight Family: Said is the seventh-eldest son of king Abdullah of Saudi Arabia Personality: Said is a rebel. Not content to follow his family's strict rules, he is often found in places where he catches the public eye. He drinks, gambles and cavorts with young beautiful women. Most often redheads Short history: Said was born into the lap of luxury, and has enjoyed a standard of living even most of the wealthy crowd he hangs out with could not begin to dream of. He attended the Sorbonne university, where he met and frequently associated with Nicolas Bettencourt and Jared Trump. In his later life he has also often been seen in the company of Prince Harry of England, and Chelsea Clinton, whom he's rumored to have had an affair with. Lately he's been spotted in New York quite often, although for some reason his exact whereabouts are often unknown. Other: Said is Muslim by birth, but follows none of the tenets really

Scandalous_ CS|rating:2.0

YugiohITP Exhibition Match_ Mercenary Pen vs. Shadow Elf

Cold had seen enough of the 'verse to last him a lifetime, from the central planets with technology almost out your eyeballs to the moons on the rim, barely habitable and with populations stuck so far into poverty that the man with the donkey was the rich magnate of the community. He'd seen it all, and with nothing he could do about it, he was just trying to live his life without interference. A man walks into the duel arena. He wears predominantly brown garb, with a holstered pistol at his waist. His duel disk appears to have been lovingly assembled from outdated ship parts. Hey, friend. I've heard tell you're one of the foremost duelists in the 'Verse. Thought I'd investigate the truthfulness of that claim myself, you see. The name's Hal Mayn olds, Captain of the Ladybug-class ship Tranquility. Inish:(1d20)[9]Hand:(5d40)[30][29][27][34][31](151)Rerolls?:(3d40)[24][16][24](64)Cowboys in Space; Tranquility ~40Spoiler Hide 01. Quick draw Synchrony 02. Quick draw Synchrony 03. Quick draw Synchrony 04. Level-Eater 05. Level-Eater 06. Infinity Avenger 07. Infinity Avenger 08. Infinity Avenger 09. Sagan 10. Dandelion 11. Dandelion 12. Golden Ladybug 13. Golden Ladybug 14. Golden Ladybug 15. Skull-Mark Ladybug 16. Skull-Mark Ladybug 17. Skull-Mark Ladybug 18. Fire Princess 19. Fire Princess 20. Fire Princess 21. One for One 22. Monster Reborn 23. Dark Hole 24. Card Trader 25. Card Trader 26. Card Trader 27. Mirror Force 28. My Body As a Shield 29. My Body As a Shield 30. Scapegoat 31. Mind Control 32. Gold Sarcophagus 33. Gold Sarcophagus 34. Solemn Wishes 35. Solemn Wishes 36. Solemn Wishes 37. Urgent Tuning 38. Urgent Tuning 39. Mystical Space Typhoon 40. Mystical Space Typhoon Extra Deck: 15Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior Drill Warrior Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier Goya Guardian Ally of Justice Castor Magical Android Stardust Dragon Junk Archer Junk Destroyer Ancient Fairy Dragon Black Rose Dragon Red Dragon Archfiend "The name's Cold O'Leary, and my boat's the Black Mare. Not the fastest ship in the verse, but she gets me where I choose to go." Initiative:(1d20)[5]Draws:(5d40)[29][7][19][31][22](108)Re-rolls:(3d40)[37][18][25](80)Synchro Princess- 40 cards Spoiler Hide 1- Quick draw Synchrony 2- Quick draw Synchrony 3- Quick draw Synchrony 4- Golden Ladybug 5- Golden Ladybug 6- Golden Ladybug 7- Skull-Mark Ladybug 8- Skull-Mark Ladybug 9- Skull-Mark Ladybug 10- Fire Princess 11- Fire Princess 12- Fire Princess 13- Sagan 14- Junk Synchrony 15- Junk Synchrony 16- Level Eater 17- Level Eater 18- Level Eater 19- Dandelion 20- Dandelion 21- Synchrony Explorer 22- Synchrony Explorer 23- Monster Reborn 24- Dark Hole 25- One for One 26- Mystical Space Typhoon 27- Mystical Space Typhoon 28- Gold Sarcophagus 29- Gold Sarcophagus 30- My Body As a Shield 31- My Body As a Shield 32- Foolish Burial 33- Mind Control 34- Spell Absorption 35- Spell Absorption 36- Mirror Force 37- Torrential Tribute 38- Solemn Wishes 39- Solemn Wishes 40- Solemn Wishes Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1- Magical Android 2- Magical Android 3- Drill Warrior 4- Drill Warrior 5- Drill Warrior 6- Junk Archer 7- Junk Destroyer 8- Stardust Dragon 9- Black-Winged dragon 10- Mist Warm 11- Goya Guardian 12- Britney, Dragon of the Ice-Barrier 13- Iron Chain Dragon 14- Underground Arachnid 15- Thought-Ruler Archfiend I'll make the first move, if that's proper by you.(1d35)[20]I'll summon a card that reminds me of a member of my crew. I call her "The Ambassador", but the card calls her Fire Princess. I'll then set three cards behind her. That concludes my turn, friend. Field Magic: None{table=”head] 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5-- | -- | FP | -- | ---- | FD | FD | FD | --[/table]FP = Fire Princess,1300/1500Lifepoints: 8000Spoiler Hide Hand: 2 Spoiler Hide Scapegoat Mind Control Face downs: 3 Spoiler Hide 2: My Body As a Shield 3: Mirror Force 4: Solemn Wishes Graveyard: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Out of Play: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Deck: 34 Spoiler Hide 01. Quick draw Synchrony 02. Quick draw Synchrony 03. Quick draw Synchrony 04. Level-Eater 05. Level-Eater 06. Infinity Avenger 07. Infinity Avenger 08. Infinity Avenger 09. Sagan 10. Dandelion 11. Dandelion 12. Golden Ladybug 13. Golden Ladybug 14. Golden Ladybug 15. Skull-Mark Ladybug 16. Skull-Mark Ladybug 17. Skull-Mark Ladybug 18. Fire Princess 19. Fire Princess Sgt;Sgt;. Fire Princess 20. One for One 21. Monster Reborn 22. Dark Hole 23. Card Trader 24. Card Trader 25. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Mirror Force 26. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. Scapegoat Sgt;Sgt;. Mind Control 27. Gold Sarcophagus 28. Gold Sarcophagus Sgt;Sgt;. Solemn Wishes 29. Solemn Wishes 30. Solemn Wishes 31. Urgent Tuning 32. Urgent Tuning 33. Mystical Space Typhoon 34. Mystical Space Typhoon Extra Deck: 15 Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior Drill Warrior Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier Goya Guardian Ally of Justice Castor Magical Android Stardust Dragon Junk Archer Junk Destroyer Ancient Fairy Dragon Black Rose Dragon Red Dragon Archfiend (IOC: I was thinking before your first post that somebody had to go for brown text in this duel...)" Well, you had the right to that move, and I have the right to my own, was nothing to get agitated over." Draw:(1d35)[34]Life points: 8000Synchro Princess- 40 cards Spoiler Hide Graveyard:Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Removed from play:Spoiler Hide Quick draw Synchrony Hand:Spoiler Hide Skull-Mark Ladybug My Body As a Shield Synchrony Explorer Face-down:Spoiler Hide Dandelion (M3), Solemn Wishes (S/T4) Spoiler Hide 1- Quick draw Synchrony 2- Quick draw Synchrony 3- Quick draw Synchrony 4- Golden Ladybug 5- Golden Ladybug 6- Golden Ladybug 7- Skull-Mark Ladybug 8- Skull-Mark Ladybug 9- Fire Princess 10- Fire Princess 11- Fire Princess 12- Sagan 13- Junk Synchrony 14- Junk Synchrony 15- Level Eater 16- Level Eater 17- Level Eater 18- Dandelion 19- Synchrony Explorer 20- Monster Reborn 21- Dark Hole 22- One for One 23- Mystical Space Typhoon 24- Mystical Space Typhoon 25- Gold Sarcophagus 26- My Body As a Shield 27- Foolish Burial 28- Mind Control 29- Spell Absorption 30- Spell Absorption 31- Mirror Force 32- Torrential Tribute 33- Solemn Wishes 34- Solemn Wishes 35- Solemn Wishes Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1- Magical Android 2- Magical Android 3- Drill Warrior 4- Drill Warrior 5- Drill Warrior 6- Junk Archer 7- Junk Destroyer 8- Stardust Dragon 9- Black-Winged dragon 10- Mist Warm 11- Goya Guardian 12- Britney, Dragon of the Ice-Barrier 13- Iron Chain Dragon 14- Underground Arachnid 15- Thought-Ruler Archfiend "I'll activate my Gold Sarcophagus to remove Quick draw Synchrony in my deck from play. In two of my turns, it gets added to my hand. I'll then set one monster face-down and place a card on my back-row."{table]1|2|3|4|5||f|||||f|[/table]f= face-down In the end phase of your turn, I'll activate the Solemn Wishes. When I draw, I get 500 points of life, and The Ambassador takes off 500 points from yours.(1d34)[24]I'll activate the Card Trader. By shuffling my Mind Control back into my deck, I can draw another card. This, friend, causes another 500 damage to you, as Solemn Wishes gives me yet another 500 points of life.((Turn to resume after draw in this post))Once Card Trader's done is job, I'll end my turn, assuming none of your cards make any moves. Field Magic: None{table=”head] 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5-- | -- | FP | -- | --CT | FD | FD | SW | --[/table]FP = Fire Princess,1300/1500SW = Solemn Wishes CT = Card TraderLifepoints: 9000Spoiler Hide Hand: 2 Spoiler Hide Scapegoat Infinity Avenger Face downs: 2 Spoiler Hide 2: My Body As a Shield 3: Mirror Force Graveyard: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Out of Play: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Deck: 33 Spoiler Hide 01. Quick draw Synchrony 02. Quick draw Synchrony 03. Quick draw Synchrony 04. Level-Eater 05. Level-Eater 06. Infinity Avenger Sgt;Sgt;. Infinity Avenger 07. Infinity Avenger 08. Sagan 09. Dandelion 10. Dandelion 11. Golden Ladybug 12. Golden Ladybug 13. Golden Ladybug 14. Skull-Mark Ladybug 15. Skull-Mark Ladybug 16. Skull-Mark Ladybug 17. Fire Princess 18. Fire Princess Sgt;Sgt;. Fire Princess 19. One for One 20. Monster Reborn 21. Dark Hole 22. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Card Trader 23. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Mirror Force 24. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. Scapegoat 25. Mind Control 26. Gold Sarcophagus 27. Gold Sarcophagus Sgt;Sgt;. Solemn Wishes 28. Solemn Wishes 29. Solemn Wishes 30. Urgent Tuning 31. Urgent Tuning 32. Mystical Space Typhoon 33. Mystical Space Typhoon Extra Deck: 15 Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior Drill Warrior Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier Goya Guardian Ally of Justice Castor Magical Android Stardust Dragon Junk Archer Junk Destroyer Ancient Fairy Dragon Black Rose Dragon Red Dragon Archfiend Card Trader:(1d34)[7] "During your end phase, I activate my own solemn wishes." Draw:(1d33)[9]Standby phases until Gold Sarcophagus resolves: 1Life points: 7500Synchro Princess- 40 cards Spoiler Hide Graveyard:Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Removed from play:Spoiler Hide Quick draw Synchrony Hand:Spoiler Hide Skull-Mark Ladybug Synchrony Explorer Face-down:Spoiler Hide Dandelion (M3), My Body As a Shield (S/T2) Spoiler Hide 1- Quick draw Synchrony 2- Quick draw Synchrony 3- Golden Ladybug 4- Golden Ladybug 5- Golden Ladybug 6- Skull-Mark Ladybug 7- Skull-Mark Ladybug 8- Fire Princess 9- Fire Princess 10- Fire Princess 11- Sagan 12- Junk Synchrony 13- Junk Synchrony 14- Level Eater 15- Level Eater 16- Level Eater 17- Dandelion 18- Synchrony Explorer 19- Monster Reborn 20- Dark Hole 21- One for One 22- Mystical Space Typhoon 23- Mystical Space Typhoon 24- Gold Sarcophagus 25- My Body As a Shield 26- Foolish Burial 27- Mind Control 28- Spell Absorption 29- Spell Absorption 30- Mirror Force 31- Torrential Tribute 32- Solemn Wishes 33- Solemn Wishes Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1- Magical Android 2- Magical Android 3- Drill Warrior 4- Drill Warrior 5- Drill Warrior 6- Junk Archer 7- Junk Destroyer 8- Stardust Dragon 9- Black-Winged dragon 10- Mist Warm 11- Goya Guardian 12- Britney, Dragon of the Ice-Barrier 13- Iron Chain Dragon 14- Underground Arachnid 15- Thought-Ruler Archfiend "Now, after gaining 500 life points due to solemn wishes, I'll summon my own Fire Princess, though I think of her more as an albatross than an ambassador. Beyond that I'll set a card and end my turn."{table]1|2|3|4|5|FP|f|||f||SW|[/table]FP= Fire Princess (ATK: 1300, DEF: 1500)SW= Solemn Wishes= face-down I gain 500 life points, and the Ambassador knocks off 500 more of your life points, Cold. This obviously happens as I draw my card.(1d33)[5]I'm gonna take Card Trader for a spin again. I'll shuffle Level Eater back into my deck to draw another card, netting me 500 more life points and costing you 500 more as well.((Turn will resume after this draw, in this post))I'll set one monster, and that'll end the turn for me. The move's yours again, Cold. Field Magic: None{table=”head] 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5-- | FD | FP | -- | --CT | FD | FD | SW | --[/table]FP = Fire Princess,1300/1500SW = Solemn Wishes CT = Card TraderLifepoints: 10000Spoiler Hide Hand: 2 Spoiler Hide Scapegoat Dandelion Face downs: 2 Spoiler Hide 2: Infinity Avenger, My Body As a Shield 3: Mirror Force Graveyard: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Out of Play: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Deck: 32 Spoiler Hide 01. Quick draw Synchrony 02. Quick draw Synchrony 03. Quick draw Synchrony 04. Level-Eater 05. Level-Eater 06. Infinity Avenger Sgt;Sgt;. Infinity Avenger 07. Infinity Avenger 08. Sagan Sgt;Sgt;. Dandelion 09. Dandelion 10. Golden Ladybug 11. Golden Ladybug 12. Golden Ladybug 13. Skull-Mark Ladybug 14. Skull-Mark Ladybug 15. Skull-Mark Ladybug 16. Fire Princess 17. Fire Princess Sgt;Sgt;. Fire Princess 18. One for One 19. Monster Reborn 20. Dark Hole 21. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Card Trader 22. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Mirror Force 23. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. Scapegoat 24. Mind Control 25. Gold Sarcophagus 26. Gold Sarcophagus Sgt;Sgt;. Solemn Wishes 27. Solemn Wishes 28. Solemn Wishes 29. Urgent Tuning 30. Urgent Tuning 31. Mystical Space Typhoon 32. Mystical Space Typhoon Extra Deck: 15 Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior Drill Warrior Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier Goya Guardian Ally of Justice Castor Magical Android Stardust Dragon Junk Archer Junk Destroyer Ancient Fairy Dragon Black Rose Dragon Red Dragon Archfiend Card Trader:(1d33)[9] "Well, you've had your fun, but now I draw a card, regaining 500 life points with solemn wishes, allowing my Fire Princess to take 500 of your life points. Then during my standby phase, the Quick draw Synchrony I removed from play earlier is added to my hand." Draw:(1d32)[25]Life points: 8000Synchro Princess- 40 cards Spoiler Hide Graveyard:Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Skull-Mark Ladybug Quick draw Synchrony Dandelion Removed from play:Spoiler Hide - Hand:Spoiler Hide Foolish Burial Synchrony Explorer Face-down:Spoiler Hide My Body As a Shield (S/T2) Spoiler Hide 1- Quick draw Synchrony 2- Quick draw Synchrony 3- Golden Ladybug 4- Golden Ladybug 5- Golden Ladybug 6- Skull-Mark Ladybug 7- Skull-Mark Ladybug 8- Fire Princess 9- Fire Princess 10- Sagan 11- Junk Synchrony 12- Junk Synchrony 13- Level Eater 14- Level Eater 15- Level Eater 16- Dandelion 17- Synchrony Explorer 18- Monster Reborn 19- Dark Hole 20- One for One 21- Mystical Space Typhoon 22- Mystical Space Typhoon 23- Gold Sarcophagus 24- My Body As a Shield 25- Foolish Burial 26- Mind Control 27- Spell Absorption 28- Spell Absorption 29- Mirror Force 30- Torrential Tribute 31- Solemn Wishes 32- Solemn Wishes Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1- Magical Android 2- Magical Android 3- Drill Warrior 4- Drill Warrior 5- Drill Warrior 6- Junk Archer 7- Junk Destroyer 8- Stardust Dragon 9- Black-Winged dragon 10- Mist Warm 11- Goya Guardian 12- Britney, Dragon of the Ice-Barrier 13- Iron Chain Dragon 14- Underground Arachnid 15- Thought-Ruler Archfiend "I'll set things in motion by sending a Skull-Mark Ladybug from my hand to the graveyard to special summon Quick draw Synchrony. Because of Skull-Mark Ladybug being sent to the graveyard, I gain 1000 life points, allowing Fire Princess to take away another 500 of yours. Next, I flip-summon my face-down Dandelion, and tune that with Quick draw to synchro summon Junk Destroyer, special summoning two fluff tokens and using the effect of Junk Destroyer to destroy your Solemn Wishes. I'm a little cautious of your back row, so I'll finish with that for now."{table]1|2|3|4|5ft|FP|JD|ft||f||SW|[/table]FP= Fire Princess (ATK: 1300, DEF: 1500)JD= Junk Destroyer (ATK: 2600, DEF: 2500)SW= Solemn Wishes ft= fluff token (ATK: 0,DEF: 0)f= face-down Hal leaps in front of his solemn wishes card, taking the destruction effect as damage to his life points. He then draws his pistol as shoots Junk Destroyer dead. I have used My Body As a Shield to protect the Solemn Wishes, and eliminate your synchro monster. Got a response, friend? "Don't try that. Anybody knows that My Body As a Shield only prevents monster destruction."(IOC: This is why I frequently double-check card texts before making plays... I knew full well that My Body As a shield could protect your Fire Princess if you had it set, so I picked on the vulnerable card instead) ((Great, and now you know one of my face downs))I guess we play things differently on the Rim planet where I was born. If that's all, then, I'll go ahead and take my turn(1d32)[1]I'll shuffle Scapegoat back into the deck to get another draw. Just bear with me here.((Turn will resume after this draw))I'll discard Dandelion to summon up a Quick draw Synchrony of my own from my hand. This gives me two fluff tokens - I'll use one to tune my Quick draw Synchrony into... Drill Warrior! I'll switch the Ambassador to defense mode, and then Drill Warrior will halve his attack to make a direct attack against your life points. Finally, I will discard Gold Sarcophagus from my hand to remove him from play, until my next turn. Your move.((1200 damage, if all goes well.)) Field Magic: None{table=”head] 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5DW | FD | FP | FT | --CT | FD | FD | -- | --[/table]FP = Fire Princess, 1300/1500FT = Fluff Token, 0/0DW = Drill Warrior,2400/2000, RFG until my next turn CT = Card TraderLifepoints: 9000Spoiler Hide Hand: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Face downs: 3 Spoiler Hide 2: Infinity Avenger, My Body As a Shield 3: Mirror Force Graveyard: 4 Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Dandelion Solemn Wishes Quick draw Synchrony Out of Play: 1 Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior, Temporarily Deck: 31 Spoiler Hide Sgt;Sgt;. Quick draw Synchrony 01. Quick draw Synchrony 02. Quick draw Synchrony 03. Level-Eater 04. Level-Eater 05. Infinity Avenger Sgt;Sgt;. Infinity Avenger 06. Infinity Avenger 07. Sagan Sgt;Sgt;. Dandelion 08. Dandelion 09. Golden Ladybug 10. Golden Ladybug 11. Golden Ladybug 12. Skull-Mark Ladybug 13. Skull-Mark Ladybug 14. Skull-Mark Ladybug 15. Fire Princess 16. Fire Princess Sgt;Sgt;. Fire Princess 17. One for One 18. Monster Reborn 19. Dark Hole 20. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Card Trader 21. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Mirror Force 22. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. My Body As a Shield 23. Scapegoat 24. Mind Control Sgt;Sgt;. Gold Sarcophagus 25. Gold Sarcophagus Sgt;Sgt;. Solemn Wishes 26. Solemn Wishes 27. Solemn Wishes 28. Urgent Tuning 29. Urgent Tuning 30. Mystical Space Typhoon 31. Mystical Space Typhoon Extra Deck: 15 Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior Drill Warrior Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier Goya Guardian Ally of Justice Castor Magical Android Stardust Dragon Junk Archer Junk Destroyer Ancient Fairy Dragon Black Rose Dragon Red Dragon Archfiend Card Trader:(1d32)[25] "I've got to say, that stung a little. But as I draw, solemn wishes gives me 500 life points, allowing Fire Princess to take 500 of yours away." Draw:(1d31)[22]Life points: 7300Synchro Princess- 40 cards Spoiler Hide Graveyard:Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Skull-Mark Ladybug Quick draw Synchrony Dandelion Mystical Space Typhoon Foolish Burial Skull-Mark Ladybug Removed from play:Spoiler Hide - Hand:Spoiler Hide Synchrony Explorer Face-down:Spoiler Hide My Body As a Shield (S/T2) Spoiler Hide 1- Quick draw Synchrony 2- Quick draw Synchrony 3- Golden Ladybug 4- Golden Ladybug 5- Golden Ladybug 6- Skull-Mark Ladybug 7- Skull-Mark Ladybug 8- Fire Princess 9- Fire Princess 10- Sagan 11- Junk Synchrony 12- Junk Synchrony 13- Level Eater 14- Level Eater 15- Level Eater 16- Dandelion 17- Synchrony Explorer 18- Monster Reborn 19- Dark Hole 20- One for One 21- Mystical Space Typhoon 22- Mystical Space Typhoon 23- Gold Sarcophagus 24- My Body As a Shield 25- Mind Control 26- Spell Absorption 27- Spell Absorption 28- Mirror Force 29- Torrential Tribute 30- Solemn Wishes 31- Solemn Wishes Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1- Magical Android 2- Magical Android 3- Drill Warrior 4- Drill Warrior 5- Drill Warrior 6- Junk Archer 7- Junk Destroyer 8- Stardust Dragon 9- Black-Winged dragon 10- Mist Warm 11- Goya Guardian 12- Britney, Dragon of the Ice-Barrier 13- Iron Chain Dragon 14- Underground Arachnid 15- Thought-Ruler Archfiend "I'm going to start this off by activating Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your Card Trader. Then, I'll activate Foolish Burial, dumping a Skull-Mark Ladybug from my deck to the graveyard to gain 1000 life points and have fire princess take another 500 of yours. Now, since I'm on a roll, I'll have Junk Destroyer attack your 'Ambassador', any responses?"{table]1|2|3|4|5ft|FP|JD|ft||f||SW|[/table]FP= Fire Princess (ATK: 1300, DEF: 1500)JD= Junk Destroyer (ATK: 2600, DEF: 2500)SW= Solemn Wishes ft= fluff token (ATK: 0,DEF: 0)f= face-down Yeah, actually. It's a little thing called Mirror Force. It'll destroy your Fire Princess and Junk Destroyer, unless you've got some manner of counter? "Well, now that you mention it, I'll take this opportunity to show you how My Body As a Shield is really used, taking 1500 points of damage to protect my monsters and destroy your Mirror Force. Knowing what your other face-down is, I know you can't do anymore to stop me, so I'll call upon Fire Princess to destroy your fluff token, before ending my turn." Life Points: 6800 (forgot to factor Skull-Mark into my life points during the previous post). Edit: (IOC: Just correcting my terminology... My Body as a Shield is a cost, not damage. Had I put Damage Eater in my deck, this would have been relevant.) I got plenty of ways to burn ya back, Cold. When my Drill Warrior returns, I use its effect to add Dandelion to my hand.(1d31)[7]I set a monster. I halve Drill Warrior's attack to let him attack directly, for 1200 damage again, and then I discard Dandelion to remove him from the game for another turn, bringing me two defense-mode Fluff Tokens. Your move, friend. Field Magic: None{table=”head] 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5DW | FD | FD | FT | FT-- | FD | -- | -- | --[/table]DW = Drill Warrior,2400/2000 RFG until next turn = Fluff Token, 0/0Lifepoints: 8000Spoiler Hide Hand: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Face downs: 3 Spoiler Hide 2: Infinity Avenger, My Body As a Shield 3: Sagan Graveyard: 4 Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Dandelion Solemn Wishes Quick draw Synchrony Out of Play: 1 Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior, Temporarily Deck: 30 Spoiler Hide Sgt;Sgt;. Quick draw Synchrony 01. Quick draw Synchrony 02. Quick draw Synchrony 03. Level-Eater 04. Level-Eater 05. Infinity Avenger Sgt;Sgt;. Infinity Avenger 06. Infinity Avenger Sgt;Sgt;. Sagan Sgt;Sgt;. Dandelion 07. Dandelion 08. Golden Ladybug 09. Golden Ladybug 10. Golden Ladybug 11. Skull-Mark Ladybug 12. Skull-Mark Ladybug 13. Skull-Mark Ladybug 14. Fire Princess 15. Fire Princess Sgt;Sgt;. Fire Princess 16. One for One 17. Monster Reborn 18. Dark Hole 19. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Card Trader 20. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Mirror Force 21. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. My Body As a Shield 22. Scapegoat 23. Mind Control Sgt;Sgt;. Gold Sarcophagus 24. Gold Sarcophagus Sgt;Sgt;. Solemn Wishes 25. Solemn Wishes 26. Solemn Wishes 27. Urgent Tuning 28. Urgent Tuning 29. Mystical Space Typhoon 30. Mystical Space Typhoon Extra Deck: 14 Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior Drill Warrior Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier Goya Guardian Ally of Justice Castor Magical Android Stardust Dragon Junk Archer Junk Destroyer Ancient Fairy Dragon Black Rose Dragon Red Dragon Archfiend "I suppose I should thank you for not attacking my Fire Princess whilst she was in attack position- because now that I get to draw again, solemn wishes gives me life points, and allows fire princess to take another 500 of yours." Draw:(1d30)[26]Life points: 6100Synchro Princess- 40 cards Spoiler Hide Graveyard:Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Skull-Mark Ladybug Quick draw Synchrony Dandelion Mystical Space Typhoon Foolish Burial Skull-Mark Ladybug My Body As a Shield Removed from play:Spoiler Hide - Hand:Spoiler Hide Synchrony Explorer Face-down:Spoiler Hide - Spoiler Hide 1- Quick draw Synchrony 2- Quick draw Synchrony 3- Golden Ladybug 4- Golden Ladybug 5- Golden Ladybug 6- Skull-Mark Ladybug 7- Skull-Mark Ladybug 8- Fire Princess 9- Fire Princess 10- Sagan 11- Junk Synchrony 12- Junk Synchrony 13- Level Eater 14- Level Eater 15- Level Eater 16- Dandelion 17- Synchrony Explorer 18- Monster Reborn 19- Dark Hole 20- One for One 21- Mystical Space Typhoon 22- Gold Sarcophagus 23- My Body As a Shield 24- Mind Control 25- Spell Absorption 26- Spell Absorption 27- Mirror Force 28- Torrential Tribute 29- Solemn Wishes 30- Solemn Wishes Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1- Magical Android 2- Magical Android 3- Drill Warrior 4- Drill Warrior 5- Drill Warrior 6- Junk Archer 7- Junk Destroyer 8- Stardust Dragon 9- Black-Winged dragon 10- Mist Warm 11- Goya Guardian 12- Britney, Dragon of the Ice-Barrier 13- Iron Chain Dragon 14- Underground Arachnid 15- Thought-Ruler Archfiend "I'll activate the continuous spell Absorption, which will boost my life points by 500 points every time I activate a spell card from now on. Then, so that it doesn't hurt so much if your Drill Warrior runs my Fire Princess down, I'll switch my Princess to defense position and end my turn."{table]1|2|3|4|5ft|FP|JD|ft||SA||SW|[/table]FP= Fire Princess (ATK: 1300,DEF: 1500)JD= Junk Destroyer (ATK: 2600, DEF: 2500)SW= Solemn Wishes SA= Spell Absorption ft= fluff token (ATK: 0,DEF: 0)f= face-down Seems I'm missin' opportunities left an' right, aren't I?(1d30)[25]I grab Dandelion with Drill Warrior's effect again. Then, I flip summon my Infinity Avenger and Sagan. I tune them' on up with the two fluff tokens to form... Goya Guardian! Sagan's effect brings me Quick draw Synchrony. I discard Dandelion to special summon Quick draw, netting me two fluff tokens as usual. I synchronize Quick draw with one token, to bring me yet another Drill Synchrony. Furthermore, I'll then set a card face down. Goya Guardian will attack your Junk Destroyer, bringing him to my side of the field and causing 200 points of damage. The pair of Drill Warriors will destroy the Fire Princess and a fluff token, respectively. That leaves you with two life point gain traps and a fluff token. I'll set a card from my hand, and that will end my turn. I think that's my move done, provided you're not going to stop any of this. Field Magic: None{table=”head] 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5DW | DW | GG | JD | FT-- | FD | FD | -- | --[/table]DW = Drill Warrior,2400/2000FT = Fluff Token, 0/0GG = Goya Guardian,2800/2000JD = Junk Destroyer, 2600/2500Lifepoints: 8000Spoiler Hide Hand: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Face downs: 2 Spoiler Hide 2: My Body As a Shield 3: Solemn Wishes Graveyard: 7 Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Dandelion Solemn Wishes Quick draw Synchrony x2 Sagan Infinity Avenger Out of Play: 0 Spoiler Hide 0 Deck: 28 Spoiler Hide Sgt;Sgt;. Quick draw Synchrony Sgt;Sgt;. Quick draw Synchrony 01. Quick draw Synchrony 02. Level-Eater 03. Level-Eater 04. Infinity Avenger Sgt;Sgt;. Infinity Avenger 05. Infinity Avenger Sgt;Sgt;. Sagan Sgt;Sgt;. Dandelion 06. Dandelion 07. Golden Ladybug 08. Golden Ladybug 09. Golden Ladybug 10. Skull-Mark Ladybug 11. Skull-Mark Ladybug 12. Skull-Mark Ladybug 13. Fire Princess 14. Fire Princess Sgt;Sgt;. Fire Princess 15. One for One 16. Monster Reborn 17. Dark Hole 18. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Card Trader 19. Card Trader Sgt;Sgt;. Mirror Force 20. My Body As a Shield Sgt;Sgt;. My Body As a Shield 21. Scapegoat 22. Mind Control Sgt;Sgt;. Gold Sarcophagus 23. Gold Sarcophagus Sgt;Sgt;. Solemn Wishes Sgt;Sgt;. Solemn Wishes 24. Solemn Wishes 25. Urgent Tuning 26. Urgent Tuning 27. Mystical Space Typhoon 28. Mystical Space Typhoon Extra Deck: 12 Spoiler Hide Drill Warrior Drill Warrior Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier Goya Guardian Ally of Justice Castor Magical Android Stardust Dragon Junk Archer Junk Destroyer Ancient Fairy Dragon Black Rose Dragon Red Dragon Archfiend "Well, that was certainly a change of scenery after all that same-turn again with Drill Warrior. Just need to see whether I can come back from this." Draw:(1d29)[15]Life points: 6400Synchro Princess- 40 cards Spoiler Hide Graveyard:Spoiler Hide Gold Sarcophagus Skull-Mark Ladybug Quick draw Synchrony Dandelion Mystical Space Typhoon Foolish Burial Skull-Mark Ladybug My Body As a Shield Fire Princess Level Eater Removed from play:Spoiler Hide - Hand:Spoiler Hide - Face-down:Spoiler Hide - Spoiler Hide 1- Quick draw Synchrony 2- Quick draw Synchrony 3- Golden Ladybug 4- Golden Ladybug 5- Golden Ladybug 6- Skull-Mark Ladybug 7- Skull-Mark Ladybug 8- Fire Princess 9- Fire Princess 10- Sagan 11- Junk Synchrony 12- Junk Synchrony 13- Level Eater 14- Level Eater 15- Level Eater 16- Dandelion 17- Synchrony Explorer 18- Monster Reborn 19- Dark Hole 20- One for One 21- Mystical Space Typhoon 22- Gold Sarcophagus 23- My Body As a Shield 24- Mind Control 25- Spell Absorption 26- Mirror Force 27- Torrential Tribute 28- Solemn Wishes 29- Solemn Wishes Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1- Magical Android 2- Magical Android 3- Drill Warrior 4- Drill Warrior 5- Drill Warrior 6- Junk Archer 7- Junk Destroyer 8- Stardust Dragon 9- Black-Winged dragon 10- Mist Warm 11- Goya Guardian 12- Britney, Dragon of the Ice-Barrier 13- Iron Chain Dragon 14- Underground Arachnid 15- Thought-Ruler Archfiend "Having drawn, I gain 500 life points by solemn wishes. Now, I'll normally summon Synchrony Explorer, special summoning Quick draw Synchrony from my graveyard but negating its effect. Now I'll tune my negated Quick draw with my fluff token to synchro summon my own Goya Guardian. Having done this, my Goya will attack one of your Drill Warriors, special summoning it to my field. In my main phase, I'll activate Drill Warrior's second effect, discarding my level eater to remove it from play, ending my turn."{table]1|2|3|4|5||GY||SE|SA||SW|[/table]GY= Goya Guardian (ATK: 2800, DEF: 2000)SE= Synchrony Explorer (ATK: 0, DEF: 700)SW= Solemn Wishes SA= Spell Absorption= face-down(IOC: I assume control of Drill Warrior reverts when it's removed from play) And now it's you who doesn't know his own cards' wordings! Quick draw Synchrony's condition which limits its usefulness ain't no effect, friend.((Quick draw Synchrony's caveat which makes it only usable for Synchrony Synchros is not an effect. See the rulings page here.)) (IOC: That actually makes my turn better-though I'll have to synchro differently)"My apologies for the false start there. I'll just have to tune Quick draw with Synchrony Explorer instead to synchro summon Junk Archer. I'll use Junk Archer's effect to remove Goya Guardian from play-then have it attack and destroy one of your Drill Warriors, ending my turn. ((Drill Warrior's attack is 100 points higher than Junk Archer's, since I did not use their effect which halves their attack last round, but rather just destroyed monsters. Want to reconsider your move again?)) (IOC: I hate to say it, but I'm half-asleep and liable to make more stupid mistakes like that... I'm going to have to concede before I screw up even worse) ((If you want to leave it until morning, you're welcome to. I'm in no rush to consider this duel finished if you think some shuteye will help you come up with a counter. If not, then good game! I am thinking that Drill Warrior abuse meshes really well with Infinity Avenger - I can basically stash my hand in the graveyard with Drill Warrior's effect and then take whichever monsters I need out of it.)) (IOC: Don't have any time to spare tomorrow... also, I could have desperately used an extra copy or two of Junk Destroyer in my extra deck...)

YugiohITP Exhibition Match_ Mercenary Pen vs. Shadow Elf|rating:3.0

Your Song {Steele and Wildfire}

Your Song Steele and Wildfire It was just the usual evening crowd as James (PRETTY) Odin sat on his personal stool softly playing singing and strumming his sunburst colored, acoustic twelve-string Washburn guitar. He played here at the Cauldron Soup and Sandwich Shop for going on almost 6 months now. Every Monday, Wednesday, and tonight, Friday night. He had been playing gigs for almost 15 years now and had a hand at trying to make it big, but the industry was full of 27-year-old men. He was still quite attractive at least the older married woman, that came in with their husbands, thought so. Furthermore, he had a full head of brownish hair with a slight red tint to it. His body was fit not from working out, maybe it came from lugging all his heavy equipment around for years from place to place. Or perhaps it came from his many escapades, with the numerous groupies he attracted, young and older mature woman. He encountered all types when he first ventured through the rock band years. He found it impossible to keep a steady girlfriend. She, like him, would have to submit to a very open relationship. He liked his sex usually hard and fast and the sweatier, the better. It made not a shred of difference to him if the banging, oral or whatever, and there was a lot of whatever, occurred backstage or in an expensive hotel or mostly in the back of the tour bus. He even had learned he had a kinky side from many older experienced women. Learning that most experienced women liked it rough, it was just hard for him to fathom at the time. He was youthful and able to sustain the harsh realities of a tour band, in those days any way. He loved the art of making out before, during, and after the shows. Just as long as he had a willing partner, and they were a dime a dozen on the road. You didn’t have to find them. They were always waiting at the next stop. His gifted voice and pitch control was better than any vocal teacher could imagine. That was his bread and butter. The equivalent to a brief engagement period for all the women. His 6 ‘ tall 160 pound frame was not an issue with the groupies either. Nor his turquoise eyes. He’s been a hot commodity for the ladies even in high school. Athletically gifted as well according to all his coaches, but he never had time to commit to women or sports at that time. He anted to be a musician and a self-taught musician at that.… Tough choice for a career goal. He’s perfect you say? No he has a flaw, a big one. He can’t or won’t commit to anything that doesn’t involve his music. He flirts with any skirt he sees that’s available and some that aren’t, it’s his nature now. That could change, but it would take the right girl. And he has almost given up on that option. As he got older he realized Father Time stops for no one. He would leave all that moving from place to place behind and find him a quaint little restaurant, or a bar to hobby around in. It took a while for him to finally convince the owner, Marsha. At the Cauldron, she used to date the drummer on one of his earlier gigs with his bandPrettyboy and Co. It wasn't long after that she got fed up and found her a husband and started a family and a business. He begged her on a weekly basis to give him a trial period. At first, she told him he had to prove to her that he wasn’t just a rock and roller with loud music Which he did only to have her suggest she would think about it. As the economy plummeted and people started holding on to their wallets and handbags a little tighter. Marsha realized she was needing something else, to set her apart from her competition, and decided to give him his chance one evening, but he had to expand his wardrobe. She wanted a collared shirt and slacks nothing less. He jumped at the chance. He’s been there 3 nights a week and special weekends since that opening night. Now the fact that he was finally able to wait it out for a nearby apartment vacancy which happened to be directly across the street, made the deal even that much sweeter to him. Yep, the same old hum drum crowd with the smattering and clattering of dishes and small talk in the dining area. He was just finishing up his version of Steam Roller Blues before his mid-session break. There was a small round of soft golf clapping by Marsha’s steady crowd after each song. As he placed his guitar in its holding stand. He stepped down to the floor from the small stage and greeted some of his regulars on his way to get him his nightly vocal enticing shot of Turkey and Coke from the bar. He walked between the aisle giving his nodding greeting to those that were shoveling food and drinks into their faces. That's when he first noticed her. Her shiny, long jet black hair. James couldn’t see her face as she was focused on her crossed hands sitting upon her lap. She appeared to be transfixed momentarily on her watch. She was after all dining by herself, and it was starting to get close to the kitchens closing time. Sitting there all alone sideways on the chair, dressed to the Tee. A nice tight fit black cocktail dress, cut just above the knee and hiked even a little higher now that her legs were crossed showing off her fantastic physique, maybe that’s why her hands were placed where they were. She had to be a dancer or athlete herself to be that fit and tight and those none too terrible steamy black, ankle-laced high heels. James was thinking, she has to be waiting for someone. He took a deep gulp of dry air. It must have been audible to her because she looked up for an instant. Directly at him. He couldn’t even focus on her facial features because her eyes reeled him in that quick. Her eyes shined like perfectly cut diamonds. Due to the intricate stage lighting he couldn’t see what color they were but God they were something. Then she peered back down to her watch again. He figured any second now some Professional Sports Jock would show his face and steal pretty boy's thunder. So he meandered his way to the bar looking back over his shoulder at her long black silky locks as it hung down the small of her back. He grabbed his drink throwing some exchanges with those sitting at the bar and made his way back to the stage. He tuned up his guitar with a few quick twists of the keys and began his favorite song: Jim Croce’s Time in a Bottle. As he began the introduction and the opening difficult but pleasant notes that were involved . He finally caught her full attention. She was beautiful a strikingly gorgeous face. As he was strumming he would lean over to the right, just a bit so he could see her more clearly. She wasn’t taken her eyes off him nor was he off her. They just as well could have been the only two out on a lake somewhere. He wasn’t sure if she was teasing him or trying to be lady-like, the way her hands kept tugging at the hem of her short dress. Then she would cross her legs again which in turn, hiked it back up, exposing to James one hell of an under her thigh shot. He almost missed a chord and that was extremely unusual. She must have caught that too, as a deliciously devilish smile escaped her full red tinted lips. She made a motion at her black leather purse atop the table, but he didn’t think she was ready to leave just yet. He wasn’t going to let that happen. He looked again deep into her magnetic eyes and started to serenade her with his soft, melodic, gifted voice. If I could save time in a bottle The first thing that I’d like to do Is to save everyday till eternity passes, and then I could spend time with you…. James finished the song still gazing at her. She flashed him another of those evil minded smiles while grabbing her purse and getting up. James was about to announce it was going to be a short set, so he could catch her before she left. Then he was pleased to notice she took a right and headed for the ladies room. She wasn't departing just yet. He didn’t even know her, and yet she had a death grip on his heart at least for the moment. He just stood there dumbfounded as she disappeared through the door. Not doing anything for a moment until he caught sight of Marsha hastily appearing from the kitchen. Holding her hands out from her sides and silently mouthing to him Why did you stop playing? He googles eyed her his apology and broke into his version of Elton Johns Your Song. When he finally noticed those sculptured long legs attached to those heels come clicking out of the ladies room almost like a soft metronome. He cut the song a bit, He wasn’t sure if she was going to sit back down or leave, And he couldn’t have that without at least saying hello to this lovely, entrancing, single? Woman. He caught her eyes again and made her stop in mid-stride with his sincerity. I Hope you don’t mind I Hope you don’t mind. I Hope you don’t mind That I put down in words How wonderful life is . With you in the world…Yeah, that’s right This is your song…picking a few long-drawn-out blues notes on the tail end of it. Showing off a little,per se.“Thank you ladies and Gentlemen, I appreciate it and I know Marsha certainly does. Kitchen is closing in 15 minutes, but it’s Friday night, so the bar stays open till 2. Enjoy the evening.” He couldn’t get his equipment put away for the weekend or turned off fast enough as he saw her walking back to her table or maybe even closer to the stage This was the first time for Lindsay to come to the Cauldron, she was supposed to be meeting a man here that her friend sent her up with. This was her first date in years, her friends always joked and made fun of her as she was 27 years old now, and she wasn't married, and she didn't really find men that interesting as they all just want one thing now days, and she wanted to settle down and find love. Lindsay was an attractive woman, she went to gym every day to keep her physic the way it was. She has always been very conscious about the way she looked especially with the business she was in. Lindsay is a fitness trainer, she had to train a lot of people during the day, sometimes even models before their next shoot comes up. So with her job, she just doesn't get out much, her job was very demanding and tiring by the time her day was over she just wanted to go home, put her feet up and relax. That is probably another reason why she didn't get out much and meet people. She continued looking down at her watch while the music was playing in the background, she was really excited about tonight and as it started to get late, she hoped that he was stuck in traffic or something. She looked up as she felt someone kind of staring at her, she noticed this handsome man standing their and just looking at her, his eyes were soft and very inviting. Furthermore, she turned away not wanting to give him the wrong idea considering she was sitting and waiting for her date to arrive. She had another glance at her watch, it was really get late now, and she was certain now that this man wasn't going to show up anymore. She doesn't know what grabbed her attention, but she looked towards the stage as she was heard the wonderful voice of the man singing. Furthermore, she didn't believe that this was the same man that was looking at her earlier. Furthermore, she didn't pay much attention to the singer earlier, and she was thinking of leaving until she paid attention to the man on the stage and his wonderful voice. I noticed he made a mistake with the song and gave him a devilish smile to let him know that it was okay. When he was singing his last song, I felt like he was singing it directly at me. Everybody else in the room seemed to disappear, and it was only us two left. I don't what it was about this man that got my attention so much, but he had it every single part of me was concentrated on him and him alone. I quickly made my way back to reality again when he stopped singing and thanking everyone for being their. Furthermore, I noticed he was packing up, and I knew that I had to tell him something even if it was just that I found his singing absolutely breathtaking or amazing. I walked towards the stage to talk to this mysterious man that grabbed her attention... James was crouched down pulling out the audio cables to his amp and rolling them around his wrist putting them away neatly in his black studio bag. He could hear the tapping of her stilettos piercing the silent air, bouncing off the tiled floor aisles. His bluish-green eyes darting back out to the floor as she began approaching the stage. The sway of her hips balancing on those heels. He pretended to be too preoccupied to notice, but he was anticipating her approach, nervously as he removed his guitar strap and wound it placing it in the bag also. He removed his prize Washburn from the stand and placed it into the case when he felt a warm hand on his arm. When he looked up .too his surprise it wasn’t her. It wasn’t her at all. It was Mrs. Wilkerson.78 years old and every Friday night she makes it a habit to tell him how beautiful his voice is and how it reminds her of her grandson Evan. Who is now in the Army… His eyes gaze up from acknowledging Mrs. Wilkerson to this lovely lady standing slightly away from the stage. James eyes go directly to hers and google about as Mrs. Wilkerson goes on and on.” Yes Mrs. Wilkerson . Thank you . That’s great.Oh, yes. Sure. His eyes go back to this lovely lady patiently waiting. Now that she is closer He can see that she is not as young as he first surmised. He guessed her age to be late 20s maybe early 30s just by the way she conducted herself and her appearance. Still pleasantly appealing to him. He eyed her beauty and her low cut neckline She wasn’t the group type to be swarming after him. No, she stood her ground and seemed to be enjoying the sheer hell that Mrs. Wilkerson was putting him through. Even if she didn’t know he heard the same story over and over every Friday night. The next time his eyes darted to this unknown woman. He mouthed out the words.HELP ME. And couldn’t help himself from laughing out loud to her response back to him sent from those shining eyes seemingly requesting a simple request of their own,“Say please.” The old women rants went on as she still held firmly to his arm.“Yes Mrs. Wilkerson. Oh, yes…...” His lasting request to her, as she glorifies his resilience, smiling wryly back to him placing her black stiletto on his stage. As he begs her interruption to stop the madness. He licked his dry chaffed lips for a final mouthing plea . Please . Please I will do anything for you. Please.” Lindsay couldn't help but notice his bluish-green eyes as her brown eyes and his were fixed on each other. When she saw the older lady approaching him, she wasn't sure if she should wait for him or leave. Then she started to overhear some of the things that she was telling him and thought that it was very sweet and very true about his voice and the way he played that was. She started to look at this man and taking it all in, the way he looked, the way he talked. Till he broke it with his gesture for her to help him. Lindsay walked over to him and the older woman, she put her hand around his waist and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Sorry if I'm interrupting love, but we have to go as we have dinner plans remember and if we are late then we might lose our table, you know how restaurants can be." Lindsay said looking from him to the older woman. She couldn't think of anything else to say, and she said it with such conviction and with such a loving smile on her face. Mrs. Wilkerson finally released James forearm from her grip, as this lovely young lady kissed him on his cheek, expressing they were going to be late for their dinner date. He peered quickly at his watch. “I am so sorry Mrs. Wilkerson .Yes, thank you for your compliments. Yes ma’am I will be here next Friday. Okay we’ll see you then . Thank you again.” James attention now turned to this brown eyed bombshell. “Okay honey, let me just put this back here out of the way, and we’ll be on our way. He placed his guitar case, mic stand and the equipment satchel to the back corner of the stage. “ All done you ready baby?” He wrapped his arms in hers as they side stepped around Mrs. Wilkerson. Heading for the exit. You couldn’t really tell who was pulling who as the pranced down the aisle way amongst the waving and clamoring of good nights. Marsha was helping bus the final tables and watched James with amble rolling eyes as he and his apparent date sauntered out the door to the street. Both giggling to each other as they made it through the door. “ She’s really a nice lady, but she will talk your ear off if you stand there long enough. I can’t thank you enough.” Pausing as he didn’t even know her name, James finally released her arm and grabbed a hold of her soft hand, and now took a long refreshing look at his rescuer. She was just slightly below his eye level, thanks to the 3-inch heels, she adorned so eloquently. She appeared to be posing for him, standing an arms length away from him but their fingers still intertwined. Smiling without prejudice. Her eyes were sparkling brown, very endearing to her soul. Her face was rounded and her skin so smooth very light makeup. A slight semi-gloss sheen to her thin lips. Strong cheekbones that were in comparison with her neck. It was the low cut neckline on her dress that made it all come together. It wasn’t’ revealing enough to see if she was wearing a scanty sports bra or maybe none at all. Her cleavage was broad, her breasts were perked up maybe B cups or a bit larger, perhaps. To James, they were perfectly proportioned for her body structure. He must have been taking his time because eventually she placed her hand on her waist and pushed her pelvis slightly like she was modeling for him. It only made him look longer at her bare thighs coming out of the hem of that black dress, He followed her legs all the way down past her knees to her laced ankles and those shiny black stilettos digging into the walkway below them. Eventually making eye contact with her again and staring into those dreamy finish eyes. “ He raised her hand to his lips giving a gentle but meaningful kiss.” James Odin . And you my dear ? She couldn't help but giggle all the way out the door, she thought they pulled that off pretty well and was very believable. She couldn't take her hand away from his, it felt perfect intertwined with his. It felt like it belonged their. She noticed how he was kind of staring at her, but she didn't mind it as she was doing the exact same with him. Now that the lights were brighter than what it was inside she could see him a lot better. He was so much more handsome than what she thought. He was taller than what she was, but that didn't bother her at all. His turquoise eyes gleaming across her body just as hers were gleaming over his. She struck a pose for him so that he could see more of her, she liked this attention that he was giving him, and she responded to everything, and it wasn't forced either it was all very natural between them. She felt a burning heat come to her cheeks as he reached her hand towards his mouth, a gentle soft kiss. The type of kiss she had only ever seen in movies. She was taken back for a moment enjoying this reaction and the feelings that was rushing up inside of her. "It is nice to meet you, my name is Lindsay Danielle." Her smile broadened as she finally got his name." The pleasure was all mine to help you from Mrs. Wilkerson, and you really don't have to go to dinner with me." He really was dreamy, something she could look at all night and day if she could. Her girlish charm and the bright smile she emitted from between those lips were refreshing and enlightening to James. “ Lindsay Danielle. Hmm, I like that. “ His eyes focused on hers now.“ Is it that I don’t have to take you to dinner or that you won’t let me take you to dinner?” His long piano fingers rubbing the soft digits on her hand and feeling the empty ring finger, massaging it with his thumb and forefinger. His eyes curiously darting around her, but not enough to cause a distraction.“It is Ms. Lindsay Danielle. Right? So tell me Ms. Lindsay Danielle. Were you here by yourself tonight?, not that I mind at all, or were you expecting someone to join your company? Perhaps a smaller man who dresses immaculately but can't for the life of him match his silk tie with his tailored suit? Perhaps not the most punctual person either, being as he can't take his eyes off his crude texting habits, to see where he is going or supposed to be.”“Tell me Lindsay, it was a blind date? I would be shocked for you to say it wasn’t.” James suddenly wraps his warm strong arm around her exposed bare shoulder and gives her a slight tug, jerking her off one of her heels, closer towards him and out of the way of a smaller man in stature with a mismatched tie that is about to plow over the two of them as he tries to find his way into the confines of the Cauldron, while staring into his phone. Lindsay couldn't help but laugh at his gestures about how the man might have looked like and was very surprised that he knew she was on a blind date or was supposed to be on one." Yes it is Ms, not married and I have never been." She told him with a bit of sadness in her voice as she would like to find that someone special to spend her life with." Well it's not that I don't want you to take me out for dinner, I just don't know if maybe you have someone special waiting for you at home or if you have other plans of your own. I noticed how some of the other girls were looking at you and I overheard what some of them were saying about you as well Mr charmer." She said with a soft chuckle to let him know that it didn't bother her at all. When James pulled her closer towards him, she almost lost her balance, but she was safe in his grip and she kind of liked the closeness between them and when she noticed the man walking by she started laughing from what he had looked like and the description he had told about the mystery man she was supposed to have met that night." Why yes it was a blind date, my one friend set it up, I don't even know why I agreed to it in the first place. I am glad that I did though, otherwise I would have never met you or heard you sing tonight. You really do have a wonderful voice James. I know you hear it all the time, but I had to tell you that. You took my breath away and gave me goosebumps and that doesn't happen very often." She looked up into those wonderful eyes of his, and she slowly pulled away from him a little as she felt a bit embarrassed from what she had just told him. She gave him a small soft smile before she looked away again." I just wanted to tell you that tonight before I left and right now it seems a bit stupid considering you must hear it every single night after you perform..." She stopped herself there before she said anything else that might ruin this night, the night that actually became kind of perfect after her date didn't pitch up, she was glad he didn't know that she got to speak to James even if she was making a fool of herself in front of him. James heard the pitch in her gleeful voice and the sparkle in her eye drop down a tone when she mentioned she had never been married. Like there was a void waiting to be filled by the right person. He asked himself in a flash. Could he be THAT guy? Was this moment some type of weird but divine intervention at his foot. He had to elevate her persona back up to where it was previously. “ Aw C’mon Your gorgeous, Men should be beating down your door for a date with you. Is there a certain someone that you're saving yourself for. Are the dates really blind that are going out with you?” He said with a polite smile. Now she was smiling again. Now it was Lindsay’s turn at him. I just don't know if maybe you have someone special waiting for you at home or if you have other plans of your own. I noticed how some of the other girls were looking at you and I overheard what some of them were saying about you as well Mr charmer." He replied with a wry smile at the hint of being referred to as Mr. Charmer.“I can assure you there’s nobody waiting for me at home. In fact, I live right there.” He pointed across the street to a second story apartment with a dimly lit window. “As for the ladies in there . Most of them are just being polite, and their husbands are there with them. Oh, and I try not to date women more than 40 years older than me…” They both had a laugh at that remark. Then she turned his cheeks to blushing and his face was flushed as she showered him with compliments. This wasn’t something he wasn’t accustomed to though, What was odd was usually this kind of adornment came after one of his tour bus shows. Nothing like that ever happened at the Cauldron. Not yet anyway. Maybe he was giving up his road efforts too soon. He had this beautiful mature woman bathing him in compliments, Then his thoughts popped him like a slap in the face. Here he was entwined in conversation with the prettiest woman he has seen in a very long time trying to engage him in a conversation, and he was thinking about going on the road again. What the Hell.“Ah Yes Ms. Lindsay Danielle. I would love to take you to dinner tonight. It’s a little late for dinner, perhaps more of a midnight snack. Would you care to join me madame?” He didn’t really give her time to answer before he waltzed her away from the Cauldron arm in arm. With a smile back on her face again she, she felt comfortable around James almost like she could tell him anything. She has never felt this way around a man before, but she enjoyed it very much. "Thank you, James, for saying that, I guess I just never found the right guy yet and besides with my job I don't rally go on a lot of dates really." She told him with a sly grin on her face. With his answer that he doesn't have any one waiting at home for him, she felt a bit relieved at that thought that he was single and not seeing anyone. "I am very surprised that you don't have anyone waiting at home for you James, you are an attractive man with the most amazing voice, I don't understand why and why any girl could possibly resist you." She gazed up into his eyes when she said that, his eyes were really something, and she enjoyed talking to him. When James didn't give her time to answer she didn't mind that much, usually she was the one giving other people orders ll day so to have someone taking charge right now was something new and different and exciting to her. James wasn’t exactly sure this would end up, but he did know most places quit serving around 10pm locally. Still arm in arm he quickly stepped under the lamp lights down the shadowed walkway under the numerous shop awnings to his parked truck. He had a two –toned silver Toyota Tundra pickup with a lift kit, dual exhaust and a topper on the back. He unlocked the passenger door. “I got a great idea . I know a place that’s open all night.” He winks at her, as he holds the door open for her beckoning with his eyes for her not to question him. She looks at him with her enticing eyes, James still holding her hand gracefully helping her reach the step. She slowly crawls into the passenger seat. He watches leg by lovely leg as she seats herself, hand ironing her sleek black cocktail dress under her thighs as not to wrinkle it or have it bind. James pulls the seat belt over her shoulder and stands on the foot hold so he can drape it around her waist and snap it closed. His face brushing ever so close to hers, smelling the freshness of a faint perfume as he buckles her in. He walks around the driver side and unlocks and pulls himself up using the steering wheel to hoist his way into the truck’s cab. He buckles himself in and throws the truck in drive, abruptly putting on the flashers and unbuckling, stopping right in front of the Cauldron. “Do you like seafood Lindsey? . And what would you like to drink tonight? His eyes not leaving her gorgeous but curious smile. The shoulder belt covering the majority of her low neckline but also tight enough to show the true curves of her semi-compressed breasts, finally one last long look at her sculpture perfect exposed legs all the way down to her dark stiletto heels resting comfortably on his floorboard. James was such a gentleman she thought to herself, she didn't realize that men like this still exists. Men who open the door for you and then still buckle you in to make sure you are safe, it was amazing, and it made her feel like a woman and wanted. Once he started to put the seat belt on, her heart started racing. Having his hand going across her body and so close to her breast. She had never had a man so close to her like that in years. She gave him a grin when their eyes met once more. Furthermore, she wasn't sure where he was taking her, but his eyes let her know to trust him and not to ask any questions. Furthermore, she watched him walk to his side of the truck and watched him pull himself in, when he did, she noticed how strong his arms were." I love seafood actually and with drinks you can surprise me as so far this has been a very surprising evening." She smiled and winked at him. He really was a good-looking man, and she didn't know how this evening would end or if they would ever see each other gain after this, but she did know one thing and that was that she wanted to get to know James more, and she really enjoyed his conversation and having him with her right now, so she was going to enjoy every minute with him right now instead of worrying about what happens afterward. His eyes never left her gleaming hypnotic eyes as she expresses her delight of seafood. “Good .good. You just hang tight here a second and let me run in here for a second and see if I can muster up a meal out of Marsha’s kitchen. James left the door half cocked open and scurried back into the Cauldron, brushing past Marsha with a handful of dirty dishes. “ Slow down there cowboy, did you lose your date already” James smiled back at her as he grabbed a few empty to-go boxes and began packing them with items. He quaintly smiled back to her as she began rinsing plates and loading them into the dishwasher. “ No, She’s out there waiting on me, at least she was anyway. Just going to grab a few things here for a snack." Marsha watched him with a humored smile as he packed the two boxes full of appetizers and then leaned down to grab a bottle of whiskey. Her eyes rolled as he searched for the right stuff. “ Just put it on my tab. Yknow I’m good for it.” He scorched back behind her leaving the Cauldron with a couple of Styrofoam boxes and full-fifth bottle of Apple flavored Crown Royal. James handed Lindsay the two boxes and put the bottle between them in the folds of the seat and closed his door and buckled in, he just started to put in drive before he saw Marsha standing in his headlights holding two wine glasses. She came around to his window as he rolled it down. Handing in the two glasses she callously interjected using her southern charm voice.“Y’know Pretty Boy some’a US women prefer glasses rather than just chugging straight out of the bottle.” She smiled to Lindsay appealingly. Don’t you two get into no trouble now. I need him back Monday night for my customers. “When Marsha had cleared the way and safely back into the Cauldron. James smiled to Lindsay. "We go back a long ways Marsha and me ." Seeing the questionable doubt in her eyes. “ No? Not like that, she was with my drummer. She is like my big sister now and my boss.” The cab of the truck was filling up with the aroma of several different types of seafood. “Mmmmthat smells good. Don’t it?" Small spatters of rain started landing on the windshield and kept getting larger by the minutes. A little sprinkle turned into all out washout of pounding rain in just the short distance of less than 2 miles. The Tundra turned off the main road and down a mud ridden track not much bigger than a fire trail. Going back about another 1/8 of a mile and coming to a complete dead end. The rain was pounding so hard on the truck, even with the fog lamps and wipers on high, it was hard to see what was in front of them or better yet, why he had stopped . But James knew this place. He knew exactly where they ended up. He unbuckled his seat belt, turning off the headlights leaving the truck still running though. Furthermore, he almost had to holler to be heard above the pounding rain,“ Well this is it . Can’t see much right now, but it’s a beauty of a sight when it ain't stormin’ and the only lighting is from the moon and stars.” He grabbed the boxes from her lap and placed them on the dash for now and unbuckled her shoulder harness allowing to slowly pull his arm with it as it reversed itself into the spring. “ There ya go Lindsay .Ain't that better now? Loosen up a little there. Relax and enjoy." He opened one of the boxes releasing the smell even greater of crab bites and shrimp appetizers and a small cup of a ranch-cheese dip. “ Here try this and tell me that you don’t like it.” He dipped the crab bite into the thick dip and held his hand under his hand as he gently brought the food to her awaiting lips. The way she accepted so gracefully he might as well been feeding her chocolate covered strawberries. He watched her as she teased him slowly engulfing after wrapping it with her soft glossed lips before tasting the flavor and then tasting it again rubbing her tongue along the outline of her lips, closing her eyes just momentarily to savor the spicy flavor.“See I told ya it’d be good.” James pulled the bottle from between the seats and unsealed the cap and poured a little more than a shallow shot of the Apple Crown into the wine glasses. “ Now you wash it down with some of this right here, and we just make the best of it right here. He dunked the next bite for himself and then chased it with that one shot. He already her next bite in his hand whenever she was ready for it. Furthermore, he could hand feed her all night if she would allow it. Pointing to the other box on the dash. “ Now there’s the meal in there. Have you ever had blackened Tilapia? James tore off a sliver of the filet and waved the scent under her nose before allowing her lips to touch it. “You don’t need to dip this or nothin’ like that. This is Marsha’s special blend and she won't give me the recipe to save my life.” He watched again as her eyes closed and her tongue slowly making circular motions around her lips. His lips salivating at just the sight of watching her, he slowly poured another ½ shot into her glass and a full shot into his. As the food supply was being diminished and the Apple Crown going down smoothly as well. The rain went from a storming strong hold on the night to just a pattering. The two just sat there eating and drinking and sharing a laugh or two as they attempted to hand feed each other in only the cab light of his truck. As the night progressed on further, the rain had all but stopped and the ominous clouds were dissipating, allowing sprinkles of starlight to filter through. Still sitting there in the cab getting a buzz on and their bellies full, James chimed his glass against hers and stared deep into her eyes. “You Ms. Lindsay Danielle are the prettiest, most beautiful thing that has happened to me in a very long time. I would like to show my appreciation with a kiss, if that would be alright?" As he leaned in to kiss her, he turned on the headlights and over head fog lamps showing her where they were at. His truck was almost over the end of an old boat ramp, It was a lovely little cove in the woods. The water, just in front of them, sparkled from his lights like a blue lagoon. Barely a noticeable small ripple and the faint reflection of the city across on the other side. Outside her door was a small picnic table and a very old grill mounted on an old, broken cement foundation. It used to be housed under a little shelter, but that had been a very long time ago. His lips pursed together with his eyes closed, he paused waiting for an answer to his request. She watched him getting out of the car and walking back towards the Cauldron, she looked towards the door the whole time awaiting his return. She was happy to see him when he got back and then saw a woman before them and walking towards the car with two wine glasses. Furthermore, she smiled at the lovely woman and her gesture about chugging down something out of a bottle, and she was right about that and grateful for bringing the glasses so that she didn't have to do that. "Thank you very for the glasses, I really appreciate that, and it is true as you tell us woman don't want to down things out of a bottle." She said with a grin. I can't believe I thought that they had a thing, they seem so nice together and very playful. I suppose I can see why he says it is more like a sister. "She seems very nice though, and I am surprised that you two never went out, and yet I can tell by the way you are together that you guys are pretty close""Yes it does smell lovely James. You know this will be the first time in a long time that I have eaten with someone. Normally I just make a salad or something small and eat at home." She told him shyly, just so that he knows that she hasn't done this in a very long time and that she was normally at home by herself. The raining was really coming down, and she couldn't see a thing in front of her and that scared her a little bit and made hr a bit tense the whole way to their unknown destination. If she couldn't see anything, how the hell could he? When they had reached their destination, it was pitch black and the rain was still pouring down so hard that she had no idea where they were at all. She tried to look around, but she couldn't see a thing at all through the windows. He moved in towards her again and she tensed up a little more when he unbuckled her seat belt, but when he told her to relax there was something in the way that he said it that made her believe that everything was alright and that she was going to be fine. When his arms moved with the harness across her body she felt safe and knew that he wasn't going to harm her, he was so gentle and caring. "Yes that is much better thank you, James, you clearly know this place well." She turned a little in her seat so that she could face him better. As he opened the first box the aroma of the food filled the air, and it smelled lovely. As he took one out and dipped it, she was surprised to see that his hand was moving towards her to feed her, this was something she had never experienced. She took it gently and tasted every bit of it and watched as he started to feed himself one in the process. The evening was great the way they could talk and laugh and feed each other these divine foods in such a way as if they had known each other forever. When the rain had finally stopped, she had a small and yet quick look around, and it was really beautiful out here. She could see why he liked it here so much. When James asked her if he could kiss her, she knew that this was going to be the perfect ending to the most romantic evening she has ever had. She moved in closer towards his puckered lips as she got closer she could feel his warm breath against her face. A rush of heat started in my chest and slowly spread throughout my body, reaching every last limb. I could feel his eyes watching my every move, from the slight twitch of my lip to the way my shoulders rose and fell as I breathed. He leaned forward slowly, his hand brushing the hair out of my face and in an instant his lips were on mine. They were rough and smooth, they were perfect. He moved them around in circles and my heart swelled. His breathing was deep and loud in my ear and yet is like sweet music in her ears. She let out a soft moan as their tongues twirled and danced in each other's mouths. What James thought would probably just start out as a friendly meet kiss quickly amped up to a lust filled spit swapping. The food and liquor making its presence known, Her shyness had left with the rain. She was now taking control of the cab. Her hand, grabbing the short brown locks from behind, pulled his head closer to her. His lips covering her mouth. Turning his head slightly as not to obstruct their breathing as their nostrils mashed together. His arms over her outstretched arms, caressing her shoulders. Pulling the two even closer. James now hunching over the seat, his left leg making its way over her left thigh. His knee now balancing between her legs, hiking up the already short black cocktail dress. He was straddling her left leg. The hardening cock in his pants pressed hard on her pelvis. His bluish eyes peering into her diamond pupils and reflecting back. His tongue fighting against the softness of hers for the right to temporarily reside in and around her small thin lips. His light five’o'clock shadow brushing her silken facial features. Her skin softly smooth. But it was her eyes that stole the show for James. They seemed to be whatever color they wanted. He brushed her hair back from her face, allowing the long strands of dark black hair to weave through his open fingers. It felt so good he did it again, this time allowing both his hands to weave it all the way down to the small of her back. Then his strong fingers massaged her lower vertebrae and the tight muscles surrounding it. She must have liked because she thrust her pelvis into his leg. His knee now pressing directly against her nether regions. His cock bulging at the seams. The small quarters were getting cramped quickly. This wasn’t a king cab and James could tell by the twinge in his back and the cramping of his legs that something had to change. He pulled his left leg back over and exited the drivers side door nearly plummeting in the mud, but making his way around to Lindsay’s passenger side door. He opened her door to her noticeable giggling of him trudging through the muck. Furthermore, he couldn’t help himself to stand back and admire her beauty again as only seen through the slivers of the half hidden moon and the flickering starlight.“God, you are so beautiful.” He reached his hand out to her and a thought came to his head. Furthermore, he sloshed away making his way to the back of the truck and opened the tail window, shuffling through the odds and ends to find a blanket. Furthermore, he draped the blanket haphazardly across the paint ridden, picnic table. Then looking back to the awaiting Goddess, Lindsay. “ You might want to leave them heels in the truck, it’s a bit messy out here." Lindsay slowly inched her way out the door, squeamishly smirking, as her feet descend into the cool mud. That was only momentarily before James swept her up in his arms and gently landed her on the covered picnic table. Only this time he had to the pleasured to hand iron her dress underneath her. His hands from the small of her back down the toned glutes of her nice rounded ass and just under her thighs, enough to force her back for a moment, allowing her long legs and muddy feet to dangle in the air like a child would in a chair too high, James was right in there between her outstretched legs and awaiting arms, where he left off, kissing her cheeks and neck. He whispered in her ear after lightly licking the outer edges. “Hell, I might even owe you a new dress after this.” His hands around her sleek waist keeping her from toppling on her back. He watched as she smiled innocently to him biting her bottom lip, her eyes now glistening, reflecting the night sky and the stars from the heaven above. By the time Lindsay was on the table and being carried their by James was magical to her and knowing that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him was amazing to her. She didn't think of anything else but James and how much this man has changed her evening into something romantic, magical and outright special." James you are an amazing man, and you are so perfect in every way. I love how you taste and feel and most of all I love how you make me feel." Lindsay told him in a mere whisper in between their kisses. When he moved and kissed her on her neck she let a small moan escape her soft lips. She didn't care about her dress, it was just clothing it can always be replaced or washed, "Don't worry about the dress James, all that matters now is you and me and this amazing night underneath the starts and the moon." James eyes were sparkling and just more magnificent from the shine of the stars and the moon and now there was something else in his eyes, like he was more alive and at peace than he was when they had first met. She pulled James in close again and kissed him with passion, feeling his tongue play with hers, his soft lips on top of hers and feeling him breath and his heartbeat. Her breaths became more deep and heavier with every movement that he made and with every sensual kiss that they shared. Lindsay started to move her hand underneath his shirt to feel his skin underneath the palm of her hands. She let them roam around his back, feeling every inch of his skin. She could feel the bulge of his cock pressing against her and that just made her pull him even closer towards her. Furthermore, she started to scratch his back ever so gently and slowly, almost like a tickle but more sensual than that. Her whole body was pressed against his, her chest moving up and down from her heavy and deep breaths. This evening is turning out to be one of the greatest nights of her life and she was glad that it was with James. James caught a glimpse of light as it caromed wistfully across the picnic table going across Lindsay’s body, it flickered up and down .on and off. He knew it wasn’t the moonlight doing a dance. He glanced over his shoulder and could see piercing headlights coming towards him quickly. “Shit!” He pulled the hem of Lindsay’s short black dress and covered her legs with the ends of the blanket. He stood in front of her to partially shield her from the view of the newcomers. As fast as a bolt of lightening there was such a blinding light that both had to shield their eyes or turn away from it. The only thing James could make out of this was an extremely overweight figure emerging from the glare. James recognized the shape and sighed in disgust“ No, Fuck me. Not you, not now. Deputy Ponds.” Then he confirmed it when the heavy cigar smoking raspy voice bellowed out in the calm night air.“Well look here .MMm Mr Odin I told ya boy, just a matter a time till I get ya. Let see now for starters we got public indecency.". He walked over with his flashlight as more of a deterrent, he didn’t even need it on. You could hear his grunts and groaning from being so out of shape as he trudged through the mud…” You can go ahead and turn around boy and put your hands behind ya. You just stay put there Missy” Lindsay blinded by the spotlight and now sitting up on the edge of the picnic table with her hands still shielding the light from her face.” Oh! Look here now. Well what do we have here Who’s your little girlfriend tonight?.. I hope for your sake she’s old enough to be here... Put your hands down little girl, so I can see ya.” Now he did need the flashlight to confirm himself, because he couldn’t believe his eyes. He was shocked to see her.". Ms. Danielle ? Is that you Ms Danielle.Oh, Lord! it is you." The deputies words were jumbled garble." I, I’m so sorry Ms. Lindsay . I, I didn’t know it was you I swear.". He slowly backed his way to his car… Y’all shouldn’t be out here, You all just… Just don’t stir up no trouble around here. Good night, G’night Ms Danielle". The spotlight was turned off and the headlights backed away from Lindsay faster than Deputy Ponds did. James turned back around uncapping his hands and just stared into Lindsay’s eyes. Giggling he explained his predicament with the Deputy “Well I once got into a little trouble with his daughter back in my high school days. . Puzzedly he looked to the smirking Ms Danielle. “How do … What the hell just happened here? You'd think he saw a ghost or something. Lindsay?" Are you keeping something from me?" James reached into the truck for the rest of the Apple Crown and sat beside Lindsay on the table. This time without the fancy glasses . He took a large chug from the bottle and then handed it her way because apparently they had something else to talk about. Lindsay knew straight away when she heard James say his name that they weren't going to be in much trouble. But one thing did bother her though was the fact that he wanted to know who he had brought over to this spot and that he knew he would be here with a woman and maybe even underage. She didn't know why it bothered her so much, but then again she thought this was different that he would be different, but apparently not. When James came to sit next to her once the officer had left, she giggled from the fact that they got caught like two naughty teenagers. "Well his daughter and I used to be good friends, we piratically grew up together. Her father Mr Odin was almost like a father to me as my father wasn't really around when I was younger, I don't really remember what happened between us, but we just kinda moved apart I guess life has a funny way of doing that. One day Mr Odin came to me about giving his daughter training as she wanted to become a model or something, so I helped him out, and he knows where I am every night basically as he normally follows me home late at night so he knows me really well. So I guess you are lucky to be with me tonight and not some other sleaze bag you are normally with. He knows I am not a troublemaker, so he will let me go, but I know that tomorrow I will be hearing a lot of stories about you James." She took the bottle from him and took a bigger sip than usual, thinking she was an idiot for coming out here. He was a musician after all so obviously he would have his woman. "It has been a lovely evening James, but I think we should get going. I have a long day tomorrow." She told him with disappointment in her voice. It started out to be humorous as Lindsay was explaining her longtime friendship with his daughter and apparently Deputy Ponds himself. “ He’s just never going to forgive me . God that was so long ago. I spoke to her, and she came onto me . I wasn’t looking for a girlfriend. My music .and the band. Julie didn’t understand she had a crush on me or something, she just… She really got mad when I didn’t take her to the prom . I was playing for Christ’s sake. I guess she told her Dad, and he’s been on my tail ever since.” He giggled a little until Lindsay’s tone became harsh to his ears. So I guess you are lucky to be with me tonight and not some other sleaze bag you are normally with. Lindsay grabbed the bottle from him and moved her posture away from him pulling off the blanket and smoothing her dress. James backed away defensively, his hands to his side. “ Whoa here . That was over ten years ago Lindsay. SLEAZE BAG really Lindsay? She remained slowly coiling away getting her things together. “Is that what you think? Sleaze bag? Her words began overriding his. But I know that tomorrow I will be hearing a lot of stories about you James."" You have to be kidding me. I was young, in a band, on the road after high school. All the time. Sure there were groupies, but that doesn’t mean I slept with a different woman every night. I haven’t been with a woman in five years now, but I guess my prior reputation speaks for itself. I’m sorry you feel that way.” James paced back and forth irritated of her allegations, his boots and pants cuffs now riddled with mud. He could see the disappointment to what started out so nice and now ending like this. He almost didn’t have to hear her next request . He knew fairly well it was coming and it Adidas she hopped off the table into the ankle deep mud and neatly began folding his blanket to hand to him." It has been a lovely evening James, but I think we should get going. I have a long day tomorrow." There was no stopping the inevitable; she even disregarded his gesture of help into the truck. He stomped to the back and threw the blanket in and came around to the drivers side grabbing the empty Styrofoam containers and forcing behind the seat before buckling himself in for a long ride back. He paused, sitting silently before cranking the truck up, staring over to this gorgeous but angry doll next to him. Her feet muddy and still dripping on his floor mat next to her discarded heels. He then glanced at his own boots, now a deep red muck covered mess, still leaking puddles below his pedals. A smile engrossed him as he turned to her. “This is crazy. One day, hopefully, we can put this past us and laugh about it. Hell Lindsay, I don’t even know where I’m supposed to take you.” A slight sympathetic grin as he awaited her reply. If she was even speaking to him any longer. After hearing his reply to what she had said, Lindsay didn't really know what to believe. She was happy about the fact that he did say that he did have groupies while he was on the road, but could she really trust the fact that he wasn't still doing the same thing. She was so confused about all of this, and she wasn't sure if she could move past this or if she could believe and trust this man she had just met. She turned to face him and saw the small and yet sweet smile on his face. How on earth can she stay mad at him? "Look I know this is really dumb, I mean we just practically met, and I am reacting like a jealous school girl. Obviously you have been with other woman, and it is none of my business really if you are or if you are not still doing the same as what you did while you were on the road." She told him with a sincere look on her face. She could tell that he wanted to answer her, so before he could, she carried on." Before you say anything, I just want to propose something, I haven't been with anyone for a really long time as I am always stuck in a gym most of the time. And if you would like then maybe we can take this slow and get to really know each other before we try and jump each other's bones again to see if we can be friends or more." She carried on looking at him and then down towards her feet and then towards his, "Sorry for all the mess by the way." She laughed as she noticed all the mud that they were dripping in the car. James gripped the steering wheel with ferocity as she repeated his contented past in his face again, but not with spite this time, she was trying to be more understanding than the previous judge and executioner in her tone.“Not dumb . Stupid on my part. “ Pretending to bang his head on his wrist, gripping the wheel, hearing her out and her offering of peace. Before looking to her sympathetic enchanting eyes, as she was looser now, the tension in her body was gone. Her feet dancing in the muddied floor board. A dirty truck was the last thing on his mind at the moment. He spoke to her from his heart.not the alcohol. “ Look at you. Your nothing like the girls I used to see.” Eying back to her beauty, looking past the noticeable spattering of the mud on the hem of her dress and getting more visible as his eyes trailed down her bare legs to the bridge of her petite feet. Her heels lying sideways in the small puddles of red. “ I’m sorry Lindsay. Really it’s a lame excuse but that right there. He pointed to the near empty bottle of Crown. “That right there made me think you was one of them, and your not. I’m not that guy anymore and haven’t been in a long time... And I’m sorry." His hand went from pointing to the bottle to a gesture to shake hands to her agreement. “Friends?” It wasn’t really a shake at all, a mere touching of their fingers, but a contract no less.“Now.” James turned on all the headlamps and overhead fog lights shining onto the calm waters directly in front of them. He ignited the engine revved the dual exhaust loud and then reached for a small shifting handle that looked like an emergency brake. He pulled it up, and it made a loud ratcheting sound as it locked in the hubs. Furthermore, he put the truck in drive and slowly went forward. Making a final inspection noticing her heels lying there .” You might want to pick those up so they don’t get wet.” The truck slowly descended the ramp the waves clearly seen pushing outward. James casually looked over to the shocked eyes of Lindsay as it looked like the water was starting to come over the hood, and he was still moving forward. Haha."Don't worry Lindsay it's only about 3 feet deep till you get out about 50 yards or so. That’s why they quit using it a long time ago." The truck was now level and the water was only inches above the bottoms of the door as the floor boards slowly but consistently were being flooded . James just drove around like it was a Sunday drive circling around, once there was about two inches of water. "See now you can wash your feet." he jested kicking his boots and sloshing the water up on the pedals as the loose mud impediments were removed. Then pulling back up the ramp to the grassy part of the land and releasing the lever on the hubs. He was braking and going in short bounds to slosh the water around a bit. He kept an eye on Lindsay as she smiled quaintly, but her eyes were giving a very bizarre look back to him. James reached down into her small puddle and began cupping the water letting it rinse her spattered leg down below her knees . Here get some of the mud off a” He looked at her trying to convince her he hadn’t completely lost his mind. “ It’s okay look he started cupping the water from his bin and washing his pant leg and boot even some of the spots higher on the interior door. Then he bent forward with both hands reaching his fingers down into the mucked water and a loud snap as he pulled up the entire custom floor mat. The water immediately started disappearing like a drain, a large drain, had been opened. In less than a minute his floor board was spotless, and you could see the four vents that had been cut, apparently just for this special occasion. James looked over to her side still holding nearly all the water and still a bizarre curious look coming from her eyes. Him still trying to hold back the laughter. ”Can you get that alright, or you want me to?..It's just a magnet that holds it.” She liked the fact that he noticed that she wasn't like all the other woman or girls he had been with before, the alcohol wasn't really a good excuse though, but she took his apology and made peace with him. She did like him a lot though, but tonight was very fast-paced for her. Furthermore, she was looking for something real, not just a one-night stand and to a point she was glad that Mr Odin came and caught them before things went to far, and then she would have been sitting with regret the next day. Once he started to move the car to the ramp and noticed how the water was coming in, she freaked out a bit. Seeing the fact that he knew what he was doing calmed her down a little." I would really appreciate your help." She told him. She was a lot calmer now, "I am sorry about the mess, but thank you for your very strange and yet unique way for us to clean ourselves up a little." She told him with a laugh. “Strange? Unique? Ya mean that ain't how they do it in the city.?” James bent over placing his forehead on her knee as he reached down to un snap the rubber floor mat. It shouldn’t have taken but a second, but he acted for it to be a more longing, difficult than it really was as he turned his head sideways away from her just to keep the warmth of her smooth leg against his face. With a sudden pop the water began dissipating through the vents. James gently unconsciously, grabbed her calf muscle in order to lift himself upright again. The tone of her leg was surprising even if she was a gym rat. Oh, the things she could probably do with those legs. He was pretty sure he wasn’t going to find out tonight though thanks to the intrusive Deputy Ponds. He was scared to touch her intimately, but he couldn’t stop looking at her as she uncoiled in her seat all the way down to the now dry floor board. Her elegant smile had triumphantly returned. The sparkle back in her eyes following his withering hand, from her calf lazing its way to her thigh and slowly returning to his portion of the cab. James widened his sympathetic, turquoise eyes allowing them to reflect off hers. “ Look Lindsay it hadn’t been the perfect night for either of us, especially you . Your date not showing up and all, and me . Well me for not recognizing how different and special you truly are." Pausing long enough for her to grasp his emotion." Look its quit raining now, the stars are out and there’s an empty bench out there to witness it all. Can't we just sit out there, take it all in, and talk to each other?" He extended his hand to hers again to reconfirm their previous contract, eagerly anticipating her reply. With a smile on her face as she looked at him, she told him, "This is really not what they do back at the city. This is something else from tonight that I won't forget." As soon as she felt his hands on her calf, she couldn't help but enjoy his touch. He was so gentle and his hands so soft, not like a woman's of course but not as rough as most men out there. Feeling his hand moving against her leg felt right, but not tonight she wanted to take things slow with him considering now she knew a little bit about his past and how he used to treat woman. She desperately wanted to get to know him to see if he was the one this time or just another friend maybe, not like she had lots of those. While he was talking about the evening she sympathized with him and knew he was really truly sorry about how this whole evening planned out. His eyes were connected with hers once more, those eyes that were so touching and genuine the windows to his soul." This evening might now have been the greatest for us both, but it is still one of the best nights I have had in a very long time. Thank you for that, I won't ever forget this evening and as for my date that never showed up I am glad that he didn't as I got the opportunity to meet you." Their eyes were still locked with each other, her lips still giving him a small gentle smile while her eyes sparkled with joy from their encounter. She looked up at the sky and noticed all the start that were out, she never really took notice of them anymore. "I think we can do that, look at the stars and talk get to know each other a bit better than what we do and that would be a lot of talking considering we don't know each other at all really." She extended her hand to his to show that she accepts his offer and that it wasn't all just words. James smiled an undying grin to her racing on the grass to the back of the truck to retrieve the blanket, prancing back to the picnic table and spreading it across the slightly degraded, paint worn top. Sitting on the top with his boots on the bench, his hands folded on his lap as he watched her open her door and her long legs and bare feet extending to the grass. Her hands brushing down her shapely outlined hips pressing out the few wrinkled lines on her black cocktail dress. The starlight reflecting off the sheen of her long black hair, a slight girlish giggle as the blades of the cooled grass slipped between her toes. Her longish strides to reach him quickly. Her hand reaching his outreached gesture to welcome her aboard. Their entwined hands the only thing between their thighs rubbing. Her touch, so soft, His thumb slowly massaging her inner palm. They shared a silent greeting smile and then they both looked upward into, a cloudless, speckled with flickering lights, night sky." Beautiful isn’t it Lindsay? So wide open, yet peacefully quiet.” His head still upward. “ That’s everything I aspire to be. I know my past is to say the least checkered? I can’t change that, but I’ve changed. Furthermore, I don’t want that life anymore. Furthermore, I’m past that. Furthermore, I’m getting older I need to settle down now." He whispered Peacefully quiet, He turned to her, the closeness of her face, seeing what he was witnessing, his hand gently turning her cheek his way. The stars glistening in her eyes. His lips slowly drifted to hers touching them ever so lightly and then backing off only to peer back upward to the heavens and to ask her. What is it you want. What are you aspiring for Lindsay?” Lindsay watched him as he moved to get the blanket again and how gently he placed it back onto the table for them to sit on again. The way he moved was so peaceful, like he knew what he wanted and exactly how to do it as well. She enjoyed watching him move about. Once she got out of the car, feeling the cold wet grass in between her toes and feet she let out a small giggle. This reminded her of her childhood days, this really was a magical night to remember forever she thought to herself. Taking hold of his hand to sit next to him, their legs touching gently. She looked at him looking up at the stars, his eyes so mesmerizing from the glistening of the stars light in his eyes now and how much he was enjoying watching them as well. His words pierced her heart about wanting to settle down and how he had changed from this Casanova pretty boy to this wonderful man that was sitting right next to her. The touch of his hand on her cheek so soft and gentle and the kiss that he gave her was very personal and private something just for her, respecting her boundaries and her wishes from before. Lindsay liked the taste of his lips and the feel of them on hers, but she knows that she wants to get to know him better and see where this will lead to in time. After James asked her the question there was a bit of a silence before she answered thinking about how to tell him what her hopes and dreams are. Looking up at the beautiful stars she answered him finally, "Well the main thing I would like right now in my life is to find the right man, to settle down and to have a family. My job takes a lot out of me though, so I can't find that man to walk through life with. I guess also I put a lot into my work because I don't have anyone in my life and someone waiting for me when I get home." Lindsay carried on looking at the starts as she let out a sigh as she had never told anyone that before not even her friends. James didn’t say anything, gently squeezing her soft tender hand with a warm caress of his own, as she put out her wish to the many scattered stars above. Staring into her face. Her eyes shut lightly as she whispered her dream life The black gown clinging to her body tightly from the dampness. Her bronze colored arms extending down to her lap clenching the hem of her dress, bare knees trembling and her toes curling inward. Long twisted locks of hair as dark as the night, resting lightly on her shoulders, Her chin upward baring her strong cheek bones and tenseness in her neck. He thought to himself how close he had come to, as all the band members would say getting to know her a little better. But hearing her now she probably would have come to her senses, she clearly wasn't like that, she wasn't that kind of girl, and it would have never got past a little bit of fuel induced cuddling. James wanted to stand before this woman on this given night and express to her that he could be that man. He could be the one for her to come home to. And he would have had it not been for the act he just bestowed upon her, on this very table. Now that she was well aware of his past, he knew she wouldn’t or couldn’t believe him. But in time he could prove it to her… If she was willing to give him the chance. For now all he could do was adorn her beautiful body glistening in the starlight.“ A family, yeah, that would be nice. Maybe I could come to your gym and you tone me up some? The only exercise I get is lugging around my equipment, hopefully I’m done with that for now. I really like it down there at Marsha’s place and I would love to see you again Lindsay. I could use a good woman, someone like you, to keep me in line, y'know out of trouble.” feeling his hand on hers, gave her a sense of belonging and reassurance she didn't really know why but his mere presence and touch calmed her down. Almost like she had known him for more than just a few hours, like she can tell him anything. She had never had that kind of connection with anyone before. She moved her head to face him when he mentioned a family, seeing his eyes that he was really genuine about that. "Why have you never been married? I know it might seem a stupid question and I know you have been on tour. But surely you must have met someone special along the way? I would love that, not like you need a lot of toning up to do. I mean look at you, that equipment you carry around is heavy, I noticed that this evening. You wouldn't need a lot of work but just enough so that your muscles won't get stiff." Lindsay told him with a smile." And keeping you out of trouble, well I can maybe try, but you are a big boy now I am sure you can do that all on your own." She started to laugh after that, grabbing his hand a little tighter now giving it a little squeeze. James couldn’t hold it back with out letting a loud snicker. ”Married? Me? Surely you jest? Nah, I didn’t have time for that back then. There was just too much going on in my life, with the music and all. No, No one special, I’ve never been married. Not even close.” He didn’t want to look at her for this next part, so he stared back to the starry night across the pond.” In fact, truth be told, I ‘ve never seen the same girl twice." A slight pause in his actions as he had fond memories." Well, there was this one girl, Roma, who always seemed to corner me somehow or another whenever we played their town, but other than that, no.” He stared down to his left bicep, tightening it just enough to see a bulge, with her more than polite comments of his well-to-do physique not needing a whole lots of work. James placed his arm around Lindsay’s neck, scrunching their shoulders together, his hand gripping her left shoulder and tugging her even closer, providing her warmth and security in this new relationship being born. “I think everything is going to work out just fine with us Ms. Lindsay Danielle. We’ll just take it nice and slow okay? Look how beautiful the night is turning out to be after a turbulent start. The water smooth and serene now the storm has passed and the calmness slipping in." James looked into the sparkle of her eyes. "Shall I take you home now or would you care to sit here and watch the morning break over the horizon with me.?" Lindsay looked at him as he spoke, she noticed that there was some regret in his face, eyes and his voice when he mentioned not seeing the same girl twice. She hoped that he wasn't going to do the same with her, but only time will tell I guess. She gave him a slight smile and told him, "I am surprised though, I mean you are a nice sweet guy a real gentleman if you really want to be. I should have kind of known that you were never married considering everything that has already happened, but just thought as well that there might have been a special person on the way that caught your eye." She paused for a while before she carried on, "I suppose to a point all the girls you have been with caught your eye one way or another, or you wouldn't have slept with them or was it just for the fun of it or because you were lonely?" She wasn't sure if she should have said that last part. "Look before you say anything I am sorry, I just want to kind of know why you did it I suppose." She trailed off into the night sky, she couldn't bare to look at him after that she felt so bad. He was kind of hurting already as it was, and she kept on bringing the subject up and making him hurt even more. She didn't want to hurt him, she just wanted clarity of it all just in case he was the one and all of it would haunt her one day with all these questions so maybe it's a good thing to get it all out in the open now instead of later when he really did mean something to her. Lindsay couldn't help but notice him bulge his muscle, she wanted to feel how hard it was, but she decided not to. The look was good enough for now she thought. She giggled at his gesture. "You see you don't need a lot of work. I think this will also be a great start to a great friendship. We don't know where this will lead to, but I am sure glad to have you as a friend for now." She blushed under the moon light showing just a little that she did like him. "I am glad we are going to take things slow. She leaned in against his chest answering his question without words about watching the morning break with him. She felt so safe in his arms and with the morning starting soon she couldn't have asked for a better way to end an amazing night no matter how rocky it may have started. Her embrace was so touching, his arm encompassing her sleek waist over shadowing her arm and theirs hands clenched together resting on her thigh. . His chin resting on the crown of her pillow soft, dark hair, her head nuzzled to his chest, feeling her warm exhaled breath seeping between the open crevices of his shirt. He just lounged there wrapped in Lindsay’s comfort thinking of an honest answer. A plausible answer to her question of“ Why? Why so many girls.? “No it’s okay Lindsay really. Trust me I wasn’t by any means lonely, at least I didn’t think so. Hell I had a girl under each arm. No, It was anything but lonely. James tried to be brutally truthful to start this friendship off right he had to be, or it would crumble eventually. “And I didn’t sleep with ALL of them, some were just trophy girls, ya’know for pictures and things. You know how groupies are they just want to hang around with the band when we’re not playing. After show parties could tend to get a little on the wild side.”“ Lindsay that’s all in my past now. I don’t want to do that no more. I just want to settle down and live easy now. But it doesn’t seem to matter where I go around here there’s always at least one.” He paused as her restful head slowly lifted after that least one comment and became more seriously attentive." Don't be angry just yet now. This has to come out" He looked gently into her eyes pleading his case. “ I was young Lindsay and you know all these women ‘round here hell I . You are friends with Julie Ponds did you go to school here at Mission High too? I went to school with a bunch of them. We played school parties which is where I met up with most em? Some of them now may even be members of your gym. Most of em’s all married now and moved away or have families and such.” He couldn’t help but think of the few that had moved away still continued to stalk him with letters and text messages. The one lady was so bad that he nearly had to get a restraining order to keep her from trespassing from wherever he happened to be at the time. The local women who remember him .usually just give a pleasant wink over their husbands shoulder and go on about their business. He wondered if Lindsay would be able to cope with things like that emerge from his past without notice. He couldn’t tell her he’d been with about 40% of the women in his graduating class, but she had to know a few of the remaining20% of them still living here locally, and they were bound to run into one or several of them if they were to be a couple eventually. “You could. I mean you’d understand if one of them women just kind’a smiled or winked my way. He mimicked her grimaced frown. Her look was not menacing or spiteful but still being attentive enough to scare him. “Ohh I wouldn’t do anything with me now days but, .You're not like EXTREMELY jealous or nothing are you?” You know the kind to beat someone up for flirting with your man?" He looked at her questionable look. " Or beat up your man for some woman flirtin' with him?" The look in his eye told her that he was being completely honest with her, and she could tell that it wasn't easy for him to come out and tell her all of this. He didn't want to hurt her or for her to be angry with him." I am glad that you didn't do it because you were lonely, but I guess I kind of know why you did it as well. I know it was a long time ago, and I believe you when you say that isn't who you are anymore or not trying to be anymore. We all did some crazy things when we are young, I am not so innocent either, maybe I didn't do complete crazy out of control things, but we all did some things and that is how we learn and grow." She took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze of reassurance, "I did go to that school, but I didn't go to any of the parties. With my dad gone when I was so young and my mom working, I piratically had to take care of myself, so parties were out of the question. I heard about it of course from my so-called friends, so I have a fair picture of what can go on their, it is not just boys who kiss and tell you know." She started to laugh at her comment." I really appreciate your honesty and I wanted to know now before I see any of the winking and flirting going on. To answer your question, honestly at first I think it will bother me a little, but at least I know why they will do it. I won't have this voice at the back of my head thinking all crazy things you know what I mean? Maybe in time when they all see and realize that you have truly moved on and that you are not the same person anymore, maybe they will stop with the whole flirtation and carry on with their life like you have done with yours." Her voice soft, a little touch of concern in her voice as well. Not for herself but for him, can't be easy to try and find a girl or meet the right one in the type of situation that he is under and all because of his past. James was pleased to hear that she had an understanding nature about her. But with all the lies that women told him over the years, he knew there was a massive difference is saying one thing and doing another. But again she wasn’t anything like anyone he had previously been with. Yes I have moved on. At least I’m trying to. Put the past in the past.” The small talk and little teasings of compliments went back and forth as they sat there on that old picnic bench. Each seeming to be in their own little worlds at times only to be drawn back to the presence with a warming grip. The dark horizon went pink and then started to change to a light hue of blue as the moon faded, and the sun made its way through.“ What a lovely night. I can't thank you enough for allowing me to share it with you Lindsay. I don’t have any gigs at the Cauldron till Monday night, but I still have plenty of unpacking to do yet, in my new apartment across the street from there. Do you have to work at the gym or train today? I’m sorry that I kept you out all night, but I would do it again and again if you so would allow me. I could cook you breakfast, I can cook you know? Furthermore, I just don’t have anyone to cook for that’s special.” His hand pushed her hair back from her face again. “ I think I found that someone I want to cook for now.” As Lindsay watched the sun come up, it was the most beautiful site she had ever seen. She never said it, but this was the first time that she actually watched the sun come up. She was kind of a hopeless romantic and wanted to share a beautiful sight like this with someone special. Furthermore, she wasn't sure if he was the one as yet, but she certainly hoped that he was." Thank you, I had the most amazing night ever with you, and I am glad to have shared this with you as well. It is breathtaking. I have a class this afternoon only, and it would be lovely to share breakfast with you and to see if you really are as good as a cook as you say." She said smiling at him. "I enjoy our time together, but I do need to get home before my classes though so I can shower and change." “ Then your chariot awaits you, my dear.” James quietly extended his hand to guide her stunning presence, back to the passengers side of the truck, not releasing her hand until she was comfortably inside, folding the blanket over his arm and tucking it behind her seat. The conversation remained casual as she provided him directions to her housing complex which was just on the outskirts of town. He wouldn’t allow her time to even open the truck door on his own as he raced around it and allowed her to step out. Even though they had sat out in the weathered environment all night she was just as stunning standing there next to his truck door as she was when he met her at the Cauldron the previous evening. The little spattered mud spots had caked up in the cool night air and apparently fallen off leaving no scars on her black cocktail dress. Her long legs extending to the pavement as her feet shuffled nervously in the fashionable heels. Shaking out the lengths of her hair and her smiling face glistening in the oncoming beams from the sunrise peeking through, even more visible with each passing minute. It was almost like time stopped. Neither could say nor do much as they stood there just yards away from her door.“Well Ms Danielle, It has been one hell of a night. You have my number now. I would love to see you again. He kissed her ever so lightly, but he lingered next to her taking in that last breath of her freshness. I won't leave the side of my phone until I hear from you. I will wait forever if I have to.” "You are a real gentleman my dear." As she was walked towards the door for her to get in. The conversation was free flowing all the way to her house, nothing was forced out it all came so naturally. When she tried to open her door, she noticed how quickly he raced to her side to open it before she could. He still looked as handsome as he did the night before, she didn't really want to leave his side, but she knew that she had to get ready to start her day." It was indeed a great night, thank you once again. I will give you a call later I promise" With that she gave him a kiss on the cheek. James thought to himself as he watched her turn to her residence doorway. Up the manicured walkway not a blade of grass or crack in the cemented pathway. The rather small front yard as if it were clipped with shears, even the mulch of the azaleas seemed to be hand placed. Just a simple kiss, seemingly the way it always ended on the road of his well traveled past, never to see them again. This one felt different it was as if saying hello rather than goodbye. He watched as she shuffled, her black dress swinging with her sway. A quick glance over her shoulder before disappearing behind the closing of the door. James drove the short distance of less than 3 miles back to his new apartment, parking the Silver Tundra in his designated parking spot behind the building this time. He spent most of the day unpacking box after box of kitchen utensils. Not trusting the shallow ringtone, each hour he would check his cell phone for messages to see if she had called. It was now late Saturday evening and his cabinets and dressers were full and the floor full of broken down, discarded empty boxes throughout his apartment. He would walk out on his small patio and peer across towards the Cauldron. Noticing the small amount of patrons as they entered and exited under the awning. Checking his phone again to make sure it was charged or looking for any reasoning causing him to somehow miss her call. He needed to displace his mind from the thought that Lindsay was just another ship passing in the night, a one-time thing. Once Lindsay got inside she sighed, because for some strange reason she missed him. She walked towards her bedroom. Painted white walls and floral bedsheets on her bed. She made her way to her cupboard and took out her sweatpants and an exercise shirt. She spent a few minutes in the shower and had a quick bite on a slice of bread with orange juice before heading to work. She had a few clients and when she thought she was free she wanted to give him a call, but she kept on being interrupted by staff members and some new potential clients. Furthermore, she looked around now and again thinking that maybe he will just show up, but that never happened. He was unpacking after all she thought to herself. Once she got home she taken a quick shower and lay on her bed and called him. James carried all the flattened cardboard boxes down the stairs and put them in the back parking lot dumpster. He meandered back upstairs and checked his phone briefly for any sign of life and then placed the cellular egg back on the counter and started moving small knick-knacks around from shelf to shelf. Then he swept out the whole apartment. Finally happy with it, not to be ashamed of any visitors, especially one, he just collapsed on the sofa. Staring back to the counter, his eyelids getting heavy. Going over excuse after excuse of why she hasn’t called him yet. He asked himself. “She couldn’t be working this late… On a Saturday. Could she?” His hands tapping on his knees nervously still not taking his eyes off the phone. He nodded off slightly and heard the sound of a faint alarm and the buzzing of his phone as it vibrated on the laminated countertop. He could hear it plainly, but his dozing state wouldn’t let him react to it. Finally, his eyes popped open, and he realized it was his phone, and it was ringing. Someone was trying to get hold of him. He bounded off the couch and grabbed the phone, flipping it open so quick he dropped it on the floor. He grabbed it in a quick snatch.“Hello? Hello… Lindsay.? “ A staggered recorded voice tape played to him.“Hello, Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in a…” James looked at the caller ID, and it was just one of those 888 numbers. He hollered into the speaker. “ I don’t want to parties… Quit calling me!! “ He closed the phone, and it immediately rang again. Disgruntled and not thinking clearly, he yelled into the phone.“STOP CALLING ME! TAKE ME OFF YOUR DIALING LIST. I’M NOT INTERESTED IN ANYTHING YOU HAVE.” He didn’t hang up. This time he listened. There was no recording going on and if he had bothered to look, this wasn’t an 888 number this time. It was a local number. As soon as James answered the phone and yelled at her, she wasn't sure if she should hang up or speak to him. She was silence for a few seconds,"Hi It is me Lindsay, look if you don't want me to call you then fine. I won't bother you again." He voices crackling a bit from tears starting to form in her eyes. How stupid could she have been, she thought that he was different and that last night he was telling her the truth. Just because he didn't get what he wanted out of me last night doesn't mean he has to be a jerk. She thought, how can I be so naive? After last night how can he just talk to me like that? She didn't even know what she was waiting for, but she still had the phone by her ear instead of just slamming it down. James freaked out when he heard the female voice. It wasn’t a recording, it was Lindsay. How could he be so stupid. “ No, no, no, Lindsay listen. Please don’t hang up. I didn’t know it was you. God, I’m so sorry, It wasn’t meant. I didn’t know it was you Lindsay.” He looked into his phone for forgiveness. “ I thought it was another one of them tell-product calls, they have been calling me all day. I’m sorry are you still there? I swear it wasn’t meant to be you. Jesus I feel like an idiot. I have been sitting here waiting for you to call. I didn’t really know if you were going to call me or not.” He knew she was still there on the other end, he could hear her breathing. He pictured in her in his mind. Standing there, he was mentally dressing her in anything from a bath towel to one of her hot sweaty workout suits holding her phone to her ear with a so-so look on her face, her eyes rolling in her head as he blatantly tries to correct the misunderstanding. When he realized she was still hanging on he leaned back on his couch and tried to coax her to forgive him again. This turn-around in his lifestyle wasn’t working our real good to start with. “ Lindsay please forgive me… Again. I know we got off to a rocky start, but then it turned good . Real good for me. You have to see some good in me or. Or you wouldn’t have called. I think we could have something ya’ know special, we kinda like the same things." He laid back further on the couch his feet hanging over the arm rest.“Remember all them things we talked about last night? There was something there Lindsay. You felt it just like I did . Maybe it’s better if I just keep my mouth shut.” a small giggle releasing the tense moments.”. Unless I’m singing to you. Then I won't get in any more trouble. What d’ya say?” Lindsay listened to him talk and try and explain the situation, she wasn't really sure if she should believe him or not. He started to talk about the previous night that they had spent together, and he was right after a rocky start things ended off perfectly after all and besides she did tell him that they will be friends and take things slow and get to know each other better first before jumping into anything, but then why this unnerving feeling she was having? Lindsay sighed into the phone, "You know you are right, and it was just I tried to call you and your phone was engaged and when you finally answered, well you know. I am sorry if I overreacted, I guess we just need more time so we can build trust, it doesn't happen overnight. To be honest I was very nervous to call you, but I am glad that I did." She stopped and paused for a second, thinking of his singing." You know I wouldn't mind if you sing as long as it was for me, you do have a wonderful voice. Are you finished unpacking your boxes as yet?" Lindsay likes hearing his voice, she didn't really know what it was about him, but she was drawn to him. “Sing for you?..Yeah, I can do that.” James drifted a thousand songs in his head for her . For Lindsay. “ I’m done with what I wanted to do. I really didn’t have that many things just lots of knick-knacks and kitchenware mostly.” James sat up on the couch instantly. You know Lindsay, you’re right we need more time… Together. It’s Saturday night, I don’t have any plans for the evening, do you? Would you like to go see a movie or go dancing or something? James is up off he couches now pirouetting with an invisible dance partner still holding the phone firmly to his ear. Thinking again how lovely it would be to have this elegant, single woman in his arms again.“What d’ya say Lindsay. A date?” He was afraid if he allowed her a word in until he finally convinced her that this would be a different beginning than the debacle of the previous night where his loins were making all the decisions instead of his brain, that she could make a hasty decision to spend the night alone, by herself." I can jump in the shower and get dressed and pick you in about 45 minutes or so. Is that enough time? ""Tell you what you Lindsay, surprise me . You decide what you want to do tonight, and we’ll do it. What ever, Anything you want. Okay? Okay Lindsay, Please say yes.” James was out of breath and thought it would be a good time to hear her answer. He pulled the phone away for a brief second and clasped his hands for a quick make-shift prayer to man up above to make her say yes. Lindsay carried on sitting on her bed listening to every single word and question he had for her. She wasn't sure if it would be a good idea, but they did have to spend more time together in order to know each other a lot better." Well I like the whole dancing idea. But I do hope that it will be a place where we can also just sit down and talk and not just dance the whole night away." She gestured to him over the phone. She took a quick look at herself in the mirror and noticed that she would have to shower and get ready as well..." That would be more than enough time for me to get ready." She told him a bit excitedly, she hoped he didn't think she was to overexcited about this he might just get the wrong impression and idea about tonight. James was smiling like a little boy on Christmas morning as she obliged his request.“ Sure . We can dance, talk. Whatever you feel like. You get yourself all prettied up, and I’ll pick you up in just a few minutes.” He was so excited he didn’t even say Goodbye, I love you or anything. He jumped in the shower and washed his hair and brushed his teeth, gargled a little mouth wash and hastily dried himself off. Furthermore, he put on his nice black jeans and a light blue short-sleeved cotton shirt, broke out his Rockport dark bronze colored track shoes, and headed down to his truck. When he started it up is when he noticed the envelope under his wiper blade. It was nothing new to him, but he thought she would leave him alone, forgotten about him by now, and how did she know where he was staying? “Damn it! “ He reached out his window and pulled the envelope ripping it open to read. HI PRETTY BOY I SAW YOU WITH YOUR NEW GF, SHE'S PRETTY NOODLES SHE IS LIKE THREESOMES.WE COULD ALL HAVE SOME FUN LIKE WE USED TO. REMEMBER HOW WE DID IN GRENVILLE . I SURE DO . I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE THAT BIG COCK BACK INSIDE ME AGAIN.CALL ME318-643 -4909 DON’T MAKE ME CHASE YOU DOWN AGAIN. James crumpled stuffed the note back in the envelope and shoved it over the visor in the passenger seat. “ That crazy stalking bitch. How the hell did she find me again. Glenville? I haven't been there since . Since? Jesus it's been 5 yrs ago at least" He pounded the steering wheel and then realized the second point. “ And just how the hell did she see me with Lindsey.” He then got paranoid and began looking frantically to the left and right of his parking area. Even as he drove towards Lindsey’s place he scanned and spied every occupant of every vehicle that was near him, behind him or even crossing in front of him. After he hangs up she stared down at her phone for a while with a huge goofy smile on her face. After a few minutes she snapped out of it and quickly headed towards the shower and shaved and washed her hair, she wrapped a towel over her body and brushed her teeth. She moved towards the closet now and had a long look at to what exactly she was going to wear that evening. Then she found it the perfect dress... A white dress, it tied around her neck and went all the way down to the floor. It had a long slit in the middle of it that reached just above the knee. She wore her white heels with it that had a bit of a sparkle to it. Once she was stressed she put on a little bit of make up she liked the natural look and natural beauty. She was done in record time, and she knew that he would be their in any second so she quickly brushed her hair and left it loose as it was still a bit wet from washing it and sprayed some perfume on. She started to get butterflies in her stomach now as she knew that he would be their soon, and she so enjoyed his company, and yet he kind of made her nervous but in a good way. James pulled his truck up over the curb by the mailbox in front of the modular apartment complex. He admired the identical landscapes of each complex with their perfectly manicured bushes and the bright green grass all cut, so evenly a barber would have been impressed. Still paranoid of the letter he glanced over his shoulder and checked his rearview repeatedly. Dodging his head to and fro to see if he could catch a glimpse of his stalker. He started to grab the envelope from the passenger’s visor and place it in the glove box or discard it somewhere. His thought was abruptly interrupted, and he forgot completely about it as he noticed Lindsay gallantly sash haying down the short walkway to his truck. Her finish brown eyes extruding from around her perfect face. Her long black hair still slightly damp almost a natural braid down her right shoulder. Furthermore, her long white gown with the slit allowing a shimmer of her matching heels. He was mesmerized by her beauty. So mesmerized he watched in slow motion as she made her way down the walkway extending her hand out to him. But it wasn’t to him, it was to his door handle. He blundered himself halfway across the seat reaching the handle to open it before she could. James ended up nearly falling out the door head first before he caught himself. Her soft hand reaching under his chin holding it up only to smirk and a quiet giggle. James up-righted himself in his seat brushing invisible creases from his shirt and pants. He watched as she mounted into his truck one leg at a time, The slit was perfectly placed in her gown to peak any men interest and was currently stifling any thoughts that James had. He tried to regain his composure and not drool at this gorgeous woman beside him.“You are beautiful tonight Lindsay. I mean your always beautiful .but especially tonight.” His words were mixed. There was something special about this particular lady, he was never short on words or missed chords, but she seemed to override that common reflex he thought he owned. It was either a blessing or a curse. He placed her palm in his hand, holding it gently and asked “Where would you like to go tonight my dear?” Before she could entertain the gentleman's request. The envelope slipped from the visor onto her lap and the evil gods were out in full force tonight as the contents slipped out and creased open just enough to warrant her curiosity. She read it very hastily before handing it to him and her eyes now concerned and puzzled. How could the Gods be so cruel as to ruin his second evening before it even got started. James took a long deep breath awaiting her reaction “It’s not what you think . Its some crazy bit.woman that is stalking me . I haven’t seen her in over 5 years and .and it was just a one-nighter .after the show. I swear . I don’t know who she is or how she found me. Please believe me Lindsay. “ As Lindsay walked towards the truck, her heart started beating way faster than usual, her palms started to sweat a bit from her nerves and the anticipation of seeing him again. She noticed him looking over his shoulder with a bit of concern on his face, she brushed it off as she thought that it was for the same reason for her feeling the way she was. As she got to the door, she giggled as he started to open the door for her in such a hurry that he almost went all the way out the door. She climbed in and noticed how handsome he was and how welcoming his eyes were. He made her feel very comfortable in a matter of seconds, but with her heart still racing. She read the letter, and it felt like her heart just broke in two, she listened to what he had to say. After the first night and now this, maybe it just wasn't meant to be. "Look, I know you have a history with a few women and I know that to a point they will always be a part of your life. I just don't know if we are meant to be, I mean our first date didn't go very well and this one isn't starting off so great either, maybe it's a sign that we were not meant to be together." She sighed and looked away from him with tears in her eyes. She cleared her throat before carrying on, "But you know the deal was that we are friends and that we are going to know each other better, and so we are out tonight as friends and nothing more, so this whole thing with the letter and whoever she is, is not really my business." James knew by the tone of her voice this was going to be tough, even the calm response about just being friends and let's make it a night seemed like a cop out to him. She was just trying to be the grown-up here amongst all the childish things that kept reappearing. She was still in the truck, she hadn’t physically abandoned him yet, mentally deep in her heart was a totally different story. He had managed to crush this beautiful woman’s heart twice now in two days. Yeah, she was still in the truck, but she couldn’t even bare to look at him once she had her say. She just sat there scrunched up in the corner of the cab.“Lindsay, you have to believe me. I don’t know who this person is, she has been stalking me for months.leaving little notes on my windshield. That phone number at the bottom is fake it doesn’t belong to anyone.” “Lindsay?” She nodded her head nervously, but she still wouldn’t look his way. He leaned into this gorgeous angel in white, and she cowered away even further. James stared at her blankly and quickly reached across and grabbed her trembling head with both his hands, his fingers entwined in her darkened, still damp hair turning her head to face him. Her deep brown eyes tearing slightly down her cheek.“ I’ll make this all go away Lindsay.” He could see she wanted to believe him, but her heart had been weakened. He had no choice anymore. Furthermore, he pulled her to him, and before she could resist he kissed her lips over and over not allowing her to speak just yet. Furthermore, he would have allowed her to pull away if she wanted, but if that was her plan it was a very slow moving plan. As his hands went to her shoulders, hers started caressing him instead of pushing him away, and it went into a very emotional passionate long kiss. Maybe this was something they both needed at this very moment. When the kiss finally ended. James grabbed her hands and whispered something to her that had never crossed his lips before.” I think I have fallen in love with you Lindsay Danielle” There was an inner shock like an electric charge passing through his body, to finally announce out loud a commitment to one special woman and an immediate quiet to follow. Complete silence between the two of them as their eyes remained locked, and he felt the softness of her thumbs stroking the back of his palms. This could mean either she is consoling him before she adamantly dumps him or that she is seeing how much in his heart he is truly exposing his hidden soul to her. Lindsay listened to every word he had to say, but she couldn't just shrug it off. She knew his history, and she knew that tings like this would happen eventually, but she also knew that they didn't know each other that well as yet to totally trust him with every part of her being." Look you don't need to explain anything to me, we are friends that are getting to know one another. And I understand that you will probably get this kind of letters no need to explain really. Let's just try and enjoy the rest of this evening what is left of it anyway." She still looked down not being able to face him as yet. She looked deep into his eyes, those eyes that so much pleading with her to believe him. Once his lips touched hers, everything around her started just melting away. She started to relax her shoulders and moved her hands around him as the kiss deepened and became more passionate than what she could have ever hoped for. From that kiss she knew he was telling her the truth, but could she handle all the other's that might come their way? Once those words escaped his lips, she didn't know what to say to him. She sat there for a while just looking at him. After a few minutes that felt like eternity for her, she finally said, "I think I am falling for you as well, you make me feel like no person has ever made me feel. I just don't know if I can go through all this disappointment or your past coming up every time we are together. I would love to be with you and give this a try, all I ask from you is your complete honesty." James stared at her, this wonderful forgiving woman that wanted to be with him for more than just a one-night stand. His sincerity pouring from his eyes to hers. “Lindsay I have been more honest with you than I have been with myself for many a year, and I will continue to be, no matter how bad. I will tell you the straight-up gospel truth.” He continued on "I can't predict the future and certainly can’t say who will or won't just show up out of my past. It was selfish on my part, some of the things I did. I didn’t know what love was or what I wanted back then." He touched her soft hand,“ Now I do. I know what I want, what I yearn to cherish, it's you. It’s you Lindsay Danielle. Your what I want now. James looked as she seemed to be a little more at ease, but her posture was still in defensive mode. Sitting there in a white, her quaint but polite smile crossing her lips. Her torso twisted just enough away from him to allow the long slit to expose her naked thigh.“You’re an angel. Lindsay. God sent me an angel to straighten my ways.” She really hoped that he was telling the truth about being completely honest from now on. Finding out this way just didn't feel right especially when they want to have a relationship together. "Well I hope so, I don't want to find out this way if there is something or someone from the past rather tell me than try to keep it away from me. The truth always comes out, and I don't want to find out from another person or from a note like tonight." The touch of his hand reassured her even more of his sweet words, he made her feel so comfortable. She was falling for him and falling for him hard. Did he know, can he see it in her eyes? She didn't want him to hurt her, but yet she had to give him a chance she has never felt this way. Even though she has only known him for a few days, it feels like she has known him all her life when it's just them two nobody else no drama, no pain." Can we put this behind us?" She asked, wanting to get over this dreary subject and making this night into a magical and unforgettable evening like they had before. “Yes, yes we can. Let’s go and have a good time.” He smiled to her and placed his hands on the wheel and off they went. He wouldn’t tell her where they were going, he wanted to surprise her. It was idle chit-chat for the most part as they drove back through town. The streets were rather busy it being the brink of a Saturday night. James looked over at his date. “ Have I told you how beautiful you are. Ms. Danielle. You’re going to be the prettiest one on the dance floor tonight." As they exited the other edge of town, he drove across the Cannon bridge. It was a low level two lane bridge only about thirty feet from the crest, it crossed a portion of the river where only smaller boats could go. It was about a ½ mile long. Furthermore, it did allow a clear view of the landscape as well as you could see the lights of town they just passed through. Furthermore, it was a calm night. A half crested moon with dancing stars clearly visible in the night air. “It’s a gorgeous night isn’t it Lindsey? Makes you just want to dance under the stars and that’s exactly what we’re going to do."" Have you ever had the pleasure to dance on the deck at the River Moon Club? It’s a very private membership club. I’m not a member, but I have done some gigs for the owner Jarod, and he told me I would be welcome anytime. They have a deck that goes out 22 yards over the river. That’s a lot of dance floor honey, and we’re going to dance every foot of it. How’s that sound?”

Your Song {Steele and Wildfire}|rating:3.0

A Secret Godmother (Foxxy_Mama and Lawless)

Foxy:Abby ran up to the school for witches and wizards. She wasn't in her human form she was in her cute fox form. Once she hit the doors of Hogwarts she changed back into her human form. Remus was running to keep up with her and walked into the school towards the Great Hall where all the students were. She burst open the doors to the Great Hall and walked in." You shouldn't have done that." Remus says softly to her." Bite me, Moon." She says as she walks in wearing a pair of black pants with a black lacy top and her black clock to go with her figure. "For the last time, Albus. He has to know." She barked at the old headmaster. She walks more into the Great Hall and stops as she turns to Harry Potter." No, you'll be defining my orders." Albus says to her which made her turn to look at him." Bla..." She was cut off as she was tackled down onto the floor by Remus Lupin." He said no." Remus says in her ear. Lawless:Draco was currently hiding behind a wall, listening in on the whole conversation. He had been stalking Albus so he could try to poison him, but it wasn't as easy as he thought it might have been. He was currently wearing his jeans and a black shirt. On his shirt was a 'Prefect' pin, so he wouldn't get in trouble for being out late. Harry Potter was walking down the hall, when he heard some commotion. He was under his invisibility cloak, of course. Soon he walked into the room he heard the commotion, and stared at them. Professor Shape was there too. "I do not think this is something we need to trouble him with." Shape said. "After all... Potter is still just a boy... he needs his sleep... plus, Abby, this will put you in danger." Foxxy:"Get off me." She says to Remus which he did get off her and helped her up off the floor." I'm sorry, Darling, but it had to be done." He says to her softly." Listen here, Grease controlling freak." She says to Shape as she points her lovely finger at him. "He's my Godson, and he has the right to know. That's what Virus would want. That's what James would want!" She yelled the last part out to him as she slips her wand out and blast him into the wall. "I was always better than you Shape." She says to him. Lawless:Shape held his wand out and deflected her spell to the opposite side. "You forget that I have changed, my dear." He said. He then looked at Dumbledore. "Sir. If you can't contain her, I will have to call on the Aurora." He said. "She is breaking and entering into the school." Harry was shocked at this point. He soon threw the invisibility cloak off. "WHAT?! SIRIUS HAD A WIFE?!" He asked, shocked. Foxxy:She turned around and looked at Harry. "Aye, he has and always will have a wife who loves and cares for him." She says to him softly. "And your forgetting Grease Ball, I am an Aurora." She barks at him before walking over to Harry. "Hello Harry, I'm your Godmother Abigail, but you can call me Abby." She says to him softly. Remus shook his head as he watched her. "Got to admit, she's good." He says to Albus." Aye, she is a bright one just like Lily Potter." Albus says to him." There's a lot to explain, but it's not important right now. I see you have your father's cloak." She says and smiles at him. "Your father use to take me out in the middle of the night just to get me something to eat when I didn't eat in the Great Hall." She says softly. "Good times very good times." She says under her breath. Lawless:Severus sneered. "If you say so." He said to Remus. "She's very smart... bragging about being an Aurora, making it sound like the other Aurora will do nothing to her... great way to keep your job." With that, Shape left. He was headed straight for his fireplace to speak with Lucius Malfoy. Draco Malfoy just watched on. He was slightly confused. Harry tilted his head. "Um..." He blinked. "This is pretty random..." He said. He looked at Remus. "So why wasn't I told? Why didn't I meet her? How did her and Sirius speak when she was in prison? Why wasn't she at the headquarters last year? Is she part of the Order?" Foxxy:She smiles as she looks at Remus. "I don't think he has the answers to your questions, but I do." She says as she turns back to him. "Here, have a seat." She says to him softly as she sat on the table. "Your weren't told because we were all keeping it a secret because of the Dark Lord, I was on the run back when You were a baby, and I was busy keeping everyone off my trail that's why you didn't meet me. I spoke with Sirius when he was in prison in a very sneaky way which I can't reveal to anyone." She says to him and winks at him softly. "The reason whey I wasn't at Headquarters last year was because I was being interrogated by the Ministry of Magic. And finally, Yes I am in the Order. Like it or not." She says to him softly." Well that sums it all up." Remus says softly as he goes and sits next to Abby. "Harry, no one must know. Only the ones in the Order knows who she really is. She keeps her mother's maiden name because she doesn't like her father and she didn't take Sirius' last name because of war reasons." He explains softly." That's enough, Harry go back to your dorm and go back to sleep. Abigail, back to the Ministry of Magic." Albus says to them softly." As long as Harry needs me I will always be there for him." She says to him. "If you need me just call me through this." She says as she pulls out a two-way mirror that was similar to the one Sirius gave him. "I always keep it on me, at least mine. "Doesn't matter what you want, Harry. If you need anything answered just call upon me. If I don't answer It's because the Minister is near me." She says to him and hugs him softly. "I must go now, but I would like to talk to you tomorrow near the lake here on the grounds." She says in Harry's ear so only where he could hear her. Lawless:Harry nodded, and then he went back to his room. He didn't see Malfoy, but Malfoy had taken in everything... Malfoy had quite a sick grin on his face. Malfoy soon went back to his dorm. Snape passed by Malfoy and stopped him. "What were you doing out...?" Foxxy:She smiles softly at how Harry actually listen. "James wouldn't of listen." She says softly at the memory. "Let's go Moon, after getting Shape a few lessons." Then she grinned at her own thought. "Tomorrow it can wait." She says softly to Remus." Hate when you get ideas like that." He says softly as they walk out of Hogwarts." I know." She says to him and disappeared on the spot and reappears at her place. "Harry Potter at Hogwarts." She says to the mirror. "Harry are you there?" She asked softly as she curled up in her favorite chair in her living room. Lawless:Harry nodded, and he pulled out the mirror. He was currently in his bed. "Yea?" He asked, and looked in a mirror. He could see her face, and had to admit... she was very attractive. Furthermore, he could see what Sirius saw in her. She could see that he was only wearing his boxers because he was just ready for bed. Foxxy:She smiles at him softly. "I'll be paying you a visit tomorrow. What time is your Potion class?" She asked him softly. Lawless:"Three PM." He said, and then scratched his head. "By the way... you should know that Shape has been talking to quite a few Ministry of Magic people." Foxxy:She smiles at Harry. "Don't worry, Harry. I'll handle it all." She says to him softly. "Let's just say I know how to blackmail the Minister." She says to him softly with that same smile upon her lip. She softly held the mirror up and takes off her cloak off one shower. Furthermore, she than held the mirror in her other hand and takes off her cloak on her other shoulder. "I'll deal with that in the morning." She says to him softly. "I'll see you in potion class." She says to him softly. "Unless there's more questions you would like to ask?" Lawless:"Why did you make a point to meet me?" He asked her, and then watched her and soon his eyes glanced up. "Gotta go. Someone walked in." He said, and put the mirror under his pillow. He pulled the cover over himself, and rolled over, pretending to be asleep. Foxxy:"Because I care." She says, She smiles and got up, went to her room. Furthermore, she climbed into bed and went to bed. Furthermore, she got up early in the morning and went to work. Furthermore, she had worked till 2pm and headed off towards Hogwarts. Furthermore, she had chatted with Hagrid the gamekeeper before heading off to go meet Harry in his potion class. Lawless:When the time came, Harry was up and by three he was in Potions Class. He was quite pleased with not having to deal with Shape anymore. He sighed and leaned back, putting his hands over his head, and watched the professor. This book is brilliant... He thought. Foxxy:She was smiling as she walks into Shape's classroom. "Ah, there you are Harry. I was looking all over for you." She says out loud while interrupting the lesson. She stood behind him and wrapped her arms around him, kisses him on the cheek. "What do you say we go to Hogs Head?" She asked him softly and looked up at Shape, giving him a dirty look but turns back to Harry. Lawless:Harry nodded. "Sure." He said, and went after her, not even bothering to acknowledge Shape. When they left the room, when she wasn't looking, he took a quick glance at her ass... he couldn't help it. Something about her... He then looked up at her. "So, what should I call you?" Foxxy:She smiles and wraps an arm around his shoulder, pulling him close to her. "Abby, GMA, Godma, or Fox will do." She says to him softly. "The only reason I have Fox as a nickname is because that's how I go undetected from all witches and wizards." She says to him softly. "Just like Sirius be a dog without being detected from the Ministry of Magic." She says to him with a smile. Lawless:"I see." He said. He then felt her put her arm around him, his body being closer to her breasts. Furthermore, he couldn't help but be attracted to this woman. "So how did you meet Sirius, did you meet him at school with my parents?" He asked her. Foxxy:She smiles at his question. "I met him on the train to here." She says to him softly. "I have known your father since I was two." She explains to him softly. "We go way back to pranks and making everyone laugh. That was our thing, but my father broke that apart when he made us move." She says to him softly. "I was getting myself into trouble with some older years on the train and happened to run into Sirius and Remus at the sometime. They both protected me and we became friends. I was far to smart for them though, but it was your father who really protected me the most." She says to him softly. "Davis, one of the older years. He was there and was firing his wand at me. Your father countered it and made Davis take the spell instead of me." She explains to him softly. "I miss them both." She explains to him softly. Lawless:Harry was thinking, and then he then leaned into her a little bit. He sighed. "So... even Sirius had a reason to come after me. He was afraid Worm tail might do something... and he wanted revenge... sure we started to developed a relationship after, but... why did you come see me at first?" He asked. Foxxy:"Actually, Harry. I have been watching over you from the shadows since you got to your aunts and uncles place." She explains to him softly. "I was in my animal form." She says to him softly. "I wanted to take you away when you were little, Harry because I didn't like the way they were treating you." She says to him. Lawless:"But you didn't, because Dumbledore said no." He said, and shrugged. "The thing I don't get is... if the protection around that house is so... important... why not have put it on some other house and let me stay there? At least then I'd know more about magic and be able to combat Voldemort... sorry... you-know-who a little better." Foxxy:She smiles softly at him. "You can say his name with me. I have been saying it for years." She says to him. "Blood is thicker than water, Harry." She explains to him softly. "You couldn't be protected from someone else, but blood related." She explains to him softly. "Especially muggles blood related." She says softly as they keep walking towards the gate to go to the Hogs Head. Lawless:"I see." He said, and then he sighed. "I just remember how I felt when I first found out about it all... everyone knew me, but I didn't know anyone else... it was like I was in my own personal little hell, and everyone was looking in." Foxxy:She smiles at him as she holds him close to her as they walk out of the grounds and heads off to the Hogs Head. "I have been watching you from the shadows, so I could let Sirius know that you were safe from harms way but he didn't like how those stupid muggles were treating you." She explains to him softly. Lawless:"I'd imagine not." He said. "But it's fine... I'll be gone, after this year." He said. He then saw that they were close to Hogsmeade. "So, if you knew my dad so well, would that mean you're his age?" Foxxy:She smiles at his words. "Yes I'm a few days younger than him but the same age." She says to him softly. She stops walking and stops him from walking. "If you wish to live away from there and with me. I would be glad to have you stay with me." She says to him softly. "Harry, I'll only take you if no one knows, and I'll have to block your mind just in case Voldemort looks through your eyes." She explains to him softly. Lawless:"Well, I can't just NOT tell Ron or Hermione." He said. Little did they know, a certain Draco Malfoy was listening in on them from behind a rather large statue of a fat wizard with a giant cauldron in front of him... named Carl the CookFoxxy:"Harry, you have to understand. No one must know of your decision." She says to him softly. "If the Voldemort finds out then its over for the both of us. Little you know, Harry. I was just like your parents and Sirius. I was really deep in with Voldemort as one of his followers just because of the order." She says to him softly. Lawless:"I won't be able to do it without telling Ron and Hermione." He said. "They know about every decision I make." He told her, promptly. "They've been there when some of the members of the Order haven't..." He said, and then he continued to walk. Foxxy:She sighs softly. "If they get caught and Voldemort probs their mines then your secret isn't safe." She explains to him softly. "I am only looking out for you, Harry." She says to him softly. "You look so much like your father. Makes me want to call you James." She says to him. Lawless:"Ya, that's what I've heard." He said. He was still walking. Furthermore, he looked over to her. "Do you know if there was any case brought up to see of any way to try to get Sirius out of that veil thing?" He asked, randomly. Foxxy:She looks down at the tile floor. "There is only one way and only a few members that knows about it doesn't speak of it." She says to him softly. "No one must know." She explains to him softly. Lawless:"Are you one of the few members that know?" He asked, while still walking. He would do whatever he could to find out this secret... even if it meant... no, he couldn't do that... Foxxy:She wraps her arm around his neck and starts walking with him. "Me, your parents and Sirius were the only ones that now." She explains to him softly. Lawless:"Not even Lupin?" He asked, and noticed his face was right by her breasts, and he looked up at her slightly... she'd feel something hard poking through his pants, and poking her leg. Foxxy:"No, the Minister that discovered that only trusted a few witches and wizards in this world before he passed away." She says to him softly. She could feel something poking at her but when she looked down to see that there wasn't anything there, she realized what it was. Lawless:He didn't seem to notice that she had realized what it was, but he soon saw her gaze, and then blushed. "UUP... that's..." He trailed off, not being able to think of an excuse. Foxxy:She smiles at him. "No need to explain, Harry. Sirius use to do that when we were going to school here. Especially when we started dating." She explains to him softly. Lawless:"Ya, but... he was your age." He said, while blushing, and then he shrugged. "But if you say so..." He said, and then looked away. Foxxy:She smiles at him more. "A man never stops when he's with the one he loves, Harry." She says to him softly as she was speaking of him getting hard. "James did the same with your mother every time they saw each other." She says to him. Lawless:"But, um... are you saying I..." He then looked up at her. She was saying such embarrassing things. He blushed again. "This is awkward..." Foxxy:She let out a small laugh as she holds him close to her. "Harry, there's no shame in this situation." She says to him softly. "Boys and girls has their needs just as well as Men and Women." She explains to him softly. Lawless:"Ya, but you're old enough to be my aunt." He said. "You're Sirius's wife... wouldn't he be mad?" He asked her, and then got brave and put his hands on her thighs. Foxxy:She blushed when he put his hands on her thighs. "Harry, Darling. He would, but he also wants me to be happy." She explains to him softly. "Why don't we get a private room at the Hogs Head so we can talk more." She says to him softly. Lawless:"Alright." He said, and then he started to walk again. Draco was following them, but had a silence charm that Shape had taught him that way he could spy on the two of them. Foxxy:She pulled Harry close to her as she faces him which her hands held his head onto her breasts as she held a gem in her hand which made then disappear from the grounds. When they reappeared they were outside the Hogs Head. "James taught me this treat." She says to him softly with a smile as she walks into the Hogs Head. "One room please and two butter beers." She says as she set the amount on the counter. She took the key and the two butter beer. "Follow me." She says to him softly as she walks towards the private room. Lawless:Harry followed behind her, a blush on his face from it being where it was. He looked over at the guy that was sitting there, and then he shrugged, and followed behind her up to the private room. Draco cursed, and then sighed. "Oh well... at least I still have these..." He said, and held two moving pictures. One of Harry's face in her breasts, and one with Harry putting his hands on her thighs. Foxxy:She smiles as she goes inside the private room. She holds out the bottle of butter beer for him. "Here." She says to him softly and closes the door once he was inside and went to take a seat in one of the chairs by the fire. Lawless:He nodded, and went to the other chair, then looked over to her. "So... the fact that I'm young enough to be your son doesn't make you uncomfortable?" He asked her, and then sat back into the chair. Foxxy:"Harry, you haven't been someone's son since you were 1 year old." She says to him softly. "That's the day you became a man." She explains to him softly. "Is there anything else you would like to know?" Lawless:"No... not that comes to mind right off... other than what you see in me that makes you like me in that kind of way." He said. Foxxy:She smiles at him softly. "Like I said before. A woman has needs." She says to him. "I haven't had my needs fulfilled since he was captured and thrown behind bars." She says to him softly. Lawless:"Well... if you want." He said, still slightly embarked by the whole thing. "You can come sit in my lap." He told her, and drank some more of the butter beer. He uncrossed his legs, and stared at her. Foxxy:She smiles at his words. "That's not the kind of needs I was talking about." She says to him softly as she gets up and walks over to him. She sets her butter beer down and leans down towards him. "Sexual needs, Harry." She says to him softly as she rubs a hand up and down his leg. Lawless:"I know, but it would be nice to have an older woman in my lap... kind of... reverse the role, hm?" He said, and put his hand up to the waistband of her bands, through her robes. Foxxy:She smiles and nods. "Of course." She says to him softly and kisses his cheek as she sits in his lap. Lawless:He smirked, getting braver, and then put his hand on her robe, and started to lift it up, past her waist. His hand then went between her legs, and unbuttoned the button to her pants. Foxxy:She smiles as she lets him do what he wants and wanted him to get brave enough to actually do what he really wants. "I'm not stopping you to get what you want, Harry." She says to him softly. Lawless:"Anything I want?" He asked her, curiously. "No matter what it is?" He asked, and then he unbuttoned her pants, and stopped. "Then get up and do a strip tease for me." Foxxy:She nods at his words and laughs as she gets up off his lap. She took off her cloak and put it on its hook. "Alright." She says to him softly as she starts to strip tease with her pants first. She lets her pants fall to the floor and kicks them off along with her shoes. She get back into his lap as she wore her shirt and her panties. Furthermore, she started to strip tease by taking off her shirt. Lawless:He moves and kisses her neck, then whispers. "Have you ever had it in the ass?" He asked her. Ironically enough, she would THEN feel his dick poking through his pants and her panties, right into her ass. Foxxy:She smiles softly and looks at him. "Once but didn't like it." She says to him softly and pulls her shirt off. Lawless:"Well, if I can have anything, then I think I want that." He said, and then he put his hand between her legs, and brushed it against her pussy through her panties. Foxxy:She moans softly and leans up against his body. "How about just a good old sex fun instead of having it in the ass?" She asked him softly. "Not everyone likes it like that." She says to him softly. He kissed her lips. "Okay, I'll settle, but don't say 'anything' if you don't mean it." He told her, and then he continued to move his finger against her panty-covered pussy. "Well... why don't we start off with you showing me what a blowjob feels like?" She moans out and smiles at his words. "Alright." She says to him softly as she moves out of his lap and onto her knees on the floor. Her hands start unbuttoning his pants and unzips his pants as well. She softly moves her hand inside his pants and pulls out his length. "Hmm." She says softly as she lets her tongue lick his full length just to see what he would do or say. He groaned just a little, and then brushed a hand through her hair. He looked down at her. The thought went through his head. 'She's just here to please me... this is my reward for what I've had to go through in the last couple of years.' Little did they know, Draco had found his way into a secret room right by theirs, and was spying on them, while taking pictures. She smiles at him as she wraps her mouth around the head of his cock and starts sucking softly as her tongue moves around. Harry groaned a little bit. "Oh, that feels good." He said, and soon his penis was hard as a rock. His kicked his shoes off, and then started rubbing between her legs with one of his feet. She moans out softly and keeps sucking on his cock head. She takes a few more inches of his length inside of her mouth as she moves her tongue around on his length, and she keeps sucking on his cock. "You're good at this." He said, and then he groaned a bit. "Take the rest of your clothes off..." He said. "I want to see your body bare..." He told her. She moans out and takes the rest of his cock inside of her mouth as she sucks on his length. Her tongue keeps moving around as best as she can do as her own hands moves down and starts taking off her pants. Once she got her pants undone, she pushed her pants down with her panties as well and off her body, letting him see her fully naked body. Draco took another picture, and then he started to laugh out loud. Harry looked up, hearing Draco's laughter. Draco had his wand ready. She looked up at Harry as she heard the laughter as well. She pulls away from Harry's length. "What is it?" She asked him softly. "It sounds like Mal-" He was struck with a stunning spell, and soon Draco walked out of the secret room, pointing his wand at Abby. "Don't move." He told her. He then tossed a moving picture with her moving her head up and down on Harry's lap. "Imagine what the Ministry of Magic would think." Her arms went around her chest, covering up her breasts as she looks down at the photo and a shocking look on her face. "What do you want, Master Draco?" She asked him with fear in her voice. "You'll perform for me while Harry watches." He said and looked at the paralyzed Harry. "Lay down on the bed..." She softly nods as she looks up at Harry with fear in her eyes but all she wants to do is protect him from everything, even something like this. She softly stood up and moved over to the bed. Furthermore, she laid down on the bed with her eyes closed. Furthermore, she didn't want to watch him do things to her as her godson watches them. Draco walked over to her. "Spread those slutty legs of yours." He told her, and then he put his hand on one of her breasts, while the other hand unzipped his own pants. "He... this should be fun." She closed her eyes even more as she turns her head away and spreads her legs open wide for him. She didn't want to look at him as he has sex with her and with her godson watching them. He got between her legs, and then put the head of his penis up to her vagina. He started to rub the head against her vagina, while staring at her. Furthermore, he was just checking to see if she was wet. A light shed of tears started falling from her eyes and down her face as she feels his cock head rub against her folds, which weren't wet at all. "You're going to feel every single thrust." He whispered. "And if you get wet from this... I might just send the pictures out anyway, because a whore deserves to be humiliated... nothing makes you more of a whore than enjoying rape." He then pushed into her pussy. "A woman cannot enjoy rape, but a woman cannot help but get wet from it." She says to him softly with her eyes closed tight while crying softly. He looked at her. "Aww, are you crying?" He asked, and then he bent and kissed her lips, and then growled. "Open your eyes' slut." He said. "Remember... you're not fighting it, you're just laying there." She felt his lips on her lips and opened up her eyes when he told her to. "I won't enjoy it." She says to him in a harsh voice. Draco just laughed. "Is that a challenge?" He asked, and then he pulled out of her pussy. "Well..." He sat up, and pull her hair to guide her head to his penis. "Start sucking, whore." He said, and then moved his hand between her legs, and started to rub his hand against her pussy. One finger skillfully found her clit and started to massage it. She held back the moan as he started to rub her clit but she doesn't take his cock into her mouth. She just looks at it and then looks away from him. Her eyes soften as she looks at Harry but turns back to Draco, takes his cock into her hand. "How do you know that I won't bite it off?" She asked him as she looks up at him. "Because I don't think you want to see your Godson slash lover tortured in front of you... do you?" He pointed his hand-over at Harry. "Unless you're just a cold-hearted bitch as WELL as a slut." Her eyes had darkened a bit as she takes his cock head into her mouth and softly started sucking on it. She didn't want to see her godson hurt at all, and she closed her eyes as she keeps sucking on his cock head. "DO IT LIKE YOU WERE DOING HARRY!" He yelled, and then sent another stunning spell at Harry, to stun him longer. She saw the stunner hit Harry and took more of Draco's cock into her mouth while still sucking. Her tongue started moving around on his cock that was in her mouth. "Good girl." He said, and brushed his hand through her hair. His other hand started to massage her clit again. "I'm going to fuck you every way possible." He told her. She kept her eyes closed and kept sucking on his full length, after taking in his full length into her mouth. She kept her tongue moving around on his length while she sucks on him. Furthermore, she didn't want to think about how he was going to fuck her in every way. "Now... go ahead and get on your hands and knees." He said, and slapped her ass. ((Don't worry, it won't have anal. I know that you don't like that.)) He then pulled his dick out of her mouth, and looked down at her face. She opened up her eyes and looked at Harry softly as she turns her body around. She got on her hands and knees. Furthermore, she had fear and sadness in her eyes as she looked at her godson. Furthermore, she looks down at the bed and closed her eyes. "No, look at him." He said, and slapped her ass. He then put his penis up to her pussy, and started to rub the head up and down it. "Or I'll just give the pictures out AFTER I'm done with you." He told her. She opened up her eyes and looked at Harry with soft eyes which also had an apology look as well. She bit her bottom lip so she could keep the moans in. He spanked her ass as hard as he could. He then pushed into her pussy, and groaned at how tight her unused pussy was. She bit her lip a bit hard as she looks at Harry and tears softly falls down her cheeks as Draco starts to push his length inside of her. Harry started to slowly reach out to her, but was soon paralyzed again by another blazing red light." Tsk, TSK, you just don't know when to stop, do you, Potter?" He then bent over and a bit down on Abby's neck. "Whose whore are you?" She still cried and bit her lip a bit more as he bit her neck. "Yours." She says softly trying to hide the sobs in her voice. "Good girl." He then grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back. "You're my whore, and you'll always be my whore... you are never to even TOUCH Harry again, got it?" She closed her eyes and spoke in a weak voice. "Yes." She didn't want to look at Harry's face when she said it. She wanted Harry to stun him and hold her close to him. "Good... for an older slut, you sure are obedient enough." He said, and then he bent over and patted her head. "Good pet." He said, and then he started thrusting handed. She bit her bottom lip again and held the moan in. She wouldn't give him what he wanted to hear and the tears still falling down. Furthermore, she would have to come up with a plan to get this kid off her back. He moved his arms around her and started to massage her breasts while he pumped into her over and over again. Soon one of his hands moved down, and he started to massage her clit while he pumped. She bit her lip again but a bit harder this time to hold back the moan. She didn't want to satisfy this kid she wanted to satisfy Harry, her godson. The tears still falling down her face and she carries her face into the pillow. He pulled her hair so she couldn't Barry her face. "No... you're going to have your face up for when you finally moan, so Harry can hear it." He told her, and then gently pinched her clit, and massaged it. She mane out since she couldn't help it. It did feel good, but she only wished she moans out just for Harry when he did this to her not Draco. Her body couldn't help it and released her cum upon his length. Draco just laughed, and then he pulled out of her pussy. "Look at all of this cum... told you were a whore..." He said, and then he pushed it back into her pussy. She bit her lip again and held in the moan as he went back inside of her after telling her about all the cum. It didn't take him long before he was unleashing his cum inside of her pussy, while groaning. "MMM... you're my new favorite toy." He told her. She pushed her face into the bed and let herself cry a bit more in silence. She knew for a fact she wouldn't carry a child. Furthermore, she wanted him to leave her be. He pulled out of her pussy, and then he put his clothes back on. "Well, that was fun, whore... thanks for letting me play with your little skank, Potter." And with that he dissaparrated. She curled up in the bed and cried. She held the pillow close to her chest and face. Furthermore, she wanted Harry to hold her right there in the bed. Harry started to move again, and he stood up and limped over to Abby. He then laid beside her, and pulled her into him. "Did you really enjoy it?" He asked her. She snuggled up against him and cried. "No, I have never enjoyed forced sex." She says to him softly as she stays close to him. He put his arms around her, and let her cry on his chest. "Was this the first time that has happened to you?" He asked her, and looked down at her. She's so vulnerable now... She listens to his words and nods as she cries on his chest. "Yes." She says to him softly. "He'll ruin both of our lives if he sends those photos in to the Daily Prophet." She says to him softly. He kisses her forehead. "Shhh... it's okay." He whispered. "It's okay..." He then held her, and covered them both up with the blanket. She stays close to him even when he covered them both up. She softly feels asleep while crying against him. Her breath became soft sobs as she sleeps. Soon he woke up around 3:00 AM, and then he looked down at her, and kissed her forehead. He moved his hand to her back, and rubbed her back, gently, not wanting to wake her up. She was already awake, but she kept her eyes closed, trying to see if she would get more sleep. "You should dress and get back on the grounds." She says to him softly. "I want you to do whatever it takes to get every last photo back and burn them." She says to him softly as she turns her head up to look him in the eyes. "I'll have to do something I thought I never had to do." She says to him softly. He nodded, and then he kissed her lips. "I'll get them back for you." He said, his eyes burning with determination. "Even if I have to do something that will get me in trouble." She smiles softly and kissed him back. "Just like your father. Always getting in trouble." She says softly. "When you do, you know how to reach me." She says to him softly. "We will be a family again." She says to him softly as she closes her eyes as she lays there. Harry nodded, and took one last look at her, and then left her there. The next day, Dumbledore contacted Abby, asking Abby what was going on, because Harry seemed different. He was more silent than usual, wasn't even talking to Ron or Hermione, and had attacked Draco twice. Abby didn't get any of her owls or wasn't home. She had disappeared out of any witches or wizards radar. Not even Remus knew where she was. Remus was at Hogwarts talking with Dumbledore and explaining to him that she hadn't come home. That he didn't even know where she would be. "When she goes into hiding, Dumbledore. That is her specialty. No one can find her not even me." He was telling him. Soon they would see Draco running for his dear life, and Harry chasing behind him. "ARVADA KED-!" He would then be stunned by Shape."FORBIDDEN!" Shape yelled. He then looked over to Draco. "Of all the things you two fight about, he has NEVER done that to you. WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Shape yelled. Remus looks over at Shape then at Harry. "What has she done to him." He said under his breath as he walks over towards them. "He's just like his father always getting what he wants, Shape." He said as he talks about Draco. "I'm just going to say, Abigail has gotten Harry to do something and that's why she's back into hiding." He says as he looks at Harry in the eyes. Draco stood up. "Potter. Tell that bitch if she doesn't contact me over the weekend, her secret is out." He said, and then he ran off. Harry's eyes soon changed from shock to anger, and he started to fight the spell. Snape looked down. "Impossible!" Remus took his wand out and pointed at Draco as he ran. Without words, he brought Draco back in front of them. "Now. We'll discuss all of this in Dumbledore's office." He said as he ties up Draco in invisible ropes. "Release Harry." He said to Shape as he hovers Draco as he walks towards Dumbledore's office. Draco growled. "Potter, if they take me in there, your secret is out." Snape let Harry go, and Harry soon shot a stunning spell at Remus and Dumbledore. It of course just bounced off Dumbledore, and soon Harry, himself was hit with another stunning spell. Remus blocked the spell and looked at Harry. "My Merlin, she didn't do what I think she did." He said as he looks from both boys. "She'll go after your father, Draco. You do not know her as well as I do. Blackmail a woman and you'll have nothing." He said to him. "She'll do whatever it takes to make sure you go down as well. Even if it means she turns to the dark side. This is bad." He said as he lets go of Draco. Draco growled, and dusted himself off. "As if I cared... Father was going to let them kill me-" He then stopped dead in his tracks, and stepped back a couple of times. "Forget you heard that...." He said, and then he ran off. Abigail comes out of the classroom behind Draco and grabs his arm. "Aren't you surprise my touch doesn't hurt you, Draco?" She said softly. "Funny isn't it." She says softly and pulled up her sleeve to show him the mark of the Dark Lord. "I was wondering why it didn't hurt me when you did what you did. Sad thing is I know how deep your in with him." She said to him. Remus looks down as she showed off the Dark Lords mark on her forearm. "You shouldn't show that off."" I'm not ashamed of what I did, Remus. We were all young and knew what we were getting ourselves into." She said to him. Draco looked at her. "How much do you know?" He asked, in an outraged voice. He had no idea what she knew about his mission or about what was going on with him. Harry stood up. "You... you worked for him? The one who KILLED my parents?" She gripped his arm a bit more. "More than you know." She says to Draco but she looked at Harry. "I can explain Harry." She says to him softly. "Your parents had the mark too. So did Sirius." She says to him softly and looks over at Shape, then down at the ground. Harry looked at Lupin and yelled. "WHAT MORE DO I NOT KNOW ABOUT MY OWN PARENTS?!" He yelled, and then he randomly struck the ground with a blast of magic without saying a word. He then took a couple of steps back, and then ran. Draco pulled his arm away from Abby's hand. "Just so you guys know..." He said to them. "Abby seduced Harry." He then ran again. Abby took his arm again and pushed him up against the wall. "Are you raped me." She says to him and put invisible ropes around him. "Draco you are under arrest for being a Death Eater for Voldemort and raping a woman." She says to him as she looks him dead in the eyes. Lupin sighed and went after Harry. "Harry, wait." He calls after him as runs after him. He just laughed... "What do you know, you whore? After they find out I was caught, they'll find me... no matter where you put me, they'll kill me. And unlike you... I HAD NO CHOICE BUT BE A DEATH EATER!" Harry turned to Lupin. "What can you possibly say that will change anything?" She smiles at him. "I bare the mark andhecouldnt find me." She says to him softly. "Don't worry, your family is safe." She says to him. Remus put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "She isn't evil. She bares the mark because she went undercover just like your parents and Sirius had to get the mark to make him believe they were on his side." He explains to him. Draco grabs his wand and puts it up to his chin, his eyes desperate and wild. "Then it's just a matter of MY safety." He said. "I'll never go back to Azkaban... HE runs the show there." He then pulled away from Abby and started to back away. Harry looked at Remus, and then turned quickly to face him, and put his wand up to Remus's stomach. "What else are you people hiding from me about my own family?" "Deal with him, Snape." She says in a hiss as she runs towards her only friend and her godson. Once she got to them, she saw Harry's want at Remus' stomach. "Harry, do you really want to harm the only people who really cares about you and wants to protect you?" She asked him softly as she moves in front of her best friend, Remus so his wand was pointed at her. "Will you hurt me?" She asked him with pain in her eyes. "Will you hurt the only few witches and wizards that were close to your parents?" She asked him softly. "We weren't really Death Eaters we were undercover to protect the innocent world." She said in a soft loving voice. "I am only living because of you. You are the only family I have." She says with silent tears running down her face. Remus just stood there listening to everything. "You know she's right, Harry." He says in a soft voice. "Why should I believe you two?" He asks them. "In a week I'll find out something else about my family... I'll find out that Lupin over there accidentally bit my mom, and she was a werewolf or something... I know all of these people who claim to love me, and claim to have been my parents' best friends, yet I know NOTHING!" He yelled. Draco looked to Shape. Snape looked to Draco." I'm leaving." Draco said, and then he walked away. She smiles softly at his words. "Remus never bit your mother." She says to him softly and moves her hand softly over his wand, moving his wand down away from her stomach. She moves slowly closer to him. "Harry, do you really want to hurt your parents friends?" She asked him as she softly wraps her arms around him and hugs him. "I won't let evil take you away from me." She says to him softly. "Not like James." She says in a whisper as soft silent tears fall from her eyes and down her cheek. "How do you expect me to believe anything you say anymore?" He asked, and then put his head against her chest. "How can I believe anything any of you tell me." He said in a whisper. He then placed his arms around her, and let some tears go down his eyes. She smiles softly and rests her cheek against the top of his head. "Because, we're all you have left that knew your parents well." She explains to him softly. "Leave us, Remus." She says to him softly. Remus nods. "As you wish." He said and starts leaving. Her eyes looked over at the on coming school. She could see Ron and Hermione in the crowed. "Seems like your friends are watching along with other students." She says to him softly as she keeps holding him close to her. "I'll leave if you wish it." She says softly to him. He looks up at her. "I don't care." He said. "They probably hate me, anyway." Draco walked by the two of them. "No. The HATE me. They probably just worry about you, Potter." He said, and walked forward towards the crowd. The smile was a faint on her lips as she holds Harry close to her. "Everyone shows hate differently." She says softly as she looks down at her godson. "You should tell them you were protecting me, but that's it." She says to him softly as she looks down at him in the eyes. "If I didn't care about you Harry. I would have taken you to the Dark Lord last night when we were alone." She says softly to him and kisses him on the forehead. "I do love you even though you are the last family I have." She says to him softly. "I don't care about all of that anymore. Let's just leave." He said. "Leave and go somewhere safe." He whispered, and stayed buried into her chest. He put his arms around her tighter. Draco saw all the people there, and then he smirked, and pointed. "DEATH EATERS!" He yelled, and when they all turned around, Shape and Dumbledore appeared and made them all forget what they had just seen. Draco looked to Harry and Abby. "Might want to leave." He said to them, then he turned to Dumbledore and held his hands out. "Kay... I'm ready. Cuff me, then." "Damn it, Harry I want you to go. Keep the mirror on you, and I'll get in contact with you soon." She says to him softly and pulls away from him. She runs towards Draco and looks him into the eyes. "Time to go Draco." She says to him softly as she ties him backup with invisible ropes and guides him out off the school grounds. She would leave everyone to the Headmaster and the Potion Master. ((...it was a distraction so Shape and Dumbledore could mind wipe the crowd.)) As he was lead out of the school, he sighs. "Can you just kill me?" He asked. "Nothing you do will save me from my fate... it's sealed. I can't escape him. Even with your help." She softly knocked the back of his head with her hand. "If I could do it then I know I can do it for you. I have already done it for your family." She explains to him softly and walks with him off the grounds. He just rolled his eyes. "Right. You'd help me." He said. "Not only would that be foolish to believe, that would be foolish to even consider a possibility." She holds onto him and disappears on the spot since they're off the grounds. When they reappeared she walks with him towards a small place towards the end of the street. "No magic." She says to him softly. "That's how he'll find you. I already took your parents wands, so I'll have to take yours as well." She explains to him as they walk towards the house. He backed away. "Not until you tell me why you're helping me!" He said. "I don't know, maybe I'm crazy, but if someone did what I did to you, to my mom, or to someone close to me, I'd kill them." She smiles and takes his wand out of his robe. She guides him into the house and closes the door behind them. "Because I know how it feels to be treated like shit and have everyone you care about die." She says to him and guides him to the kitchen which lets the invisible ropes off him. "Safe like I said so." She says to his parents. "I must go and do not leave this house. You do Andre'll find you." She says to Draco. "Wait." He said, and then he moves his hand to her arm, and pulled her to him. He then looked up at her. "Um... thank you." He said. He then looked at her face. "And um... I can't... begin to apologize." He said, and then he looked down, shamefully. "I thought I was going to die... and was lashing out at everyone... you should know, though. Shape is planning on killing Dumbledore... it's actually ME who was supposed to..." She removes his hand from her arm and moves towards the door. "I'll deal with Shape." She says to him softly as she leaves the house. She walks down the street and disappears. Furthermore, she reappears outside the school. Furthermore, she pulls out her mirror and spoke softly. "Harry Potter." She looks into the mirror to wait for his answer. Harry came into vision, she could see him, Ron, and Hermione running. Then his eyes widened. "RON!" He yelled, and dropped the mirror. She could see him running towards the fallen body of Ron, while Hermione deflected spells. "Death Eaters have attacked!" Harry yelled. She shoved her mirror in her cloak and changed into her fox form. She dashes onto the grounds towards the castle and her heart was aching. No, not Harry! She thought to herself as she quickly sniffed him out and ran towards them. She leaped into the air and changed back to herself as she knocks the Death Eater onto the ground. "Not my Harry." She says to him as she knocks him out cold. She pulled her wand out and waved it, making the Death Eaters go upside down with their wands hitting the floor. Furthermore, she ran towards Harry and Ron. "Here." She says as she pushes a piece of paper into his hands. "Get your friends to this place, you'll all be safe. Take the mirror with you." She says to him as she gets up and joins in with the battle. Harry's eyes widened and he waved his wand. "CPU...CIO!" He yelled as Shape aimed a killing curse at Abby. Shape soon fell to the ground, screaming in terror. Harry's eyes widened, and he shuddered a little bit at what he did. "Go Harry!" She yells at him as she jumps into the fight and starts getting a few Death Eaters at once. She wanted her Godson to live a long life but on the paper she gave him had the place that she took Draco and his parents too for safety. Furthermore, she sent a stunner at Shape so he wouldn't wake up. Harry nodded, and helped his friends up, and then started to run with them towards the safe house. Once they got there, he let them all in, and him and Lucius took watch by the window in case something happened. They didn't use any magic, and instead of having wands, they have staffs for battle. Once the staff and her had rounded up the Death Eaters, she took them off to Azkaban. When she was done she went back to the Ministry and write up the reports. When she was in her office cube she pulled out her mirror and spoke. "Harry Potter." She says softly as she softly touched the wound on her head that was bleeding as she waits for him to answer her call on the mirror. Harry answered. He sat in the corner as he spoke. "Hey." He said. "We're all safe... we saw a few Death Eaters, but they went right by the house. We think they might know the area we're in, but can't find us. Lucius and I have been standing watch by the window, inside, with staffs in case they find us." She looked at him through the mirror. "Harry, no one knows that area but me. It's a muggle area." She explains to him softly. "I'm on my way after I'm done with paper work since I took the Death Eater's off to Azkaban." She says to him softly. "Tell me how bad my wound is." She says as she moves the mirror closer to her wound so he could see it. "I don't think it'll stop bleeding." She says to him softly. "Hurry up and come... it looks bad." He said. He then blinked and looked around. "...you guys are going to have to find a safe place to hide once the night is over..." He said, and soon he saw his owl with a note. He took it and looked down at the mirror. "... G. Gabby. Dumbledore is... dead." She looked at him then looked away. "I'm sorry, Harry." She says in a whisper. "I'm on my way." She says to him and puts the mirror away as she heads out. She disappears and reappears near the safe house. Furthermore, she swishes her wand and makes them disappear, which makes them appear in prison. Furthermore, she runs into the house and closes the door. Furthermore, she goes and looks for Harry. Once she found him she pulled him into a hug and just holds him close. "I'm really sorry Harry." She says to him softly. "I know what it's like to lose someone you care for." She says to him softly. He was shaking. She could see that he had dropped the mirror, and it broke. His wand was even on the ground. It was apparent that after she had stopped talking to him, he went into shock. He wasn't even saying anything. "Harry?" She says as she looks him in the eyes and softly presses her lips against his lips to see if it brought him out of the shock state he is in. She pulls away and looks at him. "Harry?" She asked him softly. "Are you alright?" She asked softly and pulls him into a hug again. "...h...how many... people do I have to... see them kill?" He asked. "H...how many of my... friends will die?" He then pulled away from her, a new look of determination and anger on his face. His eyes looked completely different. He said nothing else, and rushed out of the safe house. Draco blinked. "Oi, Woman, give me my wand! I want to go too." Lucius smacked him in the head with his staff. "Draco, don't be rude... ask her her name if you don't know it." "You're not getting your wand." She said flat to Draco and ran off after Harry. She could see him halfway down the street and disappeared. When she reappeared she was in front of him, and she wrapped her arms around him. "Harry. If you try to protect everyone you'll only fail. If you protect the ones who are closer to you. You will win. There is one thing you have thatHedoesnt have." She says to him softly. "Do you know what that is Harry?" She asked him softly. "SHUT UP!" He yelled out in an anger unknown to most of Harry's friends, and he sent a stunning spell at her stomach. His eyes were even a different color. He kept walking, not bothering to help her up or anything. Her eyes widen as she fell to the ground and her eyes watched him walk away. She couldn't call out after him since she couldn't move at all. She couldn't even find her own voice, but her eyes watched his movements. He soon looked up at the moon. Sensing the magic, five death eaters came out of nowhere. Soon spells were flying everywhere, but within ten seconds, all five of them were dead. Once the stunner wore off she went back to the safe house and went inside. "I can't believe he did that." She says softly as she walks over towards Remus. "Send for help, he'll need it." She says to him as she sits down at the table with her eyes on the ground. "Keep Shape away from him." She warned him." Of course." Remus said as he leaves to go get help to watch over Harry just in case he needed it." How are you, Ron?" She asked him softly. It wasn't long before Harry found Shape. Harry stared at Shape, and then charged Shape. Shape started firing spells at Harry, and Harry deflected them with his wand. Soon when Harry got up to Shape, he tackled him, and started unleashing a flurry of punches. "YOU KILLED HIM, YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU FUCKING KILLED HIM!" Abby rubbed her stomach and kept her eyes on the floor as a conversation was going on around her. "I'm going to go lay down." She says softly as she got up and walked up the stairs. She walks down the hall toward her room and went inside, lays down on the bed. Draco saw her, and followed her. When she went into the room, he opened the door and walked in, and sat in a chair by her bed. ’D.don't worry about me." He said. "I'm just... sitting here to protect you." He said, and then looked to the ground. She turned over so she wasn't facing him. She closed her eyes and curled up into a ball. "Wish Harry didn't do that to me." She says softly. "James would be disappointed in him." She said in a whisper. Her hands held onto her stomach as she remembers every movement in slow motion of what Harry did to her. Draco shrugged. "That's not Potter." He said, simply. "That's something else... that's his anger taken consciousness and come to a head." He said. "Potter is just watching from the inside of his mind. She closed her eyes tightly and held onto her stomach. "He shouldn't fight with anger, it'll only hurt more once he comes back from it." She says to Draco softly. "There is one thing Voldemort doesn't have that Harry does." She says softly. "A cowlick?" He asked, referring to Harry's messy hair. He then looked over to her. "Do you need me to do anything?" He asks her, and then sits on the bed with her, and rubs her shoulder, gently. She pushed his hand off her shoulder. "Do not touch me." She says to him softly. She really didn't want to be touched, but she wanted Harry to come back to the safe house. "No, a loving friend and what little family he has." She says since love was the only thing Harry had that the Dark Lord didn't have. Draco growled. "Then why the hell did you not let me leave?" He asked, and then he stood up. "I'm gone." He said, and then he walked down. He looked to Ron and Hermione. "How about we go help your dear friend Potter?" She jumped out of the bed and walked out which she pushes Draco up against the wall. "You walk out of here, and they'll kill you." She says to him. "If I have too I will bind and gag you to a bed." She says to him but not in a kinky way. "Or how about I leave you with your father with the information about what you were going to do to me and Harry?" She says to him softly. "Bet dear daddy wouldn't like it." She said with angry eyes. He yelled at her. "I'm here trying to do the right thing for the first time in my life, and you're being like THIS?" He then lifted himself up and send a couple of knees to her stomach. "I'm going, if you stop me, tie me up, or anything, I swear to God I will press charges for kidnapping. You're holding me against my will." She grabbed him and turned him around, shoves him up against the wall. "It isn't against your will. This was your father's idea to keep you here with them, alive no less." She says to him and kept him against the wall. "Who will believe you that I'm kidnapping you anyway? No one will believe you since I am the perfect Ministry Officer." She says to him softly. "You can deal with your son, Lucius." She says as his father comes into view. "If I leave it to Harry, you would be dead by now." She said as she lets him go. "No one leaves his house." She says as she walks towards the stairs and down them, out the front door. She turns around and binds the house so no one could leave it. Furthermore, she walks down the street and disappears.

A Secret Godmother (Foxxy_Mama and Lawless)|rating:2.0

The Circus (Wolfblackthorne and Kilin)

Dustin ignored the pain in his body as he ran through the deep snow. Breathing hurt with each step, but he couldn't slow down for fear that he would be caught again. His arms still bled from the many holes from the torn out IVs. His legs hurt from exhaustion and his body trembled terribly with the cold. When he reached the edge of a cliff, he had to stop and catch his breath. He hurt so bad, it nearly bowed him over just standing still. He peered over the side of the cliff and could only see the vacant steel railway down below. This was it. He had nowhere else to run. Dustin stiffened hearing the shouts of his pursuers. Unfortunately, He had not run fast enough. The first of several armed guards came running at him through the snow. Wearing thick winter jackets, with body armor below and armed with semi automatics, they closed in with utter confidence that they would succeed." Surrender and come with us!" One of them commanded. Dustin looked down at his hands. Each finger ended in a claw. His skin was also covered in light white fur. What had they done to him? The rage at the reminder of all the pain and suffering he had been put through at the hands of his fellow man rose up inside Dustin. His eyes turned red and his body shook. How could they? He wasn't even human anymore. He was more animal than anything now. His life was ruined. It could never be normal. His body shuddered and writhed as his anger triggered a change in him. His muscles expanded, bones grew, and a more Lupine form emerged." Nooo!" Dustin screamed as he changed. His voice turning into a long howl. His hands and feet were now paws and a tail, long and white with fur hung behind his legs. His face now elongated into that of a snow wolf. The guard that had ordered him opened fire as he no longer gazed upon young man but a monster. The four other guards opened fire after their supposed leader. Each one afraid of the now monstrous wolf they were sent to capture. Dustin stood up on his hind legs and howled with rage. He was at least seven feet tall which was afoot taller than any of his attackers. He thought of charging and cutting them down, but the sting of the bullets changed his mind. Two hit him right in the thigh and dropped him down to his kneels." We got the beast now! Close in!" the lead gunman ordered his fellows. With the pain of his new wounds mixing in with the old, Dustin was overwhelmed. He turned to run, but the edge of the cliff greeted him and halted him in his tracks. The thought of leaping to his death occurred to him, and he was just about to do it right as he heard the loud blare of an incoming train. Dustin had no time to think as the armed guards grew closer. He turned to look over his shoulder. They were only a couple of feet away now. Looking back down, he could see that the train had several cars. Perhaps it was a cargo train, he thought. The idea of jumping was still in his mind. He would rather jump than be an experiment. Surely, the fall onto the train would not be so bad. Dustin's ears perked up. The sound of boots crushing snow underneath warned him that the men were very close. It was now or never. Without a second thought, Dustin jumped and let gravity bring his 300lbs of fur and lupine mass down. His landing was more of a crash as he went back first through the top of one of the train cars. Wood splintered and broke under his weight as he plummeted into and landed hard on the floor inside it. Dustin groaned and whimpered with pain. His body to hurt and too exhausted began to change back into his human form. The last thing he saw before he slipped into unconsciousness was a female face amidst the soft light of a flashlight. Ever since kids could remember she had always been part of the circus as a freak show. She was considered a rare among her kind even if there wasn’t many like her at all, which had her feeling rather lonely from it. The train car wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t the best heated either it wasn’t like she was abused terrible, but they still viewed her as an animal or sometimes a monster. She was walking around in her human form dressed in a plain tee and pants comfy clothes honestly; her silver hair was pulled back and in braids. Kids was getting ready to try and sleep before they hit the next stop on the shows list. It wasn’t the best life, but she got paid and people didn’t seem as scared of her as long as she was behind the barriers it made her seemed tame. Truthfully she preferred her fur over her human form she felt better and more natural, but the ring master didn’t like it. Suddenly kids heard a noise then just as swiftly the top of her car exploded inward and a massive... wolf... it was another wolf, and he was colored like her. She heard him groan and watched as she shifted back to his form, and she looked at the male before her and then up at the open roof. Thankfully her bed was across the way, but he didn’t look so good. She walked forward and tried to speak to him “it's ok I won’t hurt you” she said but watched the man pass out. That wasn’t good she looked him over and once she figured out he was safe to move she dragged him over to her bed. There she got to work cleaning his wounds and removing the wood that had gotten stuck in his body. She tore some sheets she had to make more wrappings. He was not light even with her strength he was heavy. She put up some blankets to make a wall to try and keep the warmth in on this side. Tending to him her amethyst eyes looked over the poor man she had already covered him up and seen tot eh bullet wounds in his legs. “Sleep and rest” she said softly to him stroke his hair softly as she sat on the bed and let him use her lap at a pillow. It would keep them both warmer; she just hoped he would wake before the ring master came. Dustin awoke with a jolt. Sitting up, he threw off the blankets in a fit of fear and cold sweat. His body ached all over and his muscles felt so stiff. Looking around, he noticed his wounds had been dressed and taken care of. Also, someone had covered him in a blanket. Where was he? The feeling of movement and the sound of metal screeching reminded him that he had fallen through the roof of a train car. Sitting up slowly, he tried to get his bearings. He had escaped his tormentors but now what? He had no clue where the train was headed or who had seen to his injuries. What if he was in danger? He was in no shape to fight. Dustin began to panic but then sensed someone else in the room watching him." Who's there? What do you want?" he growled trying to sound threatening, but it came out in a weak whimper. He could see a light from the sun filtering in through the huge hole in the roof of the train car. Then came a loud hammering sound from the other side of a door. Kids had been resting that was until the man jolted awake and startled her as well. She stayed still watching the male seem to panic, she couldn't blame him he looked horrible and like he had been through hell. Not to mention she had no idea how far he had dropped, and he crashed through the top of her train car to escape something. She just looked at the man before her and took him in, it was silly but the fact that another were like her had literally fallen from the sky... Her thoughts where broken when she noticed him seeming to sense her and listened to him try and growl and sound fierce, but he sounded so weak. She was about to say something when she heard the pounding on the door and she jumped up. Shit it was already time the ring master would be doing is rounds, and she had no doubt they had noticed the gain thole. She rushed up to him and put her hand on his mouth looking at him with her purple eyes and held her other hand to her lips indicating she wanted him to be silent. " Please don't make a fuss, you need to hide under my bed before they see you." She told him gently. She just prayed he would listen to her before she turned called out." Coming sir" and she would head towards the door and wait for it to open. Much like every morning she was expected to be standing at her door when it opened for inspection. The thought of hiding under a bed didn't appeal to him much, but he saw no other option. Weakly, he crawled under it. Just in time too, for the door soon opened and a large muscular man in a black top hat and crimson coat came into the room. Dustin could only see his shined boots and the ankles of strong legs under white pants from where he hid." What is all this mess?" Bastian the ringmaster asked, his voice booming. His sharp blue eyes zeroed in in the hole in the ceiling of the train car. "This needs to be fixed immediately. " His eyes scanned over Kids, noticing a blotch of blood on her arm. "And you need to go see Jury. I can't have you bleeding during the show." Ratigan turned away and bellowed out an order. He turned back to Kids, regarding her coldly. "Be sure, you do your duties today." The large ringmaster turned and left, leaving the door hanging open. Dustin stayed hidden under the bed. Kids stood stiffly as the ringmaster opened the door and walked in, she was beyond glad the man had hidden. If he was found and the ringmaster learned what he was she knew what would happen. Kids growing up here and with no memory of before then honestly was afraid of the man funny to think as if she was in her fur she could properly easily kill him. But being raised and collared under his thumb she never had that thought cross her mind. She was going to answer his question when he suddenly barked out that the car would need to be fixed. Then she froze when he looked at her and she blinked looking to see the blood. "Yes sir" she said swiftly making sure to answer him quickly this time. Kida let out a breath when the ringmaster finally left she walked to the opened door and looked out not seeing anyone she walked back over and closed the curtains to her sleeping quarter then walked to her bed. "It's ok now we a little time before they come to fix the roof" she told him. She stepped back and waited for him to come out. Kids was by no means a tall woman she was only 5'4" in her human form and built wonderfully so with lightly toned muscles that covered her body. When the man finally came out she smiled at him softly "I'm Kids, can I ask your name?" After several minutes, and groans, he managed to get off the floor and on his feet. Standing to his full height, he realized he was much taller than the girl. "My name is Dustin. Who was that?" He grabbed hold of the bed as his sore legs became unsteady. After a few moments he gave up and sat on the side of the bed. "Can you tell me where I am?" There came a much gentler knock on the door. Kids jumped a bit when he seemed unsteady and was a hair surprised when she finally realized how tall the man actually was. It was comical how she thought she was going to catch him. How she had dragged him over here she suddenly wondered herself. " Please sit" she said softly to him, she could tell he was out of it. She looked at him and sighed and was about to answer when she heard another knock. " One moment" she called" I can explain everything, but you need to stay hidden in here and not make any noise ok?" She said and looked around she had the gain pile of straw in the corner" if you need to hide do so in that" she pointed to it. She turned to walk out but stopped and looked at the blood on her arm it was from him. She suddenly used her finger that turned into a claw and bit her lip as she gave her self a small cut to hide it wasn't her blood. Then walked out of her room and closed the curtain again and opened the box car door. He wasn't sure there was enough straw to hide his six-foot three frame, but he guessed it was better than hiding under the bed again." Wait.where are you going?" He said, unsure what to do as he was too weak to really go far. He watched her leave the room. Sunlight filled the room as he heard the train cars door open. Before he could say anything else, she was gone. He heard her talking. Then another voice. This one was female. Jura looked concerned at Kids, seeing blood. Though she had expected the worst this did not seem so bad." Areyou alright?" She askedKida, holding her first aid kit in her hand. The dark haired woman looked over Kids once more." I heard you made quite a mess," she whispered. With a slight grin. Kids felt horrible running off on him again but if she left anyone waiting it would look off. She smiled at Jury and her whispers; she thought about telling Jury but decided it was best to wait right now as she didn't know how Dustin would react." I'm ok just a small scratch nothing major," she told and looked at the giant hole" Ya I had some rocks fall through last night it startled be pretty good. But I got them tossed out the ringmaster wasn't really thrilled when he saw it," she said to her smiling softly. Shrugging about it, she looked at her arm and then back to Jury." I don't think I need anything it's just a small scratch," she said and turned for her to see the small cut on her arm that was already trying to clot. Though she worried Jury would notice that the cut looked more from her claw than the damage Jury was skeptical but accepted the explanation. She nodded." Okay. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. From what I heard, it sounded more serious. " She gave a smile, her simian tail twitching in relief. "I better go then. We have a show to prepare for." She handed Kinda the first aid kit. "Here. Just in case you need it." She turned and went back into another train car. Kids smiled and shook her head" no nothing to serious, but I promise if it is I will come and see you. " She told her and looked at the kit then back after her as she left. She smiled and was beyond great full she would have to fill her in later. Closing the door she went back to her bed and looked at Dustin softly." Unfortunately I don't have much time before I have to get to work" she told him gently as she started to pull out some clothes that had snaps on them. " I'll see if I can get you some clothes," she told him and started to strip In front of him it was normal for her truthfully." As to who that was the first person the man was the ringmaster and also the master of those that work here." She told him and pointed to the collar on her neck. " The second was jury she's the healer for us" she told him glancing at him as she pulled the pants and shirt on. Turning to look at him" as to where you are your in ____________ circus where freaks and monsters are on display" she said with a forced smile. " I'm Kids by the way" she told him and walked closer and set the medical kit next to him. Seeing her naked woke up an urge he didn't know he had. He did his best to push that down and pay attention to her words and not her body. The ringmaster reminded him a lot of his former captors. He sat still, letting everything she was telling him sink in. His eyes went to the meditation as she opened it. He visibly tensed. "What are you going to do with that?" Kids looked at him, and she could smell the nervous less and fear that rose from him as she set the kit down. " It's to help with your wounds that's all. " She said a little more gently as she looked at him, and she looked him in the eyes for a moment and looked away clearing her throat. " You have a lot of bad wounds I did the best I could be last night, but I didn't have much to help you. " She explained softly to him. The way he tensed and reacted she would guess he had something terrible happen." If you let me I just want to ten to your wounds then I have to get to work or the ring master will pull out his cane or worse." She told him "Go ahead. It can't be much worse than falling through a train, right?" Dustin said, attempting levity. He watched her closely. "What do I do while you're gone?" He asked since he had no idea how long she would be our. He glanced over at the bloody make shift bandages then back to her. Kids would smile and start to work on him using the actual bandages this time salves and such if needed. She had done most of the worst worse last night so now it was more of a cleanup job. When he asked what to do she seemed to think for a moment." Honestly you need to keep out of sight and rest. If the ring master finds you and what you are..." She paused her hands trembled a moment." I don't want you stuck here like me" she told him gently. She finished up and stepped back smiling" that should feel better and hold better" she told him as she gathered the use to be blanket that she had torn into makeshift bandages and put them in a bag. She cleaned her arm off which her wound was already scared up so she would be fine. " I'll try and be back shortly and hopefully with some food and such" she told him and seemed to wait to see if he would say anything. Stuck here?" He asked, watching her work. "Why don't you just rip that off and leave?" His stomach growled at the mention of food. Honestly, he couldn't remember the last time he had eaten. Or the last time it had been actual food. Dustin watched her go after she was done. He heard the door click as he sat there naked. Alone in the room he sighed. His only entertainment was the noises of what was going on outside." Where am I?" He wondered out loud, pressing his ear to the wall of the train car. Kids got to work helping set up the circus avoiding the ring master as best as she could. Dustin's question bothered her she would if she could, though her life here wasn't horrible to a point it wasn't the best either. It all depending on the ringmasters mood and how well they brought money in. Getting most things moved around she would head to start stringing the net for the trapeze. Kida shifted easily she had been doing for long it didn't hurt anymore the collar expanding to fit her neck she shook her self out. And suddenly left easily up the polls one by one stringing up the net to be safe. She thought about Dustin and honestly wished to finish as quickly as she could be wanting to get back to him. Once finished Kids easily landed on the ground and shifted back putting her special clothes on she had made so she didn't ruin clothes all the time, and honestly she just gave up on undergarments. Her fear was if the ring master found Dustin and what he was he would force them to.... She shook her head and went on working. Finishing her chores she had managed to swipe not only a pair of pants but a shirt as well she was pretty sure would fit him and even had food. Walking back to her car she walked in knocking before she entered her room. Dustin heard the knock and froze. He tensed up until he saw Kids come in. He was starving by this time. "That smells good. What is it?" He asked smelling food. He could see clothing under the food she carried. Furthermore, he assumed it was for him." I was listening to outside while you were gone. Di you know where we are?" He asked, sitting on the bed. He was glad she returned. Furthermore, he did not like being left alone in the room. Kids could see the hunger in his eyes and was glad she was able to get a decent amount of food. She smiled at him as she walked over and set the basket of food down next to him "there's ham, bread rolls, some cheese, and then bacon with some hard-boiled eggs" she told him. Sitting down she sighed, she was tired honestly, and having Dustin here was not helping her..." Help yourself that's all for you, I ate before coming back, and here they won't last long if you transform into them but its at least some clothes for you," she said handing the clothes over. "As to where we are I think we near the border to Val drum, I'm not 100% sure, to be honest, I don't usually keep up with where we are I just work do my part in the show and well come back here," she told him. "Doesn't sound familiar to me. Is the circus very large," He asked curiously, digging into the food. He quickly had a ham and cheese roll constructed and was shoving it into his mouth. "MMM" was all he could say as he sated his ravenous hunger." How long have you been with the circus?" He asked after a few swallowed. He took a few straps of bacon into his hand and started munching. "This...is.delicious. " She smiled at his eagerness to eat. " It's a rather large circus this whole train is part of it. It makes it easier to transport us around. " She told him, though when he asked about how long she had been here she rubbed the back of her neck. " I've been here since I can remember I think since I was 10 years old. His comment on the food made her laugh softly," good you seemed like you needed some food, and it will help you recover." She told him and looked at the bandages on him, they seemed to still be holding up." If you don't mind me asking how did you end up falling through my roof. And where did you get all those scars and wounds" she asked him Dustin kept eating while she talked. He didn't stop until there was only crumbs left in the basket. Licking his lips clean, he gave a deep sigh. "I didn't mean to fall through the roof. I was planning to land on the train.not go through it. I.was running away from these people who were doing bad things to me." He gestured to his scars. "I was being experimented on in a lab. That's how I got these. That's the short of it. I had been held captive since I was small. Every day was like torture. I wasn't alwayslike this." He looked away. She blinked and looked at the scars and truly did feel for him, but she knew pitying others didn't make them feel better. Learning that he wasn't a real were shifter at least no born one made her sad honestly, she had yet to see another like her so when he fell through it had made her excited in a lot of ways. Yet even learning that she still felt that odd pull around him. She watched him look away, and she reached over and touched his hand "I'm sorry that happened to you, but you are not a monster, it's just how humans see us" she told him gently. She stood and back away from him before she suddenly began to shift her bones and muscles growing her clothes popped off like they were attended to. White fur covered her body as she grew taller. Though if he was to be in his fur she would be a foot shorter still. Her face elongated, and she shook her body out after a moment her amethyst eyes looked down at him. Her tail wagging softly behind her and her ears sideways as if she was embarrassed a bit. He would see that the collar was still on her. "See it's not so bad" she said to him. Hoping maybe seeing her in her form would help him a little. The beast in him stirred as he witnessed her transformation. An itch he didn't know he needed to be scratched ran through him. He nodded slowly, noting her animalistic beauty. It wasn't often he had to look up at someone but this time he didn't mind." Perhaps though I don't think my wounds would appreciate it if I transformed right now," He said. "I understand what you mean, but I don't understand why you stay if you can be like this. Surely you could rip off the collar and be free?" She watched him as he looked at her and then looked up to her with a wolfish grin on her lips. She could see him looking her over and taking her in and in truth, the fact he didn't even act scared was nice to her. When he commented on his wounds she wanted to tell him that wolves healed decently fast and transforming sometimes helped, but then she wasn't sure if it would work for him. Her attention was brought back around when he asked that question again her ears wilted softly. "I wish it was that simple," she told him and knew this was about to hurt. She grabbed the collar and pulled then felt the pain rip through her body and she howled out and dropped to her hands and knees panting heavily. And slowly she started to shift back to her human form once more nude, she looked up at him "once you're here you don't leave" she said wincing and reaching for her clothes to start getting dressed. Before he could tell her she didn't have to do that she'd already done it. He watched as she dropped to the floor, wracked with pain. He got up to help her up to her feet. "That sounds horrible. You are a prisoner here. Like I was." He felt her very warm flesh in his hands as he helped her up. He couldn't help his body's reaction. Blood pumped down between his legs causing something to awaken. His breath caught, and his heart began to beat rapidly. Before he could do or say anything more, there came a knock at the door. His hand on her arms sent strange tingling through her body and she suddenly felt like her core was shaking she flushed seeing his excitement. She looked up at him and froze as her eyes met his and something ran down her spine as she stared at him. Her heart was beating faster than ever before, but the moment was interrupted when she heard the knock... She looked at him again and then pulled from his hands and closed the curtain to her room again telling to stay hidden. She opened the door to her car naked as it didn't bother her honestly. " Yes..." Her voice dropped when she saw who it was Dustin went silent hearing the knock at the door. He watched the curtain and listened to whoever it might be. The fact that she went to the door naked didn't bother him. At the door was Hugo the circus strongman. He had a toolbox in one hand and was wearing faded overalls. He smiled, not bothered at all by Kids's nakedness. "Sorry if I'm interrupting," He bellowed in his usual deep voice. "But ringmaster told me to come by and see if I could fix car. He said you have big hole. Can I come in?" Kids let out a breath and smiled" ya of course" she told Hugo and moved so he could come in. She gestured to the gain thole in her roof, not that it was needed." I had a huge log fall through last night, I got that taken care of. " She told him. " Do you need any help fixing it? Or gathering the supplies ? " She offered hiking was just glad it wasn't the ringmaster again, she really did worry about Dustin. "I'll just have to get a ladder is all," Hugo told her. The big man eyed the hole like an adversary then left his tool box on the floor. He came back some time later with an eight-foot ladder. Climbing it, he inspected the damage more closely. "Looks like we will have to redo this roof completely I'm afraid. You won't be able to stay in this car anymore. "Hugo looked to the curtain then back at Kids. "You'll have to find another car to bunk in while I fix it." When Hugo returned she had dressed and was waiting to see what Hugo would say about her roof. Hearing what Hugo said she felt a bit of panic sit in her stomach. " Oh are you sure? And do you know what cars are open that I could stay in then?' she asked him she glanced back at her little corner, and oddly it felt weird that she would have to leave it. And also she had to figure out how to move Dustin without being noticed. Hugo nodded slowly. "Yes, I am sure. The roof will need to be remade completely. " The big man gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm not sure. You can ask Fantasia. I think she said there was one before the end that was vacant." Hugo opened his tool box and got out some metal pliers and got to work. Behind the curtain, Dustin waited patiently. He heard everything but was unsure what to do. Kids sighed but nodded "all right I will do that I'll start gathering some of my things," she told him and would back through her curtain and closed it again and looked at Dustin. She kept her voice lower as she spoke to him "this might get hectare and tricky, but I'm going to go see a friend, and maybe she can help me figure out how to move you before the show starts." she told him and grabbed her little backpack and would start putting what she did have in it. "How are you feeling ?" Dustin listened then nodded. His looked to the curtain as he could hear the man working on the ladder. "And you want me to stay here?" He whispered, looking at Kids. "What if he looks behind the curtain?" He knew he was supposed to hide but there was only so much space." Kida," Hugo called out. "I will be right back. I need to fetch another tool. Heavy footsteps echoed as Hugo left. Kids paused packing her things at Dustin's question, she was about to try and say something when she heard Hugo leave. "Right thanks" she called to him and looked at Dustin. "This is going to be our best chance to get you moved we can hide on the other side of the train no one is usually over there" she told him. "If you need to lean on me and I will help you move along" she told him. She could finish backing later right now she needed to get Dustin out of here. Walking to the door she looked out and saw that no one was around. "Come on Dustin," she told him and would take his hand and start to lead him out and around the to the other side of the train. She would pull him along softly ignoring the strange tingling in her hand from holding his. She listened and smelt for Fantasia, she just hoped there was a cart open for her. "Who is Fantasia?" He asked, taking Kids's hand. He walked with a slight limp since his legs were still healing. Once outside the train cars, He saw tents further away and the sound of carnival music in the distance. "Why is it that people come to the circus?" Dustin followed her for a while until they came to the next to last train car. It was empty. Dustin started to climb in when he noticed the collar around her neck was glowing. "Why is it doing that?" He asked with wide fearful eyes. She pulled him along carefully and offered him to lean on her if he needed more help." Fantasia is the circuses' fortune-teller n seeker. She usually knows things and helps organized as well. " She explained to him. His question made her blink" because they enjoy watching the beasts preform and that they can laugh and ridicule us for being monsters" she said sadly. Getting to the second to last car, she was glad to see it was empty, and she could easily set up a corner for them and keep him hidden. She kept watch around them as he climbed in the box car. Though when he said her collar was glowing panic ran through her "Hide quick...." Her voice was cut off as she fell to the ground on hands and knees and whimpered in pain and a few moments later she could hear the ring master approaching with one of his bouncers. She was locked in this position she couldn't move or talk until the ring master released her "Well what do we have here?" The rig master sneered, walking up alongside Kids. "Why aren't you doing your duties?" He reached down, running white gloved fingers through her hair. His bouncer chuckled, holding a whip in one hand. Dustin stayed hidden in the car, watching from the shadows. He wanted to help Kids, but he wasn't in any shape for a fight. He winced as he stood powerless as the ringmaster taunted Kids. Kids shook knowing all to well if she didn't answer right she was going to be hurting. She hated when he touched her but also know pulling away would make it worse." I was just moving my things to this car sir Hugo said I could t stay in the other one right now" she answered him nervously but quickly still not able to move, but she could at least talk. She just hoped Dustin stayed hidden. The ringmaster nodded knowingly. "It's too bad I can't find another one of your kind. The kind of money I'd make if I could breed you," He said thoughtfully. "Ah well.can't dwell on it now. I have work to do. Be sure you're not late tonight." The ringmaster and his thug walked off, leaving her alone. The collar stopped glowing once he was far enough away. Dustin limped over to help her. "Are you okay? What did he want?" She tensed when the ringmaster spoke about finding another like her again, he had spoken of this a few times it had been one reason she was glad they hadn't ever found another like her, he found out about Dustin. "Yes ringmaster" she said and didn't bother to try and move at all. She finally let out a breath when she felt the collar release, and she held her head softly. She looked up when she heard Dustin and her stomach flipped, "I'll be ok he was reminding me to not be late tonight and that I have more chores, and that it's a good thing he doesn't know you are here and what you are" she told him softly as she let him help her to her feet. "Come on let's get the room made up so you have a safe spot," she told him. Dustin went with her to the empty car and lifted small things she brought from her room. After a while they had a corner set up for him to hide. "Do you have to go now?" He asked, resting on the floor of the car. "When will you be back?" He waited quite awhile but he soon got bored. After a while he was considering going to check out the tents. She wished she didn't have to go but if she didn't go and get more work done and ready for her part. " I have to go, and I won't be back till evening time after most of the crowd leaves I'm sorry. But if I don't go the ring master will come looking and believe me you don't want to be stuck here." She explained to him, if she could get away she could, she had never thought about running before truly, but she had been afraid of being alone but with Dustin. She shook her head," I'll be back as soon as I can" she told him and with that Kids left. It would be hours had gone by and Dustin would begin to hear more people showing up and laughing and gasping in fright or horror at things. The circus was soon in full swing and Kids was in her small roped off area waiting for her turn to perform for the crowd. Until then she was on display for all to see as she danced and such for small entertainment. Then it was her turn and she stood behind the curtain as she listened to the ring master call things out and then introduce her. Kids had striped down and walked out naked before the large group of people laughs and peers where ringing already in her ears. Then the ringmaster gave the word and Kids shifted into her, we're form and howled. Everyone else would think a fright and that the beast was howling in rage but like every time Kids was howling calling for any other like herself. I'd Dustin was heard or near he would hear it rather loudly. And if he followed or went to the main tent he would walk in on the ringmaster making kids in her gain we're form act like dog cracking a whip but never hitting her. He would make her finally sorts of humiliating tricks for the crowd. Even though he was naked, it didn't stop him from exploring closer and closer to the tents. The scents of freshly popped corn and hot dogs made his stomach grumble. The sounds of the rides and the people's reaction made him curious. However, what he saw when he entered the tent angered him. Her cries made his heart sink but the sight of the coming down at Kids made him feel anger he hadn't thought he possessed. Without thought, he transformed and charged forward through the stands and over the barrier, lunging directly at the ringmaster. Kids hated doing the tricks, but it was her act and better than what he had said one time of making her kill or doing horrible things. She just kept her head down as she did her stunts and tricks. It was when she heard the growl the looked up to see. Dustin... No, no no. Her heart started to race, and she felt panic set in. What was he doing? She saw him going for the ringmaster" don't" she yelled at him trying to warn Dustin about the ringmaster. The crowd was startled and started to scream in fright. The ringmaster moved with a grace and speed that belied his size. "Oh, what is this?" He said, amused. "Another wolf? Where have you been hiding?" He lashed out with the whip once. Twice. Three times. He dodged every swipe and bite." Oh, is he protecting you?" He teased Kids before pulling out a collar and getting in position to put it around the wolf's neck while dodging and striking with the whip. Kids winced as she watched the ringmaster dodge all of Dustin's attacks, and she was confused why he was even doing this. Let alone up and moving he had needed rest, it was the ringmasters tease that made her flinch. She felt panic rise when she saw the collar, Kids jumped in the way almost like she was guarding the ringmaster, and she looked at Dustin "Run" she told him as she was trying to protect him even if she knew she would get in trouble for it. The ringmaster sneered. "What do you think you are doing, troublesome girl?" He lashed out with whip, and actually struck her back with it. This enraged Dustin further. He wanted to leap forward and tear the man limb from limb but Kids was in the way. He growled, baring a mouthful of sharp teeth. The ringmaster chuckled. "I think you're protecting him. I have an idea. Capture your friend for me." He commanded. Her collar lit up brightly, surging with energy. Kids whimpered softly but bared through the whip biting her she looked at Dustin even as he bared his teeth heavily. She was begging him with her eyes, but then she heard the ringer masters command, and she yelped as she grabbed her collar. But she couldn't fight it Kids suddenly left at Dustin grabbing him and pinning him to the ground. Her own teeth bared at him, and she looked at home with regret and remorse in her eyes. Dustin wrestled with kids, but it was difficult as he was trying not to hurt her. Why was she fighting him? Didn't she want to be free? He was so confused. He tried to push her away, but she was stronger than she looked. The ringmaster took advantage of the chaos and slipped a collar on the other wolf's neck. "Very good girl. Excellent!" He clapped his hands together and stepped back away from them." Now both of you change back." Dustin growled and snapped his jaws at the man, but he felt a burning sensation grow around his neck. Suddenly he felt his body shrinking to normal. His adrenaline began to ebb away, and his pains came rushing back through his body." Now Kids, knock him out and carry him to my office." He commanded. Kids didn't want to fight him she hated every moment of it, she could see he was confused, and she hated it more and more. But she felt tears come to her eyes as she watched the collar slip over Dustin's neck. She hated this more than anything at least that was until he had them shift back, and she felt the burning and shifted back. She looked at the ring master and fought his order for the first time" please ring master don't make me do this please" she begged him as she glanced at Dustin even though her body was shaking from how hard she was fighting this command. Dustin would see tears starting to stream down her face as she was moving closer to him. "Do as I say, or I'll make it ten times worse, girl." The ringmaster replied, venom sinking into his voice. "Choke him out and take him to my office.now!!" He readied the whip foe another strike if she defied him again. The collar glowed hotter as if to match his anger." No.you don't have to do this," Dustin pleaded. "Fight it, Kids." He rolled over, trying to get to his feet. The tent was empty of spectators. It was only the three of them now. Kids gasped and whimpered as her body moved closer to Dustin, tears streaming down her face as she struggled in pain. Her mind was going wild she had never fought the ringer masters before but this... Kids was standing over Dustin now, and she looked down at him. It was Dustin's words that seemed to spark something in Kids and she froze. " No..." She growled" I won't do it" she said suddenly and stepped back from Dustin. She couldn't figure it out before, but she did now it's why she felt so strongly to him. He was her mate... Kids cried out as she grabbed her head. She turned away from Dustin and looked at the ring master. "So.disappointing. " The ringmaster said, gripping the whip in both hands. "Seems ill have to do this myself." The ringmaster went behind the young man and wrapped the whip tightly around Dustin's neck and began to choke him. Dustin thrashed but with the ringmaster weight it made it hard to get off of him. He pleaded for Kids to help him as he gagged and started to lose consciousness." Don't you fucking dare!" The ringmaster threatened through gritted teeth, tightening the whip further. Kids watched the ring master and her eyes sharpened, and she looked at Dustin and his plea for help. She didn't know what came over her even as the ringmaster said don't. She left at the ring master to push him off Dustin and free him from the whip. " Leave him alone" she growled at him. "Meddlesome girl!" The ringmaster let go of the whip as he began to wrestle Kids off his back. "I take you in and this how you repay me?" His hands dug into her left arm as he attempted to swing her over his head. Dustin coughed, collapsing to his hands and knees as he gasped for air. Kids had never attacked the ringmaster before, but she was so worried about Dustin her body had acted. But then she knew why he was her mate and she wasn't about to let the ring master hurt him. She gritted her teeth as she felt his hand dig into her arm. Suddenly the world was upside down as her back slammed into the ground and she cried out. "You ungrateful wench!" The ringmaster spat and cursed, grabbing Kids by the hair and picking her up to look in her face. "I'm going to teach you both some manners!" Dustin regained some breath, getting to his feet and rushing toward the ringmaster. He grew angrier seeing how he treated Kids." Tighter and tighter. Tighter still," the ringmaster repeated. The collars grew tight, cutting off breath from both of them. Kids cried out when he grabbed her hair, jerking her up to face him her hands shooting up to grab his arm as she struggled in his hold. She growled at him, "I won't let you hurt him" she growled her eyes flashing. She glanced at Dustin and started to dig her claws into the ringmaster's arm when he spoke. Kida gasped out suddenly her claws digging deeper into the ringmaster's arm as her airway was cut off, and she struggled to stay conscious. Her arms became weak and fell to her sides her mouth was open as she tried to breathe but nothing, and she looked over at Dustin as her world went dark. Kids went limp in the ringmaster's hold passing out from the lack of air. Once both had passed out, the ringmaster had Kids moved to his personal car. He returned her collar to normal but had her chained to a post inside his private room. He swallowed so angry that he barely managed to not beat her then and there. Furthermore, he smiled evilly under his curled mustache once she began to return to consciousness." Ah. You're awake....good," He crouched so that they were eyed level. "It seems that you and I need to renegotiate our terms eh? Ones that include your new friend," He sneered. "You cost me quite a lot today." The train rumbled to life around her. It was night, and they were headed to the next town. Kids whimpered as she woke only to see the ringmasters face right In front her, and she felt that she was chained and saw where she was. Her stomach dropped as the ringmaster spoke. She felt the train rumble alive, and she felt panic settle in. " Please I'm sorry don't hurt him just let him go he doesn't deserve this" she pleaded to him though she shook softly and was looking around some, and she didn't see Dustin. " What did you do with him?" She almost growled but caught herself "Let him go?" The ringmaster laughed. "Why? When I can keep you both and sell your offspring? I'll make a fortune. No, I haven't Hunt him yet. But I will if you don't keep him under control. I can't afford him scaring off customers!" He moved like he was going to hit her but didn't. "I'm going to keep you both and breed a lot of pups. Now...are you going to cooperate or am I to use force?" Kids felt her face drop when the ringmaster laughed at her, but her face paled heavily at what he said to her about pups. She swallowed heavily when he said he hadn't hurt Dustin yet, and gave his warning about keeping him under control. She flinched as the ringmaster acted like he was going to hit her. She turned her head closing her eyes but when it didn't come, and he started to speak again she looked back at him. Kids felt like her heart was shattering, "please don't master I'll do anything else you ask but don't force me to do this" she begged him her voice trembling. She was worried about Dustin and where he was, but she feared what would come of her pups the idea of them being sold off was unbearable. "It probably won't work anyway we aren't mates and white wolves have a hard time getting pregnant" she threw at him in a desperate way The ringmaster face darkened. "For both your sakes you'd better hope not." He paced across the floor, eyeing her like a hawk eyes a potential meal. "I think you'll do what's in your best interest if you get my drift. Because if you don't..." He left the threat hanging in the air." Think it over." He spat. "Get out of my sight." He let her loose from her bonds. When she would get to her car, Dustin was laying on the floor unconscious yet breathing Kids shook as the ringmasters face darkened at her and how he started to pace. His words made her gulp heavily as she just watched him unsure what to do. His threat made her tense and she was more than ready to run when he finally let her loose. She bolted as quickly as she could back to her car hoping Dustin was there and ok. Entering the car she saw him on the floor but breathing, she rushed to him and touched his face softly as she looked at him "Dustin, Dustin wake up please" she called to him tears coming to her face as she waited for a response from him. Dustin blinked several times before waking up groggily. He sat up but realized his hands were still tied with rope. "What happened?" He asked, looking around the train car. He heard the metal wheels screeching on the tracks. Furthermore, he looked at Kids. "Did he hurt you? Are you okay?" Kids hadn't noticed that his hands were tied so once she that she cut the ropes with her claws and looked at Dustin a sigh of relief filled her. "No at least not yet, and I'm as well I'm going to be with what going on," she said softly and looked at him biting her lower lip "we need to talk," she told him "Come on lets gets you into the bed" as she moved to help him up and towards the curtained off area of the car. When they entered the curtain she felt her stomach drop as they had gotten her a bigger bed to accommodate him and her laying together, and it looked like most everything was gone including her clothes. Taking a breath, she helped him to the bed on the floor and sat down with him. "We are in a lot of trouble" she told him finally. "I have to ask you this though why did you attack the ringmaster why where you even out there?" "What sort of trouble?" He said, moving as best he could to the bed. He looked at it closer." I got bored, so I decided to explore a bit. Then I heard you and then I saw what he was doing. It wasn't right so I decided to stop him. I didn't want him to hurt you." He admitted. Laying down, he noticed the bed felt different. It was bigger. Softer. "Did you get a new bed put in? " He looked at her confused. "This one is much softer." Kids let out a deep breath as she sat on the new bed had to fight the urge to jump on Dustin on he laid down. Ever since she acknowledges what he was her body had been going a bit crazy, "it may not be right, but now we are both slaves here" she told him softly and pointed at the collar on his neck. "Dustin I know you said you were experimented on and turned into one of my kind, but do you know anything about my kind and how things work?" she asked him slowly as she played with her own hands He paused to think over what she had asked him. He was trying to stay calm but the thought of being kept a prisoner weighed heavily on him. "What do you mean? I don't know much. I wasn't allowed to read or learn much in the lab. " He admitted. He could smell her scent keenly, even as she played with her hands nervously. She let out a breath as she ran her hand through her hair. " My kind is rare wolf's in general are rare but white wolves are near extinct from humans and such. I haven't met another wolf at all since I've been in this circus and believe me the ringmaster has looked. " She explained" my kind are very particular about finding someone to be with it's called out mate and when we find them it's the greatest thing. Their is a pull to the other and then once they are bound they grow stronger as well. " She explained slowly. " I think you are my mate even though you were created I've felt the pull and urge since you fell through the roof, and it makes me happy but sad at the same time," she looked over at him" have you felt anything ?" She asked him. "I have felt a sort of pull towards you. Yes," He admitted. "But how will that help us be free of that man?" He looked at her curious. His heart was beating quickly even as he spoke. Her closeness was affecting him even then." We can't just stay here forever. And we can't give him what he wants." Kids shivered when he said he had been feeling the pull. Admitting it would only intensify the pull and feelings until he marked her. " A mated pairs bond is stronger than anything it might be strong enough we could get out of here, but we have to be smart we can't just run now you need to heal." She told him her breathing getting heavy. " And no I don't want to give him what he wants because he wants us to breed so he can sell the pups" she told him. He nodded. "So how do we strengthen the bond between us exactly?" He asked. "We just have sex or is there more to it?" He felt an electric tingle go through him as he sat there naked. There was a knock at the door of the car. "Kids! It's me, Jury... Are you okay? I brought food!" Kids bit her lip he really didn't know anything of being a wolf she would have to show him how to mark her by doing it to him" it's a bit more than just sex" she said before she heard the door and jury. She looked at Dustin then sighed" come in jury it's ok" she called to her friend. She patted Dustin's hand softly. Trying to reassure him that it would be ok even though she was terrified of that was coming to past Dustin watched Jury enter with food. He was wary of the dark haired woman as he was only familiar with Kids." I heard there was an accident. I brought some food," she said setting a tray full of food on the foot of the bed. There were pieces of chicken, a helping of stew, two bananas, two bread rolls, and some leftover candy. Kids could feel Dustin's wary less and the tension with them still. She looked up at Jury and smiled softly" Thank you, and not much an accident but incident" she explained "Jury this is Dustin I was going to introduce you after the circus closed for the night but ...." she paused and took a breath "things happened" she told her "Dustin this is Jury she the healer for the ones like us around here" she explained to him "she's safe I promise" she told him and would take a deep breath "So did the ringmaster send you to check up on us?" she asked her. They had been friends for a long time and the ringmaster had tried to use that against them before, sending the other into spies and such to get information. But the women had caught on and always had some tidbit for him, so he believes he was getting what he wanted. Dustin stayed still and just listened to what Kids said. His eyes never left the dark haired, dark skinned woman or the tray of food. Hungry as he was still wary of eating it. He wanted to believe Kids's promise but something in him just could not shake the doubt in his head. Jura shook her head. "Actually no. I heard from Iffy the clown that you were lookingforaplacetostay. . She said she heard about it from Hugo. I just thought some food would be nice." She gave a little shrug. Kids smiled and nodded "it is appreciated and ya Hugo said I needed to stay else wear, thankfully this car was open, and it will be me and Dustin in here now," she said softly. They had spoken before about what the ringmaster wanted of her, so kids knew the Jury understood. "Sorry I didn't tell you sooner about him, but thank you for the medical supplies they helped a lot for his wounds" she told her and rubbed Dustin's knee comfortingly. "Was there anything else you wanted to chat about your welcome to stay and chat while we eat" she told her as she got up and grabbed the food ad brought it over to the bed for her and Dustin. Dustin dug into the food while they talked. The fight with the ringmaster had made him ravenous. Jura shook her head. "I'd like to, but there are a few things I need to do. Thank you. I'm just glad to help. Please try to stay out of trouble. " She stepped away. "I'll let you two eat in peace. I hope to see you later." Jury left them without another word. Dustin watched her go, relieved they were alone. "So what do we do now?" Kids nodded to jury" will try my best" she told her friend and stood in the room shaking her head softly. She joined Dustin on the bed again, and already she felt her embarrassment bloom once more." I wish I knew if we don't do as the ring master says we could be in for a lot of trouble. I think for now we should play along and let the ring master think he's winning at least until your healed better and then maybe we can try and figure things out more" she said while eating on and off but found herself getting a bit sleepy as well

The Circus (Wolfblackthorne and Kilin)|rating:4.0

The Overdue Destruction of House Vorn

Twenty years of being slapped, beaten, tortured, bloodied, bruised, and broken. It had gone too far. This time it had just been the final straw. With his golden yellow robes drenched in blood and sweat, the draw wizard opened his chamber's doors stumbling in, barely able to stand once again. Ryltar Born, the seventh child and only son of Martin Solid Born, collapsed on the cold flagstone floor of the largest servant's room in his mother's House. The cold stone helped ease the throbbing his back was doing, but it started to leave a slick mess of blood and fabric at the same time. With his eyes closed, he took deep breaths, trying to catch the wind that evaded his sharp nose. Laying on his back silently for a few seconds, the most violent fit of rage overtook the fragile draw male. With a loud angered shriek, Altar slammed his powerful fists into the hard stone, ignoring the fact he just now broke a pinky on his left hand. Screaming every obscenity he could muster, Altar broke down into the most miserable pile of tears and tattered wizard's robes. His delicate chest heavier as he outwardly moaned and wept. The frustration had just overtaken the young man to the point of breaking. He couldn't take this any longer. His remaining four sisters used ABD abused the wizard. They had already climbed the ranks to sit at their Martin's feet as loyal lap spiders, but because of his sex, he was forever doomed to be second rate. Never to be taken seriously. Never to be important. Never to be worthy to their arachnid goddess. Ryltar felt the all too familiar pain of broken bones creep up his arm. He realized something in his left hand was broken, and he slowly stilled from his terrible outburst. Just laying on the floor, beyond the desire to move, he weakly called out to his ever loyal manservant." Jarikk... I think my left hand has a broken finger." he said choked with suppressed rage, pain, desperation, and revenge. The ivory hair of the young wizard had been caked with his drying blood, making it a smelly clumped mess of brown save for the crown of his regal skull. Finally, he opened his mango eyes and scanned the room, resting his gaze on the worried face of the goblin. Now, Harris was no ordinary goblin. He had been assigned to Altar when he was a child. It wasn't that the goblin had any special powers or teachings (that is, noticeable to anyone 'important'), but rather, his Matron and sisters just didn't have the motivation to rear a male. Especially since he was the last child born to Matron Born. House Born's goblins were prized amongst local rivals. They had been bred for longevity and loyalty. They lived nearly three times as long as their inferior brethren in other Houses, and they had a tendency to be obedient at a much higher level than regular goblins. There laid Altar, watching Jarek approach him with such a look on his regal face. The blood loss was getting to the young draw. His eyes were getting heavy and he was feeling loopy. Stretching his broken hand towards his faithful and ever calm manservant, the wizard fell still and quiet. Not dead, but terribly broken. It would take the ever caring touch of a special goblin to mend the poor boy's injuries once again. The way his master had looked coming in showed Jarek what had to be done, yet he felt like a fool. Instead of taking his young master to the cleansing chambers immediately, he had prepared a bath. Now that he had returned, well, how foolish of him." Sir Born, I understand. Do not worry." HS words were clipped and concise even, taught to him by his own mother before he slew her for trying to take away his favorite stuffed spider. He often pretended he did not know the nuances of the language, as it befit one of his status. The draw hated the way their lighter skinned brethren spoke the elvish tongue, better not show off his skill being just a disgusting goblin servant. The benefit of being the servant to a draw male became apparent when the goblin was able to lift the upper part of Altar and drag him to the cleansing room. He severed the robes, the delicate cotton parting to the knife he had on his person. As Altar lay naked before him the goblin got out a healing kit he had, one that had seen years of use, and began his work. Next to him was a bucket of warm water that he dipped a light sponge into and took over the draw's body, cleansing the wounds and apologizing for the pain it causes his master. He glared at the cuts and shivered slightly, very angry at whomever would do this to his poor, sweet master. After the wounds were cleaned out he pushed Altar into the low bathing apparatus he had, the water soon becoming a sick pink from the wounds. He dug around and found a scroll of healing that he often filched from the sisters, having long spent time working their rivalries into making them think that one another stole the scrolls the others made to look better in front of the matron. It was one of the privileges of being a goblin; they never suspected him to be smart, much less able to USE the magic gifted to them by the fetid Loath." Healing webs, commence your knitting to this your spawn." The was he spoke tricked the scroll, as he had learned before, and the magic took, the wounds on Altar knitting themselves closed. Yet, it was not enough to heal his broken finger the entire way, leaving it with a sprain. Yet he would be able to be up and back in the saddle in fewer than two days. Jarek took the hand and placed a specialized spider silk bandage on it with a splint made from bone, one of the things he had kept from that traitorous Banshee, his second-oldest sister before she got implemented in a crime she actually didn't commit. It was one of his revenge schemes, seeing as she had the audacity to use Altar as a training dummy the days before she was 'found out.' Small, tender hands washed the blood out of Altar's hair, leaving him a sore, but clean draw. "Stay here, sir Born. I will return shortly." His little legs moved quickly as he found a soft, delicate robe to cover the draw. He helped Altar out of the water and into a chair where he dried him off, his face lowered as he touched the delicate areas of his beloved master. After he was done he wrapped the robe around him and helped him to bed, wrapping the covers around his dark-colored man. He watched him, his face not changing but his heart bumping slightly, as it always did after he helped Altar. He didn't show it, and he would never say it, but he deeply loved his ward. Not the love of a servant and a master, that was unheard of in draw culture, but the unrequited love that was written about in sagas great and long above ground. Jarek knew he could never tell his master, and that he would probably die with the secret, probably die protecting his master. Yet, it was enough knowing that even though Altar didn't love him, he TRUSTED him, and that was probably closer than anyone of his race had ever come to with a draw." Sir Born, would you like a story? Some food? Or shall I retire and leave you be, sir?" Altar barely heard the goblin speak. The sound of life became a dull series of terrible throbs, only reminding him that he had lived through one more of his sibling's bad days. All he had done was petition a request to leave the House to resupply reagents and spell components for everyone, but was sure to leave out anything he could use. As usual, his youngest surviving sister Draw'Baal, she felt that his request had been a waste of her time knowing full well she was devoid of Liver Caps and Roth fibers. She just didn't want to be reminded of a bout of laziness and thus reminded Altar to not remind her. The young wizard felt he was being hauled off somewhere, and to his bleary mind, he had hoped he would finally depart the Material plane and find some special place in Veteran's wicked heart. Imagine to his surprise when the warm wound-cleaning water rushed into all the deep whip lacerations igniting every nerve that had been damaged. The string of Undercommon curses flung from his mouth would have caused a few to seek shelter away from such terrible manners. Each time one of the long slender slices were cleaned through, Altar grabbed at a towel, slowly weakening its fibers with the bit of strength he did possess. With his remaining strength drained into the towel, Altar laid still and just breathed deep. This was a routine he had come to expect from his siblings, but the closer to death he got, the more he just wished it'd come already. He felt his body being ushered into warm water and recognized the feeling of the tub. In his haze of blood loss, he had forgotten that Jarek had come to his aid, like always. At this moment, it was a fleeting thought of compassion for something to care for him so, but realized his weakness in the same split second. Opening his eyes to watch the goblin, he wore an all too familiar scowl. The wizard wasn't pleased with divine magics being used to mend his muscles, but he found it amusing that his manservant was just as crafty as some of his siblings. It was a treat to have such a useful sod in his command. He would scamper off to return with some important scroll or parchment to later have his sisters dueling in the Matron's court over something petty. It was pleasant to have something so devious around. As the spell was read off, the familiar feeling of thousands of tiny spiders pulling his back together came about and made him a little Queen. As his goblin mended his hand, he relaxed a little into the tub of warm water. Altar was rather angry that his hand was injured, but he remembered it was his own doing. Letting the water soak into his lengthy hair, he was glad that the blood hadn't stained it badly. He would hate to have to cut it off once again. Jarek's nimble fingers tingled and danced across his scalp expertly, making sure any traces of red stains were cleansed completely. When Jarek departed, he rubbed his shoulder, gauging how badly these would scar. By the feel of it, they wouldn't be the worst of them, but at least two would remain rather visible. The goblin returned with a silken robe and helped the weary draw from his warm bath. Altar looked at the bathwater in disgust. He had seen worse, but it always made him angry to see so much ofhisblood wasted soon-to-be discarded bath water. After being seated in a small squat chair, Altar held out the appropriate limbs as his manservant went about the task of drying him. The draw had always wondered why Jarek acted so shameful about drying his groin. He wasn't sure if it was SOE goblin shame that hadn't been bred out or if the creature had some aversion to his body. While the thought of having a goblin shameful at tending a duty to one of the most important parts of the young draw's body, Altar was a bit angered. He would dwell on this for many days to come. Possibly do some reading into goblin affinities and emotions. Ryltar was assisted into his soft bed with Jarek tucking him in quite comfortably. The goblin seemed lost in thought and that amused Altar to a small brief laugh. A goblin in thought. How ridiculous. He said unto himself with a faint smile." Something to eat to regain some strength. I have work to do this evening, and you're to accompany me. If you'd fancy a story whilst I ate, that would be acceptable." he replied from the mound of pillows behind his head. He took a deep breath and stared at the canopy above him. He knew how expensive it had been to obtain an intact wooden bed, much less the pillow filled with the covering of a surface creature who was known for its terrible call. Yet, they were so comfortable compared to the web weave sheets and clothes his sisters preferred. It had a terrible cling to it, making it near impossible to work arcane magics in them. Ryltar waited as patiently as a draw could for the goblin to return. The meeting replayed in his mind as he tried to pick apart all of what she said to make his secret outing worthwhile. He had to plot every possible angle out to make sure he wasn't tortured again for just restocking the spell components his sisters and Matron just seemed to burn through as fast as he could sneak them in. Altar felt lucky as he knew he had a cache on the Ethereal plane for his own private needs. Lost in his own thoughts and schemes, the draw reclined into the mounds of surface goods and carefully plotted the length, yet earned demise of his House. Jarek listened to the request and scurried off. He was an impressive sight for his kind, in all respects. He stood at a very nice three feet and eight inches tall, making him rather statuesque for his breed. His black hair was tied back and kept in a ponytail so it was out of the way, as it had never been cut. He often wore it around his neck, as it had grown rather long in his thirty-four years of life, yet it was never in the interest of his master to have it cut and Jarek wouldn't dream of asking Altar for any special treatment like that. His body was firm and taut, his seventy-seven pounds of body weight nearly pure muscle. His skin was a light lavender, bred into him specially by the Goblin Breeders of House Born. His eyes were a pale orange with a vibrant slit of black across them. They were smart, and held a vast depth that was often ignored by the elves in his daily life. He wore an outfit that he knew Altar enjoyed, one that showed off his body some and yet showed he had no hidden weapons on him. He knew how important it was for Altar to know that Jarek only had his utility knife on him unless they went outside, and he was not going to take that pleasure away from the elf he had come to love. As he maneuvered towards the kitchen his mind wandered, back to when he was twenty-four and Altar was fourteen. He had been coming to check on Altar and see if he was okay after a day of studies, and he had seen something he should not have. Altar had been laid out on his bed, his hands on his erect member while he stroked it. Jarek hadn't known how long Altar had been feeling sexual urges, but he knew the man had figured out what to do on his own. He had been stunned and watched, listening to the sounds coming from his master. He had watched the culmination as well, the light semen splattered like sensual pearls upon the dark skin of Altar. It had probably helped the day before that Altar had even commented on him, giving him praise for the first time ever in public. It had made Jarek feel like a true person, and cemented his love for the elf. The display he had seen had cemented his lust. He felt deplorable of course, his age higher than his ward and his own disgusting race, yet he had still imagined. He came to carrying a tray of soup, bread, spider meat from a food spider, and tasty wall fungus from the dark caves. His footsteps were silent as he came into the room and laid it at the side for his master, bowing to him formally, "I got what I could have your favorites, sir Born. The tea is brewing in the cup still, and I made it myself, so there is no chance of poisoning. I will humbly test it for you if you wish, as always my lord." It was common rote for him now, but he knew it was most likely not needed. He had been bringing Altar food for ages and making sure no poison dared touch the palette of his prized ward. He stepped back and got a chair and pulled it close, sitting down with his hands folded in his lap, his own nails trimmed precisely for maximum usefulness. His eyes took in the form of his lord and he gave a toothless smile, his lips folded tight on what he viewed were ugly fangs." I learned a new tale. I do think you will like it, sir Born. It is about Nitric Value, the cleric hero of Veteran. Of course, your female siblings would call him an upstart, may Loath find them wanting. I have a tale of his top-world adventures, one where he triumphs over Matron Radishes. I am not certain if it is a tale only, or truth. Be your own judge, my potent lord. The tale begins in the light that blinds the blessed,"His tale was a nice one, his clipped even making it sound like a perfect narration. He watched and cleaned up Altar when necessary, making sure everything was perfect. He wanted the draw male before him to feel special and cared for, even if it was just for a brief period of time. Furthermore, he always strove for that. Furthermore, he ended the tale with the death of the Matron, her blindness to the fact a male could be as clever as herself being her downfall as her own suitor, seduced and taught the ways of Veteran's love by Nitric's own hands, slit her throat with a dagger as she slept." I hope the tale was to your liking, Sir Born." His goblin returned with an acceptable tray of foods. How delicious the soup smelled! The beating he had endured really tested his system and made he rather hungry. Altar could feel his belly rumble from under the soft sheets. "That won't be needed. I trust that it's pure." he replied to Jarek. Not once had he ever suspected the goblin servant of wishing him ill. He seemed to be beyond loyal and that pleased Altar. To have someone so faithful around him all the time and not wanting to see his demise. It was refreshing to be with Jarek compared to the ruthless and mind-numbing family relations of his. As Jarek began his tale, it struck a very personal chord within him. It's as if the gods had shown him what must be done. He had the thoughts of bringing House Born under his control, but males in charge wereveryshort lived. This tale was far too enthralling and too close to home. Altar looked stunned, for what that would look on a draw's face. "JA-Jarikk... where did you learn of such a tale?" he asked rather curiously and restrained deviousness. If such a tale had the slightest hint of truth, Altar would be spending the next several weeks trying to discern everything in his power. Even if it meant trips to the surface. With his meal finished, he sat looking at the goblin who had just inspired such wicked thoughts. "I see. I would ask you prepare yourself in a few hours. We'll be heading out to gather some spell components. A bit more than we usually do. I've got something to figure out, but for now, I need some rest. Mind the door." the wizard said before turning into his bedding, preparing for a deep trance to prepare these coming plans. The young draw quickly entered his trance and began to hash out a marvelous plot. He quickly came to the realization that he would need as much information on the surface world as possible. Altar only knew as much as any common draw about the world above. He also realized that if things weren't possible to do on his own, he would have to enlist some help. He didn't like the thought, but there were always raiders and slavers looking for wizards for their careers. It was a few hours later when he roused from his trance. Altar felt refreshed and in a much better mood. The throbbing in his back had subsided thanks to Jarek. That impressive little goblin always knew a way to end the pain. Sitting up from his mound of pillows, he scanned the dimly lit room. Sure enough, Jarek was in his usual spot watching over him. The draw felt enamored to have something so intent in keeping him comfortable and safe. It meant something to the young man, but he was unsure exactly what. Getting out of his coverings, he climbed from his bed and proceeded to change into something more capable for wandering the caves. Donning a rather slick suit of thin leather armor over top of some padded linen breeches and tunic, he gathered his long knife and staff. Altar rummaged through his work desk of papers and found a scroll case, making sure to put it inside the bag he slung over his shoulder. Looking to Jarek, he offered what could best be described as a draw smile. "You ready for departure?" he offered. Making sure to cast a number of non-detection spells, Altar guided Jarek out of the 'secret' exit from the house for one of their many trips together. However, it seemed as if Altar was taking a different route towards the caves. Once completely away from the House of Born, Altar finally spoke softly. "We're headed to different caves this day. I require something new..." he said taking a left turn towards the deeper and more dangerous series of caves. All manner of strange beats lurked here. Some of the fiercest spiders and the Derry had been known to lurk here once in a while. But pausing for a moment to read a map he had stored in his desk, he led them down a much shorter and narrower passageway than the larger main tunnel. Altar would occasionally pause and reach behind him to check if the goblin was till there. He would need him to carry some of the items back, so his breath would change for a single exhalation each time his slender fingers met with some part of Jarek. It was finally revealed where Altar had led them. It was a purely different set of fungi that they were looking at. The specific shade of blue bioluminescent Xingu they were looking at was a brilliant cobalt blue. It wasn't to go without notice to the other small fungi andplantsgrowing around a rather sinister looking collection of water. Altar finally let the invisibility spells drop after scanning the room for any immediate threat. With a few hand signals to Jarek that he had specifically (and illegally) taught, he instructed him to keep an eye out while he carefully sliced and weighed parts of various fungi and collected samples from the strange plants. Everything went well for a long time. He managed to direct a few ounces of internal fungus flesh and pack a full pound of the various plant materials before it happened. Out it silently crept from under a large knocked-over mushroom. It's four glaring eyes sat upon its reptilian head, yet this creature stood much like a man. It's blood-red plating gleamed purple in the blue light as it carefully crept from under its perch, every slowly towards Altar. The draw hadn't taken notice as the creature made no sounds as it picked its course over the soft sponge flesh of the fallen fungi. Altar stood hunched over the sinister-looking pool, putting a cork in a vial of the murky liquid. The humanoid creature raised its claws to attack with the wizard still unaware. "I heard the story when I was out in the market, sir. I gave a slaved row some fruit, I bought it with my own salary, and he told me of it. Apparently the male slaves have been speaking of it for a while. The matron in question was from the Care caves, they are many, many leagues away. I figured you would like it. I am glad I was correct, Sir Born." When told to get ready and watch over the elf Jarek needed no second thought. While the draw was tracing he placed on tight leathers that were made of spider hide somehow and added a sharp spider shaped weight that Altar had bought for him when the draw was younger. He wrapped his hair back around his neck and picked up his hand crossbow, again another gift from Altar only this one had had a much more qualified purpose than the other. And it had not been as much a 'gift' as a "Keep me protected, learn this or else' item. Still, Jarek treasured it. While the draw was off in his own world Jarek got a grooming kit and took the hands of Altar, shaking his head lightly as he started working on the nails. They had chipped a little, some of them. That would never do. He filed them into perfection and then polished them off. What came to a stop in his work was the broken, but now sprained, finger of the draw. He took out a vial of rarely used black polish and lacquered the pinky nail of both hands, covering up any flaw he might have. He then pulled out some rare scented oils and rubbed them into the hands so that they would be smooth and smell excellent. It took a little over an hour for him to feel satisfied with his job and he delicately placed them back in the lap of Altar. Next came the feet, which received the same treatment. They were a bit different, as the dead layers of skin were removed, yet in a way that was very cautious. His master had very delicate even skin that needed the utmost care and Jarek was not about to cause Altar any discomfort. To match and offset the pinkies on the hands the goblin painted the largest toes black in case his master decided to wear sandals. Then came the oils and a massage of them into the feet, with Jarek being satisfied after another hour of work. The rest of the trance was spent in silence as he watched the draw, his eyes careful to monitor everything else as well. The Altar came to Jarek was ready for his orders." I am already ready, sir Born. I anticipated your eagerness and got ready. Allow me to help you in your preparations." The rest went smoothly, with Jarek following close behind Altar. He would often try to give a reassuring squeeze the hands which came back to check on him, allowing Altar to know he was available. He did suppress a squeak when, during a time the draw had to hunker down because of a low ceiling, the invisible hand came to rest on the goblin's crotch and gave his equipment a good squeeze. Furthermore, he stayed silent, yet knew that when everything was finished for that night, and he was alone he might just have to relieve himself. The harvesting went smoothly, with Jarek watching Altar intently. Then, it came. Jarek had been waiting, seeing as he had never been told it was okay to make noise again. When the beast raised up there was a soft "this-thiwsh-thwish" sound as three bolts shot from his hand crossbow. The first two lodged in the beast's throat, taking out it's vocal cords with an astute precision, the third hit it in the chin in case the first two missed. Jarek was already in action, leaving his small crossbow and bolts near Altar in case he should fail. The beast was trying to yelp, it's throat and mouth shuddering in paroxysms of agony as the small goblin foot collided with its chest and sent it back. Jarek struck an odd pose, a fighting style of dirty tricks and valued necessity he had developed with bits and pieces stolen from the data he had seen the few draw monks do when he was able. The beast shuddered and started towards the smaller morsel, the draw now forgotten. Jarikk did his best to avoid the claws, responding with a punch or kick when perfectly able. He knew he had wounded the beast with the first attack, having hit it in vital areas, yet now it was perfectly aware of him. The element of surprise had been lost and all that was keeping Jarek going was the sheer rage that this beast had DARED try to hurt his precious, darling draw. It was almost surreal how they fought, with Jarek remaining silent except for the sound of his fist resounding against the beast sometimes. The beast was forced to be silent, the sound of wind escaping the claws as it struck the only other sound beside the scuffle of the two warrior's footwork. There soon came another sound, a sickening mixture of air being rent and then what could only be described as the sound of wet cloth ripping. Jarek reeled back, his chest bleeding from the claw marks in it. He still said nothing and a trickle of blood could be seen coming from his mouth where he had bitten his tongue to not call out. Jarikk decided that he would try something and jumped over the beast, using the cave rocks to be able to leap as high as he did. His hair flew out, the braid as long as the goblin's own body. The spider weight, with it's sharpened legs, lodged next to the bolts in the throat and Jarek swung on it, wrapping his braid tight against the monster's throat. He landed on it's back and began to tug, using his long braid as a garrote to choke the beast. It stumbled around and finally began to beat it's back into a wall, smashing the goblin against the stone. Yet the eyes just started getting dimmer, the spasms of desperation making it use more oxygen than it could replace. Finally, it fell to the ground, throwing Jarek to the floor with the inertia of the fall. Jarikk got up, still silent, and removed the bolts and spider hairpiece from the beast before hobbling back over to Altar. His left arm was protruding in an incorrect angle and his chest was still dripping blood. He said nothing but bowed to the draw, his legs shaking softly with the effort of staying up now that his adrenaline was leaving him. Altar had been partially oblivious to the creature stalking them, but the few slight noises that were made as the goblin connected blow after blow roused him from the extremely delicate gathering. He watched the goblin deftly pounce and maim the attacking creature, one that Altar wasn't exactly familiar with. This whole place was alien to Altar, but he had purchased a map about it from an information vendor peddling things about the market in the Lower Depths. It had seemed as if the most important details, like the local inhabitants, were missing from the information attached to the map. The wizard winced a few times as the goblin took a few good hits himself. An odd look of momentary concern flashed on his face and he raised his hands to blast off a magical missile for an assist, but lowered his hands as the noise might attract even more of these particularly nasty looking creatures. The draw watched on, hand readying on a wand with electrical forces caged in its rare wooden shaft. Ryltar trend back to his work for a moment while it had seemed that Jarek had the creature well under his control. A twinge of guilt came to Altar's face as he saw how the goblin's arm stuck out unnaturally and the blood was weeping from unseen wounds. Digging into the pack the draw had brought with him, he handed the goblin a slender vial of a murky blue liquid. With his hands, he gave simple commands. "Drink. Heel. Silence." The draw knew very well that an injured bodyguard was a useless bodyguard, so giving the servant a small healing potion was in his own best interests. With a confirmation nod, the wizard took the time to finish his sampling and thinking. While he cut, examined, and placed in vials and jars, Altar replayed the tale about the male who wrought utter destruction and wrath upon his hated Matron and her family. While Altar couldn't seduce his own mother, he began to plot out what he needed to arrange to perform an epic retelling of such a victorious revolution. The shackles of Loath had worn deep scars into the young man's mind, and he desperately wanted to watch his family burn. To smell the burning hair and fat from his wicked siblings' bodies. Putting his attention to the direction to the creature, Altar took some waterproofed canvas he brought for emergency reasons and packaged up parts of the offending beast for later use. With it neatly and carefully bundled, he had pondered having the goblin haul it for him, but he was in no condition to protect his hide and carry such an odd and heavy parcel. With a few other hand signals, Altar had them heading back towards the House of Born. The trip back was just as perilous as the trip out, but getting back into the House of Born was always a pain. Under an invisibility spell, Altar examined the weave of arcane protections over the house and had to carefully pull a small enough hole to allow passage without setting them off. The odd thing about these wards is that they were practically nonexistent on your way out, but trying to get back in could set of the equivalent of an atomic bomb on a small scale centralized inside the insidious bubble the wards made. Once a small hole had been created, Altar carefully ushered the servant through and quickly let the wards shift back into shape. They had been stressed enough for one day. Now, within the House's ground, Altar had made sure Jarek was close behind him as they made their way back to Altar's servant-style room. As they turned the corner, there stood one of his sisters with a different servant in the archway before his very room. It was the same sister who had inflicted the grievous wounds that were still sore underneath his padded linen tunic." Garthig, enter Altar's room and call him to the door. I must speak with him." Draw'Baal said a touch too impatiently. The golden-skinned goblin looked at her, nearly too fearful to move. The priestess' muscles tensed and Garth tried the knob to the door, finding it locked. "Priestess, I'm afraid I can't do as you've commanded. It is locked, Priestess." Garth quietly announced, cowering and holding her head as if preparing to be rent asunder. Draw'Baal looked rather displeased with her response and pompously shoved the small female aside to rap upon Altar's door. Ryltar smiled knowing she would grow impatient quickly, but it would come to another lashing if he didn't meet her demands. Dropping the invisibility spell from only his self, he addresses his wicked sister. "What honor is it to have Priestess Draw'Baal at my humble and quite accommodating living quarters. What is it that I may do for you, mighty Priestess? How may I be of use to Loath this day?" he said with a low bow, making sure his eyes stay fixed on her slightly too tight shoes. Draw'Baal did look one bit pleased she had been either surprised or spied upon. Resting her strong hand on her whip's handle, she glared at him from her amber eyes." Ryltar. I'm here for my reagents. Loath help you if you don't have the ready." she said in a threatening tone. So many times Altar wanted to blast the spider hooker away, but knew now wasn't the time or place to do so. It would come. It would be soon. With a smile on his face, he bowed a bit lower. "Of course, Priestess. This way." he said rising and opening the magically locked door. "I'll stay here. I don't loiter about in servant's filth." she said predictably. Altar entered his room, with Jarek hopefully behind him. The wizard opened his pack and removed a special case that contained some of the things they had gathered just a few hours ago. Returning to the door, he bowed and offered the case to his sibling. "You'll find all of your components replaced and extra in the lower container. I also took the liberty to add a few pieces of blank parchment for your scribe needs. Priestess, please call upon me once again once you have need. I shall be ready and of loyal service." he said to her feet. With the case of vials and containers in hand, Draw'Baal looked pleased for what could be called of the grimace on her face. Without a word, Draw'Baal left her brother bowing low to the ground with a cowering Garth outside his door and in invisible Jarek. After several moments passed, Altar finally rose and address the servants. "Garth, you know better. If you had turned the knob any further, it would have killed you both. Do I look like I want to die by my Matron's best torturers?!" the draw exclaimed at the goblin. The golden-skinned female rose from the floor and shook her head. "It would have been better to have died, sir. The suffering would end." she said glumly. Altar shook his head and dropped the spell on Jarek. "Be sure to clean up, Jarek. I'll need to you retell me that tale, so I can pen it down. I would like to have a copy for my personal review." he said with the intentions to decider what he would need for a length trip to the surface and what he would be looking for in a capable group. Garthig left the two and shut the door before she left and Altar undressed down to nothing for a while. He needed some time out of the restrictions of clothing. Arcane magics in the nude worked much better as the trappings of society disrupt the natural flow of magic around the arms and body of its caster. Standing at his podium, Altar pulled a fresh piece of parchment and began to illustrate the devious creature from the hidden cave. He wanted to know more about it if he was already planning a trip to the Lower Depths market district. Maybe he would have the chance to... fix that information peddler's oversight by removing an eye. Jarek welcomed the healing potion, and was even shocked to find out it cured all of his injuries nigh immediately. He was very grateful to Altar, and felt his heart beat a little faster. His face blushed a deep purple as his red blood mixed with the lavender skin tone that was bred into him. He was glad Altar was looking elsewhere, so he was not easily seen fawning over his young master. When they went back Jarek was once again quiet. He did take out a rather unlucky dire bat with a well-placed bolt to the neck when it got too close, but everything else was uneventful. He slunk about with his master inside the house and skittered about behind him, dragging the corpse of the monster that he had killed behind him as he stayed invisible. When he saw the sister of his master he gave her the most wicked, hateful glare he had because he knew she could not see him. He stayed perfectly silent as they argued and his sweet, supple prince of a master escaped the wrath of the soggy cunt laden creature before him. He hated Altar's sisters, hated them more than anything he could ever have imagined. Their mother had at least given him Altar. Those wastes of spider sucking scum guzzling gutter skanks had done nothing but be a burden and drain on this family. At least the other women of other houses at least plotted against their Matrons instead of vapidly sucking on her tits for favors and status. As she left he went about the room, placing the creature up and shedding the spell. He gave Garth a rather unamused glance and sighed. She had never been the brightest goblin in the pack, and he had been amazed she had survived at all. It was most likely her ability to make the draw ladies sound so grandiose and regal that saved her skin. She may be useless at most things, but she could flatter Tiamat herself into acquiescence. With his jobs given to him, Jarek bowed to Altar, "Of course, Sir Born. I will gladly do as you wish." He scampered off, removing his ruined leathers and tossing them to be mended by himself when he had the time. He gave himself the luxury of a cold bath as he knew Altar would be a bit busy, his skin being removed of the dried blood and miscellaneous bone pieces that had remained on his body when he had been assaulted. It took a little time, but he came back and bowed low before Altar, admiring his exposed package and yet avoiding looking directly at if after one swift glance to sate his loving lust for the man. He stared Altar directly in the eyes and gave him the story, verbatim as it was before, going over every part as many times as it took for Altar to write it down. He even added his own knowledge of the places described in it to aid Altar in his information gathering. The goblin had to steady his trembling, as he felt very nervous in the presence of a naked Altar. It was also necessary to use all the bodily control he had learned to not get an erection. It was rather hard, as the room smelled of naked and sweaty draw, the thick musk of the spider borne man cloying the air. There was a stronger, more potent scent from the groin of his master, one which Jarek rarely got the chance to smell, one that he associated with arousal in the draw. He dared not look down to see if Altar was indeed erect or if the thoughts of destroying his house was just filling him with the sadistic lust that made Jarek so proud of his young ward. With his eyes closed, and his face pointed to the floor, Jarek bent down low, "I am here for whatever other wishes you have of me, Sir Born. Please, inform me how I may be of service to you." He expected that, for now, he may be asked to leave. Or procure more food. Perhaps to go and take some time to himself or grab something. He was used to being a busy manservant and eagerly awaited such orders. His heart fluttered lightly as he imagined being told he was to give Altar a pedicure and manicure, which meant he would be in the presence of Altar with no other expectations for hours. Much more, in skin contact with him. The chance to do it for the second time in a day was not lost on the goblin, yet he knew this was probably not going to be asked of him. When Jarek returned from his bath, he was glad the smell of that creature's blood had disappeared with the various gore bits that had lingered in his hair. The goblin was much more presentable, that is, for a goblin. Looking over his podium, Altar pondered what ink to use. Idly, the wizard flopped his cut length of cock about as if one would drum fingers across a table in boredom. Finally selecting a deep red ink, Altar looked at Jarek and waited for the tale. As the goblin spoke in his shade of Even, he dipped his entirely too expensive feather quill and began to take notes. The various details that seemed most important were written in shorthand with his own ideas scribbled near them. There were some parts that he asked Jarek to repeat for accuracy's sake, but realized some more important details laid hidden amongst the words. The draw was rather impressed with the author's seeming interest in the world Above. Ryltar had fiddled with his length when he wasn't scratching anything out important. It was a habit he hadn't realized he had developed after hitting puberty. The sensations were just something enjoyable to receive while doing something else in the privacy of his own room. Unashamed of being nude, Altar began to be more receptive to his whims of the flesh. Without notice, the young draw had encouraged a soft erection. Altar began to move away from his podium when he realized he had done so." Jarikk?" he began his request. Moving to a cushioned seat in his room, Altar sat down and idly stroked his cock. "I want to discuss something with you. Something I've been meaning to express for many a year." he said pausing his motions. Realizing he hadn't cast his usual crying spells in place, he went about using the rather expensive magical devices to ward his room from further (if any) intrusion. Grabbing a pillow from the end of his bed, he placed it behind his back in the cushioned chair. "As I was said, Jarek... as you've proven to be the only soul I've ever relied upon who hasn't attempted to kill me, yet..." he said idly stroking his cock once again, ". I've an idea. One that would likely end up getting myself killed if it were even mentioned to the wrong individual." he stopped once more to adjust his position in the chair a bit better. He elbowed the pillow a bit to lazily fluff it." Jarikk, can I trust you to aid me in my plans?" he said toying with his cock a bit more. What Jarek seemed to be unaware of is that Altar knew how the goblin tried not to stare. How, for so many years, he tried not to linger his eyes or hands at his assigned cleaning duties. How the goblin irradiated with the smell of nervous sweat. Altar knew the servant had some abbe rant attraction to him and enjoyed this invisible game, but today would be an ultimate test. He would need the goblin to assist him in his endeavors. Ryltar smiled, watching the goblin avoid eye contact so hard. He could see the tiny movements of excitement in the tips of Jarek's ears. "Look at me when you speak." he said in a slight commanding tone. Once he hadn't used since he was a young lawless whelp. Altar wanted his servant to observe his perverse whim and watch his body language. He wanted to see if the goblin was as loyal as his breeders had promised. "Jarek, we'll be needing a group to take us to the surface." he said as he stopped rubbing his increasingly erect length. "Do you know of such a group or raid party traveling to the world Above with in this week?" he questioned the goblin. With this show already serving it's purpose, he relocated to the recesses of his bed. Knowing his little performance was completely out of character, he had tested the goblin's will and trust. Perhaps he would one day reward the creature for such loyalty in a manner it would most enjoy, but for now, Altar's mind lay with grand thoughts of destruction. "Tomorrow, we'll head to the Lower Depths and see if we can locate us a formidable party to join. For now, you're dismissed to do as you please..." he said turning to rearrange the mound of cushions on his bed, "... and Jarek, I would like a nice hot bath in a few hours. Be sure to pick a good scented oil. I wish not to smell of stale caves and fungus when we approach our hopeful crew." he said with a wink. One that would stand out to the goblin, but one Altar knew he could use to influence the goblin to his whims. Jarek followed Altar to his bed and gave a bit of a wide-eyed look as he glanced at the soft yet elongated piece carried by the draw and averted his eyes as he was told what was needed. He didn't register when he started sweating, he just knew that the room seemed a lot hotter now. His ears began to twitch sometimes, more to keep up with what the draw said than of any type of arousal. Jarek had his arousal completely under control, thankfully. This plan sounded completely mad. He felt terrible for even suggesting it to the draw, if it had been just a story anyway. Now he was going to put himself at risk and...well... Jarikk would go along. He had to. The idea of his poor, helpless Altar running around up on the surface without anyone looking after him was a bad idea. Yes, he knew several people who either went up to the top a lot or just would like to go up. Not any of them were draw, which would make this a lot easier than he had figured. He would just need to get in contact with them. Jarikk let out a little sigh and began, "Yes sir, I know some people we-" He stopped, not used to that commanding tone for so long. Yet, the very idea of disobeying it was tantamount to blasphemy. His eyes slowly rose to meet Altar's, having to slide over that lovely, and much larger draw penis that Altar was so offhandedly playing with. Jarek gulped and counted that it had grown, by an estimate, at least two if not three inches since he last saw it when his master was fourteen. The eyes lingered a second too long but soon found Altar's eyes, which were a lot easier to stare at than his crotch. At least Jarek could hope to be able to catch those eyes sometimes. The sexual urges of his master would never turn to his form, yet he was okay with this." I know some people, Sir Born. One of them is a kobold, so you would need to still your appetite for their flesh some. She is a pretty big part of this expedition. There would be nod row in the expeditions forces, of course. I do not wish any reliable source of what we are about to do to get to your siblings, curse their fawning over the sopping breasts of the spider whore." He kept his eyes glued to Altar, even as he felt his mind going back to the plump, thick piece that he knew the other was still stimulating. Jarek did not get erect himself, but felt his ears twitch as they tried to direct cooler air to his body." They can be ready by late tomorrow, my lord. I will go see to it that they get word of this. I will make sure every precaution is taken and that all of them are prepared. Furthermore, I take my leave now, Sir Born." He backed out and went to make sure that everything was taken care of. Yet, he soon heard a soft sound. He had thought his master had been toying with himself to toy with him, yet it seemed that the draw was going to continue the sexual pleasuring. Jarikk snuck back and watched with practiced stealth that he usually used on Altar's siblings. It had been too much, this day. He slid his own pants down and grasped the erection he finally allowed himself to get. His penis, unlike his beautiful and dusky master, was uncircumcised. Jarek had always hated this, wanting one like his sweet, seductive draw master had. He knew it wouldn't matter ever though, who would he show off to? He began to tug at his penis, watching Altar while sucking on a good foot of his ponytail to make no noise. He got off about when Altar did just because of the sounds the draw made. Furthermore, he noticed which hand had touched the penis when the semen had erupted and made sure to hold it just a bit too close when he dusted off the nails the next time. Jarek wiped himself off and pulled his pants up, heading out quickly after removing the goblin seed off the ground. Later Jarek would introduce the scouting party that he had gotten for Altar. There was a female dragon wrought Kobold riding a dire weasel. She was covered in studded leather and had several crossbows and enough bolts to kill a small city. She was a ranger by trade and had learned how to use crossbows like no one else. There was a big, hulking mountain orc with a sickle and rather tame looking Umber Hulk leaning on him. He was an odd druid that had tamed the beast near him, but was trustworthy. There was a wild looking gnome, her hair on edge like she had been shocked and forgotten to brush it down. Her left eye was a demonic looking orange while her right was a gemstone pale pink. Her skin was blotched from numerous burns, and she had a broken long sword that she used as a short sword for one of her race. She had a habit of looking around and then laugh sometimes as if she saw something amusing. The final member of this party was a half-deep dragon ogre. He was smarter than the others in his tribe and, oddly enough, was the product of an ogre raping a dragon. His mother had respected that might and kept him until he was old enough to fend for himself. He was wrapped in spider silk and scales, his armor made from his own mother when he had returned and killed her for being such a shitty parent. His weapons of choice were a spear, an insanely big got that bounced around in the caves, and daggers for close combat. Jarikk bowed to the people and introduced them, "Sir Born, this is Jim'in'RAA the Master shot," he said, pointing to the kobold, "She is the daughter of Grain, daughter of Veers-hraev 'limit the Cruel. You will know her as the blue dragon that hunted down and ate all female draw in three houses because they insulted her." He knew the draw had idolized that dragon somewhat due to that story and found her granddaughter to be perfect for this." This is Your, he is a Monster Tamer druid. He, as you can see, trains monsters for a living. He also hunts them down and beats them into submission." The orc made no real notice and just spat at the ground. The gnome moved closer and looked at Altar and began to giggle uncontrollably. "She is...what do you call yourself?" The gnome laughed and smacked Jarek on the back before speaking to him in goblin. "She says she is Miranda Byzantine. Last I knew she was Jodie. From what I can tell she has demon in her blood. A lot since her mother and father were also brother and sister. She is a mad genius, and can disable traps while she is asleep. She has done so in the past when I needed something." The half-dragon ogre grumbled and looked at the draw, "Look, we need to get going. You have our gold, darkie, or have we done a favor for Jarek for nothin', eh?" he spoke well for one of "his" kind and seemed to be tired of this. Altar was glad that the goblin knew of such useful people. He watched the servant head out to perform his tasks. It was easier for the goblin to go out from the House for such things then try and distract everyone else to let himself out of their paranoid watch. With Jarek missing, Altar laid back against the mound of plump cushions to properly attend to his member. So many days had the young draw performed such a routine to still his bodily urges. Too many times he found himself lingering over thoughts of naked flesh entangling with his own. It wasn't that it was an unpleasant thought, but rather a distressing one. The majority of sexual visualizations he had witnessed were various female members of his family in either religious orgies or in some strange ritual to Loath. All of their sexual exploits seemed dangerous and rather repulsive to him, especially seeing as the men didn't usually live to see a climax of their own. Instead, his mind would wander to a scene that was never presented to him. One filled with only draw males enjoying each other's skin. An image that he found rather enjoyable and arousing. And with those images, Altar casually stroked his dark cock, pleasing himself. Knowing he was alone and unable to be magically spied upon, he let out little pants and whines indicating his enjoyable state of bliss. When the friction on his cut cock became a bit unpleasant, Altar would spit in his hand as he had seen his sisters easily do when they were in need of a quick stiff dick. The slick feeling always made his pedicured toes curl in delight. For being a virgin with no prospects, he had been left to his own devices for about 6 years now. Finding a few select spots on his own body, he eagerly tugged at his nipple. The slight pain was so enjoyable, but nothing at all compared to what had caused the various scars on his back. With a few light tugs on his small male nipple, he found himself ready to spill his seed. Grabbing his pectoral muscle, he let his semen spill onto his belly and hip. The soft stuttering male moaned, bringing his legs up towards his chest a bit. When his climax was finished, he let his legs flop carelessly onto his bed and let the grimace of pleasure fade into a soft and alien smile. Ryltar was seemingly energized from his dalliance. He grabbed one of his vials, scooping the seed up for an unknown spell component for later use. With his mess cleaned for the most part, Altar busied himself with preparing some much-needed supplies. This would take some time as well as the seemingly bottomless sack he had managed to win from school during a duel. A few hours later, he had enjoyed the moss scented bath Jarek had prepared and was prepared for his meeting with Jarek's crew. That evening fell, and the goblin servant had led him into the Lower Depths. Altar had managed to get permission for an extended leave from his House on business and a promise to return with a live surface. Altar would have rather not have had to deal with such a thing, but in order to leave without a trained assassin stalking him the whole way, he had to have promised something worthwhile. A living surface was the only thing that his Matron agreed to. After a bit of a walk around the squalid alleyways of the Lower Depths, the draw was finally led to a rather odd group of humanoids. These people had been waiting on them, some looking rather impatient. Jarek had bowed low to these people and for some reason, he felt jealous of that. Altar struck it from his mind as this was just a business arrangement. Besides, why would jealousy have anything to do with a goblin servant? With a quick and quiet snort, he listened to Jarek's introductions. Ryltar was rather impressed by the kobold. Even knowing her meat was succulent and divine on the palate, he held a bit of respect for her relation's sake. The draw offered a bow to the woman on her rodent mount, making sure not to offend the dangerous looking kobold. As his attention was brought to the orc, it seemed he would be a wonderful ally to tame something nasty to bring back to his Matron, but not this trip. He nodded and bowed once more to the orc, even though the act of respect would be lost on such a fool creature. When the gnome approached him, the draw was skeptical. She looked offer her rocker and the laughter didn't help. Altar was glad that Jarek knew this creature or else he would have otherwise blown her into small, yet edible pieces. And then came the wise crack from the most intimidating of them all. The larger mutt blooded ogre. Altar gave a look of displeasure at suck a crude word, but could understand the poor dolt's misjudgment." I apologize for the tardiness, sir..." he paused hoping to get a name from him, "..., but yes. I do have your payment. Furthermore, I'll be more than obliged to pay half now to secure your services. The remaining half upon my return, in hopefully one piece. And please, call me Born. It's much more useful than to antediluvian racial slurs." he said with a minute amount of venom. He knew he was probably outmatched if the beast wished to defend what poultry honor it think it had, but he had hoped that he wouldn't have to waste spells so soon." I'm ready to traverse the caves as soon as you're ready." the draw said with a low bow. He had hoped that this group would assist in his needs and be of use to him for many times to come. He would need a few loyal assistants outside Jarek. The wizard had already begun to plot on how to win each of these folk over to his cause. There was no name offered by the ogre, as his tales were passed around enough that people should have heard of him. Why, you'd have to be a locked up child to have never heard of him! Or, maybe, just never head to bars. Either way the ogre took his payment, as did everyone else. The kobold patted her weasel, and it began to move as the others followed. Jarek stayed close to Altar and made sure he was safe on the way up. Every now and then the gnome would stop everyone. Sometimes, she found a shiny stone. One time she even chased a lizard. Right before she was getting on people's nerves, she would step forward and do some odd things, always setting off a trap if it was harmless to do so from where she was. She did show off how useful she was, as she got the traps undone in seconds in what would have taken Jarek perhaps half an hour to do safely. By the time they got to a secure cave mouth they had run into a few spiders, one very angry hibernating driver which You’re had beaten into unconsciousness and left in stasis to collect when they went back, and a rather surprised Gridlock. When the troop got to the surface the sun was blazing, and it had been about six hours of traveling. The kobold was used to this by now and the orc had come prepared with tinted glasses. For Altar, who this was his first time, it was probably and immense shock. Everything was vibrantly colored up top. The wind wafted about and many sounds could be heard. This was not the silent, echoing caves of his childhood. Birds were chirping, bees buzzing, animal noises way off into the forest. In essence the place was ALIVE. Jarek noticed his master's discomfort and tugged on his robes respectfully, "Sir Born, I got you these. Just in case." He presented a set of glasses much like You’re's. The ogre gave an odd look and sighed. Jarek had informed Altar that the ogre's name was Keurig, and that some knew him as "Mother Killer" for how he handled his own dam." I'm going to scout out ahead. Everyone stay back. Come'on girl, yeah!" The kobold took off. On the surface her beautiful blue scales were very visible, and her cape turned out to be two wings she folded onto her back instead of let get in the way in the caverns. It seemed she was very happy to be up topside once again. The gnome lady looked around, giggling, and then stopped and looked at the ogre, he eyes rather dispassionate, "You. I never liked the way you smelled. Here, you dropped these." She tossed a few small, rune covered items at his feet. As he reached to get them they exploded into a cloud and started making him cough and choke, his hands going up to his throat. "Those trackers you left? I deactivated them. Simple, really. Geometric Euclidean Runic Durum-based lacing? Are you fucking with me, dipshit? I knew how to change those up when I was still learning how to WALK. It may work for your kind, or even HIS kind, no offense, Altar, but me? Come on. I don't quite mind that you were leaving the trail for the assassin to follow, no. I know how much you got paid. Furthermore, I also don't mind that you actually intercepted Keurig's letter. Ingenious, really. Sending him word his father had been spotted." The ogre who was coughing and still scratching at his neck had started to shift and warp, becoming a rather muted, gray figure. The doppelganger was tearing up badly as the gnome continued her rant, "The Diatonic Sympataphore Calculus was a nice trick, but again, your approach was sub par. Probably because you aren't used to people picking you up, are they DAJ? Oh, what's that? Of course, I know who you are. You doppelgangers don't look alike. Anyway, this bores me." She lifted her broken sword and cleanly killed the doppelganger, ending her rant as she wiped it clean. "Seriously, can you believe this person? Might as well have been chanting naked while we walked. That Durum-lace smells like hell. OH, WOW. A RACCOON." Miriam was off on a chase, having changed her name to Miriam on the trip and now seeing a raccoon she was interested in. Jarikk was at a loss for words as he looked at the dead doppelganger. He bowed to his master, pressing his head to the ground, "I am sorry sir. I did not know. I am so sorry my message got intercepted. Furthermore, I cannot rely on that cohort anymore, if that is, you allow me to live, sire. Furthermore, I have failed you horribly." Ur let out an angry click as he saw what was happening. He had met Jarek when the man still occasionally went out and fought, back when Altar was around five or six and still, sometimes, was in the presence of his mother. Before the drowning had smiled at Jarek and...HUGGED him. They had made friends when the goblin had killed an tough he had been estimating, and the goblin had saved him some coin. To see a man he respected thus...BEGGING at the feet of some snooty draw sycophant. Well, it made him rather unhappy. The kobold came back and made some motions as she talked, so used to using hand signals instead of words that it had become second nature. "So, the place is clear for about half a mile or so around us. Animals and all that. I can hunt if you want. Six mouths to feed and-where is Keurig?"" He was a doppelganger. HEY, this is my new friend Health the Fouler Eater." Miriam held up a chubby raccoon that was busy chewing on an apple as she spoke." I...see. Health, nice to meet you. Anyway, five mouths to feed. Shall I hunt for us? I assume your friend can hunt for itself, You’re?"" Yes, it can. Hunting sounds fine. May I join you two?" Jarikk looked a little cross and You’re sighed, "I will leave Bertha with you. It can protect you and will follow your orders as well. Besides, you also have Health on your side."" Fine, go hunt. I will stay and see what plans Sir Born wishes to implement." Altar found the trip to be amusing. He had passed by these series of caves several times thinking they were unimportant, but seeing as they were a set of tunnels leading to the surface, he gained a new respect for those who explored and mapped these complicated places. However, this trip went much faster than he anticipated. The draw took notice of the odd gnome. While she did have a knack for traps, she also had a knack for pissing Altar off. It seemed that every few feet there some something new and novel to stare at. Some of these stops were genuine, most of them were wastes of time. By the draw's estimates, they could have easily cut an hour out of their traveling time. The fight with the spiders was enjoyable with Altar finally able to mash up some of his siblings' most sacred beast. He relished in their twitching corpses, taking various parts of chitin and flesh as reagents. However, Altar refused to fight the driver. He pitted the male who'd come to be deformed into the shape he now had. Letting the others subdue the man, he waited in a quiet fit of anger towards the bitches he had left back home. As they made there way through a few more bending curves, the cave began to lighten in a way that Altar was never exposed to. Each bend allowed the light to pour in and the more the draw began to squint. It finally reached a point of being painful to keep his eyes open. Putting his hands up to shield his eyes, Altar began to take some of the detail in. All these... things... they were waving about! And this noise... what was it?! It sounded like sheets of paper constantly rubbing against itself over and over again. And these... other things... they made strange calls. Short and high pitched whistles... but not whistles. What a strange place! The draw was curious, but through the difficulty of just seeing in the bright light, it made him wince. It was then that he felt a tugging at his cloak to see Jarek offering up a pair of similarly designed glasses that the orc was wearing. "That was a wise idea of yours, Jarek. You'll be properly rewarded for your insight." he said nodding and donning the glasses. It was then he could take in the detail. These tall things with roundish wave things dangling from their arms and this pointy shards of plant material sticking up from the ground. Altar really wanted to being poking about and taking samples of everything, but common sense told him to control his curiosity and wait for the more experienced to declare it safe. As the kobold departed, he took note of her wings and how regal they sat on her frame. Though, he still pondered what a kobold rife with dragon blood would taste like. Maybe one day he could convince some of the slave breeders to work up something special for him. It was then the gnome ceased her annoying laughter and address Keurig. When the rock exploded, Altar left back, falling to his posterior in shock. There was mutiny afoot! The draw tugged at a wand in his belt, freeing it, but waited before just blasting the pair from the cave's mouth. As Miriam spoke, it came apparent that the cheeky little gnome had fished out an imposter! The ogre's shape started to morph into a more familiar shape of that of a doppelganger's. Before Altar could regain his thoughts, the gnome quickly ended the shape-shifter's life, leaving it to spasm on the ground as it bled out. With his eyes wide behind the tinted glasses, Altar couldn't believe any of what had transpired. He sat there looking blank for some time. Swallowing rather hard, he put himself back to his feet to find a groveling goblin before him. It was then, the draw realized that his had been an error on Jarek's behalf. An urge to throttle the pitiful creature before him welled up inside of him. His eyes narrowed in thought. The outward displeasure of the orc as he shifted his weight let Altar all he needed to know for the moment." We shall sort things out later to avoid another failing. For your life's sake, it won't happen again." he said coldly. For the first time, Jarek had caused some problem with him. He really had a hard time figuring out what he was supposed to do about it. His family teachings demanded severe physical punishment, but a mistake had been made that seemed out of the goblin's control. Altar would have to dwell on this for some time. Enacting anything in front of Jarek's companions would be a terrible detriment to their resourcefulness. The draw was glad when the kobold returned. It allowed him to ponder many of the things roaming about in his brain. Altar realized his inexperience with the surface world might cause some grief with the tone You’re spoke in. The draw wasn't a stranger to sarcasm or ill-treatment, but this was irritating. For hired lackeys, they sure had pretty big mouths. Altar decided he would research umber hulks when they were back in his comfort zone." Yes, leave the beasts with me. They'll be well attended to." he said dripping with poison. Curling his lip and turning away from the bright light from the surface world, he sat down pulling his spell book out of its hip halter. Flipping to the back, he revisited some of the notes he had taken, preparing for some of the plans he wished to enact. "Jarek, what terrifying beasts roam up here? I wish to bring a few gifts back to the Matron, but I want to know what is available to me. Something they wouldn't suspect. What might be something I can use?" he asked Jarek. Looking at the small furry creature eating a red skinned thing. Studying it, he quickly sized it up as a small beast of utter chaos. The way it ate its catch and how it seemed so alert was interesting. And seeing how that infernal gnome had found it friendly, that might be a sign of its willingness towards such a cosmic notion. "What is that thing? It seems devious with its markings and manners." he said pointing to Health, the Soul Eater. He had hoped it would introduce itself, but ti seemed more intent on gnawing at the prize it held. Miriam chuckled and hugged her raccoon friend closer, "You're rather silly. Health can't do much, damage wise. And Jarek dear doesn't know quite all that much about the surface world. Also, you shouldn't be mad at him. Your second-youngest sister set this up, the cranky thing. She isn't very happy that your sire took her sire's place and deems it a bad omen for her, much less your and your youngest sister's continued existence. So she took on the plan to get rid of you on your trip up here. Who would question a draw male who had never ventured to the surface before getting killed? So she set up some things with Keurig and replaced him with that hideously stupid doppelganger. I mean, YOU are a magic wielder, right? Who in their right mind uses low diatonic runes and gold sensors? That's like taking Earth's First Law of magic and shitting on it. Subtle is best, gold is very powerful but ostentatious and resonates too much. If it had had any forethought it would have used cold iron. A bit harder to get into shape but unless it was around FAE the resonance would have been minimal except for those looking for it. Right?" She had been grooming her raccoon and gave him a kiss before letting him waddle away. She looked at Jarek who was still fearful and laughed, "You know, Jarek dear, if he hurts you none of these people would stick with him. YOU are the reason we came. We have no real obligation to this draw. Yes, he paid us, but we can get paid by other people. So, while with us, you are inviolate." She cocked her head and turned to look at Altar, "Now don't get worked up. Your precious goblin didn't plan it this way. He just knew us, and has impressed most of us. Look at him, the very idea of him being the glue that holds this together and not you are frightening for him. He worries about failing you so much and, think about it, have you EVER had to punish him? I know your kind don't get this very much, but he is LOYAL to you. TCH, draw. I swear, you people make paranoia into some kind of scavenger hunt of insanity." Jarikk was indeed rather shocked and, unlike usual, was showing it. He was generally a very calm goblin, but the idea that this mission might hinge on him instead of Altar completely threw him. HE was the servant, Altar was the master. That was how it always was. He looked up at his master as if to say he was sorry, but no words came from his mouth. He was just...stunned. The hunting party came back with some rabbits, a few birds, and one deer. They started cleaning them, with Jarek helping to feel useful at something. He sent You’re over to speak to Altar at the thought of beasts and monsters he may bring back." I'm not sure how you draw work, but this forest contains unicorns, blink dogs sometimes, externals, gillions, dragons, some dinosaurs, courts, owl bears, spider eaters, and some animals and their dire forms. I'm not sure what you are planning, but a unicorn would probably be the best sacrifice for your matron. Spider eaters might have a hard time down below, they are huge flying creatures and would be difficult to transport. Dragons are pretty violent, but small enough to be easily transported. The dinosaurs are feral predators in these parts, and generally work in packs. It would be almost impossible to take a pack captive." He would go on, explaining the rest of the creatures, their strengths, their weaknesses, and the best way to capture them. Jik had started a fire after skinning her rabbits. The umber hulk had helped gather wood, and generally played the gentle, stupid beast even when it was as sharp as any normal draw and above the minds of the general human. The dire weasel was snoozing, having eaten what he needed on the hunting excursion. Fresh food was the best for one of its kind. Jarikk was busy dismembering the deer, setting aside pieces that he thought would be special for Altar's spell components. He would carry them over later when Altar was done with his talk with the orc, thought both men looked rather silly talking with their sunglasses on. It didn't seem to suit either one of them. He was also terrified of what Miriam had said, not sure how Altar would take to being talked to her like that. Jarek himself still didn't know how she saw and knew what she did, but he knew that every now, and then she was completely nuts. There were rumors she used to be a mage who had made deals with the pseudonatural world in exchange for power, before she started learning how to deal with traps. Others say she just learned how to deal with traps as her mind only knew how to take things apart now. Either way, she was powerful and seemed to know a lot more than she ever let on. But she certainly had paid for her moments of terrifying lucidity." Jik, Miriam said that you and the others were doing this as a favor to me. Not for the money that my master paid you. Is that true?" The kobold looked up from starting to spit the animals and shrugged, "So what if it is? We'll listen to him while he is useful, and we will take his money. We'll make sure that he, and you, are safe and that his mission goes as planned. That is what you wanted, isn't it?" Jarikk sighed and shook his head, bringing slabs of deer meat over, "I wanted this to work out for Master Born. I do wish he'd get a better position in the house, something secure. Secure for a draw, at least. I know he is going to outlive me. It's just nature, even with my elongated life span. And that is assuming none of his sisters ever find out what I do." He went back to the deer and brought more meat over." Drows are transient and ephemeral, Jarek. Their own society is only held together by a voyeuristic spider goddess who touches herself every time her children kill for her affections. Look at how everything is set up. Without her, and the rest of the pantheon's guidance, things would be dead. Veteran is trying to build a semi-stable living situation for the draw up on the surface, as is Enlistee, yet they clash because of their ethics and morals. As much as Enlistee preaches unity, she is still hydrophobic in her outlook. Underground you have Kiaransalee trying to have grows live forever as undead, to make their games of murder and death more of a play than severe results. Yet Loath has Sedentary to keep the men satisfied in the caverns and people in line, her priestesses who have an easy way to power, as easy as anything is in that society. And then there is Grandeur, who seems to be dragging men and women away to form another unstable society just for the kicks. It is a precarious position held in place by delicate webs of self-interest. Those few draw who escape, well, what do they have to look forward too? More suspicion and hatred directed at them than any half-orc will ever face and having to forever look over their shoulders. It doesn't seem to hold much interest for them, does it?" Jarikk looked downcast, but knew his friend wasn't too far off the mark. He stuck another hunk of deer meat on the spit and helped her place it up over the fire, "I just... I just want Altar to have a good life, you know? Too many men...they are just tossed aside and seen as useless. I... I don't want that for him." Jik nodded and patted her little friend. "Do not worry. Things should work out. Hopefully at least."You’re had finished off the list of monsters and creatures and gone on to talk about the elves that were living relatively close about. When he smelled meat he walked towards the cooking food and continued his talk, letting Altar scribble down what he needed. Miriam, for her part, was just busy picking flowers. Altar listened to the maddening gnome speak. The young man wasn't shocked to hear his sister was involved, but he would take not to mangle up her reagents to displease their goddess. Listening on, she made a lot of sense. "Yes, you would be correct. I wasn't exactly sure who was lugging about enchanted gold on them, but I wasn't going to question their purpose. We all have our private agendas." he spoke agreeing with her. Cold iron would have gone undetected, but the gold had been nagging him for some time. Then came a moment of revelation. Indeed, these folks were friends and partners of Jarek's, but it bothered the Abyss out of Altar to realize he was at his manservant's whims up here. This wouldn't do. His face slowly shifted to a slightly impatient grimace, listening. He studied the demeanor of his goblin, trying to understand what exactly she was saying. The young draw was fearful that this gnome was trying to undermine his authority, but a moment in logic-land explained the behavior. He was the child here. He was the inexperienced. Furthermore, he wasn't in control, as much as he figured his gold had put him there. But her next words were difficult to understand. Not the words themselves, but rather the concepts and meanings. Altar was growing confused and nervous. His servant was ensuring his safety through his deeds and skill, not his own skill in magic or the gold issued for such a trip. It was the goblin who held this together to keep him safe. His impatient grimace wavered into the faintest regions of fear. Ryltar met Jarek's eyes for the first time in ages. Not in the way that he commanded now and then, but in a deeper way. One in which Altar grew increasingly uncomfortable with, breaking his gaze. With a stuttered breath, quickly concealed cough, Altar was extremely glad to see the others had returned. Jarek seemed to scamper of, pointing the orc towards him. The draw listened and took notes. Some of these creatures sounded familiar... from some of the books he had read here and there. Making up his mind, he struck a few important notes in a more refined text to read easier. The orc seemed to be a font of knowledge when it came to the beasts. The draw was grateful for the very honor of speaking with a walking bestiary. But the walking bestiary began to shuffle his feet in reaction to the incredible smell of cooking flesh. Altar broke free from his notes to look at the kobold and Jarek conversing. Your began to speak of the local elves and was rather pleased to have some close by. From this orc's information, it sounded like a unicorn or two plus a captive wood elf was on the menu. Having made up his mind, he sat with the group for a meal of surface flesh." Ur, what is required to obtain a pair of these unicorns and a wood elf? This combination of surface creatures sound like it would cement my return to the surface for a more detailed and lengthy stay." he questioned, watching the others. The draw wasn't sure what all would be needed, but he was ready to lend his skill in accomplishing his goals. You’re thought for a minute and shrugged, "The elf might be hard. It is birthing season for Unicorns so we will most likely be able to find a mother and child pair rather easily. The fighting them might be somewhat difficult. The wood elves...well, perhaps we should split up. The goblin and kobold can go after the wood elf. I'm sure if they saw you they would bring out tons of reinforcements. I'll send my partner over there with them. That leaves you, me, and the gnome for the unicorn capturing.""AND HEALTH!"" And the raccoon." The orc reached for a rabbit which was not exactly cooked, but he liked it that way. He looked at the draw and sniffed the air, "We can head out after this. Just make sure you have some good spells prepared. You want some that don't really damage them. Or some of that draw knockout poison you people are fond of. I can deal with the cages and everything." Jarikk looked at Altar and bowed as he waited for the two men to be done. He finally held out some of the items he had gotten, "Master Born, I found a bezoar in the deer. I also separated some of the items you may find useful in spell components. Shall we look for spell components tomorrow, Master Born?" The orc looked a bit uncomfortable with the 'Master' stuff, or perhaps he just wasn't as great with spell ingredients as he was with animals. Or he could just be hungry. The kobold girl waited while the deer cooked, looking at everyone, "You know this may attract some predators or scavengers. We may want someone to cast a barrier spell or ward around us. Just in case."You’re nodded and looked at the draw, "You have anything like that, sir?" The draw was pleased to hear his trip managed to occur during a fertile cycle for these unicorns. Nodding in both pleasure and agreement from what the man had to say. Capturing a wood elf sounded like an intriguing challenge, so his instincts told him to start looking up silence-like spells, various holding spells, and a few vials of his special sleep poison. As he began to run through the mental list of spell components he would need to pull from his bags, Jarek stole his attention, causing a loss in his notes. Looking slightly stressed he looked to the goblin and noticed the quality offerings the man had procured from their meal. Being pleased, Altar dropped the look of annoyance and replaced it with what draw considered a safe smile. To others, it looked like an emotionless face. "I think that would be a good idea. Anything I can bring back for further study would be marvelous, but nothing is as important as the success of this outing." he restated. With a nod, he approved of Jarek's skill in identifying useful things for wizards. The meal was interesting to say the least. The stringy bits of muscle with this odd aroma of... well, cooking flesh filled the air. It was then that the kobold made a rather important comment. You’re had spoked to him, but the word 'sir' seemed a touch odd coming from his mouth. Pulling himself from his food and preparations, he checked his scroll case for some shielding spell. He knew it wasn't something in his spell book, but recalled a few scrolls being ascribed not to far in the past. Locating one he felt would be appropriate for the situation, he unfurled its beige boundaries, running his ebony finger over the text. Once he confirmed that this one would do, he stood in the mouth of the cave, drawing the necessary symbols in their correct place. The invisible barrier would only allow those inscribed in the casting to pass without pause, but for others, it would provide to be a challenge. Altar made note to include the creature dubbed Health in this preparation. The gnome was not one to cross." That should suffice till we return. The shielding should last for 15 hours. Do you feel that is acceptable?" he questioned the more seasoned beings amongst him. With a host of disabling spells and his mind-numbing poison equipped to hand crossbow, he made his posture known of him to be ready, as they say. "If no more spells are required of me at this time, I am ready for this trek." he stated with a bow to the dragon-blooded kobold. Jim nodded, "That should be fine. At least for our group. I do believe we will be back before you guys. If not, well, I guess I'll owe You’re a favor. Come on, let's get going Jarek." She hopped on her dire weasel and kicked the flanks to head off. The gigantic umber hulk scooped Jarek up and began to follow after the small kobold, Jarek letting out a small squeak as he was lifted and carried by the monster.You’re motioned for his group to come and eyed the gnome warily. He didn't much trust her even if he could probably toss her a good distance away if he truly needed to. Still, as long as she didn't screw up the mission completely he guesses she wouldn't be a major hindrance. He looked on the ground and started testing for various tracks and scents. He wasn't easily satisfied and took around an hour before he began walking at anything resembling a steady pace. Miranda was happily brushing the fur of Health the Raccoon of Misery and Despair, humming a very atonal tune as she did so. She seemed to be completely oblivious to everything that was going on, her eyes not even watching the other two men as they walked. Somehow she magically was able to follow the path they took, keeping close to them even with her generally shorter pace. In another thirty minutes You’re held up his hand and the gnome stopped her incessant humming. He peeked through a bush and noticed a unicorn and her young at a stream. It was a very good chance especially since neither one of them had seen the adventurers coming to get them. He motioned for the gnome to go and head off a different angle to flank the creatures. He looked at the draw and whispered low, "Do you have any spells to incapacitate them? Now would be the time to use them." Meanwhile, Jarek and Jim were having a much easier time than the other people. If only because their prey had almost come to them. A young, eager scout had seen Jim upon her mount and decided that the lone kobold would make a very easy target and perhaps get him a good amount of prestige back at the village. Youth, in nearly any form, was just so wonderfully impetuous and rash that very little needed to be done to goad them. Jarikk had waited patiently while Jim and the elf had traded arrow for bolt, the dire weasel dancing lightly on the ground as the elf stood in the tree and tried to outlast the dancing animal. Jarek had loaded a fowling bolt and taken aim, firing finally when he had a clear shot. The sheer surprise and trajectory of the bolt caused the elf's vocal cords to be bruised and rendered useless for a little while so when he realized he was outnumbered that he could not call for help. Jik took the opportunity to finally start actually firing and pegged the elf in the foot which caused him to fall out of the tree with his mouth open in a silent yelp of pain. The umber hulk easily caught the elf and held him tight as Jarek examined him. "Young, healthy, relatively strong. He should make a good offering and maybe an even better slave. His skin should also be a real seller." He retrieved a strap of leather and bound it tightly around the elf's mouth to keep him muffled even after the vocal cords healed. Jik started picked up arrows and arranging the tracks so they could not be followed back to her camp. A special spell of hers set her own fired and irretrievable bolts to rot and finally end up like so much fertilizer. "Well, good, I don't feel like playing the role of a supposed trophy for some young fool's ego." She trekked over and removed the bolt and began to tie the elf up to make him easier to take back to the camp. He looked almost pathetic as he struggled against the restraints even as he bled from his foot. It wasn't a major injury, even a level one commoner could recover from it. It was probably the most action the elf had ever seen if his actions made any sense. They made it back to the camp before any of the other members and placed the elf down near the entrance to the cave should they have to quickly leave. Jim examined the elf and smiled in a cruel, reptilian manner, "I bet the draw are going to love you. Oh yes, draw little elf. And you live to what, seven hundred? You are going to have a fun life ahead of you aren't you?" Altar followed this off group. The orc-blooded You’re, the crazy yet insightful gnome, and the dreaded raccoon. He still pondered if such a creature should be as feared and respected as the gnome led on to, or if he was being taken for a fool. For the time being, staying alert and cautious seemed the most logical of his option. On he went, keeping pace with the larger and stronger You’re, but a step ahead of Miranda... just in case Health got any strange ideas. While they traversed the surface world, Altar took in the details as fast as he could. Breaking a branch here and there, stuff the contents in his pouches, he was preparing a good collection of stuff to research. Though, he would much rather take one of these larger tree structures back home, he knew that was a bit presumptuous. His thoughts were interrupted by a halting of the trek.You’re signaled to the gnome to move about. It was a good strategic move for this venture, but Altar wasn't prepared for such a tactic. Changing his plans, he acknowledged You’re by preparing a Hold Monster spell he had handy. He wasn't sure if a unicorn was considered a monster, but it was a shot he was willing to take. If all else failed, a quick bolt from his poison laden hand-bow should do the trick, in theory. The draw quickly formed the hand gestures, muttering the appropriate dialogue. With a thrust, Altar pushed his hands forward, bringing them down in an arch as if forming a shell or bubble around the equine prize. Unsure if the spell had worked on the steed, he stared on stiffly for any signs of failure. His readied weapon was already aimed at the creature in case of an unforeseen failure. The unicorn mother froze as the spell was uttered. The foal was still drinking until it noticed something was going on. He looked at his mother and whinnied in distress before the gnome came leaping out of the bushes and cold cocked the littler fucker with a sap. The foal crumpled and was left beside the still mother. You’re came out and pulled out some enchanted rope and began to tie up the pair. He summoned up a Grey Render and had the beast lift the tied up matron unicorn, and he grabbed the foal." We did well. Good job going for the mother instead of the child as well, it really made the job easier." You’re nodded gratefully at the draw and then turned to the gnome, "And good going with you as well, little lady. I am surprised you didn't beat him with that raccoon of yours though."" Feraloth would not waste his skill upon petty unicorns. He hunts only the tarrasque when his craving for meat overcomes him!" She laughed wickedly and cuddled the raccoon in her hands as she walked behind them merrily. Your knew she was kidding as no raccoon in its right mind would go after a tarrasque, but it didn't enter his mind that Altar wouldn't know that. Back at camp they found a crying wood elf tied up and bleeding from his foot. Jarek was getting rid of unused bits of the deer meat and other rabbit parts. He visibly brightened when Altar came back. You’re dismissed the Grey Render and dragged the mother unicorn into the camp. The rope was keeping both mother and foal in a form of suspended animation so they didn't fight at all. The foal was still knocked out, and the mother was still under the effect of the hold monster spell. Jarikk ran over to Altar and dusted his poor draw master off and began to fuss over him. "Oh sir, you look dreadful! You must allow me to tend to you. That is...if you wish for me to...master. I am sorry, I did not mean to over step my bounds." Unaccustomed to compliments, Altar nodded and watched the obviously more powerful male dispatch the foal. It was a little pleasing to see such strange creatures easily crumple. How strange, though, that surface creatures seemed much weaker. You couldn't just drop a spell like that on something in the Underdark... lest you wanted to be laughed at or die, but it was a chance he took and noted the lesson. Even something as prized as unicorn could fail to such a low grade spell. The gnome was surely insane... or maybe suffered from being possessed? The young draw had heard of such problems when dealing with fiends, but he waited before passing complete judgment. He would have to interrogate Jarek about this nutter later. He would like to know how one could possibly be possessed in such a functional way. But seeing that ball of fur and thinking it could fearlessly stalk the legendary tarrasque? Either someone was playing a joke on him, or this gnome had one of the most powerful creatures known to life. Altar mentally noted to study these raccoons when he returned. They seemed useful to his plans. As the came back to the cave, there was a sobbing surface elf, bound and bleeding from an unusual place. Inspecting the elf, as he had never really had an opportunity to see one alive for so long, he seemed highly interested in documenting various things of interest for his personal knowledge. With the mare and her foal disabled and in camp, he had a little bit of pride that was noticeable on his face. Jarikk interrupted him and that left a sour look on his face. It was hard for him to contain his disdain at this moment, but he realized how powerful the group Jarek had assembled. Now would not be the time to say anything ill. "That's quite alright, Jarek. Do well to contain yourself next time. Now, give me some space. I have several notes to take before this day is over. Much to do." he said pulling his books out, readying his quills. With his notes underway, he listened to the conversation to follow. Jarek watched Altar walk off and felt pretty miserable. He hadn't meant to infuriate his master. With grows that was never a certainty of NOT pissing them off, the temperamental black elves often changing emotions as the breeze changed direction. Jarek sulked off closer to the forest elf. Suddenly he felt like he could take his anger out on the elf. It might not truly do anything, of course, but at least it would make him feel better for a small amount of time. He lashed out at the sniveling elf, striking him in the head and causing him to yelp. Jarikk walked over to the kobold and sat down, his mood rather soured as well. She looked at him and shook her head, "I still don't get it. Draw are rather flimsy, emotionally. For whomever they deal with and themselves. You start liking one and BAM, his sister killed him. Or she gets shipped off to another city so she doesn't pose a threat to her mother. Or they just get themselves killed. For no reason, probably was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Which, in draw cities, is about anywhere when the matriarchal PMS kicks off. Ever been with a group who cycled together? Nasty shit." She finished up cleaning a carcass and tossed the fur to get worked on.You’re had lumbered over and nodded, "Yeah, I have to get new contacts with them at least every few months. I find it kind of funny. Normally elves like to go on and on and on about how long-lived they are, how in touch with nature they are, how they are just such perfect, proper people, and you suck because you have body hair. Draw? Draw are definitely different. And the fact they help kill off those snooty tree elves doesn't hurt, it just means more of them die because they charge headfirst into the sunlight when they are adapted to caves and darkness. They do take out a good number of elves with them generally. Of course, they are still snooty, just in different ways." Jarikk shook his head, "Altar is different. Or, more properly, he has the ability to be different. If he could just see it. It is rather hard when you are surrounded by hordes of bitches with scourges telling you what shit you are for having a penis." The other two just shrugged. If Jarek wanted to believe that, sure, but a draw was a draw. Even the "good" draw were often just as accident-prone as their evil relatives. Be it from jealous people, untrusting natives, or just stupidity with how to deal with the surface world they died just the same." Food is up if you want some, yobbo," Jim said, hacking off a chunk of cooking deer for herself. Jarikk looked at the deer and shrugged, lopping off some meat to have. Altar started taking notes in his tome, but had a hard time concentrating. The conversation being had been almost as if it was loud enough to be heard on purpose. Pausing for a moment, the young draw grew angered at his people being spoked of, but knew that it was truth. It did seem that a lot of draw were quite capable of getting themselves killed prematurely. Very rare was it for a draw to live to a ripe old age of 400 or so. Trying to play off not hearing such things, Altar took out a small set of sheers that had been designed for trimming spell components, and trimmed quite a few unnoticeable locks from the unicorn mare's tail hairs. Tying a piece of twine around it, he placed it in his hip bag, letting the conversation carry on. Taking the sheers, he trimmed a little shaving off of the mare's hooves, placing the bits in a very small draw string bag. As the goblin servant spoke of him, the draw was a little confused, but then it clicked in his head. His manservant had been feeling rather fond of him. It wasn't unheard of amongst male draw, that is picking up a male companion, but a goblin? A goblin servant? How could he think that was even possible? But the young male thought for a moment how advantageous this could be. Maybe there could be a use for the goblin's infatuation with him. This would have to be explored and experimented with. In his notes, Altar drew a caricature that would flatter the goblin if he were to see it. With that, he blew on his notes, finally joining the group around the burnt game animal. Sitting down rather close to his goblin, he waited for Jarek to serve him a portion. Jarek almost immediately carved off a hunk of the deer and handed it delicately to the draw, not wanting the man to burn his sweet, gentle fingers. "Be careful sir, it is hot. But it is also good." Jik rolled her eyes and looked up at the orc who was about as thrilled as she was with watching what was happening. He shook his head and decided he would eat his share of the kill somewhere else, away from the damn servant/master relationship that was going on with Jarek and Altar. Jarikk fussed over his draw, arranging his hair if allowed to and basically making sure Altar looked well groomed and genteel, even above ground where he would be seen by no one important. It was being allowed to fuss over the man that started to make Jarek feel better. In truth, Jarek always remembered the young draw boy who expressed love to him before he had the idea of compassion and caring beaten out of him by draw society. It's what kept him close to Altar, even if the man no longer believed in the sappy types of affection he had shown the goblin when he was younger. Miriam came from the forest, dragging a dead fox with her. She plopped down and grabbed a chunk of the deer and ripped it off, eating some herself before "feeding" her companion by jamming bits of the meat into the dead animal. She seemed blissfully unaware of the creature's death, speaking to the animal after forcing bits of meat down its gullet. Jarikk looked a bit distastefully at the show that Miriam put on and suggested, politely of course, that he and Altar should move. Or, at the very least Altar who did not need to eat with this kind of depravity going about. With his meal in front of him, Altar sampled the beast's flesh and found it an odd taste. Compared to the subterranean crustaceans and Roth, this meat was rather strange. It seemed stringy and a little tough to chew, but perhaps its flavor would be bettered by some cave salts or served with some sautéed morels. Recalling he didn't bring any spices, he sighed while eating the roasted animal slowly. Altar figured any meat was better than being hungry, but that didn't stop him from unintentionally showing his disdain. The draw allowed his servant to mess with his hair, as some twigs and various surface flora had managed to attach itself to him. He was keen on the reactions of those around him, but knew it wasn't something he needed to answer for. These were Jarek's comrades and thus were his problem to deal with. It was at this time that the crazy gnome wandered back into camp with an obviously deceased creature in her hands. Pausing his eating for a moment, he looked at the beast she had. The coat was an exquisite shade of orange with black paws. Altar jogged his memory, trying to recall what this small beast was. While he was thinking, she began to force-feed the corpse some of the meal he had been previously enjoying. The draw stared for a few moments before leaving his meal in its spot, walking to the back most part of the cave with Jarek. Put off from his meal, he spoke in Draw Sign Language with his back turned to the rest the group. When the gnome is finished wasting food, see about acquiring the dead animal's corpse. I have use for it. He quickly flashed. Then aloud, he spoke low to his goblin. "I'm in need of some rest. Be sure I'm only disturbed when needed." he stated plainly, before removing his traveling robe. Sitting down in his sleeveless tunic and simple breeches, he crossed his legs and placed his hands in his lap. With that, he was almost immediately in meditation. His brain had been swamped with thoughts and plots, but Altar needed a moment to himself to sort these things.

The Overdue Destruction of House Vorn|rating:4.0

Under African Skies - Emmykins & Dominique

((#msg12381790)To:Nicole Elena (#msg12381845)Date | Time | Media:August 8, 2017 | 03:03 AM PDT | Facebook Hey, I know we've never met, but if what I know is true then you know who I am, so I was hoping maybe we could... I don't know, talk, I guess? It's probably a bad idea. Look, forget I sent anything. You might not even see this since I haven't actually added you, so I guess that's something. I just think I'm going crazy, and the way things ended... I just need to know what happened, and now that Nicole is gone, you're the only one who can help me. So can we talk sometime? Please?(#msg12381845)To:Julianne (#msg12381790)Date | Time | Media:August 8, 2017 | 03:18 AM PDT | Facebook Bonjour, Julie. Up early? Or late? It's six in the morning, here... I guess that's not really important, is it? Where are you? So we can talk, I mean. I'll get there.((#msg12381790)To:Elena (#msg12381845)Date | Time | Media:August 8, 2017 | 03:21 AM PDT | Facebook didn't mean that you had to come. Your profile told me where you live, it's thousands of miles from here! Though I suppose still a lot closer compared to where I used to be. All I want to know is if she's okay. If she's still mad at me for dragging her into all of this... I just need to know she's all right. If you're all right. I don't know, I don't think I understand, maybe I never understood at all. I'm at the Greenwood Plaza in San Francisco. Furthermore, I know it's ridiculous to expect this from you, Elena, but... Please come.(#msg12381845)To:Julianne (#msg12381790)Date | Time | Media:August 8, 2017 | 03:19 AM PDT | Facebook Nicole's fine, and I'll explain. You need to get some sleep. It's late there. When you accept my friend request you can see my cell number. See you soon. (Lancaster (#msg12381790)City | Date | Time:San Francisco International Airport, CA | August 9, 2017 | 03:31 PM Tagging | Mentioning:Elena Content:Waiting anxiously The steady flow of people that crossed the big arrivals' hall, largely came in the shape of oddly clad tourists and suit-wearing businessmen walking in every which direction; the swell of the crowd came to a peak in the middle of the afternoon here, making the International Airport of San Francisco a beehive of confused looking human beings, trying their hardest to get out of the massive building as quickly as possible. In the middle of summer there were few weather-related delays and yet Julianne had been eyeing the departures board with such resentful anxiety, as if she were convinced that the red digital numbers that depicted the time were solely out to get her. But no, there was no mention of any late arrivals from Albany, New York, just an expected arrival time that her eyes seemed to be glued to. People would barge into the girl every few moments, no doubt because she was standing in the dead center of the hall, oblivious to the people who were trying to maneuver their suitcases, travel bags and their hordes of children past her. Julie held her phone clenched tightly against her chest, both hands clasping around the tiny object as if her life depended on it. She wasn't sure that the handheld device was truly able to live up to the expectations the girl clearly had of it; it would not give away any of the secrets the near future held any more than that cursed board she'd been staring down for the past forty-five minutes. Still, it offered a certain amount of comfort, as it symbolized the one link she currently had to Nicole, no, to Elena. Julianne didn't think she understood. She wasn't sure if she could begin with, and that very thought made waiting for Elena's arrival all the more frightening. She didn't know if she would be meeting with a stranger or with the very woman who had sent her on such an emotional rollercoaster that even now, months later, she couldn't even think of her without her insides tying into a painful knot immediately. There were so many questions, but Julie knew she would gladly leave them unanswered if it meant just seeingheragain. She didn't know who the woman hopefully walking through those frosted glass double doors would be; a stranger or someone who knew Julianne from the inside out and who had shared so many of her own secrets in return. Maybe both. Her phone buzzed in the very same moment the announcement on the digital board switched from 'Expected Arrival Time' to 'Landed', and Julianne literally jumped, a sudden nausea assaulting her senses, her throat dry and rough like sandpaper. Uncertainly she lifted the smartphone from the cozy spot nestled against her breast, seeing the pop-up message that told her the exact same thing. Her face slowly settled into a complicated frown as she shifted the way she held the device, her finger idly swiping across the screen. The crowded room around her all but seemed to fade as she opened her contacts list, finding a number that had become so important to her and yet had been left unused until now. The little picture besides it really did not do the real Nicole... Elenajustice, and yet it had her mesmerized all the same. Julianne scowled, knowing there was absolutely no use in calling when the person the number belonged to was going through passport control right now. Still she found herself selecting the number then pressing the phone to her right ear, listening for the tone. It went straight to voicemail, and nothing could have quite prepared her for the sudden sweet melody of a voice she was all too familiar with, apologizing so politely for being unable to answer the phone right now. The very sound caused something to shatter in the glow of her irises, something fragile. The sudden harsh sound of a mechanical beep caused Julie to shudder, and her eyes regained their focus, darted about uncertainly. She wasn't sure why she had called but to just hang up felt like it just wasn't an option, and though her words much felt like incoherent drivel, she spoke all the same. "Hi," was the none too eloquent start. "I mean, hello Elena. I don't really know you, or maybe I do. I don't think I understand yet, and maybe I never will..." Julianne scraped her throat, her voice almost lost to the surrounding noise. "What I'm trying to say is, I'm glad you came. No matter what, I'm so grateful that you came and... Oh." She hadn't expected the arrivals of flight 3064 to go through checkout so quickly. Not for a moment had she considered the fact that maybe, the message that she'd been waiting for on the arrivals board was slow. Julianne didn't think she could have mentally prepared herself for this, but she could have done with a moment of bracing herself for what was to come. Instead, the vision of golden hair and the sweetest smile assaulted her as a girl she knew so intimately appeared through automatic sliding doors, parting so eagerly it seemed. She was looking around, and Julie knew that she should walk closer to the gate, make herself known by waving or calling out or ... or anything. But she stood there, petrified as her entire body no longer seemed able to function in its most basic way. She wasn't even fully turned towards the gate beside her, but the look in her eyes spoke volumes. The sound of the automated voice on the end of the line telling Julie her message had been recorded was all but ignored, as feelings washed over her like a tsunami at full force. She hadn't known what to expect when she'd see Elena, and she still didn't know how to separate her from Nicole, how they tied together at all. But there was one thing she knew with irrevocable certainty about this girl, who would never be a stranger to Julianne Lancaster. She already loved her.(Elena Charlie Handel (#msg12381845)City | Date | Time: San Francisco International Airport, CA | August 9, 2017 | 03:31 PM Tagging | Mentioning: Julie, Jason, other versions of herself. Content: Arriving at the airport. Wearing: Sweater, tank top, khaki Capri. Elena had awoken early on August 9th, and for some reason even though five in the morning seemed much too early even to her, she'd had some odd instinctual feeling that it was right in its own way, too. That was fine for her - even if she felt just a touch groggy after having stayed up as long as she did, Elena simply set about her morning. She made herself a pot of coffee - a rarity, but also necessary for the early days - and then poured herself a cup, only to ruin it with copious amounts of milk and sugar. With her big, T. rex adorned mug in one hand, and her laptop in the other, she wandered through the mostly still house, trying to decide where it was that she felt like sitting for a while. She'd intended to just do all of this in bed, to be entirely honest, but when she'd awoken to discover her laptop elsewhere, that plan had changed too. Finally, she'd come to settle down in the den, which was really just a common room decked out with electronics, comfy chairs/couches, and huge windows that looked out over the tiny man-made pond Elena had put in, which at the moment was surrounded by flowers coaxed into a late, beautiful second bloom only possible due to her powers. Judging by the types of flowers that grew, it may have been apparent that Elena either wasn't picky, or that she simply loved almost any type. Just looking out at them made Elena miss spring. She could imagine the big open field far back on their acres of land filled with flowers, and it made her want to plant even more among the fields and forests of their home. Even as she thought of that, she thought of fall's helpful nature when it came to growing food and herbs, and really she wasn't too upset about anything. For as much trouble as her powers could have gotten her into, they mostly hadn't, and Elena did use them for a lot of good, too. Most of the food she grew she donated; after all, they were pretty rich, and the vegetables she tended always turned out to be much larger, thus more in line with the needs of a bigger family. Letting out the tiniest of sighs into her coffee, Elena flipped on the TV and set her laptop on the coffee table, her cup following suit as she set it on a coaster. It was then that she unceremoniously duplicated her pajama clad body, the new clone popping into existence on the couch beside her. The two looked at one another for a moment - as if in consideration - and then as the clone smiled, Elena spoke. "One or two to clean the house today?" she asked rather simply, pondering even as the words slipped from her mouth. "Two," came the reply, and Elena smiled, nodding. "Mine, or yours?" Without another word being spoken, the duplicate stood and began to walk towards the kitchen, another unnatural pop occurring beyond the kitchen's door. Moments later there were soft giggles, and the soft rattling of cleaning supplies being gathered. Taking another sip of her coffee, Elena took a moment to send out a little local broadcast within her mind to the two who would soon be busy dusting. Don't forget the barn. The horses need love this morning, and Sir Inkblot, too. That was about all she had to say or think to them. They knew the list of chores by memory just like Elena did, and asking them to give a little extra care to the animals wasn't even really required. Elena - and any version of herself, just about - loved animals to the point that bathing them in love was only natural. Elena was just motherly, and this particular morning, it showed. She spent the next hour or so until six am watching old cartoon reruns - Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo specifically - at which point she'd run out of coffee. It was then that she opened up her laptop and wandered off into the kitchen to get another cup, and as she was pouring in her milk, she heard the faintest of sounds from the other room: a notification from Facebook. Of course that didn't strike her as weird or queer or anything else at that exact moment, so she didn't rush or anything. She just topped the cup off with milk, then spooned in about five teaspoons of sugar, stirred, and walked off back to her computer. Sitting down, she immediately clicked through Facebook until she found the offending... message? It wasn't just a normal notification. No, no it wasn't. It was a message request from Julie and Elena found herself sitting there, staring at it for just the briefest of moments as a waterfall of memories came rushing back. Not like they'd ever been forgotten, mind you. Elena just did her best to separate herself from the independent clones, even though there really was no way for anything to be separate. They were all linked like a web, and that meant they all felt everything. This situation was even more special, though, because Elena herself had intervened to help protect Julie and her clone, without really telling Julie the swap had happened. Elena had always wondered if Julie figured it out. If the woman had noticed the subtle differences in the way Elena spoke or carried herself, or if she'd noticed the way her ring finger had that slightly paler band of flesh where her ring often sat. Even now, she felt bad for the deception, regardless of the fact she knew there was a reason for it. Julie - and to a lesser extent, Nicole - had been in danger. At the time it'd been somewhat surreal, but thankfully Elena had the foresight to see it coming, and she'd made preparations just in case. Those preparations had simply been the swap of herself for Nicole, a sacrifice made out of love and caring that really made no difference. Even in sparing Nicole by being there to handle those poachers herself, Nicole remembered it as freshly as Elena. It could've been her just as much as it'd been Elena. They all swam in the same ocean of consciousness despite the space they tried to give themselves in their head, so it wasn't like it'd ended up making that much of a difference. In her mind it did, just like any mother may feel better knowing they did their best to protect their loved ones from harm. And thankfully she'd come out uninjured, too. That was thanks to what seemed to be an insane rate of healing that Elena hadn't fully been able to grasp or understand before, but... In those moments of violence, it'd come in handy, even if the entire situation had changed her. Reaping life was far more taxing than growing it, she found. With all of that pounding her central cortex, sat there in stunned silence a moment. It was awkward - she even looked surprised - and her mind flooded with memories among a whirlpool of other thoughts. It'd taken her a few anxiety filled sips of her scalding hot beverage before she calmed and responded. The conversation over messenger had felt odd - stilted - and Elena knew it was because talking in person would be best. She could even almost feel Julie's emotion through the small printed text, which felt odd but also so right. There was a lot of love there - and care - so the blonde haired woman did her best to come off as nonchalant, confident, and... fully stable. Shortly after speaking to her, Elena took the appropriate steps to get there. A ticket bought - first class - and a talk with Jason, who didn't seem to mind much once she'd explained. She even packed a small bag of things, in case the trip became a few - day stay, as she truly had no idea how things may go. When she finally called a car and left, Elena left the two duplicates she'd made previously there to go about their business and help Jason however they could. Flight 3064 had been one of the earlier levels of hell. To begin, it was cold, and that was before everyone around her opened their little fan/ac - things that made it colder. Secondly, there was far too much screaming. Children screaming. From coach. So loud it reached first class and pierced Elena's headphones at times, even though she was listening to music. People around her were mostly watching the news, because something about TAC 6 was on, and it seemed like every plain Jane was obsessed with them. Meanwhile, they were the assholes that prevented Elena from trying to do any world-wide good, or at least that's how she felt. Her father did not share TAC 6's views thankfully, and Elena would not deny the fact that a copy of herself works at her father's farms specifically to just help more food grow and be available. Just thinking of her father made her sort of long to go see him, and it was mentally added to her list of stuff to do. Shortly after take off, Elena dozed off, her cellphone on airplane mode laying in her lap playing all manners of music for the hours she slept. When she awoke, she'd drooled onto the little pillow they'd given her, and the flight attendant was looking at her a little strangely. Caught off guard, she sort of looked around, confused, and then simply let the moment pass. Whatever the woman had been staring at, even though it pertained to Elena, was soon dismissed by the announcement that they'd landed and would be arriving soon. Ahead of schedule, even. Elena found that to be both good news and anxiety - inducing for a myriad of reasons, but the specific one that stood out was, of course, the inevitable meeting in moments with Julie. It'd been a long time, the visit was overdue, and the beautiful woman was owed all the explanation she wanted as far as Nicole or Elena were concerned. What came next was a total blur. People talking both pleasantly and not, a flurry of baggage being ripped from bins and the pounding of heavy-handed people plopping their stupid, wheeled suitcases on the aisle of the plane. Among it all roamed the out-of-place traveler, Elena, who was not only quiet but also carried nothing but one over - the - shoulder cloth bag that seemed only half full, and a small backpack she'd stuffed her purse and other things into (like makeup, and her phone charger.) Further defying expectations, Julie was the last person from first class to stand up, which left her well above the huge pack of people from coach behind her, but also proved she was a little nervous even though no one was there to see it. Strolling down the terminal didn't take long, as her feet seemed stuck on a set path despite the shops that lined both sides of her constantly vying for her attention. Step after step she hardly strayed from her path save to avoid a slow - moving person or three. The only time she stopped walking was when she got onto the silly moving walkway, which she always found so humorous that it made her giggle. They were always in front of some ridiculous 'immersive' advertisement, and the entire concept was one Elena found funny. No matter if you were so lazy you didn't want to walk, or if you were in such a hurry you needed the speed boost from the automated walkway, it was so unnecessary it was funny. That left her in good spirits, all smiles regardless she was nervous as the sliding glass doors opened up and vomited her into the general waiting area where what could only be described as a sea of loved - ones waited. Elena didn't know if that statement applied to her - did Julie love her, or would those emotions crumple under the wait of Elena's odd, unnatural existence since she'd become an evolved? It was the same decision her father, friends, and 'family' all had to make upon discovering she'd changed from shy homebody with confidence issues to confident woman with powers seemingly overnight. Okay - truth be told, it wasn't overnight, even though the powers had come that abruptly. Elena's change from shy reclusive young - woman to something else had taken time, her confidence building as her control over her powers did, too. No amount of abilities could ever change Elena's gooey insides though, the same insides that made her feel like crying when random people on the news called Evolved people monsters just because she - and Jason, and Julie - were all included. It didn't help she felt that out of all the Evolved she'd met, she was the most truly like a monster, too. All thoughts got shuffled to the back of her mind when she finally spotted Julie through the thick crowd of people. With no delay whatsoever, Elena waded through the bodies between them. As she moved, her long, gray, oversize knitted sweater hung and swung low on her body, the garment slipping down lower along her shoulders as the straps of her bags tugged on the cloth. Beyond the gray sweater though, Elena was dressed rather. Beige. She had on khaki Capri that led into silly socks (which matched her brightly colored blue flats. On her upper half beneath the sweater seemed to be a simple off-white tank - top that flared out a bit at the bottom. It never really dawned on her that she'd dressed this way because of Julie, but now it was. Just looking at the woman her duplicate - that she - had slept with, and met, and everything else, reminded her of the way they'd been dressed when they met. Nicole had been wearing bright colors, Julie: tan. So no wonder today she'd come in a mash-up of those two styles topped with her own - the comfy sweater. Now within arms reach, she paused just a moment there, smiling at Julie full - force like the day she had they met, and it almost seemed like the little blonde was looking for something in Julie's eyes. She sort of was, too, she just didn't know what it was, or what it'd feel like when she found it. After a small stint of silence (which Elena found encouraged by Julie's lack of saying anything), she let out a little sigh and moved in close, her arms coming to loop loosely around Julie's neck if she allowed it. It took her a moment, because truly she was just so filled with comparatively similar and contrasting emotions about so many things, but after a few long moments of that tight hug, Elena whispered: "Hello, beautiful," and after nuzzling Julie's cheek just once, she finally drew away, her hands coming to rest on her hips lightly, eyes critical, voice perhaps a little sassy in a motherly way. "You never went back to bed, did you?" It was rhetorical obviously, because seconds later, Elena was giggling and taking Julie's hand as she slowly led her towards the exit of the airport, which she knew from several memories of other duplicates travelling through this airport previously. "Do you have a hotel room? A car? Or can I get us one?" she asked, as Julie likely marveled at the fact that the only difference between her and Nicole seemed to be the ring on her finger.(Lancaster (#msg12381790)City | Date | Time:San Francisco International Airport, CA | August 9, 2017 | 03:32 PM Tagging | Mentioning:Elena Content:Waiting anxiously There was not possible way Julie could linger in that catatonic state once Elena approached her, although her presence carried the devastating force of a tidal wave. What sweet destruction it was though, and with but one smile she washed away months of uncertainty, of feeling torn apart from the inside and never quite knowing how to move forward. Maybe it was because she was never meant to move on from that one night in Africa to begin with; the feelings the girl stirred inside her when she embraced Julie left no doubt that nothing had changed since then, no terrible event could just wipe away those months that had been so inherently perfect, regardless of how cruelly they had ended. Her voice was exactly the same as Nicki's, which really shouldn't surprise Julie as much as it did. No matter what Nicole had told her, for most of their time together the truth about her, about Elena, about all the different versions of them that roamed the planet in perpetual connection with one another regardless of distance, had felt like a distant dream, something she tried to understand but never could. But here, when faced with the evidence to the truth of her stories Julianne finally found that perhaps she would be able to grasp it... at least a little. For when she drew back, so reluctantly, and looked into those beautiful eyes she saw Nicole and yet saw a person so very much her own. Each of them was a puzzle with a few pieces missing, but with a few pieces uniquely added as well, and they completed as well as complimented one another in such a beautiful way. It was so complicated... and yet, it really was so very, very simple, too." How could I sleep knowing I'd see you," Julie said, and her voice sounded distinctly pinched as she spoke. Nervously she sucked her lips between her teeth, her hands slipping from that self-evident spot around Elena's waist. Julie's hands came to rest upon her wrists, unwilling to abandon the girl entirely. If it had been up to her the embrace would never have ended in the first place; for all eternity she would gladly stand there. She wasn't sure if she should feel guilty; her nature commanded that being so strongly moved by someone who wasn't-technically- Nicole was wrong, and yet she needed but look at Elena and be assured that nothing about this could ever be negative, as if Nicole herself was looking out through those pale irises and assuring her that she was right there, that everything was all right." Wait," she called out, perhaps a bit louder than was truly necessary. Elena had only just grasped her hand and set off, so matter-of-factly, so lighthearted, and Julie didn't know what to do with that, how to handle things being so easy. They shouldn't be, couldn't possibly be this carefree about it, not when she knew how heartbroken she had felt. The time in the hospital had been agonizing and not because of the wound that had to mend but wounds far more deep that never quite healed. That very rend that was freshly opened when the letter arrived, the very letter that had brought her to this point in the first place... it couldn't possibly be such a simple transition. Not after all that sadness, all that confusion, all that trying desperately to keep it all together and move on with a life that no longer carried the fulfillment it once had. The questions hid in Julie's eyes as she gazed up at Elena, her hand firmly grasping that of the girl with no intent of ever relinquishing that hold. "Just like that.?" Julie asked, and the way her eyes shone suspiciously gave it all away. She held it together though, and though she couldn't find it in herself to smile like Elena did, Theresa feeling of blossoming happiness somewhere deep within her chest, one that had her take lead and guide Elena out of the crowd and the arrivals' hall altogether without another word. Not until they found themselves outside, at least." I don't own a car," she confessed a little sullen as they stood upon the curb, "Not yet, anyway. I only arrived here last week." Her thumb was doing that thing where she was rubbing Elena's hand, something that she tended to do so often with Nicole, especially when she was nervous. Not that Julie often had much reason to feel any but the good nerves whenever she'd been around Nicki, but it had been a gesture that comforted and madeherfeel comforted as well, and God knew she needed some reassurance right now. It wasn't surprising that as soon as she'd waved a cab over, Julie briefly clasped her free hand over Elena's, cradling it in a protective grasp until the driver got out, eager to get the luggage tossed into the trunk. Julie didn't have it in herself to pay attention to the man, even if he was particularly civil and polite for a cabby, even held open the door for the two of them. It wasn't so unlikely either that Julie couldn't find the words to speak, although she managed to croak the address when the man behind the wheel asked the obvious "Where to, ladies?" right after they had taken place upon the backseat. All that she could think of was how she had let been forced to let go as she'd rounded the car to the opposite side, and now that they were sat here Julie didn't have the guts to take her hands again. She knew it was silly, knew that this should not be the big issue it was gradually becoming. She'd loved Nicole and without a doubt she loved a big part of Elena too. But was that normal? Was that something Elena already knew or was it something that would be met with disapproval? She had embraced Julie, but regardless of how it had felt, friends hugged one another without it meaning anything else. And on top of that the polite taxi driver kept casting curious glances at the two girls in his cab, significantly lessening that correct attitude of his." It's not far," Julie murmured, looking increasingly forlorn. She gratefully pretended that it was the driver who had her keep her silence, for so many things that needed to be said were not meant for the ears of random strangers, but it was only a half-truth. As feelings very slowly began to settle - at least a little - so did worry and fears resurface that had briefly been subdued. She needed but look at Elena to feel them dwindle again, but Julie was having trouble allowing herself to do just that for fear of giving herself away too much. Inadvertently her gaze would be drawn to the ring finger on Elena's hand, time and time again. The pale band where sunlight had failed to give her skin that warm, subtle tan was a fierce reminder that things weren't as simple as she desperately wanted them to be, which was torture when every time she caught sight of Elena she had to suppress the urge to turn to the side and kiss her with all the need of someone who had to wait months for that moment to happen, never even sure if it ever would again. From Julie's end the twenty-minute journey was one vastly reigned by silence, and when the hotel came into view she breathed an almost audible sigh of relief that really didn't befit the feelings that raged within. Which didn't keep her from getting out of the car rather quickly, accepting the luggage before Elena could and using it as the distraction she direly needed. How she'd gone from someone so filled with fragile hope to a bundle of jittery nerves so quickly, but her hand was actually trembling as she removed her wallet to pay the taxi driver, and only after he had repeatedly scraped his throat. She didn't even know how generous the tip she gave him was, but it must have been considerable, considering how happily he bid them goodbye thereafter. All she knew was that she needed to get to her room, where things were quiet and safe and where she would be able to ask and say the things she couldn't right now. Again she ignored her intuition and paced ahead, into the lobby and towards the elevator where a middle-aged couple already stood waiting. Julie couldn't be sure if she was relieved or unhappy about sharing the elevator; she wasn't sure about anything anymore now. The journey to the fifth floor was filled with terse silence again, although Elena, being true to her own nature, had a way of taking away tension no matter how overwhelming it seemed. Still, Julie had a frantic sort of need to get to a place more private, and although she fumbled with the key card when they reached room 514, even dropped it twice on the floor before finally managing to slide it into the slot, she persevered bravely and thrust open the door, rushing in as if the devil was hot on her heels. The room was accommodating, with a double bed and a sitting area, even a big flat screen TV and a mini bar. There was enough room to walk around properly, a balcony that offered a view of the cityscape and a bathroom with a generously sized bath as well as a shower cabin. All things that Julie couldn't give a rat's ass about right now, and half an hour of pent-up frustration revealed itself as she paced into the room, sat down on the edge of the bed, got up again and took a single step towards the girl who had followed her into the room. Only now did she uninhibitedly take in the sight of Elena, but where she'd been nothing but intensely happy before, now the fragile expression in her eyes, on the verge of shattering altogether, seemed almost accusing. Julie didn't want to be angry, and she didn't think she was, either. But she was something - sad, upset, confused. So many things that she didn't mean to feel, that she much rather forget in favor over delight that she had found, in a way, the woman who had been in her thoughts every day of the past two years, like a dream and then much like a nightmare. Her voice had gone up a notch or two, a little shrill when finally she talked again, and Julie was wringing her hands, if only because she didn't know what else to do with them if she didn't." I-- I can get you a different room," she began, which was the last thing she wanted to say. Why her mind would venture to such a practical sort of apology when there were a myriad questions to ask was beyond Julie, and yet there she was, eyes nervously flitting towards the bed, towards the window and the chairs and to everything before looking right back at Elena again with big, wondering eyes. Eyes that looked like they would fill with tears at any given point, although the girl was doing a valiant job of keeping herself from breaking down in a way she really didn't want to. "I mean, I didn't think about, I just haven't considered if you'd even stay and if..." Her voice trailed off; Julie could not look more lost than at that moment, a moment in which she precariously balanced between fear and courage, hope and desolate. She looked to Elena for answers whilst knowing all too well that there was no way for the girl to satisfy her need for an explanation that would make everything all right, that would make all the bad things go away and leave only room for something good. She would have to find those answers within herself... and Julie really didn't know if she had the ability to search hard enough. Her lips pressed together, the only thing she could do to keep them from trembling. "I didn't know," she confessed, which sounded rather out of the blue at that moment. "I didn't know what to do without you. I thought I was strong, and --- and independent and that I didn't need anyone but that really wasn't true." She shrugged haphazardly; somewhere during her brief monologue the carpet had become the focal point for her eyes to fixate on, and it was only when the toes of two bright blue shoes slipped into her view that Julie realized Elena had closed the distance between the two women. It startled her a little, although it was a short lived moment that ended as she glanced up again, finding that reassurance she so direly needed. "I don't know what to do," she whispered rather pathetically. "You mean the world to me, but I can't..." another shrug, "I can't possibly...." Eyes met once more, and although a part of Julianne was reminding her forcefully that this was not Nicole, that this was not the rose-tinted dream she had lived in all those months and likely never would be again, an increasingly bigger part to her gladly told her sensible side to shut up. And once it succeeded it didn't take much - not much at all - for Julie to reach her hands up, ever so gently cradling that sweet face she loved so dearly in her careful fingertips before pressing her lips to Elena's, meeting in a kiss so tender and yet so full of want, so full of a need that she wasn't sure could ever be fulfilled, but that was so very satisfied the moment her warm mouth collided with her own. Electricity could not even begin to rival the sensation that shook her body at that moment, and Julie outright refused to think about consequence, about the right or wrong of it." I missed you,"she murmured, her words all but lost in her unwillingness to withdraw. "I missed you so much." Every word Julie spoke bore weight, but not because Elena was searching deep inside herself to connect dots. It was because she just cared, and loved, right away without much of a second thought even though she knew the why's and how's of how all this worked. At this moment it mostly just provided her more insight into things that she was feeling, and not much more else. It all felt so natural that Elena believed beyond the extra quirkiness of some of her clones, she could easily swap places with them save the two with tattoos. It wasn't hard to play along when you felt right at home in any given situation, but this felt totally different. This was the first time her connection to someone else had needed to disappear, and this is the first time Elena, herself, had been summoned to pick up the pieces. So when Julie asked just like that, totally in disbelief and sullen, Elena knew how to take it, but also didn't. She wanted to kiss and reassure the woman but also didn't even know how Julie was handling the reality that the differences between her and Nicole were minute. "I'm sorry," she offered sincerely, sighing at herself, "I know this is hard. We'll get it sorted, and we missed you." That last little tidbit was true, because Nicole did miss Julie, and even seeing her in the way she was now was a blessing for the clone who was now slowly becoming fluent in Cantonese. As they walked off, Elena realized how unique this was. Literally every part of this screamed unique, and it was screaming that in her face even as they walked awkwardly to the car that Julie insisted on paying for, so they could go to the room that Julie had also paid for. Everything between walking away from Arrivals and getting to the hotel was a smudged blur. Not because it'd go so quickly, but because it'd been mildly emotionally distressing, and because all she could do the whole ride was sat there being acutely aware of how difficult this was for Julie. Never once did she 'catch' Julie looking or even try, nor did she mind the way Julie stared or trembled. It was her fault and she was aware of it all. She wanted to interject on so many levels to be sweet and kind to the woman who she'd loved in a way no one else on the world could compare to, simply because Elena was herself and thus wholly unique. Instead of puncturing the safety of silence for either of them, she simply followed Julie's lead, smiling in a small, sorrowful, regret - filled way that somehow was still as sweet as any confectionery. The approach of the room could not have come soon enough for either of them, but particularly Julie. Elena watched helplessly as the woman struggled to get the door open and rush in. After such a display, Elena wondered if someone who cared less would have crept away from the door and left entirely in that brief moment when Julie was inside, and Elena was outside. She wagered some people might, but she never would have. Instead, she stepped forward and simply caught the door before it could close and lock, her feet leading her to follow. Julie sat, then stood, one tentative step bringing her closer to Elena. By the time the woman talked, Elena had shrugged out of her bags, both the backpack and messenger bag plopping onto the ground haphazardly. What she noticed most right away was the electrically charged anxiety that had the woman wringing her hands, and so her heart ached more. That vital organ nearly broke moments later, when instead of saying what was really on her mind, Julie asked about the room of all things. Elena may have laughed that away and reassured her at any other time, but instead all she could manage was a pitiful "Julie.", and then as they both fell silent, with Elena standing here, her hands clasped calmly in front of her, and Julie on the verge of tears, Elena didn't know what to do. Should she try to explain? Should she admit that Nicole thinks of her daily, and by association, she does too? How would that even go over? Elena figured she'd sound crazy, dumb, dense, or just outright cuckoo. Thankfully Julie started speaking again soon, and that relieved Elena of having to guess what Julie needed right now, because... Elena believed in her heart Julie would say something to help her figure out what to do. Tears tempted to well in Elena's eyes as Julie admitted she was lost with Nicole - without her, and that prompted Elena to take a few steps forward, her feet coming into Julie's view even though her eyes were downcast. When Julie looked up, Elena did her best to smile reassuringly, to look calm, but sullen, sweet, and yet soured by her own actions in the past. She even bent over some, to lean in a little closer to the woman she yearned to touch even though she'd never done so directly, herself. She knew it would be pleasant though, that touching the woman in more than a holding hands-sort-of-way may send charges akin to a tesla coil through her body. So she resisted, instead listening." I don't know what to do," came a whisper Elena could just barely hear. "You mean the world to me, but I can't..." Julie shrugged again, and Elena knew what that meant thanks to the time Nicole spent with her. It meant she was struggling to express what was swarming inside of her, and so Julie tilted her head to the side just slightly, in the same way Nicole did so many times before. With misty eyes, she locked her gaze with Julie's and waited for the woman to look at her. "I can't possibly...." Finally, Julie's gaze landed on Elena's, and though they were there for a long moment just looking at one another, when Julie reached out to take Elena's face - the cradling of her hands so gentle, and familiar that it felt as if her legs may melt from beneath her - she let out a little shiver, a stubborn tremor that coursed from her head to her toes, the feeling a direct consequence of the touch. And then, they kissed. Because it wasn't just Julie - no, Elena, despite knowing how complicated all of this is - found herself on her tip-toes, leaning into that kiss like she had for Jason before, and like Nicole had for Julie about a million times in the past. Elena was left stunned, even as Julie murmured against her lips. No thoughts could flow through her brain. Nothing coherent, anyway. It was as if both her - and Nicole's emotions were just so entirely off the chart in both a physical and emotional way that it was all-consuming and blinding, the synchronicity of it all just out-right messing with her. Elena wasn't sure this moment could ever be forgotten, even though she lived a multitude of lives at once, and she let out a half-whimper, half-sigh when Julie broke the kiss to speak. Elena didn't hesitate to respond, either. She moved in closer, as close as she could be, really - their bodies were touching in an almost intimate way, the fact they sort of fit like puzzle pieces a bonus. Elena took being so close as an opportunity to nuzzle the woman's collar bone, pressing her slowly back until the bed caught her knees and made her sit, so Elena could climb into it like a cat in desperate need of attention after an extensive stint outside." You're plenty strong. You came here, you found me, and... I'm here," she cooed, kissing along the woman's jawline. "I'm. We're sorry for never coming to see you." It was as sincere as she could possibly sound, "Truly. You deserve better." Idly her hands ran along Julie's upper back, nails scratching lightly through the cloth of her attire. This was, in any sense of the word, everything that Julie could have possibly hoped to gain from this meeting with Elena... and then some. Only it was becoming abundantly clear that this wasn't merely a visit from the first and foremost version of this treasure of a woman; this original to the duplicates of which Nicole was only one. This was meeting Elena, but it was meeting Nicole and - and Grace and the all others of who Julianne didn't even know the names, all at once. The controversy of her life the past two years grew all the more intense for it; Julianne had hopelessly and wholeheartedly fallen in love with each one of them, had embraced the complexity that was Nicole and all her sisters without even knowing it. It was perfect, for a fleeting moment there was only beauty when Elena reciprocated Julie's dire need for affection. But by stark contrast, she also found herself subconsciously aware that although Nicki and her had been together in a unique and exclusive way, this wasn't true for the clones, for the others who each had their own love life with every right to explore that way. But had that mean Nicole been unfaithful? And what did it make Julie when here she was, kissing a woman who she knew had been united before God and the State to another, to a man she had loved long before Julie had even been in the picture to begin with. Was she in the wrong for wanting to be with someone who was married, and who, in the physical sense, someone Julie was meeting for the very first time? And far, far more important than that... did any of that matter right now? Of course not. A sweet, soft hum filled with urgency escaped her as Elena pushed her back, their bodies far more intimately connected even as Julianne fell onto the bed. She didn't even consciously consider lifting her hand; as she dropped into a seat upon the edge of the mattress her fingers slid down the side of the beautiful woman's body, tracing her hip towards her upper leg. The forwardness of Elena surprised her, but only in the way that it differed in nothing from how Nicole had been in those hot, African nights, back at the cabin they had so often shared. The familiarity of the soft curves that nestled against her as Elena uninhibitedly crawled into her lap was only outdone by the insane yearning for something Julie had been doing without for so long. She wondered if Elena shared that feeling, if she had physically missed Julie as much as Julie had missed the very embodiment of perfection cradled within her embrace right now. Had that dull ache been soothed by the presence of others in her life, and did she even know the heart-wrenching ache of two lovers torn apart, or was that something confined to Nicole and her alone and was this but a guilty pleasure Elena so gladly indulged in? If so, then perhaps Julie was telling herself sweet little lies to convince herself otherwise, lies that solved nothing and would likely create a rift even greater, but to think that Elena would allow her to be so blinded already seemed unthinkable. She could never think bad of this woman in any form or by any name; no matter what the previous months had been like, Julianne still didn't have it in her to think Nicki or any of her duplicates would ever willingly let her suffer. Their mouths abandoned their passionate caress but only so Elena could trace the side of Julianne's face, leaving the girl free to gasp in blissful delight. The way her hand felt up Elena's still covered legs so affectionately was almost ridiculous, but she was rapidly feeling to overcome by the need to feel every inch of her body against every inch of her own. So many layers kept her from feeling the warm sensation of the girl's skin against hers and with a sudden impatience Julie reached for the thick hem of the woolen sweater that Elena had arrived in, already tugging it halfway up, drawing back a little herself so that she could. Only to find herself lost the moment their eyes met again, eyes filled with need and lust and - and far more profound feelings that made her swallow nervously and pause in her rushed actions. Suddenly that urge to make up for lost time dwindled, in fact, time seemed to stand still altogether, and a starstruck Julie simply gazed in an encompassing silence was broken only by soft, hurried breaths. A trembling inhale seemed necessary to draw enough courage to speak, and although Julie's fingers still clenched around the knitted fabric, she was no longer focused on feeling Elena, but on her remaining senses instead. Her lips softly pressed together then parted a few times over, and her eyes roved over every aspect of her, taking in every detail, this time without the inhibitions that had kept her staring at the ground for most of their time together. "I can see the way she used to look at me in your eyes," she whispered, revered almost, and Julie tentatively abandoned the forward placement of her hand, instead reaching up to tenderly tuck a strand of golden hair behind Elena's ear. "And... and I know that makes sense because you look almost exactly the same. Actually, you look so much the same that I'm terrified this is the cruelest prank anyone ever played on me. Only..." And her voice faltered, her deep rooted desires briefly dwindled in favor of something that had been the reason of those months of agonizing heartache. She had missed Nicole dearly, and while she knew that the woman in her arms right now listened to a whole different name, Julianne was also convinced that no matter who she addressed, the words would be heard by who needed to be listening. But words no longer seemed to suffice in sating that burning desire, and rather than using her voice, Julianne allowed her actions to speak for themselves, and with a reverence that betrayed her true feelings the dark haired girl guided the heavy fabric of the sweater along the curves of Elena's body. It was facilitated by her raising her arms, and light curls tumbled down her shoulders as the item of clothing was discarded, forgotten in an instant. Julie looked her up and down, and when she locked eyes with the girl pressed so close against her, she pouted lightly. "You're wearing far too much," she complained softly, a statement so blunt and down-to-earth that it dispel the tension that had lingered after all the heavy, heartfelt revelations she had needed to get off her chest. The words were succeeded by an immediate smile, one far more carefree than the previous tears, the tremors in Julie's voice all but gone. When she hooked her fingers under the top, her actions were considerably more bold, and before she'd even fully managed to slide it up her body she was already wholly enraptured by that smooth and oh-so familiar porcelain complexion that revealed itself underneath. Julie seemed to actually just have given up halfway through the idea of removing her clothes, the top skirted up to where it snugly rested upon the lovely swell of Elena's breasts. Though they were mostly covered still, she could not keep herself from dipping down and pressing light butterfly kisses to the curves that led to the lacy rims of the lingerie the girl was wearing, every perusal of Julie's lips a declaration of her true feelings in the sweetest form. Her hands, before so content in perusing the feel of Elena's legs now ran up the side of her bare hips, then possessively hooked around her lower body until she had pulled her as close as can be. Her mouth sought and found its willing partner once more, and Julie nipped at the plump swell of Elena's bottom lip." Mine," she growled, squeezing her arms more tightly about her waist. This time it was her hands absently running up the other girl's spine, feeling the little outline that led towards the back of her neck. The word in its own was far more playful than, upon further thought, could be interpreted, but Julie didn't allow either herself or the lover in her arms to consider it for more than a single moment. The next she was already demanding more sweet, wonderful kisses, her feet pushing off from the floor, scooting her further along the mattress in the process.

Under African Skies - Emmykins & Dominique|rating:4.0

I never expected to see you again ~palmoun and Lady chello~

Name: Elizabeth Winter Age: 28 Occupation: used to be in the air force, now just a simple pilot Bio: She used to get picked on a lot at school, all the way till high school. All because she was smaller than everyone else. But she had one friend, and she was happy to have him. He encouraged her to be herself and was nicer to her then anyone else in school. It was one of the reasons she fell for him and started to date him. Yet senior year happened and they never spoke again after that. She left to go start her career as a pilot, and he went off to go do his thing.__________________________________________________ ________Elizabeth smiled as she sat in the park of her hometown, watching as snow slowly started to fall around her. Her brown curly hair running down her back as she looked up into the sky. It had been a little while since she had gotten home, probably around a week or so. Her father had wanted her to be home for her mothers birthday and to be able to celebrate with them for once since she hadn't made it last year. But now that she was back at her hometown, she couldn't' help but think of everything that had happened here. Smiling, she looked over at the swing set and remembered all the times she played their with him. How many times she had fallen off the swing and ended up rolling around on the ground laughing. Smiling to herself, she got up and walked over to the swing, snow getting caught in her curly brown hair. Sitting down on the swing, she slowly started to pump her legs, humming to herself as she did. Everything seemed so perfect right now, it was so peaceful and calm. Nothing like when you're flying, when you're flying you always have to be on edge. Something that she had gotten use to after being in the air force. Shaking the thought's of the air force from her mind, she went back to swinging. She didn't ant to think about that, she was done with that part of her life. Smiling, she continued to swing and found her mind wondering over to her old friend. She wondered where he was, what he was doing, and how he was. Name: Damion Lucas Andrew Age:29Occupation: CEO for four multiply million dollar companies. World-famous fashion designer and high-tech genius. Bio: In school he was the good guy. He was friends with everyone. Though only one person knew his secret and was his real friend. He may be the cool guy at school with no problems but at home was troubled and often beaten. He had one friend she was the only reason he got up each day and put on a happy face. Furthermore, he had feel in love with her over time and wanted to always be with her. Till senior year and things went south. He finally made his old man proud and became the son his father dreamed of taking over the family business and make more profits than his father could dream of. He went to collage got his PhD and now owns two of the most profitable companies. Lucas open his eyes. It had been years since he had been here. This place had such painful memories to him. This was the place he lost the one person he had ever cared about. He hung his head as he drove by the town square. Nothing had changed other than the people in charge now. He could tell by the stares they still knew here. He could also tell he would be getting phone calls for charity and other things by how fast people where running to grab their phones. He drove past the park not daring to look at it as he made his way home. Furthermore, he pulled into the gates of the oversized estate as he saw the welcome party his parents had planned. Furthermore, he hung his head as he parked his car knowing this was going to be along day. Furthermore, he opens the car door as he saw his mother and her servants run out to greet him. Furthermore, he just rolled his eyes as he adjusted his tie and locked his car walking to greet her. Furthermore, he walked and hugged his mother. Furthermore, he could tell by the look on her face his father wasn't doing good. He didn't say a word as he walked in with her just lessening to her ramble about everything that had happened scene he left. Furthermore, he walked into the room where their lunch was already prepared. Furthermore, he ate as the pain came back to him that lived in these walls. Furthermore, he kissed his mother goodbye as he walked to his car. Instead, he walked to the park. He couldn't leave the place yet, but he wanted to think. He hated being here all the memories came back of her. And the night she left him. Elizabeth smiled as she continued to swing and hum, slowly getting higher and higher. More snow started to fall and get in her hair and she slowly started to laugh. Everything was great right now, nothing to worry about, not having to go through any flight simulations and just being able really relax. Yet as she did, she remembered all the times that she had been here with Damion. He used to be so sweat to her, and it was part of the reason why she decided to be part of the air force. All the times that she remembered him coming to meet her with bruises on his skin and each time she just wanted to protect him. But then everything crumbled. As she got lost in mind, her grip on the swing slid as she went forwards, and she found herself sliding off the swing set. She screamed slightly as she felt weightless for a second and then came crashing down to the ground right at someone's feet, face-first into the new fresh snow. Groaning softly, she slowly flipped over and rubbed her face. "Ouch." she said softly before realizing that she had landed in front of someone. Looking up, she instantly recognized the face and could just stare. But after a few minutes she slowly managed to get the name out, the name that ran through her mind so many times, "Damion?" Lucas froze in place as he watched a figure come flying at him. His eyes widen as he began to shake slightly as he realized who the figure was. He had stopped going by that name the night she left his life. He stood there frozen for a bit before he rush to help her up. Furthermore, he gently brushed the snow off of her still not quite believing it was her." Elizabeth I thought you left this town for better piasters as you put it. Your mother will be happy to see you again. " He said as he just stared at her in wonder. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He looked at the ground and smiled at the mess she made." I see you still haven't learned how to be graceful yet." The sight made him grin as he began to chuckle." How many years and you still have no grace when you fall. Glad to see something's haven't changed." He said as he let her go realizing that he was holding her still. He then remembered the night and senior year as he moved away from her giving her a bow." It was a pleasure to meet you. I'm sorry for intruding. How to see you tonight at the town square." He said as politely as he could. He turned not waiting on her to say a word. Furthermore, he didn't want his heart broke again not by her. Furthermore, he moved swiftly ignoring how cold he was by the time he reached the estate. Furthermore, he didn't miss this town nor the memories because they were all bad including her. Furthermore, he hurried into the house where he was greeted by his mothers look. Furthermore, he could tell she knew he had sawed Elizabeth. Furthermore, he just hung his head and turned heading up the stair to his old room. For once, he was happy to see nothing of his was left. His mother was good about understanding others. He could tell it pained his mother to get rid of all his things, but he was happy she did. He loved the new modern feel of the room. Furthermore, he walked to the large oak desk as he smiled taking a seat behind it. Furthermore, he turned on his laptop already there as he began his business reviews for the mean time. Lucas worked well into dinner not stopping for anything. He had worked up a frizzy trying to forget about Elizabeth. Finally, after a while he closed the lid on the laptop and walked into the kitchen where his mother was. He could tell she was debating on how to tell him something she had that look." Are you coming to the Christmas tree lighting?" He asked as he saw the smile she gave. He nodded as he walked heading out to the barn. It had been years since he had broken out the sled, but that was his mothers favorite tradition. He did it himself for once uncovering the red sled and cleaning it. He helped tie up the horses and got the blankets out. Furthermore, he for once left all his electronic leashes at home as he waited for his mother. Elizabeth smiled up at him, "well I decided to come back." she said and smiled as he helped her up. For once in her life she wasn't plagued by everything in the air force that had happened to her. It was like old time, and she could just laugh with him around. "And I might not be graceful on the ground, but I am like a bird when I am in a plane." she said as she smiled up at him and still couldn't' believe that she had run into him. It was like a dream come true, and she found herself just wanting to talk to him more and more. Pretend that she hadn't ripped out his heart and stomped on it even thought it pained her. Yet before she could say anything else he was already saying goodbye and running from her. As he did, she took a step out towards him, her hand reaching out but stopped herself. She couldn't' ask him to stay and slowly tears started to run down her cheeks. She wanted that warmth back. Looking down at the ground, she started to trudge back to her hotel room. She had planned on making it a surprise for her mother on her birthday which was in two days. So she had to stay away from her house. Yet as she walked around, she found she didn't want to go to the hotel room, she just wanted to be outside and having fun. Fun like she used to have with Damion when she was with him or her old flying buddies. None of that fun would ever come though. Slowly trudging towards the town square, she found that everything was where it should be.The tree was in the middle of the town, still colorful, and lights were everywhere. People and kids ran around happily and laughing. Smiling to herself, she watched as two kids ran past her playing some game. It reminded her of the games she uses to play with him, her only friends. Shaking her head, she knew she had to get her mind off of him and headed over to the café. Sitting down, she ordered herself a coffee and went to work drinking it, trying to drown her memories and sorrow away. Knowing that she couldn't ever get back what she had, her flying buddies were gone and the only other friend she had hated her. She was starting to feel like she was meant to be alone forever. As the thought of that, she rested her head on the table, wondering if going into the air force had been the wrong thing to do. Lucas helped his mother in the sled. He could tell that everyone was already gathering at the square. He smiled and waved at everyone as he pulled up and parked the sled helping his mother out. Furthermore, he was left there as his mother went on and blended in with the other high society people. Furthermore, he knew she wouldn't stay long there before coming back to where the others where. She just went to say hi not that she cared for the people in it one bit. He walked around the square as he tried to hide not really wanting to have to face anyone else from his past at the moment. He quickly walked to the Café. Furthermore, he took as set beside a girl as he gave his order. For once, he was happy no one really knew him. His mind pondered on the night he lost Elizabeth. She had been his best friend and the one person he had ever loved in fact she was the only one he had ever loved. His father had tried hundreds of girls but to this day none of them compared to Elizabeth. He sat there as he thanked the waiter and just stared at the coffee for the most part. He couldn't help but hear the commotion outside. Furthermore, he remembered why he left before graduation now. Why he never came home and why he never wanted to come back to this town. There were no good memories for him here just pain. The more he tried to put the past behind him the more it appeared to him in his mind. The more the saw Elizabeth. Why couldn't she have been happy with him. He would have done anything for her and worked hard to give her a house or whatever she wanted. But she didn't want him she had never wanted him or that's what she said. He stopped flying and designing planes that night in fact he burned his work shop. He closed his eyes as he tried to remember anything but the town and Elizabeth. Elizabeth groaned and hardly noticed someone sitting next to her. Instead, she brought her arms up and buried her face further, trying to get away from everything. Her life had been perfect before she left for the air force, she had everything she had ever wanted, and she was going to be with Damion. Then when he said he wanted to be with her senior year, and she started to panic. She had already accepted to go into the air force and if anything were to happen to her, she would crush him. The thought of hurting him had been horrible, and she ended up saying things that she never meant, and she wished that she could take them back. But now instead she was here in a café, trying to drown herself in coffee. Sighing to herself she muttered softly, not really trying to talk to anyone but just wanting to talk and feel like someone was listening. "You know life sucks." was the first thing to cross her lips as she kept her face buried in her arms, "first I end everything with the guy I could have been with to protect him, great idea at the time. Then I lose my best friend in a test flight, wonderful heart crushing experience. But you would think it would stop their but noooooooo, instead I get my own plane crashed into enemy territory and have my whole crew, my whole family die except for me. You would think lucky, but instead it just sucks." she muttered as silent tears started to run down her cheeks as she remembered the crash. How she had woken up and found pieces of her friends everywhere, she still woke up to nightmares. "Why couldn't' life be more simple." Lucas just lessens as he sipped on his coffee. He turned and gently rubbed the woman's back. "Life is never far. If it was, we would all be annoying billionaires with no problems and how boring would that be." He said as he tried to grin and make the woman smile." Sounds like you're a tough cookie to me. You are amazing to have come through and still be here. That is quite some merit to your character." He said meaning it as he began to study the woman. "You know they make an amazing set of pancakes here that would be easier to drowned your sorrows in than that poor cup of coffee your beating up. If you keep it up I'm afraid the coffee will call the cops on you for harassment." HE said looking at her coffee cup. He just grinned as he ordered a set of pancakes for her and for him. Elizabeth was slightly shocked as someone started to rub her back and let herself relax for the first time in a while. "Tough yes, but I have nothing right now, or at least nothing that I really want." she said softly as she kept herself buried in her arms. Though hearing the pancakes, she smiled a little bit, "pancakes do sound amazing, and I would rather not have to get arrested for coffee harassment and assault." she said softly and then heard the sound of a plate being put in front of her. Her stomach growled as the scent came to her, and she slowly picked her head up. Knowing it would be polite to thank the man, she turned and opened her mouth. But nothing came out as she found Damion sitting down next to her smiling like he uses too. Instantly she wasn't sure what to say and frowned a little bit, "uh thanks... it is nice to hear that from you after everything...." she said softly, not really sure if she should say anything else or if he was going to run like he had before. But then she remembered what she had said and blushed deeply, if he put two and two together he would know how she felt. Lucas just laughed as he saw it was Elizabeth. He was shocked, but the laughed harder of course fate would do this. He remembered what his mother had always told him as he sat there. Everyone deserved as second chance. Right now she looked like she needed a friend more than anything. She looked like the Elizabeth he once knew. He smiled still as he looked at the waiter whispering in the woman's hear. The woman came back with whip cream and strawberry's. As well as some hot cocoa. He just smiled as he picked up his fork and knife cutting up his pancakes. He put some whipped cream on his pancakes and strawberries on his." I take it the guy you like dumped you? Such a jerk and his lose. You always where a tough cookie. Yea I hear the coffee police can be real tough around here. Keep it up, and I'll have to report you to them." He said grinning as he took a bite of the pancakes happy to have them. "You know I've been to five star restraints that can't compare to these or your pancakes. " He said enjoying the pancakes." You really should let your mom know your hear. You know that tonight is special for you, and she would want you there when they light the tree. Furthermore, you know she will be right beside my mother as always." He said as he played with his pancakes." I take it you're having a bad day? Just for the record I never stopped being your friend you're the one who ran from me. So if my little bird is in there, and she wants someone to talk to I'd be happy to lessen. Though I want to be here long. I have a major deal to close before next week and I promised to start up my mother new fashion collection here in her store. Here's my business car." He said as he pulled out one of his cards from his wallet. He flagged the waitress down and paid her borrowing her pen writing his number on the back of it. Furthermore, he laughed and talked with the waitress. Furthermore, he made sure to leave her a surprise and a good tip. Furthermore, he finished his pancakes and stared at the people." I've been in the city to long. I didn't know how nice it could be." He said staring at the place. He rolled his eyes as he felt something in his pocket going off. "Here I thought I left all my electronic leashes there." He said as he pulled out the pager. He rolled his eyes as he got up and walked to the door opening it for an old lady. Furthermore, he helped her in then through the pager into the fountain. Furthermore, he adjusted his tie as he walked back taking his seat and acted as if nothing happen." Rude buggers I swear never giving you a moments' peace." When he started to laugh she wondered if it was at her or something else. Part of her thought it was at her and waited for him to do something, run away from her and never see her again. But instead he flagged down the waitress and got whipped cream and strawberries. Smiling to herself, she knew that he wasn't going to run from her again and that meant more to her then anything right now after everything. As she listened to him, not bothering to fix what he thought had happened with the boy. She didn't want him to know that he was the boy or that she still had feelings for him. She smiled and nodded, "you are still my friend, I didn't mean to run from you, I was just... can't explain it. But I think I will go see my mother today at the lighting of the tree, it would make her really happy." she said as she started to dig into her pancakes and licked her lips happily, but then frowned slightly. "And yeah, it has been really hard. The last time I came home was right before my plane crashed and some of my friends came. So it is painful to be back here, I thought it was going to be even more painful with you around if you didn't want to talk to me. But so far you're probably the best thing to happen to me right now." she said as she smiled and took a big bite out of her pancakes, finishing them off. "And I haven't made those pancakes in forever. Maybe I should come over one day and make them just for you before you head off." she said as she smiled at him, part of her hoping that she could spend as much time with him as possible. When he pained for them, she glared at him slightly, "you know I hate it when you pay for me." she said but stopped when he held out the card to her with his number. She wasn't going to do anything that could take that away from her and quickly took the card, already punching the number into her phone. She then smiled when's he heard him, "yeah it is nice, really nice after being in hostile territory." she said as she smiled at everything. Though when she heard his pager go off, she wondered if he was going to run off and thought ht was till she saw him chuck it into the fountain. Smiling as he came back, she looked at him, "well what do you expect, you're the almighty businessman, everyone wants to talk to you and know you." she said as she put on her big touch voice and then chuckled. "But glad to know that I get you all to myself for a little while right now, the best therapy I can ask for." Lucas smiled as he heard her then frowned a little hearing about her friends. He closed his eyes as he sat there lessening to her as he sipped on his drink. He opened his eyes as he almost chocked hearing her out burst about him paying for the meal. Furthermore, he gasped for air then turned and looked at her. "Really? Most women would die for a GENTLEMAN. And here you are attacking me for buying you a meal. Really little bird and other women wonder why gentleman are a dying breed. Can't do a thing for one of you without getting blown out about it." He said in his playing manner as he just rolled his eyes closing his eyes as a smirk appeared on his face. He just chuckled as he heard her last part. "Little bird you don't know how true that last part is. I can't find a moment of privacy. It gets rather annoying after a while. "He looked at her as he smiled. "Your mom told me you chose to go to the air force. She also sends me those amazing cookies and cakes of her. I know she has missed you. After your last visit she worried you'd never come home. I told her you could do a lot of things but never come back wasn't you. "He said as he peered out at the crowd growing. "Before you get upset our mothers think they are sisters, and they are both our mothers. I get my weekly phone calls from both of them. You should also know your mom is dating our old principle. So don't freak out because here they come now." He said as he smiled as he waved at them. He moved blocking their view of Elizabeth. As he watched them leave moving once they were gone. "Well you better go surprise them. "I have my mother to find. Lord knows she's flirting since that man died last year." He said more to himself as he dreaded watching men front over his mother. Elizabeth smirked when she heard him nearly choke on his drink and smiled, "well most girls haven't been in the air force." she said as she looked at him but then punched in the arm slightly, "but thanks, and I mean it." she said softly, she honestly didn't remember the last time she had someone pay for her food. Most of the guys had called her Hawk since she was small but was of the most rough and fierce flyer they had. But when she heard him, she chuckled, "well that is why I never bother with giving people my cellphone number. If they want to talk to me, they can come find me, but for you." she said and quickly dug into her pocket, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down her number. Sticking it into his pocket, she smiled, "there, now you can call me when ever you want." She sighed as she looked down at the ground, "I thought the last time I was deployed I wouldn't come home. That was when I crashed, and I know the last time mom heard from the army was a while ago." she shook slightly as she remembered the crash. But then smiled up at him and listened to his words, nodding sometimes. But her mouth nearly fell open when she heard him, "great, principle might be my new dad." she said and then watched as he blocked their view of her. She was just about to dart off after her mother when she heard him. Stopping, she grabbed hold of his hand and smiled, "come on Damion, why don't you come with me and then together we will find your mother." she said as she tried to get him to cheer up. Lucas looked at her as he stared at her blankly. "Really honestly, you think the principle is bad. You haven't seen the trash my mother attracts. I swear I can't leave that woman for a second. I'd be happy if she chose the garbage man for once a good man. " He said as he shook his head standing. He closed his eyes as he let out a breath. "She'll be the death of me yet. " He said as he held out his arm to Elizabeth." Come Hawk lets go. And your welcome always." He said as he smiled at her. "Though please don't call me my first name again. I go by Lucas now. Your known as Hawk to your comrades to mine I'm Demon. Though you may as well not like anyone is really going to mess with me. I tend to have a nasty habit of cleaning out other corporations when they deiced to harm my investments. Not my fault I have my PhD is business and my law degree. I had to have something to do in my spare time after I lost my hobby of fixing airplanes for you." He said as he grinned at her. "I love watching those old men sweat and grilling them it gives me my sick satisfaction. " He said as he looked to her seeing the scars of the past few years showing on her. "Tomorrow you are going to the spa and to the hairdresser. Then you're coming to see me. I'll pick you up at 9 in the morning. No objections remember I still can throw you over my shoulders if I need to." He said as he grinned. Elizabeth frowned when she heard him and leaned back slightly, "maybe I should introduce your mother to some of the guys' I know from the Force. They are all really nice guys and I know a few of them would be good to her." she said as he walked him stand up and smiled. When he held out his arm to her, she took it and stood, "well I am sure that I am going to be the death of my mother." she said as she smiled up at him. Elizabeth smiled as she listened to him, refusing to let go of his hand right now. It felt nice and warm in her hands, something that she really liked. She then smirked slightly and leaned up, kissing his cheek, "your still Damion to me, not this LUCAS person." she said before sticking her tug out at him. "And since it seems I have no choice in the matter of going to a spa, you're coming with me to say hello to my mother." she said as she smiled up at him. With a clear view of her face you could see a few small slight scars on her face, probably from the crash. It kind of made you wonder what other kind of scars she had over her. She then started to tug him out the door and after her mother. "Now come on, I have to go surprise two mothers today." she said happily. After looking, she soon found her mother and her principle sitting on a bench. Slowly coming over to them with Damion, she smiled and looked at her mother, "hey mom, thought it would be nice to come back for the holidays." she said and the moment her mother heard her, she smiled. Jumping to her feet, she wrapped her arms around both her and Damion, "oh it is wonderful to see my two children here. It feels like ages since I have seen either of you." she said as she hugged them tightly before letting go. "When did you get in town?" she asked as she looked at Elizabeth, "only a few days ago, I wanted to make seeing you special though." she said, and her mother only smiled more, "oh Elizabeth, you made this whole week special. Especially seeing you with Damion." she said as she smiled up at him, "and how have you been?" she asked. Lucas smiled as he walked with her. He just grinned as he gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. He gave a simple nod of his head to the man. "I am doing well. I got your last batch of cookies they were amazing as always. Did you get the tickets I sent you for the trip to wine country?" He asked trying to ignore the looks they were getting. He felt like one of the dogs on show at the dog show as the stares became more obvious. Instead of running he stood there proud and tall as his Elizabeth still clung to his arm. Olivia smiled when she heard Lucas and nodded, "oh that is great, and I will be sure to make you more cookies before you go, the same goes for you Elizabeth." she said as she smiled down at her. She then nodded as she smiled up at him, "oh yes, we did, and I simply can't wait to go. But you shouldn't' of done that, that is way too much money to be spending on us." she said as she looked at him. But then smiled and kissed his cheek, "but thank you." she said, and then Their old principle cleared his throat, "sorry to interrupt, but I have some plans that I want to finish with your mother. I will be sure to get her home before the night is over." he said as he smiled at the two. Elizabeth looked at her hold principle and wasn't too sure about it, but when she saw how her mother looked at him, she sighed. "Okay, go and have fun." she said and watched as the two ran off. Shaking her head, she watched them go, "I am glad she is happy but..." she said as she turned and looked up at Damion, "I can't believe you got her those tickets, I think your trying to make me look bad." she said as she punched his arm light. But that was then she noticed she still had his arm and her face turned beet red. Slowly letting go, she said softly, "sorry." as she looked down at the ground and hoped that she hadn't annoyed him or anything. That was the last thing she wanted to do.Once she was sure her face wasn't as red as it had been, she looked back up to him, "so what do you want to do now?" she asked happily. Part of her still couldn't believe that she was with him right now. After she had crushed him so long ago she was sure that he would never speak to her again. Yet here she was, alone, and neither of them were in a relationship. Blushing lightly again, part of her wished that she could ask if this was a date but took it out of her mind. He was probably over her and didn't want to deal with her like that anyway. Lucas just widens his eyes hearing the man. He looked around as his eyes shot back to Elizabeth. "Oh come on with the hitting. I'm not you're punching bag." He said like he was a kid again as he just grinned at her. He looked at her as he arched a brow as she let go of his arm." Excuse me, one it's cold and body heat is a great heating source. Two I'm your arm candy and I expect you to hold my arm and let me be seen with you. Or I'll pick you up and carry you around." He said as he grinned at her. He smiled at her as he picked her up in his arms. Furthermore, he just moved through the crowd. Furthermore, he walked away with her in his arms as he leads her to the sled. Furthermore, he gently placed her in it as he hopped in the other side. Furthermore, he gently pulled the blanket around them as the tree lighting celebration started. Furthermore, he couldn't help but smiled as he watched Elizabeth. She was so beautiful even if she was still scared from her wounds. He gently pulled her close as he held her before looking back to the celebration. Elizabeth chuckled when she heard him, "I promise not to leave any bruises." she said innocently and loved seeing that grin on his face. He looked like he uses to when they were kids and a pang of sorry hit her. She wanted that back, those good old days with him and part of her wondered what would have happened if she had said yes to him that day. Though when she heard him she sighed, "fine, but your, but only because your so warm." she said as she reached for his arm but instead found herself being picked up. Squeaking from surprise, her arms wrapped around his neck and her face slowly turned a beet red. "Put me down!" she said but knew he wouldn't and that part of her didn't want him too. She liked this, how close she was to him, and she looked up at his face from the corner of her eye. He still looked cute from this close up, actually ten times cuter than before. But soon she saw the sled, and she knew that she would be out of his arms. So she made sure to savor the feeling.Once sitting down with the blanket covering her, she smiled, "this reminds me of all the other years we had done this." she said softly as she looked out at everything and remembered as the tree lighting celebration started. She then felt his arms around her, pulling her close. Smiling to herself she leaned up against him and watched the celebration. It was just as amazing as it has always been, but more so this year since she could spend it like this with him. But soon she found herself yawning slightly. She always fell asleep during the celebration, but she was determined this year to stay awake. By the end of the celebration she was half asleep next to him, and she snuggled closer to him. "You know this is the best thing I could ever ask for." she said softly, her voice soft and tired. Turning her face into him, she buried her face against him slightly, "being able to spend my favorite celebration with the one person I have missed the most." Lucas smiled hearing her promise not to bruise him. He just grinned as he thought about the day. He would have never thought he would get a second chance with her. She was the one woman in the world that held his heart to this day. And she was the only woman in the world who didn't want it. He looked away as he watched the celebration. He held her close as he knew by some point she would be tired. This would be a first if she made it through the whole celebration without falling asleep. Lucas was about to agree that it was a delightful evening when he heard her last statement. He just froze as he stared at her. He didn't know what to say. She really missed him after all this time? He just closed his eyes and gave a soft nod as he took the reins. He knew his mother wasn't around, or she would have already came up. Furthermore, he figured that she had found someone more inserting than him for the night. He simply gave the horses the order to go and they did. Furthermore, he sat quite with Elizabeth still beside him. Furthermore, he honestly didn't know what to say. Furthermore, he wanted to just pick up where they had left off so long ago, but he knew that was impossible. She had made it clear she didn't love him and from the looks of it all she need right now was a friend and nothing more. He looked to her as he smiled. "We are almost home for you." He said to her finally as they neared the only hotel and inn in the town. He brought the sled to a stop as he turned facing her. "My lady your house. " He said as he stepped out and held out his hand for her slightly bowing as if she was the princess. Elizabeth smiled as she stayed close to him, loving how warm and close he was. It was like a dream come true to her, and she wished that she could be like this always. But she was sure that he had some girl or some kind of girlfriend. He was, after all, one of the most powerful men she knew and he was basically rich. Sure, the idea of him with someone else made her slightly sick, but she had given up her chance on him. She had known that it would be the best at the time, she wasn't sure if she was going to come back. But here she was, back but scared physically, mentally, and emotionally instead of dead. She was slowly falling into a deeper sleep as they moved, and she snuggled closer to him. She barely heard him when he said that they were coming to her house and just closed her eyes tighter. But the comfortable feeling soon left as they got to her hotel and sighed slightly. Smiling, she watched as he pulled away from her, and she wished that she could just stay in the sled tonight with him. But knowing he probably had something to do, she slowly got up and yawned slightly. Taking hold of his hand, she smiled up at him, "you know you are too good to me." she said as she stepped down from the sled but didn't' dare let go of his hand just yet. Looking up at him, she found herself leaning up on her tip toes and was just barely able to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, this night meant a lot to me, but I am sure you have other things to do, people to talk to. A girlfriend to kiss." she said softly as she stepped away from him, hiding the slight pang of hurt as she let go of his hand. "But I will see you tomorrow, remember your all mine." she said as she slowly walked backwards to the door of the hotel. Lucas smiled as he took her hand. He froze as he heard her last words to him. He watched her as she headed in. "There is nothing else for me to do tonight. I have the cold old mansion to myself as always. I have no girlfriend or anything else." He admitted as he stood there not wanting her to go. He stood there as he reached out only to catch air as she vanished again. Furthermore, he hung his head as he cursed at himself. How could he let her go again. The truth was how it could get mixed up with her again. He felt alone again and hallow once more. He made his way back to the sled. It was like going back in time only the place he dreaded with all his being. He pulled up to the place where all the pain was for him. He put the sled away and tented to the horses. After making sure everything was in order he went to his room. He could tell his mother had found someone else to entertain her for the night. She wasn't in and the lights weren't off. He managed to take his tie off before he crashed on his bed. Though morning came he still ran from his nightmares. His father was alive, and he was a boy again and then it her. Elizabeth broke his heart and the crushed his rose he had got her. He let out a yelp as he leaped from his bed chasing after her. He stood there for a moment as he looked around. Furthermore, he then shook his head as he realized it was all a dream. Furthermore, he walked over to the desk draw where the most painful memory he had every had rested. It was the rose ring he had made her himself from the very metal from their first airplane they had fixed together. It was to be Parliament ring. He looked at the time as he cursed seeing the time. He was late already. Furthermore, he quickly flew through his bath throwing on his new suit. Furthermore, he grabbed his tie as he flew out the door. He made his way down town almost forgetting to park his car as he parked and ran inside the new building. Furthermore, he greeted the men who where they are finishing up the remodel of the space. Lucas went to the desk on the far inside as he pulled out the blueprints and began helping place the products and marketing. He had the store almost ready to open. He knew that the two women would be pleased with the shop since they had all three worked hard on it. Lucas was planning on staying for a while to help out till the business got on its feet good. Elizabeth had to hold the door closed, forcing herself not to run out of there. The words NO and GIRLFRIEND ran through her mind as a slow smile spread across her face. She might have a second chance with him. She could be with him and not have any fear of hurting him again. A tear ran down her face as she thought of that and then shot off to her room. Her heart was pounding with excitement at the thought of actually having a chance with him. Getting to her room, she smiled to herself as she quickly pulled on her PJ's. Jumping into bed, she curled up and let herself rest for the beautiful day that would come tomorrow. Yet dreams engulfed her as she felt herself crashing, the control out of her control. The next thing he knew she was on the ground and burring her family. She could feel the tears running down her face as she did. Then she found herself sitting on a stump and carving something into a piece of wood. That was how she had stayed sane for all those weeks stranded alone. She had carved wood as she thought of someone to give it too. Looking down at what she was carving, she saw the familiar name and many different sized hearts. She reached out and traced the name, Damion. Sun quickly streamed into her room and woke her up. She felt drained, the dream not doing well for her but then again she knew she would probably dream. She didn't remember a night that she hadn't dreamed about those horrible days. Slowly getting up, she walked over to the suitcase and smiled as she pulled out something wrapped in some clothing. Unfolding it was the same piece of wood that she had before, but now shaped in the form of a plane. Clutching it to her chest slightly, she wondered if she should give it to him today. After thinking it over, she nodded. Getting dressed and grabbing her bag, she headed out to the spa and hairdresser like he said. One there, she relaxed and let herself be pampered for a little while. She had forgotten what it was like but at the same time she didn't really like it anymore. But soon she was looking good, and she wondered where he was. Pulling out her phone, she quickly called him and once he picked up she smiled, "hey, you never said where we are going to meet." she said softly. Lucas about jumped out of his skin as he heard his phone go off. He glared at it for a moment wondering who was calling him. He picked it up and froze as a slight smile rose on his lips. Furthermore, he laughed as he heard Elizabeth. "I believe I said you needed a day at the spay and a hairdresser. I also thought...." He said as he looked at the time. "Shit!" He said as he saw the time. He shook his head as he grabbed his keys and flew out the door. "Give me five minutes and stay inside I'll be there. Please stay inside Elizabeth I don't want anything happening to you. I promise I'll be there." He said as he fell into his car. He drove like a mad person as his heart raced. This was crazy he felt like he did the very first time he saw her. She had always been his world. The only person who could make him flustered and nervous. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been he was really doing a great job with his second chance. He rolled his eyes as he drove beating himself up and scolding himself for being such an air head. Furthermore, he made it on time as he rushed out of his car. Furthermore, he found Elizabeth and just smiled as he stared at her in awe. "Your beautiful as always. " He said meaning it as she took his breath away. She had always had that effect on him. Not that he really wanted to show it. But with her, he had no choice his body just wouldn't act cool." I am sorry I am trying to help the ladies get their new store up and running as well as manage my own businesses. So how do you feel? " HE asked hopping that she felt relaxed. "We have your hair done and you had some spa time. How about we go shopping? Every girl needs to shop. And then how about I treat you to dinner?" He said as he smiled at her. "Come you may as well see our mothers new store and mine. I have a stunning dress that would look good on you. " He said as he gently took her hand staring into her beautiful eyes. "You should have a man to look after you for once Elizabeth you are worth it. If you were mine I'd always spoil you." He said meaning it as he gently caressed her face without thinking. Elizabeth smiled as she heard him and chuckled as she heard the curse before the phone went dead. She figured that he realized that he was late and waited. Rocking back and forth on her feet, she wondered how long e would take, but it didn't take long at all. Soon he was pulling up in front of her, and she smiled as she came out. He still looked amazingly good as always and part of her wanted to just tackle hug him like she uses too. But she promised not to bruise him. Too much at least. Yet before she could even do anything she was blushing and felt like she had two left feet. "Thanks, you look good yourself." she said as she smiled at him. She then slowly made her way over, careful not to trip or do anything. She always felt like she had two left feet around him. "It is okay, I figured you were busy." she said and smiled as she listened to him. She then thought about it and smiled, "shopping sounds like fun, I need clothing anyway since I haven't done that in a while. But dinner sounds awesome." she said and then flushed more hearing him. She knew he liked it when she wore dresses and the blush on her face deepened as she felt his hand take hers. She was about to say something, but his words stopped her, instantly she felt like her tongue was in a knot. Her heart pounded in her chest as she felt his hand on her cheek and instantly turned into it, loving the feeling of it. "I never had anyone besides you looking after me, and I miss having you look after me." she said softly and found she had to resist herself from hugging him and kissing him. Yet she knew she couldn't do that, or at least not yet. She then looked up into his eyes, "I want to give you something, before this day goes on." she said and dug a hand into her bag. Pulling out a piece of cloth, she held it out to him, "I made this... when I was waiting for my rescue to happen... I want you to have it..." she said softly and blushed slightly. Hopefully he liked it. Lucas just smiled as he stared at her. He then looked to the cloth. He slowly took it as he opens it to see the beautiful wooden plane. "It's beautiful." He said as he fought back tears and masked his voice to hide the pain. "Are you sure you want to give me something so amazing? " He said admiring it. It truly was beautiful just like Elizabeth. "Uh...shall we go?" He said as he leads her to the car and open the door for her. He waited for her to clime in before he shut the door behind her. Furthermore, he quickly hopped in the car himself and drove off." Where would you like to start?" He said wondering where she wanted to go shopping. "Since your mine today I'll spoil you all I want. " He said as he softly grinned at her. He wanted her to laugh and smile like she uses to with him. He wanted her to be the same girl that he feel in love with. Furthermore, he wanted her to come to work and surprise him by sneaking up behind him and giving him a hug. Furthermore, he missed her backing cakes and cookies and trying to cook. Furthermore, he just missed her and her beautiful smile and laughter. Elizabeth smiled as he opened it and heard him. She then nodded, "I want you to have it, I made it for you when I was stuck in enemy territory. It is actually what kept me sane as I was waiting for rescue." she said as she looked at him. In truth, she always thought he was the one to save him since the thought of him had kept her sane over those weeks. She then smiled and nodded as she followed him to the car. Getting in, she smiled as she looked at the car, "it is nice, but I still like my plane better." she said as she smiled at him as he drove. Thinking for a bit, she smiled up at him and laughed a little bit, "you know you don't have t spoil me." she said and punched him lightly but for once she felt like herself. The army had changed her slightly, but he was bringing back the girl that had been. Thinking, she smiled, "how about if we head to my favorite shop, after that we can head to your house. I am in the mood to bake something." she said since her hands were itching to do something. Baking was the next best thing to flying in her opinion and she knew that she would have fun with him. "That way it will be like old times when I used to trash your kitchen while trying to make a batch of cookies." she said as she smiled up at him and laughed a little bit. Soon they came to stop in front of the store she wanted and she jumped out. Running over to his side before he could even get out, she grabbed hold of his hand. "Come on, I want to see what they got." she said, but her smile told she had a plan. She wanted to have some fun, and she wondered if she could get him into a dress, she remembered she had managed to do that once, and he had looked like a very muscular tooth fairy. Lucas just smiled as he heard her. He laughed as he shook his head. "Great I get to do dishes! I thought I finally grew out of such things." He said in a playing tone as he grinned. "That..." before he knew what happen he found himself being drug out of the car by her. He didn't even have time to pick at her for punching him in the arm. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her and saw her beautiful smile. Furthermore, he followed her know that she was planning something that smile said it all. He greeted the women who left as he opens the door for Elizabeth and himself. Furthermore, he felt like a puppy dog again, but he had to admit he loved the feeling. Furthermore, he loved her dragging him around he felt useful and wanted for a change. Furthermore, he was always wanted by others but for once he was wanted by the one person that he had always wanted to be wanted by. It was a strange change of events, but he would enjoy them. He loved seeing her like this like the old girl he knew." Calm down before you have a nervous break-down from being so excited. What am I supposed to tell someone if you pee in on the floor from being too excited?" HE said as he arched a brow at her picking on her like he uses to. "Can't tell them I haven't house broke you after this long." He said as he walked past her to the couch at the other end of the store where he took his seat and waited for the fashion show to begin. Elizabeth laughed when she heard him and continued to drag him inside. "Oh it isn't like I am going to force you to do all the dishes by yourself. I always try to clean things, but I just end up playing with the soap." she said as she continued to drag him inside. The feeling of being able to do this again, of being able to drag him was great. She hadn't realized how much she missed it till know. Part of her hopped that maybe just maybe she could do this with him again and again. It would just be like old times. Laughing she shook her head at him, "I will not Pee myself and if I did, i would run off and blame it on you." she said as she smiled up at him. "And you have house broken me... for the most part." she said laughing before letting go of him so that he could take his place on the couch like usual. She then shot off and started to look at everything. She couldn't' help but wonder what would look best on her and what Damion would like. After a while she came back with a bunch of clothing and smiled at him. "The fashion show will start in five minutes." she said before disappearing into the dressing room. Looking at everything that she had, she decided to start off everything with an outfit that she had. Pulling it on, she smiled as she looked at herself and hoped that he liked it. The Outfit was nice and she slowly came out. Looking over at him, she walked over, "so what do you think? Since I know it is only the start of the winter I decided to get something that was warmer then what I have." she said as she looked at him. "Oh and I think I found something you have to try on, you will look adorable in it." she said as she suppressed a laugh. Hopefully she could get him into the dress, but she had her ways. He sat there as he watched her shaking his head. He didn't understand it how women could turn into animals in stores. Well he did that is why he had so much money and fans. He sat there as he took note of what she picked up and took. He sat there as he waited. Furthermore, he simply smiled as she came out. "That looks very beautiful on him. I tell you what I'll get in whatever you want, but you have to get in what I put you in." He said as he stood and walked to the lady at the counter. He gave her a list of items and then smiled as they came in. He gave her the firstjackt, the next one, another,another, another,another fancy Jack, one of his favorites, and lastly for her to look at the beautiful black number. He just grinned as he looked at her. "You better get to trying them on and make sure you like them before they go to the car." He said as he sat there. "Go on get in there, and then you can torture me." Elizabeth smiled when she heard him and blushed hearing him. He was always able to make her blush with simple words like that. Though when she heard him, she smiled, "okay deal." she said as she watched him head over to the counter lady. Waiting for him to come back, her mouth dropped open seeing all the jackets. They looked beautiful, and she looked up at him, "okay, okay, once I try all of them on I will get you in something... cute." she said before slipping into the dressing room. She came out in each coat and found that she liked many of them but the one that she tried on last was her favorite, and it was the white one. Coming over to him in it, she smiled, "now then, I tried on everything, and now it is your turn." she said as she grabbed his hand, "come on, you will look soon cute." she said as she stuffed him into the dressing room. Pointing to a few dresses that were hanging, she smiled up at him, "come on, you know you will look cute in them." she said as she smiled up at him and then leaned up, kissing his cheek, "I will be outside waiting, don't keep me waiting." she said before taking his place down on the couch. There were two dressed in total flowery one, a black one, and behind that she had grabbed something that she knew would make him look handsome, a nice outfit. She couldn't' wait to see him in that outfit that she had picked out, she knew he would look amazing. Lucas shook his head as he walked into the dressing room. He shook his head as he looked at his choices in dresses. "There is no way in...." He yelled as he paused knowing this was a small town and didn't want to have his mouth washed out with soap by his mother. He threw the black on over the door at the lady there. "Take it back get me one in a different color! Pure black isn't my color. " He said as he couldn't believe she picked the ugly back thing for him to wear he deserved something with some color and life. He put on the flowered dressed as he shook his head. The things he did for her. He walked out of the dressing room as if he was a runway model. He had the attention of the whole store as he made his signature walk right up to Elizabeth. Furthermore, he then did a sudden pose with attitude looking as if he was on runway week showing his skills as a high-end model. Furthermore, he paused as he looked at her then turned and walked a few feet away and did a slow turn making sure she saw the dress from all angles possible. Furthermore, he turned as he faced her happy that he was fix, and he didn't have too much of a harry chest. "I just don't have the chest for this one do I?" He said as he looked down where the cleavage was supposed to be. Elizabeth laughed as she saw him come out of the door. He looked goofy in it, and she found herself rolling around on the couch as he walked over to her. She still couldn't' believe that she could get him to wear a dress, but at the same time she couldn't' help but want too. He looked cute in it, and it was hilarious at the same time. Smiling up at him, she slowly managed to calm down and sit up. Chuckling, she shook her head, "oh I am sure you have the chest for it, you make the dress look Wonderful." she said as she smiled up at him. Standing up, she started to walk around him, checking how the dress looked but at the same time checking him out. After all these years away he still looked like the most handsome man on the planet. Stopping in front of him, she nodded, "I approve of this dress on you." she said and then smiled up at him, "and in return for making you look like a fool I will make you any kind of food when we get to your house." she said as she smiled up at him, and she found that she had to look away from his face. Her eyes kept on drifting towards his lips, and she didn't want to stare at him. It would be awkward and after all these years she didn't want that. She wanted him to be comfortable and happy around her. Lucas just smiled. He nodded as he walked into the dressing room. He changed into his suit and spoke with the woman at front. Furthermore, he had everything that she had tried on boxed up and sent to her hotel. Furthermore, he himself walked to where she was after he had it handled and looked at her. "So what are you ready for now? Because you can't be done shopping. There are some more stores and we have the whole day.' He said as he looked at her. "Before you say anything I have the keys and you're not going anywhere but to shop." He said as he smiled knowing she was going to beat him up playing and wanted her to. He didn't know why he wanted to age her on. Elizabeth smiled as she watched him head back into the dressing room and couldn't help but feel the happiest she has been in a long time. It was like he brought out the side of her that only he could see and no one else. Once he came back out, she smiled up at him, "well I only need a few more things, but we can go to your house." she said as she looked at him. Though when she heard him she glared slightly but then punched him, a smile already creeping onto her face, "don't spoil me." she said as she looked at him but knew she liked it. She felt special for once when she was around him. Sighing, she grabbed his hand and started to lead him out of there. "Come on, since it seems the Almighty Damion won't let me go, it just means that I can have some more fun." she said as a smile stayed plastered on her face. She kept his hand in hers, not ever wanting to let go and as they neared another store, she smiled up at him, "are we going to pick each other's clothing again?" she asked since she enjoyed it. But she would be nice this time and pick out something that would make him look good. She then smiled as she thought of something, "hey, after this store want to go to our favorite bookstore? You know the one where we spent all out time at when we could?" she asked as she smiled up at him. She missed that place. Lucas smiled as he went with her. He opens the door for her as they left. He stood on the sidewalk with her hand in hand as he lessens to her ramble enjoying it. It was a change from the stress and yelling he was use too. He was relaxed for the first time in years. He waited till all the bags where in his car then looked to her. "Where to." He froze as he heard her request for the book store. He just stood there like a living statue. That was the one place he had never wished to visit again as long as he lived." I think it was demolished some time ago." He said knowing the old building was still there not the books, however. He didn't want to go back to the place where he had first felt in love with her and the place where he and the old man had last fought. It was senior year and the old man had surprised him in a drunken rage and the two went to blows. It was over many thing including Elizabeth. The old man didn't think she was good enough for him and was upset that he was going to through his life away from some backwoods harlot. The old man had found the plane ticket that Lucas had stashed away there in Elizabeth's favorite book. He had every intent on following her regardless of what she had said. Til the fight with the old man and the burning of the library. The old man had knocked over a lamp during the fight. Lucas turned pale as he stood there. "Why don't we get you home? I'm sure your mother would love to see you. I have some business to attend too." He said after a while as he found it hard to stand feeling weak in the knees and sick at his stomach at the mentioning of the dreadful place. He gently let her hand go since it had turned sweaty and clammy by now. Furthermore, he moved away from her as he headed for the door opening it for her to get in. Furthermore, he was trying his best to forget this place but for some reason it wouldn't let him. Elizabeth frowned when she saw him freeze at the mention of the library. She got worried and wondered if she had said something wrong but then when she heard his words she frowned. She had hoped that place would still be there, a part of her past that always would be there. "Oh okay..." he said softly as she started to think about everything that had happened there. That place had been very special to her. More special than she ever told Lucas. In truth, she had some daydreamed of owning that place just because of the feelings connected to it. For it was the place that she realized just how she felt about Lucas and also the dread of knowing that she was only ever going to hurt him, and he deserved better. Frowning when she heard him, she was about to get into the car when she looked at him. Worry filled her as she looked up into his face and then shook her head. "You don't look good." she said softly and then got up onto her tippy-toes and placed her hand on his forehead. "I don't know if your sick or not." she said softly and as she let her feet come back to the ground she let her hand gently stroke his cheek before she pulled away from him. "That is it. You get into the passengers side, I am driving you home and going to take care of you. I don't care if you have business to attend to, you look like your going to fall over." she said as she hid the slight blush on her cheeks and then moved behind him. Pushing him into the passenger side, she grabbed his keys, "and I don't care what you say, I am driving." she said once she got him seated in the car. She then jumped int the drivers side and smiled as she started to drive back to his house, "now once we get back your getting into your bed, and I am making you soup." the determination in her voice was clear, she was going to take care of him. Soon she pulled up into his driveway and she looked over at him. He still didn't look good and leaned over, "now then, how sick do you feel? Because you look like your about to lose your lunch." she said as she placed a hand over his forehead. It was then that she realized just how close she was to him and her face turned red. Even if he did look like he was going to puke he still looked handsome and the want to kiss him was there. But she was sure he didn't want her to do that, she had after all crushed him. Lucas was going to object when he found himself in the passages side. He just glared up at her as she drove. He went to open the car door when to his surprise he had her almost laying on him. Furthermore, he blushed slightly as he managed to scramble out from under her before he did something stupid. Furthermore, he opens the door and softly shut it happy for the fresh cool air. Furthermore, he closed his eyes as he tried to think of anything but her. This was not how he had hopped the day was going to go. He was a complete mess now. It was like being a teenager all over again only this time he couldn't touch her or kiss her. It was like being at one of the gentlemen clubs. You could enjoy the view, but you couldn't touch and that wasn't any fun. He smiled as he saw Charles the butler and greeted him as he left her there still in the car. He walked in the house as Charles walked to the car and open the door for Elizabeth. "Good day my lady, the young master of the house will be with you shortly he went to bathe himself it seems." The old white haired man said with a thick British accent. "Please do come inside my lady. Young master said you wanted to see the kitchen." The old man said as he stared at the girl. Lucas hurried to his room as he quickly stripped and jumped into the freezing shower. He didn't understand why this had to happen any of this. Now she thought he was sick, and he wasn't just not to thrilled about facing old demons was all. And now here this had to happen around her. He didn't have this issue with any other woman on the plant but let her get almost on top of him and he almost loses control of everything. Once he had fixed his issue he got dress in some jeans and a simple sweater. He walked over to desk and picked up the phone as he began calling the new store he and their parents where opening. He had a feeling that Elizabeth's mom had forgotten to mention that to her. Furthermore, he hug up the phone as he looked outside at the ground now covered in snow. Furthermore, he closed his eyes as he let out a breath before heading down the stairs to find Elizabeth. If she wanted to go to the library then he would take her, but he wasn't going in. Elizabeth was surprised as she scrambled out of the car and slowly settled back into the driver seat. She guessed he was feeling worse, but she was glad for the space. If he hadn't of moved she probably would have kissed him in a heart beat. Just the thought of his lips on hers was amazing, and she wished that it had happened. She daydreamed of him wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to him. It was the one thing that she wished would happen, and she hardly realized that the butler was there till he tapped on the window. Getting out of the car, she smiled at him, "thanks, uh. Show the way." she said as she tried to get the idea of him and her out of her mind. Sure it could happen, but he probably wanted to only be friends after what she had done to him. Following the butler inside, she found herself in a familiar kitchen and just sighed as she stood in the kitchen alone for a little while. This place had so many memories of baking and everything. She wished that some of them she could repeat, like making pancakes for him in the morning, baking cookies and even the food fights that she started. It was a great thing to think about as she stood their and her heart just ached more and more each and every second that she did. She wanted it all back, she wanted to go back and fix everything that she had ever done to him. Slowly sitting down at the table, he placed her head on the table and groaned softly, "why did I have to do that to him? Why?" her question went unanswered as she covered her head with her arms. A few tears ran down her face. "I was trying to protect him, and instead I destroyed the best thing I ever had. Now I am here, and I feel like I am torturing myself while I am around him. It is like the near-death experience I had wasn't enough and my real torture is seeing what I could have had." She muttered to herself before slowly sitting up and just burring her face into his hands before wiping her face slightly. She then slowly stood up, "guess I should start baking something." she said and started to pull out everything she needed to bake cookies. Furthermore, she had to get her mind off of everything, she had to try to forget her feelings and everything. "Cone on." He said to her from the doorway of the kitchen. "If you want to go to that place I'll take you. But I'm not going in. After you left some things happen there that I don't care to remember. I may as well take you if I don't someone else will tell you it's still standing, and you'll go." He said as he hated hearing those words. "I'm glad you are home Elizabeth." He said meaning it as he looked at her. "I honestly am, but you have to understand you and this town bring up memories I had tried to bury and forget. I just apparently can't because the harder I try, the more the past comebacks to bite me." He said as he pulled out the phone as he checked the time." I'm not sick just too much happen at that place for me. It's where I feel in love with you and where.....come on before I change my mind pretty lady." He said as he turned headed out the front door again. He walked to the car and climbed in as he waited for her. She still had his keys after all. Elizabeth was about to start on the cookies when he came back into the kitchen and looked at him. Surprised to hear him, she smiled happily and found she couldn't wait to go with him. Though when he said he wouldn't come with her inside she frowned. "Oh okay." she said softly as she stopped the cookies. She had hoped that it could be like old times, but it was clear that nothing would ever be like before even though she wanted it to be. To be able to just hang out with him like old times and everything. After putting away all the cooking supplies she froze when she heard him, her heart aching at the word love and a blush on her cheeks from his comment. Looking over to him as he headed outside, she frowned and knew that she was either going to tell him or she would run like last time. Slowly heading out after him, she stood in front of the car for a bit and frowned. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do. But her feet moved on their own, and soon she was at his side. Opening the door, she gave him the keys and said softly, "I am sorry, but I actually just remembered I had something to do. How about later we meet up." she said softly, her voice clearly filled with sadness for everything. Her eyes held the same sadness as her voice and deeper the want to tell him. She wanted to tell him she was sorry, tell him that it was all her fault and most of all that she loved him. But she doubted he wanted a girl that crushed his heart. Lucas smiled as he heard her. He locked the door and turned on his radio up. He just drove It seemed like hours. Furthermore, he drove all through the countryside. Furthermore, he stopped the car once they reached the old building. Furthermore, he opens the doors and got out. Furthermore, he sat on the hood of the car as he stared at the old building. Furthermore, he had heard her use the excuse she had somewhere to be. Furthermore, he had used that line for so long he knew a lie when he heard it. She wanted to come so here they were. The hood was a little cold thanks to the season and snow. He just sat there as he stared at the building. He had some good memories there, but there was a lot of bad as well. Something he didn't want to remember as vivid as he did. He got off the hood of the car and walked to the truck and pulled out a picknick basket beneath the mounds of bags that he had asked Charles to put in. He took it slamming the trunk as he made his way back to the front of the car. "Come on." Was all he said as he made his way to the place he dreaded most. Elizabeth sighed as she looked out the window and knew right away he saw through her lie. He was probably going to take her to the book store even though it brought back memories that hurt both him and her. But when she looked over at him as he drove, she was glad that she could spend more time with him. Even though she would probably only be his friend for as long as she lived, she would make herself live with that. When they stopped, she didn't get out right away and just watched as he laid on the hood of the car. Slowly getting out, she looked at him, "you do know you don't have to come in with me." she said softly, but before he seemed to hear her he was already walking to the back of the car and pulling out what looked a basket. Nodding, she smiled a little bit, "okay." she said softly and soon started to walk next to him. As she did, she found her smile slowly growing and absently her hand slid into his open one. Yet the moment she realized she had, she blushed deeply and slid it out. "Uh sorry." she said softly as she made sure not to look at him. Lucas looked up at Elizabeth as he stared at her. He gently took her hand as he grinned for a moment seeing her blush. He leaded her to the building and open the old door for her. Furthermore, he gently leads her into the old building as he gently let her hand go. Furthermore, he walked into the very end of the old building making sure to avoid the random derby about the place. The place looked shabby to say the least. It was ruined down for gotten and in need of some loving. He walked to the fire place and looked up inside of it. He then quickly picked up some old forgotten wood and started a fire. He didn't say a word as he stared at the fire. Furthermore, he pulled out the wine from the basket as he opens it drinking from the bottle as he stood there leaning on the mantel above the fireplace. Furthermore, he closed his eyes as he thought about the past and what had happened here. Furthermore, he then thought about the night the old man died. For that he was happy at lest he couldn't be a nightmare to him anymore. He turned as he looked at Elizabeth. "If your still in love with this place like you where then. For $85 you can buy the building. But looking at it, you'll spend over 100,000 trying to restore it or updating it. " He said as he looked at the place shaking his head at the damages done to the old building. Elizabeth blushed more as he took her hand back into his and hoped that he didn't let go as he leads her to the building. For the most part it looked okay on the outside. Yet as he leads her inside, her heart broke as she saw how it looked. It was absolutely destroyed, and she had to be careful where she stepped as she followed him to the back of the building. She then watched as he started to make a fire and frowned slightly. Slowly, she sat down next to the fire and wrapped her arms around her legs. When she heard him, she smiled, "I would pour every cent I have into this place and I think I might." she said softly as she watched the fire, her eyes half closed, "this place holds to many memories, to many feelings that I don't want to forget." she said and smiled as she rested her head against her knees. "This places is where I shared the most laughs in my life, the most happiness, and most of all it is where I first felt love. I don't want to forget it." she said softly as she continued to watch the fire. Lucas just stood there, more leaned there as he lessens to her. "If it's your dream then do it." He said as he thought more about other things not really paying much attention to where he was. "I'll help you as best as I can." He said as he heard something going off. He looked down at his pocket as he pulled out his cell phone. "Hume... I thought I left you at home." He said aloud as he answered the phone. He moved from the mantel and headed to the center of the building as he began chatting away." Hello, yes it's me. Ah, Akiva it's a pleasure. I haven't heard from you in a while. Oh, is that right...Hume I think I can handle that. You know I had a change of plan. I am planning to stay a few extra weeks out here. Oh, are you tempting me? Really now? I am clear tomorrow if you wish to do a business call viva Skype. Or that works too. Are you bringing the girls then? How many should I be expecting at my house then? No, that's fine I'll see you then." He said as he hung up the phone. He shook his head as the phone went off again. Furthermore, he stared at the screen on it as he shook his head. "WHAT IS IT NOW?" He said in a slightly irritated voice. He closed his eyes as he let out a breath and answered it. "Yes mother," He was on the line for what felt like a century. Once the call was done he simply turned the ringer off and slipped the phone back in his pocket. He looked at Elizabeth as he gave a soft bow of his head. "I'm sorry for the interruptions. Russia is a good friend and quite the fashion expert. She wants to bring her girls here for the new shoot. She wants me to help her with the new collection as well as use our mothers designs. I showed them off to her a few months back and that is all I have heard about every day since then. " He said as he softly smiled looked around at the old place. "You know if you like I can call the city hall and get papers drawn up for you if you want to really buy this place. I have some friends back home that owe me some favors I can have them come and help you out for free. I'd offer to help, but I'm tied up in our mothers new store at this point. Furthermore, I don't think you've had time to talk to your mother or see it yet. They sent me their ideas and I got them to the right people. They already have a spot at fashion week in Paris coming up, and I know at lest three of their dresses made it. I'm here mainly to manage and help with all the legal end of everything. I also have my own designs here in this store. " He said as he just shook his head and laughed. "If only Dan could see me now. He would get a kick out of calling me gay for liking fashion. Well to bad for him, I'm straight, and I have more money than he can dream and beautiful women around me daily. You know I felt bad for him...his father sent him off to boarding school and then to military school, or that is what I heard. I know the last time I saw him was for embellishment. It's crazy how we all turned out isn't it. I still remember you decking him right here when he tried to kiss you that summer." He said as he laughed and grinned thinking back. "Oh and let's not forget when you thought that Owen the school jock was in love with you. Remember you stalked him right here for two weeks. Jerk didn't see me till it was too late. I told you he was a prick and a womanizer, and you could do better than him. Beating him up in front of the school was priceless to say the least. It was worth the detention. " He said as he looked at her grinning. "I still think my favorite was the day that Amanda came in wearing the short skirt and reveling sweater. You took her out in no time flat after she kissed me and told you your loss. " He said as he just stared at the place where it had happened. Lucas walked to one of the bookshelves as he saw her favorite book still there. He placed the bottle of wine on the selves as he picked up the book. He just stared at the book where it feels open. Furthermore, he softly picked up the battered and slightly chard plan ticked from the pages. "You know for what it is worth, I planed on following you. You broke my heart and left me empty with no way or anyone to fill it. I never stopped loving you Elizabeth. That whole senior year I followed you and made sure that the rest of the guys on the football team looked after you. Amanda and the others where only trying to protect me and help me. You know she is a very sweet person. You'd have liked her if the two of you hadn't been both in love with me. Poor Amanda she tried everything under the sun to make me love her. But she was content just being a side show. Till the day she figured out, I could never love anyone but you. That's why senior year and til this day she hated you and did everything in her power to make your life a living hell. But what she didn't know is you do that to yourself on your own you don't need help with that. " He said as he looked around the old place. "I wrote you letter after letter Elizabeth and you couldn't bother to be honest with yourself or me. This ticket here and all this damage happens because my dear father found out. He was so happy you were leaving because he would get the son he wanted. I waited for you here. He came in drunk as normal in a rage we went to fighting. I ended up in the hospital for three weeks. The library was destroyed in the fight the stupid man knocked the lamps over. I put him in the hospital for a year and a half. He sold everything that you had ever touched or seen in our house. My garage where I used to help you with the airplanes. And I... I went to school like a good son and became the dream son he wanted. Except I never had the dream wife he wanted. I never forgave him till a month ago when he passed. It's not his fault you couldn't be honest with me that night Elizabeth it was yours. I'd have given you anything and the only thing I ever asked for was to always be with you and for you to be honest with me. But that night you lied to me right in my face, and then you left without saying goodbye. You thought you were protecting me but for once why wouldn't you let me protect you? " He said as his eyes cut to her. "I have always tried to protect you and you never let me. I could have made you happy, and we could have been together. You know what's stupid. I even had you an engagement ring I had made it from the scrap of your plane. How stupid I looked in front of our friends that night. But that's the past isn't it. I feel better now that you can't run and hide, and you have to own up to what you did. I thought about tracking you down and cornering you and make you answer me why. But then I deiced that was a was of time because the girl I knew died that night along with all the trust we had ever had. I will be your friend, but you must forgive me because there is a lot of resentment I still have for you. I'm not a perfect person Elizabeth. But I'd have made you a good husband if you had given me the chance. I'd have been your best friend and saw to it that you never needed for a thing. Instead, you chose the army over me and Sergeant Lt. what's his name? I saw him that day he came for recruitment. I also know that you were enchanted by him. Furthermore, I was coming to stop you that day from making the worst decision of your life. Your mother tried to warn you and every other person he was a married man. Do you even remember him Elizabeth? " He said as he flipped through the book and pulled out the picture there as he closed his eyes and showed it to her. "Yep that's him the one when we were younger took you flying and told you he'd give you the world. You told everyone you were protecting me by breaking up with me. They all told me, but what you forgot to mention his this picture and the fact that you enlisted to be with him because you were in his company. Did he say he loved you and would marry you? Or did he use the other line that once you were out he would? I'd have given you anything, but you just threw me away like a pair of old shoes. I just want to know do you still love him?" Elizabeth smiled when she heard him and nodded," it would be nice to have some help in rebuilding this place. But I know you have things to do since you are the ow. Er of a company. But it would be okay if you are just there when I need you." She said as she looked up at him. Though when she heard his phone go off she frowned. Right away she could tell it was from the people he was working with. Turning back to the fire, she watched it burn and crackle as he talked. He talked about the company and the girls part of her wished that he continued to talk about it. About the past she couldn't have back and be able to kiss him and hold him. But it soon turned ugly, and he was talking about the air force. It was a very sore topic, and it only hurt more as he ranted on and on. Silent tears started to run down her cheeks as she listened and then slowly stood up. She kept her back to him as she managed to start talking," you think I wanted to say those words to you that day? No, and I wished I could have taken them back since then. And I did do it to protect you. My recruiter warned me of the dangers of having someone close when heading in. He warned me because his wife ended up killing herself when he was away because he couldn't help her. Why do you think I stuck with him? Love, no! He did it to save me from the pain of possibly hurting you more, but I did a great job of hurting you already." She said and then sighed heavily," I thought when my plane crash it would be the end for me. It was for everyone else in my group but not me. It could have been, but something drove me to stay alive. Furthermore, it was a thought and a few words I knew I had to say to someone who meet more to me than the world." Turning to him her eyes were red from the crying, and she marched her way over to him getting on her tippy-toes, she kissed him lightly before pulling away. " I love you, thought you might want to know even thought you won't take me back" she said before looking Downey the ground. Lucas just froze as his mind went blank. He was motionless as he just stood there lost. His mind left him along with all function of his body. He was just a statue now as his brain tried to compute what had just happen and why in the world he had gone off like a mad man. Before he knew it he had picked Elizabeth up while wrapping his arms around her kissing her back lovingly. For once, he felt like himself as he gave into his urge and enjoyed the kiss. Elizabeth had been sure that he was in shock and horror at what she had done. She had been ready to hear the anger and annoyance in his voice as he talked down to her. But then she felt herself being picked up and when she looked up at him his lips crashed into hers. Part of her couldn't register this right away and after a few seconds she closed her eyes, kissing him back. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she stuck close as she kissed him back and a few tears ran down her cheeks. Her feet dangled as she stuck close to him and missed this. After kissing him for a while, she pulled away and looked at him. "I thought you were mad at me." she said to him softly as she looked at him. Her tears had stopped coming, but her cheeks were still wet as she looked at him. She kept her arms around her as she looked into his eyes and knew she didn't want to get out of his arms anytime soon. She missed him holding her like this and being able to look into his eyes. As she looked at him her hand slowly started to play with the hair at the nap of his neck as she looked at him. Lucas wasn't sure what to say as he heard her. He held her close to him as he just stared at her. He softly whipped her tears away. "I don't know. I'd say no. All I know is I've missed you." He said as he kissed her again and held her close to him. He softly caressed her face as they kissed feeling like he was on cloud nine again. Furthermore, he softly ended the kiss as he stared at her softly stroking her jawline. "Your still beautiful." He said as he enjoyed the view. Elizabeth looked at him and leaned into his hand as he wiped her tears away. "And I have missed you more than I can ever put into words." she said softly as she kissed him back. She pulled her arms tighter around his neck so that she was as close to him as possible and loved the feeling of his hand caressing, she felt like this was the most amazing thing in the world, being this close to him. When he ended the kiss, her cheeks were a little red, and they grew a deeper shade of red when she heard him. But she smiled at him and started to play with his hair again, "and your still as handsome as ever." she said as she smiled at him and wondered if she could stay like this for a while more. Lucas held her close to him as he enjoyed the kiss till it faded. He still just stood there holding her his arms wrapped around her protectively and lovingly. He couldn't help but grin as he heard her. "Why thank you, I didn't think I'd got that old since you been away. I mean you are just a year younger right?" He said as he grinned at her. He loved having her back in his arms where she belonged. For once, he felt complete and happy. He closed his eyes as he held her there softly putting his head next to her just enjoying them moment. He felt like he had won a new deal with a mega-million dollar firm. No, in truth not even that could compare to getting to hold his Elizabeth again. "You hard-headed woman. This time will you let me be your protector and friend?" He asked more in a joking way than any." My job has always been to be by your side and help encourage you and to protect you when you need it. " Elizabeth smiled as she saw the grin that was on his face and chuckled, "I am only a year younger than you so your not that old." This felt right, this was where she should have been all this time. As he placed his head next to hers, she closed her eyes and held him close to her, thinking this was a dream come true to her right now. A dream she had hoped for so long and the best dream to come true right now. Chuckling, she opened her eyes and took his face into her hands and smiled, "I may be hard-headed but you're going to be stuck with me since my current job is going to be sticking to your side like glue." She said happily as she stroked his cheek with her thumb, "and you're the only person I trust to protect me right now." She whispered quickly before giving him and quick kiss and smiling at him. Lucas smiled as he kissed her back. He felt like he was on top of the world. He loved having her back in his arms where she belonged. Furthermore, he closed his eyes as he enjoyed the moment. For the first time since she left him he was happy. "Well you'll have to fight off the random women who want my money." He said in a joking manner though unfortunately it was true for him. "I hope you're up for the job." He said as he smiled at her and kissing her again this time caressing her cheeks with both hands kissing her passionately. He closed his eyes enjoying the kiss. Furthermore, he slowly open his eyes as he stared at her. "I want to let you leave again. I'm bigger and stronger now. " He said meaning it. " Now what shall we do?" He said not sure what was next on her list. He knew with here there was always a list that had to be done.

I never expected to see you again ~palmoun and Lady chello~|rating:3.0

Shape your fate

~Backstory~ This is a modern/futuristic, post apocalyptic fantasy RP. Humans have been outnumbered by non-humans and have been forced into slavery. The area where humans are kept while they await becoming slaves is called district six. No matter what city you go to, each city has a district six. These places are often referred to as "the sixes" in informal settings. ~A little more~ The main cities of the world are basically the same, but the nuclear apocalypse the humans created has made 90% of the earth an arid desert. There are technologies such as cell phones and cars and such, but there can also be advanced/futuristic technology, as this is a futuristic RP. -The sixes-Every city has a "district six" This is the place where humans are held until they are bought by a wealthy demon as a slave. The living conditions are very poor, resembling a concentration camp more than anything. Crime and drug use are rampant and death is more common than it should be. ~Suggestions~ There is no set plot or antagonists so you are limited only by your imagination. And please either use first or third person. ~Rules~ 1. Follow the ToS, or the Mods will get irritable. (coughcoughMOREirratablecoughcough Just kidding ^_~) 2. Everyone who wishes to role-play here will be held to at least a minimum understanding of the English language. This means complete sentences, in addition to good spelling and grammar. If you aren’t confident in your spelling capabilities either copy/paste your post into a Word document and use its spelling and grammar checker, or download the Google toolbar, it has a handy little spellcheck button. Chat speak will not be tolerated. 3. All kinds of ORIGINAL characters welcome. If you can make a semi-plausible reason for your character to be here, be it trans-dimensional door or magical time travelling donkey, you will be accepted. ~No you cannot be your favorite character from something else and insert them into this RP. That will not be accepted. 4. Mary sues/Gary Stu's will not be tolerated. Perfect characters are BORING, so please insert some realistic flaws into your character. If you are unsure as to what a Mary sue is, then please peruse this link I have provided for your reading pleasure; Mary Sue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 5. God modding/auto hitting is not allowed. God modding: Taking control of another players' character without consent (sometimes called character jacking), or making it so that your character never gets hit or is right in every situation. Auto hitting: Just how it sounds, auto hitting is the act of releasing an attack and not allowing the other person to respond to it. If you attempt to attack another character you must stop as the attack is being made and allow the person to respond how they will. 6. Hidden power suddenly emerging can add spice to any character, but if your character suddenly busts out with bullet dodging ninja skills for absolutely no reason, I will be displeased. Please have plausible and well-thought-out reasons for any new power your character obtains. 7. Please keep it to about a PG 17 level. Yes there will be violence, yes there will be blood, but no in depth details of your character gorging on viscera. There are children roaming around. 8. Romance is allowed, and promiscuity is acceptable if not encouraged, though when you get to the point where it seems like you're covering best to move it to PMs or let your imagination fill in the gaps. Tasteful 'curtain' effects are appreciated. ~All gender/species pairings are allowed. Discrimination will be crushed swiftly and mercilessly. 9. Cussing is allowed, just don't overdo it. 10. I am the fantasmogasmical trans-dimensional fabulous god of this RP and what I say goes, but I will be fair ^^ (And I'll follow all my own rules of course.) 11. Please distinguish IOC text with () {} [ ] (()) or any variation thereof. 12. If you have multiple characters please assign them each a specific color and color all of their text with it. Also, please press enter twice between posts to signify you are switching characters. (This creates a blank line that is useful as a transition.) ~If you make me add more rules I will be VERY displeased. ~Profile skeleton~ If you don't want to make your own skeleton then I'll provide this one for your convenience. Also, please wait for me to add your profile to the accepted list before you post. * = Optional. Quote: Username: (Your username.) Character Name: (Your character's full name.) *Aliases/ Nicknames: (Does your character go by something other than their given name?) Age: (How long have they lived?) Gender: (Male, female, other.) Species: (Human, demon, other.) Physical Description: (What does your character look like, and how do they carry themselves? Please also include a picture after the description.) Personality: (How does your character act when interacting with others? How do they act when they are alone? Are they a good person? What are their motivations?) *Orientation: (Gay, Straight, Bi, other.) *Special Accessories: (Does your character carry something with them to give them the edge in battle?) *Powers: (Do they have any latent abilities?) Bio: (What is in your character's revealed past?) *Other: (Anything else you want us to know?) *Likes: (What kind of things does your character like?) *Dislikes: (What kind of things does your character NOT like?) *Height: (How tall are they?) *Weight: (What do they weigh?) Accepted profiles: Quote: Originally Posted by Liekomgz Username: Liekomgz Character name: Alice Gender: Female Species: Human Sexuality: Straight Personality: Alice is sort of a shy girl, but sometimes she can be very talkative. Rarely getting close to people, Alice likes to spend most of her time alone. Alice falls for boys very easy, putting her whole heart into it every time. Bio: Alice is 23 years old, and has been addicted to heroin for the last 5 years. Being moved around from district to district has been hard on Alice, and her habits. She has been in this district for a few months now, camp; has found a pretty steady flow for her heroin, not that she would tell you who it is. Other: Alice has long blonde hair, and she is very thin. Alice's old friends called her "Heroin Chic", she liked this. Picture Quote: Originally Posted by Contra_Funds Username: Contra Funds Character Name: Azrael Forte Aliases/ Nicknames: His last name and accomplishments have earned him the nickname "Symphony of death." Gender: Male Species: Demon, Incubus. Physical Description: Azrael has medium length lavender hair, and the bangs of which perpetually cover his left eye. He has a thin, graceful figure and can usually be seen wearing light makeup and eyeshadow. He also has a piercing in his right nostril. Azrael Personality: Azrael is extremely vain and lewd. He loves having the upper hand in battle, and also loves mercilessly crushing macho men. Orientation: Gay Powers: His powers are based in illusion and are limited only by his twisted imagination. Bio: Azrael was born well after the humans had been enslaved, and he spent his years after adolescence carving a bloody path through lesser demons to make a name for himself. His life is one of blood and sex, and he could not be happier. Quote: Originally Posted by sweet_serender159 Username: sweet_serender159 Character name: Cayuga Gender: Female Species: Demon Sexuality: Bi Sexual Personality: Cayuga is a very loud and impulsive girl. Because she speaks her mind and doesn't think first, she usually finds herself in a lot of trouble. Bio: Cayuga was born into the life of luxury, having a wealthy and famous politician for a Father has its perks. Her Father for her 18th Birthday decided to buy her slave, and maybe it will help her settle down and stop sneaking out and going to Human parties all the time and doing drugs and drinking. Other: Cayuga has several piercings that her parents don't know about; 4 in each ear, navel, tongue, and her eyebrow, which she hides with her fringe. She also has a tattoo on her back of a Geisha, and her star sign, Leo Powers: Cayuga is able to control the elements but has a very strong affinity for Fire. Appearance: Cayuga's Look RP is officially open ^^ Still open people. C'mon. Username: Liekomgz Character name: Alice Gender: Female Species: Human Sexuality: Straight Personality: Alice is sort of a shy girl, but sometimes she can be very talkative. Rarely getting close to people, Alice likes to spend most of her time alone. Alice falls for boys very easy, putting her whole heart into it every time. Bio: Alice is 23 years old, and has been addicted to heroin for the last 5 years. Being moved around from district to district has been hard on Alice, and her habits. She has been in this district for a few months now, camp; has found a pretty steady flow for her heroin, not that she would tell you who it is. Other: Alice has long blonde hair, and she is very thin. Alice's old friends called her "Heroin Chic", she liked this. Picture ((Alright you're accepted, one thing of note though, Every city has a "district six" and that is the district solely for humans, where they live before they are sold off as slaves. The living conditions there are very poor, and crime is part of daily life. But yes there would be rampant drug use. There is no such thing as human law anymore and as long as the drugs don't keep the humans from working, the demon government doesn't care. I'll edit this into the main post.))((I'll get to work on a character and then if we get one or two more people we can get this thing on the road.)) ((Great, can't wait to start :) Will we each be posting in different colors? I notice some RP's do that.)) ((You can make your first post whenever you like ^^ and color is by preference. I usually pick a color that suits the character, and it helps distinguish if you have multiple characters. Which is allowed.)) ((Maybe you could start? It is your thread, so maybe you'll be able to start it off best ^^)) ((Ok give me a few minutes to create a character. And then I'll post ^^)) ---------- Username: Contra Multicharacter Name: Azrael Forte Aliases/ Nicknames: His last name and accomplishments have earned him the nickname "Symphony of death." Gender: Male Species: Demon, Incubus. Physical Description: Azrael has medium length lavender hair, and the bangs of which perpetually cover hie left eye. He has a thin, graceful figure and can usually be seen wearing light makeup and eyeshadow. He also has a piercing in his right nostril. AzraelPersonality: Azrael is extremely vain and lewd. He loves having the upper hand in battle, and also loves mercilessly crushing macho men. Orientation: Gay Powers: His powers are based in illusion and are limited only by his twisted imagination. Bio: Azrael was born well AFER the humans had been enslaved, and he spent his years after adolescence carving a bloody path through lesser demons to make a name for himself. His life is one of blood and sex, and he could not be happier.~~~~~Azrael coughed as he walked into the dusty city. It was particularly windy that day and sand was getting whipped everywhere. With a sigh of disgust, he placed the ratty tan scarf back over his mouth. It was the best thing he could find in the last town, and he refused to wear it around his head, that made his hair completely unmanageable. His dark gray eyes flicked from building to bland building, searching for a bar or a hotel. "Ugh, I haven't eaten for almost a week... I wonder if there's anyone tasty around." Azrael smiled devilishly, but it fell almost instantly. In a place like this the only kind of men you could find were burly field workers and miners. Filthy, reeking, bricks of men. Azrael sighed again. "And here I am without enough money to even buy a decent human..." [hope you don't mind me going in]Username: sweet_serender159 Character name: Cayuga Gender: Female Species: Demon Sexuality: Bi Sexual Personality: Cayuga is a very loud and impulsive girl. Because she speaks her mind and doesn't think first she usually finds herself in a lot of trouble. Bio: Cayuga was born into the life of luxury, having a wealthy and famous politician for a Father has its perks. Her Father for her 18th Birthday decided to buy her slave, and maybe it will help her settle down and stop sneaking out and going to Human parties all the time and doing drugs and drinking. Other: Cayuga has server piercings that her parents don't know about, 4 in each ear, navel, tongue and her eyebrow which she hides with her fringe. She also has a tattoo on her back of a Geisha, and her star sign, Leo Powers: Cayuga is able to control the elements but has a very strong affinity for Fire. Appearance: Cayuga's Look Alice sat in her self-made shelter, organizing some things she had gathered. Today was a particularly good for Alice, as she had found herself a relatively clean blanket. She often thought about having a blanket. It was hard enough to fight off the shakes from her withdraws, without being freezing anyway. This blanket would allow Alice to be warm, camp; maybe even to hide if she needed to. Other than the blanket, Alice had also found herself some old jewelry. Surely someone would want this silver and gold, assuming it's real. She wasn’t able to tell its authenticity, as she had never owned real, or fake gold. A few years ago she had a silver bracelet, though she didn’t have it for long. Alice collects things, only hoping to sell them, or trade them for drugs. “Now, where can I find him.” Alice said, peeking out of her small hut, seeing if her dealer was within sight. He wasn’t. This means she would have to walk about, searching for him. She wasn’t excited about this, as walking around alone could be dangerous. Alice didn’t care, she needed her fix. Yoga ducked around the corner and snuck into the Sixties and looked over her shoulder, she cold almost feel the handcuffs around her wrists already. Blue and red lights flashed after her as she ran from shadow to shadow, willing the cop car to leave. Finding a makeshift house she ran through the door and ducked under the window and held a finger up to her lips towards the girl standing at the door. As the lights and sirens faded into the night she let out a sigh and looked out the window, "Thank God. I thought they had me that time. Sure was a wicked party though." Cayuga smiled as she stood up and faced the Human girl. "Party?" That's where Alice needed to be, maybe that's where the drugs were. "Wait a minute, who are you?" Alice looked a black hair girl that was standing in her shack. I have a guest, Alice thought, taking a look around, making sure the place looked presentable. There isn't much way to dress up a shack though. "And what's the deal with you bring cops into the Sixes?" Alice didn't like cops, most humans didn't. There was too much for them to hide, there's nothing legal about being a human, it makes you lower than dirt. Alice looked the girl up and down. Maybe this non-human was holding. Maybe she had something to share, in trade for saving her from the police. She seemed like a party girl, camp; so was Alice. ((Ok, your profile is on the accepted profiles list ^^ Welcome. Btw, would your name happen to be in reference to the Sarah McLachlan song?))((Also, the name of the city is Ellesmere. Pronounced: L ~ S ~ tare. Like: in I'm going totearthat paper in half.)) Azrael had moved out of the slums and, thankfully, the quality of the city was improving as he neared the center. Large, shiny, multilevel buildings were becoming common, and were far cleaner than their predecessors had been. But it wasn’t long before Azrael encountered an enormous wall. The second and first districts were located behind this wall at the very center of the city, with the other four districts fanning out like petals. Azrael read some of the papers nailed to the wall and surmised that he had entered the third district. The sixth district was directly beside this district, He could tell because it was the only outer district with its own wall. He looked back and forth, checking for any law enforcement, and then leaped over the wall into the sixes. The quality of life here was even worse than it had been in the outer edge of the city. The buildings were all very small, possibly only one room, and they were all exactly the same. They were also similar in that they were covered in grime, and very few had any intact widows. In the alleys between these houses, if you could call them that, were many small hands made shelters. A human girl and a demon girl appeared to be conversing outside of one of these handmade shelters a few houses down. Azrael looked left and right, there were humans hiding everywhere. From the looks of it, the overpopulation must be rampant. Azrael grinned; well I might be able to help with that. Leaning his back against the outer wall, Azrael removed the ratty tan scarf, and threw it to the ground with a look of disgust. From the pocket of his jeans, he produced a slim black cell phone. It had taken nearly a hundred years, but the top demon scientists had salvaged and advanced the human technologies beyond even what they had been before. They had also been able to cleanse the leftover radiation from the Armageddon, but there wasn’t much they could do about the resultantly infertile earth. Azrael keyed a number into the small keyboard on the phone and brought it to his ear. After a few seconds of ringing someone picked up. "HI you've reached Ellesmere hotels, catering to first and second district, how can I direct your call?" "Yes, I'd like to reserve a hotel room." Azrael listened as the girl rattled off the list of open rooms and their prices. "Just reserve me the best you have, I'll show you Belief's seal when I get there." The line went suddenly silent in shock, and Azrael shut the phone with a satisfied snap. He loved pulling that card. About fifty years ago, Azrael had become friends with a fellow demon mercenary named Belief. They had traveled together for some time before being forced to part ways. Many years after that parting, Azrael found out that Belief had risen quickly and effortlessly to the top of the food chain, seating himself as the undisputed demon king of the region. Azrael himself had noted the boy's immense power. "But who would have thought that little black haired runt would rise so quickly." When they had finally reconnected, Belief repaid Azrael's friendship with an ornate silver seal. Just flashing the seal could make paying for shelter irrelevant, because Belief personally owned all the major hotel chains in every city under his rule. The seal couldn't help him much with obtaining his food of choice, and it had very little sway in legal situations, but nevertheless Azrael was endlessly grateful for it. That little seal allowed him the most comfortable furnishings, something absolutely necessary for his... unusual eating habits. ((Belief is an NPC character from this RP's Gaia sister: "Shape Your Destiny". He is a non player character because his powers are so immense they are godlike, and playing the top dog is never very fun ^^ but you are welcome to weave him into your backstop if you are a demon. He has dipped in and out of the lives of nearly all the demons under his rule. Furthermore, he is also the owner of most of the large companies in the area.)) ---------- ((The rules and profile skeleton have been updated. I basically just made them sound more professional and moved some suggestions to rules so no need to worry ^^)) [Okays cool! Dully noted]Cayuga nodded yeah, "Yeah it was awesome, huge suppliers in one area. And I mean heaps!" She smiled at the big bag of Marijuana hidden in her bag. "Yeah sorry about the cops. We totally got busted by my the... Umm, by some huge politician guy coming and snagging a few Humans. Sad thing to they were hot." She looked around her again, "Yeah um thanks for letting me hide here. How about you come with me and we can find another party? I'm sure we can find some guys who want to party." Her eyes glinted under her black fringe, and she smiled lavishly. Alice looked the demon girl up and down. “Think I could score some dope? I’m hurtin’” Alice didn’t have money on her, but she did have that jewelry. But maybe this party would be big enough she didn’t need money. Alice had been to many parties before, but they weren’t really her thing. Alice rifled through a pile in the corner of her hut, looking for anything she might need to bring. “Yeah, I guess I don’t really need anything, do I?” She asked herself. Alice stood up and faced the demon girl. “I’m Alice, by the way.” Smiling, Alice looked out her window, ready to head into the night. It was party time. ((I hope more people join soon :) But I guess I don't mind having the only human character :P)) [LOL yeah I enjoy it better when I'm one of a kind haha]Cayuga laughed, "Alright we are off!" she clapped her hands and raised her right arm above her head, "Oh! I'm Cayuga by the way." She looked back outside and caught sight of a Human boy walking down the street with a six-pack of Pulse cans stashed under his arm. She watched his eyes shift right and left, "ha, silly Human boy. It's not like anyone's going to tell on you here." She said under her breath and she grabbed Alice's hand and started to pull her out of the shack. Cayuga pulled Alice from her shelter, camp; into the night. Alice hadn't really had a friend before, one that took her to parties even. She wondered how, out of everyone on she's met, she would befriend a demon girl. While being towed along, Alice looked down the street, checking if her dealer was around. Unfortunately he wasn't in sight. A few meters away stood a purple haired demon. Alice wondered if this was one of Cayuga's friends. He looks hungry, she thought. Maybe he would follow us to the party. Azrael stuffed his phone back in his jeans and pushed himself off the wall. As he walked down the street he passed the two girls who were talking and caught sight of a relatively cute boy with a six-pack of something called pulse. Azrael grinned to himself and tried to get a look at the boy's physique beneath his loose shirt. Wonder if he's packing another 'six-pack' under there. Nonetheless, this was a fortuitous sign. If someone was carrying refreshment, that meant that there might be a party, the perfect hunting ground. Azrael casually walked up beside the boy and smiled. "Going to a party?" The boy nodded cautiously, so Azrael smiled again. "Mind if I join you?" Azrael's outward appearance did not look remotely demonic. This was a trait common in incur, as they must look human to seduce humans. The demon girl behind them may be able to sense him, but the tasty morsel beside him would have no idea until it was too late. Cayuga spotted the Demon from afar and went tense, "What is he doing here?" she said under her breath as she walked down the street pulling Alice along after her. She looked left and right and continued to walk down the street while whispering to Alice, "Don't worry, if he's hungry I'll protect you. He can't be that hard to deal with." She watched him talk to the boy with the drinks and laughed, "Of course he might be full after him." [I hope you don't mind, but I made it that our characters know each other.] (It's fine, but how do they know each other exactly? Also, I'm going to be gone for a few hours, so I can't post till after 9PM GMT) [Hmm MMM how about they know each other from like a party or something? If you don't like that you can think of something. Yeah sure, but I might not be on then cause of work. I'll try and be on around that time though.] ((I can be on all night guys XD So it's a date!)) Alice hoped the other demon would be full after that boy. She didn't feel like being a snack for some random demon. Thought he didn't really look like a demon. He wasn't that bad looking though. Both girls walked along, hearing the sound of music around the near corner. As they came to the corner they have seen a crowd of humans hanging out, camp; somewhere dancing. "Well this looks like a party to me," Alice said, turned towards her new friend Cayuga. Luckily among the human faces, Alice seen her dealer, "I'll be right back." She trailed off towards a scraggy looking male sitting on an overturned trash can. The exchange was quick and undetectable, though it didn't really matter in the sixes. After getting what she needed, Alice returned to Cayuga's arm, showing her what she scored. "Ready to party?" She smiled, knowing she was about to get higher than ever. [LOL okays but sorry if I'm not on tonight :-(] ((Edited my post ^^ Just wanted to make sure no one missed it (:)) Cayuga smiled, "Yeah lets go." She looked out into the mass of dancing people and caught sight of a cute human boy, leaning against a black car. Exchanging a glance with Alice she said with a devilish smile, "I'll be right back." And she disappeared into the wave of dancers. Alice watched Cayuga disappear into the crowd in front of her. She searched for spot to sit and hit her needle. She found close spot and sat by herself. Alice figured she didn't have to wait around for Cayuga. She banged her needle, looking around to see if anyone was watching. No one was, no one cared anyway. Cayuga walked closer to the boy and smiled as his eyes shone, and his back got slightly straighter as her saw her. So oblivious. As she drew closer she could smell the blood cursing through his veins. "Hi there cutie." She said with a cute smile.[okay I have to go to work now but I might be back on later tonight.] Alice was high as she stumbled around the party, wondering where Cayuga went. "She went off with that guy," Alice said aloud to herself. She wanted someone to wander off with, but Alice didn't think Cayuga was taking that guy to mess around with. Cayuga is a demon. Alice thought to herself. She didn't really know much about demons. Only that they usually bought humans like her, to use as slaves. Alice didn't really like the idea of being someone's slave, she wasn't very good at hard labor. Maybe it would be better than living here though? Alice didn't know what happened to people after they were picked up by a demon. Maybe it wasn't all that bad? (Uh, that wouldn’t work; Azrael is a mercenary that moves from town to town. How about we say that you've heard of him through your father? A lot of Azrael's jobs come from wealthy politicians. OOO~ we can even say that Azrael is in town because your father requested him for a job! Also, Azrael only dines on men ^^; that should be apparent due to his sexuality. Unless you are unaware how incur eat...) Azrael playfully stroked the boy's cheek, causing him to blush and stumble. Azrael grinned; this was one of his favorite abilities. A single touch of bare skin to bare skin, from an incubus to a human, sent waves of pleasure coursing through said human. This made seduction of anyone possible, regardless of sexuality or moral objection. Usually humans merely attributed this to a 'strong connection' between themselves and the incubus, whether that connection was sexual or spiritual was up to the individual. He could see the boy staring at him with renewed interest now, causing Azrael's grin to widen. One down, just need a few more. For the next few minutes the boy trailed after him like a lost puppy as he hunted through the dancers for suitable partners. And in under twenty minutes he had gathered a following of no less than 7 attractive boys. "Well now it’s a party," He said with a smile at all of them, "How would you fine young men like to come back to my hotel room? It’s in the first district." Many of their eyes widened in shock and fear at this, but Azrael squashed it quickly lest his glamour over them be broken. "We'll have to sneak in though, because it's really my master's." A look of dawning comprehension lit every face. Suddenly the reason for his impeccably clean clothing and styled hair was revealed, or so it seemed. Azrael's specialty was manipulation and infiltration, which made him invaluable as a mercenary, as most covert jobs rarely call for a big muscle head with a gun. They required finesse, something he had in abundance. Azrael motioned seductively with one finger for them to follow and began leaving the party. Alice sat under a stop sign, checking her bag, seeing what she had left. It wasn't much, but it was enough for the night, and maybe even enough for a wake-up in the morning. As she sat, Alice seen the purple haired demon from earlier. He had following him, a row of dancing boys. Alice watched the boys camp; the demon dances their way down the street, and away from the party. Well he should be full after them, that's for sure, Alice thought to herself. Alice was getting lonely again, having no one to get high with. She looked in a few directions, hoping she would see someone she recognized, or even someone who was hurting for a high like she was. With no one near, Alice decided to take a walk around the party, assuming she would run into someone she knew. There were many people at this party, more than any Alice had been to before. While searching the crowd, Alice came across a thin boy with messy red hair, he looked to be about 18 years old. Immediately Alice looked to the boys arms, seeing if he was a user, like her. In faint spots on the boys arms, Alice could see bruises. This made Alice feel reassured. She made her way towards the boy, and smiled at him. He noticed her coming close, and moved to make room for her on the curb where he was sitting. Alice took a seat next the boy, and opened her bag slightly. "Wanna party?" She asked with a seductive smile. ((sweet sander, I added a new signature style to my shop :))) [Yeah I saw! haha, its so cute! LOL Okay Contra how about we do yours than.] Kayuga walked past a man sitting on a trash can and smiled at him as he winked at her. She caught sight of Alice talking to a boy on a bench and went and sat next to her with a sigh, "Jesus Alice. I'm so boring that you need to get high with this buzz kill?" She gestured towards the boy on her right, "He may use, but that doesn't mean he's very fun when he does." She thought back to the last party she had been to and slightly shivered into her jacket, "Yeah don't get me started, but it was bad." Alice smiled, "Well there you are," she said. Alice has thought she wouldn't have seen Cayuga again, she knew how some party people could be. "How'd it go with the guy?" she asked, but that's not what she was thinking. Alice was wondering what Cayuga did with humans, did she eat them too? "Let me just say that he won't be doing anything for a while. And he tasted good." Cayuga laughed as she least in closer to Alice, "Hey how about we leave and go find somewhere else to use? This party suddenly sucks." She ate him, Alice thought to herself. She wondered if she would eat her as well. Alice was worried, but she was too high to really care at the moment. "Want to go back to my place?" Alice asked, thinking about her shack in an alley. She wished she had a real apartment, where she could have her own parties. Alice grabbed Cayuga's hands and started leading her down the streets. Azrael had his troupe of thralls waits outside while he arranged the room, then he discreetly snuck them in the back door and up to his waiting room. The furnishings were absolutely amazing, fine silks and linen draped over a bed that could fit five. Azrael grinned and jumped playfully onto the bed. "Now, who wants to play twister?" He was notorious for playing with his food. Cayuga smiled, "Yeah sure." She started to walk after Alice and caught sight of a girl screaming and running away from the bush that Cayuga had left the boy behind, "Crap umm can we hurry up a little Alice?" "Yeah, for sure" Alice said, guiding Cayuga down the road, towards her shack. Once they reached her shack, Alice opened moved the piece of metal she called a door, and let Cayuga into the shack ahead of her. Alice was ready to party and didn't want to wait. She took a seat in the corner of her shack, lighting a candle to give them some light. She picked up a mirror from her pile of junk, and wiped it off with her dress. Alice raised her head smiling at Cayuga. She emptied some of her baggie onto the glass, and separated it into two lines using a piece of plastic. Alice railed her line, and passed the sheet of glass to Cayuga. "Let's share stashes?" [[Will be editing All done :)]] "Yeah sure." Cayuga sat on the floor at lice's feet and pulled out her own stash hidden under her jacket and began to play a little with the bag, "Hey umm, how about we go back to mine? Thee shouldn't be anyone there yet. Father should still be at the office." "Oh, sure thing Kay, how far is your place? I haven't been out of the sixes in a very long time." Alice was very excited about this opportunity, and decided not to miss it. She would much rather be in an actual building, in a normal district. Alice scooped up what was on the mirror, and tapped it back into the baggy. Alice last hit had her moving a little shaky, and she loved it. Quickly Alice stood up camp; smiled, "You lead the way," She said to Cayuga, letting her know she was ready to head out. Cayuga smiled, "Okay let's go. It's this way." Cayuga started to walk out of Alice's house and down the dark street towards the entrance to the Sixes. "But when we get there we still have to be quiet, Father has hired a lot of maids to watch out for me sneaking back into the house." She rolled her eyes at the masses of Maids now circling her house looking for her. Alice laughed. She must be very wealthy, she thought to herself. Most humans never received an invitation into a demons home without becoming dinner. Of course the thought had crossed her mind, What if she eats me. Cayuga seemed very trustworthy though, so along Alice followed her, out of the Sixes, and into the real city. "Oh wow," she said, feeling extremely human for a moment. "Thanks for bringing me out of the Sixes Cayuga" Alice said, holding Cayuga's hand. "We're going to get so high." Alice blurted, hoping they arrived at Cayugas place soon. Cayuga laughed out loud, "No shit man!!! Hahaha." She looked in front of her and saw her large house com into law and sighed when she saw through the window a maid's shifting eyes behind a curtain, "Come this way." She said as she leads Alice down the side of the house and towards a big tree. Alice wasn't sure why Cayuga had to do so much sneaking around, she seemed more sneaky than your average human scum. Cayuga's house was huge, and had a few windows lit up. Alice could see people walking behind the curtains. The girls snuck to the side of the house and up to a large tree. "We what an adventure this is," Alice said to herself, not knowing if she should be speaking at all. She walked close to the tree, taking a good look at it. There weren't many trees in the sixes. When she was a girl, Alice remembered, she used to climb trees. Alice smiled at Cayuga again, and they continued past the big tree Cayuga motioned for Alice to follow her and held a finger to her lips while she whispered, "Up the tree this big branch goes right to my bedroom window." And with that she jumped up and swung onto the tree branch. Alice looked at Cayuga, up this HUGE tree, she thought, how the hell am I supposed to do that? She looked the tree up and down, seeing if she could find any footholds. Squinting her eyes because of the dark, Alice put her foot in a hole, pushing herself slightly up the tree. Quickly she grabbed branch, hole, twig, whatever she could find. She did this until she found herself on a branch that was close to the window Cayuga had climbed in. Carefully Alice crawled across the branch and flopped herself onto Cayuga's floor. "Holy shit," She said, amazed that she was able to climb all the way up. Cayuga laughed as she watched Alice fall to the ground, "Careful, there's like a ledge there." She walked over to the bed and jumped onto it and lay on her stomach facing Alice, "So, ready to get this party really started?" She pointed to a little mini fridge in the corner of her room and motioned for Alice to open it. Alice looked towards the mini fridge in the corner, wondering what was in it. Following Cayuga's direction, Alice got herself to her feet and walked over to the mini fridge. Opening it she noticed heaps of alcohol. Fancy liquors Alice had never heard of, but she knew they must be expensive. "What should a take-out?" Alice asked, not sure what most of it was.[[Hey I opened my own RP if you'd like to join, let me know :)]] [Yeah sure what's it about? Hahaha]"Whatever you want. It's all good stuff!" She giggled a little at the opportunities of all the mischief they could get up to with that amount of alcohol. Alice's mouth opened wide, turning back to the mini fridge. She decided to pull out a bottle of Fireball Whiskey. Closing the fridge, she got up and walked back to Cayuga on her bed. "Don't forget about this Hun," She said, putting out her stash and setting it on the bed between them. Alice smiled, pouring herself a shot into a shot glass that was sitting on Cayuga's night table. She took her shot, shaking her head. "Wow, tastes like cinnamon," she said.[[It's a high school RP. It's just high school, Annie.]] "Yeah it's my favorite! Father doesn't know I have it hahaha." Yoga took a shot herself and giggled as the liquid burned the back of her throat. "Okay let's get this started!!!!!" Taking the bag Alice was holding she reached over to her bedside table and pulled out a silver hand mirror, Setting out the powder INH two lines she held out the mirror and sad, "Did you want to go first?" "Nah go ahead, I just railed some at my place, remember?" She said to Cayuga. "Rail it, I'm taking another shot of this yummy stuff." Alice reached for the shot glass, and poured herself a tall shot. She took the shot, throwing her head back as it burned her from the inside. She looks a Cayuga and smiled. Cayuga smiled back at Alice and nodded, "Okay." She snorted a line and sat back on her bed with a smile, "Oh yeah, that's the good stuff!" She looked to her door and stopped smiling, "Did you just hear that?" A series of footsteps started to reach Cayuga's door and stopped at her door, "Shit my Father's home! You need to hide! He'll hurt you if you don't." She pushed Alice off the bed and into her walk in closet before slamming the door shut just as her father walked through the door, "What are you doing leaning against your door Cayuga?" Alice flopped onto the floor beside Cayuga's bed, and was pushed into the large closet. She heard the door open and an older demon started speaking. Her father, she thought to herself. Alice stood among tons of clothing, waiting for Cayugas father to leave the room. Lucky when she was pushed off the bed she had a shot in her hand. She sipped her shot, wanting to make it last until he left. Azrael burped contentedly and licked his lips. He had left the hotel room quite a mess, but it had been worth it. He had taken his time with each of them, making sure to take their soul the second they hit the peak of pleasure, that ensured the best quality. "Well they do say seven is a lucky number..." As he walked down the drive of his client's estate he stopped for a second in confused wonder. "Is that a maid? Dear lord, I don't think I've actually seen someone in a maids outfit since..." An image of a blonde haired neo guy in a fetishized maid's uniform flashed through his mind. "Well... that doesn't count." With a swish of his lavender hair, Azrael walked up to the front door and peered through the window. "Hmm mm he isn't on the first floor." Azrael could feel the man's presence in another room higher up. With catlike agility Azrael sprung up to the lip of the roof and soundlessly pulled himself up and over. After a few seconds of showy and completely unnecessary acrobatics along the roof, Azrael jumped off the edge. At the last second he grabbed the shingled edge and used it to swing himself through the open window below him. He Landed nearly soundlessly on the carpeted floor and smoothed his hair with one hand. His client was standing in the open doorway, staring in at a girl a few feet from Azrael. "Sorry I'm late, I had a very important date." Azrael snorted at his unintentional reference as he glanced around the room. "Well this doesn't look like your office..." Azrael looked closer at the girl. "You have a daughter?" Azrael thought for a second and then snapped his fingers in realization. "Oh wait! I remember you! If it isn't little Kay-chan! Look who's all grew up. Come give uncle Jazzy a hug!" Cayuga tilted her head slightly to the side and gave the man a skeptical look, "Um excuse me?" She looked to her Father and gestured towards the stranger, "Who's this bozo?" She looked back to him as her Father slowly walked closer to the male and whisper in his ear, "I thought we were going to do this in private?" Turning to me he said out loud, "This is Azrael. You may not remember him since you have only seen him o few times when you were younger." Cayuga turned her attention back to the man and racked her mind trying to think of who he was. She got flashes of his face in little snippets of memory but nothing final about who he was, "Oh wait, he came to you and Mother's wedding right? When I was 12." She directed the question at her Father but continued to watch the male, "Yes he did. He was the one who danced with you all night. You wouldn't leave him alone." (Weird... Cayuga recognized him instantly earlier. Remember? O-o)Azrael's smile remained angelic, but his eyes became lavender ice. A second Israel, that only Cayuga could see, suddenly appeared on the bed. "Oh? You want to go down that road, do you? You may find that insulting people like your father and I will not leave you unscathed." The real Azrael's eyes flitted knowingly to the closet and then back to Cayuga, his smile taking on a more sinister edge. Her father would not have caught the meaning of this split second exchange, but it would be perfectly clear to Cayuga. Azrael chuckled and grinned as his illusion vanished from Cayuga's bed, "Oh gee, you remember that? Yeah, that's why I don't drink anymore." Azrael glanced at Cayuga's father. "I think that cemented your wife's undying hatred of me, though she tried not to show it." [Oh yeah LOL sorry I'll add something in here to over up.] Kayuga exchanged a look with Area and softly shook her head as she looked back at the closet, Please don't tell. I didn't say that I saw you before with that boy. She mentally tried to plead with him as she walked closer to her desk and quickly wrote something down on a small sheet of paper, Don't worry I'll try and get rid of Father so you can leave, and we'll catch up tomorrow night. Sea in the same way. And she casually walked over to her closet and placed her back against it, "So Areal, What business do you have with father? You don't look like the normal sleazy types that usually do business with my Father." She gave her Father a cold look and watched him shrink back with hurt from her look. She felt a small form pf pleasure seeing her Father hurt like this, it's what he deserves for what he's put Mother through and turning her into a Pod Person. A boring Pod Person at that.[Sorry about the Pod People thing, it's just something I wanted to throw in there because I'm watching the Body Snatchers movie hahaha LOL]

Shape your fate|rating:3.0

Gift of the Riders

Spoiler {"light box_close": "Close", "light box_next": "Next", "light box_previous": "Previous", "light box_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.", "light box_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow", "light box_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow", "light box_full_screen": "Full screen", "light box_thumbnails": "Thumbnails", "light box_download": "Download", "light box_share": "Share", "light box_zoom": "Zoom", "light box_new_window": "New window", "light box_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"} Basics Name: Typhus Gender: Male Age: 28 Species: Human Sexuality: Heterosexual Height: 6'4" Hair Color: Sandy Brown Hairstyle: Short and styled with Runes meant for strength and Leadership Eye Color: Slate Blue Skills, Abilities and Traits Natural Born Leader: Born into a world at war, His upbringing was always on the battlefield. His father was a high ranking general and would teach his son everything a leader must be. Strong, Confident, Brave and Unyielding. He excelled at all aspects of his title, and it showed in the way he was able to lead those who were broken in moral back into the fray to turn the tides. His command could sway the most doubting and bring out their best in the most dire adversity. Jack of Trades: Although being of military nurture, his nature has helped him develop many other skills beyond his born to trade. His want to be self-sufficient has pushed him to learn other tasks within his world that would help him gain control more of the world around him. Carpentry was a skill he was attuned to and that was where he was able to unwind. This is one of his greater known trades, but he has also pushed himself into learning Blacksmithing, fletching, and jewel crafting. He is not perfect, but he can do great work when given the time. One man army: In the most hostile places, Typhus had built himself to be a warrior of warriors. He was trained to be the last man standing, and he has proved that time and again. Most of his skill comes from the ability to use any weapons at his disposal. This adept learning makes him lethal even when his primary weapon is lost. There is no excuse to lose when you can use your surroundings to your advantage. Flaws Stubborn: Being the kind of man he is, stubbornness is something that fits him well. He believes his word should be law and there is nothing that can persuade him even when proven wrong. This stubbornness causes his greatest headaches as it causes him to sometimes never find common ground in situations that demand it Pride: Pride is what drives him. Proving himself and being the best has always been been the focus of his life. To go down fighting before admitting defeat is his life following and even in areas he is not ready for, he will never ask for help. Reckless: With his pride intact, it makes him reckless. Going head long into a challenge with his own ideas has gotten him hurt one too many times, but there is nothing that would stop him from his goal. Once he sets his mind to it, he is out to conquer it even when the chips are stacked against him. Personality Typhus is a warrior from head to toe and a man who would never leave any one behind. Loyal, true, and faithful, he takes the people around him under his protection. To protect those around him makes him stronger. He would never fail at his task as long as he is able to do so. On the battlefield, he is stern and commanding but anywhere else, he is pretty silent and keeps to himself. He can be a bit rough around the edges but those that can break through to him would find a man that would go to the ends of the earth to make things work in every way possible. Position: Chosen Warrior to infiltrate the tribe and learn their secrets, Commander of the 25th band of swordsmen for the king Relationship Status: Chosen for loyalty, Typhus was chosen by the King of the Highland Empire to help find a way to bring the tribe into submission for the Empire's expansion. The word of the Chief's daughter being matched has been the angle the king needed to get someone in. Typhus is sent in alone as a vassal to work his way in and destroy them from the inside out. Home: Falcon, City within the Highland Mountains Dragons. Creatures coveted and desired by all who do not have them and ultimate weapons to cause the destruction of an empire's enemies. To those who control them, comes an unyielding power that can be called upon in a moments notice and yet, for most it is far from being attained. Very few have a link with the giant beasts that can take to the sky and rain fire down below, and it is that which has brought even the most powerful of Empires to resort to more deceiving tactics to take control of the weapon they desire. The Highland Empire had been on a rolling campaign to take control of everything upon which they stood. Every inch of land was desired by the greed of a king that had been far too young to lead when his father died. The boy was spoiled beyond that of any other child and his greed for more would push him to send his troops out upon the land to take what their king desired. Many of his advisors tried to detour the king from his path because such actions would only bring war and strife, but they would not stop him. Battle after battler for years on end would triple the control of the growing boy king and have him be in the soul control of many of the rarest resources except for one. The boy king was now a young man and his greed was deeply rooted in his upbringing. It took very loyal people to follow such a man, but loyalty was not in short supply in his subjects. The more the king demanded, the more the people saw wealth within their own homes because the king was blinded by his own treasures to see the corruption in the streets. There were always winners and losers in such a system, but the people took it upon themselves to keep the king happy and keep their problems out of his sight. Those who were most loyal were the men he kept at his side with swords and shields. Those that took up arms never wavered from the cause of the king and even took their very lives into the heart of dragon country in hopes of getting the one thing their king desired most, A dragon. Many battles were waged in the attempts to gain such a beast, but each battle left them many soldiers lost and no dragon in hand. The tribes that had been able to harness the powerful fire breathers had pushed back their assault and kept them at bay. This angered the king of the highlands and only made him more reckless. The more he pushed, the more he lost, and it was many years more that he finally took the advice of an advisor. Send in an envoy in the attempts for peace to gain what the king wanted most. Force was not working, and they needed to do something else before the rest of their soldiers were lost and they were defenseless. The king was reluctant to go along with it but would allow it to be so. Tychus, a high commander in the ranks, was chosen to take upon this quest. He had been the most loyal out of all the choices and his father stood up for him being a general and advisor to the king. Typhus was very proud to hear that he would be taking upon such a quest, but it did not sit too well that he was going to be used in a manner other than fighting. Many rumors had been swirled that a forest dwelling tribe was looking for a suitor for the chief's daughter. When that rumor made it to the advisor's ears, they found that this opportunity was the ticket in. By offering up a warrior, they were giving strength to the tribe to hopefully strengthen bonds. It was an ingenious tactic but one that would no doubt have its pitfalls. Before Typhus was set to leave on his own, the king would pull the man aside. Greed and hunger was in the young king's eyes as he stood with the man who would give him what he wanted. "I want you to learn their secrets and delve in deep. I want those beasts under our complete control. Send back constant messages so we can start to work on the transition to bringing their dragons here. When you have learned it all, I want you to take the lives of the chief and all of his lineage, even the bride you are expected to take. I want those dragons and I want nothing in my way when we get them." The king would give Typhus a jeweled dagger to tuck away. That would be the instrument to use when the time came. "All that matters is the dragons. Nothing else. Do not let them distract you with culture and anything not relating to the dragons. I want this to be quick. You have six months to accomplish this task before I send in assassins to kill all the leads and put them into a panic. At three months, I will have an envoy of supplies sent to show good intentions. I will want a couple eggs smuggled aboard so we can start the process here. If you fail... your life will be at an end as well as the rest of your family." Tychus was a bit surprised by the king's very straight forward words and dangerous tone. Not once had he ever been threatened that way, and it was not sitting well. Failure was not an option at this point, and it put his mind where it needed to be. Get the dragons and save his family. Tucking the blade in his belt, he would bow to the king in acknowledgement of his tasks before pulling away. At the base of the steps to the castle, a servant held the reins of a horse that would be his means of transport. He would take gentle control of the animal and stroke its neck softly to let it know things were okay. Looking back to the castle, Typhus would see the king standing there to see his warrior off. The anger within Typhus boiled a bit, but he kept it under his skin and not outward on his face. With a heave of his foot, he mounted the horse and headed off out the palace and towards Savannah Forest where the tribe of dragon riders was known to exist. It took a few days but Typhus soon made his way into the deep dark forest of Savannah in search of the tribe hidden their. His armor had been downgraded to hardened leather and all he had to protect himself was a blade at his back and a dagger in his belt. He had never felt so under prepared before and it was a bit of nerve wracking. As he ventured deeper into the forest, he could make out the muffled calls of the dragons that played among the trees, but none ever became visible. His horse was startled a time or two which made progress all the more difficult. Patting the horse, he hoped to ease the animals distress for a moment or two at least. Taking out his map, Typhus looked over the parchment to see if he was coming anywhere close to the destination of the village. After a moment or two, he would look up and notice that the indication of a village on the map was being marked out by the landmarks around him. The problem was, there was no village at this location. Cursing under his breath, he would slide from his horse and tie him to a nearby tree. Had he gotten lost? It is quite possible but with what he was seeing there was no doubt that the village should have been right here. Putting his hand onto the three markers, Typhus was even more confused as he looked to the trees and his map trying to find out just where this village should be. Everyone in the tribe was at least somewhat familiar with what was happening, with what was changing around them. They knew that they were inviting one from the empire to attempt to win the heart of their chief’s daughter, and they knew that if everything went well, there would finally be peace among both their own people, and on the continent as a whole. It was something everyone was glad for because even though they’d been surviving the war quite well, they all knew also that the fire of their dragons burned more homes of their own people than it did of the enemies. That was where the battles happened - on their own land. Because it meant lives saved and because it meant less of their lands would burn, it was a prospect everyone looked forward to. However, no one looked forward to it more than the son of the chief - Aaron Talon. Oddly, though, the boy who had not quite earned the title of a man wasn’t excited about it because he knew peace was a good thing; rather, Aaron was excited about it because he wanted to meet one of them. He wanted to meet one of the men who dared to challenge his people in battle because his father had never allowed Aaron to actually enter the battle himself. His own excitement was part of the reason why Aaron was the first to notice that Ariah - his sister - was nowhere to be found when it came to be time to prepare to greet their guest. “Father!” Aaron called out as he walked into the circle of chiefs, rather rudely interrupting a meeting with chiefs from different tribes. Allen’s eyes shifted up to see his son walking in and the first thing he did was apologize to the others. It was clear to everyone, the chief included, that Aaron had a long way to go before he would be ready to lead a tribe. Then he stood up and went to pull Aaron aside for a moment, stepping out of the circle so that the others could continue their meeting in the meantime. There was a lot of business to get done, after all, and not all of it required Allen’s presence to actually accomplish it. “Aaron, I know you’re eager, but running into the meetings will only ever slow things down.” Quite promptly, Aaron was shaking his head because his father had been assuming the wrong thing. “It’s not about leading, Father. Not this time, it isn’t. The empire’s warrior is supposed to be here soon, though, and I cannot find Ariah. I don’t know where she went, but she’s not here to get ready to meet him.” The chief’s eyes narrowed slightly and then widened in a concern that almost matched his son’s own. “Well, that’s different, then. You still shouldn’t be marching into the council meetings, though, my son. There are ways to reach me… ways without that.” Glancing back at the council, Allen had a quick decision to make. They could send someone else for the initial greeting of their guest if Ariah could not be found. That would require cancelling the council meeting, though, and bringing them back at a time that Allen wasn’t certain of just yet and that meant it likely wasn’t wise. The alternative, though, was to leave their guest waiting while they finished the meeting and then Allen could go and greet him himself. Even then, though, there was no certainty that he could keep the timeframe they’d planned because he had to see everyone out. The whole problem came from the fact that there were too many responsibilities for a chief to see to. Sighing and rolling his eyes, Allen knew that Ariah was just making his life more difficult because she wasn’t happy with the situation she was being thrown into. “Wait here, Aaron. You’re going to help me guide everyone out of the meeting, and then we’re going to go greet our guest since apparently your sister won’t.” All of it was trouble, but Chief Allen was already thinking through how he would deal with his daughter when she did turn up again. To himself, he mumbled, “Had, bless me with grandsons instead of granddaughters. Please…” Meanwhile, Ariah herself was completely unaware of all the troubles her father and brother were going through. She truly wasn’t trying to cause either of them any real trouble, and she was on her way to meet their guest and her betrothed. She’d just snuck out early so that she didn’t have to get all prettied and pampered beforehand; as far as she was concerned, it would be better for him to meet her as she was always and Ariah didn’t think there was anything wrong with that at all. It was how she would be most of the time anyway. Moving nimbly through the tunnels and caverns that led to her village which currently dwelled underground, Ariah was making her way to the surface. Two blades were on her back, crossed in an ‘x’ and within relatively easy reach of any movement she would make and as she broached the surface, there was a little dragon waiting for her as though he’d known she would be coming. Ariah couldn’t stop a smile when she saw the adorable little thing, and she laid her palm flat against the dirt so that it could climb up onto her shoulder. And that’s exactly what the little beast did. Softly reaching for its mind, Ariah asked, ‘Smell anything interesting around here? I’m supposed to be meeting a guest.’ Her answer came, not in words or pictures, but in a completely different mind trip entirely. Suddenly it was as though Ariah was flying over the trees even though she knew it wasn’t real; the dragon was just showing her what it knew would accurately answer her question and Ariah was used to seeing things through a dragon’s eyes. Actually, she was more than used to it; she loved it. Even before the vision ended, Ariah’s feet started carrying her in the right direction to meet with the person who would be waiting for her and likely a bit lost as well. Directions to their village weren’t exactly the clearest because no one knew it was underground. They’d been at war for the longest time, after all. Under civilized circumstances - at least, civilized as far as Typhus knew - Ariah’s clothes were really not at all suited for moving through the forest or for meeting an honored guest of her home. Yes, she was wearing a skirt that hung just above her knees, but she didn’t move as though she was trying to hide anything and her shirt was short enough that some skin on her abdomen showed. Surely that was painful if she had to maneuver through thick brush, but Ariah was used to it. Ariah had lived this life. She was more than a little disappointed when the little dragon flew off her shoulder and disappeared into the canopy. It happened mere moments before he would see her, seconds before she would see him. Suddenly, Ariah forgot almost all of her words, almost all of what she was supposed to say, and nearly the whole reason why he was there in the first place. Luckily, she retained enough, but just barely enough. “You’re Typhus, right? I’m Ariah, daughter of Chief Allen, Aide to the Healer of Savannah and Ambassador to the Dragons of Weevil.” Ariah tried to curtsy as the empire ambassadors had taught her, but it really didn’t look anything like it was supposed to, and it ended far too soon. Typhus had been wandering around in circles for a very long while. Each round made him that much more frustrated, and he had a slight tint of red in his skin from the anger he was feeling. It was a bit odd that he was sent out here without further direction than just the map in his hand. He turned the map every which way trying to find the slightest hint of what he was supposed to do. Frustration mounted as he grunted in anger and wadded up the page into his hand and tossed it aside. As he did, the horse whinnied a bit behind him in almost a laugh at his master's frustration. "Oh shut it you..." Typhus grumbled as he came over and gave the horse a pat for a moment to calm his nerves. The added calm allowed his senses to heighten as he heard the soft rustling of the trees behind him. Turning to look over his shoulder, his mind would venture in a thousand different directions from an attempted assassination to his escort showing up. With how his country men had been in the past, the thought of assassination would stick the most. To kill a Highland Soldier would be a great feat and a bragging tool to those who had done it. His hand would shift silently to his blade but dared not pull it. As the steady rustling continued, he would turn and peer over his shoulder cautiously for a moment. As the woman emerged, he would take a moment to process the moment before turning to see her. The attire was not one of a group he knew which could only mean she was one of those that he had been seeking. As her words flowed from her lips, he would fall further into certainty that he was in the right place. As he watched her curtsy, he felt even more out of place at this moment. No one ever bowed to him. That was not a luxury he had ever been given"Yes, I am Typhus, General to the Highland Armies and Ambassador of the Highland Empire. I have come a long way to bring our worlds together, and I apologize for getting a little lost on the way." He said softly and tried to put on his best behavior. He was used to shouting commands and making demands but at this moment he had to be the opposite of all that. A soft hand was desired in this time and that was all he could offer for now. Picking up the map from the ground, he dusted it off and opened it slowly to show her what he was dealing with. The map was far from useful, and it showed in many ways. "As you can see, this map was not made with much accuracy." As his nerves began to settle, his hand would slide away from the blade gently to lower his guard and be less threatening. His attention started going to the details of the woman before him as he took in her visage in every way. From head to toe, he would take in her details and would not let anything slip away. He had to remember her in all ways because this was the woman he was to be linked with for life and secretly be the one to bring her demise. That part he had to keep shelved to keep himself from being knocked out and pushed away. Her attire was not all to friendly to be seen, and it seemed rather stiff as she moved about. He wondered if she was truly the princess he was here to be wed to since she was armored so heavily. For now, he took her at her words as he stood there. "It is very nice to meet you, Ariah. If I may, I do have a small gift to help break the ice a little in this awkward moment and circumstance." He said gently as he shifted to a pack on his horse and rummaged through the pack. He would pull a small box that housed a necklace that held dragon fire sapphires within. The stones were a bright blue and within the colors danced and shimmered like fire as given their name. He held the box out to her with a slight bow hoping she would enjoy it. He had not chosen it himself and hoped the nobles that did know what they were doing. As he started apologizing for getting lost himself, there was a subtle look of shame that made its way onto Ariah’s own expression because he really hadn’t been meant to get lost. There was supposed to be a whole welcoming party waiting to greet him, but she’d run off ahead of time and probably delayed everyone else in the process because they needed her before any of them would leave. And she was already there. At the same time, though, Ariah wasn’t sure whether it would be appropriate to apologize to Typhus or not. Would it be better to keep it from him that she wasn’t supposed to be there alone? She really wasn’t sure. After all, their union wasn’t something that had ever been done before. In the end, though, it was hard for her to keep it to herself. “I apologize for your getting lost. It really wasn’t meant to happen that way. There was supposed to be a group of us waiting to welcome you more formally, actually.” Her expression itself made it clear that she’d done something to change that. “Right now they’re probably all looking for me, though. I wasn’t supposed to leave without them, but I wanted to meet you first… before everyone else does. I was… no, I am... nervous about this whole… this whole situation.” Well, now her feelings were out in the open. Now curiosity gripped her even more because she wasn’t sure how he would deal with it all. At least she would be learning how he reacted to emotions and honestly fairly quickly; they were both frequent things for Ariah herself so knowing how he reacted would be quite helpful. When he started reaching for his bags, curiosity added even more imaginings to her thoughts. Ariah had no idea what he could be carrying with him, but she doubted much of it would last long among her people. Quite a few of them were quite determined to strip him from all the “unnecessarily” that his people tended to carry along with them. As much as he was supposed to be learning their ways, though, Ariah wanted to learn theirs too. It wasn’t something she thought she’d get very far with, but it wouldn’t stop her from trying. Reaching out, she took what he offered, and her eyes widened slightly at the sight of it. Dragon fire… quite literally… was what she held in her hands now and the humans had sought to turn it into a shiny trinket. Ariah, though, would give it back to those who’d had it stolen from them. Her immediate reaction was disgust, actually, that someone would do such a thing. However, seeing the way he bowed with the gift and seeing the look on his face - it almost seemed hopeful that she’d like it - Ariah didn’t imagine he even knew what he was dealing with. “You don’t know what this is, do you?” she asked. It wasn’t accusatory. Rather, it sounded as though a layer of pity was carried upon her voice. "Nervousness is a shared feeling. I actually prefer not to have to deal with the crowds and attention. I am not accustomed to the attention as are others of higher standing in the Empire." He would say in a calm tone as he made sure the gift was proper to have maximum effect. He would dust off some dirt that had come from riding in the satchel as he held it. Thinking about the stones inside made him a little more confident than it should have as he stood there. "Crowds and attention are not exactly things I desire, but I know I will have to learn to handle that as time goes on." He said keeping his tone soft to be able to keep his calm about himself and not seem overly eager to the point of turning her away. When she began to open the gift, Typhus had a slight smirk on his face believing that she would enjoy such a treasure. His hopes came from others having quite a strong positive reaction to such a gift but when her face twisted a bit in disgust, the wind inside of him was taken as he felt a rock flop firmly in his stomach. The surrounding air seemed to go sour a bit as she eyed the trinket and Typhus was now feeling that maybe he had just offended the entire world with his gift. With his nerves and emotions in check, he would let the smirk slide from his face but did not outwardly show his worry. This gift seemed to hold the potential to turn everything upside down and that was only affirmed with her question. His heart sank further as he could feel the pity in her tone." It is a Dragon Fire necklace. Chosen as both a link to our union and your connection to the dragons. The gold in the necklace was to be a piece of the empire and the stones were to be a piece of yours." Typhus was now a bit worried as he stood there. His belief was that the stones were just as natural as the earth. They had always been told that such gems were mined from deep within the highland mountains. It was not known of their true origin, but the king loved the stones and coveted many different variations of the stones. The confusion would begin to settle on his face as he began to realize that there was something more to these stones than he was told of." Is there something wrong with them, Princess Ariah?" Typhus asked as he now stood straight and braced himself for what was to come whether it was harsh or not. He looked to the trees a moment to gain the confidence that they were still alone before looking back to her. The disgust she had shown and the question from her lips was something he had not even imagined at this moment. He would settle his mind into one moment and that was if he needed to fight, he would do so. The loss of his life would not be left in vain since his soldiers would no doubt come with all the king's wrath to take the land and the dragons that were housed there. He would not put a hand to his weapon just yet but kept it at the ready just in case. A smile managed to find its way onto Ariah’s face when he mentioned that she wasn’t the only one who was nervous about their situation. It was nice to know she wasn’t alone in that regard. However, she had thought that he would be of higher standing when the situation had been explained to her. After all, Ariah was the highest lady in their village who was unmarried and there were many in their tribe who would’ve sought her hand had it not been promised in this arrangement. Surely, though, there was some explanation for that detail. She was more busy at the moment being absorbed in the “gift” she’d been given. He certainly wasn’t wrong in what it was as he said it. The stones were real dragon fire meaning that the fire breath of a dragon had been stolen away to get them. It was clear that he hadn’t done it, though, or he would’ve known better than to give such a thing to her and Ariah understood that. “It is dragon fire,” she said to him. “The very breath of a dragon was stolen to get stones such as these because they exist in the throat of every dragon, giving them the power to exhale fire.” Her palm closed around the stones, and she could feel the heat of them radiating against her skin because it recognized her power; it knew it was with the dragons again. Unsure of what more there was to say about it, Ariah was about to start leading him towards the village only to be met by the scene of her father and brother when she turned around and started her gesture to follow. Chief Allen was the first to remark. “Ariah!? What in the world led you to bring yourself here before we were ready, and before you were ready? You’re hardly presentable at all, my daughter.” Although his tone wasn’t awful, his words were clearly those of a father scolding his daughter. Despite the fact that she’d been engaged in conversation with Typhus, the entourage that had come with her father and brother was still quick to swallow her up and remove her completely from site as though their warrior guest could forget what he’d seen until she was properly prepared for him. Watching her to make sure she made it to where she was supposed to be, Allen let his son step forward for now to formally greet their guest. “Apologies for our tardiness and for my sister’s… uhm… lacking formalities. I’m Aaron, son of Chief Allen and you're soon-to-be brother.” Aaron approached him with a smile on his face and an air of honesty about every bit of him. “My sister will rejoin us tonight. There’s a feast being prepared to welcome you and to celebrate the arrangement between my people and your leaders. It’s been so long that our lands have craved such a pleasant peace.” Finally, Chief Allen himself stepped forward. “It is a wonder to finally meet you. As my son has said, we have many honors prepared to welcome you and would be delighted to lead you to the village. My warriors will take your horse to join our steeds, and you can follow us. I’m sure the night will have much you will enjoy.” Every welcome they gave him was full of truth and honesty. This was an exciting day for them. When Ariah began to speak about the dragon fire, Typhus felt a rock fall into the pit of his stomach. She might have been playing nice for is ignorance in the stones he had just gifted her, but he could feel the underlying tone. It was one of pain and disgust that came from the seeing of such stones. He had always believed the stones to be of natural occurrence but by the way she spoke, it was far from the truth. The king had coveted these stones, and now he began to understand why. It was the closest thing to a dragon's power that he had, and it was the very breath of the dragons that he kept. Typhus kept from showing his uncomfortable feeling show as he stood there with her. It was as if there was now a very prominent wedge pushed between them when he was supposed to be winning her over. He took a deep breath to keep his composure. Both of them were at a loss of what to say or do, but he noticed her motion to follow, and he was ready to do so. Looking beyond her, he would find his limbs stiffen and keep him in place. The sight of the chief and the people with him would cause him to stay his place. The words the chief used were that of a scolding parent, and he hoped that some of that scorn did not turn to him. It was one thing to be a foreigner in another world, it was another to be despised for being there. His military tradition would begin to kick in as his stance shifted from a relaxed man to the stiff and rigid posture of a soldier honoring his ruler with respect. His feet were together and his arms at his side as he kept his head held high in recognition of the hierarchy of power. He would not speak until spoken to, and he bit his tongue to make sure he did not say anything stupid. He watched as others of her people would surround her and scuttle her away out of sight." No apologies needed, I was rather lost at the moment and if she had not come by, I might not have been in the right place to be found, your highness." Typhus said with a bow. "Peace has been a dream for many people as of late. I only wish to make this moment of peace and prosperity between two worlds all the better." His attention would go to the chief as he stepped forward to speak. The energy in their words let him know that this was a long since awaited day for their people. He would almost feel a bit mournful in his deceit if he had been a softer hearted man. In his world, all of this was a ploy to get at the dragons. It was the one thing the king wanted most, and he could not fail in this mission." I thank you for your hospitality, Chief Allen. I am sure your people have many wonders to experience." Typhus said clearly as he stood up again. The ease in the air allowed him to lose some of the rigidity of his stance as he got a bit comfortable at the moment. He looked to all who stood before him as he memorized everyone's face and their position. He had to learn quick the levels in which many of these people lived at to know the power some held. Furthermore, he took a few steps forward to join with the chief and his son. "I am sorry to not bring any gifts for this day, but the king is sending an emissary of items from our world to share with you in a few weeks. The one gift I did have been for your daughter. It did not go as well as I had hoped it would." He said honestly as the thought stuck into his mind a bit. The look upon her face of disappointment and disgust resonated with him deeply as if she had cut his very being down in that instant. Even while her brother and father were creating the situation that eventually pulled her completely out of Typhus’s sight, Ariah was still trying to peer through everyone else to see him. She was concerned about her reaction to his gift and that she might’ve done something irreparable, and she really hadn’t intended to do that. He just needed to understand what it really was that he was giving to her; that had been the only goal she’d had in mind. However, after a certain point, her attempts at seeing him through the crowds became absolutely and utterly hopeless because she was whisked away back to their village where all the ladies in town would do their part to make their ‘princess’ look worthy of the honor she was receiving. Of course, ‘princess’ wasn’t even a term they used in their culture. She was simply the daughter of the chief. Meanwhile, the chief and his son worked on making sure their guest received the treatment they had initially meant for him to receive. “We would’ve found you,” he commented briefly when Typhus mentioned that he’d been lost. It wasn’t wrong of him to say, either; Chief Allen’s men were some of the best trackers the land had to offer and if the men couldn’t find him, the dragons would have. “And I’m not your highness. I am simply Chief,” he added. “We don’t have too many fancy titles among our people. You will learn that quickly here.” Both the chief and his son nodded along as Typhus continued and they more than welcomed him to walk alongside them as they started leading the way back to where they truly lived. The rest of the people who’d come out to greet him simply fell in line behind the three. Chief Allen and Aaron maintained a pace that was leisurely enough and that certainly allowed for them to successfully carry a conversation while they walked. It was actually Aaron who offered words regarding the apparent way his sister had reacted to a gift. “I apologize for anything my sister might have said or done. I’m sure any gift you had to offer was wonderful. She’s just… she’s unique, my sister, even among our own people.” “That, of course, is because of her position,” Chief Allen added in. “She would’ve become the next Dragon Whisperer with her abilities were she not my daughter. Given that she’s my daughter, though, she has other roles to play.” Realizing that what his father said might’ve been confusing, Aaron clarified. “Our dragon whisperer is the person who serves as the primary communication link to the dragons who share our world. Among our people, not everyone is talented enough at mind speech to do it, but Ariah’s very good at it. Unfortunately, she’s the daughter of the chief - the daughter of my father - and so she could not follow the path that would lead her to be a dragon whisperer.” However, that did not diminish her abilities in communicating with dragons. It just meant that it wasn’t technically her job. Their walk was one that wove them through the forest and eventually led them to a tunnel that burrowed its way underground. It wasn’t an easy entrance to remember the location of because the surrounding area looked just like everywhere else. Many people who lived there even struggled to find it the first few times they ventured out into the world outside their home. The walk certainly wasn’t one that was meant to be easy to remember. However, the tribe also wasn’t necessarily trying to confuse Typhus as they made their way there. As they walked into the tunnels, Aaron started explaining how their dinner would be set up that evening. Technically all their large meals were outside even though it was underground as well so it still would seem enclosed… somewhat. There were tables that everyone sat at and Typhus would sit with Chief Allen and his family on that night. Aaron would be on his father’s right and Typhus on his left. Ariah and Soraya would sit across from them; those two would come in after everyone else had been seated, though. It was tradition. “Ariah should be much more put together when you see her next,” Aaron added. By the time he’d made it through all of his explanations, they’d arrived in the village and to someone from Typhus’s background, it probably looked rather primitive, but it was really highly functional. They pumped their water from even deeper underground, and it was spotless. The dragons provided constant fires that kept them warm despite what the weather might have looked like and that allowed for them to actually live in tents comfortably. No one slept on the ground; they all had cots that hung… well, most of them did. Some of them slept on piles of furs collected over time, furs of animals that hadn’t been killed savagely, but instead from animals that simply no longer needed them. Typhus was led by Aaron to a tent with a cot hanging inside. It was smaller, but comfortable and there were some clothes laid inside as well. It would be up to him whether he changed into tribal wear or not at that point, although eventually, it would be expected. He was also provided some blankets that were softer than anything he’d probably ever felt before. Aaron explained that this would be his dwelling until he’d formally wed Ariah. After that, they’d be getting a… not so minor upgrade. Aaron didn’t explain more than that, though. “Would you like to settle in and rest a bit or is there anything else I can show you to before dinner?” Aaron asked.

Gift of the Riders|rating:3.0

Exploring the Realms, One War at a Time. (Vergil1989 & Neysha)

Five years ago, the galaxy had faced the single greatest threat we could possibly imagine. Five years ago, the longest night of our brief existence began, ushering in an enemy that was determined to do one thing, and one thing alone. To erase us from existence. But a group of soldiers, scientists, mercenaries, assassins, ex-cons, thieves, and more united together to stem the tide that was coming for us all. We all know their names, their stories, their humble beginnings, and while some of them are no longer with us, they will always be remembered for sacrificing everything so that we could continue to enjoy our most basic of rights. Our right to exist. To love, to hate, to grow as a galactic community, to rebuild and to grieve for those that can do none of these things, having been given their final rest. To stumble and fall, to make mistakes, but most importantly of, to explore, to become something more than ourselves, to leave our mark on the galaxy, no matter how big or small that mark might become a year from now, a decade, a century, longer still. But no matter what happens from here, we can overcome this attempted genocide of everyone we have ever known, regardless of race, of social standing, gender, or anything else. We can prosper, and we can rebuild, because our future is no longer overshadowed by the darkness beyond our borders. We survived, and we aren't going anywhere. Anniversary broadcast celebrating the end of the Reaper War#/watch?list=camp;parameters=OAFIAVgC&v=Rn98FdSg-Fo&mode=NORMAL Countless people, even after five years of trying to pick up the pieces of the single most devastating war in existence, at least in this cycle anyway, were no doubt glued to their hold screens, wanting to be reminded of just how close they'd come to the end of the line, to remember the heroes that had drawn a line in the proverbial sand and had forced a stand between the unrelenting machine race, and had by some miracle, come out the other side. Those brave few had done the impossible time and time again, but the greatest thing they'd done was unite a disparate galaxy into one cohesive whole which was still holding together for the most part to this day. Old rivalries were forgotten by most, old prejudices buried with their dead, and the galaxy at large slowly returned to what it had once been as guardians, Atari, drill, racing, hangar, salaries, and more worked side by side for a brighter future. Despite their vastly different cultures, beliefs, and in some cases, centuries old feuds, all of them agreed on one inescapable fact. They wouldn't be here today if not for a mere human from a little, formerly seemingly insignificant speck of a planet on the edge of what most people had once considered civilized space. N7 Systems Alliance marine, Spacer brat born and raised, the undisputed Hero of Elysium, the infamous Butcher of Baha, and undeniably the single greatest war hero the galaxy had ever seen, Captain, (Commander) Jessica Shepard. Officially, she was still considered a Specter working for the Citadel Council, but as far as the rumors were concerned, someone had made it abundantly clear that if they so much as breathed on Jessica, they would expose every dirty secret the Councilors had on the next broadcast of the Alliance News Network, as well as every other news station across the extranet. As for Jessica herself, she only smiled at the thought as she relaxed in a lounge chair, a Service Ice Brandy filled glass in hand, enjoying the sight of a Thesis sunrise from her secluded estate on one of the Atari home worlds. "Here's to the old gang, wherever you guys are." She knew where most of them were of course, (being married to the still semi active Shadow Broker had its perks, ), but she was content to let her old crew go their own ways after dragging them through Hell countless times. Her toast hadn't been just for the surviving members of her old team though, as Jessica tossed back most of her drink with practiced ease. Her mind drifted to those that were no longer with them. Kaiden, Morin, Thane, David... Millions across a hundred worlds had all given their lives so that countless others could live to see today, and each one of them still weighed heavily on her heart and mind. But the guilt, the pain, the rage, the nightmares that had seen her waking up on the verge of screaming herself hoarse, all of it had had time to heal, to stop hurting quite as badly, and most of it had to do with the Atari maiden turned super spy that was the most directly responsible for her continued grip on her sanity which had been tested nearly to the breaking point. Said Atari that was looking at her from the open door behind her chair." You don't have to stand there Lara." Jessica chucked softly before nodding to the chair next to her. "I was just enjoying the sunrise. Seems silly in retrospect but call me sentimental." As the words left her mouth, a soft breeze blew through her closely cut red, messy locks that just touched her bare shoulders. The only oddity about this woman, beyond the biotic amp in the back of her neck that allowed her to control the dark energy laced EEO nodules along her nervous system, was the softly pulsating blue lines that ran across her body. Her Cerberus implants had likely saved her life, even after being in the epicenter of the Crucible going off in her face, she had somehow held on despite the damage done to her body. Most of the crew chalked it up to her implants, and while they probably helped, Shepard wasn't so sure it was that simple. Funny thing about love was that once you found it, people like her fought tooth and nail to keep hold of it, even spitting into Death's face if that's what it took. Whatever the case, she was more than happy to share this moment with the very woman that had held her together through almost every pivotal moment of her war torn life.("Only you would think such a simple thing would be silly or sentimental Shepard." Lara said, a smile all but audible in her voice as she instead sat on Jessica's lap, wrapped only in a silky smooth purple robe that set off her blue skin quite nicely. Wrapping an arm around her waist, Lara nestled into Jessica's embrace, a soft, contented smile pulling at her lips. "You could have woken me up. I'd have gladly joined you."" I know, but you looked too peaceful, tangled up in most of the blankets." Shepard replied, a slight teasing note in her voice before she left a tender kiss on her pointed crest, enjoying the soft murmur of approval that always got from the Atari in her arms. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be than right here." She whispered before closing her steel blue eyes, having no intention of going anywhere as Lara rested her head against her neck and shoulder, her breath tickling across her skin. The only thing separating them from skin contact being her black, N7 hoodie, having simply slipped into it and nothing else before stepping outside to enjoy the vast, quiet nothingness on every side save for the majestic mountains and peaceful, serene country laid out before her. Their closest neighbors were two miles away at a brisk jog, and the nearest city a lot further than that." The feeling is mutual, my Commander." A pet name that never failed to make Shepard's eyes light up, even now. If they had known what was waiting beyond their very realm of existence, they might not have been so relaxed and content. Introduction For millennia, Shaw Khan (ruled Out world with an iron fist. For millennia, he plotted and conquered countless realms and crushed tens of thousands of his enemies. A practical God unto himself, the only realm that managed to evade his conquest was known as Earth realm. It wasn't until recently however, after his machinations were foiled again in the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, that strange explorers from a far off realm (a whole different dimension, stumbled upon the fringes of Out world. Though they stayed only briefly upon discovering the evil nature of the new world they had visited, Shaw Khan, in his lust for power, had his sorcerers conjure up a means of following these explorers undetected back to their dimension. He gathered a massive invasion force, under the command of Prince Gore and Kin taro, to invade this new realm from the explorers' hideout. The invasion of the explorers home, known as the Baxter Building, achieved complete surprise. They slew Reed Richards, the patriarch (of the family of explorers known as The Fantastic Four. But then everything went wrong. Enraged at the loss of her husband, the female of the group, a blonde woman known as Susan Storm, unleashed her incredibly superhuman powers upon her enemies. Her abilities were far beyond the comprehension of her foes, and that of her remaining family members no less formidable. Within half an hour, the Out world invasion force fled back through the portal, closing it behind them. Enraged at the loss, Emperor Shaw Khan had the survivors butchered and then, decided not to continue the folly, started to focus his efforts back on the conquest of Earth realm. But the woman known as Susan Storm (did not forget the transgression so lightly. Within a fortnight, she soon revealed not only that she possessed incredible superhuman powers such as creation of force fields and the bending of light to render herself or others invisible, but possessed a formidable scientific acumen, a keen tactical mind fueled by anger, and formidable martial arts abilities of her own. Just as Shaw Khan was going to prepare for a Mortal Kombat tournament to be hosted on Out world, Susan Storm opened another portal to Out world. (Khans Palace Both Shang Sung and Quan Chi, despite their formidable powers, were wary of Shaw Khan's rage. They both knew full well that his expedition into the mysterious Explorers Dimension had gone poorly, and he had lost his two greatest Combatants in Gore and Kin taro in the invasion. Shang Sung in particular was a bit more fearful as he realized his own life was on the line because without Gore and Kin taro, the next planned Mortal Kombat tournament and was to take place on Out world, would be placed in jeopardy. A bit to the relief of both of the sorcerers though, they saw that Shaw Khan was treating it like it never even happened. "With the unfortunate... disappearance of Kin taro and Gore, we will need to find a new champion," Shaw Khan then stated before turning to the powder white Sorcerer of the Nether realm, Quan Chi. "For centuries the Nether realm has benefited from my beneficence and all I have asked is for your submission. When will Erma be ready?" he then asked, his voice turning up to a growl. Quan Chi lifted his chin a bit and nodded, noticing Shang Sung grinning in relief as the Emperor's ire was directed towards the Nether realm necromancer. "My Lord, the souls are still being coalesced into physical form. But I assure you that Erma will be the most formidable warrior in this competition, unless you, your Highness, of course deem any foe worthy of your presence," Quan Chi then said with proper deference. Shaw Khan, though unseen, simply rolled his eyes at the Nether realm Sorcerers suitable pale attempts at flattery as his gaze turned to Shang Sung, his lackey who had failed him so mightily with the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament. "And what of you and the Flesh Pits? Have you finally created one worthy of being my true daughter?""Ah, yes... my Lord... as soon as your eyes fall upon her, I am sure you will be most pleased with my results. I think you will find she is superior to your current daughter in every respect," Shang Sung said in relief, hoping that his efforts would overcome his recent notable failures." Don't be so sure Sorcerer... unlike you, I placed Princess Kitara as the head of my security and so far, she has not failed me yet... unlike you," Shaw Khan responded firmly. Shang Sung sneered. "Kitara is a woman. All those of a feminine nature are inherently weaker than those of a masculine destiny," the Sorcerer replied, gaining frowning nod from Shaw Khan, who didn't seem to fully agree, and a nod of agreement from Quan Chi. Then, almost as if punctuating his statement of so-called fact, the entire palace seemed to tremble as small specks of dust fell down from newly formed cracks appearing in the throne room itself. Before any of the assembled could even speak as to the nature of the odd disturbance that felt like an earthquake, they then heard the unmistakable sounds of explosions outside, followed by screams and shouts and... gunfire." Earthrealm must be striking us!" Shang Sung said in shock, recognizing the sound of gunfire." Impossible! They have not the magic or the means to-," Quan Chi started to state as Shaw Khan rose from his throne, noticing a brilliant flash of light suddenly hurtling towards the throne rooms window... like a bolt of lightning."MAIDEN!" Shaw Khan roared as the window shattered into a thousand pieces of glass, scattering about the throne room as the two Sorcerers shielded their faces from the debris. Expecting to find the Thunder God standing before him, Shao Khan's maul appeared within his hand, as if materializing out of thin air, while the two Sorcerers started to conjure their magical spells, ready to direct their potent energies upon whatever was standing within the dust cloud when it cleared. But emerging from the dust was not the Thunder God they expected, but someone else entirely. (was wearing a winged helmet like a North man, and wielded a maul of her own, whilst clad in an ornate armor and flowing cape (The baffling sight of the tall, blonde, blue-eyed woman defied all expectations of the three villains when a moment later, Mataró was suddenly hurled through the open window, his broken Centauri an body literally bouncing off of the stone floor of the throne room to the shock of Shaw Khan and his sorcerers. Then a second woman (didn't fly through the smashed window as seemingly leap through it. She was even more mighty in stature than the hammer wielding blonde. But she had a dark purple costume that accentuated her voluptuous curves, and long, lean muscles. Her skin was fair and pale with a long mane of red hair as just from gazing on her, it was obvious to see that she was brimming with raw physical power. Shao Khan was almost grinning at the display of such formidable power, already pondering how he could bend such powerful feminine warriors to his will... and to his bedside... until the blood from his face drained, and his gaze fell upon a third woman, one he did recognize as one of the explorers they had attempt to slay weeks before. The ones clad in the blue jumpsuits and that looked so soft and weak. The ones that had destroyed his expedition led by his two most powerful Shown generals. And now she was here. Still clad in the blue jumpsuit, Susan Storm, encased in a bubble of invisible telekinetic energy, lightly landed behind her two subordinates. "Titania. Thor Girl. Dispose of the Sorcerers... the Emperor is mine..." Susan Storm stated calmly, as her fierce blue eyes met that of Shaw Khan and saw the look of hard vengeance in her eyes. Before the two Sorcerers could unleash their spells, Thor Girl hurled her hammer forward, but instead of striking the two magic users, her magical enchanted hammer instead spun around the throne room in a wide circle, enveloping all the combatants as the spells the Sorcerers were about to cast suddenly fizzled to nothing. "The hammer... it negates magic!" Shang Sung said in terror when suddenly the two obviously physically powerful and skilled women suddenly charged forward, fists ready for battle. Susan Storm didn't need to see the skulls of the two Sorcerers fracture from the impact of super humanly powerful fists against their heads, but instead focused her vision on Shaw Khan himself. "Any last words... Emperor?" Susan Storm asked tauntingly, any mercy or heroics in her mind having long been drowned out by the fact that this Emperor had taken everything away from her that she had loved. The Emperor however was not intimidated. "You foolish quit!" the Emperor bellowed. "You trespass my lands and paid the penalty for your foolishness. You may have slain two of my Generals but those that I sent to your realm were disposable. The survivors told me enough. Of how your pathetic husband and children were slain screaming in their beds," the Emperor stated calmly before waving his Hammer of Wrath at her. "You have done well to come here harlot. I think you would be a fine General in my armies. Or perhaps a fine concubine in my bedchambers." He paused, relishing the thought of claiming and taming her. "Why not both? Either way, you will serve a real Master... unlike that unworthy whelp you were apparently married to before and in return, I promise to plant in you many more worthy offs pr-"The Emperor paused, suddenly finding himself unable to breath, though he sensed no obstruction in his throat or mouth. Instead, he felt his chest expanding with the last breath he took. But when he exhaled, his lungs didn't deflate... instead they simply expanded outward more and more and more until, with wide-eyed terror, he realized it was this unassuming woman that was doing it." I've created two bubbles of energy. One in each of your lungs..." Susan Storm said calmly before pointing a single finger at his chest and watched as his body seized up. "And now I created another one in your heart. Let's see how long your body lasts when you truly are as heartless as you have acted..." Her pointed finger suddenly turned upwards and beckoned forward towards the Emperor as Shaw Khan's eyes went wide with raw horror at what strange magics this woman was practicing upon him. As his lungs started to tear open like balloons of flesh, his heart was literally being drawn forward, pushing against his breastbone, and then he felt his ribs starting to crack. Gazing down in speechless shock, he saw as his chest started to push outward before suddenly erupting into geyser of blood and bone as Susan Storm literally ripped the heart from his body, bringing a fatally decisive end to the Emperor of Out worlds millennia long rule. Clutching the still beating heart in her hand, Susan gazed down at the sucking crater like wound that was in the fallen Emperor's chest. "Apparently being heartless is still a fatality, no matter what realm you are in," she stated dispassionately.Sgt;Sgt;Sgt;Several Years Later Susan Storm knew after what she had done that she could never return home. But with her family gone, she didn't want to. Several years ago, she had gathered a small army of sympathetic heroines as well as villainesses looking for a second change and spearheaded her own invasion of Out world. Despite killing the Emperor and his two Sorcerers in the first battle of the war, it had still taken several weeks to take control of all the disparate realms of Out world with such a small force. Knowing she could not return and with her vengeance satiated, she decided to follow the only course of action she could and became the new Empress of Out world with all the responsibilities that entailed. Chief among them was the tradition of Mortal Kombat. She had no interest of merging her realm of Out world with Earth realm or any realm for that matter, but these Elder Gods and their Earth realm ambassador Raiden were insistent that the protocols be followed, so she grudgingly accepted, but only after realizing there was a hidden opportunity in this ancient tradition. She would make this Mortal Kombat competition different. Due to the formidable technology The Fantastic Four had developed, she could summon the finest warriors from realms even beyond the knowledge of the Elder Gods... and transcend both time and space as well with the technology she brought with her and installed in her palace. And then, using this competition as a cover, she would find the greatest warriors and study their techniques, their tactics... their genetics... their technology, and so much more. Deep down, she was a scientist after all. And in the interceding years, her rule of Out world had both tainted and corrupted her once heroic spirit. She knew she was being corrupted simply from her presence in such an evil place but allowed it to happen. Even welcomed it. This was a cruel, harsh world and it needed her guidance and rule. And if this tournament worked out to her advantage, she would gather even more power and influence that if need be, no one short of the Gods themselves could challenge her might. Ultimately, she realized she might be little different from Shaw Khan. But while he was a barbaric despot, she saw herself as an enlightened Caesar, bringing light to the savage wilderness, whether they wanted it or not. And so, Empress Storm of Out world announced the new Mortal Kombat and began sending out her talent scouts and invitations. This Mortal Kombat was going to be the greatest one yet.(Palace, OutworldShang Sung(few years ago, Shang Sung was the right-hand man of the Emperor of Out world, Shaw Khan. Then, in an almost casual manner, for a transgression he thought minor, one of his victims literally flew through his palace window and ripped his still beating heart from his chest. The Sorcerer then spent the next several months of his life in confinement, slowly withering away due to a lack of soul energy. When the Empress discovered the Flesh Pits, and the dozens of Kitara clones, aptly named Milena, he had hoped that the Milena's would do what Shaw Khan could not and murder the usurper and her companions. But instead... the Empress accept them... all of them... as her own daughters. None even seemed to care in the slightest of the previous Emperor who had demanded their creation, or of the Sorcerer who had created them. Soon after, despair gripped the wizened Sorcerer, as he started to age even more rapidly. Then, one day, in what he thought would've been one of his last, she arrived in the well furnished cell he considered a gilded prison. He had lusted after Sonya Blade when he first saw her almost twenty years ago, and then when the Empress brought her coterie of superpowered lemme fa tales, before he was tossed into this luxurious prion cell, he noted that there were several women much like Sonya among her entourage. Sharon Carter was her name. She had a paramilitary background, similar to that of Sonya. And blonde hair, blue eyes, a firm bust, milky white fair skin and athletic curves. He lusted after her, and the other Outlander women like her and then, as he lay weakly upon what he thought would be his deathbed, she walked into his life wearing nothing but some red underwear and a thin white lace that made her fair skin even more lustrous. Agent Sharon Carter(first Shang tried to channel his powers, unleash a soul burning fireball, or even just muster even physical strength to grapple with her as she came in close, literally crawling onto his bed, but she laughed at him. Almost mockingly as she swatted aside his flailing, frail arms and then revealed a syringe of some sort in her grip. She drove a several inches long needle directly into his sternum, cracking it with the steel syringe and then pushed her thumb down on the needles' plunger, pumping in a hundred milliliters of an eerily glowing concoction directly into his still weakly pumping heart. "Don't worry old man, just let it happen," Sharon then said, her bare legs straddling his hips as she emptied the massive dosage into his heart and then nonchalantly pulled the needle from his chest and tossed it aside. He spasmed, wondering if the Empress was finally showing her true colors, intending on making him suffer in poisoned agony his last moments alive. He could even sense something mystical in the concoction as it surged through his bloodstream but as it flowed through his body, he felt an almost icy chill so strong it burned, but not causing him pain. Instead, it surged through, deep into his hormonal glands and collecting in his brain stem and even welled up deep in his loins as he could almost sense the burning vibrations rumbling from his brain and his groin almost simultaneously and realized this was no mere poison. Agent Bobbi Morse("The nanobots are bonding to your brain steam and the new biomystical agents are purging your hormonal glands and collecting in your testes," another voice then said, in an almost calm, if not quite detached voice and as Shang, seized up with uncertainty as the chemical mixture did its unknown work through his rapidly degraded body, he turned and saw the other object of his lust standing beside the bed. Agent Bobbi Morse. Similar paramilitary background. Also blonde and lithe and athletic, and she was wearing similarly lingerie but notably had a gun strapped to her thigh, and those deadly sticks of hers holstered in a belt. But she wasn't wielding her weapons as much as gazing at the two of them, Shang especially, as a curl of a smile crept across her face. "Let's see if the old man can stand some action," she then said with a smirking nod to her companion. Sharon complied, almost eagerly as she slowly pulled open the simple robe Shang Sung was wearing, revealing his wizened body to her, but she ignored his wilted physical body and instead gazed downward to his manhood, and saw his phallus was still impressive, even as it was curled up over his wrinkled testicles, the brown length thoroughly flaccid, until Sharon slipped her soft white hands around the length of his soft shaft and started to stroke his manhood. There was no buildup, and in fact Shang's body suddenly tensed up as if he was having a seizure, and then a surge of seemingly unnatural energy seemed to ripple through his body almost immediately, spreading outward from his loins as he soon revealed his body was feeling like it was awakening, even rejuvenating, and the origin point was from his cock currently being handled by the giggling warrior woman stroking his length. Within seconds his cock was swelling up with a thick rigidity, practically elongating as his penis, seconds earlier cool to the touch, warmed up rapidly in her soft hands. Bobbi nodded approvingly as Shang gasped, feeling something he was completely unused to. Absolute shock and surprise." Hnnnnh," Shang groaned as he felt his skin starting to stretch, almost like his body was being torn apart until he realized it was his muscles awakening, invigorated with a strange new energy. His weak arms spasmed, his fingers curling as they dug into the bedsheets and even his eyelids started to flutter as he then realized he wasn't being torn apart. His musculature was regenerating, blood flowing through his weakened extremities, hormones flowing through his bloodstream, deadened nerves flickering to life, and the three of them watched as Shang Sung's wizened body started to seemingly rejuvenate itself correspondingly as his cock rose to a fully engorged erection, his dark cock head flaring when Sharon slid her thumb over the top of his glans and started to rub his cock heads crown lightly. "Gods... what have you done?" Shang hissed, still overwhelmed by the changes to his decrepit body, turning youthful once again right before his eyes. His only answer was to feel Sharon's light hot breath over his flaring cock head, as she leaned in close and started to crawl over his body again, kicking off her panties and letting go of his cock momentarily to unclasp her bra and let her milky white breasts fall free from her chest. This time Shang was finally able to respond and reached out with his strong hands, not to fight her off, but to pull her in. His rough hands seized her by her ample hips, pulling her closer to him as she let out a bit of a surprised yelp at how rapidly he was recovering but soon revealed to him, she wasn't just teasing him, but a willing partner in this interplay. Her hand slid over his flexing pectorals, as his cock dragged down her soft but firm stomach, over her mound and then without any further ado or foreplay, he plunged his thick brown length into her tight, pink pussy. She let out a gasp as his flaring cock head wedged between the glistening pink petals of her sex, and immediately he drove inch after inch of his rejuvenated and fully erect manhood in between her supple folds, feeling the tight, warm and wet embrace. Her pussy muscles gripped and massaged his cock, the pleasurable friction transmitting sexual pleasure to him that almost immediately overstimulated his mind and racked the pleasure centers of his brain, long dormant from anything more than idle lust. She was moaning too though, writhing as he pulled her small framed form onto his cock, pushing his cock past her tight cervical channel and pushing it deep into her womb and then, rearing his head back, Shang Sung let out a deep, heated moan of raw sexual ecstasy and release as his eyes literally glowed from the power unleashed throughout his body as his cock erupted deep in her womanhood. Thick, copious amounts of piping hot cream flooded into her womb, blasting against the sides of her uterus like a caustic geyser as a moment later, the sublime sensation of being filled up by so much cream jostling around deep within her ethers caused Sharon's own tight pussy to grip his cock tightly and squeeze it like a vice, milking him of every drop of his potent seed as the two were practically locked together in sexual bliss, his hips still rutting between her pale thighs as she rode his body, and he gripped her hips tightly, his eyes devouring the sight of this beautiful blonde warriors riding his thick brown cock. Groaning again, he unleashed another load of cum into her loins, and let her ride out a literal wave of orgasms as one climax after another ran through the former SHIELD agents feminine form while she felt the almost superhuman fury of Shang Sung's climax unleashed upon her. Rejuvenated in body, Shang Sung was momentarily exhausted as the two of them rode out their simultaneous orgasms for several exquisite minutes until finally her shivering, shuddering body collapsed upon his muscled form. Regaining his breath, he found one arm already protectively wrapped around Sharon's shivering, pleasure addled form before his gaze fell upon the almost equally lust inducing Mockingbird. "What have you done to me?" he asked, trying to find a firmness in his voice as he addressed her." Empress Storm found a way to rejuvenate your body using something other than soul energy," Bobbi then stated almost casually. Shang paused, but soon realized what kind of energy it was. "Harmless really," Bobbi then said. "Sexual energy, especially brought on by orgasms. The more intense, the better," Bobbi then said, as she started to undress herself, stepping out of her skimpy lingerie and starting to crawl onto the bed herself. Shang Sung almost couldn't contain a chuckle as he saw Bobbi crawl onto the bed, ready to test the formula herself firsthand. The Sorcerer was impressed. If what this woman said was true, then perhaps Empress Storm was a worthy replacement to Shaw Khan. And if what she said was true, he would be more than willing to oblige serving her, especially if this was to be his new payment for loyalty. Several weeks later(Special Forces team made their way into the sub-antechambers of the palace, Sergeant Cage and Private Briggs showing their worth once again as they helped eliminate the sentries on guard by the apparently not so secret back entrance. It was clear that the new Empress, unlike Shaw Khan, wasn't one to let security go slack. Even the secret entrances had security. What was more worrying to the general however was that Empress Storm had enough trust in her guards to have them guard said secret entrances. Shaw Khan entrusted his security only to blackies from whom he could extract complete loyalty from due to his superior power. Sonya idly wondered if this new Empress was dramatically different from their previous ruler. But they had no choice now. Raiden and the Elder Gods demanded Mortal Kombat and thus despite Out world being ruled by a new usurper, Earth realm and Out world would battle and thus the fate of both realms would be on the line, regardless of any mere mortals desire. Therefore, Earth realm had to play to win. And right now intelligence suggested that Empress Storm had a key advantage that Earth realm desperately needed or else it would be certainly doomed. Still trust issues or not, Sonya realized they had an advantage even the Empress didn't. They had their own person on the inside. Making their way through the dark caverns, using night vision to navigate the poorly lit underchambers that were like a maze of catacombs beneath the palace, she then came upon their source on the inside. Someone that the Empress still trusted implicitly.("Princess Kitara. Raiden and Earth realm sends their regards," General Sonya Blade then said with a nod as they headed down another stonework tunnel and saw the blue clad Denial silently emerge from the shadows, her skills and talents meaning she was practically before them before any of the Spec Ops even registered her presence." I am doing this for my Mother and for Denial," the Princess said in a soft voice. "Despite my most vehement protests, the Empress has decided to liberate my so-called sisters from the Flesh Pits and even more insulting, has released Shang Sung from imprisonment. Even helped him recoup his youth somehow," Kitara then stated, revealing to them that in fact Empress Storm had released not just one clone of Kitara, but apparently dozens of them." Shang Sung is sucking souls again? That's not a good sign," Sergeant Cassandra Cage said with a laugh before a glare from Sonya silenced her." Take us to the dimensional thingy. We'll need it if we are to counter her technology advantage for the upcoming tournament," the General then said. "Lead the way Princess and I promise, after Mortal Kombat is over, we'll give Earth realms support in bringing your rule to Denial once again," Sonya then vowed.---Hessian the very least, there were two babysitters for the Sorcerer when Empress Storm let him go, but Bobbi was still a bit bummed that she was the one stuck on Star port duty. Their main mission, besides recruiting Shepherd of course, was to make sure that no other realm managed to snag her first. Which is why she was here. Their secondary mission of course, was to make sure that Shang Sung's 'recruiting' practices didn't accidentally trigger an interstellar war. While Empress Storm was confident that the dimensional divide would be sufficient protection, war was always an inconvenience, regardless of opponent or capability in most cases, and thus it was something the pragmatic Empress just couldn't afford. The Empress wasn't sure yet how Earth realm had stolen her dimensional technology from her palace, but she clearly wasn't pleased at the leveling of the playing field. Almost immediately she had sent out teams of her best agents to begin the recruitment process. Having a small army of loyal Princess Milena's turned out to be a benefit. No Mileena's here though. Just her, Sharon and Shang. But while Sharon and Shang were busy... well... she knew what they were doing, she was on watch waiting for the expected rivals to show up. She didn't have to wait long until she saw them departing the Star port. "Cassie Cage and Jacques Briggs, it looks like. And some unidentified local as a guide (" she muttered to the camera as she continued to watch from the nearby rooftop. Whatever they were doing, fun time was over. She knew why Earth realm would send these two to Thesis. And it wasn't for sightseeing, it was for Shepherd. Despite being semi retired from her Shadow Broker duties, Lara still got the occasional priority alert from Fern, her drill friend that had helped her against the original Shadow Broker before Shepard had been returned to her. As such, she had given him the ability to control the network, so long as he used it as she'd used it, to keep the galaxy from spinning into chaos rather than personal gain. So far, he'd manage, but she had made sure to take measures to keep herself in the loop, and had built in a number of back doors into the Shadow Broker network itself, on the off chance Fern started to slip into the same mindset as her predecessor. She could remotely shut him down, and he knew it, but she wasn't worried about that needing to become a necessity. He'd done well thus far, and with such powerful incentive to behave in the form of her bandmate and what she'd accomplished, the good doctor knew he'd keep to the code they had settled on regarding the network's use. So when her OFNI-tool started to flash an alert, much to her and Jessica's disappointment, the Atari sighed but answered the call. She was a little surprised when Fern's face filled her screen. "Fern? I didn't think I'd hear from you until the next annual update later this week."" I know Doctor, but I thought you'd like to see this. Furthermore, I got a ping from one of our agents, and she sent a data burst about half an hour ago. Someone's looking for the Commander, and these guys don't look like your average sightseers, or your usual adoring fans." With that, Fern tapped away at the holographic keyboard on his end of the connection, before pulling up a photo ID of the strangers that had been pinged by their eyes and ears at the Hessian Star port, showing Cassie Blade and Acquire Briggs in vivid detail. "They have no information whatsoever, no profiles, no ID, nothing, yet they've managed to find a guide to take them to your estate, and they have the credits to cover the expense. I don't think they're dangerous, but I thought you should be warned, just in case. And there's something else."" What's that Fern?" Shepard asked directly, her steel blue eyes zeroing in on the drill's face over Lara's shoulder, which she left a quick kiss on the Atari's skin, her gaze never wavering. Fern answered her question by showing them a security feed behind the star port, in a secluded, darkened alleyway. Despite the limited point of view, both Lara and Shepard were able to see a swirling vortex of purple energy appear just within the camera's field of vision, before disgorging the two women into the alleyway, both making it appear like they'd done this kind of thing before by how easily they walked out of the strange energy portal. "Okay....that's new." Shepard mused as Fern's face appeared in Lara's OFNI-tool screen. "So....outsiders then?" It was as good a name as any for, whoever these people were, who obviously possessed technology well beyond anything they were familiar with, but Shepard shook off her surprise easily enough. She had seen some pretty strange and bizarre things in her life, so this was just the latest in a long line of them. "That's different, but what do they want with me?"" If I'm able to find out before you do, I'll get in contact Commander, but until then, be on your guard. Something isn't right about this whole situation." Fern replied, to which both Lara and Shepard nodded grimly before the drill deactivated his side of the call, leaving the Atari's OFNI-tool screen blank. The Atari was already in the process of standing to her feet, followed closely by Jessica. "Well, we wouldn't want to be rude to our oncoming guests now would we?" Lara said, which earned a small chuckle from Jessica as the Atari walked away, towards the glass doors that lead into their living room. Before she reached the door though, her hand outstretched for the controls, Shepard gently brushed her hand across Lara's wrist while her other fell on her shoulder." Hey, we're going to be alright Lara." She whispered into her ear, knowing when her bandmate was trying to put on a brave face. "I might be a bit out of shape, but I still know which way to hold a pistol if worse comes to worst."" It's not that, just Fern's right. Something doesn't feel right about this one. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, goddess knows I still keep tabs on the Broker's network, but-" Whatever else she might have said died on her lips when Shepard left a lingering, deep kiss on the side of her neck, earning a heated moan as she pressed the Atari against the glass, the human having melded herself to the Atari's back which was still covered by the silky robe. "Y-you've made your point." Lara responded, breathless as she turned around and wrapped her arms around Shepard's back, her lips at the human's ear, the heat of her love's body only mitigated by the clothing separating them. "Maybe I am worried about nothing?"" Not anything, and I don't blame you Lara." Shepard whispered, understanding all too well why the Atari was concerned about what might be heading to their door. As much as she wanted to continue their little impromptu heavy petting session then and there and see how long it'd take for her to make Lara scream her name, Shepard reluctantly pulled back, but not without leaving one last, tender kiss on the Atari's soft lips, her hands gently caressing her cheeks all the while. "Come on, we can at least be hospitable before we throw these guys out on their ear." She teased, which earned an amused snort from the Atari.(in the Hessian star port, Cassie and Acquire's guide, having sent the priority alert to Fern, discreetly pulled her right hand sleeve down over her OFNI-tool, having made the excuse that she'd hire a cab to get them to the Commander's estate out in the Hessian countryside, which she had done. She just failed to mention what else she'd be doing, having been tasked years ago to keep an eye out, along with a couple other dozen agents like her, to send out alerts if people wanted to meet the Commander, and they didn't look like your average tourists. So the short haired redhead had done so, having taken a single look at the two women's unusual black bodysuits, with their leather holsters and their admittedly archaic weaponry, and had sent the message that they might have company that didn't number among the galaxy's sometimes rabid fans. To say Cassie and Acquire stood out like a couple of sore thumbs wouldn't have been a far stretch, but thankfully the blue and black taxi the Shadow Broker agent had hailed came down on the side of the platform before them and they were able to pile in without a problem. Once everyone was settled, only then would the woman start up what would appear to be idle conversation. "So, what brings you to Thesis? And did I hear that you were looking for the Commander? Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear, and considering her status as a galactic hero, well, I'm honestly impressed you'd be brave enough to try and get close enough to talk to her." The awe wasn't completely feigned in the spy's voice, but if either woman were the wiser to her less than innocent curious nature, they might have noted the way her green eyes were scanning them both, wondering how best she could lose these two or at least subdue them for the authorities to take care of. As for the cityscape itself, what was left of it even after five years of reconstruction and rebuilding, Thesis's cities were as old as the Atari themselves in some cases. Thousands of years of history, culture, art, and more, reduced to rubble in the span of a few days, and while there were entire city blocks that had been built back up, there were still more than a few places that were still buried underneath tons of rubble. Sections of the city that were still dark, without the most basic of necessities such as water, heat, or electricity. Despite this, the feel of the surrounding air was one of hope, of renewal, and a lesson hard learned. That aside though, it'd be about an hour trip between the star port, for both teams of strangers, before either would find themselves before the sprawling two-story estate that belonged to Jessica and Lara, Council Specter and Shadow Broker respectively. Two of the most powerful women in this particular galaxy. A certain level of awe was to be expected, even if the Broker herself wasn't technically operating in such a capacity any more beyond the occasional rumor of her still flexing her spy network from the safety of her home. Which only a handful of people knew who the current Broker actually was, but that was beside the point. Kelly Chambers (was a bit pensive, but not due to the fact that she was escorting two verifiable deadly women to the doorstep of a woman she considered both a mentor and one of her best friends and easily the greatest person she had ever known. Still she had done her due diligence in contacting the Shadow Broker network as soon as she knew Acquire and Cassie had arrived at Thesis. While she found a great deal of merit into their cause, Kelly Chambers was smart enough to realize that Shepherd likely wasn't going to go for it. Their problems were far too removed from that of this galaxy, still recovering from the aftermath of the Reaper Invasion and furthermore, and Kelly also knew that Shepherd just wanted to focus on raising her family quietly more than anything else." So you know this girl right?" Cassie then asked, sitting in the backseat as the taxi made its way to the outskirts of Thesis, towards the manor that Lara and Shepherd now lived in relatively simple luxury. "Couldn't go a step in any direction while on Ilium without picking up something on how Shepherd saved this or changed that," Cassie then said." Is there a question in all of this?" Kelly then asked, not trying to sound brusque, but knowing that both these girls and Shepherd were likely far more to the point and wanting to subtly remind her two clients that dancing around an issue probably wouldn't be doing them any favors when they met Shepherd. Cassie took it in stride while Jacques just smiled. "She sounds like some sort of paragon. Thing she'll even give a shit about our cause?" Cassie then asked, straightforwardly. Kelly just shrugged. "I wouldn't of helped you if I didn't think there wasn't a chance," the redhead replied when, before she could continue, Cassie just chuckled and shaking her head, turned to her dark skinned companion."Oh, we're fucked," Cassie then said shaking her head, picking up on the subtext. "I don't suppose you can fight?" she then asked with a giggle, apparently already knowing the answer." When was the last time you've seen Shepherd?" Jacques then asked, changing the subject from Cassie's mild taunting. Kelly frowned slightly, then smiled to mask it. "It's been a while. I've been busy working with refugee groups and-." Her voice started to drift when she noticed Cassie and Jacques exchanging worried and knowing glances and Kelly realized they picked up on the fact that Shepherd was more than a client to her. She wanted to see her again and these two were an excellent reason for meeting her." Well, we can be very persuasive sweetheart," Cassie then said with a smile as the taxi pulled into the manor estate, literally being waved through the front gate by the automated security system. "Looks like we're already expected," she then added, showing little of the obvious got past these two Special Forces soldiers as the taxi pulled up the driveway to the front door and the three young women literally started taking in everything, Kelly for sentimental reasons and the two operators, for tactical and intelligence reasons. Jessica knew Kelly had been given a side job as one of Lara's agents, but she was a little surprised that when the taxi stopped only for a moment at the gate, that hers was one of the faces that was in the security feed. She only raised an eyebrow though before deactivating the terminal, not about to complain since it would be good to see Chambers again. Outside some much-needed therapy alongside the redhead, who'd been acting as a consultant more than anything for the therapist that had been treating Shepard and Lara both, giving the therapist much needed information she wouldn't have otherwise had access to without slogging through piles of old reports that were classified in most cases anyway, Shepard hadn't had a chance to talk to Kelly much either. So while unexpected, she was content even though she was bringing a couple of strangers with her. As for her being a paragon, Shepard would have simply said she'd done the right thing, nothing more. Humble even now, she had never been a fan of the accolades she was known for, which were admittedly a couple light years long in the listing. She'd done so much in such a small amount of time, it wasn't all that surprising people held her in such high regard. Curing the genophore, although she had hardly been the one to do that, Morin had that honor, she had simply cleared the way for him and their armored escort, uniting the get and Aquarian people, bringing the racing back and giving them a fair shot at life outside of Reaper control. So many wrongs she'd corrected, so it wasn't surprising at all that her name was practically synonymous now with any patron saint from the old days. But Shepard knew, even if not many outside her close-knit group of friends and family, that her accomplishments were never her own. That she couldn't claim, and would never do so anyway, to have done all that she had on her own. Her thoughts were interrupted when the sound of the grand piano they had had moved from her apartment on the Citadel started playing in the next room. Jessica stood from her terminal's desk and saw Lara behind the keyboard, playing their song, dressed in her usual white, skintight outfit that she'd worn so many times on the Normandy or just walking around the Citadel. Shepard had taken the time to change as well, going for a gray short sleeve shirt, gray gym pants, and her N7 hoodie, a leather, old style holster on her slender hips with her N7 Eagle handgun tucked inside, just in case their new guests proved hostile. She wasn't the only one as Lara cocked her hip ever so slightly, revealing her own heavy pistol in her suit's attached holster, her fingers never missing a beat as she continued to play their song. As for their two guests, they'd be treated to quite the sight after flying over so many ruins and reconstructed buildings. Two stories of Atari architecture was nothing to sneeze at, especially when the mansion was surrounded by a kinetic shield fence on all sides, which in turn had a number of automated sentry turrets, and a small retinue of get ready to lay down their lives for the savior of their Creator species as well as themselves. Say what you wanted about the get, they had souls, and they were treated as living beings by the owners of the mansion, a fact made evident by the platform within its own secure corner of the complex as well as a living area for the fledgling race of recently sentient machines. As soon as the taxi stopped, a red get prime, towering over all three women, would open the door and step back, nodding in greeting to Kelly. "Welcome back Ms. Chambers, Shepard-Commander and Doctor T'son are awaiting your arrival.""Thank you, Draco." The get nodded its flashlight head in acknowledgement before leading the way past the already departing machine that had sounded suspiciously happy to have seen her again. Whatever their thoughts on the matter, Kelly stopped at the glass doors and sighed, figuring there was no point in lying anymore. "I think it's fairly obvious who told them you were coming. But considering Jessica Shepard saved my life not once, but twice, can you blame me for trying to keep her safe in my own small way?" She asked, looking over her shoulder at the two Special Forces agents behind her before the door swung open of its own accord. Before they could enter though, she'd put a hand on Jacques's shoulder, no doubt getting both of their attentions. "Do yourselves a favor, be honest. I don't know how long you've been here, but let's just say she knows someone that keeps her very well-informed. That said, I truly hope you find what you're looking for, having come so far as you have." With that, Kelly walked in alongside the two agents, mindful of the fact that Lara was the Shadow Broker she had hinted at, but that was a secret only a handful of people were privy to. The fact Lara had helped her create her temporary fake ID, when Shepard had recommended she change her name with Cerberus trying to track her down before the war's end, was part of why she was still alive. The other half came from the crew getting to the Collector base in time before she could be turned into genetic slop and fed to the Reaper embryo. But those thoughts came ANE went quickly, the sound of a piano playing calming Kelly's mind almost as quickly as it had gotten worked up. Besides, there were few places safer on Thesis. As for the interior of the mansion, it was no surprise to Kelly that the walls were lined with ancient artifacts from the proteins, carved stone tablets, pots and other knick-knacks, all of which were placed behind secure glass and kinetic barriers. There was also pictures, dozens of pictures from the crew, the places they had visited, and in some cases, their own families as was the case for James and Ashley Williams and their still growing brood of two daughters, soon to be three last time Kelly had heard from them. Jack and Miranda had also settled down together, alongside Miranda's sister Ariana. Joker and EDI were also present, as where Grunt, Rex, Harris, and all the rest, but it was the memorial section of the wall facing the front door that any visitors to the estate would see first. A list of names were present, starting with Kaiden Aleppo, and appropriately ending with David Anderson, the first and last casualties among the Normandy's crew. Each name had a corresponding picture beside it, ensuring their sacrifices were never forgotten, but also to remind anyone that came that Shepard held them all equally important, regardless if they were still present or not since the list of those lost was smack-dab in the middle of happier memories. It would also give the two visitors a deep, long hard look at the woman they were hoping to recruit. What they took away from it was up for debate, but Kelly had a good feeling about Jacques at least as she nodded, in what the psychologist took as understanding of what they were likely walking into. Military decorum was important to her if the way the dark skinned woman put a hand on the list and bowed her head in respect was anything to go by. A fact not lost on Shepard as she met Kelly's gaze, having silently entered the hallway to get a measure of these two personally. "I could list them off from memory long before it was made official at the end of the war. But I get the feeling you didn't come this far for stories." Briefly hugging Kelly with one arm, her steel blue eyes never left Cassie or Jacques's respective faces as she folded her hands behind her back, curious about these two. "So, what brings a couple of portal hoppers to my neck of the woods? And please, I've been retired from service for five years, it's Shepard or Jessica to you two. Call me ma'am or Commander and we might have an issue." Her tone was light, easy going, but the presence of her sidearm made it a little hard not to wonder if she wasn't being partially serious at the same time. "I don't understand," Shang Sung confessed, as Bobbi and Sharon picked up opposite ends of a work table and then moved it to the window, while still having it several feet away from the actual window itself. "Why not just lean on the window?" he then asked, his befuddlement with technological still shining brightly while with the two ladies. Initially he tried to feign an ability to pick up on what they were doing, but the two women were smart enough and astute enough to see through his attempts at covering his gaps at knowledge but were still not going to tell him anything unless they had to, or he asked, thus compelling him to humble himself to do so time and time again, undoubtedly to the amusement of the two women. Not only was he fucking them both regularly, ostensibly to 'refuel' himself, but he often had to take a step back while the women went to work with their technological marvels. It looked like a sniper rifle but obviously wasn't as Sharon unboxed a long, cylindrical item that was at least four feet long and even had a rifle scope mounted on the top. Sharon meanwhile turned to Shang to explain. "It's like a laser microphone but more advanced. Having scoped out the security of the Shepherd manor, we noticed the security seems fairly extensive. So they could probably detect and counter a laser microphone beam. So this uses hyperwaves to detect subtle vibrations through the glass, walls and ambient air molecules to pick up what's being said," Sharon then explained as Bobbi then laid out the hyperwave beam microphone onto the table, setting it up exactly like a sniper rifle." I wish Natasha was here. She could crack that fortress like a walnut," Bobbi then stated with an almost casual matter of fact manner. Shang grimaced a bit, barely catching onto what was just explained to him. On one level, it made sense to him, but it was still beyond his ability to comprehend even if he could understand what they were doing, essentially listening in on their conversation. It all seemed so extreme so he only had to ask one question." Will it work?" he asked suspiciously." Be lucky if we get some fragments," Sharon replied honestly as she turned and started to tweak with the microphones settings and even getting readings on the target. The two women had set up their snipers roost on a higher floor of one of Thesis's still reconstructed skyscrapers, one of the few that had a clear field of view of the manor located several kilometers away and barely looking like anything more than a half inch tall dot on the horizon. "Better through glass, or a kinetic barrier. Metal we'd be lucky to identify the tone of voice ownership."" Not that we need it. We all know why Cassie and Jacques are here," Bobbi then stated as she laid out onto the table and shouldered the large piece of equipment just like a rifle. "Now here we go..." she then said, dialing in a knob for range and slowly zooming in as nearby, Sharon and Shang stood nearby, knowing that at this distance, while their chances of being able to do anything beyond watching them was minimal, at least they could confirm a meeting between the Earthrealmers and Shepherd's people was taking place. That and any other information they got would undoubtedly be of great interest to the Empress.---"Commander-," Cassie then stated before wincing almost immediately, already having overlooked what she had just said about titles. Jacques scoffed and smirked a bit, shaking her head as her friend caught herself and started over. "Shepherd," she then said, finding it weird to call someone of a superior rank, albeit many times removed from her own chain of command, that she had just met, by her first name. "The reason we are here is pretty simple. As I'm sure your intelligence network knows, we have been 'portal hopping' but we're not the only ones. I'm not going to bore you with the entire many worlds or dimensions theory. Let me just say, a lot of people consider you the savior of this world and many others. We're hoping to enlist your services in saving our world," she then stated before taking a deep breath, knowing what she was going to say next would sound like it came out of a comic book." You see, in our... dimension... there are some beings who for all intents and purposes are considered Gods over this multitude of realms, one of them being mine, Earth. Every so often, they throw this completely backwards and barbaric martial arts tournament called Mortal Kombat where each world's best fighters compete with each other with the prize being the possession of the losing fighting teams world. Since killing off these asshole divinities is clearly impractical, we're kind of forced to compete to win. Well.... recently the world we are competing with gained access to this dimensional portal hopping technology and despite our best efforts at leveling the playing field, we're pretty sure their agents are already here. If not... on this planet, certainly in this galaxy somewhere. And since your face is plastered as the paragon hero everywhere, champion hero of the galaxy, chances are they're going to view you as a prime target."" You see, these guys want the best fighters for their tournament. And unlike us, they won't ask nicely what I'm about to ask you," she then said. "We're wondering if you would come back to Earth with us and fight with us on our behalf in this tournament. Help keep Earth free of these outside invaders," Cassie then explained, knowing that her explanation sounded absolutely ridiculous but also trying to keep it as short as possible so as not to wear Jessica out with what she was sure the paragon was thinking was nonsense. Jessica for her part only leaned against the wall, an eyebrow raised as she listened to the understandably outlandish explanation, but considering everything she had seen and experienced for herself, it wasn't so hard to swallow. Even so, she didn't respond right away, letting their explanation sink in while Lara listened in from her spot on the piano, unaware that they had another team already spying on them as they spoke. Her network, along with everything else, had been brought to near complete ruin, so there were...gaps, that could be exploited, which were being exploited by Shang Sung and his two bodyguards. But both women understood a potential threat when they heard one, so Shepard nodded and rubbed at her chin with her right hand, the softly blue glowing lines of her cybernetics pulsating a little quicker in response to her slight increase in curiosity and the fact they might be in danger. She was as calm as ever though, having faced such odds many times. "I'll admit, it does sound like a story that'd get you landed in the nearest mental asylum, but I've been through too much to just dismiss anything out of hand. Hell, when I came into contact with that first protean beacon way back when, I considered the possibility that thing made me insane after downloading its very...let's call it vivid, warning into my skull. Turns out I wasn't so fortunate, but that's a whole other story. But gods, magic, a tournament? That's a bit much, but I'm listening, if nothing else. And you say your opponent will likely come after me too, huh? Well, as you saw on the way down here, that's not going to be so easy as walking through the front door." She paused though and turned just as the sound of the piano in the next room stopped, and Lara's footsteps could be heard even approaching them across the hard metallic floor. "Didn't you used to talk about old Earth tales involving beings from other realms and the like Jessica?" The amused gleam in her deep, blue eyes, her tone of voice containing a teasing, playful edge, said she knew full well what she was 'asking' about, even if it was a strange way to confirm Jacques and Cassie's story. It still fit though, and Jessica picked right up where Lara was heading with her line of thought, unable to help but chuckle and nod in response. "Yeah, and you know what they were called Lara. Marvel and DC both had a pretty good run back in the day when I was a kid. Iron Man, Thor, and all the rest, so I'm no stranger to the idea of different realities, but until now, well, I wouldn't have believed they were real, but someone sent me video footage of your portal, so I know that much is true. So it stands to reason the rest is as well if there can be more than one Earth out there. I imagine you hadn't heard of Reapers until you showed up here." She didn't need to see the nods they gave her to know that was true since as advanced as they were, the assorted races had no means to open up a stable portal to anywhere, let alone another reality or dimension, depending on one's preference. "Well there you go, but that said, it's still a lot to take in. I'm interested, but I can't promise I'll give you the answer you want. Why don't you start at the beginning, and having something to call you two by would be appreciated, kinda feel at a disadvantage at the moment." Shepard replied, her arm having since wrapped around Lara's slender waist while Kelly only chuckled and shook her head. It was no secret to the redhead, or Lara for that matter, that Shepard was madly in love with the Atari next to her, but it still brought a warm and pleasant feeling to see them so engrossed with each other despite everything they had had to endure to get to where they were now. Just as they started to head to the living room, where Lara had been playing the piano, a ball of white hard light zipped down to hover in front of Shepard and Lara. "Excuse me Doctor T'son, but little Newly has woken up, and she's currently crying. I believe she needs your motherly affections."" Thank you Glyph. Excuse me, the joys of parenthood waits for no one." Leaving one last kiss on Shepard's cheek, Lara pulled away from her bandmate's grasp and walked away, up a nearby flight of stairs, and down the hallway on the second floor, leaving Shepard to deal with their visitors. Shepard only shrugged when she saw the curious looks from both Cassie and Jacques respectively. "I'm not sure how much you know about Atari physiology, but let's just say I'll be lucky to be a hundred years old when I take our little girl to her first high school prom dance, or the Atari equivalent at least. I knew that going in though, when I made it official between us, so I can't complain even if I wanted to." Realizing she was rambling a little, Jessica laughed a little at herself, and rubbed the back of her neck with her left hand in mild embarrassment. "Right, sorry, I tend to get sidetracked."" I could never tell." Kelly teased, earning an amused snort from Jessica as she led the way to the spacious, well appointed living room before the psychologist sat down in one of the high backed, black leather chairs while Jessica took a spot on a matching couch situated before a small coffee table and a sister, more Atari styled couch across from it, which she gestured for Cassie and Jacques to take if they wanted." Mi Casey SU Casey, or however you say that. So, what's this tournament about exactly? If I'm gonna even consider helping you, I need information, as much as you can give me, no matter how strange it might sound. I'm open-minded as I think we've established by now, so let's hear it." The switch between the civilian Jessica Shepard and the Commander before them now was both subtle yet pronounced. Her face and tone of voice had remained largely the same, but the way her steel blue eyes had zeroed in on them, and the fact her voice held an underlying current of confidence and even sympathy, compassion perhaps, was hard to miss. The strength there was obvious, but it went beyond the physical sense. There was something....more to this person, something that encouraged the best from everyone around her, no matter who they were or where they had come from in the past. Whatever the case, it'd be hard not to trust her to give this serious thought, even if her desire to live out the rest of her years in peace won out, and really who could blame her for wanting to not get involved in someone else's war? She'd given enough, far more than anyone had a right to ask, but if what these two had hinted at was true, then chances were she wouldn't have a choice if Earth realm's enemies were willing to do more than simply talk. But it was too early to tell how things would go just yet. At least she was willing to listen, so there was that working for the SF women's favor. They both glanced at Kelly, before realizing the impetus was on them to introduce themselves. "Sergeant Cassie Cage," Cassandra then said before nodding to her companion. "Corporal Briggs," she then added in short as Jacques just grinned." Jacqui Briggs. Special Forces... both of us," she then added, thinking Cassie's introductions were a bit sparing and wanting to make clear the military linkage there was hopefully between the three of them. Cassie and Jacques exchanged glances and immediately shared a knowing nod at the mention of long-lived species. "Poor Liu..." Cassie then mouthed to Jacques quietly, causing the Black woman to snicker a bit before they waited for Jessica to finish and heard her graciously allow them to explain themselves some more, expanding on the radical ideas they had brought forward earlier. In fact, they were glad they were getting more traction than they had originally hoped. "Well this next Mortal Kombat tournament, if we lose it, means Earth realm, our home, loses as well. Our enemies will be free to invade our realm and conquer it," Cassie then explained. "But if we win, then we can solidify our independence from our enemies." She paused and shifted in her seat a bit. "But we need the best fighters and warriors we can have in what is basically a martial arts competition. Our main rival realm is known as Out world, and they recently came into receiving new technology from a source we're still trying to identify. They are the ones who found a way to access other dimensions. We managed to steal that technology to hopefully... head off their efforts."" As a former... military woman, I'm sure you can understand how having access to greater resources is key in any sort of competition or battle," Jacques then stated. "These people will stop at nothing to conquer our realms. If we can win this tournament though, we'll be one big step closer to validating our independence in the eyes of the powers that be." The entire time the two NCO's were trying to get a read on Jessica's rather unflappable demeanor, noting that while she was obviously capable of displaying emotions rather readily, she was still hard to get a sense of even as she spoke so earnestly. Shepard nodded upon the introductions, filing them away just as Lara came down with a little blue bundle wrapped in a purple blanket, held gingerly against her shoulder. While the none too subtle message was heard regarding them being from a similar military background, Lara brought one right back in the form of little Newly, who had fallen right back to sleep against the Atari's shoulder. Her own message was simple, she had something far more precious and valuable right here that would make leaving that much more difficult. That said, defending what she had would also require the same sacrifice, that she leave and fight in yet another war from the sound of it. But Shepard didn't say any of that out loud, instead focusing on the two women before her as Lara sat down next to her. The more she heard, the more the part of her that had stood up to the Reapers, the indomitable woman that had united a galaxy, wanted to help them, but that person had been five years on a much-needed leave. That woman had seen the end of a war, and the rest of her wasn't eager to see another even if this particular one sounded like a much more civilized one with rules and guidelines of some sort. Despite this, it would still require her to go back to that woman, that hardened soldier, and Shepard wasn't sure she could do it. Until Lara put a hand on her shoulder, making Jess meet the Atari's gaze. The woman's eyes met hers, and Shepard saw all the reassurance, understanding, and sympathy she would ever need. She reached up and gently squeezed the blue skinned woman's fingers between her own before turning to Jacques and Cassie. "I think it goes without saying I have a lot to lose here. I have a family, I've built something here, something I would not let go without a fight. With that in mind, I didn't get this far by turning my back to someone else's plight. I can't ignore a possible threat like this in good conscience, not if I can do something to stop it. You say your reality's in danger of being conquered, and you came this far to ensure your world had a chance? Well, I can't ignore the lengths you've gone to ensure you had a fighting chance. Besides, I made a reputation of doing the impossible on a regular basis, just ask any of my crew."" She's right. We tended to beat the odds repeatedly." Lara replied, albeit softly as she understood what was happening here. Despite how proud she was that Shepard was going to help yet another people out of a bad situation, there was a hardness in her gaze said that she didn't like it at the same time. And that cold, hard glare was on Cassie and Jacques for having dragged Shepard into their fight, despite the simple fact they had stuck their nose into every pocket of the galaxy just to prepare for the greater threat, dredging up old, sometimes ancient secrets between the respective races, correcting every wrong they came across. But this was different, yet it still required Shepard to leave, to go to war, this time without her. Shepard saw the look before glancing at Kelly, who only shrugged, leaving it to them to sort out on their own unless she needed to step in. Seeing no help there, Jess turned to Lara directly. Before she could say a word though, the hard grimace on the Atari's face softened, and she sagged visibly in the chair, her hold on their child never slipping away. She only sighed and shook her head. "I don't like it Jessica, but I know you can't sit here and do nothing, not if there's someone that needs our help....your help in this case." Just as she started to open her mouth to protest, Lara shook her head and smiled, albeit sadly. "You and I both know we'd only get in your way this time Jessica. Going with you would just put us in unnecessary danger. If it makes you feel better, I'll pack up and head for a more....secure location." Said location would likely be on Hannah Shepard's ship, the Kilimanjaro, a dreadnought of the System's Alliance. "We'll be fine." Shepard sighed but nodded, before pulling Lara into her side and putting a tender kiss on the back of Newly's blue crested head. "I'll come back, I always do." She whispered, earning a solemn nod from the older Atari. Slowly standing to her feet, Jessica straightened in one fluid movement, and rolled her shoulders experimentally before regarding the two SF women on her couch. "If we're going to go, let me get some stuff together before I change my mind." Cassie felt a bit weirded out by the whole thing, despite the debrief she got before this all went down. First the whole lesbian biological offspring thing. Did that even involve sex? But then the blue headed baby, it was almost an uncanny valley for her, which was saying something considering everything she had seen so far. Plus there is the fact that kids in general made her uneasy just on general principle. Not like Jacques, she seemed to be tolerable of the little rugrats, even in the inconsolable infant phase. In fact Cassie was actually wishing she had her shades on so she wouldn't have to use her considerable martial discipline to show how pensive she was with her eyes darting about, looking for nonexistent clocks to check the time while still keeping an ear to the goal they had here. Needless to say, she was rather awestruck, or something like it, when she heard those magic words. Or rather a variation of them. It didn't matter as Cassie immediately perked up in her seat. "You're going?" Cassie stammered, a little wide-eyed. Next to her, Jacques shifted more uncomfortably in her seat at Cassie's lack of subtlety at how their long shot gamble had actually worked, and rather rapidly as well. "You'll do it?" Jacques gently nudged her in the arm, not wanting Shepherd to be given a chance to obviously change her busy mind. "I mean wow... thank you. I... I.... will have to double-check the preparations," Cassie then said. "We're HHH not out of the woods yet. We have to..." Cassie then said turning to Jacques. "... Make sure everything is safe on this end. A warship is a pretty safe place to be though. Definitely better than somewhere on the ground though this is really impressive," she added as an awkward but sincere compliment. "We still have time... we factored that in before we left, so you can make your preparations. One of us should stick around though at all times while we make our own preparations." Jacqui was nodding. "Yeah. We don't know what kind of presence the Outworkers might have here. But we can sniff them out if they're close. And your security here is top-notch. So it should be okay. The main threat is that we're still not sure how refined the interdimensional transit might actually be. How precise or refined it is. Whether they can show up on any planet, or a certain planet... things like that. We ended up in the Terminus Systems ourselves with no real idea how or why we ended up there as opposed to anywhere else. Getting here was hectic, but we managed to thanks to Kelly here," Jacques then said with a nod from Kelly." And when you're ready, we can set up the apparatus to bring us back to Earth realm," Cassie then added with an emphatic nod. ((One minor gripe, they didn't say a word about Shepard's mother or her dreadnought, not out loud anyway. Beyond that I'm cool with your post. ’D))Looking over her shoulder as the two ladies stared open mouth at her in their respective ways, Shepard couldn't help but smirk a little as she nodded in response to their awestruck question about her going with them. "Get used to having me around. Once I set my mind on something, it's pretty much a lost cause in trying to change it." She chuckled, her eyes gleaming in the softly lit room before her playful smirk disappeared, her face hardening while her voice remained the same strong, charismatic tone they had heard since coming into her home. "That's probably a good idea, staying close at hand in case your enemies decide to pay us a visit. Honestly, a part of me is itching for a chance to test myself again, but thankfully I have better sense than that." The amused eye roll from both Lara and Kelly said otherwise. Shepard looked at the two and scowled playfully. "Hey, I haven't done anything crazy for a long time."" You haven't had a chance to." Lara retorted before turning her gaze on Jacques and Cassie, her visage far softer than before. "A word of advice, N7 combat training covers every element you can think of, including driving armored tanks and other vehicles. That said, Shepard is not to be trusted behind the wheel of anything if you value the contents of your stomachs."" I think you're forgetting it was my driving that got us through some of those insane missions." Shepard shot back, but shrugged all the same since it was true regarding her questionable skill behind the driver's seat." And that's why I'll be teaching Newly how to drive." Lara chuckled as she stood to her feet and pulled the human into one last, one-armed hug, Newly nestled between them. "Goddess protect you, my Commander. End this threat, and come back to me."" I will." Shepard whispered back, lingering in that hug for several long moments before stepping back and away before turning her gaze on Kelly next. "Kelly? Think you can help get the old gang together to watch over the wife and kid?"" Do you even have to ask Jessica? Good luck, and hopefully this will end quickly." With that, Kelly followed Lara to a side room of the estate, leaving Shepard, Cassie, and Jacques in the living room, but she didn't remain there for long as she started for the second floor. As she walked, determination apparent in her stride, Jessica started to emit a dark energy field around her body subconsciously for a few seconds before it stilled, disappearing back into her flesh. The Commander was making a comeback, the Civilian mentality of Jessica Shepard was taking a backseat. It was a subtle transition, but one that was hard not to notice as Shepard stood straighter, her stride became longer, and she just held herself in such a way that drew people to her side. If either of them followed her while the other guarded Lara and Kelly, they'd be treated to the rare sight of her donning her old armor for the first time in five years when she went to a room at the end of the hall on the second floor, past the master bedroom, past a storage closet, and a workroom for Lara's duties as a semi active information broker alongside her drill partner. But Shepard ignored all of it as she put a hand on the panel next to the thickest door either of them had likely seen for some time. Bending down as a retinal scanner popped out above the palm scanner, she didn't blink as it took a scan before a small microphone appeared between the two. "This is Commander Jessica Shepard, N7 graduate Systems Alliance marine." With that, the locks disengaged, and the door slid away with a near silent hiss. Behind the door was an elevator, which would take them down to a basement level, a panic room designed to withstand a shot from a Reaper's main gun, let alone a nuclear blast. It also served as Shepard and Lara's personal armory, obvious by the row upon row of kinetic based guns, ranging from heavy pistols to the huge guns, such as her Singularity Cannon and her assorted grenade launchers. Despite being a biotic, and a damn good one at that, Shepard had always had a fondness for guns, and it showed from the meticulous care and love each of the items showed. But her main equipment, what had been salvaged after activating the Crucible and surviving the ensuing crash, was on the far wall, her rebuilt and subsequently upgraded armor standing proudly in the center. Shepard hesitated before the glass that kept it separated from her and the elements, and ran a hand over the transparent barrier, which shimmered as a kinetic shield flickered to life. "I didn't think I'd have to put this back on again. I have a lot of memories with this get up, when I decided to upgrade after I was spaced when the Normandy SR 1 was destroyed. That's another long story." She chuckled humorlessly as she undressed without a care despite the audience behind her before opening the glass case before her, the only item she kept on her naked body being the biotic amp in the back of her neck, and her dog tags which hung around her neck, nestled between her breasts. Despite having been five years out of practice, the defined musculature was obvious, as were the lines of cybernetics that ran the entire length of her body. Even now, she was extremely fit and in the prime of her life from a health standpoint. And then there were the scars. Bullet holes, laser burns, knife wounds, countless injuries accumulated over a lifetime of service, and she bore them well as she took a moment to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do. This was a big step considering everything she'd endured to get this far, this was the last chance she had to turn back and go back to Lara's waiting arms. But Shepard shook off that thought almost as soon as it entered her mind since she'd be turning her back on the part of her that had achieved so much for the right reasons, to ensure this galaxy had a chance. The suit opened up like a flower petal, allowing her to step inside without a problem before it encased her just as seamlessly, the helmet coming stored on a nearby shelf within the small armor stand. She left the helmet be for now though, and instead grabbed her weaponry as her suit synced up with her OFNI-tool, allowing her to use the invaluable device without having to remove the armored gloves. An assault rifle was soon magnetized to her back as the rifle went from its full form to a collapsed version of itself, right behind a heavy pistol that bore the N7 insignia on its side, a fresh block of ammo in both ready to go. The pistol went on her hip, as had the other one she'd been wearing not ten minutes ago, quite similar to the one she had discarded in its side holster before she had donned the armor. But she picked up the holster, slung it over her shoulder, and grabbed the Singularity Cannon from its spot on the wall before deciding to put her assault rifle back and changing it out for a shotgun instead. Only once she had grabbed everything else did she put on the helmet last and turned fully to the Special Forces women that had followed her. "So, what does our ETA do you think? And I guess I should have asked before I armed up, but are there any rules I should be aware of regarding this tournament? No guns, swords? Anything like that?" She felt kind of dumb having not asked before, but she shrugged it off just as quickly. She had a feeling they'd have said something about that if that was the case.((I love this armor. ’D))Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide("There aren't any real rules in Mortal Kombat," Cassie then stated, arms folded across her chest as she checked out the wide variety of implements of warfare and destruction Shepherd seemed to have on hand at a moments notice and smirking as she realized that this was one soldier who never truly retired. "Unless agreed upon by the combatants beforehand or otherwise laid out. But you might as well bring everything you want," she then added. "Outside the tournament itself there always tends to be... surprises that one encounters well outside the competition itself," she added sardonically as Jacques and herself shared a knowing glance between each other over that"We should have plenty of time though. Like I said, we planned on an expedition of at least a couple of weeks in order to find fighters worthy of Mortal Kombat, but you were on the top of our list to be honest," Cassie then stated, her smile broadening a bit more now. "We'll have to head back to the Terminus Systems to where the portal initially left us, but we have a team of Special Forces and scientists located there that should be waiting for us. We've kept in contact with them steadily so that we won't get any surprises on our return trip."" But we can depart whenever you are ready," Jacques then stated. "And in whatever way you feel would be most convenient for you. We've read some of the publicly available reports you have in the media, and from what Kelly has told us. We know you work best as part of a team. Furthermore, we're not too dissimilar in that regard. If any of your companions are willing to come with us, we are more than willing to accommodate them of course," she added, not wanting to look a godsend gift like Shepherd's services with too much scrutiny. Shepard listened to their explanations, before giving them both a subtle nod of her helmet covered head as she made for the elevator once more. "Thanks for the warning then, makes my decision to bring in a few friends all the simpler. The time will be needed anyway for that same reason since I'm such a public figure, and as much as I'd like to believe otherwise, the Citadel Council doesn't like to let their Specters go without some notification at the very least. I might be unofficially retired, but Specters don't get that privilege, even with someone....very informed, holding them over hot coals." She chuckled wryly, imagining the miles of dirt Lara had on the respective councilors, but even that might not be enough if they pressed hard enough to keep Shepard in this particular space-time. That said, she wasn't about to take no for an answer either, so it'd take a team of Atari commandos, and possibly a bit more, for her to not leave on another mission for someone that clearly needed the help if half of what Jacques and Cassie had told them was to be believed. Fortunately for them, the following week and a half, necessary time to get her team informed of what was going on and to inform the Council that she was heading out for a while, on a mission in another reality of all things, no complications arose. Lara, Newly, and their loyal get companions all made it to Hannah Shepard's ship okay, while Kashmir and Grunt were standing behind Shepard on the small transport ship that had come along to pick up herself, Cassie, and Jacques, well on their way to their destination at this point. The view outside was lost on the giant brogan as he clapped his giant meaty hands together, his blue eyes glowing in the darkened cargo area. "Battle master." Grunt...grunted in greeting, heavily armored and armed as always as he ambled up to the party. "We going to get this show on the road or what? I haven't had a good fight in ages."" Hey She." The master thief chuckled, appearing beside the clone super soldier, her face obscured and hooded as always. "I have to say, if you had told us we'd be heading to another reality, planning to fight in some supernatural tournament ran by some strange empress before I got to know you, I'd have probably laughed in your face. Now though, well, the impossible happened around you regularly during the War. Glad to see things haven't changed since you turned domestic on us."" Good to see you too Kashmir." Shepard shot back, her grin audible as she leaned against the ship's wall, her armored covered arms crossed over her chest. "It's good to see both of you honestly." Grunt shuffled his enormous feet in an awkward shuffle, trying, and failing, to disguise his happiness at seeing her again while Kashmir just grinned under her hood. "Cassie, Jacques, meet Kashmir Got, master thief, hacker, and infiltration specialist. Unknot Grunt, brogan, cloned super soldier, and one of the biggest softies in the galaxy once you get past his rough exterior." Grunt rolled his eyes but shrugged, not about to argue with the woman that had gotten them all this far. That and he wasn't in any hurry to piss her off, having seen more than his share of examples of what happened to those that crossed her. They tended not to live long at all. That didn't stop him from glaring at the two women at Shepard's side. "They look puny battle master. You sure you want to fight with them?"" Grunt, be nice. And we're here to help them, not insult them." Shepard chastised him, to which Grunt only shrugged but said nothing more on the subject. "You get used to him."" Like an oversized teddy bear, with a perchance for anything that makes a very big mess and a loud explosion." Kashmir chimed in." I didn't say he wasn't dangerous, but yeah, that's about right." Shepard chuckled again, before nodding towards the 'oversized teddy bear' in question. "He does love a good fight, but once you have his respect, he's one of the most steadfast people you could ask for. Just don't challenge him directly unless you want to pick your teeth off the floor, and most of your face. Unless you've been cybernetically enhanced or something."" Hehehehe, speaking of which Shepard, you sure you're up for this? You've been out of the game for five years, raising your little Jack Newly. Cute kid though, so there's that." Grunt said, to which Shepard shrugged this time." I'm curious myself honestly, but I think we're being alright. Between the three of us and some time to get back in shape, I think I'll be almost back up to snuff by the time we're officially up to our necks. Besides, this isn't a straight-up war, it's a tournament, which means there's some form of civility about it. That said, I brought you two along so if there are any unwanted surprises, we'd be ready for them."" And I imagine you're hoping I might be able to sneak around, and perhaps gain some much-needed intel regarding the empress and her goons in question." Kashmir chimed in, to which Shepard nodded in answer. "So, same shit different reality."" You didn't have to come along you know."" And miss out on a chance to get into trouble like we used to?" Kashmir retorted, her brown eyes gleaming underneath the confines of her hood. "That and I was getting bored with my usual crimes. This is much more entertaining."

Exploring the Realms, One War at a Time. (Vergil1989 & Neysha)|rating:4.0

Caracal Company (IC; OPEN)

(IOC:viewtopic.php?f=31&t=222316)1400Forward Operating Base (FOB) Woodstock Kandahar Province, Afghanistan2 July 2013Woodstock was your typical ISAF FOB, consisting of multiple layers of defense, consisting of TESCO barriers, barbed wire, concrete barriers, guard towers, ditches, and other defensive structures. It was a recently established FOB, housing units of the 82nd. Airborne, the 1st. Royal Highlanders, ANA troops, and of course, the newly-established Delta Company of the US Army Special Forces. The base contained a detention facility, barracks, an armory, an airfield, and a field medical hospital. A large C-130 Hercules landed on the airstrip. Inside were the newest editions to Caracas, mainly just the first women to graduate from SF Selection, and some men who were recently assigned to Caracas. The Company CO, CPT Allan, along with the 3 other platoons, was already in the country. He was previously the Company CO for Alpha Company and was earmarked to be the new Battalion TO, but they decided to instead delay his promotion and place him in charge of Caracas Company. Inside his tent sat CPT Allan, wearing nothing but his desert combat boots, his dog tags, a pair of black Norwich University Corps of Cadets PT shorts, his black-tinted aviators, and a Multicar boogie. He was sitting in a somewhat battered and torn leather chair, watching CNN as he drank some coffee. He had a five o'clock shadow going, and he seemed to be more at ease than the average soldier in Weirton Kandahar. In reality, he was a stern, disciplined officer during missions. He had served for around 16 years, and although he was a model soldier who did what he was supposed to do, the cold, hard shaft of military politics always seemed to shaft him. To put it in layman's terms, there were some people up top who found the Captain to be "unorthodox", to put it in the best of terms. If he wasn't shafted so much by the Army, then he would've been a Lieutenant Colonel by now. As he watched TV, a Specialist approached him, obviously wearing a more proper uniform than him." Sir, your people are here," the Green Beret said." Fuck...alright, let me get dressed," he said as he stood up. With that, he changed into his multicar uniform, which was adorned with the numerous badges and tabs that he had earned. He then put on his Patrol Cover and made his way over to the airstrip, with two Specialists alongside him. He looked on as the men and women assembled on the runway. Furthermore, he approached them, standing at attention as he looked over at them. The rest of the company soon began to form up, with the Squad Leaders, Platoon Sergeants, and Platoon Leaders arranging everyone into their appropriate platoons, with the Company Staff forming up at the front of the Company."COMPANY, ATTENTION!" Allan sounded off. Iona stepped of the C-130 and on the gray tarmac, this was glad to be in Afghanistan and not because of the country its self, the place was a cesspit her option, the reason she was glad to be there however, was that she was making her family proud by serving on the front lines of the war on terror, Iona quickly organized herself as the company CO approached, she stood at attention as he shouted out. Kandahar Province, Afghanistan As the C-130 could be felt slowly descending to the airstrip below, Martin shut off his computer, which he had been working on communications with and placed it back into his bag. He leaned back in his seat as the wheels hit the ground, jolting him to the left and right, a feeling he was used to by now. He ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes, saying a quick prayer just before the large door opened, and the hot Arabian sun shone through the back of the plane. Furthermore, he grabbed his sunglasses and placed them over his eyes, stroking his beard before putting his helmet on and picking up his rifle. Furthermore, he got up and walked towards the back end, he quickly saw the Captain emerge from his tent and the woman beside him snap to attention. Furthermore, he chuckled at the woman's response before placing his rifle butt down and saluting the Captain, "Good Afternoon, Captain." he said, with a quick and monotone voice - being sure not to piss him off. The Keystone Federation wrote:Kandahar Province, Afghanistan As the C-130 could be felt slowly descending to the airstrip below, Martin shut off his computer, which he had been working on communications with and placed it back into his bag. He leaned back in his seat as the wheels hit the ground, jolting him to the left and right, a feeling he was used to by now. He ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes, saying a quick prayer just before the large door opened, and the hot Arabian sun shone through the back of the plane. Furthermore, he grabbed his sunglasses and placed them over his eyes, stroking his beard before putting his helmet on and picking up his rifle. Furthermore, he got up and walked towards the back end, he quickly saw the Captain emerge from his tent and the woman beside him snap to attention. Furthermore, he chuckled at the woman's response before placing his rifle butt down and saluting the Captain, "Good Afternoon, Captain." he said, with a quick and monotone voice - being sure not to piss him off. Usually, CPT Allan was one of the most chill guys on base, but he knew when to be looked on, and when he was locked on, he could be one of the meanest officers in Afghanistan. This was one of those locked-on times, and the officer gave Martin a stern glare as the man fell in with the rest of the Company Staff. He would have to talk to Martin about that later. Specialist Kara Munro snapped to attention, eyes level, as she waited for the captain to issue instructions. She was anxious to prove herself, and to show that she could support her fellow soldiers while still outdoing them. It might have been a little extreme, especially for a woman from a relatively small city who carried the 'innocent little girl' stereotype with her, but that was her in a nutshell. Allan paced up a down the line, studying his Green Berets as they awaited his orders. He walked through the ranks observing them before making his way to the front, turning to face them." Welcome to Afghanistan, Green Berets!" Allan said. "You are part of the 5th. Special Forces Group, 2nd. Battalion, Delta Company. While the government sees us as that designation, we are Caracas Company. You may be different 'cause of what's between your legs, whether it be a slit or a dick, but you are Green Berets. You will live together, you will eat together, you will sleep together, you will hygiene together, and you will fight together. In Caracas, there are no divisive factors that make you unequal; you are all equal." Next, Allan pulled out a photograph from his pocket. It was a small photograph, with a picture of 5 Afghan guerrillas - 2 young children, a teenager, an adult, and an old man - all holding Kalashnikov's. Allan walked around, holding the picture in the faces of his Green Berets, making sure that they had a few seconds to see the picture. He then returned to his spot up front, and began to speak again." Let that image be ingrained in your mind," Allan said, waiting for a minute before speaking once again. "They don't give a damn 'bout you! They don't give a damn 'bout your past! They don't give a damn 'bout what families you may have back home! Furthermore, they ain't afraid to kill you, and they won't even blink or have seconds thoughts! You should not either! KILL. HAJJI. Don't let Hajji get the first shot. Don't think when you're aimin' your weapon at Hajji's head, even when he's seven years old. Just pull that trigger, 'cause if you don't, Hajji wins. Do you want Hajji to win?!?" Clan wrote:Allan paced up a down the line, studying his Green Berets as they awaited his orders. He walked through the ranks observing them before making his way to the front, turning to face them." Welcome to Afghanistan, Green Berets!" Allan said. "You are part of the 5th. Special Forces Group, 2nd. Battalion, Delta Company. While the government sees us as that designation, we are Caracas Company. You may be different 'cause of what's between your legs, whether it be a slit or a dick, but you are Green Berets. You will live together, you will eat together, you will sleep together, you will hygiene together, and you will fight together. In Caracas, there are no divisive factors that make you unequal; you are all equal." Next, Allan pulled out a photograph from his pocket. It was a small photograph, with a picture of 5 Afghan guerrillas - 2 young children, a teenager, an adult, and an old man - all holding Kalashnikov's. Allan walked around, holding the picture in the faces of his Green Berets, making sure that they had a few seconds to see the picture. He then returned to his spot up front, and began to speak again." Let that image be ingrained in your mind," Allan said, waiting for a minute before speaking once again. "They don't give a damn 'bout you! They don't give a damn 'bout your past! They don't give a damn 'bout what families you may have back home! Furthermore, they ain't afraid to kill you, and they won't even blink or have seconds thoughts! You should not either! KILL. HAJJI. Don't let Hajji get the first shot. Don't think when you're aimin' your weapon at Hajji's head, even when he's seven years old. Just pull that trigger, 'cause if you don't, Hajji wins. Do you want Hajji to win?!?" As the CO walked around showing them the picture, it was a group of what Iona considered Hajji insurgent scumbags, most of them were kids armed with the famous AK-47 Kalashnikov's. Those little fuckers probably brainwashed at a young age to hate Americans." No Sir" she shouted out to the CO's rhetorical question. 1407Forward Operating Base (FOB) Woodstock Kandahar Province, Afghanistan2 July 2013VT looked out the windows of the C130 as the ground came closer. The seat he was in shook as the plane slowly glided down the runway eventually coming to a stop. VT stepped out the back of the C130 with his M249 in hand. He marched behind a female Special Forces soldier. VT glanced around as his desert combat boots hit the ground below, his dog tags swayed left and right with every step. VT put on his Oakley sunglasses and marched over to the rest of the people." Corporal Vitally Artemis reporting for duty sir!"" Let that image be ingrained in your mind," Allan said, waiting for a minute before speaking once again. "They don't give a damn 'bout you! They don't give a damn 'bout your past! They don't give a damn 'bout what families you may have back home! Furthermore, they ain't afraid to kill you, and they won't even blink or have seconds thoughts! You should not either! KILL. HAJJI. Don't let Hajji get the first shot. Don't think when you're aimin' your weapon at Hajji's head, even when he's seven years old. Just pull that trigger, 'cause if you don't, Hajji wins. Do you want Hajji to win?!?"VT studied the picture and took the CO's words of advice. He paid close attention to the CO as he gave his lecture. Forward Operating Base Kandahar Province, AfghanistanBriefingMartin corrected his actions after getting a look from the Captain, he stood firmly in line and snapped his head back at attention. Out of the corner of his sunglasses he watched as the others got off of the plane, before looking at the picture of the 'towel heads' as he called them, in front of him. He kept his mouth shut unless directly asked to speak, to avoid further confrontation, which he didn't want. Martin studied the picture over in his mind, it was never easy to kill, it was never fun to kill, no matter how much he or his buddies always have bragged about 'getting able to kill Hajji's', he never liked the concept in his mind - but nonetheless war is war, and the few and the proud have to make sure war stays on the side of the good guys. And yes, there are more few and proud men than just that of the Marine Corps. The Slavic Federation of Eastern Europe wrote:1407Forward Operating Base (FOB) Woodstock Kandahar Province, Afghanistan2 July 2013VT looked out the windows of the C130 as the ground came closer. The seat he was in shook as the plane slowly glided down the runway eventually coming to a stop. VT stepped out the back of the C130 with his M249 in hand. He marched behind a female Special Forces soldier. VT glanced around as his desert combat boots hit the ground below, his dog tags swayed left and right with every step. VT put on his Oakley sunglasses and marched over to the rest of the people. "Corporal Vitally Artemis reporting for duty sir!"" Let that image be ingrained in your mind," Allan said, waiting for a minute before speaking once again. "They don't give a damn 'bout you! They don't give a damn 'bout your past! They don't give a damn 'bout what families you may have back home! Furthermore, they ain't afraid to kill you, and they won't even blink or have seconds thoughts! You should not either! KILL. HAJJI. Don't let Hajji get the first shot. Don't think when you're aimin' your weapon at Hajji's head, even when he's seven years old. Just pull that trigger, 'cause if you don't, Hajji wins. Do you want Hajji to win?!?"VT studied the picture and took the CO's words of advice. He paid close attention to the CO as he gave his lecture. The Corporal was shot a glare, as Allan wanted his troops to simply fall in without saying a word. It annoyed him when people greeted him with "REPORTING FOR DUTY SIR", or they sandwiched their greetings, such as "Sir Good Morning Sir!" He dealt with that shit at Norwich, and if it was up to him, he wouldn't have his unit in formation. After putting the photograph away, he pointed at McRae, as she was the only one to sound off. He had a grin on his face." Damn right!" he yelled. "Now I got this out of the way, allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Kurt Allan, US Army Special Forces. I graduated from Norwich University as a member of the Corps of Cadets. With that bein' said, I'm not a "dotard", or a "Corps Boner". I am a 16-year Army vet, and I'd be a Lieutenant Colonel by now, if it wasn't for a good 'ole shaftin' by General Shaft. I am a chill, at ease, and approachable officer. If you need to speak to me about anything, whether it be battle tactics or even sexual proclivities, come by my tent, because I am here for you all. While I am chill here, when I'm on the battlefield, expect me to be locked-on. You need to be locked-on on the job, 'cause while the Ali Baba ANA soldier beside you might seem like a friend, that fuckin' rag head is contemplatin' killin' you. I've lost countless friends, subordinates, and Rook Brothers to Green-on-Blue. We have an op in 0200 hours, so get yourselves situated, and then get out to the staging area. FALL OUT!" Forward Operating Base Kandahar Province, Afghanistan Martin turned from the formation and headed towards his things, which he had sat down after exiting the plane. He shouldered his weapon and picked up his bag, walking back to the barracks. He contemplated going back to the CO and apologizing, but decided against it, as he'd probably get even more pissed for kissing ass. When Martin got to the barracks he opened the door, no one had gotten there yet, he quickly claimed a rack nearest the door and placed his things on the mattress. He looked in a mirror on the wall, and saw his beard, thinking of shaving it, but again deciding against that as well. From his bag, Martin pulled his communications gear and began setting it up, attaching his radios to his Kevlar and tuning everything to the correct frequency. He also carried the SOLAR, the laser designator for air assistance. At the bottom of his bag, he found one of his MRE's which he got out and sat on his bed. Martin then zipped up his bag and sat it in his Foot Locker, not caring to lock it as he walked out to eat his MRE and look out at the FOB. He snapped the package at the bottom of the MRE, and it began to heat up as he looked out at the base. Soon he sat outside, prepared for the coming OP and getting something to eat beforehand. Kara broke ranks and went to her own space (IOC - what would be appropriate? Tents? Actual barracks?). She downed an MRE, just as Martin had; then pulled out a novel and read a few pages. Giving up after half a chapter, she bookmarked it, picked up her rifle, and went to the staging area, securing her helmet as she did. Tilt juice wrote:Kara broke ranks and went to her own space (IOC - what would be appropriate? Tents? Actual barracks?). She downed an MRE, just as Martin had; then pulled out a novel and read a few pages. Giving up after half a chapter, she bookmarked it, picked up her rifle, and went to the staging area, securing her helmet as she did.(IOC: Barracks. Also, I'm going to be gone for a few hours soon.) Halloran returned to his tent and rolled the sleeves on his blouse up to his elbows before putting on his IPTV and grabbing his 416. He then slung an assault ruck onto his back and removed his multicar cover, switching it out with a Mossy Oak Camouflage cover. He then put in his communications earpiece, and walked over to the staging area, noticing one of his new female soldiers waiting early at the staging area. Furthermore, he approached her slowly, cradling his carbine." You're awful early," he said. Clan wrote:Allan returned to his tent and rolled the sleeves on his blouse up to his elbows before putting on his IPTV and grabbing his 416. He then slung an assault ruck onto his back and removed his multicar cover, switching it out with a Mossy Oak Camouflage cover. He then put in his communications earpiece, and walked over to the staging area, noticing one of his new female soldiers waiting early at the staging area. Furthermore, he approached her slowly, cradling his carbine." You're awful early," he said. Kara nodded. "Yes sir. I'm just the kind of person that's always on the go." She took a breath, then let it out. "Here, or back at home." Forward Operating Base Kandahar Province, Afghanistan VT walked back to the barracks with his M249 at hand. He entered the barracks to see a bearded man on his mattress setting up his com gear. VT gave him a nod as he walked past. VT went to his bunk where he put on his vest. He fastened the straps and tightened it. VT put on his Rucksack, and Ammo Pouches+Canteens. VT set up his com gear and put on his helmet. Eagerly awaiting the mission he pulled up his face wrap, removed his sunglasses placing them in his pocket, and pulled his goggles down. Iona quickly followed the others in the barracks to place her stuff in barracks, before she headed to the staging area, she configured her communications gear, made some checks to her M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System and taped the middle section of a couple of her magazines before heading to the staging area. After the briefing, Anastasia went to the barracks to get here gear ready to go. She put her IRAs vest on over her Multicar uniform and her MICH 2000 helmet on her head. She made sure her SOPPED Block II M4 was configured exactly the way she wanted it with an Élan Specter DR scope, PEQ-15, Surefire flashlight and Magnum BUS sights, and then loaded a PMA into the carbine. After her checks were complete, she went to the staging area. Allan walked around the area, observing his troops. They all seemed to be ready for their first operation, and Allan was eager to see how they would operate as a company. He waved his hand in the air and stepped in front of them." Alright, we're gonna head on into a village south of here, and track down some Bad Brown," he said. "DEA FAST teams have been trackin' Bad Brown production in Afghanistan, 'cause Afghanistan is the worlds' no. 1 producer of Bad Brown. All the money from Bad Brown goes to the warlords who run this country, as well as to the insurgents. Our job is to find the Bad Brown they have in this village. A word of warnin': try not to offend the locals, ladies. Be respectful, and if you see any child molestation goin' on, look the other way. There are many reasons as to why I'm still a Captain, rather than a Lieutenant Colonel." Several RG-33L Maps pulled up, along with a few HMMWVs. Allan climbed into one of the HMMWVs, while the company began filling the other vehicles. Once the troops were aboard, the convoy would take off to the village. The drive was a bit long, so the newly-minted Green Berets could get to know each other better. Martin quickly finished his MRE, throwing into a disposal bin alongside the door of the barracks. He put on his bag along with several pieces of comms equipment, which he double-checked. "Testing, testing, 5th. Special Forces Group, 2nd. Battalion, Delta Company, Comms Officer Martin checking in, over." He then proceeded to lift the rest of equipment on and picked up his HK416 - running for the convoy. He slowed down a bit and fast walked to the door, looking up at the gunner, which seemed to be a lesser rank than him, he just nodded, "Comms Officer Martin, nice to meet you." He then opened the large door to the HMMWV and slid over to the far seat. Again he adjusted his gear, snapping on his helmet and making sure everything was tied on. The generally warm, welcoming breeze of the Afghan wind brushed gently against Michael's appealingly Babyface textures he stepped out of the aircraft with other fellow soldiers, several thoughts had been racing through him None of them, so far, know that he outranks all of them, none of them, so far, know that his rank is just one shy of competing with that of their commander, and none of them, so far, know who he even she never saw any of them before, not in training, not in battle, and certainly never before in his life, and now, he is going to be forced to live with them Aside from the less-than tolerable hospitality from both the enemy, and the army, he's been in similar situations before He took just one step off the ship, and he knew what to prepare himself force assembled himself in with the company He had observed every aspect of what their commanding officer had done"Welcome to Afghanistan, Green Berets!" he had said"You are part of the 5th. Special Forces Group, 2nd. Battalion, Delta Company. While the government sees us as that designation, we are Caracas Company. You may be different 'cause of what's between your legs, whether it be a slit or a dick, but you are Green Berets. You will live together, you will eat together, you will sleep together, you will hygiene together, and you will fight together. In Caracas, there are no divisive factors that make you unequal; you are all equal." their officer had continued After that, the man had pulled out a photograph he had kept in his pocket. He had given the opportunity for every soldier in the company to see. When it was Michael's turn to see what it had been, he hadn't been surprised, nor upset He had been used to images such as this. Though this was the first time he had seen a photograph of this kind, he had personally experienced it numerous times. The only thing that angers him when it comes to such things is the level of sheer ignorance, idiotry, and hatred shown when it is very apparent that these people, even the youth, have been supposedly brainwashed by their elders, by their superiors into thinking that the army is their enemy, and the root of all evil. On the battlefield, he would shoot one down without hesitation, but if otherwise, they would show even the simplest signs of humanity and innocence in them, and go everything against their supposed "training", he'd leave them be. He listened as the commanding officer had given a rhetorical question. A fellow soldier from the group had answered it. Another soldier, by the name of Artemis, Vitally Tremor, a Corporal, had introduced himself. The officer, not even annoyed or irked at the remark, turned to the soldier who introduced himself, and began to speak to the whole company." Damn Right!" he yelled Each word he had said was beginning to feel like the introduction to a seemingly never-ending monologue in a seemingly never-ending military film. Each word, echoing into his ears like they were direct orders from the HQ." Now I got this out of the way, allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Kurt Allan, US Army Special Forces. I graduated from Norwich University as a member of the Corps of Cadets. With that bein' said, I'm not a "dotard", or a "Corps Boner". I am a 16-year Army vet, and I'd be a Lieutenant Colonel by now, if it wasn't for a good 'ole shaftin' by General Shaft. I am a chill, at ease, and approachable officer. If you need to speak to me about anything, whether it be battle tactics or even sexual proclivities, come by my tent, because I am here for you all. While I am chill here, when I'm on the battlefield, expect me to be locked-on. You need to be locked-on on the job, 'cause while the Ali Baba ANA soldier beside you might seem like a friend, that fuckin' rag head is contemplatin' killin' you. I've lost countless friends, subordinates, and Rook Brothers to Green-on-Blue. We have an op in 0200 hours, so get yourselves situated, and then get out to the staging area. FALL OUT!" he had said, seemingly under just one, short,breath, as if he had been used to barking these kinds of sentences every day. When everyone had been dismissed, they had all went to grab their things, and gone to different directions Michael knew he had to speak with their commanding officer, Halloran, about his arrivalDonovich re-entered the aircraft to grab the remainder of his items that he had left behind He checked, and double-checked to make sure he had everything He left the plane and went into the barracks, put his items in his room, and left to go search for Kurt But it was too late to speak with him privately, as he had already called everyone in for their briefing"Alright, we're gonna head on into a village south of here, and track down some Bad Brown," he said"DEA FAST teams have been trackin' Bad Brown production in Afghanistan, 'cause Afghanistan is the worlds' no. 1 producer of Bad Brown. All the money from Bad Brown goes to the warlords who run this country, as well as to the insurgents. Our job is to find the Bad Brown they have in this village. A word of warnin': try not to offend the locals, ladies. Be respectful, and if you see any child molestation goin' on, look the other way. There are many reasons as to why I'm still a Captain, rather than a Lieutenant Colonel." Several military vehicles had then pulled up, and Allan had climbed himself into an HMMWV. Michael, himself,saw this as an opportunity But no, he shouldn'ttalks, he had almost forgotten his equipment...all of it With this, he had desperately sprinted to the barracks, and,as if in a race against time itself, prepared and armed himself like never before. When finished, he began to power-walk his way to the convoy, as to not get left behind He had done this sort of stuff for several years now, and the way he just forgot about for once, seemed a bit embarrassing When he came approaching to the convoy, he immediately found himself jumping into the nearest vehicle he could Ironically, as it would be had, he found himself in the same vehicle as Allan Iona climbed into one of the HMMWV whist checking her gear one last time, she took a seat in the back near the M2 gunner. As the TO entered the vehicle, Allan looked over at him, eyeing his rank before looking at the man in the eyes." What's up TO?" Allan asked as the convoy traveled down the dirt road. Closing the door of the vehicle, Michael took a moment to get himself together He didn't get the chance now, but-"What's up TO?" he heard He had then turned, and saw it to be his commander Incredible...now he can tell him... Although the chatting part after wouldn't be as easily done... As the convoy had slowly begun to seemingly roll down the dirt road, spewing chunks of rock and sand, with the occasional mud Well...he chose to be in it, and now he's going to have to go through it..." Hello, Sir..." he had found himself saying"Just the usual..."he continued Mexican Liberation wrote:Closing the door of the vehicle, Michael took a moment to get himself together He didn't get the chance now, but-"What's up TO?" he heard He had then turned, and saw it to be his commander Incredible...now he can tell him... Although the chatting part after wouldn't be as easily done... As the convoy had slowly begun to seemingly roll down the dirt road, spewing chunks of rock and sand, with the occasional mud Well...he chose to be in it, and now he's going to have to go through it..." Hello, Sir..." he had found himself saying"Just the usual..."he continued"Well, that's good to hear," Allan said as he lit up a cigar, offering an unlit one to his TO. "Sir is just a formality. You can call me Allan." Overhead, a squadron of F-15s passed, roaring as they flew. On the other half of the road, a group of herders led a herd of goats up the path, stopping to watch the convoy of tan-colored juggernauts pass them by. "Yes is...uhh, I mean, Halloran." was what he had said in responses he saw the herd of goats beside the convoy, the herders, and heard the F-15's passing overhead, something had gone through his mind This was his first assignment with Caracas Company...he's not going to ruin it like in the past... Though he's not very experienced with ground missions, he's positive he'll do more than exceptional He gracefully took the unlit cigar from his commander's hand"Can I borrow that lighter?" he asked Of course, a quick break from all his endeavors ought to recharge him...even though he just had a break less than 10 minutes ago Kandahar Province, Afghanistan VT sat in the Humvee with his M249 at hand. He looked out the window as they drove through this useless desert. Vt couldn't wait to get to the town so that way he could get out of this RPG magnet. VT pulled out a canteen and took a drink. He put the canteen away, and pulled out his phone to listen to music. And made sure the volume wasn't too loud so that way he could still hear if orders were given. Radius wrote:Iona climbed into one of the HMMWV whist checking her gear one last time, she took a seat in the back near the M2 gunner. On the other side, Kara stayed focused despite the bumpy ride through off-road terrain. Keeping her hand on the grip of her Mk 12 Mod 0 SPR, she spoke up." So, what made you join Caracas?" she asked Iona. Tilt juice wrote:Radius wrote:Iona climbed into one of the HMMWV whist checking her gear one last time, she took a seat in the back near the M2 gunner. On the other side, Kara stayed focused despite the bumpy ride through off-road terrain. Keeping her hand on the grip of her Mk 12 Mod 0 SPR, she spoke up." So, what made you join Caracas?" she asked Iona. Iona looked over to Kara as she began trying to make conversation, Iona wasn't a very conversational person so she wanted to keep it short. " Family." she said quietly, she continued to look out the window as she scanned the surroundings for anything odd, she kept her hands on her M110 rifle. As the convoy traveled down the road, an IED exploded next to one of the Maps and Allan's HMMWV, causing the vehicle to swerve a bias the explosion took out a large chunk of road. Although no one was injured and the convoy was unscathed, a majority of the green troops were shaken. If the TO was to look at Allan, he would see a man who didn't seem to even notice the IED. Allan then handed the TO the lighter." Caracal 1, Overlord," HHC reports. "Reports from UAVs suggest a substantial enemy presence in the village, along with multiple civilians. Stay frosty, over."" Copy that, Overlord," Allan replied. "Caracas 1 out." As they neared the outskirts of the village, an RPG round slammed into the ground next to the lead MRAP, causing the vehicle to suffer some turbulence. The convoy soon stopped, and the GAU-17s would spin, lighting up the village, along with the Mk. 19s. Allan was the first man on the ground, firing his 416 at an enemy position as he pounded on the doors of the Maps, signalling for the men to lower the doors. The back hatch soon opened, and two rows of Green Berets filed out of each vehicle, engaging the vehicle. The terrorists had around 5 technicals, and a company-sized force of foot soldiers. Allan seemed to be calm as bullets flying around him as he yelled for his men to use cover. A bullet slammed into his armor plate, knocking him down. Almost immediately, he opened fire, killing the insurgent that shot him before moving to cover. Barack was in the lead pack-rat as the soldiers from his previous unit had called them. He preferred to ride in something with a little more weight on it rather than the faster and more maneuverable ''Humvee's'', especially in the capital of Beds. The ride was pretty smooth considering the vehicle was designed and made for combat rather than comfort, and he had learned a long time ago that it was useless to complain about things that he couldn't change. During routine rides such as this one, he liked to keep to himself and think about his family, specifically his father. Heinz Barack Sr. had taught him everything about being a man, about being German and especially about being free. When his father died, he had been lost and confused, and he did the only thing he thought would cure his pain. 72 hours after he found out about his father's death, he enlisted in the Army and was packing his bags for basic. A loud boom interrupted his internal monologue and snapped him back to reality. The MEAT swerved to avoid the gaping whole in the ground and came to a complete stop several feet later. Barack exited the vehicle as he had done a thousand times in training as well as in the field, firing his M4A1 rifle in three round bursts at suspected enemy positions while sidestepping behind a weathered house. He yelled at 1st Platoon to line up on his right and prepare to flank the enemy on the right. Discharging his magazine, he quickly reloaded and continued supplying suppressive fire for his squad to sprint to cover. VT shook as and IED went off shaking the vehicle. VT saw the ramp drop, he stood up with his M249 at the ready, VT ran out the back with the rest of the men, he quickly made it cover where he laid down suppressing fire on the enemy. VT watched as his rounds ripped through the sides of the technical and hajjis. "SUPPRESSIN' FIRE!" Allan roared. "MOVE UP WITH THE Maps!" The Maps began to slowly move up, tearing up the rooftops with their guns. Allan then gave 2nd. PLT's PL the order to flank left as the Maps cut a swath through the village. Allan, his staff, and 3rd followed behind, firing from the cover of the Maps. Mortars began to strike as the 3 platoons assaulted the position."OVERLORD, CARACAS 1," Allan reported. "REQUESTIN' AIR SUPPORT TO WIPE OUT ANY RUNNERS, OVER!"" Caracal 1, Overlord," HHC reported. "We're dispatching Crow 2-1 to deal with the runners, but you need to take care of their Anti-Air assets first, over.""COPY THAT, OVERLORD," Allan reported before using his radio to communicate with the rest of the company. "ALL DESIGNATED MARKSMEN, YOUR PRIORITY IS TO TAKE OUT ALL THE HAJJIS WITH RPGs! WE GOT AIR SUPPORT COMIN' IN, BUT WE NEED THOSE BUSHWHACKERS DEAD B'FORE THEY CAN ASSIST, OVER!" Clan wrote:"SUPPRESSIN' FIRE!" Allan roared. "MOVE UP WITH THE Maps!" The Maps began to slowly move up, tearing up the rooftops with their guns. Allan then gave 2nd. PLT's PL the order to flank left as the Maps cut a swath through the village. Allan, his staff, and 3rd followed behind, firing from the cover of the Maps. Mortars began to strike as the 3 platoons assaulted the position."OVERLORD, CARACAS 1," Allan reported. "REQUESTIN' AIR SUPPORT TO WIPE OUT ANY RUNNERS, OVER!"" Caracal 1, Overlord," HHC reported. "We're dispatching Crow 2-1 to deal with the runners, but you need to take care of their Anti-Air assets first, over.""COPY THAT, OVERLORD," Allan reported before using his radio to communicate with the rest of the company. "ALL DESIGNATED MARKSMEN, YOUR PRIORITY IS TO TAKE OUT ALL THE HAJJIS WITH RPGs! WE GOT AIR SUPPORT COMIN' IN, BUT WE NEED THOSE BUSHWHACKERS DEAD B'FORE THEY CAN ASSIST, OVER!" After the IED explosions and the convoy came to a halt, Iona quickly got out and began scanning the area for Hostiles, taking potshots at targets in the distance, then she orders came through, she was to take out the hajjis with RPGs." Roger that!" she said as she moved up to a better position, she hit the deck and quickly set up her bipod, ready to scan for nearby hostiles. Martin closed his eyes on the way towards the convoy's objective. He relaxed his head back, thinking of his kids and wife back state-side. He remembered the dinner they had on his last night, complete silence filled the air, not a single word was muttered. Furthermore, he hated those nights, the nights when he knew he would have to leave the ones he loved. An essence of fear shook through his body, raising the goose bumps on his arms and spiking his hair up on the back of his neck. Quickly however, he opened his eyes and regained his confidence. Beside him, he saw the holster of a pistol on the gunner's leg, he tapped him. "Hey, where we at?" The man leaned down, replying, "Hell if I know, ask the driver." Martin leaned forward, "Hey man, you know her-" Suddenly, the vehicle in front of them was engulfed in a cloud of debris and smoke, Martin's HMMWV lurched backwards, his head banging against the heavy metal door. He was the first to yell out, "IED! Get out of the vehicle!" The gunner up top immediately scanned the area and found his targets, firing nonstop down range. Martin emerged from his vehicle, forcefully hurling open the heavy HMMWV door. He pulled up his HK416 and quickly throwing his elbow up on the back of the vehicle. He looked down his cog scope, placing his dot on the head of a man with an RPG, he went through the process of shooting in what seemed like a five-minute event, but was actually less than a split-second. The thoughts flowed through his mind with ease, "Breath..." and then he squeezed the trigger. The man's head exploded into a red mist. The man beside him jumped in horror, looking down at his dead friend, then looking up again and receiving the same. His head too bursting into a red and pink mist. Martin kept on the targets ahead, knowing any mishaps could cost the life of him or one of his men and he was determined to see his family again. As the Green Berets advanced, a familiar sound played through the air. One of the Maps was mounted with a speaker system, and the song "The Bad Touch" by the Bloodhound Gang played. If anyone looked over at Allan, they would see a grin on his face as he fired at the enemy. The same went for some of the other Green Berets who had served with him before. Allan was known by both the ISAF and the insurgents for his use of music as a form of psychological warfare during battles. Music pumped up his troops, and it served to also intimidate the insurgents. Five minutes into the firefight, and the insurgents were already clearing as the flanking platoons were already breaching the village proper. Thanks to the efforts of McRae and the other DMs, an AH-64 was able to swoop in and knock out several retreating vehicles as the convoy rolled into the village. While some insurgents surrendered, noncombatants ran around and hid around the village. A squad of soldiers began to round up the EPs in the center of town, and a Staff Sergeant observed the EPs, holding a binder in his hands as he observed. When the company regrouped in the center of town, Allan called over the Pls after speaking with the Staff Sergeant."1st. And 2nd. Pls, take your units and check each room for any more of these camel jockeys," he said. "SSG Dawes just informed me that we captured 'round 4 blacklisted. If there are any more blacklisted, I want to find them. More blacklisted captured=less KIA's. Find that bad brown too. 3rd. PL, you're on security. Make sure we don't get hit by a counterattack, and leave one squad to watch over the Hajjis. Make it happen."CPT Allan then walked over to the SFC in charge of communications, cradling his 416 as he approached the man." Contact HHC," he said. "Let 'em know that we are currently securin' the village, and we currently have 4 blacklisted in custody. Tell 'em to send in a bird to pick up the blacklisted, 'cause I don't feel like wasting any of my gas on these fuckers. Tell them that we might also have more blacklisted, as well as the Bad Brown. We'll need that bird in 0100 hours, trackin'?" Martin had a look of distaste on his face, it was clear him and the CO weren't on the same page as far as killing went. Martin liked his job and he did what he had to do, but in now way was "killing" a good thing, whether it be the bad guy or not, you pulled the trigger on another human being and ended their lives. He quickly beclouded his mind of the subject and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping his face off with it, which was running with sweat. The CO approached him. "Contact HHC," he said. "Let 'em know that we are currently securin' the village, and we currently have 4 blacklisted in custody. Tell 'em to send in a bird to pick up the blacklisted, 'cause I don't feel like wasting any of my gas on these fuckers. Tell them that we might also have more blacklisted, as well as the Bad Brown. We'll need that bird in 0100 hours, trackin'?" he finished, Martin curtly nodded, "Right away." He pulled out his radio and set it to the correct frequency, "HHC, this is Caracas one, we have a confirmed 4 blacklisted in custody-possibly further in the near future as well as the Bad Brown, requesting an air-lift, over." The Keystone Federation wrote:Martin had a look of distaste on his face, it was clear him and the CO weren't on the same page as far as killing went. Martin liked his job and he did what he had to do, but in now way was "killing" a good thing, whether it be the bad guy or not, you pulled the trigger on another human being and ended their lives. He quickly beclouded his mind of the subject and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping his face off with it, which was running with sweat. The CO approached him. "Contact HHC," he said. "Let 'em know that we are currently securin' the village, and we currently have 4 blacklisted in custody. Tell 'em to send in a bird to pick up the blacklisted, 'cause I don't feel like wasting any of my gas on these fuckers. Tell them that we might also have more blacklisted, as well as the Bad Brown. We'll need that bird in 0100 hours, trackin'?" he finished, Martin curtly nodded, "Right away." He pulled out his radio and set it to the correct frequency, "HHC, this is Caracas one, we have a confirmed 4 blacklisted in custody-possibly further in the near future as well as the Bad Brown, requesting an air-lift, over."" Copy that Caracas One," HHC replied. "Do you need this bird ASAP? If not, you'll have to wait an hour, over." Looking at Martin, Allan was shaking his head. They'd need the bird in around an hour, as Allan wanted to see how many blacklisted they had. There were a total of 3 additional blacklisted, who were hiding around the village. Martin glanced over at Allan, but quickly dismissed his looks of displeasure, "That's a negative HHC, I'd say send'em out in around 50 mikes or so, we need to count our ducklings, over." As Michael was handed a lighter, he had heard a sound he had not been familiar to Until an explosion was seen rattling the convoy, throwing chunks of road at theme had been alarmed only for the slightest amount of time, as it had caught him off gaurdTerrorist attempts at slowing us down...he had thought to himself"Caracas 1,Overlord," he had managed to hearse found it to be his CO speaking with HHC"Reports from UAVs suggest a substantial enemy presence in the village, along with multiple civilians. Stay frosty, over." it had said"Copy that, overlord" Allan had replied "Caracas 1 out." Though he had still remained weary, Donovich had been on the lookout for any more potential ambushes or traps for the rest of the journey When another explosion struck the convoy, as it was right outside the village, it had stopped completelyHalloran had then immediately jumped out and began firing upon the enemy, as well as other soldiers Michael, confused,hesitated at first to brace himself He had known the incident to be inevitable, but yet refused to ready himself for it, thinking everything would be easy and already done He should've known better, considering his years of experience He had then climbed out of the vehicle, and began firing upon enemy positions He had heard the sound of the Maps moving away behind Hamas their deafening shots filled the air Mortars had begun to strike, and now all hell was beginning to break loose He had barely managed to hear Allan's voice behind him, but unable to recognize what he had said He had seen a few fellow soldiers fall dead, be it headshot or anything else, they fell, and he couldn't do anything but to keep shooting as he approached nearer to them Then Convict's radio had been set off"ALL DESIGNATED MARKSMEN, YOUR PRIORITY IS TO TAKE OUT ALL THE HAJJIS WITH RPGs! WE GOT AIR SUPPORT COMIN' IN, BUT WE NEED THOSE BUSHWHACKERS DEAD B'FORE THEY CAN ASSIST, OVER" it had gone, being the sound of Allowance now knew what to done had picked the enemy out, one by one, without mercy strange and unknown sensation had filled him He had noticed that very loud music had been playing in the background He was right about to shoot at where ever it had come from, but then he had noticed that it was being played by one of the friendly Transit struck him as odd, thinking that music would be played in the middle of a firefight, and it isn't even war music, it was a poorly sung rap beat by an unknown/unheard of group, at least to Michael's ears it was But this was actually a good idea... Using bizarre and esoteric music to alert and freak out the enemy, while they were being shot atHalloran is a genius It had been five minutes, and the insurgents had seemed to disappeared They were running, while US forces were beginning to flank their positions friendly helicopter had come in and began firing on retreating enemy vehicles, while the convoy had advanced further income had surrendered, while others ran Civilians were running from the streets, as the army had come closer inward At this time, Michael had barely remembered the things he had done Memories...and sudden guilt...of killing another human being... He had done it before...but this time, was different... Because he had actually seen a person drop-dead, he had actually seen a person gush red with pain All this time, was what he must've been doing back in his pilot days... This was one of the first times he had actually seen death come in and swoop the life of others, as he stood there and took some more lives away But he's somewhat glad that he hadn't taken the life of a friendly, or civilian, just an enemy, an enemy that had provoked him and his friends to do actions He had rejoined the others, and had managed to join in on Allan and another soldier from the company, Martin,he believes his name to bee approached closer to Allan, gun in hand, pointing to the ground, helmet off and knapsack resting on his backhoe wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve, and proceeded

Caracal Company (IC; OPEN)|rating:3.0

Little Red Riding Hood (Beanhollow x MrThorne)

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide(Red was gathering the rest of the biscuits and pot pie to bring over to grandmother's house when her mom decided to do what she always does....nag her about 'no dilly-dallying in the woods, go straight to grandmas. I don't want you to be walking home in the dark.' Her mom wasn't always like this. She used to let Little Red play out in the woods all by herself for hours on end until dinner was ready. But now there was this scare of people seeing a wolf running around town. Even Mr. McGregor's sheep seemed to be more skittish than usual, and he said he found one of his sheep dead by the far end of his property near the edge of the forest. They were no longer rumors anymore. With one sheep dead on Mr. McGregor's farm everyone seemed worried about their children playing outside. Sure, it made sense but...even her mom seemed a little dramatic, so imagine how the whole town would feel if one person was so fearful of a sight. Everyone fed off of one another's fearful feelings...but not Red. In fact, she was excited by the idea of seeing a wolf. The idea was thrilling, even if it did spook her a little with how much her mother seemed to hate the magic of the forest. That was one of the reasons Red was always the one being sent out to attend to grandma anyway. Red loved the forest even since she could remember. To little of anyone's knowledge shehadinteracted with a wolf pup before, about ten years ago when she was 8 or 9 or so. Parts of Red's memories were still very vivid from that time. She had cared for the wolf, and he had cared for her. He was her playmate and her favorite one at that because most of the kids at school didn't take her imagination that well and found Red to be rather weird. Red hadn't changed much sense, never seeming to enjoy the traditional life most other girls were looking for, but instead she still held on to this need to explore and learn about the magic of the forest. Red couldn't help herself from dilly-dallying in the woods even now. She wanted to learn every tree, every bird, every....fairy she came across, often trying to sketch each and every new or old species. Even now, as she started her trek off to grandma's house she knew she would have to allow some time to wonder the woods, but nottoomuch in fear of her mother sending out someone to come find her. As Red skipped along to grandma's, her white dress swaying back her forth, stopping here and there to smell the fresh flowers of spring, she couldn't help but feel something or someone nearby... It was almosttooquiet at times...and hearing the occasional twig break growing closer and closer...she felt her heart sink a little bit. Could it be?... Red wondered as she pulled her red hood over her chestnut brown locks. Her green eyes scanned the woods, trying to find where the sound had come from...but she saw nothing but a friendly little chipmunk.......but a chipmunk couldn't make such sounds with its feet." H-hello? Is anyone out there? You don't have to be shy now..." Red said softly as fear rang through her voice as she waited to see just what was stalking her... Though she did not know it, a pair of pale blue eyes matched her movements. From the shadows a wolf crept, its massive form hidden behind the treeline as it watched her. The beast was unusually large for one of it'd species, and muscular, enough that it seemed odd such a beast could even exist in these tame, quiet woods. Yet exist he did. It had to be a male, there was something definitively masculine about it's bearing and posture, a dominating quality that existed even as it remained hidden from view. The wolf was not hungry, that was not the reason for its hunt. It had preyed upon sheep and deer this last week, and each had been a meal to sustain it beyond tonight. Wolves were opportunistic hunters, but this one did not seem to view her as prey. At least not in the typical scent. It's movements around her bubble of view were careful and calculating, remaining just outside of her notice, but waiting just beyond that. He was stalking her, but there was no hunger on his mind.Instead, this wolf, who was so much more than the beast he appeared, was driven by memories. Memories of a little girl frolicking through the wood, the laughter of her as she had darted from tree to tree, the distinctive red cloak she wore to this very day. There could be no mistake for him, she was definitely the same girl he had met once, long ago, and passed away from. The memory was a bittersweet taste on his tongue, a remembrance of few and better days. Life had been hard for the wolf, unspeakably so. He had long been without pack or home, a lone wolf, as the saying went. He felt the coldness of his isolation, and the familiar presence she offered. Still, he did not approach, not all at once. He waited and observed as she made her way through the rough and windy path, one he sometimes saw in his dreams. He remembered that she had called it the path to grandma's house, that she had trod it often. So many memories lay with this place, this young girl. She was a beacon to the wolf, a memory of the past, the promise of something new. When he smelled her on the wind, the familiar scent of her was there, but something more. Something that that stirred feelings within him. She was a woman now, far more than the little girl he had played with when he was a pup. She had grown to adulthood, far from his gaze, and now tread upon the familiar path. The same and yet also different. The wolf knew he was different as well, that he had changed in the intervening years. He was more than a wolf now, though that form was still the one he donned as he stalked her. Once they had done this at play, but now he felt a draw to do it for real. To hunt her as the prey she was. He resisted this notion though, pushed back against the instinct. She was, he knew, a friend. She had been at least, it had been a very long time. Instead, he made his approach bold, moving from beyond the brush with a steady tread, cracking twigs and branches at his approach, emerging from cover like a shadow made real. He is as dark and massive, a wolf that dwarfed her form, a wolf to end others of his kind. He was a great beast, but he did not make his approach vicious. Instead, his great paws moved along the path in her direction, his head low and his eyes downward. He moved towards her submissively, creating a low whine as he moved. He acted the part of a wounded animal, keeping his position submissive, with one of his great paws scraping softly upon the foliage. When he was within sight of her, he slowed his pace, and sat before her, his crouched form almost as tall as her full height, but his head bowed lower, his eyes searching hers as another low whine emanated from his canine jaws. Red had known this forest well enough to tell the difference between a leaf dancing in the wind to a bird scraping at a pile of leaf litter to find its next meal. Of course, she wasn't perfect, but she was a learning naturalist. Her most prized possession was her journal. Her journal was filled with drawling's and memories. She held the same journal from over ten years ago when she had first encountered a wolf. Today had a similar feeling to the first time she had met the wolf pup who became her friend. The day was quiet as snow; Peaceful even, and yet it had this mildly açai feeling to it as well. It was all the tell-tale signs that she had grown to love ten years ago.... On more rainy days, Red would stare out her window and wonder what happened to that poor lonesome wolf. Was his pack moving on? Were wolves nomadic creatures? Had they decided the forest was becoming too crowded living by a growing town of people nearby? Red never fully understood why he had disappeared or what had happened....until now. The quietness was sinking in and Red's heart raced in fear and excitement. The rustling in the brush was growing closer and closer... Red could feel the memories flashing back into her mind and she could only pray that what she was feeling, and what she would see would be real. Suddenly, the dark shadow appeared onto the path before her. Even from a distance she could tell it was a wolf by his size alone. His ears, his paws...his torso, his muzzle. He was huge, and to think that this large beast of a wolf was only a few feet behind her! Red stood tall at first, her hand gripped grandma's basket on with a near death grip....but suddenly...he didn't seem so scary after all. If fact, he seemed hurt. He was whining and walking as if he had just been defeated by something. His head was hung low, submissive, and yet, he was walking towards her for help. As he came closer...and closer... Red's heart was growing into a frenzy of feelings. She couldn't get over how large of a wolf this creature was! And gorgeously handsome at that! His dark black coat and well toned elongated body. He was probably the size of a pony- a large one-maybe even a horse! Anyone would be intimated by a wolf this size; Even a hunter would have to think twice before shooting such a majestic animal. Red found herself getting choked up all of a sudden when she saw his eyes lift and take her own. It was a familiar look. This whole scene was Dasha Vue. Those crystal blue eyes, and that dark silky coat...it was all too familiar. Even the whining and need for help were all things that have happened before in these woods."... W-wolfie?" Red finally called out, crouching down to look at his beautiful crystal blue eyes once more...confirming that...it justhadto bedim. Red recalled their first memory together. She had heard a whimpering off of the trail.and there sat a long wolf pup holding its paw up and licking it. He had gotten into some nasty thorns and Red was there to help. As Red approached the wolf this time-she stayed a bit cautious. So much time had passed between the two of them there was no telling why he was here now. Reaching her arm out, eyes closed, she gently rubbed the lower shoulder blade of the wolf. She continued petting him, realizing he hadn't gobbled her up yet, and so she opened her eyes, letting her hand roam about his shoulder, and she even dared to lift his chin, rubbing the underside and hoping to see his face fully. "It's okay Wolfe... I'm here..." she sighed, wondering if she should start inspecting his body for injuries. "Are you hurt? Please show me if you are" she said unable to start lifting his paws to examine like she used to. There was still a lot of worry and trust missing at this point, but there was also hope seen in Red's green eyes as she continued to gently rub the underside of his neck with her small fragile hand. The beast approached slowly, carefully, still favoring one paw as the cold blue eyes regarded her, a spark of something emotional and familiar behind them. The pet name she used seemed to strike a chord with the beast, whose already submissive posture took on an even more reserved aspect, the beast laying now at her feet, regarding her as she ran one hand down his mane of obsidian black fur. The beast offered one large paw, like a favored family pet waving hello. The paw held no fresh injury, having instead a deep old scar on it's pad, a reminder of a youth spent in these forests, and one fateful meeting with a young girl. The wolf regarded her as he held up his paw, and his azure gaze held within it a reflection of that meeting, and all the joyous times that had come after it. The beast, larger and more powerful than even a great lion now, had once been the runt of his pack, the least formidable, gentlest of his kind. Yet even then his fur had been the same coal-black, his eyes the same glacier blue. There could be no doubt, this was that wolf. As the beast lay in the middle of the pack there was a sort of bond that passed between woman and wolf, a reflection of a pact long forgotten, memories faded with time. When he looked at her, there was an echo that passed between them, like the barest whisper on the breeze. It warmed the cool morning air, giving the impression of an emotion. I missed you, little girl. The words were not there. The wolf did not speak to her, or utter anything more than a slight plaintive whine, but the impression of them was left behind nonetheless, a long sorrowful pause of longing, the recollection of a time now past, and a woman now grown to adulthood. As the wolf stared at her, more thoughts passed between them, as the connection began to build. You still wear your mother's cloak, the one she said would protect you from wolves. I smell her scent overlaid with yours. I missed your scent little girl, and big beautiful eyes, and that soft gentle smile. It has been too long. The wolf rose up then, towering above her for a moment, and seeming to smile despite it's canine features. He bucked his head beneath her hand, encouraging her to scratch his ears as the same resonant voice echoed through her mind, bringing with it the memory of springtime, and the way they once frolicked through the fields along the woodland path. Tell me, when did you last run through the fields? I've missed it so much, and would love to feel you running with me again. I am larger though, stronger. You could probably not keep up. The last would feel like teasing, even as the words remained unsaid. The wolf did not think her strong enough to run from him. It would be up to her to prove him wrong, if she deigned run at all. Red knew from experience that a dog rolling over to show its belly was one of the ultimate signs of wanting a belly rub as well as being submissive. So when the wolf decided to lay at her feet onto his side, she felt more at ease with such submissive behaviors of such a big wolf and long-lost friend. The wolf even went as far as holding his paw out for her to see, and so she took it into her hand examining the old scar. If Red could remember correctly, it was from some nasty barbwire. Poor Wolfe learned the hard way why farmers installed such nasty fencing. But looking at Wolfe now, you could have never guessed howtinyand cute he was. Red could hold him at that age! Now, he could crush her just by sitting on her! Instead of being the cute little pup that he was, he was now a very handsome king of the forest. The wind always carried sound through these woods like nowhere else that's Red ever visited. Sometimes, she could hear fairies whispering about her-always wondering about her cloak. Other times it sounded like the trees were yawning. Once she even heard and Orc, or an evil spirit, but quickly ran home in fear of seeing it. But today, the wind carried the sound of something new. I missed you, little girl. Red immediately took a deeper look into her Wolf's eyes. The voice was so deep and soothing, and even comforting. "Wolfe?" she asked him, crouching down closer to him, just in case, it was something else. Another gust of wind brought more words. Red closed her eyes for a moment, wanting to feel what the wind had to say. When the wind did pass she skilled back down to her old lost friend. "You remembered that?" she asked, looking down to the Wolf, not sure if he could answer her without the wind's help. "Yes, Mom gave me this cloak on the day that I had met you" she smiled to him, rubbing the top of his head and his ear. The hair onto of his head and by his ears were so soft. She missed touching him like this. Chuckling a little Red took another deep gaze into his icy blue eyes. "I think this cloak has only attracted wolves" she smirked, wanting to give his head a gentle kiss, but she bit her lip and refrained herself. "I've missed you too Wolfe. I must admit you scaled me a little at first...you've grown so much." Red finally replied before a wide smile came across her face." Hmmm" she put a hand to her chin as if pondering the idea of running with her friend once again for old times sake. "It has been a while since I've run through the woods...but..." she looked him over, rubbing her chin and tilting her head a little "it's an unfair advantage of having four legs Wolfe....so I think it's only fair I get a one minute- head start." Red giggled again, her manorism and laugh having not changed since she was a child. The only things that were different were her assets in a few places since she's become a mature woman." I'll race you to the tree. You know the one. I just hope you remember where it is like I do..." she teased him once more, giving a soft pat to his head. If he knew where the tree was-the one where they carved their names long ago-then he'd beat her no questions asked. But if he couldn't remember the shortcut...then, well...she might have the advantage after all....and off she went! The wolf watched her go, his ice blue eyes framed with something like amusement as he watched her bolt through the underbrush, quickly disappearing from view. He enjoyed the sight of her athletic frame easily slinking between trees and vines, finding footholds in the deep foliage. A part of him was reminder of their youth, of scampering through the woods with abandon, a chaotic tumult of limbs as they each tried to make headway to the tree. It had been a common game of theirs in their youth, and he did indeed remember the tree quite well, and what mark they had made upon it. Yet, even as he remembered the past, he felt the tug of something else upon his mind, a primal desire unlocked by watching her flee through the woods, a hunger quite apart from the innocence of youth. Her scent was on the wind, and it brought with it thoughts and dreams alien to his solitary existence. He rebelled against these for the moment as he focused instead upon their game, the hunt he himself had proposed. When he moved into the shadows, the wolf's great bestial form seemed to merge into the shadows. His body almost seeming incorporeal as he moved through the underbrush. Where she tromped with the gait of a human, his form seemed to flow over and through the forest, connected with it at a deeper primal level. His gait was long swift strides that made no sound upon the twigs and grass, his black fur seeming to melt into the background. Only his eyes remained visible, cold and feral of intent. His speed was impressive, even by the standard of other wolves. While she plodded through at a respectable human pace, he was like a shadowy blur, easily outpacing and overcoming the advantage of her lead. Still, he did not seem interested in beating her to the tree, his pace kept with her own, his form darting around her in a thousand different ways as they both closed the distance, until at last she reached the tree. When she did, she would find him just at her heels, his great feral form emerging like a dark mountain from the underbrush, his muzzle puffing with exultation as he entered the clearing behind her. He stalked forwards towards her, a seeming smile upon his wolfish features, and then he was upon her with one great leap. His great form was huge and powerful, but held her down only lightly, his muzzled visage panting in her face, raw powerful intelligence behind his eyes. He felt the same driving hunger as before, pushed higher by the thrill of their game. As much as he played at the game, she would see the hunger behind those eyes, and perhaps sense what she should have known all along. He was no tame wolf. His jaw reached out, just lightly nipping at her flesh as he laid above her, licking and nipping playfully at her neck, while his intense blue eyes remained as strong and powerful as before. He seemed to smile as the wind sang his song again, words both playful and somewhat predatory. There was a dark resonance behind them, the same hunger that waited patiently behind his eyes. You have won our game, little girl. What is to be your prize? As he spoke, the wolf's eyes stared deeply into her own, his paws pinning her upon the soft blanket of fallen leaves and deep brown earth. There was domination behind the action, but gently taken. It seemed out of place against the gentle playfulness of before, and spoke to other desires not so easily sated. Red knew all too well that it didn't really matter if the Wolf knew the shortcut or not. He could smell her, and that's how he would find his way. Little Red could feel him creeping up on her too, and it was almost too familiar a feeling from just moment's ago. Red wasn't sure if it was because she was running so fast or if it was because she felt like she was being chased, but her heart rate was increasing significantly with the feel of his presence. This was one thing Read was perfect at for a human; Sensing her surroundings, and most especially here in the woods. Mother didn't seem to worry too much for this reason as well. Mother had to be used to her running off and coming home late by now. Every once in a while Red could catch a glance of his shadow darting about, but she could never make out any of the outlines. She assumed it was her Wolf, but her eyes could have easily been playing tricks on her since the movement was so fast that she could miss it in a blink's time. Finally...breathing heavily, Red sighed as she landed into the clearing of grass by the tree. Looking around and catching her breath, Red couldn't believe that she had beat the Wolf. He let me win...she thought to herself, somehow knowing he might just let her win.......honestly, it was halfway through running to the tree that Red started wondering if this game was becoming too dangerous, feeling too close to a game of predator and prey... Red quickly turned on her heels finding her wolf closer than she had expected. It seemed that he had gotten much better at this game than she recalled. "Wolfe" she said in a stern voice as she watched him move closer step by precarious step. Red was growing nervous as she watched him walk towards her in slow motion, as if in a trance or something. It wasn't until she let out a soft yelp of surprise that she found herself under his grasp, pinned to the forest floor while he towered over her body." Nooo!" she cried out, squirming as she watched his muzzle move towards her neck wondering to herself if this was the last breathe of air. Her body went rigid until she felt the soft wet tongue lap along her neck instead, followed by soft nips, which only brought less comfort into trusting him...even if it did unknowingly release a small amount of pleasure and pheromones from her body. But he was a 300-500lb animal for Christ's sake! Even if he wasn't crushing her shoulders down with all of his weight (yet) he could easily break her if he wanted to...and for all she knew...maybe this was his plan all along; Corner her, and devour her." Get off Wolfe..." she said quietly, closing her eyes and choking back tears. If the Wolf decided to eat her now was time, so it was better with her eyes closed, using her hands to gently push up against his chest as if to make her point be made clear. "Please don't..." Red stuttered unable to finish her sentence- too afraid to even thing of her friend chomping down on her with the sharp teeth he had just gently tasted her with. "Y-you can't end our games like this..." she said before looking up towards him, gently poking his snout and smiling some, trying her best to lighten the mood and bring out the Wolf's submissive characteristics that she knew he had buried somewhere inside of him at the moment. She just hoped he wasn't too far gone from their teasing game of hunt.(Red sighed deeply, trying to think of her prize...." How about you help me re-gather some black-berries for my Grandma? Or would you rather gather a squirrel?" she teased, wanting to see how his eye lit up when she said that.) Rebuked by his friend, the wolf looked down upon her with an alien intent, his ice blue eyes seeming distant and focused on other matters as he lay astride her for the moment. He seemed to take comfort from her closeness, though he did not directly address this as she rebuked him. Instead, he slowly and gently began to lap at her features, cleaning her as a mother wolf might a cub. When she spoke of a desire to gather blackberries though, his ears perked up, the large beast seeming almost puppy-like in his enthusiasm for the task. He rose up over her, standing once more upon the firm earth, and nuzzling his snout down into the soft earth, sniffing it as he took in the scents of the forest. His eyes though, remained focused on her, still as intense as ever. There was something not altogether tame about the gaze, an unconstrained and feral nature that spoke of other things, darker desires, primal motivations. All this went unspoken, but she would feel it at a deeper level. There was a raw, animal magnetism to him, a powerful connection that strengthened the longer that they remained in proximity. Still, the wolf did as she had asked, bowing his head low and slowly, quite slowly, making his way through the thickly wooded path, towards a promising patch of briars, a patch that the pair of them had explored once, long ago. It had grown larger, more complex in the intervening years. Stretching now across the path and into the encroaching darkness of the wood. The wolf considered this space for a moment, and then turned back to her, a wolfish smile upon his appropriately canine features. There are your berries little girl...but I do not think that I could aid in your collection. Not as I am now... There was mischief in his eyes as the wolf surveyed her, the hint of a riddle behind his words. The truth was that age and wisdom had taught him how to be more than just a wolf, and though he was anxious to show her what he had learned, he was also fearful of what she might think. It worried him that she might think him a liar for hiding his nature from her, think that he had lied to her. Perhaps it would be best for this matter to go unsaid for the moment, even as he craved to show her his full abilities. The idea left him conflicted, and deep in these thoughts he began to stalk towards the periphery of the thorny thicket, settling himself down in a great wolfish pile as he watched her. He circled around several times, and then laid upon the soft grasp, seating himself so that he had a clear view of her and the berry picking. It was clear he had little intention of joining her for the actual berry picking. He was not suited to such work in his current form, and was not yet willing to reveal his true nature to her. Maybe telling the wolf no wasn't the smartest idea, seeing his eyes grow colder with her. But what was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to know what he would do to her leaning over her small frame? He was much harder to read than she remembered... Red felt kind of bad for her actions. She could have worded things softer with him, and not just demanded him to get off of her. Surely he had to have some idea that there was a slight fear laying in the back of her eyes. They were starting on a whole new chapter in life together, and Red needed to know she could trust him. Well, whatever it was on his mind while standing above her, it was no longer. His nose was distracted on the task of looking for her prize. From a distance, Red watched him walk off into the thick of the forest. Before following, she glanced at their tree, with the deep burn scarring and scratches among it. She placed her hand among the heart they had carved along with their initials written inside. It felt like just yesterday they were out here, and she had written their names in the tree. Wolfe even tried to help carve out the heart shape outline. The thought of how close they used to be had Red feeling bitter-sweet. She had truly missed him, and, she felt rather guilty of her fear. Maybe, she just needed more time around him to warm up to him... Red smiled to her long-lost friend as he showed her the patch of blackberries. A few thorns had caught onto her red cloak but due to some of its special properties they seemed to fall right off. Red wasn't even sure of all of its magical little abilities, but it certainly allowed her to explore the woods more conspicuously of her mother's knowing. Matter of fact, it barely even held dirt. Red couldn't help but to pick the berries a bit slowly when he circled around her and the thicket of berries. She wasn't sure if he was interested in her or protecting her. She was too nervous to ask, but once she saw him lay down and settle she smiled warmly to him, happy he seemed to be relaxing more. Once Red was done picking berries and her jar was full she joined the soft Matt of grass next to her friend. Little Red couldn't help but have a few berries herself, even offering a few from her hand to Wolfe, not really sure if he would even eat such things. "Wolfe...when you left...where did you go? Why did you come back? I was so worried something bad had happened to you... I'm really glad you came back and that you're okay" she said giving his head and ears a soft scratch. "I'm sorry for...getting scared earlier too. I'm just...getting used to us being together again" she said smiling, continuing to stroke his long mane. The wolf watched as she worked, seeming passive and content at the moment. From his perspective this was a callback to warm summer days, to the simplicity of his life before being rejected by his pack. The world had seemed brighter in that time, as if the darkness and shadows beyond the woods would never find them. It had been a warm and saccharine world far apart from the cold and brutal realities he now faced. Confronted now with these better times, he seemed almost to disappear, little more than a watchful shadow over her progress. When she returned to him, her full and beautiful form enshrined by the cloak she had always worn he seemed melancholy and sad, as if her return signaled an end to their time together. He regarded her questions passively, his bestial features at first betraying nothing of the answer that lurked in his heart. Only when she lay her hand upon his dark mantle did their connection speak through him, with a voice of wind and fire. Little One, nothing could have driven me from your arms but the hands of destiny themselves. I left you because I knew our friendship put you in danger. Those of my pack do not trust man, and my friendship with you drove me from their midst. I feared they would hunt you as they did me, and fled to save you. It was the hardest choice I ever made. He paused then, laying a great and powerful paw on her shoulder, his strength awesome to behold even in the gentlest touch. I left because I was an Omega of my pack, and was cursed for it. Things have changed now, and I have the power to fight back, to protect you. I can be the new Alpha of my pack, and claim my place. I have gained the rite of the Skin walker, a gift that can help us be together, to help me protect you. It was a hard fought honor that took many seasons, but I claimed it, and the power it holds. As the wolf spoke, reached out his pa, pulling aside his dark fur to reveal an amulet around his neck, a pale crescent of bone held by leather strands around his neck, an amulet of some unknown power. Venture into these woods by the light of the moon, and I will show you what it can do. The wolf came and went with the shadows blending in with the Forest. It was a slightly eerie feeling knowing he was watching her with such intent, even as he laid upon the ground, seeming at ease but still keeping his focus solely on her. When she finished picking berries and joined him she could feel that odd bit of tension in the air once again. There was a bit of fear looming within her as she sat next to him but, he either didn't sense this or seem concerned by it. Little Red listened quietly and patiently, his words touching her when he made mention of leaving to save her. The fear disappeared and was filled with love at this moment, her heart racing a bit harder as she felt his large paw press against her shoulder, nearly pushing her down once again. Red stayed sitting up, placing her free hand behind her back to keep herself propped up as she sat next to him in a more relaxed body position. You did all of that for...me? You...came back just for.me? She wondered to herself, unaware if the wind could carry her thoughts as well as it did his. Red felt a rush of soft tender emotions overcoming her as she realized she would never fully understand all the warships he had gone through to be where he was today. It was in this mix of feels that Little Red pulled her wolf in for a hug. Her small frame and arms could barely wrap around his full neck, but she squeezed onto him anyhow, kissing the side of his cheek and just holding him for a long moment without any words. Red was glad he left when he did because even the town had talked about killing wolves on sight at that time. Even her own mother, one who (mostly.) supported Red's adventuring began making Red stay inside until it was safe to play outside again. It saddened Red that they still needed to hide this bond THT they shared from humans...but she wasn't about to ask him to leave. She had missed him too much. When red pulled back she took a look at this necklace, touching the amulet around his neck, and feeling a strange warmth of electricity come from it. Red had never seen such a strange stone. It was clearly of some unique power." Won't you walk with me to grandmas? And then, perhaps...tonight join me on my walk back, and we can wait until the moon rises. But I'm not supposed be out very late Wolfe. Mom doesn't like it when I get home too late. She gets worried." she told him while gently stroking the hair at his chest and looking to the amulet once more, touching it once more and feeling, yet again another rush of warmth run through her veins. "Please join me on my walk to Grannies, won't you? Or at least until her house is in sight, and then I can come find you." she offered before standing up, not feeling much taller or bigger as she stood next to the impressive beast. The wolf seemed pleased by her touch, growling gently at her embrace and them parting to lick at her features in a warm and affection way as she spoke of moving on. There was truly nothing he wanted more in the world than to follow her along that long forgotten path, even as he felt the pull towards other thoughts. It was so good to have her close at hand, but her presence also brought with it unfamiliar desires. He had been little more than a pup when they had parted and now, reunited after so long there were complications to their children's friendship, needs that possessed him that had not existed before. This all went unsaid though as he nodded at her words, agreeing readily to the journey. He found a quaint and simple pleasure in padding along by her side, along the well-worn pathway they had traveled a thousand times in her childhood. Yet even as he did, there could be no denial that things had changed. Where before the two of them had been able to move beside one another with a soft and even gait, now he was large enough on his own that he took most of the narrow hunter's path, and lurked behind her like a shadow, his soft padding footfalls fading into the sounds of the forest alongside his gentle breath. Only his brightly glowing eyes gave away his position, the dark fur fading with a supernatural aura into the shadows of the undergrowth. His eyes remained on her, tracing her careful footfalls as she moved, the predator coming once more into his gaze as he watched her, observed her. He loved the view of her pale flesh, moving against the deep red of her cloak, with only the odd glimpse of the feminine form that lay beneath. He could smell her scent now, more strongly for their earlier play, and the scent was both familiar and new. It reminded him of far off days, and also of dreams half remembered from his time in isolation. He knew, on some level, that their relationship was not normal. Those of his pack rarely made friends beyond the comforts of clan, but he felt a strange kinship with her, as he always had. He had bonded to her in a way that was unusual among their kind. Most humans could not understand him as she did, and he found the nature of their communication alien but pleasant. He only she would understand him that well this evening. Things might get...complicated tonight. As they approached her grandmother's house, his presence seemed to fade entirely into the woods, disappearing from view as the small bastion of civilization, a wooden cabin loomed into view. By the time she was at the door, he was entirely gone, and swiftly and silently as a shadow in the noon day sun. She might even doubt that he had been there at all. The cabin itself was simple of design, but well-built. It had been erected by her grandfather, a woodcarver of some repute whose strong hands had built many of the buildings of the village, and helped found their small settlement. His wife had been a healer in her time, though after his death she had shied away from such tasks, preferring instead the solitude of the woods and the simple home he had crafted. She was an older, but still comely woman of a motherly demeanor and graceful age. As she greeted her granddaughter at the door her cold blue eyes took in the woods, before warming to Red. She embraced her descendant into her arms, and moved with her into the confines of the cabin, where the smells of tea and various herbal scents could be taken in. Time passed slowly in the cabin, with the older woman asking her granddaughter many questions of the village and gossiping what she knew of its business. She was a cunning and wily woman, who had aged smoothly, retaining a sharp-eyed quality and remarkable grace. Though she had to be almost seventy, her form still held the strength and vigor of a much younger woman, her face still remarkably unlined, her skin still glowing with the vibrancy of youth. To those rare few that asked, her response was always the same, youth could be found in the woods, if one knew how to brew it. Still despite the warmth of her company, it was plain that something had put Grandmother ill at ease, her eyes often flicking to beyond the comfort of her home, the shadows of the wood beyond. When dusk approached, and the light of the clearing began to fade, she whisked her granddaughter out with a sweet smile and hug, encouraging her to make haste back to the safety of the village before night fell. Outside of the bound of the cottage, hidden by the shadows of trees, a pair of blue eyes waited, just beyond the old woman's gaze, watching and waiting for the red hooded figure's approach. When they walked to grandma's house together it was at a much different pace than what once was. Unlike their past, he didn't walk side by side with her. Instead, he was stalking her again...there was no doubt about that. Red wondered if this was just his natural instinct or if he had become so far removed fromhumansher that he forgot how to talk alongside her. Or maybe this was just some sort of strategy to hide from other humans whom might be walking the wooded trail this evening...though that seemed far from the truth. Something more raw was on him mind....and even if she didn't directly see him following her, Red could feel his gaze upon her cloak. He had changed so much since she had last seen him. Unlike in his puppyhood, he carried this masculinity to him now, just like Red probably carried a lot more womanly features, beyond that of her curves and larger breasts. Perhaps maybe she too had changed...but that curiosity had been something that made her different from most girls of her village, even men for that matter. Woflie and Red were fearless young lings when they first met and at least that part seemed to stay true....….mostly.... Red was a little worried Wolfe might decide to chase her down and pin her to the ground once more but-maybe even eat her with those big sharp teeth of his, but, for now, he seemed to be listening to her word of walking to Grannies. When Little Red reached the doorstep to her grannies, she barely felt his presence. It made her sad to feel him slip away like that, but another small part of her was relieved she was in the safety of her Grandma's house. Of course, while she was at Grannies, she felt a great distraction among her. She was barely listening to Grannie's stories, but Red's responses didn't seem too out of the ordinary as sometimes Granny would repeat some of her told folklore stories of back in her day. Sometimes it was hard to believe all the details to her stories...they just seemed so far-fetched at times...but that's what the two of them had in common she supposed. It's where her adventurous spirit came from. When their time had ended, it was time for Red to scurry home before dark. Even Grannie seemed afraid of the woods at night, so, there must be something dark lurking here within them for even her to say that to Red. Red hugged her Grandma goodbye and set off on her way home. The push and pull feeling of meeting with her old friend was starting to weigh on her deeply. What is this was all some big plot to eat her or make her disappear just like Mr. McGregor's sheep. What if he was brining his pack with him tonight? What if he wasn't here because he missed her? On the other hand, this was the most excitement she's had in years. It didn't take long for Red to feel his presence among her once more, and then, moments later, his eyes laid there in the shadows of the forest just a foot feet off of the trail. "Wolfe is that you?" she asked, stopping still in her tracks as she saw the crystal blue eyes starting right back at her. "I-I'm not sure if I should stay out late tonight" she said clutching her basket close to her, waiting for him to show himself to her before stepping forward. "The sun it's setting earlier and earlier these days... I. I really shouldn't stay long" she said taking a few steps forward, trying to see him beyond that of the shadows. The eyes took her in as she approached, cold and distant. There was something feral, bestial about their manner. It was the gaze of a predator upon their pray, and quite apart from the warmth and comfort she would have known from their past together. He had grown much in his time away, and the time spent waiting for her had made him restless, needful of her return. They had been apart for so long, and now he felt lost and lonely without her presence, alternatively pacing and sulking through the lengthening shadows of the heavily wooded forest. When she returned, he sensed something new to her, an uneasiness that had been absent before, an almost palpable aura of fear. He smelled it upon her, sensing with his predatory manner, and finding himself drawn to that small weakness, reveling in the power of it. This was not like the relationship they had shared as youths, and he knew this, even as he spoke once more to their shared bond, his words caring, but with the edge of something else behind them. A hint perhaps of his inner predator rising to the surface, more sure and confident as the night closed in around them. Do not worry little one. This is my home once more, and nothing is more fearsome than I within this forest's bound. You have my protection as long as we walk together. Besides, I desire greatly to show you the gift I have earned. It was not easily obtained. He padded up to her now, his eyes giving way to the massive black furred form as his lips peeled back in a distinctly canine grin. When his voice spoke once more it was with a command, albeit one thinly veiled behind compassion. Climb onto my back Little Girl, and I will show you the forest from my perspective. You have run beside me as a child and woman, but you have never ridden astride a wolf, and I think that is an experience you deserve the pleasure of. Let me make your journey back to the village that much easier. He lowered himself before her now, his front legs bent, his head touching the soft ground, but those cold blue eyes still upon her, still watching her movements. He was not certain what course the evening might take, but the wolf did know she would not be returning to her mother so soon. Not before he was done with her. The fear the town held was starting to wear on Little Red. Maybe she should bemoreafraid like all the others. Maybe being alone in the woods with an old friend wasn't the best idea. So much time had passed since their last encounter, and yet she had missed him all along. Red was feeling the strong push and pulls of their relationship, but she hadn't quite decided on whether to run or to stay. Red was beginning to wonder if what the Wolf said was true. Was he the most fearsome of the forest? Could he alone be enough to protect her from the dark magic this forest seemed to carry in the evenings shadows? Red often wondered if fate brought the two of them together, seeing as they were both outcasts of their kind and in need of a friend; Or perhaps it was her red cloak played some type of role in this need for a friend. Red's Grandmother had made this cloak and said it offered hidden powers to help ward off danger, only if red believed in it and would wear it. Out of all the 'Wanted Orcs, Witches and or Wolf signs posted in the village not once did she ever encounter such a scary feat, so there was no doubt in her mind that such a cloak carried such powers, or luck. It was with this belief in a garment that Red could carry herself forward and see what plans this Wolf had in store for her. A soft blush carried over Red's cheeks. When walking to Grandma's she had thought about asking her friend for a ride, so they would have more time together after her Grannie's visit, but Red was far too embarrassed to ask such a favor from a long-lost friend who...at times felt much closer to a stranger. Red found it hard to say no to such an offer. To say she had ridden a wolf, a wild beast of the woods...and to live to tell the tale? It was a once in a lifetime opportunity! He was bowing at her feet, as if begging once more for her attention...and it hit another string in her heart that drew her closer to the wild animal. Even the force that filled his voice drew her in, making it almost impossible to say no and leave such a situation, for fear of loosing her friend completely." Very well," she said with a bit more reservation, but the eagerness shined through as she stroked her old friend's mane "perhaps we can find a nice clearing to watch the sunset, and you can show me what you have learned there?" Red asked before giving her friend one last glance and pet before sliding her dress upward, exposing a bit of skin to him before swinging a left leg over to straddle her friends upper back. Red was hugging her thighs against his back and letting her legs squeeze gently onto his rib cage. She wiggled herself hips and panties side to side until she felt centered upon his impressive size. "How shall I hold you best?" she asked before letting out a soft gasp and falling forward as the wolf stood straight. Red's hands found themselves holding onto his neck, reaching around as much as she could to keep a steady grip for the ride ahead and squeezing her legs against him so she wouldn't bounce up and down on him as much. "Can I have a hint as to what you will be showing me this evening?"

Little Red Riding Hood (Beanhollow x MrThorne)|rating:4.0

The Affair (nothingbutporcelain and Xavier)

Callie opened her eyes because the sun was streaming in through the blinds and lighting up her face. She looked at the naked body sleeping peacefully beside her and crawled out of bed, not even bothering to put any clothes on. She needed some coffee or something like that. Furthermore, she had way too much to drink last night so right now her head was pounding. Furthermore, she didn't think anyone else was in the house so she didn't need to put on clothes. Furthermore, she was shocked when she walked into the kitchen and saw her teacher sitting at the kitchen table drinking his coffee. "Oh, shit!" She screamed out, trying to cover her breasts with her hands, but it was pretty useless. To say Callie had a lot of problems would be an understatement. It all started when she was around thirteen years old. She could remember that day more than anything else in the world. It wasn't a memory she wanted to keep since it was a horrible one, but sadly it was stuck in her head. The only way she could get it out was why drinking, doing drugs and having lots of casual, unprotected sex. That was why she did all of that so much. She knew it was bad, but she just couldn't help it. It made her numb and kept her from thinking about anything about her past. It was all too painful to deal with. Her father snuck into her room and raped her that night. Most thirteen-year-old girls had loving fathers, but Callie's father was different from all of theirs. She had to fight to try to keep him out of her bed. She was a young girl so she didn't really know if it was wrong or not. Her father told them that it was perfectly normal for them to have sex, but they couldn't tell anyone, not even her mother. She did what he said because she didn't know any better, and she was too embarrassed to admit to anyone what was going on. So a few years later when she was sixteen and her father was on trial for murdering her mother she blamed herself. He said he did it to be with his only daughter. He claimed that Ana (her mother) was constantly getting in the way. Callie couldn't help but blame herself for the murder. If she had just told someone maybe her father would have been put away a long time ago, so this never would have happened. It was so horrible carrying this blame around, that was why she drank so much. She'd never been very close with girls since most of the time they were all jealous of her good looks and how all the guys wanted her, but she did have one male friend who she'd always been good friends with. They weren't boyfriend and girlfriend or anything like that, but they had an agreement between them that they would have sex all the time and never let any feelings get involved. Callie really did care about her best friend and more importantly she loved having sex with him, so really the arrangement was perfect. She was way too scared to have a boyfriend and let someone into her heart. Having a best friend who was also her fuck buddy helped with this. She was also working as a stripper at the place near her studio apartment because that was the only way she could afford to live. When her father was sent to prison she lost all of his money. But not a lot of people knew she was stripping because she tried to keep it hidden. Everyone already called her a slut behind her back. This would just give them even more reasons to call her that. She tried to act like it didn't bother her to hear them say all these awful things about her but deep down it did. She knew she wanted to find someone to love, but she was honestly so scared. Her father had claimed to love her mother, but he ended up killing her. Loving her father had gotten her mother killed, so Callie didn't want anything to do with it. Sitting down at the table, Xavier wore a black robe that he didn't bother to tie and a pair of black boxer briefs that didn't leave anything to the imagination, a decent bulge from his dick could easily be seen. Holding his coffee mug in his right hand, he brought it up to his lips and let the warm liquid slide down his throat. Oh, it was helping with his hangover, his head was throbbing less now than it was a few hours ago. He happened to go out with some friends for a majority of the night since his wife was out of town for the weekend, and ended up drinking a little too much at the bar. Somehow he found his way back home and ended up in bed, passing out til a few hours ago. Running a hand over his short brown messy hair, his deep blue eyes stared into his coffee mug, the strong scent filling his nostrils. Hearing footsteps coming towards him, he looked up thinking it was his son. As he saw his sons friend Callie step into the open, her naked body in full view until she quickly tried to cover her breast." Wow!" He couldn't help but laugh,"Not so loud, my head hurts." Turning his head, he set his coffee down and slid his arms out from his robe. Making a ball of his robe, he tossed it to her,"Here put this on." Sighing, he sat at the counter only in his boxer briefs now, he didn't care how he looked or what he was wearing, all that was bothering him was his head right now. Picking his coffee back up in his right hand, he took another sip of it as his left hand ran against his well muscular chest and then down to his abs before resting his hand on his thigh. He had to admit, for being thirty-eight, he was still in damn good shape. Laying in bed, Erik (Xavier's son) was still passed out from the night before. He had way too much to drink and then blacked out, not really remembering or knowing what happened afterward. He remembered Callie being there with him but not much after that, a groan escaping his lips as he rolled over in bed. Callie was completely shocked that Erik's dad was home, but she actually began to get a little offended when he started laughing at her. She didn't understand what he thought was so funny about her walking into the kitchen naked. Callie was thinking that he should be happy to get to look at a young girl's body. He was probably sick of having to stare at his older wife's body. She didn't know much about their marriage, but she figured like most married couples they probably didn't have sex very much, and she doubted his wife still looked good for her age. Most women let themselves go once they got married. That was one of the many reasons why Callie never planned on getting married." My head hurts too." She said softly but then realized she probably shouldn't have said that. She and Erik were only seventeen so technically they weren't supposed to be drinking, but they always went to this bar where Callie slept with the bartender occasionally so he would give her and her friends free drinks even though they were underage. She had a feeling that Xavier probably wouldn't be very happy if he knew this, but she wasn't sure if he cared is his son drank. Hopefully he didn't think Callie was a bad influence on him." Thanks." She said, grabbing the robe from him and slipping it on. She was glad that he had something to wear because she really didn't want to be around him naked. He was very hot for his age, and she'd always had a secret crush on him, but she never thought about acting on this crush. After all she was sleeping with his son. He was married and her teacher. It would be so wrong. But of course this just made her want him even more since Callie loved doing things that were forbidden. Xavier was definitely off limits. "Mind if I have some?" She asked him, referring to the coffee. She grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee, not adding any milk or sugar. Furthermore, she liked her coffee black because she didn't need the extra calories. She couldn't help but look over at Xavier and start to check him out. He was very hot for his age. His wife was definitely a lucky woman. She licked her lips as her eyes lowered to his bulge in his boxer briefs. They left little to the imagination, and it made her want him even more. She had the robe on, but it wasn't tied so if he wanted he could look over at her and see a little bit of her naked body. Her chest wasn't huge or anything, but she was thin, and she had amazing long, slender legs. And it helped that her pussy was shaved and very tight, but he wouldn't know that by looking at it. His deep blue eyes watched Callie as she slipped the robe on, not bothering to tie it and made her way to get some coffee. He honestly didn't care, he was the only one in the house that drank coffee so he had a ton of it and didn't mind sharing, especially with her. Listening to her talk, he laughed softly, not even bothering to ask why her head hurt, he knew his son drank with him and figured they had a little too much too last night. Tilting his head down, he looked into his coffee and took a long drink of it as it started to cool off. He drank his coffee black too, he is never really like putting anything in it, and wasn't a big fan of drinking cold coffee, it never appealed to him. He knew who this girl was, his son had talked about her a good bit, and said she would be in his class this coming up year, so he'd be seeing her a good bit more, but of course not half naked in his kitchen. Standing up, he held his coffee mug in his right hand as he walked to a cabinet behind him. As he moved to the cabinet, he couldn't help but let his eyes glance her over once, his eyes seeming to stray over her body longer than he wanted as he saw more of than he planned to. Licking his lips, he felt his dick start to grow a little more, growing thicker and longer as he opened the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of extra strength Tylenol." Here this should help with your head a little." Opening the bottle, he got two pills and then closed it putting it back up as he moved over to her. Holding the pills out in his left hand, he stood beside her, trying not to look at her body, trying to look down at the coffee as he poured himself another glass. Callie was glad that he didn't ask her why her head hurt because she didn't know what she would say to him. She wasn't really used to dealing with parents since her father was in jail and her mother was dead. No one cared if she drank or did drugs. In fact people wouldn't even notice if she were to overdose some day. Maybe Erik would care, but she had a feeling he was the only one. She wasn't very popular at her school with the girls so they would probably all be happy that she died. It would mean that they wouldn't have to worry about Callie trying to steal their boyfriends away from them. But it wasn't like she meant to do this. Sometimes she slept with a guy, and he didn't tell her that he was taken until it was too late. But she never really cared about this since she wasn't looking for a relationship, just sex. She watched as he got up from the table and reached into a cabinet to get her some Tylenol. Once again she couldn't help but check out his body. It made her want him even more. She was getting pretty wet thinking about all the fun they could have while Erik slept upstairs and had no idea what was going on downstairs. "Thanks." She told him with a smirk on her face, reaching over for the Tylenol and 'accidentally' brushing her hand against his bulge. "Oops, sorry." It really wasn't an accident, of course, but she wanted to make it seem like one just in case he was offended by this. For all she knew he could be the kind of guy who stayed faithful to his wife. Maybe he hated the thought of sleeping with a seventeen-year-old girl, but she highly doubted that. He probably hadn't been with someone that young in a long time. As he held the Tylenol out to her, he felt her hand brush against his dick in his tight black boxer briefs before grabbing the pills from his hand. Jumping slightly, he was glad he already finished pouring his coffee or else he probably would've spilled a little. He could already feel his dick start to react to her touch, begging for it again, growing thicker and longer still, the head almost pushing out the bottom of his boxer briefs." It's fine, don't worry about it." He offered a smile as he picked up his coffee in his right hand, and he moved back to the counter and sat down. He was having to fight part of himself away from walking up to her and pushing her against the counter. Kissing up and down her body and letting her play with his dick as he played with her body. When her hand accidentally grazed his dick, it sent a spark through him, and it had been a few days since he'd had sex, his wife at times didn't feel like it anymore, and it drove him crazy. Just that little touch from Callie had ignited a fire inside him, he was trying to fight back the lust that was building in his body, he knew she was here with his son though, he was nave. But she was standing in the kitchen with him.in his robe.with it not tied and just acting like nothing was wrong. Taking a long sip of his coffee, he smiled at her." So, let me guess Erik is still passed out upstairs? Don't worry, I figured you two drank last night when he sent me a text that wasn't comprehendable at all." Grinning, he took another sip of his coffee. Callie hadn't been sure how he would react when she accidentally brushed his cock with her hand. She didn't think he would get angry with her, but she had hoped he would react a little more than he did. She wanted him so badly. Furthermore, she wasn't going to try to deny it anymore. It was taking everything she had to not go up to him right now and force her lips against his so she could kiss him passionately and roughly. She would do anything to feel that cock inside of her, but she knew she had to be good. This was Erik's father, and he was going to be her teacher once school was over. This would be wrong on so many levels. So how come she wanted him so badly? Callie was used to getting the guys she wanted so it was definitely troubling to know she couldn't have Xavier. She was trying to make her robe up even more so he would see more of her body. Obviously she wanted him to hit on her more and she knew the perfect way to make this happen was to give him more views of her body. She hoped that once he realized how hot her small body was he wouldn't be able to hold himself back anymore. Maybe he even wanted her to. If he didn't want her then why was he walking around like this? He probably would have gone to put a shirt on if he wasn't thinking about fucking her brains out. But she knew these thoughts were crazy. There was no use in getting her hopes up." Yeah, we drank a little. Erik's still sleeping. I didn't want to wake him, I'm sure he needs his sleep." She smiled at him. "It's really great that you're cool with us drinking." She hoped he wouldn't start asking her questions about where her parents were and if they cared that she was staying at a boy's house tonight. Callie didn't know how much he knew about her past, but she was hoping he didn't know much. It was pretty humiliating when people knew her father was a murderer. That story was definitely going to keep her from getting into good colleges once she graduated in two years. He looked into his coffee as he tried to get his thoughts straight, to try to shake the want.no the need to walk up to her and taste her. Licking his lips, he tried to push everything away as he started to hear her talk about the night before. Grinning, he took a sip of his coffee and sat it down on the counter." Yeah, when we drink, he usually sleeps in til I wake his ass up, he has a hard time waking up after a hard night of drinking. Well thank ya, I told him awhile back that if he wanted to drink and wanted other people over to just ask me, I'll go buy some alcohol but you all gotta stay here and drink." He turned to her as he was explaining it, the head of his dick nearly sticking out from under the bottom edge of his boxer briefs. He didn't notice it as he leaned against the counter." That's how my father was with me and I enjoyed it, it was fun. So I offered it to him, but he has yet to take me up on it." His deep blue eyes couldn't help but notice she was trying to show more of her body to him, taking a quick glance at her as he took another sip of his coffee. Now he was having a hard time fighting the thoughts off, he was tempted to go walk outside, he had a huge backyard with a big metal fence up that blocked the neighbors from seeing anything. This got his mind off of her, thinking of his backyard, he had a shed out back with a cabinet that was full of liquor, but it had a numbered code to unlock it. A good-sized pool that he always kept cleaned and running and a brand new hot tub that he had put in a few weeks ago. Then he thought of her out there with him, the thoughts of him alone out there didn't last long." Care to go outside? I need a drink." Taking another sip of his coffee, he finished it and sat it back on the counter. Callie nodded as she listened to him tell her about how he always told Erik that he could drink as long as he drank at the house. "Yeah, that's really great of you to do that. I know most parents freak out when they realize their kids are drinking. It's really stupid, I think it just makes them want to drink even more. But maybe me and Erik will take you up on that offer sometimes. He never told me you'd do that for him." Maybe Erik secretly knew that once she saw his father she would decide she wanted him to fuck her. Callie was definitely a huge slut at their school, and she knew that Erik was aware of this. He would know that she'd have no problem with sleeping with a married teacher, even if that man was her best friend's father. She was shocked when he asked her if she wanted to go outside for a drink. First she didn't know what he was talking about. Did he mean going to a bar? She was also pretty shocked that he wanted to drink alcohol this early in the morning, but how could she turn him down? She loved alcohol, and she definitely wanted to spend some more alone time with him. It would be good to get away from the house and away from Erik. Callie loved Erik but more in a friend kind of way. She knew she wanted his father, and she was sick of trying to hold herself back." Yes, that sounds perfect. But can I go out there like this? This robe is a little revealing." She said, giggling softly because she knew he had probably already noticed this, but she wanted to make him check out her body once again. She looked down at his crotch and was shocked to see how hard he was. It was so hot knowing she was the one who made him this hard. Maybe they would be doing less than innocent things outside. He was already turning to go outside as she mentioned if it would be fine for her to go out in just the robe. Turning back around on his right foot, he looked her over, his dick seeming to throb as his deep blue eyes ran over her body slowly, before looking her in the face." Well..." Bringing his right hand up to his chin, he ran his fingers over the stubble that had grown there as he nodded with a smile, the head of his dick now clearly and visibly sticking out of the bottom of his boxer briefs, but truth be told, he didn't care. With a girl like this around, he needed another drink, plus it would help with his head throbbing and let him think more clearly, or he hoped so." You could go outside nude and nobody would see you. Erik's window faces the front yard.but I figure you know that. I have a pretty tall fence up outside, so nobody can see in my backyard, I like my privacy." Licking his lips, he turned around and headed outside. Opening the door, he figured he'd shock her a little bit about how he had a damn good idea that she knew where Erik's window was. He'd heard her climb through there once before, they weren't all that quiet at trying to sneak out, but he didn't care as long as his son had fun. As soon as he stepped out, he could feel the cool air of the morning and then feel the heat from the sun as it was making its rise upwards. Standing there, he looked at the hot tub and then at the pool, his eyes finally ending up on the shed. Walking over, he felt the cool grass under his bare feet and then the freezing pavement at the entrance to the shed. Pulling the door open, he didn't bother turning the light on, he could walk around this place in the dark. It was pretty tiny, the fridge in the back corner and a few chairs sat against one wall, but it was carpeted and felt amazing under his feet. Walking over to the fridge, he grabbed the lock and spun it to open it and see the liquor inside. Callie smirked at him as she watched him turn around so he could look her over once more. She was pretty sure he liked what he saw, but maybe she was just imagining that. She knew she wanted him badly, and she was really excited about going outside with him. Maybe he thought drinking would clear his head, but Callie knew that drinking would just make her want him even more. It was easier for her to control herself when she was drunk, but it was nearly impossible for her to behave once she was drunk. For some reason she was always so irresponsible when she was drunk. That was probably how she and Erik went from being just friends to being fuck buddies." Good because I really don't feel like getting dressed. Your robe is pretty comfy. I'd really rather be naked, but that would probably be awkward for you." The only reason she said this to him was because she wanted him to try to picture her naked. Plus she really did prefer being naked, especially if it meant she and Xavier could have sex. She was dying to figure out how good he was in bed. He was an older man so she figured this meant he was pretty experienced in the bedroom. This would definitely be a good thing since Callie was very talented. Most guys thought she would suck in bed since she was so young, but really she was amazing. Callie followed him outside and was very pleased to see that he had a pool and a hot tub. She didn't have her bikini with her, but she was thinking it would be fun if they went skinny-dipping. That actually sounded a lot better than drinking to her, but she would ask him about that after he had a drink. Maybe he'd be more willing to say yes to her if he had some alcohol in his system. Callie followed him into the shed and over to the fridge where she assumed he kept his alcohol. "Do you have any vodka? I really like vodka." She said, smiling widely at him. Her robe was still hanging open and even off her shoulder a little, revealing most of her smooth, soft and delicious looking neck. Laughing softly as she talked about wearing nothing outside, he felt the same way honestly. He preferred to be naked, when the family left for vacations, and he had to stay for summer school, he'd walk around the house naked, not giving a care to the world and would come outside naked too. His wife was always curious about he had a good all over tan, and that was usually from him drinking way too much and passing out outside. But as she mentioned not wanting to wear the robe, his mind started to wander as he took his time to open the fridge, feeling his dick throbbing, begging to be let out of his boxer briefs." Well, if you want to be naked that is fine. I won't look." Turning his head to face her, he grinned and looked back at the fridge as he opened it." Yes I do have some Belvedere and some Sky Vodka, two of my favorites, but I prefer whiskey." Moving to the side so she could see in the fridge, he looked at her, his eyes scanning over her body as he licked his lips, and looked back to the fridge." Go ahead and grab the vodka you want plus if you want a mixer grab that too." Opening the freezer, he pulled out two massive cups that he kept in there to keep them nice and cold. Grabbing one of the many ice trays in there, he popped out a good bit of ice and split it up between their two cups. Shutting the freezer, he grabbed his Crown and Coke and poured him a strong glass. Leaning against the side of the shed, he took a long sip of his drink and sighed." In truth, when the family leaves for vacation in the summer, and I'm stuck here to teach summer school, I walk around naked, I fucking hate clothes but when people are over I have to wear them." Laughing, he took another sip and looked at Callie. Callie was a little surprised to hear him say that she didn't have to wear clothes here if she didn't want to. He said that he wouldn't look at her if she walked around naked, but she wasn't sure if he was really being truthful about that. She hadn't yet met a man who could resist looking at her when she was naked. She really wanted to get naked right now so she could tell if he was telling the truth or not. Furthermore, she also just really wanted him to look at her naked body." I do want to be naked. I think I'll do just that." She said, giggling softly and smiling when he told her that he did have vodka. This made her very happy because she was craving vodka right now. She didn't usually drink this early in the morning, but she could never turn down free drinks. Plus she knew that things would be a lot more fun if they had some alcohol in their systems. She grabbed the glass from him and poured some of the vodka in it. "I don't need a mixer. I like my vodka straight up." She wondered if he would be impressed after hearing this from her. Hopefully he would. "I'm totally going to get naked. I've never been naked outside before, it'll be fun!" Guys had fucked her outside while she was naked so maybe technically she had been naked, but she wasn't thinking about that right now. She grabbed the robe and slipped it off quickly, smirking at him because she knew he would probably be very pleased that she did this. She then took a sip of the vodka, loving the burning sensation she felt as the alcohol slid down her throat. "You should get naked too! You said you love being naked, so I don't want to keep you clothed. And I swear I won't look." She knew it would be very dangerous if they were both naked out here, but that was the whole point. Watching her grab the glass from his hand, he couldn't help but laugh when she mentioned she liked her vodka straight. No wonder his son liked to hang around this girl, she seemed like a crazy one that could lead to a lot of fun. Hopefully for him too. Licking his lips, he couldn't help but wait for her to slip the robe off since she said she would, he had already seen her naked once before this morning, but it lasted only a split second before she covered up. Just the thought of her without the robe on, made his dick strain to get out of his boxer briefs, but he couldn't believe what she said when she said he should get naked to. Looking at her, he brought his glass to his lips and sipped it." You really think I should get naked. I don't know if I trust that you won't look." He couldn't help but stare as she took his robe off without hesitating, his eyes looking her up and down, now his dick was absolutely straining, the head plus a little more was sticking out from the bottom of his boxer briefs as he leaned against the wall, forcing himself to take his eyes off her body. Laughing, he looked at her face,"I thought you were playing about getting naked, but that's fine." Just to show her that he didn't care, he looked over her body again, happily. Moving to grab his bottle of Crown and his Coke, he set his drink down and took the lock off the fridge in case he had to come back for more Coke. Picking his drink back up, he shut the fridge and stopped in the doorway of the shed." You know, I'll take you up on getting naked, can't look though, I'll make sure." Laughing, he had the perfect idea, she said he could, so he would. Going to the hot tub, he sat his drink down along with the Crown and Coke. Pressing the on button for the hot tub, he watched it start up, the jets blowing water out as tons of bubbles appeared on the surface. Pulling his boxer briefs off, he laid them on the ground, keeping his back towards Callie as he then slipped into the hot tub, the bubbles covering up his throbbing dick. Callie wasn't shocked at all when she saw his eyes immediately move over her body right after she slid the robe off. She had known that he wouldn't be able to resist looking at her, and now she knew that she was definitely very right about him, but she had actually wanted him to look at her body so it wasn't like she was offended by this or anything like that. In fact, she was quite pleased that he didn't do what he said he would. He was making it pretty obvious that he was staring at her body. It was almost like he knew she wanted him to look. So if he knew that then why wasn't he trying to make a move on her? Callie was a girl so she wasn't going to try to hit on him. That would make her look foolish. She was waiting for him to make the first move, but she wasn't sure if that would ever happen." You can trust me, I swear I won't look." He claimed that he wouldn't look at her, and then he blatantly looked over her body so she would do just the same. Of course, she didn't know that he had a plan to keep her from looking at his body. "For someone who said they weren't going to look you sure are looking a lot, but I really don't mind. You can look all you want." She almost made a comment about how she was sure he didn't get to look at hot girls very often because of his wife, but she was glad she stopped herself at the last minute. She really didn't want to offend him and make him decide he didn't want to spend this time with her. She followed him out of the shed and was shocked when he turned his back to her and got in the hot tub right after he turned the jets on so he would make sure that she really didn't get to see him naked. Of course, she was very disappointed by this because she had wanted to see how big he was. Oh well, she'd make him pay for that. Callie walked closer to the tub and got in, sitting across from him. "Mmm, this feels good." She said before 'accidentally' moving her foot up and finding his cock so she could use her foot to softly massage his cock. She would do much better with her mouth, but that would be way too obvious. Leaning back in the hot tub, he closed his eyes and listened to her talk as he brought his drink up to his lips, taking a long sip of it, licking his lips afterward. He made this one kind of strong, but it completely took away the throbbing pain in his head, and now he was more relaxed." Well I'll remember that you said that then." Opening an eye, he watched her move to the hot tub, a grin appearing on his lips." You seemed like you wanted me to look at you, plus I couldn't help it." Laughing, he closed his one eye that was open and felt his dick throbbing as he thought of her body. Tons of thoughts flew through his mind as he took another drink of his Crown and Coke, he could picture her bent over the hot tub, as he teased her with his dick before thrusting it into her. He let out a soft groan as he let the thought float away as he took another drink of his Crown and Coke. Opening his eyes, he watched her slip into the hot tub across from him and then felt her foot softly brush against his dick as it throbbed, her foot moving to rub up and down it. He laughed aloud on the inside, oh he was right, she wanted to see it, feel it, but he'd see how far she would go to feel it. Putting his cup to his lips again, he held it high over his head as he finished it. Turning his body, he sat up a little and leaned back more to make another drink. He didn't realize though that the head of his dick barely stuck out of the surface of the water as he started to pour a good bit of Crown into his cup and then filled the rest of it with Coke before shaking it up as good as possible without spilling any and taking a small sip. Callie smirked at him when he said that he couldn't help but look at her once she got naked. She loved hearing him admit that to her. "Well I didn't mind you looking. I just enjoy giving you a hard time." She said, laughing softly as she thought about the word hard. It was funny because she was making him hard right now. She knew he would be shocked when she started to massage his cock with her foot, but he didn't really act any different. She knew he was probably enjoying this and just trying to hide that from her. Furthermore, she knew for a fact that he had to want her just as much as she wanted him. Furthermore, she was actually a little disappointed that he wasn't acting like she was doing anything to him. Furthermore, she had expected him to groan out loud and really get into it, but he was acting like he couldn't care less if she did anything to him. This made her want to stick her head under the water and give him the best head of his life, but she would have to hold herself back for a while more. She had to find something else she could do to tease him but not make it completely obvious that she was doing it on purpose. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she would think of something. Furthermore, she continued to use her foot to please him, smirking as she stared into his eyes. Furthermore, she was slowly moving closer and closer to him in the hot tub. Before she knew it she was sitting right next to him. She then moved her foot away from his cock, waiting to see his reaction. She moved her hand down to his cock and started to use that to please him. It still wasn't as fun as using her mouth, but it would just have to do. Maybe she would use her mouth later. Laughing he heard her mention it giving him a hard time, and he knew he was most likely having the same thought she was, that her body was giving him a very hard time. It was hard to ignore the fact that her foot was rubbing up and down his dick, massaging it, and it felt oh so damn amazing, it nearly distracted him completely from making his Crown and Coke. He tried to think of something else and act like it didn't bother him, but oh did it ever, he was having the hardest time pretending right now. As he turned around, he took a long sip of his Crown and Coke, tasting mainly Crown, and he enjoyed it thoroughly, it was just strong enough to hit him good. Putting the cup down on the edge of the hot tub, he looked across from him expecting to see her, but he wasn't ready when he looked right beside him and saw her. A sad look appearing on his face as her foot slid away from his dick, so much for holding up and acting like he didn't care, but a groan escaped his lips as he felt her hand soon replace her foot. His dick throbbed in her hand as he tilted his head back, his hand moving to the inside of her thigh without him even thinking. As his hand hit the inside of her thigh, he let his fingers slowly move upwards towards her pussy, not being able to contain himself any longer. He had caved in fully and wanted her now, wanted to taste her and feel his dick deep inside her. Callie wasn't sure how he would react to her giving him a hand job. She figured he would be very pleased by it since he made it clear that he liked looking at her naked body earlier but then again you could never know for sure about those kinds of things. She was very happy when she heard him groan out loud the second she touched his cock with her hands. If he was enjoying this she could only imagine how much he would love it when she gave him head and when he fucked her. That would be even better than the hand job she was giving him now. But this probably did feel pretty amazing to him because Callie was very good with her hands. She was definitely shocked when she suddenly felt his hand on the inside of her thigh and then the next thing she knew he was moving his hand closer to her pussy. She couldn't hold back her moan the second his fingers got up there. Furthermore, she also knew that she had very hot sounding moans so she wanted him to hear them right now. "Oh my God, that feels so good!" She screamed out loudly, not even bothering to try to hide how much she was loving every second of this. Maybe she should be worried about his neighbors hearing her but of course she wasn't. Callie moved even closer to him and suddenly brought her lips to his, kissing him passionately and forcing her tongue into his mouth, exploring it entirely. She could already tell that he was an amazing kisser and this made her very happy. She wasted no time before crawling onto his lap, making sure her cunt was pressed up against his hard cock. It felt so incredible. As her hand worked over his throbbing dick, he let out another groan, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. God, it felt amazing, he wandered what her mouth would feel like on his dick, or what it would be like to have her bent over this hot tub as he pushed his dick into her. It would be a sensational feeling, but he was now running on pure lust, his body giving into it. As his fingers moved further up her thigh, he let two fingers slip over her pussy, rubbing his fingers back and forth as he heard her moan. Oh, her moan was amazing, his dick throbbing in her hand as he then felt her move closer to him. His lips pressed against hers as he opened his mouth to allow his tongue to meet hers. As his tongue touched hers, he sucked in, letting his tongue move around hers. As she moved to straddle him, he moved his left hand to her breast, his fingertips running under one and then the other before moving up to her nipples, pulling them and running his hands over her breast to squeeze them. His right hand moved underwater to grab his dick, rubbing the head up and down her pussy, letting the head push against her clit and then back down her pussy. Callie enjoyed touching and massaging his cock like this but of course she wanted to do a lot more than that with him. Giving hand jobs was fun and everything, but she preferred doing more dirty things than that. She was moaning out so loudly as she felt him slip two fingers into her pussy. This felt so incredible. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this attracted to a guy. Sure Erik was hot, and she loved having sex with him, but she couldn't deny that she felt way more attracted to his father. He was just so sexy in every way. She was really enjoying the kiss. He was a great kisser. She knew she could never get sick of having his lips on hers like this. She couldn't help but let out a loud moan from what he was doing to her breasts. Callie really began to lose it once he grabbed his cock and ran the head along her slit. She was just dying to feel him inside of her. She needed him so badly. They had teased each other for so long, and she didn't want to wait any longer. "Oh my God, I need you now! Please fuck me now, sir! I can't wait any longer!" She moaned out loudly, hoping he liked how she called him sir. She thought it was hot because it reminded them that he was so much older than her. Xavier kept rubbing the head of his dick against her pussy, his right hand holding onto his dick right below the head. Groans escaped his lips as he heard her moan and pretty much beg for him to fuck her now. But he didn't plan on fucking her yet, even as an older man, he still loved to tease, but before he fucked her, he wanted to taste her. Pulling his lips from hers, he let his lips make a trail of kisses over her jawline and down her neck, biting gently. Putting his lips by her earlobe, he whispered,"First. I want to taste you, then we'll fuck." Flicking his tongue over her earlobe, he'd first let her feel what it was like to have him in her as he moved both hands to her hips. Thrusting up, he pulled her down on him and pushed the head of his dick into her, letting out a louder groan, he could feel how tight she was, his dick throbbing as he thrust more of himself into her. Finally, he felt himself pushed as far inside her as he could get, his dick throbbing as he stood up with her in his arms with ease. Turning towards the edge of the hot tub, he set her down on the edge of it as he reached to turn the jet off that shot the bubbles out. His dick still throbbed inside her as he took his time pulling his dick out of her. Groaning, he let a grin flash on his lips as he spread her legs and started to kiss up her thigh, letting his tongue trace small circles and then his teeth graze over her leg, but he kept moving his lips closer and closer to her pussy. Callie was loving every second of this, and she was so ready to feel him deep inside of her. She moaned out even louder as she felt him kiss down her jawline and neck. It was always one of her weaknesses when guys kissed her like this. It was one of her favorite things for a guy to do to her. "Mmm, okay." Callie said, feeling a little disappointed that she wouldn't get to have him inside of her right away but at least she knew she would get to experience this eventually. She couldn't wait to see just how good the older man would be in bed, well in the hot tub since they definitely weren't going to be in a bed, but that was just fine with her. She let out such a loud moan as she felt him pull her down onto him, so his cock thrust deep inside of her. Furthermore, she couldn't believe he was actually going to pull out of her right now when this felt so good. Furthermore, she wished she could have him inside of her forever, but she knew he would be fucking her soon. This was just a tease, soon she would have the real thing. Callie let out even louder moans when she felt him pull out of her. Just like she thought she was very disappointed to feel him out of her because it was such a great feeling but at least she knew soon he would have his tongue inside of her and that would feel pretty amazing. She brought her hands down to his head and ran them through his hair, pushing his head even closer to her so he would get his tongue very deep inside of her once he got his head to her pussy. She couldn't wait to feel this. It was killing him as he pulled out of her, he wanted to keep thrusting into her, but he was loving the fact that he got to tease her. He would savor this and wanted to please her this way first, he loved to go down on girls, and he was for sure wanting to taste Callie. Feeling her hands reach down to his head and through his hair, he kept kissing upwards, feeling her pulling his head towards her pussy. His lips kissed around her pussy slowly, nibbling around and down her other thigh. Only a little ways though before kissing his way back up to her pussy. Moving his right hand to her pussy, his fingers traced up her slit and back down, sliding two fingers deep inside her again. As his lips neared her pussy again, he flicked his tongue over her clit before sucking it into his mouth and letting his teeth graze over it as he let it slide from his mouth. Moving his fingers from her pussy, he put two fingers on her clit and started to rub it slowly in circles as his tongue slowly slid over her slit. Pushing his tongue into her pussy, she tasted sweet, his tongue darting over her pussy. Callie couldn't believe how much he was driving her crazy with lust right now. He kept avoiding her pussy and kissing all around it. Callie knew that he was doing this on purpose. He was obviously trying to tease her and make her want him even more. Well it was definitely working because she couldn't remember the last time she had wanted a guy this much. Xavier was so sexy, and she had to have him inside of her again soon. She threw her head back and let out such a loud moan once she felt his two fingers enter her pussy again. She was relieved when he finally brought his mouth to her pussy and began to use his tongue to please her. This felt so good, just as she knew it would. She was moaning out so loudly because the pleasure was so incredible right now. The combination of his tongue on her clit and his fingers inside of her was amazing. Then she really began to lose it when his tongue finally entered her. "Oh, fuck yes! That feels so good!" She screamed out loudly, not really caring who heard her. Erik could walk out right now, and she knew that wouldn't stop them from doing what they wanted.

The Affair (nothingbutporcelain and Xavier)|rating:2.0

What do your tattoos mean_ [Visna and Le Immortelle]

What do your tattoos mean?(Patterson It seemed like every shitty shop in town of Bum fuck, Georgia had one of those little bells above the door. Just hearing the noise practically gave Sabrina chills - like hearing her morning alarm to get up for work. She had never been a morning person. Of course, the town didn't have many shops. A single tattoo parlor, a vape shop, some pawn shops, a few grocery stores. The facades of the buildings in "downtown" looked like they were about to crumble to reveal a fake b-list movie set. Technically, Bum fuck was a town called Cisco. It was one of those shitty towns that sat in a cluster of other shitty towns, three miles drive from anywhere of relevance. Want to go to a concert? Drive an hour. A sports event? Local high school football. Dinner date? Sonic drive in. The other things to do were work for shit pay and do drugs. This was the town Sabrina had grown up in. She was a Georgia peach... Maybe a sour strain of peach... That was going rotten. If she had been raised in any other town, maybe she would have gone somewhere. She had a decent head on her shoulders and a pretty face. But the surrounding environment - Bum fuck - had corrupted her. It was more sad than anything, although she never stopped to think about it. She just kept chugging along the routine, which for her meant her full-time job at the local vape shop High Life. The bell jingled. She turned around and saw the blinding, lime-green door. Sometimes, it made her feel sick. Sometimes, it gave her a burst of energy. It depended on if she was going in or out of it. Luckily, she didn't need to go far to her next destination. The town was pretty small. At least, "downtown" was. It was only about thirty buildings. Nightlife consisted of a few dive bars. Most things required a twenty-minute drive to get to.(Wells It was dead inside Jade Dragon Tattoos and Piercings. That wasn't unsurprising; in fact, it was typical for a Tuesday afternoon. The tattoo shop employed four "artists" - if you could call them that. The most commonly requested tattoo was a John Deere logo, antlers, or military insignia. There was a small army base in the area which rotated (notably bad) clientele in and out. Besides that, it was mostly trailer trash that stopped in. The occasional hipster, of which there weren't too many in the area. The artists weren't really that good, but they got the job done. If somebody had a good-looking tattoo, it was probably done in Atlanta three hours away." Here she comes." Trent had been half looking at his phone and half staring out the window of the shop. It had been three hours since anyone had even been in the shop. In the back was the new hire. Trent wasn't exactly sure why she was here. Really all the hipster employees in the shop seemed out of place in Cisco, but the new girl did especially. Trent didn't really care enough to ask questions about it. Besides, a pretty face in the shop was good for business with the military guys. "And before you get any funny ideas to push an ass-tat on her because of her big ass, she's one of my regulars." Trent was known to be snarky. Really, the whole shop was. "If I wasn't into sucking dick, I'd probably go for an ass like hers. Think it ever gets sore, or too much cushion?" He let out a sigh, which he often did before he had to actually do work. Outside, Sabrina was nearing the door. "Hurry, take a guess. Watermelon or strawberry? Watermelon or strawberry?" The bell jingled. Yep, Jade Dragon had one too. And before anybody asks, Trent didn't come up with the name. The original owner did, and nobody had the time or care to ever change it and buy a new sign." Peach green tea." Trent groaned under his breath, only loud enough for the new hire to hear. The guesses were, of course, about the vape smell that came from the stocky, full-bodied girl that came through the doors. She had on a yellow tube-top and baggy, draw-string cargo pants that came up to her high-waist. She wasn't fat, but she had some extra pounds that she preferred to hide while still showing off her midriff and being comfortable. Slutty and comfy was her signature look, and she pulled it off well. Fashion wasn't a common hobby in Cisco. She had quite the ink herself, almost entirely dark line work. She also had several noticeable piercings, and probably many more unnoticeable ones. Furthermore, she obviously was a semiregular at the shop. "Hey Trent." She had a jazzy voice, probably from the years of smoking. In her hand, she clutched a vape pen. She had glittery nails, several pieces of jewelry on, and full-bodied hair that looked like it would have smelled nice in the absence of the overwhelming smell of peach green tea. Even with her black (and noticeably dirty) doc martens, she was only five foot five. In Cisco, she stood out like a sore thumb. She liked that, obviously, but it was rare to see people like her outside the tattoo shop." Here for a quick piece. Just a quote here." She said, motioning to her collarbone area. She stopped when she saw the new girl. "Hey, I'm Sabrina. What's good? Looks like it's pretty dead in here." She already was moving to Trent's seat, which made Trent cast an obnoxious told you so glare to his coworker. He won this round, but there would be more to come. ('V' Porter had hated coming back to this shithole of a town. It was one of those things that she had sworn she would never do the day she took off to college in a Greyhound. She wanted to forget everything about Cisco and put it behind her permanently. Right from her drunk parents to the dead fucking scene in the town where most exciting thing that could ever happen was someone's pet cat dying. She had always seen her as someone who was out worldly, someone who deserved better than fucking Cisco. Yet, she liked the place. In a warped way. More than she would've ever cared to admit or even been able to articulate. Six years in California, an expensive and equally useless liberal arts degree along with mountain of debt later; Vivian Porter popularly known as V had found herself back in Georgia. She had tried to get a job only to find out she couldn't hold one and recent economic situation had simply priced her out of California leading to her getting evicted from her apartment due to falling behind on rent. Grudgingly, V had packed her stuff up and came back to the only place where she came from. About the only place that could still be attributed as well, home. After loitering around, doing a menial job here and there....one day she had spotted an opening at Jade Dragon, about the only tattoo parlor in the town. It was one of the talents that V had picked up during her time in the big city. She was no expert, but she was decently good at it. At least better than what most of the artists in this bum fuck town would be. They were probably used to doing tramp stamps and some heart shaped tats. As it turned out, V wasn't far off in her estimation, but tramp stamps were replaced by John Deere logo and hearts with military insignia. Pathetic and yet, entirely in keeping in line with Cisco. That said, Trent was happy to take her on. So here she was, plying her craft at Jade Dragon. It was her second week, and she was already getting tired of doing goddamn John Deere logos...or rather, tired of seeing them was more like it. On that lazy afternoon the bell rang and in walked a girl that caught V's attention. She looked cute even if dressed in that country trash slutty way that only a Cisco native would be able to inhabit. Sabrina's greeting met with a nod. "I'm Vivian....you can call me V. You know, the alphabet. You're right. It's dead in here...but it's Cisco, when has it ever been alive?" V grinned as her eyes ran over Sabrina, noticing she was taking a seat for Trent." What do you think of going for something new instead of same ol' shit?" V drawled casually, giving a sly grin at Trent. A little bit of banter never hurt. Besides, what was the worst Trent could do? Get into a row and fire her? The notion amused V for she knew he wouldn't do that. They had developed a chemistry. That told her it just wasn't on the cards nor would she really consider leaving it immediately. At least not for now. Sometimes you just formed a connection. They were a crew now. (Patterson Sabrina stretched out her arms, letting out a groan, before taking a seat by Trent. She scratched her head before transitioning her hair from one side to the other - it was a habit of hers to play with her hair. She had absolutely zero idea that V was giving her a hungry lockdown. Sabrina's first impression of V was actually mostly positive. She always felt it was nice to have different people in town. The response to Trent's snark went over Sabrina's head, since she hadn't heard the start of it. So, she just let it slide. She looked over at Vivienne and smiled. "Your work looks amazing. Where did you have it done?" Obviously it wasn't from anywhere nearby. It looked like real work, and Sabrina quickly learned it was from out V's time out west. Sabrina went to hit her vape pen, and Trent's hand shot up to stop her. "No peach smoke in my face while I'm working." Sabrina looked like she was about to pout, but she set her vape pen on a nearby table instead. "Have it your way, boss." She chirped, before leaning back in her seat." My kiddies looking good today, don't they Trent?" Sabrina's pouty expression had quickly transformed back to a playful one. While Vivienne and Trent had formed a relationship, it was clear that Trent had outside friends as well. Just based on how he and the customer interacted, it was clear they were on great terms... and that Sabrina obviously knew Trent was not into her." Real perky and shit." She added, before slightly lowering her tube top to make space for the work to be done. Trent cast a playful look over at V as if to says bet you wish you were me right now, don't you bitch?" It's a beautiful day to be alive. That's what I want, in italics, right here. Just by the rose on my shoulder." Sabrina laid back. "Self betterment, you know? I'm working on it." For all her trashy appearances, Sabrina's first impression was a surprisingly nice girl." Hey V! Tell me about yourself while I get this done." The job itself didn't take too long. It was a simple, kind of stupid request. And, just like that, Sabrina paid in cash from her recent paycheck and was gone out the door. The bell jingled. Once the coast was clear, Trent went back to his chair by the window. He always seemed happier when he wasn't working, even compared to when he was doing a piece that interested him. Obviously, a quote was not that piece. It had been a few minutes since he had said something sarcastic, which for Trent was long enough." Did you not think she was cute? Why didn't you get her number?" He paused. "And don't go looking in our customer logs for contact information for her, creep." ('V' Porter watched Trent and Sabrina converse amid the banter being exchanged by Trent and her sometimes. When Sabrina mentioned how her tits were looking, V's eyebrow lofted up. Oh, how much she would've liked to grope, fondle, molest in her rough, calloused hands. The thought made her practically lick her lips in anticipation. Seeing Trent mock her, V just silently mouthed as 'Fuck you!' to Trent and smirked. Not just because that it was him tending to Sabrina instead of her but also because of the way he had read her V with such ease. In some regards, V was an open book. Especially when it came to her desires about the fairer sex. There was this in your face element to V that transcended into roguish territory. Now whether people found it charming or scary depended on the woman she was dealing with. So far, V was pegging Sabrina to be one who would squarely fall in the earlier category. Sabrina leaned in to get the job done and asked V about herself. Oh, V sure had plenty of stories to tell, having been to the world beyond shithole of Cisco. "Oh I'm a native. Just returning to Cisco after my time in the West. Don't ask why I came back..." V chuckled and gave a shrug. "... I guess I just felt I had to. I don't know. Either ways, as you can see I love good ink, heavy metal and women who sport good ink...." A sly wink was given to Sabrina at that. But it didn't take too long for ink job to be done and just like that Sabrina was out before V could pull any serious move over her. An inward groan escaped V as she eyed the tight ass saunter out of the door and the bell jingled again before the door shut with a thud. Trent, was of course back to teasing her about it." Fuck you!" V shot back at him with a middle finger. "Now you're just giving me ideas. Maybe I am going to be a creep and go through customer logs and get her number. Don't you give me talk about client confidentiality...you don't even know what means!" V grinned at Trent." Tell you what though, what if I have her eating me out by the end of the week?" V purred, challenging Trent. Knowing that it would push his buttons. It was clever play, ensuring she would be closer one step towards her immediate goals. That happened to Sabrina's pants. (Wells Sabrina seemed like the type that enjoyed listening about others. Maybe if she had been born outside of Cisco she would have been a psychologist. "It's always good to have more gays around. I'm more of an indie bitch now myself, but I used to listen to metal and punk growing up." She chuckled. "Maybe we can drive five hours to a show sometime." Relatable. That's what Sabrina was. Relatable. And fuckable. Sabrina had left it at that. Rather nonchalant. At least Vivian had already put out there that she was gay, although that was rarely something she held inside. It was at least reassuring to see Sabrina didn't recoil at the notion of V being gay. Most girls in town would have made an outward show of disgust. The bell jingled as she departed, leaving Trent and V alone to fuck with each other. They would have made a cute couple if they both weren't so gay. Trent was grinning like a little bastard as V had her little outburst. "Calm down, horn dog. Relax." He chuckled. "God, it must suck." He paused for the joke. "Being into girls in a redneck town like this. Bet you haven't gotten laid since you came home, have you? Must be rough!" He was such an asshole, but it was hard not to enjoy that about him. "Can't say the same here. Lots of closeted guys running around these hills." His grin widened. "If you have her eating you out by end of the week, you owemedinner for setting you two up today."" And maybe an apology." He added with an intentionally royal and haughty tone. He burst out laughing. Furthermore, he really did crack himself up. "I just don't get how you do it. You know - girls. Yuck, gross." He joked, as the two spent the remaining hours of the day doing only a few small pieces to customers much less interesting than Sabrina. When it was time to close up shop, Trent already knew what he wanted to do. In fact, he had mentioned it several times throughout the day. He was in a noticeably better mood, which was typical when he was on his way to get drinks. It was nice in a way that they worked pretty late, since it was already bar-time when they got off for the day. "You're coming, right? Small group going down to Hooligan's." V had said she would tag along earlier, but he wanted to make sure. Hooligan's was only a few blocks down the road, about a ten-minute walk. It was a dive bar. Not a cool dive bar where young adults outcast from society hung out, but a country dive bar where the music was shit, the beer selection was bad, and old folks dominated the pool tables. Usually, the younger crowd just hung out in the back room, occasionally dipping out to grab a drink and return. None of the bartenders were the type that V would go for, which in a way Trent considered a good thing. Trent and V arrived first. They both got drinks and claimed a table far in the back of the bar. On two occasions, V rose from the table to make a move on two local girls. Both times were complete strikeouts, followed by Trent's constant teasing when she returned to the table. To Trent's credit, Thad been rough for V since coming home. He wasn't wrong. The local lesbian dating scene was not the best. Eventually, about an hour after work, two newcomers arrived at the bar - both Trent's friends. One was a guy he was hooking up with, the other was a longtime straight friend of his. Both dudes. But both seemed pretty cool, and V had an easy time fitting into the conversations. She had met one of them before. After a bit, the other two started talking about the latest video game they were playing. Seeing an opportunity to fuck with V, Trent turned to her and started his own side conversation." Rough night, huh? Guess you're going to be dry again." There it was. His shit-eating smirk. "I won't be." He sneered, casting a gaze at his squeeze that was lost in a different conversation beside him. He could tell V was a bit pissed, but he didn't care. Furthermore, he knew she could handle it. "One of my girlfriends left a vibrator at my place a few months ago. It's been sitting there. Want me to lend it to you?" Ruthless." Maybe Sabrina is the best bet for you. You two wouldn't be completely gross." He knew how to keep V hanging. "She is bi, you know. She's mostly dated guys, but she's told me." A golden nugget. A sliver of hope. "She's had pretty shitty experiences with men lately. You do know she's a top, right?"" We were texting a few hours ago. She says you seemed friendly. I asked her if she was considering letting you tattoo her over me." He grinned. "She said she would never betray me like that." Vivienne clearly thought it was all bullshit, but Trent showed her the texts to prove it. They were really friends, it seemed. Then a bet was made. A bet to see if Trent could get Sabrina to come out. It started as one drink, then became two, then three before Trent finally agreed to Vivian's wager. It really was a win-win for V anyway. If Sabrina did show up, she could make a move. If she didn't, she got free drinks. Trent knew he would just end up getting free drinks and free entertainment.(Patterson So, he sent a text. One that V didn't get to see. The conversation eventually turned elsewhere, and the group sort of reformed into a new, four-way discussion. Enough time passed to probably warrant V considering if she had actually won the best. Yet, sure enough, eventually the smell of peach green tea wafted into the back room. There she was, looking exactly the same as earlier. Hooligan's wasn't a bar that warranted a dress change." Sup boys! And girl." She said, noticing V was there as well. "I'm pissed you convinced me to come to this shithole. You know I hate this bar." She groaned, grabbing a seat and adding it to the table anyway. Trent took no time shifting the blame onto V. He was a mastermind, more than V ever could have realized. "Oh, it was V that kept bothering me about it. I told her you were probably napping and that you hated this place, but she didn't listen. V's stubborn, you should know." He shot a look over to V and smiled when he realized he had definitely caught her off guard. Sabrina also looked over at V. "Really, so it was you, huh?" She said, still sounding irritated but obviously joking.(( 'V' Porter"Oh you just keep on saying that because the perv that you are would totally get off on seeing two ladies go at it live!" V shot back at Trent, mocking him in return. "But I can bet you that pussy tastes infinitely better than dick. That's a hill I'm willing to die on." She grinned and made a V with her fingers before her tongue swirled about in there, mimicking the action of oral sex with another woman. Rest of the day had gone by uneventfully until it was time for closing. Time for closing also meant that it was time for drinks. Trent had asked V if she was tagging along, which V was. There wasn't much one could do once you were free from work in Cisco unless you had a family which neither of them did. You could either go out and get drunk or you could hook up with someone for a fuck. More than often, both acts happened together. So booze it was. The bar that Trent had picked out was bottom of the barrel one and yet, entirely in keeping up with spirit of the Cisco. When she stepped in, V couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the fact that most of the people she hung out with in the west and especially the girls she had had flings and dates with wouldn't have dared to step in a hundred-meter radius of a joint like this. It was rough and tumble, this dingy bar and yet, it was very real. There was no pretension. You either stayed or you fucked off if you had a problem with it. The place, monolithic it was, wasn't going to change for you. It had probably been painted last at some point in the 1960s, and it was crumbling now. Once few rounds were in, V had tried her luck with some of the girls but given the dead lesbian dating scene in the bum fuck town, she hadn't been much lucky. Little while later Trent's friends joined in as well. V knew them and they all got along pretty decently as the conversation moved from one subject to another until it reached video games. That's where Trent sought his opportunity to fuck a little with her." Fuck you!" V blurted out and downed her shot. "Maybe you just like being a man ho Trent. Perhaps I should become your pimp!" She growled but really, it was of no use. Trent was scoring a win tonight while it seemed V's night was going to be spent with her fingers. Again. That is, until Trent again mentioned Sabrina and showed the texts to V." Consider yourself so cocksure? Let's see if you can convince Sabrina to come here right now, and I'll buy you a drink." V dangled the offer. It wasn't the wager that counted here but the prestige, challenge to Trent's ego. He seemed to take it in stride. But only if it was more than just one drink. V consented to that. Soon enough a text was sent and talk turned to other things. Until the familiar smell percolated through the air. V's eyes widened a little at that as she gazed at Trent, indicating him with a nod. Oh, that's impressive. She had conveyed to him." Hey there Sabrina!" V greeted Sabrina who in turn complained to Trent about the kind of joint Hooligan's was. Trent, of course immediately shifted the blame to V. Sabrina asked her about it. V was about to protest to Trent over this but then, at the last moment something inside her clicked. Instead, she gave a cool, nonchalant glare at Sabrina, this time appraising her, eye fucking her even more thoroughly before she answered." Guilty as charged!" V announced with a smile. "But now that you're here, come...let me buy you a drink." She made the offer. It was a genuine one and as she did so, V had reached out a little closer to Sabrina. The peach green tea smell causing her nostrils to flare a little as she took in more of it. (Patterson Sabrina's eyes sparkled a bit at the notion of a free drink. She was so far from salaried, so it was practically equivalent to a free hour of work. "Fuck yeah, that makes the trip worth it." She followed Vivian to the bar, hitting her vape pen on the way. It was a habit she could never break, even indoors. Trent could be heard calling out behind them, "Get me another tall boy!" It was only fair and part of the deal, although nobody yet knew the two girls wouldn't be returning to the table for some time. Trent, of course, would end up just ordering himself and putting them on V's tab anyway. As they made their way to the bar, Sabrina seemed in an increasing good mood. She was just a positive person, and there wasn't really any explanation past that. Once they got to the bar, it took a moment for the bartender to stop by. "PBR for me." It was always her drink of choice - keep it simple stupid. At least she was a cheap date. There were some casual pleasantries exchanged in brief succession as they wanted at the bar. How was your day? Any interesting designs? Boy, it's nice to be off work! Nothing out of the ordinary. Unluckily, or perhaps luckily, for Vivian, Sabrina wasn't born yesterday. She could spot somebody crushing on her, especially when it was an obvious as V. Sabrina looked over at the bartender and waved, briefly cutting off the conversation with V. "Three fireball shots too." She knew it would probably piss off V, adding three shots to her tab, but she figured the girl would be fine with it in thirty seconds. The drinks and three shots arrived at the bar in front of the two girls. Sabrina quickly grabbed one and downed it. "Pow!" She said, shaking her head from the kick. She then held the other in front of her, and slid the other in front of V." Do you have a crush on me? I've caught you starring at my ass twice." She snickered. "And now you've bought me three drinks. You can be honest." She raised her shot glass to cheers with V before they would take them together. ('V' Porter grinned at Sabrina's remark about free drinks. "They always make things more fun, don't they?" She responded while completely ignoring Trent's order. He was going to be grouchy about it, and they'll probably banter some more, but if a drink was what he needed right now, he should just get one himself and put it on V's tab. She would deal with it later. For now, Sabrina held V's attention. She had ordered whiskey for herself as they exchanged the casual pleasantries. The drinks arrived and of course, they were consumed quickly. That's when Sabrina asked her point-blank if she was crushing on her. V chuckled and gave a nonchalant shrug as she clinked her shot glass with Sabrina's before downing it. V felt it hit her system. The intensity of the fiery liquid. It was blended with Sabrina's vape, giving her a peculiar buzz as a result. V could've responded, but she felt, actions would be better. Especially when Sabrina had definitely hit the bullseye. So her hand just slid around Sabrina's waist before she leaned in for a quick but an aggressive kiss." Does that answer your question? Perhaps we could go somewhere nicer and leave this dingy place behind?" She purred in Sabrina's ear, giving her earlobe a small nibble. (Patterson[Clink! The sound of two old shot glasses colliding, followed by the crisp jolt of fireball down Sabrina's throat. She fucking loved fireball and all of its cinnamon-y goodness. "Yow! Watch out, or I'll put two more on your tab." Sabrina wasn't afraid to be a bit of a mooch sometimes, although she was awfully charming and cute while she did it. Sabrina was pretty surprised when she saw Vivian leaning toward her. Her soft hand reached around her admit tingly chubby waist, touching skin to skin. The kiss was over almost as suddenly as it began. It was quick but enough to give Sabrina a little teaser. Her lips are soft. Sabrina was going to tell her, but she didn't want to push V's ego just yet. Sabrina hadn't actually kissed many girls before, she could count the number easily on one hand. But she didn't like to admit that. She identified as bisexual, and she was pretty open about it. She'd even talked about trying to date a girl recently, given her string of bad luck with bad men. Furthermore, she just didn't expect one to be dropped on her doorstep. She leaned in closer as V whispered in her ear, but she pulled away after Vivian proposed they ditch the bar. "Gee you move quick! You're dangerous!" She laughed - probably not the reaction V was wanting. At least it wasn't an immediate no like it had been for the other girls in the bar the previous hour. Maybe Vivian wasn't getting laid that night. Sabrina wasn't a full country girl cliché, but she had been raised in that old-fashioned environment. She at least feigned some dignity, even if she was often quick to toss it away. Plus, she was an infamous tease. Still, she did like Vivian. She wasn't sure if she liked her sexually yet, but she definitely found her pretty. Way prettier than her, at least by her own standards. She was thin, with tasteful ink, and gorgeous long hair. Although Sabrina thought her bangs were a bit dorky, she kind of liked them. And god, what a pretty face! She looked so soft. Sabrina couldn't help but get a bit excited. When she had been in flings with girls before, she had always been the one leading the charge. She had a thing for cute fem mes, and she enjoyed being on top and in charge. She still had no idea that would be turned upside down with Vivian. But Sabrina liked to drag things out with her victims. She still presumed V was going to be her victim, not the other way around. She didn't know V well enough yet. Furthermore, she hit her vape, blasting it off to the side and causing the bartender to look over and tell her to cut that shit out." Woops." She reached forward and grabbed Vivian's hand. "You're hot. I told Trent earlier I thought you were really fucking hot after I stopped by the shop earlier." Cursed Trent-he hadn't shown V those texts when he showed her their conversation earlier. "We'd be real hot. Probably too hot for this town." She realized she was using the word hot a lot, but that's how she felt about V. She was hot!" Let's just hang out here a bit, yeah? I like looking at your pretty hair and face while I drink." She waved the agitated bartender over and ordered two more fireball shots, this time putting her own cash on the table. "These are on me." Once the bartender dropped the shots off, Sabrina wiggled her big butt on the barstool. It was her fireball dance. "Cheers!" More burning." So, I'm going to ask you five questions. If you do well on the quiz, let's go make out in a corner until I need to ask to borrow Trent's chapstick."" One, what's your sign? Two, are you a lefty?" She had noticed the way she held her drinks. "Three, what do you think of my tattoos?" She scratched her head - the habit again. "Four, do you like coffee?" She smirked. "Five, what do you think of pierced nips?" ('V' Porter This time, V could feel it was Sabrina who was appraising her. The eyes of the cute, curvaceous woman ran all over V. Now this was a bit of a different thing than what was happening earlier. Until now, it was V who was busy lasciviously ogling at Sabrina. The chubby woman had just given V a little taste of her own medicine. It was fascinating in a way." Am I? I hope it's the good kind of dangerous!" V responded with a chuckle. She definitely wanted to fuck Sabrina. Last attempts at even asking other girls had gone nowhere. This dry spell was driving her nuts now. Maybe she should've been a guy, Trent seemed to have a sweet deal going here. V pushed the thought out of her head with a shake. There was the vape again. Bartender protested but it was ignored by Sabrina." Yeah man, let us chill out a little will you?" V drawled lazily before Sabrina's words caught her attention. "Perhaps we'll set town on fire with our hotness. That'll give them something to remember for rest of their shitty lives!" V responded with a laugh. She did find the idea provoking the shitbags in the town far too exciting." Generous! Let's hang out!" V grinned when Sabrina ordered next round, it was clinked and down went the fireball. But now, V's eyes were all over the fireball dance Sabrina was doing. That thick butt really caught her attention, she was sort of getting used to the smell of the vape by now." Gooooooood, this was good!" V felt the drink slide down her systems, hitting her heard in best of ways. "That's when Sabrina wanted to ask her five questions with prospect of making out hanging in balance." Uh, uh...just one condition.... only if I get to ask you five in return!" V raised the stakes and Sabrina seemed on board. The questions were shot at her in a single go. "Wow, you're quick!" V responded as one hand came to rest on Sabrina's waist again. A bold move but she just loved the touch of it. That thick waist against her slender arm and how nice it felt." So for starters um... I'm a Scorpio...and yes, I am a lefty....as for your tattoos...." She appraised Sabrina again, drawing it out a little. "... I like them. They're hot. But you know what? They can be better, and I know for a fact I can do a better job. So next time? You sit in my chair." That declaration was non-negotiable one as V grinned. "I do like coffee....especially if it is preceded by sex and lastly...pierced nips are hot!" Realizing they were sans any drinks, V motioned for another round, and they got one more. "Do that Fireball dance again!" V exclaimed as she raised her glass for a clink. "Now before we drink, here's my five questions after which you have to answer them. Sounds good, right? So, here we go. What's your favorite position? Have you ever been arrested? What's your favorite color? What's a movie you can watch endlessly and never get bored with? Lastly, speaking of piercings, what's your take on tongue piercings?" At that, V revealed her serpentine tongue, giving Sabrina a good view of her pierced tongue. (Patterson["There's no good kind of dangerous." Sabrina jabbed back. It was a joke, but it wasn't really. To be fair, if V probably deserved to have a yellow yield tattoo on her, telling people to slow down and consider. Sabrina was proceeding cautiously, but she seemed to be taking the turn nevertheless. Sabrina had been burned too many times before to be totally gunshot. Still, she did have a weak spot for Vivian, even though she wouldn't tell the egotistical artist that. Sabrina liked skinny alt girls. And V defending her vaping habits against the bartender earned her a few brownie points as well. Neither one was really realizing how buzzed they were getting. V more than Sabrina, given her smaller size, but both of them. "Fine, five in return. Deal." Sabrina noticed V's hand coming around her waist. She thought about shrugging it off, but she let it stay there. "Scorpio. Hot." She liked Scorpios. The aggressive energy. She really had no idea." Lefty. Hot." V seemed to be passing the quiz so far. She laughed at V's tattoo remarks. "Good try, but I'm loyal to Trent. Can you imagine how insufferable he would be if I went to you over him? It wouldn't be worth it." She grinned at the coffee remark. V was such a horny little thing. Sabrina poked at where her nips would be. "Good." She said, confirming that her nipples were pierced. Not a shocker, really. She clapped as V ordered more fireball shots, although it came at the request of a dance again. "Oh, fuck off!" She laughed. "You just want to see me wiggle my ass again. You're an ass girl, aren't you? I knew it." She skipped the dance, but she seemed ready for the questions. And they were pretty good ones. "First, you're a fucking pervert." She laughed. "I like doggy with girls." She should have specified she meant giving doggy, but she didn't. Too bad. "No, you think I'm a bad girl?!" She laughed. "Never arrested. Just run ins for dumb shit. Green. Harry Potter - don't fucking laugh at me." Lastly, she flashed her own pierced tongue in response. "Twins." Sabrina finished off the rest of her beer before getting up from the chair. "Come on." She took V by the hand and started to head back to the table. On the way, they passed by the door to the women's bathroom. Sabrina clearly had a very, very sudden idea she acted on. She was known to be spontaneous. She opened the door, pulled V inside, and led them to the back handicap stall. Furthermore, she took a second to look at V - she felt shivers up her spine just looking at her. Furthermore, she was way too hot to be in Cisco. Sabrina hit her vape before stuffing it into her pants pocket and locking the stall door. Just the two of them, Sabrina did actually seem surprisingly a bit more intimidating than before. She was a couple of inches shorter than V, but she was stocky and had some power to her." Hey cute thing." She seemed so different. Maybe it was the shots. She had some new spunk to her. Not her usual happy-go-lucky, bouncy spunk, but a more aggressive kind. She gently shoved V against the wall of the stall. "You have gorgeous eyes, you know. Big and brown." Her hands came to rest on V's thin hips as she leaned in for a kiss. They grew closer. V could see the acne on Sabrina's face and smell the peach green tea more than ever before. Lips touched, followed by studded tongues. V's drought may finally be coming to a close. ('V' Porter By now both of them were a little buzzed. V just burst out laughing when Sabrina denied the demand for the Fireball Dance which was essentially an excuse for V to watch Sabrina shake that plump booty of hers." Hey now, I'm simply someone who appreciates the art of dancing!" She shot back in return with a grin. "As for whether I'm an ass girl or a tits' girl...well, you'll just have to find that one out!" She replied, leaving Sabrina to ponder that particular mystery. Now it was V's turn for five questions. The very first one made V grin. "I knew it!" She responded, you certainly seem like one who'd be into it, and you're calling me a pervert?!" She laughed." Really?" V giggled at second answer. "Maybe you're just a goody two shoes. A little squeaky Miss Cleeaaaaaaaaan!" V teased Sabrina and playfully tapped on her cute nose. "Green I approve, although not as good as black!" V winked. Mention of Harry Potter had V laughing hysterically. "Don't tell me, Harry fuckin' Potter? Jesus Sabrina, I never would've taken you for Harry Potter. Gosh, you're full of surprises!" When Says revealed her own tongue piercing, V revealed her again and shouted." Twinsies!" with a V sign from both of her hands. They downed the drinks before Sabrina had an idea, and she led V into the restrooms before they moved in the handicap stall. Well, talk about creative use of that space, V mused as the door shut behind, and she spotted what was essentially a metamorphosis in Sabrina. There was this aura about her now, the carefree, go with the flow attitude was now replaced with a distinct purpose. V could feel it radiate off of Sabrina as the shorter woman gently pushed V in a corner. Smell of peach green tea hit her nostrils as V's own hand slid around Sabrina. Lips met those of the stockier girl. Tongues swirled and danced, even the piercings briefly touched each other. God, she wanted to fuck Sabrina. Swiftly, V pushed Sabrina around and her hand moved inside Sabrina's camos, pushing in as she moved in for another kiss. "God...fuck this place, let's just go back to mine...." V hissed before kissing Sabrina in an aggressive kiss. Little did she know, the drought was going to go on for a little more longer. (Patterson It was so, sonice to taste a girl again. To feel soft skin and tended-to fingernails. To take in Vivian's smell, albeit masked considerably by the vape. V clearly wanted more - much more - as she leaned forward for another kiss that Sabrina was happy to oblige. A surprised moan escaped from Sabrina as she felt her new lover girl's hand sliding into her cargo pants. She giggled, breaking away from the kiss. "Oh, you really want it? Don't you baby?" She let Vivian get the tiniest, teasing feel of her panties before grabbing the girl by the wrist and pulling her hand out of her pants. Sabrina took a second to consider it. She'd been burned fucking so brashly, but god she craved it too. Perhaps not as much as Vivian, and perhaps she hid it better, but she did. As her mind was racing, she heard a pounding sound on the bathroom door. Fuck. It caused some adrenaline to rush into her, like the Feds raiding her apartment. Instead, it was just somebody that had to piss annoyed at how long the two had hogged the room. She couldn't help but feel like something was wrong - and a tingling in her neck told her so. But as she gave Vivian a look up and down, she couldn't help but feel her cravings overpower her caution. "I'm in." She gently pinned V back against the stall wall, sneaking a final kiss in. "God, I want to see you naked. Let's scoot - they'll close out our tabs. I'd rather the boys not see us. I'm sure they'll fill in the dots." In a matter of moments, the budding couple skirted by the angry woman outside the bathroom and out into the cooler night air. Vivian had walked over with Trent, but Sabrina had driven. She probably had downed a few too many to drive, but lust was often the culprit of bad decisions. She pulled out her keys, unlocking an old pickup truck outside the bar in the gravel parking lot. It was her dad's hand-me-down - Sabrina had a little country in her for sure, even if she masked over some of the redneck with tattoos and makeup tutorials. She hopped to the passenger side and opened the door for V, helping her into the truck. The two were surprisingly quiet on the short drive to V's place, instead electing to try and drown out their thoughts with some metal music on the way that they both liked. For Sabrina, her thoughts were way too overpowering. She knew the place V said she lived. Sunnyvale Trailer Park. It was a real shithole - about as cheap as living came in the area. But Sabrina didn't seem to judge, which was likely because she lived somewhere only marginally less shitty. Everybody was poor in the shit-town of Cisco. Really, if somebody took Sabrina back to their place, and it was nice, that's when she'd really raise eyebrows. She heard the word sit's the yellow one, and that's where she parked. They went inside almost as quickly as they dipped from the bar. Sabrina was greeted with the intense smell of weed. It was a tiny place. The main door opened into a small kitchen. To the right was the living area, with an old couch that probably either came with the place or was bought cheap. There were a few bongs on the table, and the couch overlooked a TV. Past the living room were two doors, obviously to the single bedroom and bathroom of the place." First thing's first - I have to piss!" Ironic, given that they had just come from a bathroom. Sabrina had always had a horrible bladder that betrayed her at the worst moments. She hurried to the two doors, picking one of them. The coin flip paid off, and it was the bathroom. She rushed inside, locking the door behind her. The bathroom was messy as hell, with more product than Sabrina had ever seen on the counter top. It made sense - V looked fucking flawless, and her product choices and skills were a big part of that. She dropped her cargo pants down and sat her big behind down, finishing up pretty quickly. When she popped out of the room, she seemed rejuvenated. "You don't know how badly I had to go." She laughed. "Now, door number two." Oof. The smell was stronger in the room. The bedroom was an absolute mess, with dirty clothes scattered about. Band posters lined the wall, some of which were hung in a pretty disorganized fashion. Instead of a bed, there was just a mattress on the floor that was covered in pillows and some big blankets. Sabrina's reaction was not nearly as bad as most people's, which showed her interest in V was genuine." I can help you clean this shit up tomorrow morning. Not tonight though." She went over to the mattress, grabbing some spare clothes and tossing them off. There was a bong under one pair of pants, which she moved. "Oh, shit." She said, laughing as she saw a small, open box of a few sex toys. Vibrators, a big dildo, and some other goodies. Obviously V hadn't expected anyone over that night - probably. She moved the box and then propped up a few pillows on the mattress for her to lay back on. Then, off came her boots. She sat on her rear, leaning back against the pile. Lifting her legs, she slid the camo pants off her and tossed them into the ever-growing pile. It wasn't a smooth removal of her pants - she was no gymnast. Her socks were next, before - finally - off came her panties. She spread open her thighs, showing off her sex to V. She took a big hit of her vape, puffing smoke into the room. With her other hand, she playfully teased at her folds. She hadn't shaved in about a week, so she had stubble that was dark like her wavy hair. Her thighs were fucking massive. It was obvious they were big under the cargo pants, but seeing them nude was a different experience. They had some cellulite and stretch parks, sure, but they were glorious. Easily double the size of V's, if not more." Let's see if you give head messier than your room. Get naked and show me what that tongue can do." Another peach cloud, followed by a deep breath.(Sunnyvale Trailer Park

What do your tattoos mean_ [Visna and Le Immortelle]|rating:4.0

_AnaTolia_ & Terribly Sorry.

Name: Olivia Harper Age: 17 'Gift': Gravity Appearance: Olivia Personality: Wise beyond her years, Olivia is the sort of person to take everything into consideration before passing judgement. Easy to get on with, polite and always willing to lend a hand. Bio: Olivia came to the boarding school at a young age after a little. 'Mishap' at home. Deeming the boarding school the only place their daughter could be safe, that's where her parents sent her. They frequently write to her, and she enjoys being at the school, so it all worked out for the best. Name: Julian Sinclair Age: 16 'Gift': Flowers and plants. Appearance: Julian Personality: Likes to be on his own, not very sociable to other humans, seems to enjoy frowning. Respect has to be earned, as does friendship and just about everything else. Bio: Julian does not like to speak of his past, so most assume he had a bad one. He has the ability to grow and heal flowers, plants and even some of the smaller trees. He's usually found wondering the gardens, talking to plants or sketching them. Alright... I'll put mine up, then. Name :: Anya Sherwood Age :: 16 Race :: Water Mage Appearance :: Anya Personality :: Ana is shy sometimes. She can also be strangely silent when something angers her. But then she can vent out her anger anytime she wants. Ana is also trustworthy and kind. Bio :: Came to the boarding school with her brother, Alexei, when both of their parents couldn't accept the fact that both their children weren't normal humans. This hardened her personality a bit. Although they kicked both of them out, she thinks that it would be a fun experience for them. At least they get to see other people who are just like them. Username :: _Anatolia_ Name :: Aidan Sherwood Age :: 17 Race :: Fire Mage Appearance :: Aidan Personality :: Silent but is very outgoing around friends. He is very protective of her younger sister and always stays by her side. Ever since both their parents kicked them both out, he has been taking charge. The boarding school seemed to be the only safe place they could go to. Username :: _Anatolia_ ((Mind starting us off? I'm off to bed, exhausted =()) ((I don't mind...)) Anya Sherwood stopped at the big front doors of the Gifted Academy, clutching on to her baggage. She stopped only to wait for her brother, Aidan, who was bringing the rest of the luggage. She breathed in the mustiness of the Academy, which seemed to comfort her. "Come on, Aidan!" Anya called out. Aidan was growing by the time he reached Anya. "Why do I have to carry your luggage Anya?" He asked, finally breathing for air. "And besides, why didn't you use your powers to bring us here in the first place?" He looked around for any signs of people. "I'm guessing there aren't any people here yet." At the moment he said those words, one of the big doors opened, and a maid bowed lowly to them. "Welcome, Anya and Aidan Sherwood. Please come in." Julian was out in the grounds, sat in front of one of the flower beds he'd planted last term. The flowers were still blooming in shades of reds and oranges, though they were now covered in weeds from several months lack of care. With a sigh, he pulled out each weed, and they shrivelled up in his hands. Having brought a large bottle of water with him, the blonde slowly poured a good amount over the small, weed free flower bed. Olivia was also already in the building, though she was in her room putting all of her stuff away. This time around she'd been given a small stereo to take back to the academy with her, and it was currently playing quite loudly. Though there too few people around to complain at that moment. The bags were soon emptied, her clothing and other objects were now floating through the air, waiting to be plucked down one by one to be placed away. "Hm." She hummed to herself, picking down several blouses and placing them neatly in the top drawer of her chest of drawers. Anya was gasping in awe as she was led through hallways ornamented by paintings and lamps. She was clutching her handbag so hard, it might break any moment. As soon as she entered the room which the maid pointed out, she was giggling with excitement. Living in a boarding school was still a new experience to her. She was so excited that little droplets of water started to drop from midair. Alexei rolled his eyes at his younger sister's excitement. Who would be excited to be in a dreary boarding school like this? He thought but soon lightened up when little drops of water appeared around Anya. "Anya, you make sure to clean up that mess." He said as he entered his room, which was right next to Anya's. One by one the flowers seemed to perk up, they stopped drooping and stood upright, their petals now on full show. With a very faint smile, Julian ran his fingertips over the colorful petals, muttering something that sounded like 'see you later'. Unfortunately there were still bags that needed unpacking in his room, best get that out of the way before everyone else arrived. Heaving a sigh, Julian stood and made his way back into the academy, then headed up into his room. Along the way he noted several more students around and music coming from one of the rooms. Ugh. Should have stayed outside. Olivia finished placing her things away in the matter of minutes and flopped back on her bed once done, this was followed by a soft sigh of relief. That was the boring part out of the way, what was next? Well she could go and see if there were any timetables drawn up yet, but the teachers would most likely bring them around later. Now what could she do to pass the time? Standing, the stereo was turned off, and she left the room, perhaps one of her friends had arrived? It was certainly worth a look. After Anya placed her belongings in their proper places, she started to draw the water from the small puddle she made on the floor. A small ball of water was then floating on the palm of her hand. Anya wasn't sure what to do now that most of her things were put away. She usually takes a fresh breath of air once she settles in a new environment. She felt relaxed now that she could use her powers in public. Alexei left his door open while he listened to some music on the radio. He was placing most of his luggage in the dresser while he placed everything else where he thought they would look good in. Alex was unusually organized for a guy and sometimes straightens up after himself whenever he put something dirty on the floor or something of the like. The coolness was soon warmed by the body heat that emanated from him. Julian didn't take long to put his things away, all of his clothing was neatly folded and placed away in the correct drawers. Books and notebooks were placed on the shelf just above his bed and the other trinkets and knick-knacks he'd brought with him were placed in various parts of his room. Once satisfied, Julian left his room and returned outside. Olivia glanced along the hall, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone she knew. No such luck. So she started poking her head around peoples open doors, wanting to see who was inside. Several doors later she knocked on Alexei's door and seconds later, poked her head around it. "Oh, hi, sorry." She gave an apologetic smile. "You haven't seen a girl with a horn around, have you?" Anya brought herself and her little ball of water outside, where the fresh air always soothes her. She made balls of water fly around her as she walked around. Anya discovered the garden and sighed. She loved flowers, and she used to water them using her powers back home, until her mother told her to do the 'normal' way to water the plants. A watered some plants lightly with her little shower of water before noticing another person. "Oh, hello. I'm Anya. Are you new?" Alexei looked up from his bed and quickly doused the fire that was burning on the tip of his finger. "No, I haven't seen a girl with a horn. And if I did, you would be the one I would tell first." Alex winked and got up and introduced himself, "I'm Alexei. My sister and I just arrived here. And you are?" Having already tended to two flower beds, Julian decided it was time he went to check on the rest because if the first two were anything to go by, the last few would be in a similar state. However, he noticed someone else standing at one of the beds he'd already done. A girl. Watering the flowers? Only able to observe for a moment, he noticed the water was something she was creating herself. Hm. "No, I'm not new." He replied, frowning. "Those flowers have already been watered." There was a slight pause. If this girl could use water like that, then it would save him having to water everything himself, wouldn't it? ". But those still need water." He said, pointing to the next bed along. "Oh, well thanks." Olivia paused and gave a smile as she noticed the wink. "She is quite short. Perhaps I should get her a bell." She murdered to herself, eyes glancing around the room before settling back on the male. "Your new too? Wow. there are a lot of new starters this year, things are going to get interesting." Opening the door fully, Olivia stood in the doorway with a smile. "Well it's nice to meet you, I'm Olivia. I've been here a couple of years now so if you need a hand with anything, let me know, 'Kay? That goes for your sister too." Anya nodded, looking at the other flowerbed that Julian pointed at. Opening her hand up as if it was a flower, a small shower of rain poured out of midair. The little shower moved over to the parched flowerbed and after a while, And closed her hand for it to vanish. She was delighted to see that the flowers were doing nicely. "I see you have a talent with flowers. What's your name?" An asked, her fingers producing little balls of water to float around her." Nice to meet you, Olivia." Alexei smiled. "Since you have been here for a few years, I thought I could use a tour." He then added, "You must have a gift for being here. What is it?" Alex got his cell in case Anya decided to call him sometime. Julian stood there and watched as rain began to pour out of midair to water the flowers. However, his attention soon turned to an untended flower bed. Kneeling before it, he began to pull the weeds, and they instantly died and crumbled in his hands. Again the flowers perked up, enjoying a weed free environment. "Julian." A single worded answer for the question. "Sure. This place is huge though, so I'll only show you the places you'll use frequently. The rest you'll be able to find yourself when needed." She said, with a small tilt of her head. "My gift?" Olivia just smiled and stood there. Slowly the gravity left the room, making objects float from their resting places and ascend into the air. Anya took his name into mind. She then saw him use his gift over plants and looked over all the other flowerbeds that needed help. 'There are a lot. And he is only the one doing all this.' A thought. "Do you need any help?" Anya had nothing to do anyway, and she wanted this garden to flourish. Alexei was very interested in this girl now that he found out his gift. "I know there are other people living here." He started. "Do you think you could introduce all of them to me?" He was interested in what other gifts the other people have in here. It gave him the chance to tell her sister that, if she doesn't know first. In a matter of minutes, the flower bed was in full bloom, as with the previous. Flowers were his specialty and flowers were the only thing in life he could say he 'loved'. They were such beautiful things and most required minimum effort to care for. "Hm?" Hearing the question, he looked over to Anya and shook his head. "No. I enjoy doing this, even if it takes all day." Once again, however, he paused and looked back to the flowers before him. "Though if you want to help, I won't stop you." The gravity returned to the room after a moment and everything drifted back into its original position. "I can introduce you to the ones I know if their around at the minute. But you should get to know most of us in the coming weeks, you'll be in lessons with some." Olivia took several small steps back into the hall and turned. "Coming?" "Alright." Anya crouched down alongside him and began working on the flowers. She has a bit of experience in tending them back at her house. Placing the weeds beside her, she started to care for them as if they were like the little dolls she used to have when she was little. Back home, she could talk to them and tell them her problems about her parents. Alexei nodded and walked alongside Olivia. He looked around to see Anya helping out someone in the garden. He decided to leave her alone, at least for a while. "So, what do you do here, anyway?" Julian sat quietly and observed her pulling the weeds and watering the flower bed he'd been tending to. They did not bloom and react quite the same way they did when he did it, but she certainly knew what she was doing. Once all the weeds had been removed and the soil looked damp enough, the male stood up and rubbed his hands together, ridding them of the dirt and whatever else had stuck to them. "Well, that's me done." Olivia led Alexei down the hall and back towards the reception area of the dorm building. There was a woman stood behind the desk now, handing out keys to new students. At the question, she looked to the male and gave a shrug of her shoulders. "The same sort of thing every school across the world does, with a few extra lessons for those that need it, of course." She said, leading him outside. A few minutes later after Julian finished, Anya stood up and brushed her hands on her jeans. "Looks good to me." She looked over at his flowers and sighed. "It doesn't look as beautiful as you did, though." A looked at the flower bed she finished working on. She only has her water balls, which were still flowing around her. Alexei nodded along to what she said. He looked all around and took note for anything he deemed interesting. Alex wanted to know this kind of things, hoping to be helpful to the next new person to come. As he walked, he lightly played with a small flame of fire that he lit up himself. Anya was right, those flowers did not look like the rest, and it would be unfair of him to leave them like that. Crouching down once more, he washed his hand over the top of the flowers she'd done and within seconds, they were standing as tall and proudly as the rest of the flowers. "Better?" He asked, looking to her. Olivia stopped halfway along the path that led to the main school building, two stories high and covered in windows. Looked like the typical 'fancy' boarding school. "That's the school building, you'll spend most of your time there." Turning a little, she then nodded her head to a single floored building just to the side of it. "That's the canteen. I'm not sure why they have to be two separate buildings." Again she turned, this time she turned on her heel to face the complete opposite direction. "That's the sports area." As she spoke she pointed to a large basketball court, a shed like building and a vast field. "Yep." Anya smiled. She loved how the flowers blooms with a wave of his hand. The little drops of water that were swirling around her broke away from her as she complimented, "You have a beautiful gift." A sighed. "All I could do is make water balls and water plants. I never really used it for anything else except for that." Alexei took in mind where the school building, canteen, and the sports area are. He wouldn't want to be lost when he had to go around the school grounds by himself. Alex was wondering why the canteen was in a separate building once Olivia introduced it to him. Once he saw the field, he was fairly surprised that the school grounds itself were huge. "How far does the field go?" He asked. Julian folded his arms and glanced between the flowers and Anya. "If you say so. Not many people would agree with you." Which was true, quiet often the males in the school had called him a 'pansy'. It wasn't particularly nice. "Experiment with your powers then, It's how everyone else learns new things. You might learn a thing or two as well." "I'm not sure, I don't usually spend much time out here. You could always ask the sports coach, I'm sure he'd know. He's probably run across it enough times." Olivia said with a grin. "Though if you look out across it, it does go on for ages. If you have keen eyesight you'll be able to spot the forest at the edge of it too. We're in the middle of nowhere." Anya smiled. She knew that he would be different; not like other boys she has met. "I'm recently trying to make some shapes other than balls with water." Shaping air as if there was clay between her hands, she tried to mold out a star out of the water that appeared out of nowhere. A soon felt disappointed when it disintegrated between her hands. Alexei nodded. "It's beautiful." He commented. "It'd be nice if we could explore the forest out there. Well, including Anya and that boy she's been talking with." Truth is, he was heavily concerned about his little sister. Julian watched as she attempted to mold the water into a different shape. “You'll find it easier to do things like that after you've been here a while. Most are in the same position.” Why he was being so sociable to someone he'd not met before was anyone's guess. Though she was not nearly as annoying as some of the other kids. Olivia quirked a brow. “Which boy?” She asked as she took a few steps onto the field. “Actually the forests off limits unless there's a teacher around. There was some trouble out there a few years back.” Anya nodded. At least she wasn't alone in the developing. She then attempted to form a human figure out of the water the grabbed from a nearby pond. And put her mind to it, and used Julian as her muse. She took slow, deep breaths as she did so. "I am as smooth as water and as strong as a river." A muttered to herself as she formed the figure. This sentence sometimes helped her to concentrate. Alexei shrugged. "He had blonde hair, and he looked like he spent all his time in the garden." He said, remembering Anya's smile as she talked to him. He felt very concerned and hoped Olivia knew who he was. Hearing about the forest incident, he was instantly curious. "What happened back then?" Folding his arms, Julian stood and watched as she once again tried to shape something out of water. This time she used the water from the pond, and it looked as though she was trying to create something a little larger. Was she muttering to herself too? Strange girl. Still, he stood and watched, slightly curious as to what she was trying to do. "Oh, that must be Julian. He's not the most sociable guy in the academy, but he's not bad." Olivia paused and looked to Alexei. "But don't ever call him 'Pansy', the other guys do and. Well, quite often they wake up to find something unpleasant sat at the end of their beds." Turning her attention back to the forest, she sighed. "A couple of students here were murdered by hikers. The hikers had set up camp in the forest and some of the students had seen their fire during the night. They went to investigate and never came back." Turning on her heel, Olivia stepped back onto the path. "The teachers found their bodies the next day." "I am as smooth as water and as strong as a river." Anya muttered one last time as her human figure came into focus. She opened her eyes and smiled, her hands still outstretched. She added features which she saw from Julian and with a wave of her hand made it wave hi to Julian. "What do you think?" As And moved her arms, the watery figure made the same moves. Alexei frowned. "Are the hikers aware of their gift? If they were able to kill them, they sure had a special tool to do so." He said aloud. He then walked back with Olivia, but when he saw a glimmer in the corner of his vision, Alex whipped around, disappointed to find nothing. Furthermore, he was sure he saw something. ... a human figure? Julian could see it now and the more he observed it, the more it started to look like him. Once the body had formed, the facial features were added and. Yeah, it was defiantly him. It did look similar, just a little watery. What did he think? It was hard to explain, for him anyway. "Well its." He tilted his head, watching the water mimic her moves. ". More impressive than a ball of water." "You don't need special tools to kill someone with a gift. Some 'gifts' aren't as useable as yours or mine, one of those that was killed turned into a fish when in water, nothing more. It's not possible to use something like that to defend yourself. They were lured to the campfire to hear a story, and then they were outnumbered." Olivia stopped and watched him. "Something wrong?" Anya rolled her eyes. "It's the one thing I could think of shaping right now. And besides, I did a good job copying you anyway." With a wave of her hand, the watery figure disappeared, the water returning to where it originally was: the lake. And crossed her arms and asked, "What gifts do the other students here have?" Hearing Olivia's explanation, Alexei knew that each and every gift is important, no matter how small or unimportant it may seem. He then shook his head. "I was sure I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a girl wearing bright clothes." He explained and shrugged. "But, it's probably my imagination." Julian watched his watery form disappear and return to the lake he'd been created from. A simple odd of his head was given to show he agreed with her, she had done a good job copying him. "Too many to list." Was his first, simple reply. But after thinking it over, he figured he should probably elaborate. "Everybody has a different gift. Some elemental, like ours, others are just. I don't know, hard to explain. We have a psychic, someone who teleports when they sneeze, someone whose tears turn to diamonds when they cry. The list goes on." A girl wearing bright clothes? Olivia gave a small shrug of her shoulders. "Could have been one of the other students, there's a load of new students this year and I don't know what sort of powers they have." She said, looking out across the field and to the forest, though she saw nothing. "Interesting." Anya mused, fascinated in finding out what other gifts people have. She then sat on air, helped by the little water particles that formed as a chair. "Do you want to sit?" An asked. She was tired of using her power to shape like that, but she had enough energy to shape a chair. Alexei frowned. "But she was in the forest. I-" He stopped abruptly as he regained himself and laughed. "It's probably using too much of my power the day before." He explained to himself. 'Olivia may be right. It might be one of the students here. But if it isn't, who is she?' Alex thought. Julian noticed the chair she created and shook his head at the offer. "No, thanks, not that I don't trust you, but I think I'd rather sit on a normal chair." He then looked at his watch. "They should be bringing the lesson plans around soon too." In the forest? Well there were rumors of it being haunted now, but they had only been stories, right? After one last glance to the forest, she simply shrugged her shoulders. "Well, if you happen to see it again, you should probably let one of the teachers know. Someone might be lost in the forest." Anya's water chair disappeared as she straightened herself and dusted herself off. "Do we go somewhere to get those?" She asked, her hands itching for something to do. She couldn't use her powers too much and her room was basically clean. Furthermore, she didn't have anything else to do so she decided to find the lesson plan. Alexei was unconvinced, but he shrugged the thought away and asked, "Are there any other places you want to show me?" He was happy to be finally getting away from the forest's sight. Just looking at it makes his spine tingle. Julian looked back towards the dorm building. "The head usually goes into the dorms to greet the newcomers and give the plans out. He's rather. " The male paused for a minute to try and find the right words. "He's like an over excited puppy." Olivia thought for a moment and then shook her head. "There's only really the classrooms, but that would take forever and it's rather boring." She said slowly starting down the path.((Sorry its short and ignore the spelling mistakes, I'm on my phone at the minute.)) "Ah." Anya mused, a smile dancing on her lips. "What are the buildings over there?" She asked, pointing to the adjacent building right next to the dorms. She was interested in it because it was separate from the rest of the buildings. Furthermore, she thought that there must be some kind of mystery in it. Alexei nodded. "Thanks for giving me the tour." He smiled as he walked along with Olivia. "I probably need to find my sister. Do you know the way to the garden? I haven't taken the school grounds to mind, yet." He admitted.((It's alright... :))) The buildings over where? Julian looked to where Anya was pointing and just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I only really know the dorms, canteen and the school building." He said, observing the building she was pointing at, having no recollection of ever having gone inside it before. Or even taken much notice of it, come to think of it. "Your welcome." Olivia replied with a smile. Showing the new people around was always fun, she'd shown a group around last year too, though they'd been more interested at gawping at several of the male teachers. Silly girls. "Oh, yeah that's easy. It's just behind the dorms." She said, leading him around the back of the dorm building. Anya was itching to find out what the building was for and started to walk towards it when her brother and a girl came to view. "Julian, that's my brother, Alexei." She introduced him. A looked over at the girl and smiled. "And you are?" She politely asked. 'Another friend.' She excitedly thought. Alexei smiled when he saw his sister and the boy she was with a little while earlier. He nodded at him and said, "I saw you tending to the flowers earlier. You did a good job making the garden grow." He looked over at Anya and introduced Olivia to her. "Anya, this is Olivia. Olivia, Anya. My little sis." Julian turned to follow, though he caught sight of Olivia with a male, and stayed where he was. That was Anya's brother? Well he could see some resemblance between the two. "Well someone has to help it grow." He commented, glancing to the flower beds around them. "No one else seems to bother much these days." Looking at Olivia, he nodded his head in greeting to her. They'd met a few times, she was tolerable to be around, unlike most he'd come across. Olivia looked to Anya and smiled brightly at her. "Nice to meet you. I see Julian hasn't set a Traffic on you yet, that's always a good sign." She joked, nodding her head in response to his greeting. "Well, I think its about time we go get our lesson plans, hm? I wonder which teachers we'll get this year." Turning on her heel, she started towards the building entrance. "A Traffic?" Anya quietly asked herself as her eyes followed Olivia's wandering figure to the school building. She looked at Julian and gave him and smile. She gently held on to his hand and led him to the school building. Furthermore, she wanted his help about the lesson plan if she had some. Alexei looked at both of them and smiled to himself. He had to watch him if he wanted to keep his sister safe. He knew that her heart has been wrenched so many times that she probably had a little bit of space left for any emotions. Furthermore, he walked towards the school building lastly and jogged up to Olivia's side. A Traffic? Oh. Honestly. The worst he'd ever done was an over grown Venus Fly Trap. "Tariffs aren't real." He muttered to himself, then frowned as Anya grasped hold of his hand and started to pull him back towards the dorms. In the main area of the dorms, where the keys were collected, stood the headmaster surrounded by crowds of students cheering at him. The headmaster was an elderly man with an almost constant smile. But what were the students cheering at? Well. The headmaster currently had rabbit ears sprouting out of his head and a pigs nose. Seconds later they were replaced with a crocodile snout and horns. Olivia stood at the back of the crowds, watching with a grin. This was always fun to watch, the headmaster was a good man and certainly knew how to entertain the children and make them feel better. Much to the deputy heads dismay, of course. She looked to Alexei, beaming. "Can you see him?" Anya soon let go of his hand once she saw the headmaster's silly antics and laughed along with them. She was fairly surprised that he would be acting this way. 'He is certainly not what I thought.' She thought to herself as she saw his changing appearance. She looked at Alexei and saw amusement lighting up his eyes. A knew that he would enjoy this school. Alexei was both dumbfounded and amused by the headmaster's antics. He nodded at Olivia and laughed along with the crowd. He wasn't sure if the boarding school was going to be fun, until he saw him.((Sorry if it's too short...)) ((Nah, its fine =))) Julian looked embarrassed, not for himself but for the headmaster. Every year it was the same and each year he would be unable to watch out of sheer embarrassment for the elderly man. So whilst everyone else stood and laughed, enjoying the show, he shied away to the side of the room, refusing to watch. Olivia laughed as the headmaster continued to change his appearance, after a moment she noticed a tear stained face of a very young student, then came to realize the headmaster was doing this to cheer the child up. Very mad, but a very nice man. After several more minutes, the headmaster stopped and informed them all to pick up their lesson plans from the counter. Hand in hand with the young girl he'd been cheering up, he went to help her find her room. Anya looked back as her eyes searched for Julian in the crowd. Seeing his embarrassed expression, she neared him and asked, "What's wrong? Your headmaster is funny." She was giggling a bit. Once she stopped, the antics stopped too and the crowd soon dispersed. Alexei was impressed that he was doing all of this just to make a young girl smile. The young girl was probably eight or seven. He placed a hand on Olivia's shoulder and smiled. "Are all your teachers like this?" He asked. Julian looked to Anya as she asked him what was wrong. "He's not funny. An old man behaving like that. Its just embarrassing to watch." He said, rubbing at his left arm, eyes returning to the window until the old man had walked away with the girl. Everyone seemed to have cheered up and relaxed, which made for a more pleasant atmosphere. "No." Olivia turned to look at Alexei. "We've got some unpleasant teachers and one that should perhaps be avoided if at all possible." She said with a smile, heading over to pick up a couple of the lesson plans. "You need to loosen up a bit." Anya encouraged. She then looked at the professor's wavering figure lead the girl to someplace else as she asked, "Where do you want to go?" She hadn't seen the whole school grounds yet, and she wanted to find out where the special places were. Alexei smiled and picked up two lesson plans, just in case Anya forgets. Turns out, she was talking to Julian and looked like she forgot why they came there in the first place. He shrugged and asked, "When did you come here in this school?" "Loosen up?" Julian looked to her and shook his head. "How am I supposed to loosen up with him acting like a child like that? Wouldn't you be embarrassed if your." He trailed off, shaking his head as if to dismiss what he'd just said. "Never mind." The male muttered to himself and moved away from the corner of the room. "Anywhere but here. Why, is there somewhere you want to go?" Olivia glanced over the lesson plan and seemed to smile. The lessons were listed with teachers names underneath, it seems this year she was getting all the teachers she liked. With one exception, but she could live with that. "Me?" The female looked to him and was quiet for a moment, thinking back to when she first arrived. "I've been here six years now." 'Your...?' Anya was about to ask, but then kept silent. Seeing that he didn't like to talk about the subject at all. She then shrugged. "Well, I'm still not sure where everything is. And besides, I'm itching to find out what is inside that seemingly empty building we saw earlier." She replied. Alexei nodded. "You must have a lot of experience in these six years." He mused, highly impressed that she stayed her for six years and besides, he might need a lot of her help whenever there are problems around the school. The empty building they saw earlier? Julian had never been in it, so perhaps now would be a good time to go investigate? Yeah, why not. They wouldn't get into trouble, after all, Anya was new, they were hardly going to give her detention for trying to find her way around, were they? "Okay, let's go look then." He said, starting back outside. Olivia simply shrugged her shoulders and folded the lesson plans, placing both in the hidden pocket on the left side of her skirt. "Of all the schools I've been to, this has to be my favorite. Before it was forbidden to use my 'gift', now I'm free to use it here whenever I please. I've passed a test which shows I have full control over my powers, and I'm not a threat." She said with a smile. "Okay!" Anya held on to Julian's hand and they both walked to where they saw the empty building they saw earlier. She was amazed at how enormous it looked. Her eyes roamed the height of the building until she had to lift her head to see the whole thing. Her powers shook with an uncertainty that made her feel uncomfortable. 'What's wrong?' She thought. Alexei soon saw her sister go off yet again with Julian and whispered, "Why don't we follow them around a bit. I mean, for just a little while?" He didn't want to admit that he was worried about his little sister. Julian followed Anya's lead, frowning at their hands, though saying nothing about it. Perhaps he should just. Relax a bit? Yes. He would try to relax. When they reached the building, he stopped and looked it over. Okay, he had to admit he was now curious about it too. There was something strange about it, why had he only noticed it now she'd chosen to mention it? "Let's go inside." He said, now leading her towards the door. Olivia tilted her head upon hearing Alexei's whisper, was he worried about his sister? Or jealous that someone else had her attention? Either way, she simply nodded her head. "We can if you want, though Julian really isn't a bad person, you don't need to worry about him." She said as she walked through the main doors and stepped outside. "O-okay." Anya hesitated before she went in along with Julian. She felt that someone was spying over them. So, she looked back constantly, her sharp eyes scanning everything behind her before she walked with him. The building inside seemed barren and that it hasn't been used in years. Walls were crumbling down, the paint almost completely off of them, the floor was reduced to cracks and dust settled on top of everything." I know he isn't. It's just that..." Alexei was born with this sensor when to tell if her younger sister was in trouble. He has saved her countless times from their mother's wrath and father's slaps. He walked alongside her and said, "There was something Anya said about an abandoned building that I overheard." Once inside Julian came to a stop as he saw the state of the place. Perhaps coming in like this hadn't been such a good idea? This place looked like it had been abandoned and was unsafe. He looked to Anya with a raised brow. "Have you seen enough? Or shall we continue?" Olivia just nodded her head and started towards the building she knew was abandoned. "Wonder why they want to go in there for? Nobody's been in there for years." "I want to see more." Anya mused, feeling everywhere with her power for any sign of life. There was one. Her eyes followed the thin pale blue line which she could only see and found the only plain door which the thread led her to. "Let's go check over there." She pointed there. An's eyes reached the rickety stairs and frowned. She didn't think that they were sturdy. Alexei shrugged. He soon felt his sister's presence since her power was the opposite of his. He could also feel the heat of both bodies including one lone one in the second floor of the building. "You said that it was abandoned. How could it be? I could feel another living thing on the second floor. Although, I don't think it's human." Over where? Julian looked around the area they were in and then set his eyes on the door Anya had pointed out. "Why over there?" He asked curiously as he followed her, hands now in his pockets. Growing up the outside of the building he could feel ivy growing, there were several other plants in the building too, though they were almost dead. Olivia just shrugged and looked to Alexei. "This place was abandoned long before I started here. I think I heard someone mention it used to be the old staff dorms, but I'm not really sure." Another sign of life that wasn't human? "Could be a bird or something, some of the windows aren't in the best shape." "Well, because I feel something in there." Anya slowly made her way up the stairs, saying, "Don't come up until I reach the second floor. I don't think the stairs could hold both of our weight." Her hands were shaking; she was very nervous and hoped that she didn't fall. In some places, the handrail was crumbling into rust. Alexei looked through the room with his heat-sensor vision and shook his head. "It looks like our size. Yet it keeps changing its shape." He was more worried now that he saw Anya trying to go up the stairs, stairs that seemed unstable. "Anya, be careful!" He shouted. Julian nodded his head and remained at the bottom of the stairs, watching as Anya slowly made her way up the stairs. It didn't look very safe at all. They really shouldn't be in here. More importantly, what was in the room she was heading towards? Surely it wasn't one of the students? Most had just arrived and were still unpacking. But then that raised another question. Just what was upstairs? Olivia looked up to the second floor and frowned. This wasn't good. Perhaps it was just one of the other students messing around? Oh. She hoped that was the case. Anything else and there would be trouble. Quickening her pace, the female quickly pushed open the doors and stepped inside. Julian was stood at the bottom of the stairs and Anya was already towards the top. Hearing Alexei's voice, Anya instinctively spun around, and the stairs crumbled beneath her feet. She was holding on to the railing, her eyes closed. She was afraid of heights and wished that she had the power to bring herself up. An's voice was lodged in her throat. All she could hear are her ragged breathing and her eyes frantically looked everywhere for something to hold on to. Her eyes caught someone at the end of the stairs, wearing baggy shorts and a big shirt which didn't fit him at all. His eyes were a deep red and his hair was as white as the clouds. 'So that was what I felt.' Anya thought to herself. Alexei instantly rushed over and tried to look for something to bring Anya down. His eyes caught sight of the lone figure at the top of the stairs. He then exclaimed, "Hey you! Help her up!" Alex soon quieted down when he realised that the unusual thing he felt was this one boy. Ah. That wasn't good. Julian stood there, unable to do anything to help her. Everything around them looked about ready to crumble and even the railing she had managed to grab hold of didn't seem to be all that stable. And then came the figure at the top of the stairs. He didn't recognize him at all. White hair and red eyes. No, he defiantly hadn't seen him before. Olivia heaved a sigh as Alexei started to rush around, trying to find something to help his sister down. Julian didn't seem to be doing anything and the figure at the top of the stairs. Well that would have to wait, wouldn't it? Focusing on Anya, Olivia's eyes lost their pupils as she began to manipulate the gravity around the female. "You can let go, you won't fall now." She reassured, having created a cloud of gravity beneath her feet. "I don't want to. I'm scared." Anya kept her eyes closed, refusing to look down. The figure at the top of the stairs looked at the people intently. His arms then stretched out to bring her down to the ground. "You should not try stairs like those." He said in his child-like voice. And opened her eyes to the red eyes and white hair that she saw a while ago. She wobbled as she tried to stand up. "Th-Thank you." She felt danger as she saw into his eyes. Alexei wished that his sister would trust Olivia but as the unknown person brought her down, he felt a sense of danger now that the thing that he felt saved his sister. He wasn't even sure if he really is a person. "SAI is my name." The young boy in the baggy outfit said with a creepy smile. Julian stepped back as the boy did something and brought Anya back to the ground. There was really something creepy about him. Stepping back and away from the stairs, he folded his arms across his chest and remained quiet. Well that had been a waste of time and energy. Her pupils returned and the gravity beneath Anya's feet returned to normal. "What are you doing in here, SAI?" Olivia asked keeping her tone as soft as possible. "Because I live here." SAI replied, cocking his head to the side. He rarely looked like their age. Anya let go of his arms and frowned. There was something off about him. SAI then morphed into Anya. He looked exactly like her. She gasped and fell down, stumbling. "You don't have to be afraid. I want to be your friend." SAI creepily said. He then changed into Julian, Alexei, and Olivia, alternating into students who used to go to school there-that is, until they were killed. Alexei's eyes widened. Now he knew why SAI felt unusual. He was able to change himself. Alex felt that it wasn't a gift but rather a part of himself. He was born with this ability. Unlike people like SAI, people with gifts like him attain their power a few years after birth. The boy turned into all four of them in turn and Julian frowned deeper than usual. He did it with such ease...and he lived here? Did the headmaster know about him? Julian would have to have a word with him later. Olivia frowned too, a student living in here alone? She opened her mouth to say something, but one of his forms caught her attention. Someone dear to her that had lost his life in this school several years before. "..." She looked away for a moment, then started towards the door, not wanting to spend any more time in that boys' presence. SAI kept alternating forms, soon grabbing Anya's hand and tugging on it hard. "Come on. Don't be afraid." Anya struggled to get out of his grip. His hands felt like fire and since her power was water, she was weak against it. Her eyes streamed with tears. The burning was making her hand go numb. She emitted a cry of pain and looked at Alexei for help. Alexei saw that his sister was in danger and threw a flame of fire at SAI. He looked at both Julian and Olivia and shouted, "Come on! He is hurting Anya!" SAI dodged the fire and kept on to his grip. Anya was gasping, her hand losing all feeling. That must have been some grip SAI had, Anya cried out in pain and Julian scowled. That was no way for a guy to behave. But what could he do to help? Oh. The ivy! Keeping still and looking as though he had frozen in fear, he began to focus on the ivy growing just outside the cracked windows. Slowly and surely, the vines twisted and turned at his command, edging their way through the small window cracks and into the building. Hearing the cry, Olivia stopped and turned on her heel, an Bolivia like frown on her face. This boy had stepped over the line and seemed to be enjoying what he was doing to them. The gravity in the room became unstable, allowing herself and everyone else to walk up the stairs without touching them. "You don't have many friends, do you?" She asked SAI, her voice cold. Anya closed her eyes and tried to get a grip on the water she could feel in the air. Turning them into ice crystals, she shot then towards SAI. He barely dodged them, suffering cuts on his arms and legs. SAI looked at Olivia and saddened. "Nobody wanted to be my friend because of my unusual ability to change. They hated me, just like they hated my mother." His grip on Anya loosened until he let go of her. Anya looked at her bruised hand and cried out. Her hand was purple and there was a deep engraving on her wrist. Alexei kept throwing fire at him until he saw Anya crying out. He quickly rushed to her side and his face turned into sadness. It looked like it was deformed. He cradled her in his arms and told her to just rest because big brother would take care of her. SAI, seeing them both, was jealous. His hand turned into something razor sharp and aimed it at them. "They hated you? Normal people hate anyone with powers." Olivia said, stopping towards the top of the stairs, her feet floating several inches off the wooden frame. It was safer for her to float than use the wooden steps anyway. "Why don't you go and see the headmaster?" A diplomatic approach was the best course of action, she didn't want anyone else getting hurt. "I'm sure he can find you your own room, and you can make new friends here?" She glanced to Anya as she was finally released. Alexei rushed to her side, cradling her and telling her everything would be alright. But SAI didn't seem to like this at all. Julian had opened his eyes to see what was happening and glared at the strange male as he noticed the change of the males hand. It was aimed for Anya and her brother. The vines that had managed to creep through the cracks now shot straight at the hand, immediately starting to wrap tightly around his wrist and attempted to pull the hand and arm down to the side of his body, to prevent the attack. "Not just normal people, people like you hate me! They say that I scare them, that my powers were too much for them!" SAI screamed, desperately letting his sharp arm out of the vines Julian made. He then morphed into a big insect, nipping on both Alexei and Anya. Anya was screaming as if there was no tomorrow. Alexei knew about her fear of insects so her brought her somewhere else, with his fire protecting both of them. SAI then morphed into different people again. "Do you not understand why people might think you scare them?" Alexis asked, frowning once more as he broke free of Julian's vines. "You transform into dead people and seem happy to use this against people." Then came the insect attack and her attention was distracted, her gravity returned to normal, causing her to drop back onto the wooden stairs. She didn't have chance to regain herself as the insects started to nip at her. Backing away with several nasty insect bites, she gave SAI a look of disappointment and walked from the building, following behind Anya and Alexei. Julian didn't remain inside the building too long either, he followed Alexis out. The headmaster would most certainly hear about this. SAI then stopped, tears streaming down his face. "No... somebody is controlling me... You have to help me, please!" He emitted a cry of pain as they all went out, and he disappeared as a murder of crows came by and swept him up to who knows where. Anya tried to stand but every time she tried to move her arm, bolts of pain shot up her arm. "I don't think I could use this arm for a while... And on the first day of school, too." Alexei smiled and held her close. "Maybe there's something to lessen the pain in your arm." Olivia was now in no mood to listen to what SAI had to say. Whether he was being controlled or not was really none of her concern now. This would have to be reported to the headmaster, and he would handle it from then on. It seemed that only she and Anya had gained injury from the insects, which hopefully were nothing more than bites. "I think we should go and see the nurse." Julian stopped beside Olivia and glanced back to the building, then up to the sky, watching the crows fly away. "I'll go and tell the headmaster what happened." Anya's hand was turning into a deep green and it thrummed a bit. She looked at it with wide eyes, wondering what SAI was made of to do such a thing to her. Using some water from the air, she encased the hand within the watery liquid and tried to see what the problem was. There was a problem, but she couldn't see it. And was probably hoping that the nurse would see what was wrong with her hand. Alexei nodded and rushed inside the infirmary, still cradling Anya by the time they got there. He explained to him about SAI and his powers. The nurse didn't say anything but just worked on Anya's hand. "I think a bit of ice would do the trick and you will be fine. What that SAI kid did was crush your hand. But, since you have a gift, you might recover fast. Just don't strain this hand so much, okay?" Julian headed inside the building and headed straight to the headmasters' office. At first, he wasn't there, but ten minutes later he strolled back into his office, humming a merry tune to himself. Seeing Julian, the old men face lit up. "Julian! What a pleasure this is. You rarely come visit me these days, am I really that embarrassing?" Julian just nodded his head and took the seat before the large, paper filled desk. "What's the matter? You seem gloomier than usual." The headmaster took his seat and watched the male. Julian hesitated for a moment before telling the headmaster what had just happened and all about SAI. "I see. Well I shall certainly have to look into it. But in the meantime, go and make sure your friends are okay and finish settling in. Don't tell anyone else either, I don't want to frighten the other students" Olivia entered the infirmary several minutes after the two siblings, she was not in as much of a hurry, it seemed. Then again, her hand was not turning a nasty shade of green. Her injuries were only minor and had already started to heal by the time she entered the room and headed over to see how Anya was doing. A crushed hand? Sounded nasty, but it was easily treatable, or so the nurse was saying. Anya nodded. She sorrowfully looked at her hand that was bandaged up. It seems she wouldn't be doing any heavy magic for a while or so. She looked up at Olivia and smiled faintly. The throbbing in her hand seemed to lessen a bit. She then laid herself down the bed and sighed. It was stressful, thinking about SAI and wondering where he came from and what happened with his mother. Alexei then set to taking care of his sister. When he thought that she was doing fine, he went over to Olivia. "Is Julian talking to the headmaster right now?" He asked. Well it could have been worse, at least she still had a hand though she'd be unable to use it for a while. But she'd have her brother help and watch out for her from the looks of it. "Yes, I assume so." Julian nodded and left the room, heading towards the infirmary where he assumed the others would be. Sure enough, there they were and he stepped over to Olivia and Alexei. "He's looking into it. Says we need to keep it to ourselves for now." Anya looked at the three of them and sighed. Closing her eyes, the image of SAI's face popped in her mind, in pain. She flinched when she saw it but then tried to figure out what makes him change like that. 'He said that he isn't gifted, but rather born with it. What happened to his mother anyway? Was she treated the same way he is right now? Is the split personality hereditary?' Questions appeared in her mind just when she was thinking about one. Alexei nodded. "Do you think he might strike again?" He asked, now worried about the other students since they knew that he was the one who killed the ones before. Olivia just shrugged her shoulders and folded her arms across her chest. "I don't know. But if he does. Then we know he's targeting this schools students, which means he's after something. Or someone." Didn't he say someone was making him do those things? Ah well, the headmaster had been informed and there was nothing more they could do. "But it's not our problem anymore. I think perhaps we should stay away from that building and just get on with this term. Going looking for trouble never ends well." Julian nodded his head in agreement. He would not go near that building again, he didn't particularly want to bump into SAI again, that kid was creepy. "I'm gonna head back to my dorm, still have some unpacking to do." Anya the sat up, saying, "I don't want to lie down. I'm not used to be in one place for very long." She then asked the nurse if she could leave, and she told her that And shouldn't use the hand which she was injured and that she was fine. And then stood alongside Julian. "I'm going back to my dorm." Alexei smiled. He knew that his sister would be everywhere at once if she wanted to. He was the one who would look or her every time she got lost in the woods when they were young.((Sorry if it's a bit confusing... My mind seems to be off today)) ((Its fine =))) Julian paused as Anya caught up with him and then fell in step, but he soon continued, hands buried deep within his pockets. "Your call." He said simply, glancing to her and then back to the way he was walking. The dorms weren't too far away, thankfully, so the walk didn't take too long. Unfortunately, everyone seemed to have arrived now and there was a high volume of noise. Olivia watched the two head off and sighed softly. Perhaps they had the right idea? Everyone should be here by now, which meant her friends would be lurking around. Pushing what had happened to the back of her mind, she looked to Alexei. "Coming back to the dorms?" Anya then went to her dorm after she saw Julian's figure moving away from her. She cradled her injured hand close, remembering that she wouldn't use it until it was fully healed. Once she was in her room, she closed the door and looked out the window, enjoying the view that she was given. SAI kept appearing in her mind. A felt that there was more to him that met the eye. At once, someone's warm voice spoke in her mind." I'm glad you want to be as powerful as me. But, you must be cautious, little one." Alexei nodded and walked to his dorm, seeing Anya's door close. He knew that she wanted some time alone, probably to think. Although her sister is fairly active, there were times when she could settle down and mull about something for quite a while. Julian went about adding his own personal touches to his room. Vines began to grow up and across the wall with the window, in several places white roses began to. Bloom, as did several other species of flower. When he'd finished the wall looked like a living piece of art and had successfully taken his mind off what had happened outside. There was nothing left for him to do now except maybe pop into the canteen for something to eat as he hadn't had anything to eat since last night. Olivia soon entered her room and seconds later several girls entered too. The room was soon alive with chatter and laughter. The short girl with a horn was perched on her friends bed, as was a girl with the brightest green eyes and another with a face full of piercings Anya shook her head, asking herself what was that all about. She then laid down in her bed and began making water balls out of nowhere with her mind. Since she wasn't able to use her hands, simple balls were all she could do at the moment. Exhaustion soon caught up to her and her balls disappeared, leavingAnwith tired eyes and uncontrollable yawns. After a minute or so, she then slept. Alexeiwent into his room, willing it to warm since her liked the warm so much. He heard thunder out his window and frowned. He hated rain, although his sister loves it. 'She probably is sleeping right now.' Alexthought. A grumbling sound then came from his stomach. "I don't think I ate anything since dinner the night before." And that was because their parents refused to give them food for the journey. Having sat on the end of his bed for several minutes, a loud growl from his stomach indicated that food was needed. Picking up his room key, he made sure to lock the door behind him as he made his way towards the canteen, hands buried in his pocket. Olivia heard the bang of thunder and looked towards her window. Strange. The weather had been pleasant enough half hour ago when they were outside. Perhaps someone with a power was doing this? Ah well, she was inside and safe, that's all that mattered. The conversation soon ended and all the girls decided to go grab something to eat before turning in for the evening. Standing, the four girls left the bedroom, and they too headed towards the canteen. Waking up to the sound of her stomach growling, Anya got up and stretched her taut muscles. Her rest did her good and the rain outside refreshed her senses. Standing up, she made sure to check on her bandaged hand. Seeing that it was the same as before she slept, she went outside her dorm, colliding with Alexei, who was going to the cafeteria to get some food. "Sorry, bro. Didn't see you there." A smiled. As they walked, her eyes were primarily focused on the rain outside. "Isn't the storm great? I could smell the moisture just by looking through the windows!" Alexeishook his head. "It's alright, Anya." Looking at her hand, he thought that she was okay, at least for a while. When he heard his sister's comment about the rain, he nodded. Although harnessing the element of fire, there was one thing he liked about storms; and that was lightning. Alex loved to see the sparks of light touching the moist earth. He also loved the sound of it, too. They both soon arrived at the cafeteria and they both got their food on trays. Julian grabbed a tray and walked along the counter, picking up the food he wanted. No meat, but plenty of pasta and vegetables. And a fruit bowl for afterward. Finding an empty table wasn't difficult, most were still getting their rooms ready so he had plenty of choice. Choosing one beside a window, he placed his tray down and began to eat, listing to the sounds of rain pelting against the window. Olivia and the girls burst into the canteen with a wave of laughter, the days events had been forgotten with her friends around. Each grabbed a tray and whatever food they wanted. They then chose the largest table and claimed it as their own. The girl with the horn was not only the shortest of the group, but also the loudest and a big gossip. Anya chose a sandwich and a fruit bowl, since she doesn't like to eat much. She picked up a bottle of water as she looked around, looking for either Julian or Olivia to sit with. She wasn't in the mood to make friends at the moment. Seeing Olivia, she walked towards her table, but then stopped. The table didn't completely seem full, but it seemed to And that the girls dominated it. She then saw Julian, and then approached his table. Alexei's eyes roamed over the food that was presented to him and soon chose some of his favorites. The cafeteria was abuzz with chatter that it nearly flooded his ears. Looking around, he saw his sister going over to Julian's table and frowned. 'Wouldn't she want to sit with Olivia instead?' He thought, looking around for Olivia. But, seeing that she was fairly occupied, he then started to go after Anya. There was something about the rain that made him feel more at ease. Trees and plant life enjoyed the nourishment it provided, perhaps that was it? Yes, that had to be it. Munching on a piece of raw carrot, he watched water droplets racing one another down the glass. From the corner of his eye he noticed someone approaching his table. Tearing his eyes away from the glass, he looked up to Anya, watching her quietly. The gossip and nice continued from the table, though not a sound came from Olivia. The food on her plate received no attention from her either. She sat there quietly, listing to what was said but paying little attention to it. Something one of the girls had said had reminded her of one of the forms SAI had taken. Staring down at her plate, she lost herself in thought. Anya sat across Julian and sighed. The rain was still pouring outside, and she desperately wanted to get out there and dance in the rain. That would probably keep her energized, at least for a while. Taking a bite into her sandwich, she kept silent. She felt that he wanted the quiet time to think for a while. A had felt the same thing; she didn't want others to treat herself that way. Alexei's eyes widened at the sight of lightning. He wondered how it would be holding lightning in his hands and how to control it. 'Lightning probably doesn't go with fire well.' He thought as he sat beside Anya. He looked at her expression and smiled. Furthermore, he had felt the same thing that Anya was feeling. Looked like everyone wanted quiet at the minute. Both Anya and Alexei had joined him now, which was something he wasn't used to. Usually people left him alone as they knew he didn't enjoy others company and didn't like people watching him eat. But these two. He could tolerate. Going back to his food, he found himself frowning as the cutlery and his plate began to float from the tray. "Oi, Old, quit daydreaming." One of the girls prodded Olivia with her elbow. All the plates on their table were floating too, as was the girl with the horn, she was holding onto the table to stop herself floating too high up. "Hm?" Coming from her thoughts, Olivia looked at her friends and gave a mumbled apology. The plates and the girl slowly returned to their places. "I'm going to go have an early night I think." Without another word, she stood and walked from the room. Anya then stood up, saying, "I need to go to the bathroom for a sec." She then went to where she saw the female restrooms near the dorms and went in. She noticed that nobody was in there at the moment, and used the time to do her business. After, she washed her hands and looked at herself in the mirror. A thought she saw the tail of an enormous shirt going in one of the stalls. Turning around, she realised what that looked like. Looking in all the stalls, she saw no one. But still, Anya felt like she was being watched. Alexei nodded and looked at Anya's figure leaving the cafeteria. He soon saw Olivia leaving the cafeteria, too. His tray then floated down to the table, also Anya's. He didn't feel surprised at the sudden levitation because he instantly thought that it was Olivia's doing. Well today had defiantly been a strange start to a new school yer and from the looks and feel of it, things weren't going to get better. Once the tray was back on the table, Julian returned to his food. After picking at his meal with distaste, he soon favored the fruit bowl. Seconds after Anya left the room, Olivia left too. Women were such strange creatures. Olivia didn't get far before she stopped to lean against the wall, head buried in her left hand, eyes closing. Hearing someone leaving the nearby bathroom, she quickly snapped back and continued back towards her dorm room. The girls at her table looked worried, though they had soon dismissed it and were gossiping once more. Anya quickly went out of the restroom, chills still racing up her spine. She was focused on SAI and how he got in the building that she crashed into Olivia. Stepping back and shaking her head, she looked up and smiled. "Sorry about that, Olivia. I didn't see you there." A said, scratching her head. She suddenly felt goosebumps on her skin. Shivering, she rubbed her arms with her hands, closing her eyes. Alexei stood up and placed then drank some orange juice, looking at Anya's food. 'She's still not back.' He thought, looking over at Julian as he did so. The rain then softened up to a drizzle and the moon was peeking out of the clouds, the stars joining it. 'I think classes are starting tomorrow.' Stopping in her tracks, Olivia stumbled backwards and was quick enough to use her powers to prevent her hitting the ground. Instead, she sat in midair and then some invisible force lifted her back onto her feet. "Don't worry about it." She said, looking to Anya and forcing a smile onto her lips. "Are you alright?" Finishing off the fruit, Julian finally placed the empty bowl and spoon down on his tray. Seeing that Anya hadn't returned yet, he looked to Alexei, who was now looking at him. "Well. I guess it's time for me to turn in." He said, standing to go and empty his tray and return it to the pile. "Y-yeah." Anya said, perking up almost suddenly. She then placed a smile on her face; she didn't want anyone else to worry about her. Since the headmaster told them not to worry about SAI. 'But he somehow went in the building. Or is it just my imagination?' "I need to get to the cafeteria. Alex must be waiting for me." She then went past Olivia, aware of the feeling that she was being watched. Alex nodded, saying, "I'm just gonna wait for Anya to come back." He looked at her food and soon finished his own. Once Anya came into the cafeteria, she looked completely normal. He thought differently, though. He knew his sister too well. She came and brought her tray to empty it and place it back in the pile. 'She isn't saying anything. I wonder if anything happened in the bathroom?' He thought, following after her to their dorms. Olivia just nodded and watched Anya return to the cafeteria to find her brother. Sighing, she folded her arms and returned to her room. Once inside she locked the door behind her and flopped down on her bed. Perhaps things would seem better tomorrow? Lessons started so that would be something to take their minds of current matters. "Okay." Julian said before leaving the cafeteria. He passed Anya on the way out, though he left her to return to her brother. Biting back a yawn, the male retired to his room to check on his plants growth and turn in, he was going to need all of his energy to get through tomorrow. The next day, Anya woke up to the sound of her alarm clock playing her favorite song. She seemed to forget about everything the day before. Going to her bathroom, humming the song, she changed her bandage on her hand. A smiled; she saw that there were fewer purple spots and there was mostly a yellowish bruise on her palm. But, whenever she tried to move her fingers, it hurt. So she then took a shower and placed a new bandage on her hand after. Alexei was awakened from a nightmare. He was sweating, and his breath came out raggedly. He touched his forehead, closing his eyes. In his dream, he saw Olivia, Julian, and especially Anya, crumpled on the ground, not breathing. Right on top of them was SAI. He seemed to be looking at them with sad eyes, but with a sneer on his face. Alex wasn't even sure how SAI was able to keep both emotions appear on his face. Despite the day before, Olivia had managed to have a decent nights sleep and woke to the sound of her alarm clock buzzing. First day back in classes, and she really couldn't wait, it was something to keep her body and mind occupied. That and she'd missed messing around with her friends. Dragging herself from her bed, she vanished into the bathroom for a quick shower and once squeaky clean, she started to dress and prepare herself for the day ahead. Julian wasn't a morning person and unlike most, he was not looking forward to getting into classes. Unlike most, he wasn't a member of a large group of friends and because of this, most thought it funny to pick on him. Not that he cared too much, he preferred his own company anyway. Biting back a yawn, he dragged himself into the bathroom for a quick wash, then began to throw on whatever clothing he could find. Anya got out of her room, wearing her usual, jeans and a t-shirt. She wasn’t looking forward to the classes; she would rather practice her powers and hope that her hand would be able to work some water. ‘But it’s the day after you got it injured. Don’t you think it would be better if you just let it rest for a while?’ The little voice in her head told her. With a sigh, she nodded to herself and walked over to Alex’s room, hoping to walk with him to class. “Alex? It’s me, Anya.” Alexei was able to take a shower and place on his clothes before he heard the knock on his door. He then recognised his sister’s voice and opened the door. “Are you ready?” He asked, mussing up his hair a bit. Anya looked at him with a sarcastic look. “Yeah, sure.” She said, looking at his hair. She then added a few touches of her own and smiled. “There. Just don’t overdo it, m’Kay?” Slinging on her favorite purple blouse, skirt and boots, Olivia took one last look at herself in the bathroom mirror, before deeming herself ready and presentable for the day ahead. Lessons would have to wait though, first came breakfast and after eating nothing last night, she was quite ravenous this morning. So after having left her room and locked the door behind her, she headed straight into the cafeteria to grab herself something quick to eat. Julian ended up dressed in worn blue jeans and a simple long sleeved shirt, both would no doubt end up covered in dirt later on. Still, he'd made an effort. Biting back another yawn, the male stepped from his room and stretched his arms out behind him. Letting his arms drop back to his side, he quickly locked his door and pulled his schedule out from his pocket, glancing over the first couple of lessons. After Anya mussed is hair up a bit, she heard a grumble from her own stomach. Considering she ate little the night before, she decided to get some breakfast. She brought Alex with her, since she probably didn't want to eat alone if both Julian and Olivia are both busy. "What class are you going to first?" An asked, reaching for a tray in the cafeteria. Alex frowned but shrugged. His sister was like that. He then followed her to the cafeteria where a good amount of people were. Hearing her question, he answered, remembering the schedule by sight, "History." He heard her say, "That's lucky for you. I have math. I can't seem to understand those numbers. They taunt me when I can't figure it out." Alex smiled and patted her head. "I could help you, if you want." She nodded and went on, picking up an apple, "Now history is a cinch for me. Historical people and I go together." Olivia joined the queue and picked up several pieces of toast, a grapefruit and a carton of orange juice. Seeing that her friends were not around yet, she was able to pick one of the smaller tables at the far side of the room, instead of the largest at the very center. Placing her bits down on the table, she sat down and began to search her pockets for something. After a moment she found what she was looking for, a hairband, and wasted no time in pulling her hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. Julian memorized his lessons for the day and sighed. It wasn't the lessons he wasn't looking forward to, it was the first day back was always awkward. Each lesson was spent receiving new work books and folders, then being told what they were going to be learning for the rest of the term. He'd have to get to class quickly too, to make sure he got a decent seat at the back to avoid being stuck at the front again... it took him ages to get the gum out of his hair last time. Frowning at the thought, he headed towards the cafeteria to get something to eat. Once Anya got a carton of chocolate milk and a sandwich, she looked around yet again for somewhere to sit. Her eyes soon caught Olivia's figure and approached her. She saw her tying her hair up in a ponytail and thought that An should tie her hair up, also. She sat across her and smiled. "Good morning! Did you get a good sleep?" Alex was trailing behind her, eventually taking his seat beside Olivia. Alex got his food before he followed Anya and he noticed her bandaged hand. It didn't look puffy like the day before, but it didn't look healthy like it always does. 'Anya would be itching to use her powers. She would have to wait until that hand of hers heals completely.' It would seem she was not going to be spending breakfast alone, Alexei's sister had joined her at the table. Olivia smiled and nodded. "I did, surprisingly. How about you?" She asked before taking a bite from one of the slices of toast on her plate. It was then that she remembered the incident yesterday and glanced to her hand. "How's your hand today?" Julian was unsure of what to have for breakfast, something light and something that didn't require him to be in the cafeteria to eat. In the corner of his eye he'd just caught sight of. Well, his least favorite person in the world. Choosing a slice of toast, he left the queue and headed straight back towards the doors. "Great! I slept like a baby." Anya mused, taking a bite out of her sandwich. She sighed and looked at her hand, wrapped in new gauze that she got that morning. "Still hurts when I try to use it, although not as much as the day before." A smiled, seeing Julian at the corner of her eyesight before she turned to Olivia to ask her, "What classes do you have today?" Alex looked at the two girls talking. He had seen Julian and saw him somehow leaving. He didn't want to bother him at the moment. Although, it seems that there wasn't anything he could do to join in the conversation. "Well its getting better. Give it a couple more days, and you should be able to use it properly." It was a shame for her not to be able to use her powers on her first day of lessons. As for classes, she pulled out her rotor and glanced it over. "English, History and sport." Sport was always fun, especially in the summer. History was okay too, the teacher was funny. "How about you?" Julian headed outside and to one of his favorite flower beds. The flowers were still in bloom, and he found it peaceful to sit before them, eating his breakfast. "Umm..." Anya grabbed her schedule and looked through the classes she had that day. "I have Math, History, and Music." She said, her eyes briefly scanning the other classes she would have for the next few days. "I don't think I would be able to play the piano with my injured hand for music." A sigh escaped from her lips; she loved to play the piano whenever she could. "I think I have History, Science, and Sport." Alex said, remembering the list he got before. Hearing Anya say something about the piano for music, he said, "Don't worry. Your hand will get better soon." Looking at Olivia, he mused, "Seems like we have Sports." "I wouldn't worry about it too much. First few days you don't do a lot of work, you just have to sit through the teachers telling you what you'll be covering, handing out work books and so on." Olivia said before taking a bite from the corner of her piece of toast. "You could always play one-handed, if needed?" Looking to Alexei she smiled and nodded. "Looks like we're in the same classes then." After finishing her piece of toast, she looked to her watch and sighed. "Think I'm gonna start heading to class, the bell will go soon." "But that's boring." Anya whined, closing her eyes and imagining herself playing the piano with sweet notes emanating from it. "And besides, I don't think I could play well with just one hand." Hearing Olivia's, 'the bell will go soon', she then finished off her sandwich and gulped down her drink. And didn't want to be late on the first day of classes. Alexei nodded and watched his sister rush. "Don't worry, sis. You'll get there on time." He finished off his water and placed the tray where he got it and trailed behind Anya. "If you have trouble with your stuff, just call me, okay?" Smoothing out the front of her skirt as she stood, Olivia said goodbye to the siblings and headed outside for her first lesson of the new year. Thankfully the weather was nice, she never really enjoyed doing laps in the rain. Humming softly to herself, she pushed open the large entrance doors and took her first step outside the day. Julian finished his breakfast and quickly tended to the flowers in the bed before him. Once satisfied with them, he wished them a pleasant day and returned inside the building to head to first lesson. Quietly and quickly he moved into the classroom and sat at the very back of the class. Anya was able to make it to her first class, with all of her stuff, on time. She managed to get through the first period with an injured hand. And besides, most of the people in her class help her out with her stuff after hearing her made-up story about someone accidentally stepping on her hand. Like the headmaster said, And shouldn't spread anything about what happened in that abandoned warehouse. Her mind then shifted to SAI. Alexei got one last glance to Anya before he got his stuff and made it to his first class. Like what Olivia said, he received his textbooks and partly listened to what they were going to cover for the rest of the year. He had made a few friends here and there. Julian spent most of first period sketching in a notebook of his own. By the end of the lesson, after everything had been handed out and sorted, he had filled several pages with sketches of various different plants and flowers. When the bell rang, indicating the end of period, he quickly gathered his things together and made for his next class. Olivia sat with her friends during first period. They all seemed to listen to what was being said and of course, still found the time to chatter quietly amongst themselves, as girls do. She placed the sheets she was handed into her bag and once the bell rang, she left the lesson on her own, her thoughts had shifted to the previous night. Anya then entered her second period, History. She sighed with content knowing the would ace this subject as she half-listened to the teacher explaining what they would learn that year. She then drew doodles in her notebook, looking at other students and spotting some passed notes. Alexei entered the science classroom and was soon paired off with a girl wearing mostly black. He introduced himself as the professor faced the board writing some things down. He found out that the girl's name was Anissa Le Père.

_AnaTolia_ & Terribly Sorry.|rating:3.0

Untrained (Observing Trifles and Mess)

(Albrecht felt good about his work most of the time, but it was particularly true today. He'd been invited for lunch at a home who'd bought one of his girls, and the affection between slave and Mistress had been clear throughout the meal, though they were the model of decorum. Before he'd left, the girl had asked for permission to speak to him and thanked him with tears in her eyes." I'm so much happier," she'd confessed before turning to do the dishes while Lachlan spoke with her Mistress over a glass of tea on the porch, who in turn admitted her own great satisfaction with the arrangement. Thatwas why he did what he did. He'd tried to explain it to family members in a country without legal slavery, and they'd had trouble grasping that it could be a good option, a more or less positive experience for all involved. The government hadn't had the funds to do much about the growing wage gap, but now there was a way for the very poor - or those avoiding jail time, a bad life situation, people had any number of reasons for enlisting or being enlisted as slaves - to, if they made it through the initial screening, be housed, fed, and cared for, and a great deal more money in the national coffers to care for the rest of the citizens. The government didn't justsellpeople, he'd explained at Christmas, that would be ludicrous...but they didleasepeople. It was fashionable, in wealthy circles, to have a slave, and you could only have them if you paid a monthly fee that varied depending on when you bought them, what you bid, etc. Family in a rough spot and can't pay? You lose your slave. There were some caveats - each slave did have a final sale price and could consent to their rights being purchased outright after seven years of service to a Master or Mistress, and it was an open secret that some people made deals to belong to a specific owner and be freed after a certain amount of time before even entering slavery - but the process of outright purchase was involved. More commonly, slaves were leased ad infinitum, or until the family grew tired of them. There were jobs out there for slaves no one wanted to purchase, but that was rare; there was a screening process to ensure that only desirable slaves went on the open market, and most families treasured their slaves. But some didn't. That was another reason why only leases were initially available, and why he'd visited the girl this morning. There was a great deal of leniency in how one could treat one's own slaves, but permanent disfigurement wasn't allowed - piercings could be approved, but not tattoos, brands, or serious injury - and outright abuse wasn't allowed. When a slave was reported to be in these situations, or when a social worker noticed it at the semi-annual visits each slave was paid, the slave was removed. Often it was simply a matter of rehoming them. If the abuse was severe or ongoing, however, or they hadn't reacted well to it, moving them to a different placement right off wasn't an option. That was where Lachlan came in. He'd been educated as a slave trainer - each slave was given a course in basic etiquette, socialization, sexualization, etc. before being auctioned - and had been good at it, but he wasn't in the position long before he was tapped as an untrained. They were few, but important. Trainers took abused slaves into their homes and worked with them to get thembackto the basic level of training required for auction. The work was involved, usually requiring that old habits, fears, and responses be unlearned - hence the name - before better ones could be put back in place. He'd found the work to be rewarding. He'd shipped off his last project nearly three weeks ago. Furthermore, he'd enjoyed having the time off - paid, of course, since he could be called on any minute - but he'd been pleased to get the call that morning that he had someone coming. The social worker had been concerned at the visit last week and set up a follow-up for the last of the month, as per protocol - it made stopping payments more straightforward of the slave was removed. She'd confirmed her concerns and asked the owner to box up the slave in the cage in which he'd been received so the lease could be terminated. Now the social worker, a petite blonde, was standing in his entryway holding the handle of a flatbed cart that had barely squeezed through the door. There was a sizeable box on the dolly covered in what looked like shiny black material, which Lachlan knew was a case designed to Velcro around a cage to keep the elements out and the slave comfortable if they were outside any length of time. They asked masters to box their own slaves because often the way they chose to do so would give the untrained some information to start working from, and they wanted a clear psychological transition in the slaves' mind from being boxed by the person who'd hurt them to being unboxed by someone new." He's been in there a couple of hours," the social worker was explaining. "His Master lived way out on the borderlands, or I suspect someone might've called it in sooner, but he's here now."" Great, thank you, Shelby," Lachlan said. He had a packet of information on the counter, both the initial packet that had been sent with the slave at purchase and additional notes, but he ignored it for now. He liked his impressions to be fresh. Lachlan located the flap that would be at the front of the cage and peeled away the Velcro, the sound wet. It lowered in a smooth movement, and he squatted with it to get a look at the slave within." Hello," he said, voice soothing. (entering into a slave contract had seemed like a good decision at the time. It had, in fact, been the only decision available to him after he had blown through his trust fund. Skye hadn't had much in the way of job-worthy skills, owing to a privileged background that had seen him born with a silver spoon in his mouth, one that had been taken from him shortly after reaching adulthood. Partying. Gambling. Bad investments. Who could say which straw had finally broken the camel's back? One day, Skye had woken up to find himself twenty-two and broke. His parents wouldn't have him back and jobs for unskilled workers were hard to come by. With no way to pay the bills or put food on the table, he had gone down the only available road and signed away his rights, comforted only by the knowledge that if he adapted to a new lifestyle, he would never have to concern himself with money again. It had taken more than a little thought and a considerable amount of mental struggle to finally sign the documents. Skye had been a proud creature once, burdened only by his ego and an unyielding penchant for hedonism. Becoming someone's possession had never entered his mind until after he had spent months wasting away - dirty, starving, desperate. Pride didn't seem to matter as much after suffering the agony of an empty stomach. His training had gone well. If his life had depended on it, Skye couldn't have balanced a checkbook or cooked a decent filet of fish, but he knew how to provide pleasant company and keep a man's bed warm. Paired with his boyish good looks - his fair skin, his steely blue eyes - he had proved an easy item to sell. His master hadn't been especially charming or good-looking, but it had mattered little to Skye, who craved only shelter and food. Within weeks, however, it became quite apparent that those commodities came with a heavy price. It hadn't felt like abuse at first. Rough sex, the occasional shove, an unrealistic demand here and there. Surely just something that would smooth over with time, he had assured himself, but things only escalated. Eventually Skye began to dread the regular summons to his master's bedroom, for he knew he would leave with bruises and aches and sometimes worse. The man had a temper to make a raging bull shy away, and over time he began to think Skye as less of a person and more of a means to vent. Over the course of two years, the young slave had walked away with more than his fair share of black eyes and torn flesh. Social workers called on slave owners roughly every six months, but Skye had always been made to put on a happy face whenever they dropped in. Only by sheer dumb luck had they caught him on an especially bad day, chained outside in the freezing cold with little more than a pair of torn jeans to keep him warm. That was all the justification they had needed to remove him from his master and put him back into the system. When Skye arrived crated at Lachlan's door, he wore nothing more than the jeans the social worker had found him in, a standard pair of cuffs around his wrists, which themselves were still raw from the last time his former master had bound him, the rope old and frayed and knotted too tightly. The trip in the crate was nothing short of cathartic for the slave who, in the pitch black, spent much of the journey crying with relief at finally experiencing a reprieve from his torment. The social worker wheeled him out of the transport truck on her own; Skye listened idly as gravel crunched beneath the wheels of the dolly. Then they stopped. He heard voices. The Velcro of the case came open and then there was a man looking in on him, at which the slave glanced up for only a moment before he shied away, tucking himself back against the corner of the crate. Women didn't bother him, but men? Men terrified him. One had spent the better part of two years raping and beating him, and he had no reason to believe that Lachlan was any different. As such, Skye refused to speak. He dared only to look at Lachlan again for a moment before curling into himself, hiding his face. Old bruises, most yellowed and faded, still littered his torso, and his body while naturally lithe appeared too wiry, presumably from an irregular feeding schedule. Even his dark hair, short as it was, looked moderately shaggy and unkempt. Lachlan had a brief chance to get a look at the slave before the man shied away, tucking himself in the corner of the cage. You never knew what you were going to get with a slave who'd been pushed beyond the structure that clear rules and fair, consistent discipline was intended to provide - some got violent, cursing and striking out. Some, though, were like this, simply shrinking away. He'd had slaves that treated their crate like a dog with its kennel, taking comfort in the confined, structured space of the cage. That was better than those who'd developed claustrophobia and had to be retrained to tolerate being caged, but only just - it was damned difficult to fish someone out of a small hole who didn't want to come if you didn't want to risk either of you being hurt. At the moment, though, he wasn't concerned about pulling the slave out of the crate. The glance at his face before he'd shied away had given Lachlan enough information about how he'd been chosen to be a slave. The full, pouting lips alone would've added money to his price, and he suspected the slave had been in better physical condition when he'd signed himself away than he was now. The man glanced up again, and he got an impression of strong eyebrows and a lace of lashes before he folded himself away again. His body bore evidence of the challenges he'd faced with his master. It wasn't unusual to see fading cane marks on a leg or an ass, considering many people kept their slaves unclothed inside their homes, but there was a clear line between discipline and abuse. The slave's master had crossed it." We found him chained out in the yard," the social worker explained. "This was his first master." Lachlan raised an eyebrow at her. The statement had been spoken tonelessly, as if it was an offhanded comment, but it was well known that slaves tended to imprint on their first masters not unlike the way ducklings did. No one handled abuse well, of course, but helping someone who'd had most of their training as a slave under an abusive master to learn to live correctly as a slave in a sane environment was harder than helping someone who'd had a more normal arrangement before their experience." If you'll sign for him?" she asked. Lachlan signed the clipboard the woman offered, then helped her get the crate off the cart. It was awkward, and inevitably jostled the slave inside a little, but he would want the crate at the house. When she'd left, he returned his attention to the slave, unlocking the door to the crate and stepping back several feet, out of reach, before crouching down once again." You're safe now, okay? You're not going to be hurt anymore. Come on out to me, please," he said, tone gentle. It was a test - the slave was clearly too frightened right now to get any real read on his temperament, but knowing whether the slave's fear would prevent him from following directions or would spur him to snap to following directions he didn't want to would provide useful information. While the two outside exchanged words, Skye pinched his eyes closed and lowered his head, chin to chest, anxious for what was to come. He had no idea what kind of man Lachlan was, what he wanted, or why he was there. Social workers had taken him away from his former master, but he couldn't have been sure if the man outside his crate was to be his new one. Skye didn't want another master. All he knew of slave owners was their potential for cruelty. He had signed his life away out of desperation - and for what? Constant rape and beatings. Over the long months he had spent with that man, Skye had considered the possibility of running away, of breaking out of his lease and returning to the streets, but he no longer knew anything of independence. He had little spirit left. The woman left and Skye was left alone with his new handler. Every inch of his instinct expected Lachlan to reach in and pull him out, so when all he did was open the crate and step back, requesting that he come out, the slave was curious enough to lift his head and peer out. The man's voice was insistent, but soft. Not demanding, or at least not yet. Skye still didn't trust him. Regardless, it occurred to him that if he didn't comply on some level, he would earn some kind of punishment. No stranger to belts and paddles, Skye decided not to push his luck too much in the first few minutes. And so, after a few long moments, he moved on all fours to the open door. He didn't dare step out, but he did look up. Sharp, fearful eyes fixed on Lachlan's face, trying to get a read on him. What did he want? It took considerable courage for Skye to find his voice, and even when he did, it was quiet and reserved. "... Are you my new Master?" Lachlan watched his slave's body language carefully for clues, though it was so closed off it was hard to tell much beyond that. He was fairly certain that, if the slave's hands were free, he would've had his arms tightly wrapped around himself as well. His speech at least earned him a look - that, he could work with. It was always awkward when slaves tried to blatantly ignore him, though he had the patience to deal with it. If this job had taught him anything, it was patience. And so he sat on his heels silently and watched the slave, expression placid. He could wait. Finally, after an excruciating length of silence, the slave moved. He managed to get to the door, then looked at him. The fear in his eyes was plain and hurt Lachlan's heart, as those first looks always did. Slaves should respond to their masters or mistresses without question, certainly, but their obedience should be attached to respect, fondness, duty - not fear. It was clear that this slave's master hadn't known what he was doing or - perhaps equally likely - hadn't cared. He waited in silence for the slave to continue moving or to speak. He suspected that any movement on his part would make the other man flinch away, if not scramble back to the back of his crate, and he could do without either. When the slave finally spoke in a small, worried voice, he offered a small smile." Yes and no," he said honestly. "You don't belong to me, but mouillé staying with me until you feel better. I work for the government, and helping you feel better is part of my job. I'd like to start by taking those cuffs off if you'll come out to me," he said, moving one hand slowly to reach into his pocket and pull out a key ring, holding a key for standard cuffs in his hand. "Wouldn't you like those off?" The man smiled at him, and Skye was confused. After so long on the receiving end of anger and abuse, it struck him as odd to see such a pleasant look on someone's face. With that, a bit of his fear fell away, but he was not so naive that he would put his guard down completely. He knew better than that. He had gone into his first master's home optimistic and hopeful, only to have all of that crushed. Furthermore, he would not make that mistake again. Despite the other man's explanation, Skye didn't completely understand their arrangement. He had never heard of a government employee whose sole purpose was to make a slave feel better. As such, he was skeptical, but when the man offered to take off his cuffs, a bit of that skepticism faded. Perhaps he didn't entirely understand what was happening, but his wrists hurt, and having the cuffs off would help. It took some doing, but eventually Skye found the nerve to crawl out of the crate. He did so slowly, each shuffle of his hands and knees only taking him a short distance. For roughly a year, he had spent the better part of his life on hands and knees as his master had preferred, so it didn't occur to him that he had the option to stand. Instead, he stopped an arm's length from Lachlan and settled down, legs tucked beneath him. Even with the front door just behind him and no chain to tie him down, the thought of running didn't cross his mind. Regardless of what he had suffered, he had none of the mental strength it would take to perform such a daring feat. So instead he sat before Lachlan with his arms extended, dutifully waiting for him to unlock the cuffs. "Please, Sir." Lachlan waited for the slave to process his words, watching thoughts pass across that pretty face like faint clouds across the moon. The slave reallywasa beauty. It could be hard to rehome slaves who'd spent time with an untrained - between people not wanting to risk paying for what they perceived as damaged goods and the government being extra careful about who they homed the slaves with lest there be a repeat of trauma, it was rarely a fast or easy placement and tended to pull in minimal profit. Lachlan had a feeling, though, that this slave would have little trouble finding a new home when he was ready. He was pleased when the slave finally started moving forward, albeit at something of a snail's pace. He would need to get the pants off and more fully assess the slave's physical condition sooner or later, but right now the priority was getting him a little more comfortable. The slave finally stopped, kneeling like he was used to it, and offered himself up." Good boy," Lachlan praised. "You did what I asked and referred to me appropriately. 'Master Lachlan' is also acceptable," he explained. "What's your name?" Not all masters kept their slaves' names - they were within their rights to change them or not using them, and choosing to do so wasn't necessarily an indication of anything amiss. Lachlan found, however, that using a name they identified with before becoming a slave could help ground them in themselves a bit more. If the slave refused to answer, well, that was information, too. A more open-ended question, like a name, also gave him a chance to see if slaves had been trained with any nonstandard speaking practiced he'd need to correct. His hands were gentle on the slave's skin, only the light touches required to remove the cuffs. The skin underneath was raw." What other injuries do you have?" he asked gently, wanting to make sure to triage any medical attention needed before moving on to anything else. Good boy. When had anyone lasted said those words to him? Not since his original round of training. Training tended to take around a year, allowing the new slave to grow accustomed to their new lifestyle, during which time they were taught all about positive reinforcement, rewards, and punishments when appropriate. His trainers had struggled with him at first, owing to his prideful nature, but eventually he had calmed enough to become someone's good boy. That had all gone away with his purchase, of course, and he found that he liked hearing those words again. When Lachlan came close to remove his cuffs, Skye flinched but didn't turn away. Thankfully, the man only did what he had promised to do, gently removing the cuffs and setting them aside. For the moment, he didn't reach out to touch him any more than was necessary, for which Skye was grateful. Generally speaking, he didn't want to be touched, although he knew it was something he would have to tolerate, if this man was to be his new master, even temporarily. Asked for his name, the slave paused for a moment, as though he had to think about it. His former master hadn't used his name very much, usually simply barking orders at him and calling him boy. It nearly felt odd to think of himself as a person with a name again. "My... My name is Skye, Master Lachlan," he murmured, testing the other man's name on his tongue. Admittedly, calling anyonemasternow left a bad taste in his mouth. Taking back his hands, Skye cradled his left wrist, eyes traveling down to regard the minor abrasions around his forearm. They wouldn't scar - his rope burns never did, but the skin was irritated and would soon itch when they began to heal properly. "I don't think I have many, Sir," Skye told him, mentally giving himself a once-over. "Only..." Swallowing, the slave hunched over a bit, twisting just enough to the side so that Lachlan could see his back. After displeasing his former master for the final time, he had earned a few lashes from a belt. The leather hadn't been good quality to begin with, frayed in places, and the rough texture of it hadn't been kind to his skin, leaving him with shallow cuts that overlapped. All were red and irritated. Lachlan half expected the slave to pull away from him before he'd managed to get the cuffs off and was pleasantly surprised when the other man managed to hold himself still. Even that slow, gentle movement produced a flinch, though, and Lachlan knew he was in for an uphill climb. That was okay - he had time. There was little more rewarding than seeing a slave who'd come to him all but broken alongside their new masters or mistresses, happy and whole. Given enough time, he knew, he'd be able to get the slave not only not flinching away from contact, but seeking it. It just took building trust, moment by moment. Lachlan nodded." Okay, Skye," he said, acknowledging the other man's name. He looked at the slave's back with his eyes, not risking contact yet, and nodded." We'll get you taken care of. I'm going to have you follow me to the bathroom, and we'll run you a warm bath. I'll leave you alone to wash and soak a bit," he said, suspecting that the slave's time in the cold and time in ropes, if the rope burns were any indication, had probably combined to create a body that was stiff and sore. If he was wrong...well, a little soak in a tub never hurt anyone. "When you're finished, I will ask you to let me put an ointment and some light bandages on your back and wrists, and then I'll have you take a nap before we discuss anything further." He would eventually need to work the slave back up to jumping immediately when told without concern for where or why, but he knew that giving clear instructions and establishing expectations for what was to come could be helpful, especially in these initial days." Do you have any questions before you follow me to the bathroom?" Skye couldn't remember the last time he had taken a proper bath. Certainly he had bathed, but usually only in showers, and always in a hurry. His old master had been of the mind that wasting resources on a slave was just that - wasteful. The prospect of a hot bath made him wonder just what Lachlan had in store for him, and he suspected it was nothing good. Lulling him into a false sense of security, perhaps. Not that he had any choice but to go along. At length, the slave breathed out, relieved at least that he would have a bit of time to himself. He rather liked being alone, after having so few opportunities to enjoy solitude. The warmth would help with the ache, he knew, and he was eager to get to it. He paused, however, when Lachlan spoke next, and this question he gave a bit more thought. Now seemed as good a time as any to ask questions, but he had only one that came to mind over and over again. Lifting his head, Skye looked the other man dead in the eye, and in a trembling voice he asked, "After you've done your job with me... Will you send me back?" He could think of no worse hell than returning to that man. Somehow he doubted that was in Lachlan's plans, from what information he had given so far, but Skye wanted to be completely sure that he would never have to see his former master again. Lachlan waited as the slave exhaled, apparently collecting himself. He was surprised when Skye managed to look him in the eye to ask his question. He'd missed the honorific, and Lachlan tried not to let his slaves slide on the basics from the beginning of their time together, but the untrained could tell that the question was an important one to merit such relative intensity." No," he answered honestly, "I won't. Once a slave is removed from their master or mistress for entraining, the master or mistress is barred from purchasing additional slaves until the entraining is complete. At that time, I'll file a report with what I know about your time there and the courts will decide whether your old master is prohibited from ever owning slaves again or needs to undergo certain trainings before he's allowed to purchase another. Regardless, you will not be returning to him - when you're finished here, you'll be going to a new home with a permanent master or mistress," he explained, then stood." If you have other questions, you may ask them while the bath fills. Follow me, please," Lachlan said, turning and walking up the steps that led from the entry to the rest of the house (watching to make sure Skye was following and curious whether the slave would walk or crawl. They went through the living room and made a left, passing several closed doors before getting to the master bedroom. Lachlan went to the adjoining bath and plugged the tub, turned on the tap, and sat on the edge. The floor was tile, the whole room done in browns and bases and other warm neutrals, and the large tub certainly dominated the room. At Lachlan's reassurance to the contrary, Skye visibly melted with relief. He had suspected that he would never return to his former owner, but to hear it for certain was another thing entirely. A weight lifted and he felt lighter. He still had his concerns about what would happen during his time with Lachlan, constantly expecting the worst, but surely he couldn't be as bad..." Yes, Sir. Master Lachlan." Skye still wasn't sure which title the man preferred, and neither one felt natural yet, simply because it was his first day referring to him as such. It would take some time for it to feel normal, and although he wasn't quite sure how long he would be with Lachlan, he suspected it would be long enough for those titles to start sounding right. On hands and knees, the slave followed his caretaker through the house, taking note of the layout as they went. The house was spacious, perhaps a bit more roomy than the one in which he had previously lived. It was certainly cleaner, not nearly as cluttered. His former master had had enough money to pay his lease every month, but he hadn't used a bit of it to hire maids, and he had certainly never cared much for the task himself. Originally it had fallen to Skye, but as time dragged on, his tasks had dwindled until he was little more than a sleeve to fuck and a target to punch when it was necessary. Skye came to sit on the bathroom floor a pace or two from the tub. The decor was warm and inviting, not overly luxurious but certainly cozy. It seemed to him that Lachlan was a man of means, which made him wonder why he seemed to live alone. He had been open to questions before and Skye, slowly emerging from his shell, had begun to find just enough courage to ask them." Do you own any other slaves, Master?" he queried, though for now his head was down, counting floor tiles. He still didn't know what he was allowed to ask. "I didn't see any, but you work for the government, and most do, so..." Lachlan rewarded Skye's affirmative response with another smile. Two titles was quite unnecessary, but he'd take it - it could take time to settle on one, and if a slave had negative connotations with either "Sir" or "Master," he wanted to give them the opportunity to choose the other. The slave crawled after him. His ability to keep up, more or less, spoke of a great deal of time on his hands and knees. That was interesting. Keeping slaves on all fours was a fairly common training tool, particularly for slaves that had trouble knowing their place, and many masters or mistresses had their slaves take all fours at certain times or places or for certain purposes. It was unusual, however, for a slave to default there. He would need to make sure Skyecouldwalk normally. He watched Skye come to a stop and shook his head at the question." You're allowed to look at me, Skye," Lachlan said, voice soft. He wasn't allowed tolerant him or the like, of course, but he suspected it would take time before he was concerned with the slave schooling his emotions." And, no, I don't own any slaves. It would be unfair to have different rules for different slaves in my home, and the nature of my work necessitates different rules for each slave with whom I work," he explained. He also, though he felt no need to say it lest he spook the slave, got most of what he would want out of a slave with those he trained, and got paid to do so besides." Why don't you check if this is too hot," he suggested, not moving from his perch on the tub so that Skye would have to get near him to access the tub. Repeated interactions without negative experiences, that was the key - every time he got the slave to come near him without grabbing him, it built a little trust for the future. It seemed such a small thing, looking someone in the eye, but Skye hadn't quite worked up the nerve to do so regularly, not yet. Lachlan seemed agreeable so far, but he couldn't know if that would change with time. It seemed safer to err on the side of caution, to walk on eggshells, rather than risk physical punishment. No other slaves. That struck Skye as odd, simply because most men who worked for the government owned one or two. But it did make sense, he supposed, that having slaves could interfere with his work, such as it was. He supposed that meant they had the house to themselves, because he hadn't seen any signs of a partner. Maybe it was better that way. Skye was in a subservient position, certainly, but he didn't want to be outnumbered as well. Checking the temperature of the water required getting closer to Lachlan. Skye still craved personal space and distance, but it felt safer to close the distance himself, rather than be approached. As such, it only took a few seconds of hesitation for him to crawl up to the tub, rising up on his knees and reaching in to feel the water. Hot, but not too hot. The comforting feel of heat made him smile for all of a microsecond, and then it was gone again." It feels alright, Master." Skye nodded once, then leaned back, glancing down at what remained of his clothing. He only had the jeans, not even shoes to remove, and he suspected that Lachlan would want to see the rest of him before long, if only for the purpose of inspection - or perhaps to make use of him. "Should... Should I...?" Awkward, the slave reached for the button, nervous at the prospect of disrobing. Lachlan kept his hands in his lap as the blonde crawled over to test the water, not wanting to spook him when he was so obviously skittish. He was pleased by the happy expression that flashed across the slave's face - he wanted to see much more of that, and much less of the furtive half-glances. He could practically feel the slave's anxiety rising as he reached for his button of his pants, clearly not pleased about the prospect of taking them off, though whether it was being nude in general or being nude in front of Lachlan that was the problem would remain to be seen. Furthermore, he would need to assess things, to see the full picture, but it could wait a while longer." Not just yet," Lachlan said. "Let me get you a towel." He stood slowly, watching Skye to make sure the movement didn't make him shy away, and cut a wide path around the slave to fetch a towel from in under the sink, along with a washcloth. Shampoo, conditioner, and soap were already on the edge of the tub nearest the wall, and he put the towel and washcloth on the side of the tub before turning off the water and squatting next to Skye once more so they'd be at eye level." I'm going to leave the bathroom and leave the door cracked. You can drop your remaining clothing outside the door, then take some time to wash and soak. When you're finished, you'll dry off and come out into the bedroom. There will be a blanket on the bed. You'll lay face down on it and cover yourself with the towel, and I'll come tend to your wounds. There will not be sexual contact, I just want to make sure you're okay. Is that clear?" If his slave's response was satisfactory, Lachlan would leave the room then, giving Skye some time and space. Lachlan stopped him before he could take off his jeans, at which Skye closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. Although fearful, he was not entirely naive, and he understood that at some point, his new master would see the rest of him. But not today, it seemed, and he was grateful for the reprieve. Skye sat quietly thereafter as he waited for the untrained to gather what he needed for his bath, after which he finally peered up at him with a little nod to convey his understanding. "I understand, Master," he affirmed, head lowered once again but still peering sidelong to watch as Lachlan took his leave, the bathroom door open just a crack, as promised. Only then did Skye relax. Grabbing onto the edge of the tub he pulled himself up onto his feet, wincing as he worked out the stiffness in his knees. He still wasn't used to walking. It took him only a moment to climb into the bath, reveling in the warm water surrounding him. He took his time, not minding as the water cooled, luxuriating in the scent of soap and the feel of clean skin after giving himself a good scrubbing with the washcloth. It was nearly an hour later when Skye emerged, hair damp, towel around his waist. Once again he had moved down to all fours, which was still his normal. Climbing up onto the bed, the slave very nearly melted into the sheets. They were comfortable, and after the events of the day, he was exhausted. But Lachlan had indicated that he would care for his scrapes first, and Skye was anxious to get it over with. Laying face-down in front of a stranger did nothing for the slave's nerves. Closing his eyes helped, as did wringing his fingers into the blanket. "... Thank you for the bath, Master," he said at length, not at all wanting to appear ungrateful. "I do feel better now." The slave's apparent relief at not having to disrobe at that moment was enough to make the small gesture worth it, though it made Lachlan worry that there were injuries under the pants that the slave didn't want to tell him about. He refrained from asking, though; the slave had told him what he was likely to tell, and the rest would be discovered in time. While Skye bathed, Lachlan worked. He took the jeans and any underwear the slave might have deposited outside the bathroom door and bagged them to go with the case file against Skye's former master, then lugged Skye's crate up the stairs and into a corner of the living room. The cage looked a little out of place amidst the leather furniture and plush carpet, but it wouldn't always; in time, more training paraphernalia would find its way out into the main parts of his home. For now, he just needed the crate out of his foyer. He went out to his garage and chose a tote for Skye, a simple gray tub on a shelf with a number written on it neatly. He logged the number in a book on the shelf intended for just such purposes and pulled out a thick, soft navy blue blanket, big enough for Skye to curl up in like a child, if he wished. A toiletry kit in the tub would come in later, and the tub would later go with Skye to his new home to carry the things Lachlan thought should go with him. He wanted to give his slaves something to hold onto that helped them feel safe, and the blankets seemed to be a hit so far. He added it to the bed. He worked on setting up a station on the nightstand with ointment, a roll of gauze, and scissors. When the slave emerged, he watched the other man crawl towards him and ignored the interest that curled in his stomach at the sight. Instead, he moved further to the side to give Skye space to get himself onto the bed. The slave's body was tense as he lay down." I'm glad," Lachlan answered. "The blue blanket is yours, so you're welcome to use it as you like, but right now I'm going to pull it over your hips so you're not wearing a damp towel in the bed," Lachlan explained before doing just that, pulling the blanket over Skye up to the waist, holding it over him like a tent. "Will you throw the towel aside, please?" If Skye complied, Lachlan would pick up the ointment off the bedside table, standing beside the prone slave." I'm going to take care of your wrists and back. Would you like me to start with one in particular?" Nakedness was an issue for Skye who, despite having once taken great pride in his body, now balked at having to show himself to anyone. The sexual connotations made him uneasy, of course, but he was also self-conscious. His former master had never hurt him enough to leave permanent scars, but the mistreatment showed in the forms of old bruises, scrapes from careless handling, bones protruding in places from periods spent without food. He had felt attractive once, but no longer. Skye didn't entirely understand why the man offered him a blanket to keep, but he uttered a "thank you" regardless. He didn't have any possessions, having lost everything years ago and surrendering what few things he retained upon being delivered to his former master. A blanket was a small thing, but it was his. And in the moments that followed, when Lachlan instructed him to remove his towel, he was all the more grateful for having it to preserve what remained of his modesty. He still didn't want the man to see the bruises left on his backside from his last caning. The towel came off and Skye held his breath, hoping that his master would stick to his word and cover him back up. He did, and the slave sighed, relieved. If nothing else, he was beginning to discover that Lachlan was a man of his word. At least so far. Who knew if that would change?" Mm... No, Master." He didn't especially care whether Lachlan started with his back or his arms, although it dawned on him that perhaps he needed to have an opinion. For the moment, Skye second-guessed every decision he made, every word that came out of his mouth, fearful that it would be wrong. And so, he tentatively came up with a different answer. "Uhm... Maybe my back?" he suggested, anxious. "There's just...more there." "You're welcome," Lachlan responded, pleased when Skye did as he was told and cast the towel away. It would've been a simple thing, to pull back the blanket and see all of him instead of putting it back down, but there was no information he'd glean that would be worth the mistrust he'd garner. Lachlan covered the slave with his blanket, tucking it gently in place. He nodded in response to the self-conscious suggestion." Okay," he said simply, unscrewing the cap of the ointment. Slaves that were too opinionated were, of course, a nightmare - a great deal of the first year of training was spent teaching them to be acquiescent, to shed their wants and needs in favor of their masters' or mistresses'. In reality, though, a slave who couldn't make choices was also a problem. If your slave was a domestic, you needed them to be able to choose to double the recipe when told more people were coming than initially planned or to pick which sheets to put on a guests' bed. If they were for pleasure, you needed them to have a sense of when to bear down or ease up, when to politely seek attention to pull your focus and ease your mind and when to simply receive what you felt like giving. The best slaves, the ones that made their masters' or mistresses' lives the best, made choices. Too much micromanaging required, and you might as well not have a slave at all. Lachlan sat on the edge of the bed." I would like you to be still as I treat your wounds," he said, then set about doing so. The marks covered Skye's back, in addition to other bruises and healing marks, so instead of trying to isolate each Lachlan squirted the ointment in his palm and rubbed his hands together to warm it. He worked it into Skye's back, hands moving in gentle circles, monitoring the slave's responses both to make sure he wasn't pushing too hard and causing the other man pain and to note his reaction to the contact. Skye needed no further instruction to remain still. Admittedly, he did have a hard time relaxing when Lachlan reached out to touch him. The ointment was a bit cold, but that was hardly the issue. What made him anxious was the physical contact. His shoulders pinched with unease as the untrained's hands found his back, gently working in the ointment, and he remained tense for the better part of a minute. Regardless of his tension, however, Skye didn't dare to pull away. He was scared, constantly expecting the ball to drop, but in his experience punishments were worse when he tried to maintain personal space. But the longer he laid there, the longer he went without any of the awful things he had anticipated. For now, it seemed that Lachlan had no desire to hurt him. Only then did Skye finally begin to relax - if only just a bit." What will happen to him?" the slave finally queried, moving to fold his arms under his head. "My Master-Well, my old Master." Thinking of him as anything other than the man who owned him would take some time. Two years was long enough to form hard-to-break habits and thinking processes. "You said... you'd file a report, and then someone decides if he can have slaves again?" Although he had grown used to the abuse, it still baffled Skye at how easily he had slipped through the cracks. The system wasn't perfect, that was for certain. The slave exhaled, turning to press his forehead against the back of his wrist. "I'm not even used to talking much anymore," he confessed. "It feels... weird." The slave was as stiff as a board under Lachlan's hands, but since he didn't try to pull away or turn to prevent Lachlan from touching him, he'd count it as a win for now. The untrained could feel muscles bunched under Skye's skin, though whether in anticipation of running away or with the effort of not doing so was impossible for him to say. He didn't comment on it, just continued to work the ointment into the blonde's back, taking longer than was strictly necessary with one squirt of ointment before adding another to his palm and rubbing his hands together to warm it once more before rubbing it in, moving down Skye's back. Lachlan offered a smile at the slave's comment, though the other man couldn't see it with his face turned the other way." You aren't obliged to speak if you don't want to unless I ask you a question," he reassured. "When we're alone, though, you're allowed to speak freely assuming you use the correct honorifics." Getting slaves used to speaking to free people without the right titles didn't help anyone in the long run. He supposed that getting slaves used to speaking without asking permission in casual settings could also be argued to be problematic, but he couldn't know how the slaves in his care were doing if they didn't feel like they could communicate with him." As for your former Master, yes, that's exactly how it works. I'll be asking you about your service with him some as we go, and when you're finished with me, I'll file the report. He may just never be allowed to own another slave, or he may have to take certain classes or training before he can." Many masters or mistresses who were abusive were just terrible people. A good chunk of the time, though, they just had more money than sense, and hadn't gotten themselves educated properly before purchasing a slave. If you didn't know how to train them, then it was no wonder when they didn't behave as if they'd been well-trained. Those people were correctable." Put your arms by your sides, so I can reach your wrists, please," Lachlan said. "Were you the only slave that lived with your old master, or did he own others?" That he wasn't obligated to speak all the time was something of a comfort to Skye, who would likely have been comfortable in complete silence for the most part. His old master hadn't needed him to talk very much, as his primary use was that of a sleeve to fuck when it was convenient. The rest of the time, he was tasked either with cleaning - rarely - or sitting and waiting to be called. Some slaves ran households, but Skye only had experience with being used as a plaything. Hearing that his former master likely wouldn't be allowed to purchase other slaves satisfied him in a way. A fitting punishment, he decided, for someone who didn't know how to take care of them. Or simply didn't bother to. "Probably better that way," he mumbled, nodding once. He wouldn't have the opportunity to hurt other slaves anymore. It was little consolation to Skye, who had endured years of abuse, but itwasconsolation. Skye pulled his arms to his sides, putting them within Lachlan's reach, lips parting in a sigh when at last he began to relax. The hands on his back had made him nervous, but having Lachlan tend to his arms seemed less invasive. He could handle that." He had one when he bought me," the slave revealed. "My age, I guess. He wasn't around for long after that, I think his lease was up and just didn't get renewed for some reason. Don't know. But I didn't get the impression he treated him that bad..." That had always unsettled him, the fact that his former master had treated one slave decently, but not him. "Maybe something's wrong with me," he thought aloud, voice lowering. "Maybe I'm not good." Lachlan noted the tension leaving the slave's body once he stopped touching his back. Was that because he associated his back being touched with negative things, specifically, Lachlan wondered, or was it just more intimate since it was part of the core of his body? Something to explore. He listened as he put ointment around each wrist and wrapped them in gauze. Skye would have probably been fine without treatment, he knew - it was incredibly unlikely this was the first time he'd had similar marks - but it would be a bitch if he'd been rescued just to get an infection and lose a hand, or worse. Besides, anything he could do to reduce the potential of scarring and speed healing was a plus." I can't speak to your behavior or abilities yet," Lachlan said honestly, "but your job was to be an obedient slave and work to help your master to the best of your ability. If you were doing that, anything else is on your master, not you - it's his job to train you for what he wants," he explained. He finished wrapping Skye's second wrist and gave the hand a squeeze before replacing it next to the slave's body." We'll make sure you're healthy and whole and competent, and your next master or mistress will work out better," he promised. "And I'm happy to talk about specifics or answer further questions for you - later. Right now I want you to nap, and when you wake up you will come find me in the house. Are you comfortable as you are, or do you want gauze on your back, so I can pull the blanket up over you?" he offered. It would take some time for Skye to get out of the mindset that he was simply a bad slave. His former master had done a good job of making him feel inferior. Going into the slave contract, Skye had anticipated becoming a subservient creature, but he had never expected to develop such an inferiority complex. It nearly felt normal to think of himself as bad, or simply worthless. While Lachlan wrapped his wrists, the slave remained quiet. The pain there was minimal, mostly just irritation, and he took no shortage of relief in the knowledge that he would not have to suffer the indignation of too-tight bondage in the freezing cold again. Not unless he did something terrible and deserved it, he supposed. He still didn't know what to expect of Lachlan's training, but from the man's words, it wasn't something he would have to worry about right away. He wanted him to nap first. Slowly shifting, Skye turned over onto his side to face Lachlan, steely eyes peering up at him from beneath slightly furrowed brows. He had a look of endless concern about him, one that wasn't likely to go away after a few minutes of kind words and gentle touches. It would take much longer for him to look at Lachlan without fear or worry." This is fine," he assured. "Thank you, Master. I feel... well, I suppose I feel okay." Better than before, that was for certain. "I'm not sure that I can sleep, but I would love to lay here for a while." The slave shifted so he could look at him, and Lachlan stood to make the task easier, moving so he was standing beside the bed. The pale eyes looking at him weren't friendly, certainly, but they weren't hostile, either. It wasn't unlike the look an animal gave you when it was trying to decide if it wanted to risk getting close enough long to eat the food you were holding out for it." You're welcome," he responded, then nodded." Do that." He nodded to the clock on the nightstand. "If you don't fall asleep, I'd like you to rest for at least an hour to give the ointment time to soak in and give you time to process," he said. He couldn't promise it, but he'd bet that after what sounded like a night outdoors, a warm, soft bed would have Skye drifting off in very little time at all. If the slave proved to have trouble sleeping, of course, he could give him something until it got better. Lachlan walked to the door, flicking off the overhead lights. The blinds were drawn, but light came through them anyway, casting the room in a cool artificial twilight." I'll see you after while," he said, pulling the door up so it was only cracked. He checked the size of Skye's jeans and messaged it to one of the suppliers who delivered - he would need something for the slave to put on that evening, and didn't want to either leave him alone or take him in public yet - then set about cooking, putting a soup on the stove that would be able to simmer for as long as needed. When Lachlan moved out of the room, leaving him in the dim light slipping through the cracks in the blinds, Skye closed his eyes and heaved a deep breath. It was easier to relax with no one around, safe from having orders barked at him and the threat of a belt if he didn't jump up immediately. He was still waiting for things to go south with his new master, but at least for right then, he could rest. Skye hadn't thought he would sleep, but only minutes after the untrained had left him, he nodded right off. His bed at his former residence had been more of a cot, thinly lined and with a few old blankets. More often than not, he had woken with pain in his neck and back, simply from the lack of support. So comfortable in Lachlan's bed, the slave slept for a solid three hours, stirring only when at last the sun began to set and the moon rose to take its place. Groggy, he turned over and rubbed at his eyes, instantly tempted to pull the blankets up higher and sleep again. Then it dawned on him where he was, and why, and suddenly he wasn't interested in sleeping. Curiosity got the better of him, but mostly he didn't want to disobey Lachlan by trying to sleep through the night instead of doing what he had been told. Skye had no clothes to change into, so when he crawled out of bed, he took the blue blanket his new master had given him, folded it once, and fastened it around his middle. It was short enough to be manageable as he moved on all fours out of the bedroom, but long enough to preserve what little remained of his modesty. Moving through the hall, the slave directed himself toward the living area, peering around corners in search of the untrained. "Master?" he called after some time looking, sinking down to sit on the rug, too tired to move about for too long at a time. Lachlan worked quietly while the slave slept in his bed, getting the soup ready, sending in his initial report, and answering the door when Ken, one of the interns, dropped by with the delivery he'd requested. They'd chatted briefly before Lachlan sent Ken on his way and continued preparing his home for Skye, returning to the garage to pull out the large floor cushion (he had cleaned after each slave and putting it in its place in the living room to finish expanding from when it had been compressed and put away. Cage in the corner, cushion tucked to the side but still part of the conversation area - it was already looking like a slave lived there again. Lachlan left the soup simmering on the stove and slipped into one of the bedroom-turned-training-rooms to double-check that he had what he thought he had - it would be a shame to get Skye to a place where he was ready to be worked with and then discover he'd actually returned the things he needed to the main storage facility - and didn't hear his own bedroom door ease open at first. When he heard Skye's voice, however, he left the room, shutting the door behind him. It locked automatically, a gentle click. He walked out into the living room to see the slave sitting on the rug, blanket tied around his waist like a makeshift loincloth. Were Skye one of the slaves in training that he occasionally took for a weekend when he didn't have an entraining project, he would've challenged the blanket - he hadn't, after all, asked for it to be worn - but entraining was an entirely different beast." Hello, Skye," he said, walking into the living room after detouring by the kitchen table to pick something up. He sat in the armchair, giving the slave plenty of space. "Did you have a good nap?" Seeing his crate in the corner offered a bit of comfort in its familiarity. Before entering the life of a slave, he never would have dreamed seeing a crate as comforting, as he had always suffered from a touch of claustrophobia as a youth, but over time it had become a safe haven. That it was available to him set his mind a bit at ease, although seeing Lachlan put his defenses right back up again. Lachlan was not an altogether intimidating sort, unlike his burly former master who had used all of his brute strength to subdue him. All the same, Skye saw him as an imposing figure, and his first instinct upon spotting him was to lower his head and scoot back. He still didn't want to be touched. "Yes, Master. I honestly didn't think I would sleep..." In hindsight, the sheer softness of the bed had been too great a temptation for him, regardless of his unease. The smell of food on the stove did well to intrigue his stomach, which grumbled at him soon after. He hadn't eaten since the day before, hours prior to upsetting his former master enough to warrant being chained outside. He still couldn't remember what he had done. Some part of him didn't dare to ask for anything to eat, but his stomach saw to that with a second rumble. The slave was silent for a few long moments thereafter, until at last he worked up the nerve to open his mouth again. "... I had a small bed of my own before," he murmured, still not quite bold enough to look up. "But maybe tonight I could... sleep in my crate?" He sounded fearful even asking. Lachlan noted the slave's reaction, looking down and moving away. He didn't mind the deferral, though he'd prefer it be more a sign of respect and less looking like a dog afraid to get hit - the moving away, though, would need to be modified. A well-trained slave would stay perfectly still when reached for; it was their master or mistress' job to dictate who could do the reaching, and for what purpose. Part of Lachlan's job would be building up Skye's ability to trust someone else with his safety again. He heard the slave's stomach growl, but didn't remark on it - he would be feeding Skye soon, and regularly. Instead, he was quiet, watching the slave to see what he would do, what he would expect to happen. He was surprised by the topic Skye broached." If you would like to sleep in your crate tonight, you may," he acquiesced. "And it will be available to you in your time here when I'm not asking something specific of you if you want a place to go. Since most masters or mistresses either have their slaves warm their beds or have a dedicated sleeping crate, you will be either in a sleeping crate at the foot of my bed or in my bed most nights. You're welcome to look at the sleeping crate before you make a choice tonight - it would allow you to stretch out," he explained. The fact of the matter was that, while many masters or mistresses did, indeed, put slaves in bed with them or lock them away at night, he would guess that slightly more than half had some other designated space to give their slaves a little of their own time and space, whether a small bedroom or a bed tucked in one of their large closets. With slaves that were generally either afraid of contact, claustrophobic, or both, however, he'd found it best to work to acclimate them to being comfortable with scenarios they'd find more problematic - it wouldn't be a hardship to adjust to something potentially more pleasant, but he'd feel he'd failed the slaves he worked with if they walked back into a situation he hadn't prepared them for." I have underwear for you," he said, "and I would like to get you dinner and explain the rules of the house to you. Would you like to choose an order for that to happen in?" His crate was really not meant for sleeping. Square and stout, it was meant to contain a slave during short transports, made for curling up in rather than stretching out. Regardless, Skye knew he would likely feel safer there than in an open area, where anyone could reach him. The crate would be better suited for keeping his mind at ease. Fortunately, Lachlan seemed content to let him have that. Still taken back by the pleasant nature of their exchange, Skye straightened up a bit, no longer cowering. It would take a good while before he got anywhere near the level of confidence Lachlan wanted, but it was a start. For the time being, his head was up and his eyes alert, still wary but not nearly as cowed as before. How long it lasted was anyone's guess. Presented with his options for the evening, Skye barely needed to give thought to which order he wanted things. It still felt strange to make decisions, however, so while he knew what he wanted, it took a few long seconds for any of it to come out of his mouth. "... Underwear, food, then rules. Please." He was quite hungry, but first and foremost he wanted to get some clothes on, even if it was only undergarments. And he could listen to Lachlan's house rules while he ate." I... I haven't eaten since yesterday morning," he confessed, glancing down to his complaining stomach. "Before I was bad, and he put me outside." Lachlan was pleased to see the slave's body relax, at least a little, as they spoke. Baby steps, he thought to himself. He nodded at Skye's choice, pleased that the slave had done as he asked and made a decision." Good boy," Lachlan said approvingly, standing. The package he held was a Manila envelope, a large sticker on it reading: #4247 Underwear (1: navy 1: purple 1: gray)with the size, time, and date printed beneath. Rather than giving the envelope to the slave, however, Lachlan took a couple of steps to place it on the couch before sitting back down. The package was now out of both of their reaches, though further from Skye." I would like you to stand, put your blanket in your crate, then choose a pair of underwear and put them on, please," the route would keep Skye out of arm's reach at all times, but it would also let him make sure the slave could walk without difficulty and give him a chance to assess if there were any further injuries or problems the slave hadn't disclosed. When Lachlan moved to stand, the slave started a bit, but it seemed that he didn't intend to close in on him. All the better. It had become clear to Skye that the man wasn't likely to hurt him, but he all the same shied away from physical contact. Some part of him knew it was irrational, but after so long of receiving nothing but abuse, the last thing he wanted was for someone to touch him, no matter how gently. Skye had his instructions. He nodded once, uttered a "yes, Master," then pursed his lips as he contemplated the best course of action. It had been some time since he had stood properly, and although he knew he could, he wondered how awkward it would look after so long of crawling. But Lachlan had been specific in asking that he stand, and he wasn't about to disobey. Reaching for the coffee table a pace away, the slave used it to pull himself up to his feet. As he did, his knees refused to straighten on demand, forcing Skye to apply more pressure and make them straight. It didn't exactly hurt, but he was definitely stiff, and it took him a few seconds to work through the discomfort before he was able to pace across the room to the crate. Skye's initial steps were unsteady, but it became clear that hecouldwalk. Not gracefully just yet, and his strides were small, his back still slightly hunched - but all those were easily fixable with time. What was important was that he reached the crate with only minimal difficulty, unwinding the blanket as he was asked and placing it neatly inside. It dawned on him then that he was very much naked, which was not something he had wanted. He had no desire for Lachlan to see the healing marks on his rear and the backs of his thighs; battle scars from his last caning. His former master hadn't seen to them afterward, and so they were still quite raw. No longer aching like new wounds, only irritated when touched. Self-conscious of them, Skye was all the more motivated to take the envelope and tear it open, pulling out the first set of underwear his fingers could reach. He had never worn much purple in the past, but he felt much better once he pulled the fabric on, giving him back a bit of his modesty. Getting them on was a chore, for his balance was not what it used to be, but he managed well enough by leaning his weight against the couch arm. The slave's journey to standing took a while, but he finally made it up onto both legs. It was uncommon, but not unheard of, for slaves who never walked on two feet to experience muscular atrophy in their limbs that prevented them from being able to walk normally at first, especially if their masters had tended to bind their arms and legs in half. Physical therapy was beyond Lachlan's expertise, and if Skye hadn't been able to get up on his own he would've had to ask a therapist to come to his house to help the slave start working towards that. Stiffness and a little awkwardness, though, he could work with. The untrained's eyes watched with interest as the slave put the blanket away, giving Lachlan a solid view of his backside. The interest wasn't sexual, though he could certainly appreciate the slave's beauty; it was assessing. There was evidence of a caning, harshly and inexpertly administered that undoubtedly still made sitting uncomfortable. Otherwise, though, there didn't seem to be injury, and he was satisfied with the brief look he managed before the slave rushed to pull on the boxer briefs. He knew it made Skye uncomfortable - the slave had been careful to protect his modesty so far - but he'd stopped being willing to allow slaves to pass their first night with him without him seeing them fully nude after an incident where not doing so had made him miss a cruel toy in a slave that, as a result of his being too careful of their modesty, had caused a few extra days of pain and an infection requiring medical attention that probably wouldn't have if he'd caught it the first day. Physical safety had to come before he could worry about dealing with feelings. The underwear were snug enough not to hide the line of the slave's body, but provided some modesty and warmth. Only when the slave was clothed did Lachlan stand." Good, Skye, you did exactly what I asked," he reinforced. "If you'll come sit at the kitchen table I'll get you food. What did you eat at your last placement?" he asked, waiting by the step-up to the kitchen for the slave to join him. The soup he'd prepared would, he hoped, be easy enough on a stomach that had been empty for 24 hours, but what the man's diet had been in the past two years would determine what his body could handle now. In all, Skye wasn't accustomed to wearing underwear. He had never worn them much in his former life, something that had carried over to his new life as a slave, largely because his former master had wanted him readily accessible whenever the urge struck him. He had to admit that they weren't terribly uncomfortable, although he suspected they served an entirely different purpose. Skye had learned during his training that most masters didn't want their slaves walking around in more conventional attire. More often than not, they were skimpy clothing, fetish wear, or nothing at all. It wasn't to dehumanize, he had been told; it was merely to signify their subservient role. Perhaps this was Lachlan's first step toward that end. Skye was neither too naive nor too broken not to understand that much. Standing was still awkward for the slave, whose lower body trembled just a bit with effort as he consciously fought to keep his knees straight. Somehow walking seemed to make it easier, as it kept his body in constant motion, where the occasional buckle of the legs was allowed to facilitate striding." What did I eat?" the slave echoed as he caught up to his master, just a pace or two behind to stay out of arm's reach. He chewed his lip as he thought on his answer. "Well... Mostly vegetables and stuff from cans, I suppose. A lot of potatoes. I'll be glad if I never see a potato again..." He shuddered. "And not much meat." Granted, he had never been clear on why that was. Sometimes he suspected it was to keep him slim, other times he thought it had to do with not wasting more valuable foodstuffs on a slave. Whatever the case, the prolonged lack of meat in his diet meant that if Lachlan was to normalize his eating regimen, meat would have to be reintroduced slowly. The jeans had been unusual - more often than not, the slaves that were brought in were nude, and any scrap of clothing Lachlan allowed them was a step-up. Clothing of any kind, he'd always found, complicated things with slaves. It was a physical barrier, sure, but more importantly it was a psychological one; the presence of clothing made nudity, or contact with areas the clothing covered, a bigger deal. For slaves like Skye, though, it was worth potentially needing to spend a little more time or effort in training later for them to be a little more comfortable in the present. Lachlan nodded to confirm that that was, indeed, what he had asked. He didn't miss that the slave intentionally kept out of grabbing distance, but simply turned and walked as he listened, pulling a chair out for Skye." Okay," he confirmed, glad that Skye had at least been given vegetables. "Have a seat. This is a chicken noodle soup. I'm going to give you a small bowl of broth, and if your stomach is okay with that you can have a second bowl with noodles and vegetables included," he explained, pulling bowls from the cabinet and putting a couple of ladles of the full soup in one, just broth in the other. He plopped spoons in both, then carried them to the table, setting one down in front of Skye." As for house rules, we'll start simple. Obviously violence of any kind isn't allowed. You'll notice that the front and back doors have number pads over the knobs. The doors remain locked without the correct code being entered so, were something to happen to me that prevented me from being able to make regular contact with my employers, we would both be locked in the house until they came to assess the situation." Being alone with abused slaves was risky if you weren't going to restrain them when you slept, but it was a risk he took as part of his job. That didn't mean that the slaves didn't need to know the score." You're already referring to me as Sir or Master when you speak. I would like you to loco mote by walking unless I instruct you to get down. Your crate, the cushion on the floor, and the bathroom are available to you at any time. Otherwise, you aren't to use furniture unless I've given permission, or you're using it with me - eating dinner, for example," he said with a small smile. "We'll add as we go, but that's where we're starting. Do you have questions?" Sitting at the table was something new. When mealtimes rolled around, Skye had usually been given a bowl and made to sit on the floor. Most things he had eaten by hand, using cutlery only on rare occasions. He had suspected that his former master was paranoid, expecting him to lash out if he was given anything with sharp, pointy ends. As such, settling into his chair was something of an awkward experience, but he was at least glad not to be standing. And the broth smelled good. Enough so that when Lachlan joined him at the table, he didn't waste any time drinking it down. Instinct told him to drink it straight from the bowl, but his master had given him a spoon so he used it, albeit a bit clumsily at first. The rules were simple enough. No violence, use proper titles of respect, walk instead of crawl, and no climbing on the furniture. Skye thought them reasonable, although the walking would take more effort. It may not have looked like he was listening, focused as he was on the broth, but when Lachlan finished, he nodded to affirm his understanding."... I was told in training that some masters give their slaves chores to perform. Things like cleaning. My old Master... he only gave me chores sometimes. Will I have tasks here too? Er, also..." Peering down at his now empty bowl, he nudged it in Lachlan's direction. "... Can I please have it with noodles this time, Master?" The untrained didn't touch his food as he spoke, instead watching the slave work his way around the spoon. Was he not used to cutlery, or were his hands stiff? Lachlan tried to remember if he'd seen the slave do anything yet requiring fine motor skills, and realized that he hadn't. He'd need to keep track of that situation - if his hands had been kept in fists, he would need time to find appropriate articulation again. If it was just a matter of not being used to silverware, well, that would sort itself out. He trusted the slave's nod that he'd heard him. The rules were intentionally simple and easy to follow at first - they were in place to keep order, yes, but also to give the slave a chance to do well at something, to behave correctly and not be punished. He listened to the questions, then gestured towards the kitchen portion of the kitchen and dining area, divided by a half-wall and counter." You may serve yourself. The ladle's on the stove next to the pot," he explained. "And, yes, you'll have chores to perform. Once you leave, you should be able to clean a house, cook basic meals, and perform basic clothing repairs," he explained. Part of the problem with Skye, as with so many, was that no skills were listed on his intake application. Unskilled slaves were often as not only good for warming beds, and drew the kind of master or mistress that was only looking for someone to fuck - it wasn't a good combination. Lachlan made sure his slaves were once more pristine trained as pleasure slaves, but also that they could contribute to the basic needs of a running household. It helped them receive better placements." You'll start by washing our dishes tonight while I put away leftovers, once we're finished here. Do you have other questions, or are there things you think I need to know or that you would like to know about me?" Skye's first concern at being told he could get his own food was that he might make a mess. So used to walking on all fours, he needed to try twice as hard to make his hands cooperate when it came to certain things, and the last thing he wanted was to spill soup all over the floor. If anything was bound to make his master angry with him, that would probably be it. Regardless, he wasn't about to complain, and so with a nod he grabbed the table for balance as he stood, taking his bowl once he had his footing and moving toward the stove. It took him a few tries to work the ladle, but eventually his bowl was full of more noodles and chicken than broth. This was likely by design; his stomach wouldn't be satisfied on broth alone. Upon returning to the table, he thanked his master appropriately before digging in with the spoon again, only this time he did so with more control. As he did, he took stock of what Lachlan wanted him to learn, and it dawned on him that this would be much more rigorous a time than he had first anticipated." I can clean," he murmured as he stared into his bowl, his eyes idly following the line of one long noodle. "Cooking is... Well, I was never good at it even before this. But I can learn if I have to." He nodded before returning to his meal, whereupon he spent a few moments considering what he might want to ask his new master. He wasn't especially good at holding conversation, but one thing did come to mind."... Why do you do this?" the slave queried at last, finally daring to lift his gaze. "This job. I'm sure there are others you'd be qualified for. So why this one?" It hadn't occurred to Lachlan that the slave might have difficulty serving himself - it just seemed more efficient for Skye to decide how much food he wanted rather than Lachlan letting his own soup get colder to serve. He kept half an eye on the slave as he worked on his own soup. He ate slowly, methodically, but then he'd had a sandwich for lunch rather than a full day without food, and likely a long time without adequate food before that." You have to," Lachlan confirmed with a wry smile. "The more you can do, the more useful you are, and the more likely we are to find you a placement with someone who wants a slave to make their household run more easily, not just for their own pleasure," he explained. He'd found that the process of learning to successfully complete tasks could be empowering for some slaves; he hoped the same was true for Skye, in time. He met Skye's eyes easily, mulling over the question as he chewed the bite in his mouth before answering." Partially because other scan'to it. Trainers primarily work in training facilities then return to their homes outside of work, aside from when slaves are doing weekend homestays towards the end of their training. There are a limited number of people skilled enough to train to industry standards who're willing to open up their homes and commit to the process 24/7," he said." And I truly believe that the system works well the vast majority of the time - most slaves find pleasure in their service and having a place to belong, and most masters value the slaves in their care and the ways they enrich their lives. You all give up enough volunteering for slavery that you deserve for the system to work. So until it works a hundred percent of the time, as part of that system, I feel like it's my job to make sure that everyone who's had one bad placement doesn't get another," he explained. There were other reasons - the satisfaction of watching a slave go from little better than a scared dog to a person made glorious in their submission, the convenience of having some of the perks of a slave without years-long commitment, variety - but none of those were appropriate to share with Skye." Does that answer your question?" It made sense to Skye that Lachlan wanted to make him a more desirable slave by teaching him more skills. All the same, it didn't yet sit well with him that one day, he would be sold again to a permanent home. Some part of him wanted to escape his life of slavery, but he knew full well that he had nowhere to go. No family who would have him back, no friends from his former life who would even look at him after falling from grace. A slave's life was all he would know for some time, he knew, but he had no idea how he would ever get back to a more normal state. He needed stability before anyone would buy him. But how was he expected to find stability when he feared even the most gentle touches from a man who had so far shown only kindness? He had a long road ahead of him. Hearing Lachlan's reasons for his work did well to soothe him a bit, though. He sounded genuine, wanting to make sure that the system worked for everyone involved. It sounded so bizarre to him that anyone would care about a slave's welfare, but from Lachlan, it also sounded sincere. Maybe he truly did want to help him get back to where he had started." Yes, Master. I'm sorry. Maybe it was stupid to ask. I was just curious..." He paused for a time and then sighed, slowing the pace at which he brought noodles to his mouth. "... I suppose it's strange for me to think that you actually want to help." Skye wasn't entirely ready to divulge all of what had happened to him during his former placement. That would come with time. He knew, though, that his words - and lack thereof - likely gave the untrained some clue as to the conditions he had endured. Emboldened by Lachlan's nurturing of his curiosity, Skye prodded at a chunk of chicken and thought on his next question carefully. "How many of us have you trained, Master? Untrained. Not... not an exact number, obviously, just... just a rough figure." Slavery wasn't always permanent. It wasn't unheard of for people who'd done something that would mess up their life for a time - declared bankruptcy, for example - to negotiate a fixed term of slavery, and some people opted to attempt to enlist as slaves for a shorter period rather than undergo lengthy parole for nonviolent crimes. Those who were just at their wits' end, though, looking for a way to opt out of the difficult tasks of keeping themselves housed and fed, tended to sign an unlimited contract. Slavery hadn't been legally regulated long enough for there to be many elderly slaves to contend with - there were age limits to enlist oneself for a reason - but at the present moment, opting in without a formalized end date meant opting in until (and unless) the government opted you out. He didn't know of hardly anyone who'd been released; it made too much money. Lachlan shook his head." I invited questions. If I were unwilling to answer, I wouldn't," he assured, taking another bite of his own soup, growing tepid as time passed. He looked up at Skye again when another question was posed, then paused to think, counting in his head. He'd been entraining since he was 27, four years or so, and people typically took between three and six months to fully untried and rehome, so..." Perhaps ten?" he answered. "Somewhere in there. I wouldn't have been working in the training facilities much of the time when you were coming through, though we may have crossed paths." It wasn't like hundreds of slaves were being trained at once - the government was careful to only accept as many slaves as the market demanded - a few fewer, in fact - and chose only those who were likely to be well-received. Still, after years of passes through the training center, they all blurred together." Do you remember who you did your home visits with?" At the end of training, slaves would be sent to trainers' homes for a weekend or two here and there, to see how they did in a domestic setting to address gaps in training. It would be useful to check in with Skye's former trainers if they remembered him. Ten. So Lachlan had done this before, probably enough to have a good handle on things. Skye wanted to ask his success rate, wanted to know if he had managed to rehabilitate all of them, find them new homes, but he only had so much boldness in him for one night. Perhaps later he would ask - but then, he thought, maybe he didn't want to know the answer. Asked about his home stays, Skye finished the last scoop of noodles in his bowl and chewed slowly as he thought, trying to remember. He was terrible with names. He remembered faces, even voices, but recalling their names proved difficult. His mind had worked similarly in the past, when he had been too rich and too self-absorbed to look beyond himself and his ego."... I think... Miss Sophia...? Sophie. Miss Sophie. That was my first visit. And then..." Skye sat back in his chair, idly drawing his legs up onto the seat, apparently more comfortable in a crouch or cross-legged position - much like he would have been on the floor. "Master Nicholas? Maybe Nico's. It started with an N, anyway." Suppressing a yawn, the slave wrapped his arms around himself, not to hide his body but to offer himself a bit of comfort. "I liked it at Miss Sophie's," he volunteered, his eyes drifting toward the edge of the table. "It reminded me of where I lived... you know... before." Sophie had had a beautiful two-story condo, complete with marble floors, art all over the walls, fireplaces to warm it at night. Skye had lived in similar luxury in his former life. Lachlan's success rate was encouraging. Most of the slaves he'd retrained had been successfully rehomed on the first try, and their new masters and mistresses had been very pleased with them. He didn't visit them as a matter of his duties, though he knew those that inspected slaves kept a closer eye on those that had been untrained, but he crossed paths with a few of them on occasion simply because he ran in the same social circles as their masters and mistresses. They generally knew nothing of their slave's past, but it always made Lachlan feel good when he saw his former trainees happily involved in situations they'd been traumatized by previously - it was amazing what a big difference being wanted and cared for could make in how any one thing was experienced. Not all had gone as well, though. He knew of one slave that had been through three placements and was finally pulled from the market to work cleaning and doing other menial tasks in a government building - he'd learned to tolerate Lachlan, but he'd freaked out on all his masters - and two more who'd taken more than one placement to find a good fit. Overall, though, he was pleased with his work. Skye, he was determined, would be no exception. He listened, committing the names to memory. He knew Sophie and her condo - he'd been to parties there - but the other name didn't ring a bell." It's a nice condo," he agreed, finishing his own soup as he watched the slave curl up in the chair. "Certainly nicer than this place." He reached over and put his empty bowl in Skye's, then stood." Wash those, please," he said, walking into the kitchen himself, turning the eye all the way off before moving the pot off the burner - he'd let it cool before putting it in the refrigerator. "When you're finished, I would like you to join me in the living room. You can grab your blanket if you want, and then I would like you to either kneel at my feet or sit next to me on the couch," he explained as he walked towards the living room. "You're still welcome to ask any questions you have, but I like to spend a little time unwinding in the evening, and you'll be joining me." A great deal of a slave's life was often simply awaiting their master's pleasure. It was important to Lachlan, from the very start, to get the slaves used to being in his presence without anything bad happening or without a task to do. It pleased Skye somewhat that Lachlan didn't push him for more information than he was willing to give. In time, of course, the untrained would have to know more in order to better fix what was wrong with him, but for the moment Skye wasn't willing to volunteer every last detail of his life to a perfect stranger. As it was, this was the most he had spoken in quite some time. Raising his head as Lachlan stood, the slave nodded and wasted no time in standing to wash the dishes. Dishes were by far his least favorite thing to do - he had done all he could to avoid them in the past, including hiring maids and buying paper plates - but he was not about to give the other man a reason to punish him. If he wanted clean dishes, then he would have them. Skye took his time to ensure every spot was clean, every drop completely dried, before tentatively pulling open the cabinets to find where they belonged. Leaving them out on the counter was only likely to make Lachlan angry with him. That done, he reached down briefly to rub at the stiffness in his knees, willing them to stay straight before he made the trek into the living room. Once there, the slave regarded the untrained cautiously before moving to his crate, taking his blanket with him to the couch, where he sat by Lachlan's feet. Sitting on the couch didn't feel right to him yet. Too close. At least on the floor he was able to keep some distance, close only to the man's legs, albeit still within reach. This was as good a time as any for Lachlan to touch him, he knew, and to soothe himself he wrapped himself in the blanket, clutching the two halves at his chest." Thank you for dinner, Master," he murmured at length, eyes down on the floor. "Was much better than things out of cans..." Lachlan didn't offer guidance as the slave rifled through the cabinets to find where the dishes went. Skye wasn't stupid, he'd figure it out - there were only so many cabinets - and being able to see a task through on his own, even one so minor as washing dinner dishes, would be good for him. And, indeed, in little time the slave had managed to put everything correctly away. He reached for the remote on the coffee table and turned the television on, flipping through the listing of available shows as Skye found his way into the living room. He pretended not to notice Skye staring at him, but watched the slave wander over to the crate and grab his blanket before coming back. For a moment he wondered if he would have to repeat his instructions - not his favorite thing to do - but Skye sat himself at his feet. It wasn't perfect, as he'd asked for him to kneel, but it would do for now." Good boy," Lachlan praised briefly as the slave curled up in the blanket." You're welcome," he responded easily, reaching out and gently putting his hand on Skye's head. "Now, I'm going to watch a thirty-minute program that's coming on in-" he looked at the time on the TV guide channel - "three minutes, and I'm going to touch your head. You can move however you like to be more comfortable, you can speak before the program starts or during commercials, but you'll stay here for the full thirty minutes, and then we'll get ready for bed. All right?" When it came to certain things like posture, or behavioral expectations in general, Skye had received proper training but never actually put it into practice. His former master hadn't been a stickler for the details. Some people leased slaves to keep them as trained pets who would obey rules, observe certain rituals, and so on. Skye's master had only wanted a warm body available when he wanted a fuck, and as long as he never complained, things remained quiet. As such, Skye wasn't accustomed to kneeling properly, showing respect through his actions, or exercising subtlety. It simply didn't occur to him. But for the moment Lachlan didn't seem to mind his behavior, which gave the slave enough reason to think this would be business as usual. He did, however, flinch when the untrained reached for him, laying his hand upon his mop of dark hair. To his shame, he had to actively refrain from cringing away entirely, limiting himself merely to sinking his head down low, but not enough to shake off Lachlan's hand. The other man had laid down the rules for the evening, indicated that therewouldbe contact, which did well to make Skye nervous, but he supposed if it was limited to this, he could handle it."... Yes, Master." His voice sounded quieter than before, possibly due to having his personal bubble popped, fearful but not at all defiant. "I'll be glad to go back to bed... I'm so tired." So said, he reached up to rub at his eyes, sinking back a bit further until his shoulders touched the couch. It was understood that, with normal slaves, Lachlan was a little bit of a harass. He liked structure, and if he'd had a slave of his own they would've been immaculately trained, dotted every i, and crossed every t. The trainers always complained that slaves they sent to him for weekends away came back with scores more notes than slaves they sent to other folks who didn't work in the training center full-time. High expectations, he'd always felt, were important for ultimate success, and his placement rate proved it. He would, as promised, add rules over time. For now, getting the slave not to pull away was enough. Skye clearly wasn't happy with the contact, all but moving out of reach, but he tolerated it. That was the first step. Lachlan didn't like the fear in his tone, but he would deal with it for the moment. He couldn't control the slave's emotions." I'm sure," he said, hand adjusting to a more natural position as Skye scooted back, fingers casually carding through the dark hair as if the slave were a lover, or a pet. "You've had an eventful day." And who knew how long it had been since a decent night's sleep before that. "You can lean your head on my knee if you like, but you don't have to," Lachlan added, not wanting the slave to feel pressured to move for the additional intimacy, or at least not tonight. After another minute, the program - an episode of a comedy sitcom - started, and Lachlan turned his attention to the screen, hand scratching gently along the slave's scalp. The more Lachlan stroked his hair, the less apprehensive Skye felt, although he still wasn't altogether comfortable. Some part of him didn't think he would ever be comfortable being touched again, but he supposed time would tell. He had no idea how long he would remain with Lachlan for his entraining, but he gathered it would drag out long enough for him to at least get used to it. At that point, anything was better than where he had come from. The slave was quiet thereafter, both during the show and the commercials. In his former placement, the TV had run constantly, and Skye had learned to tune it out as mere background noise. So wound up, he didn't pay much attention to it, focusing solely on remaining still and not squirming as the untrained's hand coursed through his hair. Eventually his exhaustion won out. He didn't take Lachlan up on his invitation to lean against him, but as the minutes ticked by, he did slouch back against the couch, his eyelids drooping little by little until finally they closed completely. It had indeed been an eventful day for him, enough so that he all but started dozing toward the end of the program, unlikely to stir until the other man prompted him. The episode was a rerun, but not one Lachlan had seen before, so he was able to focus most of his attention on actually following the plot. Lachlan didn't tend to watch much television when he lived on his own unless he was having friends over to watch a game or there was a specific news event he was following - he tended to get his news from the paper or his computer - but when he was entraining, he'd found the television time in the evenings to be a useful tool. It allowed something predictable and routine in the days, low-stakes time for contact between him and the slave with whom he was working. He'd also found that many of the slaves he untrained liked getting to watch; it was a way for them to unwind after days of being gently coaxed to expand their comfort zones. He felt Skye move under his hand, leaning back, and continued to pet the slave as he drifted off to sleep. As the program ended, Lachlan looked down at him. He reallywasbeautiful, with the strong bones and dark hair. He would make someone a really excellent slave down the line; it was a shame his master hadn't done better by him. Lachlan got up off the couch, careful not to jostle the slave, and headed back to one of the second bedrooms to pull one of the items there into his own room. The sleeping cage (wasn't quite as wide as a twin bed, but at least gave slaves room to stretch out and sit up inside of it, and the mattress was thick and comfortable. He put sheets and a thick comforter inside in warm tones that matched his bedroom better, then headed back out to the living room and crouched beside Skye." Skye?" he said gently, hands out, ready to grab if the slave happened to startle awake and lash out without thinking - it had happened more than once. "Wake up, and we'll let you get to bed properly. I want you to come look at the cage in the bedroom before you decide if you'd rather sleep in the crate." Skye had little interest in television. He had had a huge flat-screen at one point, but he had largely used it to run for the sake of noise while he went about his affairs, rarely stopping to watch for more than a few minutes at a time. The sound was comforting, though, merely as static in the background, and it lulled him to sleep within minutes. When next he opened his eyes, he saw Lachlan a pace away, crouched down to his level but not reaching out to touch him. The closeness still irked the slave, but he still had some space of his own, for which he was grateful. Reaching up, he rubbed at his tired eyes, not even trying to stifle a yawn as he blinked his vision back into focus."... Okay." Skye's first instinct was to crawl into the bedroom, but only a few paces in, he remembered that Lachlan had instructed him to walk unless otherwise instructed, and so he did. He followed his master into the bedroom, his steps still a bit stiff and awkward, and then gave the cage a cursory glance. It didn't look as wide as his crate, but it was longer, allowing the opportunity to stretch his limbs. Somehow it seemed more appealing a prospect than curling up into a ball all night, especially since Lachlan had indicated that he should stand straight more, which he supposed would be easier if he didn't spend his nights with his knees bent." If I don't like it in there," he murmured, eyes flitting to the floor, "can I go back to the crate tomorrow night?" The slave was precious, cocooned in the blanket, face free from the tension and lines of worry. They came back as the slave awoke, but that was okay; there was plenty of time to work on that. For now, Lachlan needed to get Skye to bed so he could do the same. He stood when the slave responded affirmatively, and was about to open his mouth to remind Skye to walk when the other man stood on his own." Good," he praised softly, observing the difficulty with which the other man walked. That, he hoped, would ease with time as well. Lachlan nodded." You may," he agreed, though he didn't think the slave would want to. He wouldn't always let Skye choose where he slept, but for now there was no harm in it. He held the door open, expecting Skye to get in." If you need to use the bathroom or if something is wrong in the night, you can cry out and wake me," he offered. "Do you need anything before you go to bed?" Without thinking, Skye had taken the blanket with him from the living room, and upon stepping into unfamiliar territory he found himself clutching it tightly. He had no idea why he took such comfort in the blanket, having never seen it before that afternoon, but it likely had to do with the fact that it was, at that moment, the only thing he owned. As a wealthy man, Skye had never cherished things like family photos or mementos from his travels. He had only clung to things of great value, such as his cars and collection of watches. Those he had sold one by one to cover his growing debts and so, as a slave, he had nothing to call his own. Nothing except the blanket Lachlan had given him. As his new master opened the door to the cage, Skye paused for a time, trying to decide. The crate was familiar, but the sleeping cage looked far more comfortable. And it was only a trial run, he decided. If he didn't like it, he could ask for his crate back, although it dawned on him that while Lachlan treated him kindly right then, that might not last. It was an unpleasant thought." No, Master. I'm alright now that I've eaten..." So said, Skye sank down and climbed into the cage. Lachlan had already prepared the padding and comforter inside, but he took his blanket regardless, drawing all the sheets over himself for warmth before stretching as far as he could. It felt good to work out the stiffness in his joints." I've never slept in a cage like this," he told the untrained, moving to lay on his side. "Or any cage, really. I spent time in my crate, but my old master had a small bed for me. It wasn't comfortable... The mattress in here is nicer." Lachlan had spent more than his fair share of time standing in exactly this position, holding the cage door open as he waited for a slave to decide if they were getting in or not. The kindest thing to do might have seemed to have been to offer the slaves the guest room, give them their own private bed in their own private space, but letting the slaves give into the human instinct to withdraw and recoup when hurt wouldn't do them any favors in the long run; it would just make it harder for them to trust submitting to someone again. No, nights spent safely in his bed or the cage built a kind of trust nights alone behind a locked door didn't. The trust was worth the patience of standing and holding a door for a while.Finally, Skye chose to climb in, and Lachlan shut the door behind him, the lock falling automatically into place with a soft click. He walked down the length of the cage, crouching for a moment to be on eye level with the slave." I'm glad you find it comfortable," he said sincerely. "If you decide you don't like the cage, you're always welcome to share my bed. In the meantime, I hope you get some good rest." He paused for a moment, waiting to see if the slave had anything else to say. If not, he would stand and pat the top of the cage twice, like wishing someone luck for their journey tapping the hood of their car, before turning for the door. Some part of him was especially grateful for the abundance of blankets. After spending the last little while in only a pair of briefs, he took more than a little comfort in having something to cover himself completely. Walking about half-naked didn't bother him on its own, but the vulnerability it produced certainly did. Mercifully, Lachlan didn't seem keen to put him through anymore that night, and with a parting pat to the top of his new cage, he left the slave to his own devises. The room was dark thereafter, lit only by what light filtered in from the living room through the crack in the door. The darkness was nice. Skye felt comfortably obscure there, away from prying eyes, and after settling down a bit, it didn't take him long to fall asleep. This time when Skye slept, it was for a solid ten hours. Every so often he shifted, blocked by the bars from moving too much, but for as many times as he rolled against the side of the cage, he never woke. Not until well past dawn, when light poured in from the curtains and forced him to rise. Groaning softly, the slave reached up to rub at his eyes as he moved to sit up. The sleeping cage was not designed for sitting up, however, and it was with a grunt that he clocked his head on the uppermost bars." Ngh..." Skye reached up to rub his head, then blinked his eyes into focus and took a cursory look around. "Master...?" Lachlan left Skye alone to fall asleep, going back out to the living room for a few minutes to turn off the television and the lights and get a cup of tea before bed. When he returned to the bedroom, the other man was already fast asleep in the cage, concerns about it apparently forgotten, or at least overridden for the night by the need to sleep. It wasn't a surprise to find that he'd awoken before the slave. Lachlan arose early habitually - not the crack of dawn, certainly, but early enough to get a jump on the day. He showered and changed into fresh clothes, jeans and a sage green shirt, and padded barefoot out to the kitchen to put on coffee before getting the paper from the porch and settling in the living room to flip through it, half-listening for Skye in the silent house. He'd just about decided it was time to wake the slave up and was headed back to the bedroom when he heard Skye call for him." Yes," Lachlan called, coming into the room. He pulled a keychain from his pocket, flipping through and locating the right key to unlock the cage. "How did you sleep?" he asked. Skye maneuvered himself a bit more carefully into a sitting position, having to duck his head in the slightest to make it without banging his head on the uppermost bars. Aside from the lack of space up top, the sleeping cage was not at all bad. More comfortable than the bed he had had in the past, for certain. Given that things between them didn't suddenly take a sour turn, he gathered he could be very comfortable sleeping there for the foreseeable future. Raising his gaze as Lachlan stepped into the room, Skye maintained eye contact for all of a few moments before peering down, still too timid to maintain it for long. "Better than I thought I would," he admitted, his voice low, still scratchy from sleep. Pulling his knees-up, the slave yawned and fidgeted a bit, his legs still unaccustomed to all the extra space."... Do you think I could have something for breakfast, Master?" Asking for anything still felt strange. Some part of Skye expected the man to deny him food until he had done something to show he deserved it. Such had been one of his former owner's crueler games. More than once, Skye had been forced to follow him around on all fours like a dog, made to bark and whine until at length the man deigned to put a plate of food on the floor for him. Usually something from a can, or leftovers. Eye contact wasn't always a necessity - sometimes, with some slaves who weren't being untrained but were being trained the first time, he'd even discouraged it if they'd been too forward - but Lachlan was heartened by Skye's willingness to meet his eyes, however briefly." Good," he said simply, "you needed it." He nodded." You may," he agreed. "In fact, you're going to help me cook breakfast after you've used the restroom and washed up - a toothbrush and anything else you need is on the bathroom counter." It was a jack and Jill sink, and he'd set one side up with Skye's things, including the two additional pairs of underwear neatly folded. "How are your wrists and back feeling?" Skye waited patiently for Lachlan to open up the cage, but with him standing so close, he was hesitant to climb out. There was a certain amount of comfort to be found behind the bars, out of reach, but he knew he couldn't hide there forever. With some reluctance, he crawled out through the open door and, with some degree of difficulty, stood to his full height. His knees were still stiff." There's no real pain," the slave assured, cradling one of his wrists to test the soreness there. "Just a little irritated... Nothing that won't heal." He had considerably more emotional scarring than he had physical wounds. A few welts from the strike of a belt wouldn't hurt him for long. For a few long moments Skye eyed the bathroom door. He didn't dare walk through it without being told he could. It hadn't taken him long in his first master's household to learn that waiting for permission was significantly safer than assuming something was okay." Can I ask... what we'll do today, Master?" There was still so much uncertainty in his new situation. Lachlan had said his job was to untried him, but Skye had no idea what that would entail. Every bit of him was anxious, all at once wanting to know and wanting to remain in the dark, for fear that the reality would be worse than what his imagination could conjure. Treating people like animals, unsurprisingly, tended to lead to people acting like animals. Sometimes it was violent and lashing out - sometimes, like now, it was hesitant, pulling back. Lachlan didn't press, simply waited for the slave to ease his way out of the cage and to his full height." Good," he said with a nod, eyeing the wrist himself. The treatment yesterday should've headed off any infection - now they would simply give it time to heal." You may," Lachlan agreed. "This morning, we'll have breakfast, then we'll do some talking. I'll need to ask you some specific questions about your time at your last placement so we can put everything on the record, and so we get it mostly out of the way at once instead of me continuously bringing it up. There will be some downtime midday, in which you'll be allowed some time to do with as you like, and we might take a walk. This afternoon you'll need to be seen by our medical and dental teams - I can take you to the training facility to see them, or they can come here. Do you have a preference?" This sounded like a much busier day than he had first anticipated. Much of his days with his former master had been spent waiting - waiting for attention, or to bring him food, or to be of sexual service. In the great scheme of things, very little had been expected of him except to be ready and able to perform various tasks. With Lachlan, it seemed that his days would have more structure. That became very clear. Skye had little issue with that, but the moment his new master mentioned bringing him to the facility - or in fact to simply see other people - he shrank back and fidgeted with his hands. He didn't want to see strangers."... I don't... I mean... Do I have to?" The very idea made him uncomfortable, but he knew he had little choice. He had to do what he was told. "Do you think we could... stay here? And they could come here?" At least if he could stay here, with Lachlan, he would have some semblance of safety. This house was not familiar, but the facility was cold and far too clinical. People who mistreated their slaves generally took one of two tracks. Some people criminally overworked their slaves, asking for an impossible amount of labor and punishing them harshly when it went undone. Lachlan dealt with those slaves one way. Other times, though, people neglected their slaves altogether, and he suspected that was the case with Skye. Slaves, and people in general, did best when they had a clear purpose, Lachlan believed. Sometimes that purpose was simply to be beautiful and pleasing, and he'd met a few slaves who'd been content with simply that. And of course, any slave needed to be able to gracefully stay still and await their Master or Mistress' pleasure. Most people needed things to-do, though, ways to be useful, if they were to feel that they had a purpose. The more skills he could instill in slaves, the more useful they would be, and the better chance of rebuilding self-worth." I want to make sure that my analysis of your medical situation is correct, so yes," Lachlan confirmed, "but theycancome here." He noted Skye's reluctance. He would need to work out whether the facility itself frightened Skye or whether the slave was skittish about leaving in general. "For now, go in the restroom and clean up and meet me in the kitchen," he instructed. When instructed to leave, Skye nodded briskly and hurried into the bathroom. He didn't dare to close the door, as privacy wasn't something generally afforded to slaves. He hadn't been told to shower, as he had already taken a proper bath the night before, but he took a few minutes to clean his face and his hands at least. Once his teeth were brushed, the slave changed out of the briefs from the day before and slid into the clean ones laying on the counter. In all, he still looked a bit scruffy, with his bruises and his hair in need of trimming, but he felt considerably better than he had at his old master's home. It would take some time for the light to return to his eyes, but he was at least clean, well-fed, and not in any immediate danger of abuse. So he hoped. A short while later, Skye moved out of his new master's bedroom, taking all of a moment to find his way into the kitchen, where the man was waiting for him. He shuffled along awkwardly, grateful that at least his knees weren't quite as stiff from standing upright. "You... wanted me to help you cook?" Skye wrung his hands idly behind his back. "I'm not sure if I'll be very good. I wasn't even a good cookbeforeI signed my contract..." Lachlan observed the slave's eager departure, unsure whether the speed was due to a wish to follow instructions, a wish to be out of the conversation, or a simple need to use the facilities. He didn't need to know, particularly, as long as his instructions were followed and Skye didn't seem upset with them. He puttered in the kitchen, pulling out the ingredients - flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, the eggs, and some butter - and putting a large bowl and measuring spoons on the counter, a pan on the stove. Skye would need to learn his way around the kitchen, but they'd start with baby steps. Lachlan turned when he heard the slave emerge from the back bedroom, offering a kind smile as the young man approached. He nodded." I did. And you Mayotte very effective at first, but you'll learn. You'll do the preparation today and I'll do the actual cooking. Do you know kitchen basics - how to chop something, how to crack an egg - or were you never taught to cook at all?" he asked. It wasn't that he wanted to judge the slave, he just didn't want to condescend by over explaining. Some part of Skye had wanted to stay in the bathroom, for no other reason than to be alone. Sharing a living space was something he was used to, but he had found in the short periods where Lachlan had let him be that he enjoyed the quiet. It was safer that way, he supposed, than being out in the open with a man he didn't know. It would take some time for that to change." I... could manage small things," Skye told him, shuffling over to the counter where his master had taken down the ingredients they would need for breakfast. He wasn't all that well-educated in culinary arts, but he deduced from what he saw spread out that they would likely have pancakes or waffles. But he didn't yet see a waffle maker, so pancakes were more likely. Keeping his eyes averted, Skye elected to share a few smaller details about his life before enslavement - but only small ones. "Before, I would always go out for food. Or order in. It was easier, and money really wasn't an issue then. I hated doing dishes, anyway." Lachlan was pleased that the slave moved a little closer without prompting. A certain proximity would be necessary for them to cook together, obviously; anything that allowed Skye to practice being near him without being quite so wary was a good thing right now. He nodded, though the slave might not have seen the gesture unless he chose to look at his temporary master." I can see the allure in that, though I was never in a position where I could afford it," he admitted. "Now I rather enjoy cooking. You might find that you do as well, in time - it's pleasant to have a creative outlet that's also practical," he explained. He left the dishes comment alone, as he suspected Skye had learned to give up many of his preferences in his enslavement." Why don't you go ahead and crack an egg into the bowl and beat it with a fork," Lachlan instructed. "Are there dishes you would particularly like to learn to make while you're here?" Keeping busy was important. The longer he stood doing nothing, the more awkward he felt. As such, when Lachlan instructed him to start in on the eggs, Skye nodded readily and shuffled over to do as he was told. He did so at a certain pace, however, that indicated a fear of not acting quickly enough to avoid punishment. Eggs were fickle. Skye's first attempt at opening the egg by tapping it on the edge of the bowl was something of a wash, for he hadn't quite determined how much pressure was required to break the shell. A second tap did nothing, and so he resorted to using his fingers to dig into the fissures he did create the first time, emptying the shell that way. It wasn't pretty, and he had to pick a few pieces of shell from the bowl, but he was at least pleased that he hadn't made a mess." I... don't know," Skye replied at length, picking up a fork and whisking away. "I think I used to have favorites, but I don't really remember anymore. It's been a while." He couldn't even remember the last time he had had a complete meal. Generally he had received scraps, or canned food - certainly nothing hot and fresh. "Fish is good. I do remember having a lot of that, usually with rice. So maybe that?" Lachlan watched the slave fuss with the egg, barely concealing his amusement as the young man dug the pieces of shell out of the bowl. Just that was proof positive that Skye wasn't as helpless as he might've been - Lachlan had crunched his way through more than one stray shard of eggshell to avoid complaining about eating the efforts of a new cook. He turned to the cabinet and pulled down a glass measuring cup, holding it in his hands for the moment, back against the counter." We can work on fish and rice," Lachlan agreed, "along with some vegetables. The egg's looking good. Now you need one and a quarter cup of milk," he said, holding the measuring cup out. Whether the slave knew how to use it or not remained to be seen, but if not it would be an easy fix. "Then once you've mixed that with the egg you'll cut off three tablespoons of the butter, put it in the measuring cup, and put it in the microwave to melt it."

Untrained (Observing Trifles and Mess)|rating:3.0

Baby, Won't You Light My Fire (SurrealObsessionxJugger82)

The sound of clinking glasses was entirely drowned out by pumping music, loud voices and the occasional shout of laughter. Every night was like this, even the slow ones, the small town having so little to do that anyone over the age of sixteen that didn't want to stay home was sure to end up at the bar at the end of the night. No one ever bothered checking ID, as everyone knew everyone else, and the sheriff never bothered to bitch out the owners. As a consequence, it was a rowdy place. It was her kind of place. Lydia Green had spent her entire life in the middle of Bum fuck, Nowhere, a tiny town in the American Midwest. Her parents had been good folks, decent and hardworking. Total fucking fools who still toiled the land and prayed to a dead God to thank him for their boring little lives. Her older sister had gotten married right out of high school and started pumping out kids, sitting on her fat ass all day while her redneck husband worked an oil rig. Her brother was well on his way to being a preacher. All in all, Lydia was the one who broke the mold, and she did so with a vengeance. Her entire being been consumed with the desire to get out of that fucking town. Or at least do something inside of it that was enough to shake it up. At 24-years-old, she was getting ready to blow out and find somewhere new. She had a reputation with everyone in the place. Hot in temper and appearance, she got a fair bit of attention, and it could be fun once in a while. She fucked who she wanted, did whatever drugs came her way, drank like a fish and swore like a sailor. She had been busted time and again for stealing, just for the hell of it. Furthermore, she had even been in fights...a lot of fights. It didn't take much to make her angry. Tossing back another drink, she thought about starting one that night. A couple of stupid bitches she remembered from high school were sitting nearby, sniggering. The biggest and ugliest of the group was occasionally throwing glances her way, and Lydia was sure they were talking about her. Not that she really cared, but it would sure be nice to release some tension. Extra points if it could be in the center of that smirking face. However, just as she was getting ready to go over and smash her face into the bar, the sheriff walked in and took a seat, therefore his post-shift beer. Nah, better not, she thought. True, she had poor impulse control, but Lydia wasn't stupid. No reason to get her ass thrown into jail when she was so close to breaking out of that Podunk little town. She would need to find something else to entertain her that night. Nathan had noticed Lydia in the bar several times, but never ever went over to speak to her. She intrigued him, and she interested him...but she also intimidated him into straying, feeling like there was something about her that he shouldn't ever know, or to just stay away from her because she was nothing but trouble. But maybe that was what was enticing him to see her everyday. He always sat in the same booth, minus a few occasions where people may have beat him to it. Then he just took the booth next to his usual one. He sighed as he watched the girl, smiling as he drank from his beer but tried to make it not look like he was stalking...which he was. He saw that Lydia was watching a few girls away, and she didn't seem to enjoy them at all. Furthermore, he had noticed the glances the other girls made and how they laughed, and he grew annoyed with them that they were making fun of his Lydia! Furthermore, he would have stepped in, but it was not his place to pry into other's affairs...besides...he had to stray from Lydia, lest he be drawn into her chaotic world. When the sheriff came in, he laughed lightly and silently to himself as he knew Lydia never did anything whenever the sheriff was around. He stayed back, watched her sometimes, and drank his beer. Lydia ordered a beer, knowing she needed to at least be able to get home that night. Back to her shitty little apartment, paid with by tips from a local diner where she worked. Well, that and the cash she managed to steal or products she was able to boost and sell. She had been getting a lot from the meth heads for the boxes of cold meds she took from the pharmacy. They even gave her a little of the finished product on the side, when she wanted it. She turned, leaning back against the bar as she took a drink from the long-necked bottle. Her eyes landed on the dark haired man in a booth across the way. Brandon? Nathan? Something like that. She had gone to school with him, a weird kid she hadn't really noticed. But she had seen him a lot lately. He always came in when he did, sitting in the same spot and drinking the same drinks. And always fucking staring, as though she wouldn't notice. Well, he had picked the wrong night for it; she was raring to go, to take her frustration out on someone. Sheriff or not, she could at least have a little chat with the guy... Putting down her bottle, she moved over to the booth and bent down, hands flat on the table."There is a fucking problem?" she asked in a low voice, not wanting others to overhear. "Because you have a tendency to look a little too long, so I am thinking there must be a fucking problem, boy." He had not noticed when she was approaching him. She had caught him finishing his beer, the bottle's bottom up into the air as he finished it all. When her hands hit the table, he dropped the bottle onto the table, and it rolled onto the seat opposite of him. He turned white as he heard her voice and turned to look at her with a frown. "Uh.... Excuse me?" He replied, trying to think of the many excuses he could have for having stalked her like he had been doing. "I was just staring because... Uh..." He frowned, thinking of just flirting with her to get her out of the situation. "I just was looking at you because of your beauty, miss." He said with a smile, hoping she'd take the bullshit answer...but knowing her, she probably wouldn't. That day, he hoped she wouldn't cause a commotion for him. He didn't want to be brought out or had a scene made with him in it. He didn't really like being the eye of attention or however the saying goes. Furthermore, he stayed low and just did whatever was needed for him to get by, even making some extra bucks on the side by doing card tricks or something for some small publicity on the street corner. Furthermore, he didn't mind that at least...since it gave him money. This, however, would bring him nothing but embarrassment. "Keep your voice down, ma'am. No need to cause a scene or something..." Her beauty, huh? It was such a cheesy answer, and just what she had been hoping for. It fueled her anger, and her eyes flashed as she gave him a smile that didn't even come close to reaching them. That smile grew into a full grin when he asked her not to cause a scene. He looked nervous, and she felt a thrill. Finally, something to make the night less dull..." Oh, you don't want me to cause a scene?!" she shouted, and several people stopped and looked over at her." Just because you have been sitting here every night, staring at me? Or watching me when you see me in town? Scaring me?" The last was blatant bullshit...nothing scared her. But it had the desired effect, and several people were starting to move over to her, including the Sheriff and a couple of the larger guys she had slept with in the past. She wasn't much of a girlfriend, but she was a hell of a lay. Any one of them would kick an ass or two to get her into bed again." Now, what's the problem here, Lydia?" Sheriff Bill Johnson asked as he approached, looking from one to another. He was immediately suspicious, as he had dealt with her many times in the past. He knew she was trouble." This guy is stalking me," Lydia said in a dramatic voice, folding her arms. She was lying, or so she thought...she had no idea that he really was. "That's bullshit!" He cried out when she accused him of stalking her. "I come in here every day after I get off of work and have a drink. Ask the bartender, he'll vouch for me! I've been coming here for the past four months at the same time, spending no more than ten bucks on drinks before I walk home! She's the one that comes in after I do! Excuse me for looking sometimes just because I think she's an attractive woman!" He said angrily as he stood up and forced himself past some people, feeling crowded as he was in the booth against a wall. "To hell with you all. I'm finding a new place to drown my problems!" He said as he began to storm out to the door, angry. He would have to wait a bit if he wanted to continue following her... He wasn't going to just give her up like that so easily. She was his girl...or he hoped that she would be his girl one day. He had always had his eye on her, even in school, but not ever this much. He left the bar and began to head out toward his home, grumbling and growing angry as he wondered what other bars were nearby on the way home. This one was so convenient in two ways: Lydia was there, and it was literally on the road just down from his apartment complex. She had watched his outrage with interest, and when he ran out of their like he was about to be shot (which he might have been, knowing some of those boys) she felt a wave of amusement. Oh, he was an easy one to ruffle, wasn't he? He could prove to be a distraction yet... Following him out the door, she ran to catch up to him as he hit the main road heading into town. Laughing, she grabbed her shoulder. "Hey, come on, don't be like that," she chided, chuckling. "Can't handle a little joke?" "Hey fuck you!" He said angrily as he glared at her, pushing her hand away from him. "You get everyone on the bar against me and possibly even get me arrested for 'stalking'," He said dramatically, ".and you think I can handle all of that and laugh it off like a joke? FUCK. YOU." He turned and waited for the crosswalk to turn so that he could walk. The street was severely busy, and cars zoomed and raced by on the busy main road. He grumbled as he hated standing next to her. She had embarrassed him in front of EVERYONE. He didn't even do anything to deserve it! So what if he was looking at her sometimes whenever he showed up in the bar? He thought she was hot!" Can't even take a god-damn compliment without thinking I'm just some stalker. I'm in the bar every day before you even get there." He said back to her, his arms crossed as he waited for the sign to change and allow him to walk safely. 'Gotta find a new damn bar to be at for the time being until my name gets cleared out in that place...wait about two months before I go back...yeah...that's what I will do...' She laughed again. He was so outraged, so serious. The perfect picture of righteous indignation, and it was pathetic. She hated him, wanted to push him in front of the cars rushing past. But she also kind of wanted to take him home, keep him as a cute little pet. Just because she could, and thinking about turning him to her side despite his anger was hilarious." Oh, don't be like that!" she scoffed, and she gave him a flirty smile. Her eyes were ice-cold...they were always ice-cold. "I was just playing around, you don't have to act like such a bitch. Be a man! Walk into that bar tomorrow and just take the glares, don't slink away like a pussy. Besides, I came to see if you wanted to go and do something. To make it up to you." His ears perked up when he heard her ask if he wanted to do something. His eyes a bit wide as he looked to her confused, and then slowly his eyes narrowed to suspicion as he glared at her. "What's your game, exactly? You want to embarrass me in front of all of those people, even risk throwing me in jail, and then you want to invite me to go and do something with you? What kind of man do you take me for exactly, you dumb slut?" He crossed his arms and looked away. "Where are we going, exactly?" He hated himself for agreeing to go with her, especially after what had just happened...but...this was a moment he had been waiting for so long. He'd be a dumbass to just let it pass by. Furthermore, he had no idea to her true nature... But he was sure going to be thrown into this world that she lived in, one way or the other. "A dumb slut, am I?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, maybe you don't have to come with me, after all. You can go home to your lonely little place and jerk off, while this 'dumb slut' goes and does something fun. It's up to you, I guess." She refused to tell him where they were going. It wasn't her job to answer his stupid fucking questions. He could follow, or he could go home, and we would just go back to the bar and find someone to get high with and fuck. It wasn't as though she was short on options. But something about the guy excited her. Yeah, she wanted to hurt him. But she kind of wanted to reward him for having balls. And if he could keep amusing her, he might not be so bad to have around. For a little while, anyway. Turning, she walked a few steps and turned to look over her shoulder." Are you coming, or does your internet porn await?" "Internet porn can wait for as long as it needs to wait. I have the movie on pause as we speak." He replied as he walked after her. He would follow her wherever she would go, wondering where she was going the whole while. Furthermore, he had his hands in his pockets and stayed silent as he still had the whole annoyed face look on. Furthermore, he was both excited and worried...what if this was just some trap? What if she takes him to the police station or something and accuses him of rape? He was ready to run if he needed to. He had a mental map back toward where his home was from where he currently was at with her. "Where exactly...ARE...we going, ma'am?" He felt even more nervous the more they walked together. Each step made his heart jump as he feared something was going to happen... He didn't know why. Maybe it was the whole 'aura' surrounding her that made the whole area seem dangerous to him just for being next to her. Glancing over her shoulder again, she said, "We're going where the party is." But she didn't elaborate further, walking down the street until she turned a corner to a bunch of apartments in a large block. They were rundown and cheap, like so many others in town, and she walked to the very back of the complex with him in tow. Walking up to a specific building, they climbed the stairs to the third floor and knocked. The moment it opened, the sound of music could be heard playing on the stereo. The guy at the door was tall, with long hair in a greasy ponytail and a goatee." Hey. Tito," she greeted with a nod, but he just glared suspiciously at Nathan." Who the fuck is this?" he asked, and she laughed easily. Moving close to Nathan, she slipped her arm around his waist and nuzzled his neck." Don't worry about it...he's my boyfriend," she lied. "He's cool." Tito stared at them for another few seconds, but eventually stood aside so they could walk in. People sat on couches and on the floor, about eight in all. Smoke laid heavy in the air, some from marijuana and some from the stronger stuff. Everyone was obviously fucked up." Hey," she said, and there were half-hearted greetings around the room. "Where's the stash?" Tito gestured vaguely to the kitchen, where her own cut was waiting. She had paid him for it the day before, and she was glad to see he had come through. Leading Nathan to the back, she grabbed a bag of pills and weed from the table." Let's just load up a bit here, then we can go back to my place," she told him. "Drugs...this was the last thing I expected out of you..." He murmured slightly to himself, having seen how low she had truly fallen...but after the incident earlier, he didn't really expect any less. He wasn't against it...but he wasn't for it either. Furthermore, he simply stood there, trying to ignore the scent of weed and the rest of the dragées in the room that made him uncomfortable. "Friends of yours, I assume...?" He said in a low hum as he looked to the dragées once more and then turned to look at her. "I'd rather not get pilled up. Weed, I'll be alright with if it's a small bit but... I'm not taking any pills. The last thing I want is for you to trick me and give me some rookies or something and I wake up next to a guy named Jimbo with a big grin on his face..." She rolled her eyes as she took out two of the pills. Grabbing a spoon, she started to smash them up, breaking them into a fine powder. "Oh, calm down, Grandpa," she said as she worked. "It's just a little Valium, nothing crazy. I don't do the heavy stuff; I like to relax, get past the boredom. Not get into a state where someone can take advantage of me." Leaning down, she grabbed a straw off the table and snorted the two lines of powder, feeling it sting her nose in a familiar way. Standing up, she leaned her hip against the table. "And they aren't my friends. Tito is my occasional dealer, and the others are other customers, or his friends, or some shit. Now stop being a little bitch, or I might regret bringing you along." Nathan sighed and nodded. "Peer pressure is a bitch when it's a sexy woman ordering you to do this..." He murmured as he repeated what she did, taking two pills and mashing it up before lining them up in small lines. He took a straw and sighed...hesitating at first...wondering if he should really go through with this. Was ruining his body truly worth this woman? He shook his head, and on impulse he leaned forward and began to start snorting up the dust. It burned, and he pulled his head back and began to start wiping and rubbing his nose as tears formed in his eyes unintentionally from the burn. "G-God damn!" He cried out as he held his nose shut. "Is it supposed to burn so much?" It felt like his nostril was on fire...but he oddly began to feel a bit more relaxed. He lowered his hands and looked to the second line of powder, just waiting for someone to snort it up.(Sorry for only doing one paragraph lately. Kind of hard to do multiple paragraphs at the moment without adding in bull crap and fluff that doesn't add to the story. [) ((That's OK, sometimes only a smaller reply is needed. I won't hold it against you.)) She laughed as he fell back, clutching his nose. She had felt that many times before, but had long since gotten used to the sting. "It gets easier," she told him. "But I think one line is fine for a first timer. Don't want you getting too fucked up, after all." Leaning down, she snorted up his extra line, shaking her head as the burn subsided and grabbing the rest of the drugs. Putting them in her purse, she took moved forward so she was pressed against him." See?" she purred, looking up at him. "Isn't that better?" (Just know that I'll always post at least this much for a reply. I don't particularly like smaller replies from me or my partner lol.) Feeling her press up against him made him blush a bit, but he did not react to it. He simply looked at her blankly as he leaned against the counter that they were snorting off of, his hands holding her hips as he looked down to her face as she leaned into him. "Yeah... It does feel great... But don't get me addicted to this..." He requested, his head slowly hanging lower to rest on top of hers gently as he held her, feeling the effects of the drugs make him feel relaxed and loose, and without any care in the world. A small smile appeared on his lips. This was nice...despite the fact it was all simulated, this was something he wanted ever since he started stalking her. She could feel the effects of the pills taking hold on her, as well. The tension she had felt building within her was melting away, making her much more amenable, less bitchy. His hands on her hips felt nice, and she thought he might make a nice partner for the evening. "Maybe I will make you addicted to me, instead," she whispered, and she began to kiss up his jaw, moving to his ear." Would you like that, better?" He felt tingles on his skin as he felt her kiss up and down his jaw and all the way up to his ear. "Addicted to you..." He repeated, thinking about it some as his hands moved more up and down her body, taking her shirt up and down and brushing it along her skin as he rubbed his hands along her sides while she kissed him. "I think I'm already hooked..." He said with a grin and began to kiss up and down her neck, leaving faint kisses ever so tenderly and teasingly along the skin of her neck. His breath added to the moisture left behind from his lips. "My name's Nathan by the way..." He whispered into her ear before kissing her earlobe gently. She tilted her head slightly to give him more access to her neck, sighing as the tightening of arousal slowly building inside of her. "I thought it was something like that," she told him, her hands sliding from his chest to his lower belly, stopping just at the waist of his jeans. "I'm Lydia, but I have a feeling you already knew that." Turning her head, she very gently brushed her lips against his. It wasn't enough to be called a kiss, just a breath of their mouths meeting before she pulled gently away and took his hand. "Come on, Nathan. Let's go to my place. This apartment is nasty." "Yeah... Nasty." He murmured as he looked to the drugs and dragées in the room. He held her hand as she pulled him out, and would follow her all the way back to her apartment, no matter how far away it was. Furthermore, he felt...loose. Relaxed. Upbeat. He didn't care about his troubles. "Whatever the stuff was... It makes me feel like I don't give a damn about anything... My god...is this how you feel ALL the time?" He questioned as he followed her even more, being a bit more happy and upbeat as he stayed close to her, an arm wrapped around her waist as he wondered just how good of a lover she was... "All the time? Nah, just when I get high. But I don't tend to care or worry about much. Never have, like most people do. My parents say it is a sign that the devil's got me. But what do they know? All they do is worry," she chattered away happily as the walked down the street, his arm around her, and her own across his back. Her house wasn't too far away. She had gotten it cheaply to rent from a perverted old guy she occasionally let grab her tits. He was repulsive and fat, with pit stains in his greasy t-shirts. But it had been worth it, for the price he gave her to live in the place. Sometimes, when he was pawing at her, she would think about setting him on fire and it made her smile. Lydia had always loved fire. Letting them inside, it was clean but small without much inside of it. Lydia spent very little time at home, preferred to be out and doing something to staying in. She didn't usually bring people home, either. But Nathan was like a little puppy, so happy to be following her. In the living room, she grinned as she pushed him onto the couch so he was sitting up. Then climbed into his lap, one leg straddling either side." See? And you wanted to go home and leave this dumb slut all alone," she teased. Upon arriving to her home, Nathan looked around and said a simple 'huh' before looking to her. "You can afford this place...AND drugs...? Woah..." He wasn't questioning it... He was more amazed at it. But that was really the drugs taking their toll on his body. Normally, he'd be asking her how she could afford a nice place like this as well as buy drugs and still go to a bar every night. Where DID she work, anyway? What did she do for a living? Those would have been questions racing through his mind...but the drugs had him mellowed out. When he hit the couch and felt her straddle him like she did, he grinned and shook his head. "No way, Lydia... I'd never leave you all alone if you ever ask me to do something with ya." He grinned and leaned back into the couch more, closing his eyes and relaxing as he felt her ever so close to him. "So what now, huh? How far are you willing to take this? All the way?" She didn't pay for the drugs with cash, just stolen goods every once in a while. Though most of what she stole ended up going to the guy running a local meth lab out of his kitchen, and she turned around and sold the meth he gave her in return. Lydia had her hand in a lot of cookie jars, and had always worked on a barter system for the rest. She had never held any moral or ethical qualms about any of it." How far am I willing to take this? Hm...well, how far are you willing to go?" He looked so innocent, high for the first time, laying back with that stupid grin on his face. She liked it, like the power she seemed to have over him. He was pretty cute, too. "All... The... Way." Leaning forward, he kissed her lips tenderly as his hands trailed up her shirt, going to her breasts and began to massage them. He didn't know how rough she wanted to be to begin with, so he started off weak and would grow much more rough with her if she was to become rough with him. He slowly grew erect, and she'd feel it poking a bit into her body as she straddled him. A large grin came to his face as he pulled away, looking into her eyes with his own that were filled with a lustful gaze. "I'm looking to get you naked and fucked raw... How does that sound to end the night?" Feeling him harden underneath her, she was pleased. Even more so when he spoke, and she grinned widely. She had worried that he might be just as timid in bed. But despite his tender touches and kiss, his promise made heat rise in her. She loved a man who would talk dirty. Just as much as she loved to talk dirty back." Sounds perfect, as long as you give it to me hard," she replied, and he leaned forward to nip his bottom lip. She followed the sharp bite with a soothing swipe of her tongue, rocking slightly against his cock beneath her. Suddenly, her hand gripped his hair in a balled fist, and she leaned forward, kissing him violently. Upon feeling her lips take his own, he grinned as he began to kiss her back just as violently, putting ever so much force and fierceness into the kiss as he knew that tonight would end with a house of sex. He began to take her clothes off, slipping her shirt over her head and then proceeded to removing his own shirt. He grinned as he saw her breasts in full view, and leaned forward to take one into his mouth, letting the nip slip into his mouth as his lips began to suck on it. His hands went down to her ass, slipping into her pants and giving them a good rough squeezing as he pleased her, wanting her to get nice and wet for what was to come. His own cock was fully erect now, poking against her and wanting freedom from his pants. Lydia arched her back slightly, closing her eyes as she felt his tongue flickering over her pert nipples. Each swipe of the muscle sent a jolt of pleasure through her, a direct line of heat between her legs. She continued to rock her hips, enjoying the way he felt pressed up between them, separated by the rest of their clothing. But soon, it wasn't enough, and she wanted that separation removed. Pushing him back, she stood up and grinned as she unbuttoned her jeans. Sliding them down her legs, she turned around and glanced over her shoulder as she pulled down her panties. Bending over to her ankles to remove the flimsy garment, she gave him a nice flash of what awaited him before straightening and turning to face him, naked. When she stood up, his mouth felt a bit of a loss when he could no longer suck and play with her nipple. However...his eyes got the treat of a lifetime as he saw her slowly undo her pants and drop them, revealing her in her underwear. As she began to slide them down, he began to unzip his own pants and watched as she bent down and gave him a look at her pussy. He couldn't believe that this was happening! With HER of all people! He stood up, and dropped his pants, his cock still erect as it pressed through his underwear. He grinned, and grabbed the hem of his underwear and slowly began to lower it, bringing his cock downward only to have it fly upward to point at her once more as it was free from the underwear's grasp. Furthermore, he grinned as he sat back down, legs a bit wide as he relaxed on the couch more. "Come on baby... Show me what It's like to be addicted to you all the way." She watched him undressed and decided she would keep him around. He was just full of surprises under those clothes, and everything he said was sparking a hotter fire within her. Walking forward, she bent between his legs and slid her tongue from the base to the tip, looking up at him as she did so." Tell me how much you want it," she ordered, placing a gentle kiss to the head. "Show me how much you're already addicted, and I will make you feel better than you ever have in your life." Feeling her tongue go from the base of his cock to the tip caused Nathan's mouth to fall as his head hung back from pleasure. "How much do I want it...?" How was he to show how much he wanted it from her? She seemed like she wanted to just toy with him from the get-go...but what he did something unexpected and turned the tables on her for a few minutes, taking control and taking power before he'd let her do all the work? He grinned, and put his hand behind her head and forced her to take his cock into her mouth. He cried out, feeling his cock completely go inside of her mouth and hit the back of her throat. With a handful of hair, he began to push and pull her head to give him the blowjob he always wanted from her. The sudden shift was a surprise, but she did nothing for several long moments. Just kept her gag reflex under control as he thrust her head down, forcing her onto his dick. But after a few bobs of her head she jerked back on the upswing to break his hold on her hair. His cock fell from her mouth and she moved to his thigh, nipping it sharply enough to draw blood. She could taste the tang of it on her tongue, a quick reminder. Grinning up at him, she shook her head. "Uh, uh," she said, taking his cock in hand and stroking it with utmost gentleness, keeping him erect despite the sudden pain of her bite on his thigh. "That's not what I asked. You followed me here. You took what I gave you. Furthermore, you asked how far I was willing to go. Only one person here is in control, Nathan, and we both know who it is. Does that scare you?" She slipped her mouth over and sucked on just the head for a moment, flickering her tongue a few times against the slit before pulling back." Do I scare you?" Feeling her pull back suddenly, he released his hold of her hair but cried out as he felt the sharp pinch against his thigh, causing some blood to trickle down to the couch they were sitting on. He reached down and held the wound, as if trying to smother out the pain as he pressed hard into it, still feeling the pleasure of her hand stroking his cock while all of this went on. Feeling her suck on the tip and lick the slit of his cock, his eyes fell on her as he seemed like he knew he did something wrong. "No... No you don't scare me..." SHE didn't scare him... What she was probably going to do to him was what he feared. Sex was one thing but...what if he had slipped up and did something he wasn't supposed to? She might kick his ass or call the police and accuse rape! "Do what you want then... Lydia..." He said in a defeated tone, trying to abide Hercules so that nothing bad would come to him in the end. She chuckled in spite of herself and gave him a few more sucking kisses down the length of his shaft. "You are so uptight," she told him, taking one of his balls into her mouth for a moment, then the other, lavishing each with her tongue. "Getting upset one moment, afraid of a few drugs, grabbing my hair and face-fucking me...you need to relax." Lydia slowly climbed up his body, straddling his. She could feel the press of his cock against her slit, and she rocked her hips without letting him inside of her. Alternating from her rough treatment before, she tried to calm him with a hand through his hair and a tender kiss." I want to make you feel good," she told him. "But you have to relax, or you'll make me angry. I do crazy things when I am angry. Isn't that half the reason you're interested in me?" She knew the type, the ones who were drawn to fire. Everyone had to get burned from time to time. "Yeah...Yeah, it is... I don't care if you're angry... It will only entice me with the things you do..." He did feel much more relaxed when she kissed him as it was much more gentle with him now. His hands went to her hips as she rocked against him, only letting his cock's tip barely touch her slit as he looked into her eyes. "Alright... Go on and do it..." He smiled and brought his hands up her body, grabbing her breasts gently before going to her cheeks to pull her into a light kiss, unaware of how far in the Whitfield he truly was. He tongues entered her mouth, and wrapped around hers, hoping to encourage her to proceed so that tonight he would have the pleasure he always wanted from her. His answer pleased her, and she rewarded him by continuing with the kiss. She had never liked kissing, it brought on memories that made her angrier than ever, made her feel cruel and want to lash out. But right now, at this moment with him so docile, freshly punishing for his initiative, she found she liked it. Hell, maybe she even liked him. It was not a feeling she was used to having, and so she figured he could take some leniency. Pulling back, she lifted her hips and very slowly took just the tip inside herself. Instead of moving any further down, she swirled her hips in a circle, teasing him. "I want to hear you say it," she told him. "Tell me how badly you want me, what you would do to have me. And then you can fuck me until I break, Baby." Feeling his tip enter her pussy, mixed with her hips rotating about to tease him, just caused him to shut his eyes as he tried to get used to the immense pleasure that was given to him. Hearing her words made him feel embarrassed. How was he supposed to feel strong and proud when she wanted him to degrade himself by begging her for this? He didn't care... He was too horny though... He was so hard and wanted a release. "Please..." He said silently and then looked into her eyes. "Fuck my cock... I want you to take it all and use it as your sex toy... Give me the pleasure I want, give me a night of heavenly fun with the devil herself!" She had made men beg before, sometimes in the mood for such things, and other nights in the mood to be the one begging. But never before had it been so satisfying, and she moaned softly as his words. Closing her eyes, she slammed herself down on him hard, impaling herself on his cock and feeling that satisfying stretch as he pushed against her walls." You fill me up nice, Baby," she told him, opening her eyes again to look at his face. Moving slowly up again, she let him nearly slip out of her before slamming back down again. "It's like my pussy was made for you." His cock sent pleasure up Nathan's body as he felt her pussy suddenly take in his entire cock. He moaned out, and felt her come up slowly only to slam down hard once more. "Yeah... Its like we were made to be fuck buddies..." He said with a grin and leaned forward, taking one of her breasts into his mouth as she would do whatever she wanted. This was the night he wished would happen for so long... He was so happy that it was finally happening! He hoped that his wasn't just some sort of dream and that he'd wake up in his bed, having to wash the sheets due to his wet dream. "You feel so amazing, Lydia..." Pressing her fingertips into his chest, Lydia pushed him against the back of the couch. Taking him fully inside of her, she began to grind herself against his cock, hips moving back and forth. The friction increased between them, the pleasure roiling through her body in waves, and she wished she could see him moving in and out of her. Next time... Her moans were getting louder, her breath faster as she fucked him, enjoying the power of being on top and his offer to be her sex toy. Not enough men made such offers, always too eager to show their dominance in a first encounter. "Next time, you can hold me down," she told him breathlessly. "You can shove your cock down my throat like before, and show me what a little whore I am. But I like making you mine tonight." Gripping his hair, she kissed him roughly. "I'm going to hold you to that..." He replied before accepting the rough kiss that she had given him afterward. His hands went to her hips as he pushed her forward and backward as she grinds against his cock. He wished he had the power here, but he would play like her little toy for now since she had offered next time to truly treat her like a little whore...and he wanted to. But for now, he was focused on the present. His eyes watched as her pussy grind against him as she moved forward and backward, and he removed his lips from hers to get a gasp of air. "If you keep doing this so good... I might pop early..." The timing didn't matter much, she wasn't too far off herself. The look on his face as he looked down and watched them moving together made her arousal spiral upward, swooping her along with it. She began to move up and down again, practically bouncing on his cock. Her hands gripped his shoulders, nails digging into the flesh as she moaned and closed her eyes, head falling back. Lydia could feel herself tightening, the heat building and consuming her. White-hot fire that she felt could burn them both up before they were done, but just pushed her into further pleasure as her cries became more insistent." Oh God," she gasped, feeling that final clench as she fell over the edge. "Come one, Baby, come with me. Give me that come..." Her rough bounces caused him to moan out lightly as he tried to stay silent, not wanting the sounds of their sex to be heard by others even if she was louder than he was. He looked at her, watching her bounce and his hands massaged her breasts, pinching her nipples tightly as he tugged them as she bounced. His cock swelled...his cock coming closer to the edge where he'd hit ejaculation. Hearing her request him to cum with her, the sounds of her voice caused him to lose control as he suddenly leapt forward, biting her nipple and moaning into it as he began to shoot his hot seed up into her body. She ground against him, fingers in his hair to keep him biting as she took every drop he had to give her. The pain from his teeth caused her climax to extend until she was a shuddering mess. Falling against him as they came down, she caught her breath for a few seconds. But that was as far as her affection went, and she slid off of him and onto the couch at his side. Not at all shy about her nudity, she reached into a drawer in a table at the side of the sofa and pulled off a joint and lighter. A deep drag later and she was offering it to her guest. The sex was done, and she could already feel apathy and boredom settling in again. The tedium of life was never held at bay for long... After she had removed herself from him, he began to wipe his cock of his and her juices, wiping them on some toilet paper he went to go find to clean himself up, not wanting to be rude and leaving stains on her furniture from their night of fun. He returned to see her with the joint, smoking it and moved to sit beside her, relaxed on the couch as he didn't mind the scent of the joint at all. He could see that she was bored, and wondered if this might just be a meet and fuck before she just kicks him out. Furthermore, he was waiting for it...for her to just say 'What are you still doing here?'... At least that's what he expected her to do. But he honestly hoped she didn't... He wanted to stay. "So," she said, still naked and kicking up her legs on the coffee table as she smoked. On a whim, she grabbed a cowboy had from the back of the couch where a friend had left it and popped it onto her head. "What's your story, Nathan? You seem pretty OK, for the most part. What are you doing in the middle of Fuck off, Normanville?" He seemed like a pretty tame guy, but had her attention. Was he happy to just stick around their little town, or did he want something more? She hoped the latter, because if she had just fucked a good 'of boy who was never going to step past the Pick and Save, she was going to be pissed. She had fucked enough of those guys. But with the rednecks, she liked to fuckwiththem. There was nothing funnier than the reaction of a homophobic pickup jockey after you surprised him during orgasm with a finger up his ass and a claim that his enjoyment meant he had to be gay. But her amusement was more sadistic in that case. A part of her hoped Nathan was more interesting than that. Nathan shrugged as he heard the questions she had asked him concerning the reason why he stuck around this long-forgotten city that the two of them were stuck in...or at least he was stuck in. He sighed, and shrugged as he looked at her smoke with the cowboy hat on, slowly erecting at the sight of it, but not acknowledging his own arousal as he answered her question seriously. "I honestly don't know why I'm still here. Maybe It's because this is where I've lived most of my life? Maybe It's because I don't have the funds to get the fuck out of here? Maybe its cause there is no world out there for me? Who knows. I'm here, and I plan to stay here unless a better opportunity approaches me with open arms. Then I'd be on the first train or bus or whatever out of this shithole." She nodded, blowing out the smoke. "The money thing's a bitch. That's what is keeping me here, never having cold hard cash. People tend to pay me in favors more that money. I work in Ray's Diner, and the tips are shit. If people weren't willing to get more creative with their bartering, I wouldn't even be able to make it here." But I dream about getting out. Just getting a shitload of money, stealing a car and blowing this place. Off to wild adventures, someone at my side, going nuts and fucking along the way." "Well shit. Why not just steal a shitload of money, takemycar, blow this place to high hell, and have each other going nuts and fucking along the way?" He said with a grin, playfully suggesting this...though he was not entirely serious about it. He was just humoring her by going along with this. True, he did have a car...but it wasn't a very impressive one. It just barely got him by when he needed to go further than work or the bar. "But in all seriousness... I know where you're coming from where you wish you could have a better life of being rebellious and wild, not giving a shit about the law." "Come on, now...tonight I accused you of stalking me in the middle of a bar, went and got high, brought you back to my place to fuck, and now I'm getting high again. You think I give a shit about the law now?" Grinning, she put out the joint and grabbed him, pulling him on top of her on the couch as she laid back. Biting his lower lip gently, she raised her hips and let them grind against his semi-erection. "Want to rob a convenience store and take me away from all this, cowboy?" she purred, putting her hat on his head and looking up at him. Feeling the hat get placed on his head, he tilted it upward a bit so he could get a better view of her. Had she really...REALLY...just asked him to rob a convenience store with him? "Fuck yeah..." He said with a grin, growing more and more erect from feeling her hips grind against his half-hard cock which was now fully erect and prodding her, wanting another release. "But first... I think we should skip to the last step and go nuts and fuck each other... How am I supposed to rob a convenience store with this thing?" He joked, and leaned down to take her mouth to his as he kissed her fiercely and violently, tongue aching to be allowed entrance into her mouth to make the kiss all the steamier. Laughing, she parted her lips and gave him access to her waiting mouth. Her hips continued to grind up against him, feeling him getting harder, her own body raring to go. She was all the more excited about the image in her head, or them walking into the Double K at the edge of town with a couple of pistols. They would have stockings on their heads, or maybe some of those cheesy Halloween masks you saw all year round in the bargain bin. Lifting them up just enough to kiss and grope one another as the trembling cashier, a man she couldn't stand, filled a bag with money under threat of being shot... Breaking the kiss, she looked up at him. "How about you show me what a filthy little whore I am? This pussy is aching to be pounded again. Use me..." He laughed lightly when he heard her request for him to be more dominant. "Oh? So now you want to be a submissive little slut like you truly are?" He said as he began to get into the mood of dominating her and using her like she wanted. "I'll use you all I want...and only a cum slut like you deserves cum in the throat and nowhere else." He grinned as he repositioned her so she was sitting on the couch, but he lifted her legs up over her head so her ass and pussy were poking out. HE grinned, and kept her legs behind her head as he began to fuck her senselessly, his cock slamming deep into her pussy and without mercy. Watching his face as he moved her into position, Lydia had a sudden burst of clarity: she could control this guy. Already, she was watching him lose his shit over her body. It wouldn't be too hard to manipulate him into doing what she wanted. But there was something more to that; she kinda liked having him around so far. He entertained her, and he seemed to know how to fuck. He even accepted both her need to control, and her need to be controlled. Moaning as he fucked her, she gripped onto his shoulders as she looked into his face. Heat was spreading through her, her body already sensitive and not too far from a second orgasm. "Yes," she whispered, eyes locked onto his. "Show me I'm your little slut." "Did I tell you that you were allowed to talk?" He snapped as he stood up and grabbed her by the back of her hair and forced her to look up, taking his cock deep into her throat. "That'll shut you up... You want me to make you my little slut? I'll make you my little slut..." He began to buck his hips, pulling and tugging her head at the same time as he forced his cock into her mouth. His other hand would go to one of her hands, and placed them on his balls, wanting her to fondle and play with them as he abused her mouth like this. His free hand went down to play with her breast all the while...and he made certain to watch for if she decided to suddenly become dominant again. That way he'd just pull his cock out of her mouth before she bit it off. Being dominated held a few appeals for Lydia, one being the uncertainty. He had no way to know how she would respond, if she would allow it, if she might retaliate or if she might love it. Her motivations were all over the place, and even she didn't know that information. She was just as likely to hurt him as to make him come, and she was highly changeable. But at the moment she was enjoying himself, and she set about sucking him as best he could while he fucked her face. Her hands happily played with his balls, she saliva dripping from her lips to her wrist and down to her hand that held him. Giving them a small squeeze, she used her other hand to grip his thigh, nails digging into the skin, eyes on his face. She hated him a little, but in a good way. She liked the hate, and how it burned her from the inside. Furthermore, she wanted to make him come until he died. He could feel her hands play with his balls, and it only tempted him to go even more into this. His cock was growing more sensitive. His climax was growing near. He could see the strands of saliva drip down her body as he looked down to watch her mouth get fucked by his cock. It just made him hornier. He never believed that a day like this would come for him; a day when he would have sex with Lydia like this...or sex with her at all! He must have been one lucky bastard...or one unlucky bastard given the kind of girl she truly was. Furthermore, he didn't even warn her. Furthermore, he was dominating her right? There was no need to warn her. She should have been ready. His cock spilled his seed, shooting jets of it down her throat forcefully as he shoved it deep into her and did not allow her to pull back until he let out every last drop. Soon he pulled out, and grinned. "How was that?"

Baby, Won't You Light My Fire (SurrealObsessionxJugger82)|rating:3.0

The Landlord

Vijay MalhotraAge - 38 years6'2'', 180lbBlack hair, Brown eyesBusinessmanVijay looked at his watch. It was time to meet his tenant on the third floor ... Ravi Singh. The rent was overdue by five months." I bet he will have a new excuse ready for me. " He thought." Should have checked his credentials before leasing out the apartment," he muttered to himself. The elevator door opened and he stepped out." Gotta be firm with this fellow." He reached out and pressed the doorbell. SonaliAge-20 yrs5'4", 52 along waist length black hairs, Black eyesHousewifeHourglass figure and extremely beautiful and fair. I open the door.Oh, hello sir welcome he is in the bathroom please sit down will call him What do you want Tea or Coffee? I knew little about what you are here for I was married to him last month in his parents town sonali00783 said: Sonali Age-20 yrs 5'4", 52 kg Long waist length black hairs, Black eyes Housewife Hourglass figure and extremely beautiful and fair. I open the door. Oh, hello sir welcome he is in the bathroom please sit down will call him What do you want Tea or Coffee? I knew little about what you are here for I was married to him last month in his parents town Click to expand... Vijay stood spellbound. Standing in front of him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Curvacious, long black silky hair and a beautiful smile on her luscious lips."Wow, Ravi!'s wife is a bombshell. Lucky guy," he said to himself. He watched her admiringly as she came back with a hot cup of tea. As she bent down to place the tray, her pall slipped. She didn't seem to notice. He licked his licks as he viewed her deep cleavage. Her breasts were heaving in unison as she placed the cup near him. She sat across him, giving him company till her husband arrived." Ravi is a lucky guy. You are a very beautiful woman," he said with a smile."Thank you, Vijay," she replied, her cheeks turning red at the compliment. Her pall slipped again and her left breast was now exposed to him. She is so wholesome, so ripe thought Vijay. He was getting an erection." And this tea is very refreshing...and it should be. After all it has been prepared by such a lovely person," he continued. Sonali blushed. "Thank you sir" I reply blushing more from inside the voice of my husband comes and I excuse myself to hear to my hubby, and tell him you are there feeling he tried to be naughty, he immediately straightened up and told me to wait while he went out to chat with you soon hear heated discussion that you were having with my husband, and then I realized we owe you 6 months of house rent totaling about Rs 50,000I was shocked as we had no money as yet and had a loan of 5 Lack which he took from his office for our Marriage, and we had no hope to have any more loan from there you threaten him to get him arrested and put him in jail. I was too afraid at hearing it but then you quite down and talk to him coldly about something bumping sonali00783 said: soon hear heated discussion that you were having with my husband, and then I realized we owe you 6 months of house rent totaling about Rs 50,000 I was shocked as we had no money as yet and had a loan of 5 Lack which he took from his office for our Marriage, and we had no hope to have any more loan from there you threaten him to get him arrested and put him in jail. I was too afraid at hearing it but then you quite down and talk to him coldly about something Click to expand... “Please excuse me, I think my husband has come out of the bathroom. Furthermore, I will tell him you are waiting for him,” said Sonali with a smile on her red luscious lips. I silently nodded my head. I watched her buttocks twitch as she crisply walked out of the sitting room. My cock was erect. She was so wholesome. Few minutes later Ravi walked in. I went straight to the point.“Ravi, you now owe me six months rent. What’s going on?” Ravi hurriedly looked sideways to see whether his wife was listening or not. Then he leaned across and began explaining.“Look Vijay, I just took a heavy loan from my office for meeting my marriage expenses. I have to pay monthly repayment installments.” I sighed. He had always led an extravagant life. Never planned for the future. He had been always late in paying up before getting married. And now some more excuses.“No way Ravi. You got married just the other month. But you have been always behind in paying the rent.”“I want my payment now!!!” Another fifteen minutes passed in fruitless arguments. I was getting angry. This fellow had no intention of clearing my dues.“Look, either you make a payment now or you give me your wife’s ornaments as security,” I angrily said. He sat silently for some time. Then he got up and went to the bedroom. I could hear the two of them talking. It seemed Sonali was objecting to what he was saying. I really hadn’t meant to say that. But in anger the words had just tumbled out. Ravi came back with a parcel in his hand. He looked irritated.“I think Sonali has given him an earful,” I thought to myself.”Ok here are some ornaments. They will cover my dues,” he said and handed them over to me. Sonali had also entered the sitting room. She stood to one side with a dejected look on her face. Even in sadness she was a pretty sight. I felt like taking her in my arm.“Ravi I am not running a pawn shop. Your bounced checks are in my advocates' custody. I can sue you any day. I am giving you a last chance. You are married now. Learn to take responsibilities.” I looked at both of them. Ravi was ashen faced. He was getting a firing in front of his wife. No self-respecting man likes that. Sonali leaned against the wall. She had her head down, but I could see her furtively glancing at my bulge sometimes.“I have to meet this woman alone without her husband,” I thought to myself, as I walked off with the packet. I couldn’t sleep properly. Even after a nice hot session with my wife, my mind kept wandering back to Sonali. I took my cock in my hands and began jacking myself. It will have to be a slow and gentle seduction. She is young and newly married. I will have to make her comfortable before I can have her agreeing to an affair even if reluctantly. A plan formed in my mind. The next day I waited for Ravi to leave for office. As soon as his car moved out of the main gate, I picked up the packet and went down to his apartment. Sonali was surprised to see me.“Hi, you just missed Ravi. He has left for office.”“May I come in?” I asked with a gentle smile playing on my lips. She hesitated for a moment then nodded her head. She was still in her nightdress. It was a pale blue sleeveless outfit that clung to her body. Not tight but it showed off her assets to their fullest advantage. Her firm young breasts stuck out line Twin Peaks. And the way her nightdress clung to her legs I knew she was not wearing a panty inside.“Sonali I have come to return your ornaments. I did not open it, but you can check them,” I said. Her eyes grew in surprise. She had not expected this.“I did not like it when he offered to give them to me,” I continued. That was not correct. He had agreed to give them to me, but that was after I had asked for them. But this was part of my plan.“Thank you,” said Sonali with a warm smile. We chatted for some more time. I asked her about her education. She was an interior designer, but Ravi didn’t want her to take up a job. Not now at least.“Umm… I have a request Sonali.” She raised her eyebrow in question.“Please don’t tell him that I have returned the ornaments. I want him to come up with the payments. Perhaps this way he will clear my dues. Later on I will tell him that I have already returned them to you.” Sonali gave me a happy smile.“Oh sure. I am also feeling bad about this overdue rentals. I won’t tell him. In fact, I won’t tell him that you had dropped in when he was not at home.” I smiled. Part 1 of my plan had worked out better than I had hoped. I thank him for returning the jewelry and being thoughtful about others Deep inside I made up my mind that he might be hard from outside, but he is a very good Mani shared a cup of Coffee with him and enjoyed talking with him, he was a very good humored man. It had been nearly a month, and he had become a regular visitor I thought of him as a friend and now and then he used to get small things for me some small presents never expensive by good ones. In due course I learned his wife could not conceive and felt sorry for him but anyhow we became good friends, a bit too good as he was now coming on a regular basis and I used to wait for him. As by husband used to come late and had little time for me as he was tired and drifted to sleep as soon as he had dinner sonali00783 said: I thank him for returning the jewelry and being thoughtful about others Deep inside I made up my mind that he might be hard from outside, but he is a very good man I shared a cup of Coffee with him and enjoyed talking with him, he was a very good humored man. It had been nearly a month, and he had become a regular visitor I thought of him as a friend and now and then he used to get small things for me some small presents never expensive by good ones. In due course I learned his wife could not conceive and felt sorry for him but anyhow we became good friends, a bit too good as he was now coming on a regular basis and I used to wait for him. As by husband used to come late and had little time for me as he was tired and drifted to sleep as soon as he had dinner Click to expand... It was turning out to be better than I had expected. She had responded to my approach positively. I was now meeting her frequently, but her husband was still unaware. She had accepted the perfume I had bought for her without a murmur. In fact, she was quite happy to accept them. I looked down at the saree I had planned to give her. It was a silk saree with gold embroidery. It was very expensive. I wanted to her to agree for some modelling work...which I would undertake. And then slowly.... It was time for stage 2 of my plan to commence. I looked at my watch. Sonali must be expecting me. I was right." Hi Vijay, the coffee is ready," she said with a smile. She was in faded tight blue jeans and a pink t shirt. I licked my lips as my eyes travelled over her sensors body." Sonali, I have something for you. You did not invite me to your wedding reception. But here is your wedding gift," I said and handed her the gift wrapped saree. She opened the parcel. Her eyes grew wide." It's soon beautiful Vijay," she exclaimed happily." Not as beautiful as the lady who owns it now," I replied with an easy-going smile. She smiled radiantly. I was right. She knew she was beautiful, and she loved to be showered with praises." Sonali, will you wear it now. I want to see you in it," I said quietly, looking intently at her. OOH, Thank you, Vijay this is a lovely saree. I always wanted one like it but never had money. This is very expensive how can I accept it? But you said it is a wedding gift, and you want me to try it. I was happy and thrilled and excused myself. I went in my bedroom and changed the dress and applied some makeup and wore the saree, just then my husbands phone rang, and he informed me he is going on an urgent business trip today directly from office and told me to make some excuse to you because we will not be able to pay any rent and did not wait for my word. I was shocked but I came out to you. In the saree I was looking much better. I came back and told you what he said and said I am so sorry. sonali00783 said: OOH Thank you, Vijay this is a lovely saree. I always wanted one like it but never had money. This is very expensive how can I accept it? But you said it is a wedding gift, and you want me to try it. I was happy and thrilled and excused myself. I went in my bedroom and changed the dress and applied some makeup and wore the saree, just then my husbands phone rang, and he informed me he is going on an urgent business trip today directly from office and told me to make some excuse to you because we will not be able to pay any rent and did not wait for my word. Furthermore, I was shocked but I came out to you. In the saree I was looking much better. I came back and told you what he said and said I am so sorry. Click to expand... Vijay hungrily stared at Sonali as she walked back. Each and every curve was sexily outlined for his hungry eyes. But what she said next stunned him. Rahul had ducked the rental again. And he was asking his wife to tell him that. What a cad. This was an opportunity for him. He looked seriously at her.“This is not good Sonali,” he said. Sonali was sheepishly looking down.“At least he should have called me up.Instead, he tells you to break the news.”“My advocate will not be happy. He will surely take some legal action.”“Oh no Vijay. Give him another chance. Please.” Sonali looked at him with despair in her eyes.“Tell me Sonali do you think he is sincere?” She remained silent. Her silence was an answer by itself. Now came the tricky part.“Look Sonali I am interested in my money and not legal cases. I have a suggestion.” She looked up with a question in her eyes.“You know I am in the ad business. I am looking for new faces. Will you become my model ?“The fees will be adjusted against the rent. And you don’t have to tell anyone. We can fix the timings to suit your convenience,” I finished in a hopeful tone. Sonali considers it for a moment she knew seas beautiful and as far as she knew Vijay is a good man, and she knew her husband will never be able to pay rent the way he plans his finances she has little choice but to accept. She though hesitant asks him "What sort of ads do I have to model in?" bumping sonali00783 said: Sonali considers it for a moment she knew seas beautiful and as far as she knew Vijay is a good man, and she knew her husband will never be able to pay rent the way he plans his finances she has little choice but to accept. She though hesitant asks him "What sort of ads do I have to model in?" Click to expand... Vijay smiled. The fish had taken the bait. Now he had to just carefully reel it in. He did need new faces. And Sonali was a good choice. And he wanted to sleep with her." Careful man...a slight mistake and she may run. She is a newly married pussy," he told himself." Sonali I have assignments for new saree designs to be released in the coming season. The fashion designers have already sent their dresses to me."" Why don't you come over to my studio tomorrow with me? I will show you the designs. In fact the models get to keep the outfit they wear.it's a kinda freebie," he added. A_zx2003 said: Vijay smiled. The fish had taken the bait. Now he had to just carefully reel it in. He did need new faces. And Sonali was a good choice. And he wanted to sleep with her. "Careful man...a slight mistake and she may run. She is a newly married pussy," he told himself. "Sonali I have assignments for new saree designs to be released in the coming season. The fashion designers have already sent their dresses to me." "Why don't you come over to my studio tomorrow with me? I will show you the designs. In fact the models get to keep the outfit they wear.it's a kinda freebie," he added. Click to expand... This whole generation is a joke. You know what, if you guys want to nail girls in a spur of the moment, go right ahead. See how far it gets you. Sorry for having morals, and not being an animal. Seems to be the going rate around here. Have fans with your kids, and STD's. But to tell ya' the truth, I doubt any of you are getting laid in the first place. Why? Because a guy who actually does get laid, doesn't have to kiss and tell. Least off all, on the INTERNET! You guys really need to get lives. I can't believe I've even contributed to this garbage. I must be in need of a life of my own, just on the basis of sharing my thoughts with you morons. Have fun bragging to each other about how many sluts in you banged in under 2 minutes. I'm sure it is a great experience for all of you. Look I don't care what you do. Go ahead, bang away at those skeeters. Myself, I don't think it is a good idea to do so. How well could you possibly know a girl after 2 hours? Enough to sleep with her? This is the point I'm trying to get across. What these people seem to not understand is, is that you are sharing your body with someone when you have sex. Plenty of bad things could happen when you do this. How much thought could you possibly give this in what, 2 hours? Oh, and Bruno, I'm quite capable of speaking on my own behalf. I appreciate the help, but I'm not in any real need of it, so thanks, but no, thanks. So as of Jul 17, 2006 do what ya' want. You want to bang sluts after 10 minutes, go right ahead. When you wake up the next morning pissing out razor blades, just remember I told ya' so a_zx2003 said: Vijay smiled. The fish had taken the bait. Now he had to just carefully reel it in. He did need new faces. And Sonali was a good choice. And he wanted to sleep with her. "Careful man...a slight mistake and she may run. She is a newly married pussy," he told himself. "Sonali I have assignments for new saree designs to be released in the coming season. The fashion designers have already sent their dresses to me." "Why don't you come over to my studio tomorrow with me? I will show you the designs. In fact the models get to keep the outfit they wear.it's a kinda freebie," he added. Click to expand... sure I will like to do it if it will help erase our rental payments was happy that even I could get a part-time job but I requested Vijay not to tell this to my husband and still keep asking him for rent sonali00783 said: sure I will like to do it if it will help erase our rental payments I was happy that even I could get a part-time job but I requested Vijay not to tell this to my husband and still keep asking him for rent Click to expand... Vijay gave a final once over to the shooting arrangements. This was going to be Sonali’s first ad campaign. He spread the expensive selection of sarees over the couch. They were in the latest fashion. Next he selected the blouses and hung them on the nearby stand. Some were sleeveless, others had spaghetti shoulder straps. He placed a couple of shoulder less blouses also. In the first session he planned to have her wear some regular outfits. The revealing dresses were deliberately placed to judge her reaction. After giving a final check, Vijay called Sonali.“Hi Sonali, shall I come over to pick you up?” I was nervous as this was first time I would be facing the camera and my husband was on tour he won't come for another week. Just then the phone rang and it was Vijay. He asked me about the photoshoot and I said ok he can pick me UPI was waiting for him dressed conservatory sonali00783 said: I was nervous as this was first time I would be facing the camera and my husband was on tour he won't come for another week. Just then the phone rang and it was Vijay. He asked me about the photoshoot and I said ok he can pick me up I was waiting for him dressed conservatory Click to expand... Vijay glanced at Sonali sitting beside him. She had dressed in a simple saree with little make up. Even then she looked sensuous.“My staff has arranged all the dresses. Today we will start with traditional saree’s and then move on to party wears. I have seen the outfits. They are great. You will like them.”“Ooh Vijay, I had always wanted to do some modeling. But never got the opportunity during studies, and then I got married,” she replied with shining eyes.“Here we are,” said Vijay as he turned into the shopping complex where his studio was located. He introduced her to his assistants Rita and Mohit and then ushered her into the shooting room. Rita escorted Sonali to the corner where the makeup kit was placed besides a large oval mirror. She began applying the necessary cream and lotion on her face and body.“Madam you really don’t need any make up. You have sharp clear-cut features. You are a photographer’s delight.” Sonali smiled happily. Vijay selected a cream-colored crêpe saree. It had Mari and Gresham embroidery work on it. Rita added a matching blouse with sleeves. Sonali took the dress and went to the changing room. She soon came back.“How am I looking?” she asked.”Fantastic would be an understatement,” commented Vijay. Her hour glass figure was perfectly displayed by the fabric. Vijay smiled and started the camera rolling. The next couple of hours went in taking pictures in different styles and postures. Sonali changed into saree’s in chiffon and georgette fabric with Rajasthan and sequin embroidery. With her firm breasts and curvaceous body, Sonali was producing staggering results. Each shot seemed to outdo the previous. And Sonali was enjoying herself. Her eyes sparkled with delight as Rita and Vijay showered her with compliments.“My clients will be a happy lot,” thought Vijay. Now just the two of them were in the shooting room as Rita and Mohit had shifted to the adjoining chamber to shoot another model. Sonali didn’t seem to mind that. Vijay selected a silk designer saree with a low cut sleeveless blouse.“Here Sonali, this is the last outfit for the day,” he said and handed the outfit to her. Sonali looked at the low cut blouse and a frown creased her forehead.“Sonali our clients sell their dresses to celebrities and moviemakers. If your pictures are selected you may also be offered roles,” he earnestly said. The casting couch sequence was something he conveniently omitted to add. Sonali pursed her lips as though in deep thought.“You mean you have filmmaker’s coming to you ?”“Yeah,” said Vijay. Sonali hesitated then picked up the dress. I was happy so far with the shoot I had done a pretty good job it seems as Vijay was happy, but last dress was too low cut I thought but anyway i wore it in the changing room, but the blouse was too low cut it was like missing cloth between the breast just a 5 mm fabric joint between the two cups and even the cups did not fully cover the breasts' bra came into view a few times, and it was pretty translucent. I called Vijay and asked it is possible not to take shoot in this outfit, and he said ok but just then Mohit came up and told him that if this outfit is not done the people won pay. At this I said No let's do it Vijay. Mohit went to other hall and sent Rita for makeup. She came and saw me and said you are looking gorgeous but spotted my bra peeking from side of blouse and told me I need to remove it and she Mordor less convinced me to do so.Now I came to face the camera in this dress - my bra. If anybody carefully saw he could see my brown nipples thought the material, but Vijay could since I was clearly nervous sonali00783 said: I was happy so far with the shoot I had done a pretty good job it seems as Vijay was happy, but last dress was too low cut I thought but anyway i wore it in the changing room, but the blouse was too low cut it was like missing cloth between the breast just a 5 mm fabric joint between the two cups and even the cups did not fully cover the breasts' bra came into view a few times, and it was pretty translucent. I called Vijay and asked it is possible not to take shoot in this outfit, and he said ok but just then Mohit came up and told him that if this outfit is not done the people won pay. At this I said No let's do it Vijay. Mohit went to other hall and sent Rita for makeup. She came and saw me and said you are looking gorgeous but spotted my bra peeking from side of blouse and told me I need to remove it and she Mordor less convinced me to do so. Now I came to face the camera in this dress - my bra. If anybody carefully saw he could see my brown nipples thought the material, but Vijay could since I was clearly nervous Click to expand... Vijay stared at her blouse. Sonali’s dark nipples were clearly visible. She had big juicy areolas. Very sexy. Vijay could see Sonali was uncomfortable.“Let's make this smooth and easy for her,” he thought to himself. “This is her first revealing picture.”“Ok Sonali give me a side pose, drape the pall on your elbow.” Sonali complied. Vijay took some more shots in the standing pose. Then he asked her to turn around. His camera zoomed in on her near bare back. Vijay controlled his urge to feel her smooth skin.“Wonderful,” he said as she twirled around. This married woman was a hot piece. But he wanted to involve her to a point where she couldn’t resist his advances.“Now turn to your side and look across.” As she did so her pall slipped to expose her braless left boob. Vijay adjusted his camera. Her nipples were taut. Vijay happily clicked on. He was now focusing on her exposed breast. Then he walked over to her and gently removed her pall and wrapped it around her wrist.“Vijay !!!,” exclaimed Sonali with a startled look.”Don’t be shy, you have a wonderful figure.” Before she could say further, Vijay resumed taking her pictures. He stared lustily at her breasts through the lens. Her young, full breasts were proudly jutting out through the tight thin material of her blouse. Her taut nipples were forming clear impressions on her blouse.“That’s it Sonali.” He finally said as he finished the last of the expose shots. Her young boobs were on his roll now from every possible direction and pose. Sonali rushed to the changing room. Vijay smiled.“The client’s representative will be coming tomorrow. If they like the pictures then we will have their account for their other apparels too,” said Vijay as they drove back home.“I hope I was ok,” Sonali tentatively replied.”You were great. The company guys are going to love them…especially the last set,” replied Vijay with a wink.“I wasn’t comfortable with them, you know that Vijay,” replied Sonali a little distantly.”Oh that’s your middle class mentality working overtime. These garments are going to be shipped to overseas Indian buyer’s. They are not for the local Indian segment,” replied Vijay in a comforting tone. Sonali remained silent in the elevator.“I will give you a ring tomorrow, ” said Vijay as she stepped off at her floor.”Till then bye.” bye Vijay i says was a bit rocked but liked the way you appreciated me flattered in other terms plus I was happy as the dresses I modelled in were mine now, which in normal circumstances I could never afford. I was happy and slept hoping all will be fine and I will pay off the debt soon.*OTHER DAY*It is morning 10AM and I am ready and waiting for your call for second photo shoot sonali00783 said: bye Vijay I say I was a bit rocked but liked the way you appreciated me flattered in other terms plus I was happy as the dresses I modelled in were mine now, which in normal circumstances I could never afford. I was happy and slept hoping all will be fine and I will pay off the debt soon. *OTHER DAY* It is morning 10AM and I am ready and waiting for your call for second photo shoot Click to expand... The representatives were impressed. Especially with the last lot of pics. They planned to use them for their brochures for the rich client age and upscale showrooms. And they wanted to meet her. I rang up Sonali.“Congrats Sonali. You are a success. The guys are waiting for you. Put on that designer saree with the sleeveless blouse.”“Oh that’s wonderful,” exclaimed Sonali. Vijay sent the office car to pick her up. As soon as she entered the studio, she was surrounded by her new admirer’s.“Madam you are fantastic.”“Where were you till now?” said another. Sonali radiantly smiled at everyone in the room. Drinks were served. She picked a glass of gin. Vijay watched her mingle with the company people. She was enjoying herself.“Madam we want you in the next ad campaign also,” said one of them.”Okay…” giggled Sonali like a school girl.”Those pics will be used for our international campaign. You will be an international model,” warbled on the co. fella, his eyes never leaving her exposed cleavage.“Yes we will be starting tomorrow,” Vijay said as he came around to them.”Oh I am looking forward to it,” said Sonali, her cheeks flushed with the drinks she had been taking.Finally, the party came to an end. But Vijay had a feeling that a new beginning had been made. The two didn’t talk much on the way home. Sonali had closed her eyes and there was a smile on her lips. No doubt she is thinking of the recent events. Truthfully speaking she did deserve it.“I will pick you up tomorrow,” said Vijay as they reached home.”Yes, I will be waiting,” she said with a smile. Vijay leaned forward and kissed her cheeks. Sonali turned red. But she didn’t say anything. Sonali liked the attention she got in party, and then she felt great when Vijay kissed her cheeks she felt angry, but she liked the attention. She reached home and felt what was happening to her? She got turned on by all the attention but felt she was cheating on her husband and she did not want to do that. She went and slept. Next morning she again dressed very conservatively she had made her mind that she liked the job but not much just to pay the rent and then leave it, hoping he understands. He told her he will pick her up at 10AM, it was 9:55, and he was a punctual man sonali00783 said: Sonali liked the attention she got in party, and then she felt great when Vijay kissed her cheeks she felt angry, but she liked the attention. She reached home and felt what was happening to her? She got turned on by all the attention but felt she was cheating on her husband and she did not want to do that. Furthermore, she went and slept. Next morning she again dressed very conservatively she had made her mind that she liked the job but not much just to pay the rent and then leave it, hoping he understands. He told her he will pick her up at 10AM, it was 9:55, and he was a punctual man Click to expand... “Hi Vijay,” said Sonali as she opened the door. She seemed a bit sober…serious. They informally chatted as he drove towards his studio. She did seem happy.“What will it be today ?” she asked.”We have Leanna chili in different fabrics and embroidery,” replied Vijay. She picked up an orange colored Leanna in crêpe.“How nice,” she exclaimed. Furthermore, she then looked at the chili and pouted her lips.“Oh Vijay !!” she wailed. They were tight and revealing. At that very moment he rang up her husband and started a conversation.“Ravi, man where are you?” He was full of apologies. He promised to meet him as soon as he got back.“No Ravi, my advocate is forming another opinion about you.” Sonali was intently listening. They argued for some more time, and then he cut off the line.“Can you believe that Sonali ? He switched off his mobile,” exclaimed Vijay in disgust. Sonali picked up the dresses and quietly went to the changing room. The ruse had worked. Soon she came out wearing one of the skimpy outfits. This time she had removed her bra without being asked too. And she was looking hot. Vijay picked up some lotions and sat beside her. She looked at him inquiringly.“These will add a luster to your skin,” he said. He took her right arm and began applying the lotion. He poured some of it in his palm and gently spread it over her bare arm. Then he took her other arm and did the same. She was soft…..so soft. Then he took her leg and placed it on his lap. She looked at him. Her face had gone white. She knew what was going to happen next. He began rubbing her legs. He applied the lotion on her legs. Furthermore, he rubbed her calve muscles. Again and again he let his hands trail all over her well toned legs. Then he moved upwards. Vijay applied some more lotion on her knees. Now his hands traveled further. He felt her smooth creamy thighs.“AAAA,” he groaned to himself. He glanced at Sonali. She had turned away her face from him. Her bosom was heaving…her areolas firmly imprinted on her chili. Vijay let his hands roam. He pushed up her Leanna. She was soft …so soft and warm. He felt her panty. He let his hands stay there. Furthermore, he could feel the heat emanating from her pussy. He gave a gentle squeeze. Then he slowly withdrew his hands and pushed down her Leanna.“Come let us shoot, ” he said. Sonali was not happy, but she had little choice and her husband had spoiled the entire thing she would not be able to say no to Vijay today!when he said lets proceed for shooting she felt relieved but not for long, and soon she was in front of the camera sonali00783 said: Sonali was not happy, but she had little choice and her husband had spoiled the entire thing she would not be able to say no to Vijay today! When he said lets proceed for shooting she felt relieved but not for long, and soon she was in front of the camera Click to expand... Vijay told her to pose in different positions. She silently complied.“She knows she is cornered. If she refuses she thinks I will throw them out,” Vijay thought to himself.“Raise your Leanna Sonali,” he said as he peered at her from the lens. She meekly complied. She lifted it to an inch or so above her knees. He let the camera roll.“Higher,” he quietly commanded. She raised it almost to her waist. Things were getting better.“More, I want a glimpse of your panty,” he said. She complied…but turned her face. Vijay smiled.“Now face the camera,” he said. Slowly she turned around.“Lift it higher,” he ordered.”Vijay, please. I am a married woman,” she pleaded.“Sonali you had heard what this client’s want? Besides, it seems your husband has no intention of paying the rent. It’s up to you. We will stop whenever you want,” he coldly replied. Her helplessness was written all over her face. Her Leanna moved up. Furthermore, her white panty was in full sight. HE HAD TO SMELL HER !!! He again picked up the lotion bottle and moved towards her. She looked at him pleadingly. He bent down and placed both his palms on both her thighs. He let his stands remain stationary. He felt her smoothness. Then he slowly rubbed the lotion. He bent forward. His face was close to her panty. She was trembling. Her scent wafted into his nostrils. He closed his eyes. For the next five minutes he continued to play with her thighs, his face all along placed close to her pussy. Then he stood up. He was feeling bolder. Loosen your chili.“WHAT,” exclaimed Sonali, her eyes wide with terror.”Your chili will be open. You will cover your breasts with one hand. With the other you will hold your Leanna, ” he firmly replied. With trembling hands Sonali unloosened her chili. She was almost in tears. As it fell by her sides, she quickly covered her naked breasts. But not before he got a sweeping look of her taut nipples.“MY GOD…” She was now looking at him…unsure… Vijay again TOK some lotion in his palms. Sonali understood. She closed her eyes. He began applying the lotion on her exposed cleavage.AT LAST….. He continued rubbing her breasts. They were soft goblets of desire. After what seemed an eternity, he stopped playing with her breasts. He moved back and finished off the remaining roll. She felt so exposed and humiliated like she never had before in life she wanted to go finally the shoot was over and with red eyes she ran to the changing room she did not want to continue sonali00783 said: she felt so exposed and humiliated like she never had before in life she wanted to go finally the shoot was over and with red eyes she ran to the changing room she did not want to continue Click to expand... Vijay looked at the check he had just signed for Sonali. It was a handsome figure. But with the current month’s rent also becoming overdue, he knew this would not be enough. He had thoroughly enjoyed her the other evening. She was one hot bitch. He unzipped his trouser and took out his cock. It was stiff. He had fucked his wife three times last night. But he was strong again. And her seminude body kept flashing before his eyes. He began jacking himself. He knew the next time he was alone with her, he would fuck her. Furthermore, he could not restrain himself any longer. Luckily for him his wife had left for her parents home. He took the check and wrapped it around his erect manhood and pressed it. Vijay couldn’t concentrate on his work. He wanted Sonali’s pussy. She had been avoiding him for the past one day. .had a headache, she said. He had a plan. Vijay took out the legal notice his advocate had drafted and read it again. He smiled, it should work. He rang up Sonali.“Hi Sonali, I am sending you an advance payment.”“Thanks Vijay,” she replied tentatively.”There is also a legal notice my advocate wants to be delivered. Read it.”“Oh .” she said.“By the way all your pictures have been accepted. Our client is throwing a party tonight at Hotel Sheraton. Dress up in your best. You will be the center of attraction. Yours are the only pictures they have accepted.”“All of them?” she queried. Vijay understood.“No dear, I have retained some of them. Not needed….right now.”“Thanks Vijay, I will be there.” She replied in a relieved tone. I was relived when Vijay told me that he had not sent those pictures i soon received the check and the notice it was too scary the amount was nice, but the dues were much more than the payment. I could not duck tonight's party and decided to get ready as desired by Vijay nice dress but conservative not showing any skin sonali00783 said: I was relived when Vijay told me that he had not sent those pictures i soon received the check and the notice it was too scary the amount was nice, but the dues were much more than the payment. Furthermore, I could not duck tonight's party and decided to get ready as desired by Vijay nice dress but conservative not showing any skin Click to expand... The party was a grand success. All the company big shots were present. Vijay mingled with the people. But his eyes never left Sonali. Huge posters, with her in their outfits, decorated the party room. Sonali had been surprised to see them. But she was delighted. She was now dancing with the CEO of the company. He had his arms around her. He watched them move across the floor. A slow number started, and he drew her close to himself. Her breasts were touching his chest. Vijay rubbed his hard on. The song ended, and the two made their way back to his table. Sonali was flushed and smiling happily. The drinks were also having their effect. The wives and girlfriends of the other executives soon surrounded her. More drinks flowed. She was again on the floor with her admirers. This was her evening. She was really happy tonight she was meeting the celebrities she watched in papers but never dreamt to be near them forget laughing and dancing with. Vijay had kept his promise as there was a slideshow of all her photo shoots, but all in decent dresses bumping It has been a long evening as the party kept going on finally at 11 PM she requested Vijay to leave her home as she was feeling sleepy and tired. She had taken some drinks and being a non-drinker they had a huge effect on her, she was a bit tipsy bumping

The Landlord|rating:1.0

The Dark Chamber Awaits....(DangerousDanielle and SanguineDoll)

Adana had been watching, stalking young Gabrielle for quite some time now. All the weeks spent have paid off....she knew the 22-year-old beauty's every move, when she went to work, when she got back, when she went to bed.... The last part would be the girl's undoing.... Ardala put everything she needed in the bag, checking it....wadded up panties, duct tape, rope, an oversized dildo to paralyze her victim....... She waited patiently until she saw the lights finally go out in the upstairs bedroom. Adana had checked out and tested the back door, stuffing the inside of the door lock the last time Gabrielle came through so it would open silently. Creeping into the kitchen through the back, silently coming up the stairs like a cat quietly stalking its prey, she got to the bedroom. Thankfully she was alone... The girl was sleeping in pajama bottom and a tank top, far from a sexually arousing sight, but she spied at Gabrielle enough times through the bedroom window. She knew every curve of the girl's slender body, so supple and toned thanks to her physical exercise. It was now or never, the littlest of wrong moves would awaken the girl and give her ample time to scream, but she had what was needed to prevent it... Ardala crept up close to the girl's head, a pair ow wadded up panties and the duct tape in hand. Suddenly, she jammed the panties into Gabrielle's mouth, followed by lengths of tape, sealing her shut.... The girl struggled and fought just as Adana expected, but she already had pre-cut lengths of rope and quickly yanked the girl's wrists over her head, tying them then binding her ankles......" Go ahead cunt," she said smiling...."struggle harder, it just turns me on more....." She flopped the girl over on her belly, pulling down the PJ's and running a hand between her tied legs.....yes, nice and warm..... Ardala brought out the dildo next....it was 2 feet long and 4 inches wide....licking the top of the shaft for lube, she shoved it deep in the girl's tight ass, twisting and turning it....the girl fought, and her ass was tight but Adana managed to wedge it in, deep enough so only a few inches remained sticking out. The shaft was curved so the length and shape would lodge itself in her pelvic girdle, effectively paralyzing her. She would still be able to move and struggle, but impossible to move off the bed..... The day had gone like every other day that Gabrielle had had in her senior year in college. She had spent her time working in between classes and when she wasn't in either of the two, she continued to practice with her team. They weren't division I or anything of the sort, but they still took it seriously. Because of all of this, Gabrielle had quite shapely legs and rear that drew the attention of many. Still, she had chosen to focus on her school, work and extracurricular life, so Gabrielle was single. When she got back to her lackluster apartment, she dropped all of her stuff in her living room before crashing into her bed. Reluctantly, the girl got up from her bed and showered before settling in for the night in her tank top and pajamas. It didn't take long before she was fast asleep. Suddenly, her sleep was broken. Someone was in the room with her! Before she could get up to scream, something was shoved into her mouth before tape was put over her mouth! The lithe woman began to scream and kick, struggling against the unknown assailant that was trying to get her. The screams were useless as she could barely scream with the gag and tape place on her mouth and whatever flailing she was doing was anticipated by the person who was trying to grab her. Within seconds, her hands have been tied over her head and her flailing legs overpowered as her ankles were tied together too. It was hard to see in the darkness of the night as she tried to figure out just who was the person that was doing this to her. The voice sounded like a woman, and it shocked her as she would not have expected that. She tried to use her strong legs to kick her assailant and to break free, but it was not working very well as she was turned over onto her stomach. The girl was still yelping as loudly as she could and struggling before beginning to struggle in more of a panic as she suddenly felt her pajama pants and panties tugged down to a bit above her knees." Hmmph! Humph!" she yelped out as she wiggled on the bed, that perfect ass on display for her assailant. That was when it hit her. Gabrielle's eyes shot wide open as she felt the tip of what had to be a massive dildo be shoved right into her ass. She was an anal virgin and the sudden forcing of that dildo into her tight ass was incredibly painful. Just that little lick on the dildo was not enough to ease the entry into her tight ass. It was a painful few minutes as her attacker shoved that massive dildo deeper and deeper. She painfully twisted it in her ass, trying to dig it deeper as she split that tiny virgin ass wide open with it. There were tears streaming down Gaby's face from the pain and shock of it all. It dug so deep into her that it felt as if it would split her in two. Worse yet, once the attacker felt satisfied, Gaby tried to move, but found out she really couldn't! It was so painfully buried in her that she couldn't really move her legs or anything and could only groan and mumble as she writhed. Adana watched her captive for a moment....she was so aroused watching the girl wriggle and struggle....."you're not going anywhere, my little slut," she said. Turning the girl over onto her back, Adana took a knife she brought with her and sliced the pajamas and top off the girl, leaving her naked and oh so vulnerable....untying her ankles but quickly re tying them wide apart to the end of the bed, leaving her wrists bound beneath her, the woman reached down to finger the girl's pussy. Yes....very nice..... Giving the dildo in the girl's ass another push, then listening to her groan, Adana shoved 3 fingers in the girl's cunt, banging her fast and rough......when she didn't climax and cum as fast as she wanted, Adana took the open palm of her left hand and slapped the girl's cunt, spanking her hard....." Oh, so you don't want to cooperate, huh?" she said......fine, there were other ways she would be used..... The determined rapist took a loaded syringe from her bag and injected the chemical in the girl's side and within seconds Gabrielle passed out. The woman wasted no time, hurriedly untying her legs then dragging the girl downstairs and into the back seat of her car. After making another trip back inside to retrieve her bag, they sped off through the darkness. Ardala pulled around to the back of the house and carried the comatose girl downstairs into the basement. Over the years, Adana converted it into a splendid dungeon with 2 cells to keep prisoners, shackles bolted to the walls and a vast array of sexual torture devices.....best of all, the thick stone wall and soundproofing in the ceiling made gagging her victims unnecessary, although she still gagged them often to make them realize they were now her property. Ardala pushed the girl up against the wall, stretching her arms our wide and securing the shackles to her wrist, then spreading open her legs, attached shackles to her ankles......she stepped back to admire her work....a gorgeous big titled beauty, spreadeagled and ready to be broken and trained..... Gabrielle's heart was beating at what felt to her like a thousand miles an hour. It was intense and she as if she was going to throw up as she tried to break free from her binds. The feeling of being unable to actually move was terrifying enough, but it was all heightened by the fact that her ass was in a lot of pain. The mysterious woman's voice echoed in the relatively quiet room and made her heart race more. With ease, the woman flipped her over onto her back. For a second, Gabrielle sees the glistening of a knife and begins to mumble something out desperately as she wiggled on her back. "Humph! Graph!". Her eyes are wide and full of fear, like someone who was truly afraid for their life. The knife came close, but it didn't cut her. Instead, the knife cut through her pajamas, underwear and her top, leaving her perfectly exposed to her. Gabrielle's body was smooth and hairless, with many toned sections for her attacker to enjoy. The rapist grabbed the dildo in her ass and gave it another push, sending another rippling wave of pain and discomfort through Gabrielle which made her groan and whimper. Her toes curled and shuddered at the odd and terrible sensation that was combined with the semi paralysis. Once more, her eyes shot wide open as now the woman shoved three fingers into her tight folds. Gabrielle's tight body tried to resist the invasion into her tight, pink folds, but her body was in no position to stop her. She could only watch and groan in horror as the woman spread her with three fingers and fucked her hard and fast with it. The sudden, rough and fast penetration felt as if the woman just wanted to torture her and make her sore. Gabrielle shook her head, trying to make it stop but was ignored before having her cunt spanked hard, forcing to whimper loudly like a dog who got hurt. There wasn't enough time to process what happened next. Within seconds, there's a needle stabbing into her side painfully, and she's out before she knows it. By the time Gabrielle's eyes open, she finds herself in an unknown room. There are various sex toys, torture devices, and sexual torture devices scattered across the wall. She tried to move, but heard and felt the shackles that now held her wrists and ankles against a wall. She tried to move a bit more, but then pain of that dildo in her perfect, round ass prevented her from doing so. She looked forward and spotted the woman watching her beautiful figure as she breathed rapidly with eyes full of panic. Adana gazed at the struggling, gagged beauty shackled and spread out before her..."of all my slaves, I have to admit," she said, licking her lips....."you're the hottest looking, Gabrielle...." The girl stared at her. "Oh yes," she continued...." I know you by name. I've been stalking you for months, watching you.... I knew what time you went to work, when you got back home.... I knew your schedule by heart...you shouldn't have been so predictable...." She took the panties and tape off of the girl. "Go ahead and scream all you want, no one will hear you down here....in fact, I'll make you scream just to prove it...." Ardala took a whip off the wall and began striking the girl's tits, focusing on the nipples...."you're going to be my sex slave," she explained. "You will be kept caged and let out when I want to use you. In addition, you will be used by my special guests when I have them over. So long as you don't cry out or yell, your mouth will remain open, but the first time you try and scream or call for help, you will be ball gagged and kept that way.....understand?" Ardala reached behind her new slave and slowly began pulling out the dildo from Gabrielle's ass..... Dropping the dildo on the floor, she took the whip again and began striking across the girl's tummy and pussy, lightly at first but harder shortly after a few times." I don't want to hurt you," she said between strikes," but as my newest slave, you must be taught strict obedience and know at all times just who is in charge....." All the words that were escaping her attacker's mouth terrified Gabrielle even more. The way she talked about her body and called her a slave. Though nothing was as terrifying as when she called her BYI her first name. How did she know who she was? The thought scared her even more. Then came the confession that she had been stalking her for months. Every detail that was revealed just shocked her more and more. The tape came off harshly, leaving a red mark over her lips. She gasped and stretched jaw after the panties were taken out. "Why!? Why are you doing this to me?" she then screamed as the whip came down on her perky breasts. The whip came down again and again. She screamed again and again especially when it hit her sensitive nipples. Her body writhed and shook the shackles. "No... I don't want this!" she whimpered to the woman claiming to be her new mistress. The woman walked up to her. Gabrielle was shaking in fear while she grabbed the dildo and began pull. Gabrielle gasped and shuddered as the dildo escaped her, and it sent tired through her as it finally left her ass. She nearly dropped to the floor if she could have. She looked up and shook her head. Adana realized she was rushing things....slaves usually took weeks of torture to break, but she had some new ideas to streamline Gabrielle's training." I have a few things that will make training you a bit easier for both of us," Adana said as she went to the counter. She came back with a collar and 2 plugs.....she secured the collar around the girl's neck, then took the plugs and showed them to her....."one of these will go in your cunt, the other in your ass," she explained. "As soon as they enter your body, they will expand, making it difficult to remove...and if you have any ideas to do so....." Ardala slipped the first one in the girl's cunt, the black rubber base sticking out. She reached behind and slipped the other in her ass...." Now, I will give you an idea of what will happen if you try...." Ardala pressed an app on her smartphone and a strong electrical charge shot through the girl...... The young woman continued to test her shackles. She just wanted to go home and go back to sleep, but this woman would not give her that. The mistress walked to a counter and came back with two items. Gabrielle shivered in fear, wondering what she had in mind. The mistress put on a collar on her, demeaning her like some sort of pet. The explanation of the plugs before slipping them in one at a time. She squirmed as it slipped into her tight pussy. Though she groaned out as it was forced into her as Within moments, she twitches as she feels them expand. While uncomfortable, it was not as bad as what happened next. A massive shock that ran through her. She screamed before almost dropping to her knees in front of the mistress. "The time is getting late," Adana says...."almost time for bed, but I must make you weak enough so you won't put up a fight your first night here...." I press my app, shocking you multiple times until you finally pass out. UN hooking you from the shackles, I drag you upstairs and into my bedroom. In the corner beside the head of my bed is a kennel cage, just large enough for a big dog. I stuff you into the cage----kneeling position, crouched up is the only way you'll fit and even then it's very tight---before I lock you up, I attach leather straps around your tits, then attach thin chains to the bands, clipping them to the cage ceiling to prevent you moving too much....the straps are extremely tight causing your tits to swell and darken and have locks so you can't remove them... One last look at my new caged pet before I go to sleep..... Gabrielle still could not believe what was happening to her. She looked up and pleaded to be let go. Instead, she received shock after shock until she passed out and dangled against the wall. When she woke up, she was in a tiny cage that was crouching in uncomfortably. Her thighs were burning from the position. More painfully, she realized that her breasts were now wrapped in leather straps. The straps were tightly wrapped, and her breasts had now swelled about a cup size larger and were darkened and extremely sore. She couldn't move and everything was painful. She barely slept and was exhausted and just soft whimpered as the sun rose Adana woke, yawned and outstretched her arms....today is going to be a glorious day! Looking down, she gazed at her pet in the cage....she looked like she may have dozed off a few times but obviously had little sleep...."you'll get used to your cage slave," she said smiling. "If you behave noteworthy I might allow you to sleep with me, but of course you'll be shackled.....no slave of mine will ever be free..." She opened the cage door and pulled out her slave. On a nearby chair, a bra and pair of panties lay on it. The panties were black lace and crotchless, the bra was a shelf brassiere, designed only to hold up the breasts, not to cover them." You'll wear these and nothing else," her new owner said. "You will address me only as Mistress and you will be only address as slave or slut....you will do whatever I tell you and of course you remember the consequences....." Ardala showed the girl the smartphone..... I'm a nympho, and you will sexually serve me whenever I want it...you of course will be used whenever I wish it....." Ardala brought out a long leash and attached it to the girl's collar. "The other end is connected to a bolt in the wall, and you have access as far as the leash will allow you. Eventually you won't be leashed, but you're still in training....a bathroom is within your leash range so you better use it. You will ask permission first, so your plugs can be taken out without shocking you...." Ardala left the girl alone to allow her to get used to her new surroundings. She went upstairs and opened a door.... There was another girl upstairs, a blonde wearing an identical collar and a bra and panty set similar to Gabrielle...." Go downstairs and meet your new slave sister...." Vicky stared and went downstairs to meet her. It's been a week since the last slave vanished.... The blonde entered the living room and saw Gabrielle on the floor on her knees.....yes, she was still leashed...." Hi there, newbie," she said...."my name's Vicky...." When her new mistress came over to unlock the cage and pull her out, she would notice that Gabrielle's eyes were puffy. It was quite likely that the young woman had been crying a lot since all of this happened. She unleashed the chains holding her together, but still had those painful leather straps smothering her poor breasts. Without yelling or screaming, Gabrielle exited the cage. She was sore and cringed as she walked. Her muscles had locked up after spending so much time in that cage. She was able to stretch after a minute or so as she was shown what her new clothes would be. It would look phenomenal on Gabrielle's body, and it was no surprise that that was likely one of the reasons she was chosen for this debauchery. When the Mistress approached her with the leash, Gabrielle jumped a bit. She was already getting conditioned to whatever painful thing would happen next to her. The leash clipped on, and the Mistress explained her new environment. As she spoke, a few tears streamed down Gabrielle's face as she realized that this was not a nightmare and was in fact reality. On her knees, she was left alone to gaze at her new surroundings before another woman came in. She looked like another slave, but instead almost seemed to be happy with it all. She introduced herself to her, but Gabrielle could only glance with confusion and sadness as the woman looked down on her. Vicky gazed at the beauty on the living room floor.....she was hot looking, just as Mistress described her....she felt sorry for what the girl would be soon forced to endure. Vicky had been captured 2 years before.... Ardala had brainwashed her into being her domestic servant, although like Gabrielle, she too was constantly fucked, sodomized and made to please her owner. In Vicky's case however, Adana used chemicals to permanently wipe out the girl's memory, implanting thoughts in the poor girl's mind that she had always been here happily and wished to do nothing but serve Adana." So, you're Gabrielle, huh?" she asked, a slight empty smile on her face....." I hope you enjoy being here serving Mistress..... I know I do...." Ardala entered the room. "Get up slave," she ordered Gabrielle, then shot a few jolts through both her holes to quicken her pace...."now you bitch," she pointed at Vicky...."get back upstairs...."the brainwashed girl promptly left. Adana brought out a pair of nipple clamps and secured them to the girl's tits, then turned the screw....the clamps bit deep into the girl's tender nipple flesh.... Ardala attached a 10 ft leash to the clamps." Time to take you for a walk," she said, yanking on the leash.... Ardala was wearing skin tight black jeans, heels and a tight leather looking top. As she walked toward the door, Gabrielle stared, realizing she was wearing only the bra and panties she was given." I told you slave," she said, anticipating the girl's question....."that is all you are allowed to wear....now, let's take a walk outside...remember though, one false move or try and callout, and I'll send enough volts through you to knock you out...." Was she serious? Was this woman really so calm and cheery about being in the position she was in? She was beautiful and extremely busty, far more so than herself, but Gabrielle's ass and legs were far more prominent. There was something off about the way that she was so calm with everything as she nonchalantly talked about enjoying her service to the Mistress. "How can you be so calm and happy about this?" she asked, but the woman didn't really seem to understand what she meant. It didn't matter, as soon her Mistress was back in the room and ordered her to get up. A shock, not as terrible as the ones from last night, ran through her body. She yelped out as she stood. She was "Dressed" into that lingerie set which, unfortunately for her, made her tits look even better. They were still a bit red and puffy from the strap, so when the Mistress put the clamps on, it was painful. "Ayah!" she hissed out in pain. The pressure on her nipples was intense, and she looked down to see them turn a dark red as they swelled from the controlled blood flow. The leash was clamped on before she was led to the door. Wait, what? Did she mean to have her go out like this? "But...but.but..." she stammered in fear and anxiety before moving slowly to her mistress. Her beautiful feet and brightly painted toes patted across the ground, terrified of the shock. Adana opened the front door and led her slave out, pulling on the leash attached to the girl's swollen nipples. Although her owner looked regal as though going to a show, she knew her new slave was being humiliated, being led by a leash attached to her tits, most of which were visible while wearing only a shelf bra....she knew her slave was embarrassed beyond words with people staring at her, her pussy visible through the crotchless panties, her ass showing almost as visible through the sheer panty fabric...... They walked a block before Adana, thankfully for her slave's modesty, turned and headed for home."you will soon learn that I am always in charge," she told her slave....."now, get on the floor on your back...." Adana went to a shelf and brought out a strap on harness, the foot longs dildo swaying from the middle. Adana hiked up her dress, put on the harness and without another word, got on her knees and yanked the plug from the girl's cunt.....seconds later, she lunged, burying the dildo deep in the girl's pussy and began savagely raping her.... Once the door opened, Gabrielle realized that all of this was very real. She walked barefoot behind her Mistress as the strangers watched. Some laughed, some gasped in shock and others took videos. No one called the police, after all, the show was too good to stop. Instead, she was embarrassed as they looked at her while her Mistress strutted happily along the block. The cement was hot and rough, burning the soles of her feet as she walked. Adana made the common of always being in charge and Gabrielle blushed. The humiliation was intense and she had certainly proven her point. Thankfully, she was soon brought back into the house, but was ordered onto the floor and back. "We. What?" she said before realizing the command. Nervously, she got onto her back and gulped. Within moments, the Mistress came back with a rather long strap on. Her eyes widened as she put it on and dropped to her knees. Before Gabrielle could react, she drove that strap on into her tight pussy. Gabrielle howled out in pain as the Mistress began to savagely thrust into her with no regard. "Please, stop!" she begged as her body bounced against the floor. Her lovely tits spilled out of that shelf bra in this position and her clamped nipples eagerly bounced as well. "YOU DARE TELL ME TO STOP SLUT?." Adana paused, the dildo impaled deep inside.....she reached for her smartphone and clicked it, but this time hard.... The plug was out of the girl's cunt, but the one in her ass was still in as well as her collar.....jolt after jolt surged through her, enough to make the girl flop on the floor like a fish out of water....." Don't you EVER say anything to me like that," she said, then continued fucking her while leaving the current on.....this slave had to be taught a lesson.... Once Gabrielle looked exhausted and weak, Adana gave a hard tug on the chain.....coming back to the bedroom, she opened the cage door, but not before putting the girl's pussy plug back inside her. Pushing the girl inside, she reattached the leather straps to her tits and left the clamps on. Locking the door, she glared at the girl....."you will spend the rest of the day in your cage.....those tits of yours will become such a nice shade of purple and the pressure will make you feel like your nipples will burst....you will learn to keep quiet around me...." Gabrielle soon realized her terrible mistake. The electric currents began to run through her, constant and sharp. Gabrielle's was like a rag doll as she writhed from the shocks. She had difficulty screaming from it as her neck was being shocked as well. Her legs flailed on the sides of the Mistress. Gabrielle was still being fucked! And hard too, as Adana just pumped that toy in and out while she shocked her. The experience was surreal in a terrifying way. The shock in her ass seemed to time well with Adana's thrust and gave her an extra feeling of shock and awe as that long toy was buried deeply in her. It was soon over. Gabrielle panted and shivered on the ground before she was led back into the room and on her cage. She squealed when the toy was pushed back in, but not as much as when her breasts were tied again. She wanted to scream and fight, but what had just happened was terrible enough. Her breasts hadn't even recovered form the night before and were now back in that device. She yelped as the added tension of the clamps was too much. Her nipples were swollen and painfully clamped, and her breasts were swelling again, slowly turning purple as time passed. "You need to be broken," Adana said as she stooped down and gazed at the writhing body in the cage. She pulled out her phone and did something, then put it away. "I have set your electric shocks on a random set, meaning that for the rest of the day, you will have jolts going through you at any time.....also, I made an additional change. The leather straps strangling your gorgeous tits have a sliver of metal in them, meaning your boobs will also be shocked...." Ardala figured the girl's torture should only last a few more days before she was finally broken..... Just as Adana was leaving the bedroom, the first of many, many random jolts shot through the girl's ass, pussy and now her tits... The beautiful brunette breathed heavily in a state of pain and fear. She saw her pull the phone out again, and that phone never meant anything good. She told her what she did with the setting of the shocks, and she began to whimper. Furthermore, she tried not to speak, so she wouldn't be mad, but it was too much for her. As she stepped out, she felt the first jolt go through her. She screamed. It hurt a lot more this time, since it shocked her painfully sore tits already. The new few hours were maddening and painful. Shock after shock made her scream until her throat was too sore to scream, and instead she just groaned in pain. Her beautiful tits were now a deep purple and her nipples throbbed painfully with each beat of her heart. Vicky came past the bedroom and stopped just long enough to hear Gabrielle's groaning in her cage. She came over, got on her knees and gazed...."aww, poor slut.....you must've pissed off our Mistress....you've only started to be tortured...." Ardala came by and saw Vicky."didn't I tell you not to enter my bedroom unless I give permission?,""yes Mistress," Vicky replied, "I just happen to hear sounds, so I checked up on her...." Ardala shocked her head. "That didn't give you permission.....alright, take off your bra and panties and stand here...." The woman returned with a cage on wheels and parked it alongside Gabrielle."get inside and in a crouching position...." Vicky entered without question, angling her ass up. Adana shoved a huge dildo up her ass, then secured the base to the cage wall, then tied a rope around the girl's waist so she couldn't pull out. Attaching an identical set of titty strangling straps like Gabrielle had on, she tightened them." Now, you two behave.... I'll check up on you in 4 hours...." In that uncomfortable position and cage, Gabrielle felt like she was in hell. The moment she saw Vicky get yelled at almost made her feel a little bit better. Terribly, it was the best thing she had felt since she got here because now someone else would suffer. Instead, Vicky seemed to take it rather relaxed as she stripped and got into the cage. With her sore tits and nipples, Gabrielle still turned to see what would happen. Her eyes shot wide open when she saw the Mistress shove that huge dildo up her ass. She shuddered as her own ass was still very sore from what had happened the night before. Now the two slaves were tied up and bound, each with their own punishment as they were tormented like that for hours. Both girls waited until Adana left the room, then Vicky started squirming and whimpering....."shit," she said, wincing...." I shouldn'tthe checked up on you.... Mistress loves reaming my ass...." Vicky tried to squirm but another 4" of dildo still stuck out of her ass...."a word of warning bitch," she said...."don't ever try to push a dildo out or else she'll take revenge.... God, this is a huge one...." Ardala sat back in her private den, glass of wine in hand, watching her 2 naked slaves. She already planned on fucking both of them in a few hours, but instead she got an idea. Picking up her phone, she called up a friend...." This is Adana..... I'd like to treat you and your friends to a live sex show this evening. Yeah, go ahead and get hold of Lacey and tell her I want to do a cam feed on this...." There was still a sense of shock and error within Gabrielle as she watched at how casual Vicky was being about all of this. Even as she herself was a victim of a painful sexual torture from their mistress. The idea of the woman taking revenge was horrifying enough as it was, but this was something else. After everything that had happened to her already, what did revenge look like to a woman like her? From a distance, she could see the mistress drinking wine and chatting with someone on the phone. Gabrielle was still in so much pain. Her nipples were a deep, deep purple from the clamps and breast bondage and her own tits were also a dark shade of purple. The shocks that went through her were still driving her mad while Vicky struggled with the giant dildo in her ass. Adana returned and watched intently as her two slaves whimpered and struggled. Without speaking, she took out her smartphone and clicked on the app, sending waves of electrical voltage surging through both girl's tits....again, and again she shocked them until they both almost passed out...."you two are going to be internet celebrities," she said laughing..... There was a doorbell ringing downstairs. "Good, we're going to start soon," she said, getting up. A few minutes later, 2 men entered the bedroom dressed only in black leather short shorts....."no worry," she reassured her slaves....."these two are my muscle only....what I have planned for you two should be worrisome enough...." The two huge men took the girls out of the cages and carried them downstairs to the basement dungeon. Already, there was a video camera mounted on a tripod, a couple lights and a handful of women, mostly wearing lingerie or bikinis. The girls were gagged and forced to stand up while their arms were pulled up high over their heads, then tied to a beam on the ceiling. Their legs were spread apart and spreader bars attached to their ankles..... Ardala let them both struggle and wriggle for a while, fear in their eyes...." The video is on, let's give the world a good show, shall we?," she said....."we're hooked directly by computer to one of my favorite hardcore bondage sites, 'Bondage.com'....." Ardala took off the girl's clamps and breast ties and butt plugs, then turned to one of the women and nodded her head. The woman went to a counter, grabbed a strap on harness with a huge menacing 14" long, 3" wide dildo hanging from the middle and cinched the harness around her waist. She went straight to Vicky and grabbed her by the waist, plunging the monster rubber cock deep in her cunt.....the slave screamed through her gag as the women attacked like a ravenous hound, then after a minute pulled out, went over to Gabrielle and raped her....back and forth she went, the girl's muffled screams and groans echoing in the room, the camera not missing a thrust, close-ups of their pussies being plowed, more close-ups of the look of fear and agony on their faces..... Eventually, their mistress returned to face them, only to send another painful shock through their busty and now sore tits. It almost looked like as if Gabrielle's tits were about to pop from the constricted blood flow and all the torment that they had received. She wanted to ask what Adana asked, but was scared as to what the punishment would be if she spoke. The shocks came one after the other before they were so weak that they almost passed out, but they were kept awake. Instead, two strange men picked them after freeing them from their bondage and carried them to the basement. There were so many people there that it made the newly crowned slave feel incredibly exposed and award. They were hanged from the ceiling and their legs were spread apart by spreader bars which only made Gabrielle feel more anxious. Their mistress came over and undid the straps and clamps, finally letting her breasts rest and afterward removed that massive plug in Vicky's ass, but what happened next was terrible. Gabrielle's eyes widened as she saw that massive dildo approach and then Vicky....poor Vicky as Vicky was fucked rabidly with it. Even the trained slave seemed in agony, but Gabrielle was not prepared... When the woman came up, Gaby flailed as she tried to escape, but there was no escape. The woman forced that massive dildo into her tight pussy and began to fuck her violently. She bounced inn the chains, her sore and purple tits flailing freely and painfully. She screamed and screamed as that dildo felt like it was going to split her pussy from being so large and going in dry. The cameras zooming in on her face with tears and onto her pussy making it all worse. The two girls screamed and groaned as they shook, their bodies swaying back and forth as they still managed to put up a feeble but useless struggle, the cameras zooming in to show saliva dripping from their ball gagged mouths. The 2-foot-long massive dildo on the woman's harness was doing some serious abuse to her slave's cunts as they moaned in agony, the camera once again focusing on the length disappearing inside of them as they fought....."you know," their Mistress said as her friend continued raping them....."most of the shit you see on those bondage and raping sites are phony.....all of this however is real, something horny men will pay good money to watch...." She wondered how Vicky and Gabrielle felt about all that, the fact that their torture was now on a pay per view BDSM site.... Mercifully the woman finally pulled out and took off the harness. As their Mistress nodded, another woman walked over to a wall, took a black leather whip and strutted over to them. She was wearing a black latex corset and panties, an evil grin on her face..... She started out lightly at first, whipping the girl's tits over and over then walking behind them and did the same to their asses. Over and over she struck, the girl's bodies swaying back and forth. Saving the best for last, she whipped their exposed pussies..... It seemed the more the girls struggled and squealed the more they were whipped.... The woman stopped, laid the whip on the counter then walked up to Gabrielle. "you're the sexiest slave Adana ever had," she whispered, locking her lips over the girl's poor tortured nipples and began sucking.... The two slaves were in a state of total agony. Even Vicky who was surprisingly comfortable with everything that had been happening earlier was having a rough time with what was happening. Was this the first time it was done to her? Or was this something that Vicky never really enjoyed? Regardless, the two didn't exactly have much time to think as they were painfully fucked again and again by that massive strap on. The drool dripped from their mouths and coated their chin, some even dropping onto Gabrielle's lovely tits as her body bounced from the fucking. Her pussy felt like it was going to be split in two as the camera focused on the look of pain and agony on her face. The mistress told them that people were paying to watch them be tortured like this, and it felt so shocking that anyone would do that. Thankfully, the dildo was pulled out, and the women dangled there as they wanted. It wouldn't last long, as soon another woman came over and began to whip them. The woman wasn't whipping her tits too hard, but her tits were already brutally sore and swollen from the last day and earlier, so it felt extra painful. She writhed, panting as then her plump little ass was whipped, leaving those streaks on her ass and finally her exposed pussy. The muffled screaming really got going then, but it didn't last too long. Finally, the woman came back to the hanging Gabrielle who twitched and flinched as she got close. She spoke those words as if they were supposed to be a sense of pride that she should be thankful for before starting to suck on her poor, tortured nipple. She yelped out loudly. The constant torture of her nipple had made her breasts and nipples very swollen and painfully sensitive, so when the woman began to suck on it, it actually sent multiple sharp sensations throughout her body. Adana started receiving text messages from viewers, hundreds of them that have subscribed to the live sex torture show on the .com website....both slaves would never again have a totally private life as every inch of their naked bodies were now exposed and visible to any subscriber that had a laptop, monitor or even a smartphone. Vicky had been Adana's first slave and was used daily, often up to 10 times a day and when she first protested it resulted in being strung up by her tits without her feet touching the floor and hung for days. She had been used anally as often as vaginally but after a while she was broken totally and willingly submitted. Both girls looked over at each other, gagged, moaning with tears in their eyes as the sexual agony continued. Yet another woman came over wearing another strap on, a 10-inch dong swaying from the middle. She got behind Gabrielle, grabbed her by the waist and without benefit of lube, rammed the dildo deep in her tight ass with one lunge, raping her ass over and over, her body swaying with the thrusts..... Vicky didn't remain untouched as the woman pulled out and violated her ass as well....from one slave to the other she went, 5...6...7 thrusts then went to the other...Finally, she pulled out, went to the counter and cleaned the tool. Adana came up to her slaves, slapping Gabrielle's tits...."you two were just being opened a little," she explained...."you need to be prepped...." The girls were turned back to back while a woman brought over a massive pole, 4 feet long, 4 inches wide with huge menacing dildos on each end. She rammed one end deep in Vicky's ass, the other end in Gabrielle, then to cause them further agony, took rope, tied one end around Vicky's waist and then around Gabrielle. Slowly she pulled on the rope, pulling the girls closer and closer together, the rod slowly impaling them....the more they struggled, the more the rope was pulled....the girls came closer together, inch by inch as the rod violated them.... It seemed that this day was becoming worse and worse than anything else that Gabrielle had already experienced. If she knew what was coming, she would have been happy with that painful pussy fucking when she got a taste of what was coming. Another woman came over with another strap on. It was smaller than the other one, but still large, but that was when it happened. Gabrielle couldn't tell what was happening, but the woman grabbed her lovely hips and suddenly rammed the dry dildo deep into her plump, tight little ass. Gabrielle's eyes shot wide open as she screamed from the sudden anal penetration. The camera would enjoy the tears running down her cheeks as her lovely body bounced as her ass was fucked. The woman suddenly pulled out and did the same to Vicky before coming back and doing it to her. Gabrielle's face was a deep red from the pain of such a brutal ass fucking, but little did she know that was the easy part. Adana came forward and slapped her bruised tits, making her writhe once more as she whimpered. Her eyes widened at the Mistress' words before they turned them back to back. They dangled there until they were bent over a bit. Gabrielle's heart was pounding rapidly as she couldn't figure out what was happening, but then she felt it. Adana shoved the other end of that pole right up her ass and made her scream like never before. The tears and sweat covered her face and body while they were tied together. With each pull of the rope, it drove the dildo deeper and deeper into her ass, painfully stretching her and making her bend over more. The tears wouldn't stop as she continued to let her muffled screams loose, the spit drooling a lot more now too. Her toes curled harshly into herself as she tried to cope. The girls couldn't see each other's faces as they stood suspended back to back, but from the way Vicky was howling through her gag, Adana was sure Gabrielle knew they were both in agony......as they were forced to fuck each other's asses, Vicky started to show some kind of dripping, and right away Adana knew what it was.... Vicky was having an anal orgasm!! Sure enough, Vicky began trembling, her body stiffened and even gagged her shrill scream was loud....she came again from her ass.... After 2 more hours of torture, Adana came over and inspected her slaves. "Take them down," she ordered, "but lay them on the floor on their bellies and tie their hands behind them and bind their feet. If we torture them too much longer they might start to bleed...." As the girls were taken down, laid on the floor and bound, the crowd of women all left except for one."how many people paid for the show tonight?," she asked the woman. "1,224," the woman replied, pointing to the screen."excellent," Adana said, smiling...."these two sluts will make us rich...." The woman left, leaving Adana alone in the room with her two slaves, bound gagged and whimpering." Now then you two," she said, going to the counter and bringing over some equipment....."this won't be filmed....this enjoyment will be mine alone...." She took two butt plugs and rammed them deep in the girl's asses. They weren't long but very large in diameter, at least 5–6 inches wide. Enjoying the screams as she drilled the plugs deep, she attached wires to the base of the plugs.... Reaching over to the power box she laid between them, she switched on the power and slowly turned a dial.....the plugs were electrified and jolts of current poured into the girl's asses. Making them flop around like fish out of water.... The tugging and agony of trying to find relief was a nightmare. That was when they realized that it was designed so that for one person to get relief, it forced the massive dildo deeper into the other's ass. It was a painful and terrible experience, but eventually Vicky somehow managed to orgasm from it. Gabrielle found no release as this nightmare continued for two more hours before they were finally taken down. They were placed down on the floor face down, tied hands and bound feet. Neither of them were speaking. They were absolutely exhausted as they panted. Gabrielle was sure that she would not be able to walk properly for a few days. It seemed like the show was over. The people left and ignored them like trash while Adana spoke to someone. She heard about the money they made and it made her stomach turn. Once more, their mistress was left alone with the two slaves. She thought that it as over, but then Ar dale came back. She couldn't see what she had, but she soon felt something even more. A massive plug was forced into her ass which made her scream out again as it was inserted. Thankfully it wasn't deep, but it only got worse.... The plugs sent massive jolts into her and Vicky's ass. Her muscles locked up as she screamed through her gag, flailing as much as she could in agony. Both girls flopped, twisted and bounced on the floor as the current flowed through their bodies....."amazing device, isn't it?," Adana said smiling....." Hell, I don't even have to put clamps on your tits or dildos in your cunts....these toys in your asses will keep you bouncing for hours...." Minute after minute the torture continued.....finally 2 agonizing hours passed before Adana pulled out their plugs and unplugged the wires. "Time for bed," she said, untying their feet but keeping their hands tied....tying a rope around their waists and keeping them together, she led them upstairs back to the bedroom where the oversized birdcages were waiting for them. While the girls were downstairs, Adana modified the cages, installing wooden benches in them with a foot long, 4-inch wide dildo suction cup mounted in the middle, handcuffs dangling from the top of the cage." Now, keep quiet while I sleep," she said, pushing them into their cages and climbing in with each of them to make sure they sat on the benches.....the dildos were lightly lubed and slid easily into the girl's asses despite the wide width. She took their arms up and secured their wrists to the cuffs, locked the cage doors, took off her clothes and slid under the sheets....within minutes she was sound asleep....the girls were both left untagged for the night....their owner had said she liked the sounds of her captives moaning as she slept.... The shear agony continued. The jolts were so terrible that at one point Gabrielle was hoping that she died. This was the first real day of her new life and she must wanted it to end. When it was actually done, they were slowly led to the room. There were new cages new set up with a terrifying dildo sticking out from Gabrielle pleaded with Adana not to put her in there, but it didn't matter. Adana let the poor girl inside and made her sit on it. Gabrielle gasped as she was forced to have her ass filled with it. She couldn't get the whole thing in, but it was terrible enough and it forced her open. She was locked in there Vicky, never able to relax to sleep, but never being able to get the toy out. Adana slept so well, but Gaby just spent the night groaning in misery. Adana woke up stretching and yawning. Yesterday was a great day and today would be just as busy. She got up, put on a robe without closing it and walked over to the cages.....both slaves were out, their heads slumped forward, arms stretched above their heads, their wrists attached to the cuffs.... She looked closely at Gabrielle. Furthermore, she still had a few inches protruding from her ass, but both girls were well anchored." Good morning my sluts!," she chirped, shaking the cages, listening to the chorus of moans. Adana opened the cages, undid the cuffs and helped the girls off of the benches, the dildos making a plopping noise as they exited their asses. She undid the cuffs from the top of the cages but left them on their wrists, then let her exhausted slaves fall on the floor. Locking the bedroom door---even though she knew in their weakened state there was no way they could escape---she went to the kitchen, took out some dog bowls and mixed up some oatmeal, then brought them back to the bedroom. Placing the bowls in front of them, she made them kneel, their hands still cuffed behind them and eat only with their mouths." Eat up sluts," she said...."we have a busy day ahead of us...." She watched them eat for a while.....once the bowls were empty, she attached a long leash to Vicky's collar, then attached another from her to Gabrielle, hooking them together."alright slaves, time to get you two some sun....." She yanked hard on Vicky's leash, pulling her up. "Stay on all fours," she commanded...."you will stand only when I tell you...." She led them outside to the backyard. It had a high brick wall and an iron gate at one end, designed so no one could see through it. There were two men doing gardening work at the time..... Ardala looked over at the men, then down at her slaves."before you two get any ideas, those men have been employed by me for years and have been well paid not to pay attention to anything that goes on here," she cautioned them. "So don't get any ideas that they would help you escape..." Taking a long metal rod, she motioned for one of the men to come over, then pointed at the rod. The man seemed to know already what she wanted, then took a hammer and drove the rod into the ground and left. Adana clipped Vicky's leash to the rod, leaving her slaves out on the lawn connected to each other while she went inside and got breakfast..... The night was long and difficult. Gabrielle couldn't sleep for what felt like ages. Every time she moved, she felt that dildo buried so painfully deep in her ass and she didn't know what to do with herself. Eventually she passed out, surrendering to the dildo in her ass. The next morning, she was jolted awake in shock by what the loud rattling of her cage. Gabrielle started to whimper and moan, but thankfully finally being released from the agony. She and Vicky just fell on the floor, unable to do much due to all the exhaustion. Adana came back with some food and Gaby was so tired that she didn't even really fight the food. She leaned down and ate it weakly before they were leashed and let out. The girls crawled on all fours until they were in the backyard where they were posted on the ground. Naked and weak, Gabrielle lied on the grass, trying to rest now that she was in relative comfort. One of the male gardeners turned and watched as Adana went into the house. "Let me know when she comes back outside," he whispered and both men quietly went over to where the girls were laying, sprawled out on the lawn. Quickly, they both took rags and bandanas and gagged Gabrielle and Vicky, pinning them down to keep them from struggling while both men pulled down their pants and began raping them.... Both slaves moaned and squealed through the dirty rags as they were both violated, still painful from their last fucking...... Ardala came out from the kitchen in time to see her slaves being violated. Fetching a whip, she ran outside...."YOU BASTARDS!!! I TRUSTED YOU!!! GET AWAY FROM MY SLAVES!!!" The two men got up and were clumsily trying to get their pants on while Adana whipped them both, again and again, making sure she hit their cock and balls before they had a chance to flee...." Get off of my property!," she yelled....." If I ever see you again, I'll kill you both!" Ardala stood there beside her whimpering slaves, watching over them like a mother cat with her kittens, glaring at the men as they exited. Of course, she could torture and fuck her girls....after all, they were her property, but no one else could without permission, and CERTAINLY NO MEN..... She quickly undid the front leash and motioned for the girls to get up. Yes, this time they would both stand instead of crawling....she wanted to get them inside as quickly as possible, both to make sure the men weren't hiding and because she wanted to flush the men's seed out of their bodies....." Get into the bathroom and stay there," she ordered, led them in and locked the door. After checking to make sure the men were no longer on the premises, she came back to the bathroom with an enema bag. Going to the bathroom cupboard, she got a couple bottles of a douching solution and filled the bag. She started off with Gabrielle, making her sit in the tub while she put the hose in her vagina and filled her up, Vicky still whimpering....when it looked like Gabrielle was swollen, she opened the valve and drained her."stay where you are," she ordered Gabrielle while she prepped Vicky, but the leash connecting the girls made escape impossible anyway.... Once satisfied that her slaves were emptied of cum, she brought them back upstairs and put them back in their cages.... The rest that girls had was short-lived. Gabrielle had actually fallen asleep rather quickly since she was so exhausted from everything that happened the night before combined with the lack of sleep that the recently captured girl had experienced. In fact, she was so tired that she didn't even mind the men seeing her naked and falling asleep in front of them. However, she would soon learn that that was a terrible idea. Suddenly, she was awoken to some sort of rancid rag being forced into her mouth before being gripped. The next was absolutely painful as one of the men forced himself into her. He wasn't fucking her ass, but she was still so sore from everything that even this felt painful. She was trying to scream and writhe, but the gags were doing a pretty good job at making sure that their screams were muffled. Believe it or not, Gabrielle was soon thankful that she heard the sound of Adana's voice. It boomed with anger as she ran in with her whip and lashed at the men. Both her and Vicky were just whimpering in pain before Adana grabbed their leashes and brought them into the house rapidly. Soon, they found themselves in a bathroom before Adana had Gabrielle get in first. Gabrielle winced and whimpered as Adana forced the house up her pussy and filled her up. She whined and sobbed through the whole process, swelling a bit before Adana finished cleaning her out. The poor slave watched the same done to Vicky before they were put back in their cages. Gabrielle looked like she passed out from everything again once she was back in her cage... Adana sat on the side of her bed watching her two caged beauties as they finally napped. It was still around noon, but the recent ordeal had left both girls exhausted. Their owner had now decided that the girls would be in danger of let outside again until she rehired a new pair of groundskeepers and this time she decided they would have to be hetero females. In the meantime she had other plans. While the girls slept, she prepared the lactation serum she had stocked long before. Creeping silently to the cages, she quickly injected the chemical in both slaves just under their right breasts. The years spent on Google and in particular the forced lactation sites have paid off....she managed to purchase enough of the hormone to force Gabrielle and Vicky into milk producers. There were a couple of things she would have to use as well, however. While the girls were out, she went downstairs, unlocked a door and turned on the lights. The room was empty except for 2 machines side by side...they stood about 3 feet tall and was padded on top. 2 hoses stuck out in the front of both machines and leather straps installed. After she decided the girls had enough sleep, she went to Gabrielle's cage and unlocked the door. Before she had a chance to make a sound, she ball gagged the girl and dragged her downstairs and into the secret room. Hoisting her on top, she scooted the girl in place, quickly strapped her down on her belly. Gabrielle had the hoses glued to her nipples with additional straps wrapped around her tits to keep them sticking out straight. The straps were around her waist, ankles and feet to make moving impossible." You and Vicky have been injected with a lactation hormone to force your tits to produce milk," she explained. "The two of you have been sufficiently broken, and I see no reason to hurt you any further. It will be painful however for a while you are being sucked because your tits are still dry. After a while, say, maybe a week or so you will produce. Your tits will of course swell, and you will both be at least 3 to 4 breast sizes larger...." Ardala switched on the machine and the hoses began pulling on the girl's nipples, stretching them at least 4 inches, letting go then pulling again. The suction making a chugging sound along with the moaning of her slave. Vicky was dragged downstairs not long after, and she too was strapped down and struggling." The first few hours are the hardest," Adana said, "so you will be kept gagged. Afterward I'll take them out...."

The Dark Chamber Awaits....(DangerousDanielle and SanguineDoll)|rating:1.0

Mandatory Fantasy Fun! (Backlash84 & Brittlby)

It had all started off when she saw that damn ad. “Play the most immersive new game on the market!” Well, they certainly got that right! Elizabeth, or she supposed more accurately, the character she had created, “Kerosene”, now stood outside the open city gates of Riverdale, the medieval fantasy setting of the game the ad had been promoting, although at the moment it certainly didn’t feel like a game. The sun was shining down on her, a cool summer breeze swept through the grass, the smell of hay and horse from the nearby stables wafting over. It felt like she was in the real world… or at least, a highly accurate medieval renaissance free. A little blue mote of energy whizzed around her, speaking in it’s relentlessly cheery voice. “Welcome to the kingdom of Ethnic, or more precisely, the trade port city of Riverdale. Here is where you will start your adventure! Your goal is simple, find The Gem of Anton, an evil artifact that grants the one who possesses it the power to manipulate shadows, command demons, as well as eternal life! But it does so at a terrible cost… as the user must make regular human sacrifices to the gem, or else be completely consumed by it themselves! You have information that indicates the person currently in possession of the gem resides in this city… but as for who it might be, nobody knows!” Which was just perfect… the little sprite had already informed her when she first got sucked into the game that the only way out was to finish the main quest, and it seemed that it wasn’t going to be a straight forward task. The little blue light drifted over to her shoulder. “I’ll be here to provide you with information about the world around you as it becomes pertinent to your situation, as well as answer questions that you might have. Keep in mind though, that only you can see or hear me, and I cannot give you information that your character wouldn’t already know! With that said, I suggest you take a look around! The city is a big place, with plenty of places to explore! There is the market district, the slums, the noble estates, the church, and the castle! Although you won’t be allowed in there without the proper paperwork! Outside the city walls there are the forests, a few farms, the river, and the graveyard!” Seemingly done with its speech, the small mote of energy went silent, waiting patiently on her shoulder. (was still groggy and confused after being pulled in to the world behind the menu screen. To say that she was confused would be an understatement. The overly energetic tone of her guide was not helping matters in the slightest while she tried to wrap her head around the situation“I wasn’t even done with the character creation menu yet!” She protested to the little blue dot that was giving her way too much exposition after she had just woken up in this new world. At the word menu, a slightly translucent black screen popped up into existence in front of Elizabeth, “I’m sorry, bug but could you repeat that whole thing?” While her glowing guide went over the basics one more time, Elizabeth tinkered with the appearance settings, “Facial tattoos? Black… Louis, creepy glowing eyes!” She began playing with the sliders, going through a handful of hairstyles before deciding on a long platinum blond one that struck her as particularly even. Elizabeth finished off the face with high cheek bones and big lips, before moving further down the list. Beth clicked on body type “voluptuous” and felt her back arch forward under the additional weight as a pair of porn star breasts magicked themselves onto her frame. She pulled the slider back closer to “body type: athletic”, breathing a sigh of relief as her unforgiving leather armor gave her room for air. Now Elizabeth thought she was looking more like a “Kerosene” as she added a green hooded cloak and kept one spooky glowing eye. The pixie had finished repeating itself by this point, and Kerosene nodded sagely to her guide, “Let’s try the market!” The elf could see on the menu she had a little pocket money on her and maybe, just maybe she could get a cheap magical item to give her a boost or some specialty arrows. She continued to mess with her stats while they walked, poking at the menu only she could see, “Looks…. High. Agility… High. Strength…HHH, Low. Magic… Medium. Sight… Medium. Intelligence… no more points?” Kerosene snorted irritably while selecting Low.“As if anyone would believe that?” She muttered to herself a moment before tripping over a wooden crate and flopping face forward into the grass. Moaning as she shakily pulled herself back up to her feet, Kerosene waved the menu out of her vision so she could actually see where she was walking. As she continued on towards the market, it occurred to her, she hadn’t asked, “What’s your name again, Bug? As Elizabeth… or she supposed she was now Kerosene… made her way down the city streets she would see plenty of humans of all shapes and sizes, but only a few elves here and there, no doubt due to the fact that they were in a mostly human kingdom. As she reached the market district she would notice that fifty copper didn’t seem to buy you much… most prices for anything better than the equipment she already had was in silver coins, the equivalent to 100 copper pieces. It seemed that if she wanted to buy anything particularly useful, she was going to have to find a way to make some coin in this strange new city. Mezolene would also see a few interesting storefronts as she made her way through the village. There was a bakery, a blacksmith, a woodworker, a tavern called “The Drunken Mule”, and even an apothecary. Also, at the end of the market district, between the cheaper stalls and the slums, stood the massive form of the local church. While everything else around it looked rather dingy, the churches white stone walls stood gleaming, seeming out of place among its surroundings. Not too far away, the front gates to the outer walls of the castle area were firmly sealed shut, with guards standing at attention. In between the castle gates and the church stood a gallows, it’s noose hanging empty and waiting, as if serving as a reminder to all who saw it what was waiting for those who broke the kings rules. As Kerosene spoke to the sprite it suddenly perked up, glowing a little brighter in response to her question. “I don’t really have a name, but you can always assign me one if you’d like! Either way, I can always tell whether you are directing questions at me, and will respond to them regardless if you address me by a title or not!” The little blue ball of light replied cheerfully. (“… Bug it is!” Kerosene exclaimed, offering the little mote a thumbs up much to the confusion of the NPCs passing her in the street. She stopped by the blacksmith’s shop, eyeing the gear hungrily, like a child fogging up the window glass at a candy store. Each piece of equipment seemed to shimmer when she stared at it, a hazy stat block appearing next to it along with the price. Somewhere around the fifth time she recounted her money, Kerosene glared at Bug and whined petulantly, “Did they really send me out on an adventure to save the kingdom with fifty cents? Am I supposed to thwart the villain with a package of chewing gum?” Kerosene felt her long ears grow warm with the sheer fury at the thought. Didn’t they know who she was?!? It looked like if she was going to save the kingdom, she was going to have to subsidize herself. Giving the +10 magic corset one last longing look, she started off towards the “Drunken Mule”, looking it up on her mini map. It seemed like the most likely place where the developers would have hidden a bulletin board or a chatty barkeep with jobs. The little mote of energy seemed to chirp happily at its new name. "I will henceforth respond to the name, Bug!" The little glowing puff ball replied energetically. When the topic of her finances came up, the little mote continued to speak in its cheery tone. "Earning coin is part of the fun! There are many ways to make currency in game, from getting a regular job, offering your services to others, crafting, gathering resources, and even theft! But be careful, as the guards are always carry of thieves, and although dying isn't permanent, it is highly unpleasant!" As she started to make her way towards The Drunken Mule, Bug continued to speak. "Fifty copper is actually considered a decent amount to carry around. Your average meal is between five and ten copper, an ale or mead is two, and a night at the inn is ten! However, crafting equipment, especially those with magical benefits, takes a considerable amount of time and money! Most people cannot afford anything with enchantments, and even relatively simple tools are considered an investment. Your hunting knife for example is worth five silver, or ten times your current amount!" It didn't take long for her to find The Drunken Mule. It was in the market district, between the shops and the stalls, and represented a sort of "middle ground" between the slums and the middle class part of town. Even the poor could afford to get some ale after a hard day work, and the middle class loved nothing more than to spend the evening singing and drinking the night away. As she walked into the tavern she would see it was fairly large, and a little run-down. The place was clean, but the floorboards were heavily stained and creaked with every step. The furniture was worn looking, but comfortable, definitely more of a relaxed atmosphere than say a fancy restaurant. Since it was fairly early in the dark, the tavern was mostly empty. That said, there were a few patrons milling about, drinking their drinks, a few people playing cards at a nearby table. The barkeep looked up as she walked in, giving her a polite nod. He was a fairly average looking man, bald, with a tall, muscular build. He had the kind of face where he could have been in his early thirties, or even his mid-fifties... it was impossible to tell for certain. Furthermore, he wore a heavy leather apron over an old, worn looking white linen shirt. Clean, but rugged looking. "Can I get you anything?" He asked, gesturing to a menu on the wall where only a few items were listed. Ale/Mead: 2 copper. Stew: 4 copper. Steak and potatoes: 8 copper. (was of the opinion that ale was for celebration, especially as broke as she was. In fact, she was about to forgo anything when the scents from the kitchen wafted past her nose and her stomach snarled up at her. Having only had the body for about an hour, she was still getting used to it, like a pair of jeans that were fresh from the laundry and still a little too tight. Her eyesight was much better, and she was a good six inches taller than she was used to. Accommodating that had distracted her from how absolutely hollow her tummy was.“Talk about immersive…”“What?” The barkeep asked as if he’d misheard. Kerosene coughed demurely before speaking up, “I’ll have the stew please!” As he left to fetch her lunch, Kerosene wondered if she was supposed to have an accent or be acting more in character at this point. This was made more difficult given that she hadn’t exactly decided on a character yet. Maybe she should make up a backstory… or did she already have one? She decided she’d ask the Bug when she wasn’t in a crowded room. As her food arrived, she forced her snarling guts to wait a little longer as she called out to the host, “Hey! I mean… thank you! But also, hey! I am new to the city and was hoping to find work of some kind! Do you know where I might earn some coin?” The barkeep nodded, taking her order and returning a few moments later with a deep clay bowl filled with a thick, warm stew with a wooden spoon. The bowls contents seemed to be whatever the barkeep had handy. There were carrots, potatoes, bits of beef and pork. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was warm and filling, and didn’t taste half bad either, just a simple, homemade meal. Upon hearing her question the barkeep considered her for a moment. “Well, I suppose that all depends on the kinda work you’re looking to do… if you’re any good with that bow, the forest has plenty of game worth hunting, and the butcher is always looking for fresh meat. I heard tale of bandits stalking the main road into town, demanding tolls from merchants to let them pass… not exactly a job, but if they were to go missing, I doubt anyone would complain… that said, you’d probably want some backup with you before taking them on.” He admitted, wiping down the bar as he continued to speak. “Of course, if you’re looking for less… legal work, Shifty over there is the one to talk to.” He said, gesturing over to the table of men playing cards, in particular to a man in a dark brown tunic with a dagger on his hip, foot bouncing in place as he looked over his cards, stroking his scruffy chin.“There is one more job… although it takes a certain kinda person to do it. Probably won’t be of interest to you…” The barkeep seemed to weigh his words carefully. “There’s this place, an establishment of sorts… sorta like this, but fancier. They cater to clients who enjoy spending time with attractive young women. They’re always looking for new girls to serve drinks, chat with customers…. The tips are good, although it’s very hush, hush… nobleman and merchants tend to frequent the place, and they like their privacy.” The man reached under the bar, taking out a small piece of parchment with some writing on it, including an address. Snug Harcourt place for those seeking fine drinks, fine company, and fine companionship. Although the barkeep hadn’t out-and-out said it, it was clear from the name and the way he spoke that he was talking about a brothel. “The bar maids do pretty well, and they don’t have to do much in the way of… entertaining. Just be personable.” He explained, not wanting her to be offended. (sampled the stew as demurely as her empty stomach would allow her while the helpful fellow behind the bar outlined the available quests. Which is to say, she devoured it, emptying the bowl by the time the keeper had gotten to the part where he mentioned Shifty and his “less legal” work. She had already decided against hunting, the bandits sounding much more interesting… except she didn’t know anyone in the town yet. The last thing she needed was to get killed by a horde of bandits on her first quest line. Kerosene was hoping her first death would be at the hands of a tough boss or something, although more likely it would be due to her screwing up on a jumping puzzle. The elf turned back, leaning in close as the barkeep offered the last job in a conspiratorial tone. Even though he’d taken great care not to offend her, she felt her cheeks flush and Kerosene insisted aghast, “I don’t know what kind of… elf you think I am, but that’s totally out of the question!” She counted out her coins huffily, before turning towards Shifty’s table. Kerosene made it two steps before she realized that in all fairness, she didn’t know what kind of elf she was EITHER at this point in the game. She turned up her nose and turned around sharply, “B-but just in case, let me go ahead and hold onto that!” She pocketed the parchment and sheepishly bow her head, “Thank you for your help!” And made a beeline towards “Shifty”. The closer she got, the worse of an idea it seemed. Scruffy looking with beady little eyes, he looked half like a bandit himself to her. Maybe the smart thing to do would be to take some of the less dangerous “role-play” work and make a little bit of pocket change so she could better equip herself. Besides, she was going to need to get some contacts among the nobles anyway if she was going to get access to the rest of town. By the time she’s made it to Shifty’s table, Kerosene had decided to keep right on walking. Furtively once she stepped out of the Drunken Mule, she checked the address one more time before heading towards the Snug Harbor. The barkeep held up his hands defensively at her reaction. "Meant nothing by it ma'am." He said, although he did notice she kept the card... not that it made much difference to him. As she made her way past Shifty's table he looked her up and down appraising, eyes following her as she made her way out the door. It didn't take her long to reach her destination, although it was a bit confusing at first, as there was no sign in sight to indicate the "Snug Harbor" was anywhere near here... the address seemed to be that of a fine china shop. Pottery of different shapes and styles sat in display cases, all of which looked as delicate as they were expensive. A middle-aged women in modest dress stood behind the counter, looking up as she came in. She looked just as elegant and refined as the merchandise she sold, wearing a black and white dress with matching corset, her ink black hair done in an intricately braided bun." Hello my dear... I take it you are looking for something?" She asked, stepping out from behind the counter. "No matter what it is you are looking for, I am confident I can be of service..." She said. The women intense green eyes had a knowing look to them, and something told Kerosene that despite the shops' appearance, she had found the right place. The woman noticed the piece of parchment she carried and smiled. "Ahhh, John sent you our way, did he? Just lovely... I take it you are looking for work? Or perhaps just seeking to unwind? Although men do tend to make up the bulk of our clientele, my girls and shy about entertaining other women... although we do have a few men on staff, if that is what you prefer." She said, her voice smooth and seductive despite her rather modest attire. (felt a little out of place in her “adventuring” gear, like a proverbial bull in a China shop. For a moment she was tempted to double-check the map, until the shopkeeper’s demeanor changed. There was an awkward moment of indecision as Kerosene realized this is usually the part where she would pause the game and go online to see if this was a bad idea or not. Unfortunately, there was no sneaking a peek at the walkthrough here, and so she was going to have to shoot from the hip and hope for the best.“Yes ma’am! My name is…” still fresh to the name she paused while trying to remember it, “Kerosene and I AM looking for work!” Internally, she had to remind herself it was just a game, something in the voice and gaze of the modest woman with her piercing green eyes making Kerosene feel self-conscious. Her heart beat nervously, not entirely sure how she felt about being sized up by the woman. Unable to keep her mouth shut, she continued after an only a moment of silence between them, “I’m not really a… you know. I’m a wandering adventurer, you see! I’ve never really done this sort of work before.” Upon blurting that out, she was unsure if that helped or hurt her case for employment. She tried to rationalize it to herself that the worst that could happen was she was kicked out and sent to hunt squirrels. The older woman smiled at her, definitely able to sense her nervousness. "Not to worry dear... you are perfectly safe here. I founded this establishment for women after all... so that we have a safe place to apply our trade without fear..." She said, before adding. "And you are a pretty young thing... you may lack experience, but that in and of itself can be an asset to some... And being an elf makes you more exotic around these parts." She said, before taking her hand and guiding her towards a staircase to the back of the shop, leading up to the second floor of the building. Stepping through the doorway felt almost like stepping into another world. While the downstairs seemed elegant and refined, the upstairs, while still classy, seemed much more exotic. The walls were draped in silk with intricate patterns, there were booths with clients seated on cushy pillows, at tables with beautiful women dressed in fine silks draped over smooth skin, covering a fair bit while also not leaving much to the imagination. As it was still early the place wasn't exactly packed, but she could see a few men seated here and there, talking with women and enjoying their drinks. The woman in charge continued to guide her through another set of doors behind the bar to a staff only area." I am known as Madam Silk... I think you can guess as to why..." She said, gesturing to racks of silk garments lining the walls of the dressing room. "I've run this establishment for over a decade now, and I'm always looking for new talent... Now, you said you've never done this sort of work before... but I think you'll come to see that you've been doing this sort of work your whole life, in one form or another... even if you weren't getting paid for it at the time." She said with a charming smile. "This isn't a whore house my dear... yes, we provide those services, but this is first and foremost an establishment for relaxation and rejuvenation. Men don't come here just to get their rocks off, they come to be charmed by beautiful women... to feel important, to feel cared for... sex is just a small part of that experience." As she spoke she started to look through the outfits that lined the wall, running her fingers through the fabrics as she spoke. "So, tell me... just how experienced are you when it comes to the seductive arts? Surely you have some experience, no? If not, well, I certainly have clients who would be more than happy to teach you... and pay you well for your time too." She said, pulling out a green silk dress with golden thread embroidery. "Put this on and let me take a look at you... see what we have to work with." She said, clearly expecting her to strip down then and there in front of her, as there weren't exactly any private changing booths to be seen. (took the garment gingerly, laughing nervously at whether she was experienced at the seductive arts replying, as was becoming something of a habit, without thinking, “I get by! I own all Sex in the City on Blu-ray, but I’m kind of a Charlotte?” Seeing this made no headway with Madam Silk, Kerosene coughed to by herself a few moments to get into character before trying, “I’m just a little nervous, but I haven’t had any complaints when it comes to seduction!” This was technically true, but then she wasn’t entirely sure that Elizabeth’s quirky accountant’s sense of humor and eagerness to save awkward dates with the bandied of oral sex in a parked car was going to cut it for paying noblemen. The elf looked around curiously, not immediately taking the hint that this WAS the changing room. Kerosene wouldn’t typically be sheepish changing in front of another woman, but the fact this was a job interview of sorts had put her off what little game she had. But on the bright side, as she began to unbuckle her leather armor nervously, she realized that Kerosene didn’t have Elizabeth’s allergy to exercise. She ran her slim even fingers down her belly, shocked to find it was as taut and toned as a spin class instructor. No wonder her new body was so hungry… Her skin was pale and unblemished, surprisingly so for an “adventurer”, though she chalked that up to her even heritage. Kerosene’s full breasts defied gravity with a pert glee that Elizabeth only vaguely remembered from her younger years. Enjoying the gifts of her new even body, it took Kerosene a minute to realized she was probably taking too long under Silk’s watchful eye. Green was obviously her color, even if it was probably expected of an elf, and she quickly put herself to the task of getting dressed, starting to feeling a little more confident in her new and unfamiliar skin. The woman paid no mind to the nonsensical gibberish about “Blue Rays” and instead focused on what else she had to say. “Well, it is rare for men to complain about something given freely, however our customers tend to have high standards.” She said, eyes running over the young even woman’s body as she undressed. “You certainly have the physical assets for the job… but only time will tell if you have the temperament for it.” The woman then vanished for a moment, only to return with three metal pendants, each on a fine metal chain. “There are two kinds of girls who work here. Those without a pendant are eye candy only… they serve drinks, they flirt, nothing too hands. They get paid in tips, and are expected to be charming company, nothing more. Then there are girls with pendants… these girls are available for more intimate encounters. The specifics, what you are and aren’t willing to do are between you and the customer. That said, you don’t negotiate price… it’s tacky, and ruins the illusion we are going for here. Just know that whatever it is you do, you will be compensated.” She held up the pendants so she could see them more clearly. “Bronze pendants mean you are new or inexperienced, you get compensated less, but less is usually expected of you. Silver are for working girls who have established themselves as being up to my standards… and gold are for the elite few who can deliver an experience beyond the mundane.” She pocketed the gold and silver pendants. “For now, you have a choice to make. You can serve drinks, flirt, and probably go home by the end of the night with a couple silver in your pocket…” She then held out the copper pendant. “Or you can put this on, and make five times as much in the same amount of time.” She said. Ten whole silver was quite a bit of money, enough for her to get some nice new equipment in just a few shifts… but it would mean selling herself to whatever noble or merchant made her an offer. (considered the pendant for a moment, before reaching for it. Games were about escapism after all, and it wasn’t as if she was a delicate flower underneath the fresh even body. Besides, the internet had assured her that sex work was real work, especially if the money was an investment in herself. She was pretty sure they meant college or trade school when they said that, but a better kit and a few magic items would make it a lot easier to stay alive. And this also seemed like the quickest way to make inroads with the noble class… even if it wasn’t necessarily the “diplomatic” connections she had envisioned, “In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose, Madam Silk!” There was mention that she would not be able to negotiate, and Silk didn’t seem the type to give second chances. Elizabeth had done a brief stint in the service industry so she understood. The customer was always right and for that kind of money, she was relatively sure she could put her best self out there for a shift or three. The Madam smiled as she took the copper pendant. “Very good… now, just a few finishing touches…” The woman escorted her to a chair in front of a mirror, having her take a seat before starting to work on her hair. “Now remember, there is no rushing things here… you may wish to try and get through as many clients as possible in order to increase your potential payout, but it is vital that you allow the client to approach you… men see themselves as hunters, and you as the game… the chase is half the fun. You can flirt, you can charm… but he must be the one to proposition you. Understand?” Madam Silk gathered the sides of her flowing blonde hair into a simple yet elegant braid, pulling her hair back at the sides to show off her graceful neck and pointed ears. “As you get regular clients, you can adjust your approach based on their desires… but for now, let them seduce you.” Once she was finished she guided the young elf back to her feet. “Bring them drinks when requested, and when they request some time alone with you, take them up to the third floor to a private room…” She then guided her out of the dressing room and back into the main lounge area. “If you have any problems… which is unlikely, as most of our clients understand the rules… give a shout, and I will make sure things are handled accordingly… your safety is my number one concern.” She said, wanting that to be understood. With that settled, she gave the young elf a kiss on the cheek. “Good luck my dear.” With that, Kerosene was left to her own devices. That said, it didn’t take long for her to catch the eye of one of the brothels patrons. He was a man roughly in his early forties, his black hair having just a touch of gray around the temples. He had dark gray eyes and some rough stubble on his face. Furthermore, he wore expensive looking red fabrics with gold embroidery, and a gold and ruby ring on one finger that was probably worth more than most would earn in a year. Furthermore, he gestured for her to come take a seat beside him at one of the booths, flashing her a charming if predatory smile, his mind clearly already going over what he wanted to do to her once they were alone. “Well aren’t you a beautiful young flower… I haven’t seen you around here before, and I’m quite sure I would remember you if I had…” He said, flagging down one of the other girls who was carrying a tray of drinks, having her place two on the table. “Care to share a drink with me?” He asked, leaving it up to her whether she accepted his invitation. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide(( suffered a proverbial deer in the headlights' moment as she was beckoned, like an actress who forgot her lines a moment before the big scene. For some reason she had been dreading meeting the clients, fearful that her first would be a twisted and greasy monster that would haunt her memories like PTSD. She had enough of those already from Elizabeth’s stint in the real dating world. But no, this felt very much like the lead in to one of the corset-ripper books she shamefully read in private. Remembering the advice from the Madam, she smiled warmly and made her way over to the booth, “No, I haven’t had the pleasure… I have only just arrived in town today.” She wasn’t entirely certain at this point in the introduction if she was supposed to curtsy or shake his hand and simply settled for bowing her head in what she hoped could be mistaken or assumed to be an even tradition, “So far I can count the names of people I know on one hand with room to spare. My name is Kerosene Monday.” Mezolene made up the last name, hoping it sounded exotic but not weird in this setting. She reassured herself that he was probably not overly concerned with her name as she slid into the offered seat. Up close, Kerosene felt herself blush before she chastised herself. He seemed to have the ease and confidence that came with age. Even with the predatory edge to his warm smile, at this point she was fairly keen on being hunted. The man smiled at her introduction, able to sense her slight nervousness, but not seeming to mind in the slightest. "New in town? Well, I'll make sure to show you a good time then." He said with a playful grin. "My name is Lord Byron, I'm a merchant, mainly specializing in exotic gemstones." He said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she sat down, using his free hand to offer her a drink before taking a sip of his own. The cups contained a spiced wine, not too strong, but with enough kick to help whoever ingested it to relax and loosen up a bit. "What brings you to our fair city? Did you come here for work? Or perhaps we are just a temporary stop on your way somewhere else?" He asked, hand massaging her shoulder gently as he spoke. The man seemed quite confident, no doubt used to getting what he wanted... and right now, it was clear what he wanted was her. After chatting for a bit about nothing in particular, he leaned in a little closer, his breath warm on her neck as he whispered in her ear. "You know, I find you to be quite charming... perhaps you and I could spend a little time... alone together?..." He suggested, his hand took hers, and before she knew it she felt him guide it over to his lap. She felt him wrap her finger around something long and thick through his trousers, guiding her to stroke him just a little. "What do you say?..." He asked, the predatory gleam in his eyes having only grown stronger since she first sat down, his gaze filled with a hunger... and at that moment, she looked quite appetizing. (didn’t resist as he wrapped an arm around her. It had been some time since Elizabeth had received attention, and she was quickly remembering things she didn’t know she’d been missing. The warmth of his embrace made her skin come alive, and she could feel herself responding to the rich scent of the man, her senses somehow keener here than outside the game. She took a slow sip from the wine before answering honestly, “I’m here for a while yet. You’ll laugh, but I’m here to be a hero!” It sounded silly to her saying it out loud, but it was probably less of a ridiculous vocation in this world than in hers. And even if it did sound ridiculous, she doubted very much that it was her conversation that he was interested in… which suited her fine. She was still very much enjoying his attention, regardless of his motivations. As light as the fabric of her dress was, it felt hot and constricting against her skin and she knew it wasn’t just the wine that was to blame. Still, she gasped when Lord Byron moved her hand between his legs. She remembered both where she was and that that sort of boldness was to be expected, but it still took her a moment to find her words. Kerosene’s throat was dry from the shock but the rest of her certainly wasn’t. She pressed ever so gently against his length, trying to trace it out in her mind as she almost whispered in response to him, “I… think I should like that… very much.” The man smiled as she accepted his invitation. Taking her hand he guided her out of her seat and towards the staircase leading to the third floor. From there he took her down a hallway of rooms towards the nearest open one available. The inside of the room was a fairly modest one, it had a large bed, a dresser by its side which held an assortment of nicknames that one might find a use for in this situation, a wash basin and some towels, as well as a full length mirror. Once inside the man shut the door behind them, giving them some privacy. He didn't waste time, pinning her up against the nearest wall he started to kiss along the side of her neck, his hands roaming over her body without hesitation. "MMM... you know, I have always heard that even women are particularly good in bed..." He said, pulling back so he could look into her eyes. "And you look like a natural cocksucker..." He said, not shying away from the rather crude language, his arousal having risen to the point where he was beyond being coy about what he was after. She could see him untying his pants, freeing his cock from their confines so that she could see it with her own two eyes instead of just feel it blindly under a table. He was a solid eight inches in length, maybe a little longer. He had a decent thickness to him, and was certainly hard and ready for her. "How about you get on your knees and show me just how good you are?" He suggested, clearly eager to get started. (moaned against him as Lord Byron pressed her against the wall, baring her neck to his lips as his fingers ran across her body. The scratch of his stubble against her pale skin served to only excite her more and she almost struggled against him as he drew back to gaze hungrily at her. Greedy for his touch, she was reminded sharply of the fact she was here for his needs. A natural cocksucker? Mezolene didn’t have any real ancient elvish secrets, BUT she’d been in a sorority three out of four years in college and read a staggering amount of Cosmopolitan. She smiled knowingly as he instructed her to get on her knees, the whole affair feeling more familiar to her. She stepped into him, pressing herself close against the merchant lord. The thin fabric of her dress did little to hide her excitement, her nipples hard against him as she kissed his cheek. The elf suckled gently at his ear lobe as her slender fingers reached between his legs to cup his balls. Her nails tickled as gently as butterfly wings through his pubic hair, hot breath grazing his ear as she whispers felt almost like a threat, “You feel heavy… has it been long since you unburdened yourself?” She let out a soft sigh against his ear before gripping his shaft firmly in her soft, slim fingers, “You’re hiding so much seed from me… that’s not a good way to make new friends, milord.” The elf worked her grip slowly up his length, cradling the head of his cock for a moment before sliding back down at a crawl. With her other hand she guided his fingers between the seam of her dress, urging him to cup her breast firmly, “You think me beautiful? Imagine how lovely I’d be with your love all over my face… down my breasts…” Mezolene enjoyed the growing tension, knowing full well it wouldn’t last. He had started hard, and Lord Byron didn’t strike her as the type to wait patiently. And so she at last did as she was bid and crouched down in front of his penis. She looked up at him, locking eyes as her fingers cupped his balls again. Her puckered lips were firm against the head of his cock, as if he were deflowering her as she slowly worked her way down the length of him. The tip of him hit the back of her throat, but she knew more than a handful of secrets to fight her gag reflex. Tongue undulating beneath his shaft she maintained eye contact, watching his reactions fueling her own excitement as she showed him what an elf (with a subscription to cosmos) could do. Lord Byron let out a sigh as she caressed him, his cock pulsing in her grasp, his full balls a warm weight in her hand. “Oh it has been far too long… and I certainly look to remedy that.” He said, raking his fingers through her hair as he looked into her eyes. “And I bet you’ll look divine covered in my seed… but we’ll have to save that particular sight for the finale… because I expect you to swallow every drop like a good girl…” He watched as she slid to her knees before him, his hand coming to rest on the back of her head as she leaned forward, taking his cock into her mouth eagerly for the first time. He looked deep into her eyes as her lips slowly slid down his aching shaft, fingers tightening in her hair as the thick head bumped the back of her throat, causing a rough groan to escape him. “Mmm… that’s it… good girl…” He praised her affectionately, stroking her hair lovingly as he guided her to bob her head back and forth on his thick length. She could feel his cock pulse in her mouth, the first thick drops of pre-cum leaking onto her clever tongue, filling her mouth with the taste of him. “It seems I was right… you are quite the talented little cocksucker…” He said with a pleased grin. “I’m going to enjoy discovering what other pleasures your body has to offer… once you’ve drained me with that sweet little mouth…” He said, clearly planning on having this go beyond just a simple blowjob. “For now… let’s see how deep you can take me…” He said, his grip on the back of her head growing firmer, before slowly pressing her down, watching to see just how far she could go…

Mandatory Fantasy Fun! (Backlash84 & Brittlby)|rating:3.0

Motor City Crumbles (IC)

IOC/Application thread is here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=209281 I'll probably be accepting one more applicant, so if this sparks your interest go ahead and speak up Anthony looked at the array of goods behind the counter, in an old beat up wooden building off a street near Midtown. Most everything was covered with some form of dust or dirt, and he looked down at his gloved hand momentarily, noting the specks of debris after it skimmed across the wooden counter. The dimness of the room didn't help either, as it was only illuminated by natural light peering through the windows. "Can I help you with anything?" The man behind the counter spoke up almost cheerfully, surprising Anthony as he walked in front of his view. There were a few other customers in the store, minding their own business." Yeah," Anthony said quietly, avoiding eye contact. "I need a compass, just a simple one." The clerk acknowledged and turned around to his array of goods, ranging from hardware supplies, ammunition, foods, and random bits of miscellaneous goods found in many small shops spread throughout Detroit. Putting several models on the counter, the man put on his slight sales pitch, eager to make a little extra. "I'll take this one here," Anthony stated, pointing at the most basic, and setting his backpack on the counter hoping to finalize the deal. Carefully moving through his bag, he considered what to surrender." I'll throw in some ammunition for your rifle there, if you can give me some water," the clerk asked, gesturing towards the Ruler No. 1 that hung over Anthony's shoulder by a strap. There was only one water bottle in his bag, and was far too appreciated to give up." Sorry, I can't do that," Anthony whispered, and set a can of beans onto the counter. The clerk picked it up, looked it over for damage, and pondered briefly. Confirming the deal, the goods swapped hands, leaving Anthony to walk out into the street. What was once a gratified section of town was reduced to a brown, mangled paved road, while several charred shells of vehicles that were too heavy to move dotted the sidewalks. Whatever was valued in them was salvaged decades ago, as was much of the surrounding area. Off in the distance, the former Cadillac Place still occupied the skyline, and was one of the tallest buildings still standing in the city. It barely survived the war, and now stood as a gray shell, as nearly half of the building had since collapsed, simply enduring as a relic of what the old world had accomplished before most of it was purged in a nuclear fire thirty years ago. There were a few other people in the street, walking, conversing, sitting, and possibly dying. This area of the town was considered to be one of the safer areas, relatively speaking, in a world where robbery, murder, and worse were an everyday occurrence. Adjusting his dirty brown baseball cap, Anthony untucked his blue vest's hood from under his gray long sleeved shirt, and pulled it over his head. Being the middle of April it was a decent sunny day, but he liked to keep himself on the down-low when possible. The "Lansing Commune" was well established within Detroit, and had been for the past five years. Based out of the former Michigan capital, Lansing, the Commune began to envelop surrounding territory, expanding their influence. In an already messed up world, they only amplified violence where they held authority, and were dreaded in what was left of the Mid-West. Based out of a factory downtown, they refurbished what they could at the location, hoping to repair what car parts could be salvageable, and uphold security and fabrication of goods. It was once seen as a noble cause, but after the suffering it created, most of the public changed their mind. Sitting down by the curb, Anthony pulled out his new compass, and spun it around to make sure it functioned. He broke his old one yesterday, but luckily they were inexpensive enough that it wasn't a big deal. Now it was just time to wait for Eric to arrive, and bring him home. He had only been in Detroit for about five years, and met Eric shortly after. Traveling with a caravan that had lost their previous home in Pittsburgh, Anthony and the crew crossed the vast wastelands, under perpetual threat from gangs of raiders, and slavers. He was only 15 when the trip was made, but it still felt like it was long ago, and was something he wanted to forget. Not enough food and water was packed up before they left, but it wasn't their fault. There just wasn't enough to provide from the beginning. After the bombs fell, plant life nearly became non-existent, and took most of the herbivore based life with it. A food source was an endless challenge, and people were starving before the walk began. 43 people attempted the exodus, but they reached Detroit with 21. Not all had died of hunger, as the group saw its own share of infighting. Some travelers advocated for cannibalism, but the group resisted as long as it could. Just two days outside of Detroit, one man began eating one of the fallen travelers, and was killed for it on the spot, mostly out of fear rather than morals. Sense of direction was hard to come by, and it took them almost two weeks to reach Detroit, but it had to be done. Pittsburgh took a direct hit during the war, and there was nothing left of the Steel City. From the BNY Mellon Center, Steel Tower, the Cathedral of Learning, the entire skyline was just gone. The metropolitan area was a crater, and pieces of the city's formerly proud bridges protruded from the waters, devoid of life. Some of the outskirts contained some amounts of shelter in the former suburban areas, and that's where Anthony's first memories came from. Memories of no food and dirty water, and everybody fighting over the last scraps. Nothing good ever came from Pittsburgh since the bomb hit, and people had been dying to get out ever since, though there was just nowhere to go. Eventually they were just forced, as a massive fire ripped through the remaining livable areas, what few there were. The group packed up and left, hoping to move to another former metropolis, with the hopes that it had fared slightly better than they did. They were right, and lucky to find Detroit, as most of the former cities looked just like the City of Bridges. He left the caravan group soon after, as he lacked attachment and wanted to make it on his own, being a rebellious teenager and thinking he could handle himself. He couldn't, of course, and spent a while getting beat up, and living with nothing. A heroin addiction followed right before he turned 19, and was still a vice he carried with him. There was never any parental guidance or advice, as Anthony never knew of his parents past. Raised by various members of his community in Pittsburgh, he never knew if his parents were dead, or just abandoned him. He wasn't sure if his birth name even was Anthony, but he just accepted it. This was his life, and he was doing his best to make sure he still woke up tomorrow. Of course, the Lansing Commune made that a slight challenge, but he had other townsfolk on his side. Seen as the leader of the newly formed "Reds," they intended to push the Commune out of Detroit, or at least weaken their influence. They were starting to get a collection of devoted members, though they hadn't begun any major offensive moves just yet, but Anthony had been waiting for when the time was right. Triumph felt like a long shot, but he presumed it was better than getting pushed around for the rest of their lives, or sent to an earlier shallow grave. After a few moments of waiting, he noticed that his leg was bouncing up and down. He grimaced as he did his best to calm down, and stretched his arms over his knees. Sniffing slightly, his nose had begun to slowly run, and he sighed as he looked at a man across the street. He was lying down covered in an old blanket, resting his head on one of his boots for comfort. It had been about 15 hours since Anthony had his last heroin fix, and he was beginning to notice the feeling of withdrawal. He hated it, for many reasons, and honestly couldn't remember how he got started in the first place. It was something that he hid desperately, as it wasn't very attractive for the resistance leader to be seen as a drug addict. He was far from the only one who had fallen under the ill effects of drugs, as they were a commodity now. But in a position of power and responsibility, they should have held no place in his life. Withdrawals were felt often, as he had to hide it as best as he could, which sometimes meant long stints without the Opioid. It was only midday so he would likely have to wait a while, always leaving him with the feeling that death was creeping up on his shoulder, only he couldn't tell whether it was in the form of a drug, or the Lansing Commune. The dented binoculars had trouble focusing, as their owner strained his eyes to see outwards into the wasteland surrounding his small domain. "I think Ethan is seeing shadows again, take him off patrols and put him on one of the checkpoints, I don't see a pack of wolves." Eric said coldly, and nodded to one of the men on the roof. As Eric walked to the stairs, he noticed that a slight breeze rustled their red flag, the fabric seemingly sighing from the lack of effort that nature put towards it. The outrider walked downstairs, boots thumping on the old wooden stairwell as the descent continued. The walk was a short one, but nonetheless important. Eric reached the garage, and saw the pride of the Reds sitting on cinder blocks. The old, battered Ford F-150 sat lifeless, as a pair of mechanics fretted over the powerful engine in the front. "Problem John?" Augustine asked, as he walked to see what they were talking about. "Yeah, damn thing is giving up on us. We need new wheels Eric, we maybe have a month or two left in this one" the mechanic replied, thumping his hand on the armored side of the vehicle which they called 'Bastard Mk. 1' for its ugly appearance. Eric swore, and went to find his men, determined to find a working set of wheels by week's end." Henry! Alex! Get the hell over here!" Eric said, fear palpable in his voice. John had already joined them, and had his pack slung over his shoulder, a modified Ruler No. 1 in his hands. "We have to make a long trip boys, all the way towards the downtown core soon." Eric began, the gravity of their situation beginning to dawn in them. "Grab your gear, and get ready to leave. Anyone seen Anthony? He went to the barter shop almost an hour ago, and I need to tell him we are making a quick run." Eric continued. He walked to the center of the house, in what used to be a kitchen, and tapped the radio operator on the shoulder. "Get me Bravo." The small, diminutive former electrical engineer nodded and began cranking an old, barely working radio quickly. He handed the receiver soon to Eric, who informed the two guards that they were leaving soon. Arrangements for their departure made, Eric went to grab his equipment, then find his commander. "It's a fire extinguisher! Of course, you can use it!" Sharer kept up his sales pitch, trying not to let any cracks into his facade, truth was he didn't know if it was of any good use or not, but he was starving, and a family sized can of Beefaroni older than he was didn't seem like much of a sacrifice for something that could save the whole store." Fine, maybe I'll make the trade if you can prove that it WORKS." the shopkeeper said impatiently. Sharer examined his 'prized possession' for a few seconds and spoke up, "Yup, it has to! See? The release pin is still in place.... oh AND its been serviced!" he pointed to a tag on the extinguisher insuring it had been inspected and service November 16, 2012, and was in working order, "What else do you need?" The shopkeeper tried to wave him off, "No deal. You want me to believe that a 30-year-old fire extinguisher serviced a month before World War III is going to put out a fire, and I'm not buying your crazed stories. Bring me something good and I'll make you an offer." Damn, he didn't think it would be this hard of a sell. "Well then I'll just take my fire extinguisher with me, and when the Commune burns your Jeezy little shop down for the Lola I'll charge you five times as much for this thing." he muttered on his way out. He made sure that everyone saw him take the extinguisher with him too, sometimes theatrics could help with a good trade... it took him nearly five minutes to give up and actually leave the store. He didn't like Beefaroni anyway. In his parents day Sharer would still be a young buck but these days, at 28, he was old enough to be a grandpa, probably was a grandpa but none of the working girls he had 'courted' could pin that on him but that many years was a long time in the wasteland that used to be Michigan, and he did more than half of it on his own. The thought of starving when you were one of the best scans in Detroit was embarrassing. He was usually doing just fine and had a surplus of edible or useful stuff to trade with people, but the damn Commune put that to an end fast. One of their patrols found his camp and looted it, they took everything that wasn't bolted down and some of the things that were. Nothing Sharer could have done about it either being just one man with a rusty Winchester and a case of the squirts brought on by water tainted with motor oil; what could he do? Stink them to death maybe? The fire extinguisher was about the best thing they left behind so when they left he took it and GTFO'd hoping to get a meal in his belly so he could figure out what to do next, but apparently food wasn't in the cards, just the fire extinguisher. A man sat kitty corner to the store fiddling with an old compass. He looked as tired at 19 as he was at 28, and he might have just passed them over if he didn't notice the thing that made him stand out from one of the locals. A Red! They took stuff that most people don't use these days, and they stood up to the commune when it came knocking around. Maybe they'd want a fire extinguisher if only to bludgeon one of those SOB's with? Sharer's stomach growled; it was time to decide whether to sit on the fence or climb over, and he hated being inactive. "Hey you! Buddy! Yer one-a them Red's ain't ya?" Morris grinned his half toothless grin. He threw a knife on the table and yelled "Well! WOULD YA' LOOK AT THAT?" The boy had won twelve games in a row. "I THINK SOMEONE'S GOT MAH' NUMBER." He grew his cards on the ground. He pulled his knife from the wood in the table, and jumped across the table. Furthermore, he held the rusted shank fashioned from an old spoon to the boys neck. Morris had sharpened one of the sides of the spoon to a fine point. The boy could only be a little over 15, maybe 18. "If You win again, I'LL CUT THAT APPLE FROM YOUR NECK. We Clear?" Morris yelled as loud as he could. The boy swallowed, and with tears in his eye nodded. Morris returned to his seat. The whole bar was staring at him, besides the group of bandits in the back, who were laughing at the boy. Morris stabbed the knife into the table, and asked the dealt the cards. "All right. Anyone going to Hit?" Morris asked. The boy frowned, and scowled. He asked for a hit, and Morris smiled. "Learning now, Ain't we boy?" The boy smiled a weak smile, and played his hand. Morris looked at the cars, and added them. "21?" he said. He yelled as blood curling yell, and jumped across the table, knife in hand. He tackled the boy to the ground, and began stabbing him. Over and over again, the improvised knife entered the boy's rib cage, and stomach. The boy screamed, and tried to push Morris away. Morris continued to stab. Blood spurted all over Morris. He cut open the boy's sleeves to discover three aces, and three jacks. He stabbed the knife into the now dead boy's eye, and left it in favor of an iron knife at the boy's hip. Furthermore, he took all the boy's winnings, and stood. He walked to the corner of the room where the rest of his fellows sat, hooping, and hollering. Their leader said "That's why you're here Morris. Because you kill shit. You take shit. And you get shit done." Morris grinned, and took a cigarette from one of the lower bandits. He lit it and said "Thanks." Anthony gave a rapid sigh and took a look down the street, wondering when Eric was going to arrive. It’s not like he had anywhere serious to be, or imperative plans pressing on the day, but he would rather spend it around the Reds’ ‘safe zone’ as opposed to the sidewalk. He was very proud of what they had been able to do with their area of control so far, even with just 24 members, as a number of the 100 or so citizens within their sphere of influence finally felt a little safer, and a bit less hungry. The three observation points spread around several blocks in Midtowns were finally up and functioning, providing a look-out for any potential hostile activity, and offered Anthony’s dream trade system for the Reds. There were a number of things out there to scavenge that the average person couldn't use, but the Reds would, and vice versa. Citizens could trade goods they found for food, water, or clothing, really whatever the Reds had obtained excess of during their expeditions. It mutually assisted everyone involved, and helped reinforce that the Reds were there for the benefit of the community. Some civilians were a little unenthusiastic to accept them at first, which was understandable, as the Commune was just about their only experience with any attempt at an organized force, and it was a last experience for many. Lost in his thoughts, Anthony heard someone trying to get his attention. He panned his head towards the voice slowly, peering out from his hood, both completely out of self-preservation. It’s not like it wasn’t clear as day that he was a Red anyway, with the former Detroit Red Wings logo sticking out on his armband. Anthony named his revolutionary group after the former hockey franchise from Detroit, and many Reds had adopted paraphernalia from old t-shirts and jerseys, to flags or other team items. Anthony characteristically wore a small flag as an armband, and kept a larger flag that he scavenged years ago to fly on the flag pole at the top of the Reds’ base. Looking over the stranger, no sense of peril was immediately felt, but the Reds’ had enough control in this part of town he was rarely immediately suspicious. Pushing himself off of the sidewalk, Anthony walked over towards the man, and kept his hand on his rifle’s strap. Not out of fear, but to simply secure it towards his body in a relaxing position as he talked. “I am,” Anthony confirmed, thinking that it may be best to not indicate that he was the founder and leader of the Reds just yet. “What’s going on?” he said curiously, anxious to hear what the man wanted. "... Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..." Psalm twenty three-four reverberated through the silent halls of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, a gothic piece of architecture that had miraculously survived the fires and bombs of the Last Great War. Some dozen candles burned around the building, mixing with the colored light that bled in from the shattered remnants of the stained-glass windows that lined the walls of the sanctuary. Pews were made into loose semicircles, with cots and blankets in the center of each half-moon occupied by the infirm, tired and ill. Those who were able to walk sat in the pews themselves, though they were far from filled and not a single person stood."... I will fear no evil..." A small snort at the back of the room, a whispered comment and some silenced chuckles followed this declaration as the man at the altar continued, holding high a wood-and-steel cross, polished and not giving signs of wear. The alter was clean, if old and worn ever so slightly; The golden engraving 'this does in remembrance of me' was still there, the letters gleaming in the candlelight. Atop the alter, draped with a slightly dirty and wine-stained white cloth, was a wooden cross, simply made but firm, if rugged."...for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Placing his staff in a small holder in the floor, the priest stepped back, plucking items from the alter, a flask and a tray of wafers. The priest was adorned in simple black robes, with a priest's collar encircling his neck. He had a thin beard, touching from sideburns to sideburns and encircling his mouth. The hair was white, as was the slightly shaggy mop that adorned his head. His hands appeared as if they had been pierced by nails, not in emulation of Jesus but rather as if someone had laid his hand on a bed of them and stepped down with a heavy boot. Stepping off the dais and into the center of the room, which was adorned with an elaborate labyrinth upon its floor, he continued the psalm; "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." He took a wafer in one hand as he moved the plate into his elbow and perched it there, and taking a small sip of the flask, ate it. "Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Yea, the Christ has been sacrificed for us, and so we offer up to him this bounty of body and blood. For him our Passover is sacrificed." In unison the small crowd said, "Yea, let us keep the feast." He returned the plate to his hand, and holding them out in front of him, declared, "Please approach to receive the communion of saints and the forgiveness of your sins, so you may enjoy a life everlasting." Slowly, those that could stand, all dozen of them or so, approached the priest, taking the smallest of sip from the diluted wine and a single wafer, and from a bag around the priest's shoulder a single can of food. When all who would come had partaken of the "feast", the priest moved amongst the infirm and immobile, blessing them if they were unable to take a wafer or sip the wine. When the communion was finished he returned to the dais, and making the sign of the cross with his hand, said to his congression, "Go now and live in peace, in the name of Christ the Son, God the Father, and the Holy Ghost. Blessed be the peacemakers." With that the room emptied, some of the infirm being carried out by those fit enough to stand and walk, while some remained, a few people kneeling by them as they slipped further into illness and death. The Cathedral Church has long, for nearly a decade or so now, been a place where the sick and dying could rest and be treated well before passing on. Father Joyce, the proprietor of the Cathedral, had made it his personal mission to care for those that this new world had turned away from its grasp. Amongst his flock were the elderly--who were old or nearing that age before the war--and those stricken with disease or virus. He cared for them, and though he denied them supplies in favor of feeding and healing the sure cases, he did his best to make their last days comfortable. Father Joyce was born twenty years before fire claimed the Earth, but he was not a priest then. He attended church, to be sure, in his early years, but in truth he had been a man who was enveloped in sin. He abandoned his mother at the age of sixteen, sold and used drugs and did immoral acts to pay for his habits. In some way, at the beginning, he thought the fires were there to cleanse the Earth of sin, for that is what he heard the evangelicals screaming when radios still functioned. He believed he was part of the problem, and nearly committed suicide, to condemn himself to the hell of the soul rather than the physical one he existed in. But it was not his time, for at the age of twenty-five he was taken in by two priests, who found him preparing for suicide on the outskirts of Detroit. He was going to shoot himself, but couldn't afford bullets, so opted simply for hanging. They took him to the cathedral, the burn-scarred and buttress-less cathedral, which, despite itself, was still standing. The office building was gone, as was the First Congressional Church across the street, but somehow the cathedral remained. The priests were murdered the next week, attempting to proselytize to some thieves. The church was his to care for. His to rebuild. Over the next twenty-five years, Adam Joyce dedicated his life to the pursuit of good works. He put on a priestly garb and began to preach the word of the Lord to the people of Detroit. He had run into some troubles, but they were no worse than the horrors faced by others in the 318. Furthermore, he had a scar between his left eye and ear where a man hit him with a beer bottle, and another from his lip to the bottom of his chin where someone cut him with a knife. Furthermore, he never left his cathedral without his staff, now. It was imposing enough, with its steel tips and heavy wood, that few attempted to stop him now. Only his old age, visible from his wrinkled features once held distinguished in a time past, made him a target. Locking the supply closet after placing his bible and book of common prayer inside, he refilled his satchel, taking with him more water and canned goods. The cathedral had hosted a kitchen and bedding area for the homeless at one time, as the pantry was filled to the brim with nonperishable food and water. Father Joyce had supplemented it with some scavenging and purchasing from the locals; The stock of gold and silver and other valuable goods in the church was being chipped away, and was now a shadow of its former self, but it served a purpose. Why the metals were still valuable when the world had ended was beyond Father Joyce, but he did not complain about the Lord's gifts. The priest stepped out of the church, leaving the sickly and the few aides left inside. He heard one of them bar the heavy doors as he descended the steps--Joyce would use the back entrance, hidden behind trash and burned trees and an overturned car. Those inside would be safe. The Cathedral was in what was generally known to be the territory of the Reds, the independence faction that was vying with the Lansing Commune for power in Detroit. Joyce wasn't entirely happy to be an occupant of the Reds' territory, but he didn't have much of a choice; They may be junkies and punks, but the alternative was Lansing, who greeted him with a broken rib when he attempted to request aid for his congregation. He never learned if it was just the single patrol or the whole Commune that was so starchily against religions of the Old World, but either way it alienated him from the new organization. At least the Reds allowed him to do as he pleased, helping who he could. Some petitioned him to open his stockpile to the Reds, these individuals thinking that they could do better as an organization than the singular priest, but at least the issue was not forced. Joyce strolled around the streets, handing out food and water to those who seemed in need of it, as well as the occasional painkiller to those that seemed near death. Some might question why he did not try and help all, even those that seemed hopeless, and though he had no proper explanation, the best that he could give was that his resources were best spent on those that could be saved. Eventually the priest found himself within something of a shopping district--he recognized the area by its view of Cadillac Place in the distance. On a curb, just outside one of the general stores in the area, was the leader of the Reds, a man by the name of Anthony. Father Joyce didn't much care for the man, if he was honest; He reeked of rebellion for rebellion's sake, and though at the moment his cause was just, he couldn't shake the feeling that even if he did overcome the Lansing Commune he would continue on a path of destructiveness. The priest thought the man might be using drugs, though it was hard to tell. He rarely bore the signs of withdrawal or continued use. And yet, he aligned himself with the man. It was hard not too, when the alternative was the jackboots of Lansing. Approaching Anthony, who was speaking to a strange man with a fire extinguisher, he coughed and tapped the steel bottom of his cross on the ground to signify his arrival. "Peace be with you, Anthony. Do you require any supplies? I'm making my rounds. Food and water for those that need it." He felt no need to advertise the painkillers, given his suspicions. Turning to the new face, he asked, "And what of you, young man? Do you require anything?" The morning was warmer than Arnold had remembered. His eyes opened, sticky and fluid swimming in the eyelids. He blinked it away and got up, taking stock of his surroundings. A little shack, he recalled, coming in when it got dark not far from a little suburb. He thought it was in between some of the former highways around this area; still, that was irrelevant. He had his destination. By all accounts Detroit was just ahead, what remained of it. A few jutting spikes of metal above the generic ruin of demolished cookie-cutter homes seemed to prove that at last. Reports that Detroit was getting back on its feet had brought him here from Indiana; what used to be the nice little town of Greensburg hadn't been nuked, but bombers flattened it anyway with more common explosives. As things got together, rape gangs and slaver warlords took over. Arnold had up and left as soon as all the shit hit the fan. He had wandered for the past thirty years, staying at different places, salvaging, sleeping with women whose names he never knew, and eating out of tin cans. At least now, he had a final destination. As he left the shack and resumed prodding down the smashed highway, he dared not take his eyes off the road ahead. Men would be killed, torn apart and devoured if they didn't keep their guard up. That's why when he heard the jingle behind the old Chevy truck, overturned and its wheels torn off, made the hair on his neck stand up. His gun-hand immediately went to the Colt revolver in the holster at his hip. A man dragged out a sack of loot from behind the truck." Good morning, sire, do you want to trade?" He asked, smiling, with rotting teeth and a blackened tongue dimming his friendly air." Fuck off, grime ball." Arnold said, with his usual candor. The man was dressed in a bearskin, underneath wearing boxing pants and a women's tank top. He had filthy black hair and beady little blue eyes poked out his eye sockets. Probably a little unstable, Arnold decided." Ah, ah, I hear that a lot. But! How often... do you see THESE?" the 'merchant' said, pulling out a string of panties from his bag. "Certified fresh!" he finished. Arnold eyed him with around as much respect as a man would for a thieving rodent." I'm gone." He said, then began walking down the highway again. The man trotted after him, tried to grab his jacket." I want some damn food, man! You don't trade, I'll have blood instead!"" You will have blood." Arnold replied, pulling his revolver out, throwing off the man's arm and putting a bullet in his head. As the man slumped, a cleaver he had been drawing out clattered to the concrete. Arnold sighed, shook his head and rummaged through the dead merchant's pack. Playboy magazines, more female underwear, and a pack of dried peanuts. He looked some more. Chapstick. That was it. Everything that wasn't pornography was two things; the bag of peanuts and chapstick. Arnold grunted and took them, resuming his walk. The outskirts of Detroit passed by. Old suburbs and tenements were everywhere; the city had been a hellhole before and after the war, as far as Arnold gave a damn, which wasn't far nowadays. But even he was surprised by how many people he was seeing. Towns and settlements, would you imagine, not just trying to brutally murder and then loot each other but actually with peaceful relations. Intriguing. He continued his walk. A few watched him pass, but none paid him any heed. Travelers were common; permanent habitations weren't, though that seemed to be changing. He had heard tell of the Lansing Commune by word of mouth as he moved up into Michigan. He had no concept as to where they may be in the city, but he knew they were, and decided to avoid them if he saw them. As he traveled, he stopped and took a swig of water. He was careful not to use up too much; it was precious beyond measure to have pure water. He had around a gallon, a decent quantity, and the Army had, in a world before, taught him where to look. Also, how to take it if he needed to. He prodded ever onwards, eventually coming across a conversation. A priest-would you know, a robe-and-all Catholic priest-talking to a man who looked like a settler and another who looked like a bum. He decided to hang back and listen rather than get involved, at least for now. Eric leaned on the car, smoking a prized cigarette when one of his off-duty men came in. "Eric! Thank fucking god, some rage-crazed idiot just killed a kid at the bar!" Eric bolted upright, and grabbed his bandoleer, buckling it over his old, Vietnam-era fatigues. "Great, just what we need. Henry! Alex! Move the trip back, bandits in town. Freddy, you come too! Everyone else, stand watch while we are under-strength!" Eric barked, orders sending the men scurrying to their positions, dropping what meager boredom-killing activities they had been doing. Eric and his four men ran across town, finally approaching the house that served as the local bar, the working girls were often frequented by the Reds, and even Eric from time to time. They approached the front door, and Eric racked the cocking mechanism on his Ruler, his men loading their assorted weapons accordingly. "Eric, don't forget this," one of his men said, handing him his armband. Eric took the red piece of cloth, emblazoned with scavenged Sergeant's stripes from a dead Marine downtown, and slipped it over his coat. He then proceeded to kick open the door violently, and entered, his men with weapons raised following. A horrible scene unfolded in front of Eric, a young body sprawled midst blood and gore, flesh torn open like some slaughterhouse pig. Eric sighed, 'Where the hell is Anthony, I shouldn't be dealing with this townie shit. I should be on the road.' Eric thought, and saw a group of men, rough looking freaks sitting on the far side of the bar. Startled, clearly by the entrance of so many armed men, many seemed like they wished to brandish weapons, but chose otherwise with five gun barrels pointing at them. "Who thefuckdid this in my town!" Eric yelled, barrel jerking from man to man. "Names Sharer, and I was wondering if you guys might have use for some odds and ends I have, I ran into a bit of trouble and lost all my food, but I got this," he hefted the fire extinguisher and patted it to draw Anthony's attention, "And maybe a few other things a gang like you guys might need. I'm just looking for a meal or two, and I can get back to being a productive citizen an' stuff..." A tapping sound interrupted him, steel on concrete, and made him look toward its source. A real honest to goodness priest in the entire get-up and everything stood there looking at him, he greeted him and Anthony, "Peace be with you, Anthony. Do you require any supplies? I'm making my rounds. Food and water for those that need it, and what of you, young man? Do you require anything?" He'd never seen a priest before... not one that was alive anyway and wasn't sure how to address one or how to treat them. He offered his free hand to shake, after wiping some grime off of it, "Hello your... holiness? Names Sharer and I was just looking to do some completely legitimate business with the Reds." he hadn't stolen anything recently, so his conscience was clear, and he didn't take anything from nobody who didn't deserve it anyway so it's not like it was wrong or anything. His eyes wandered to the priests satchel and his stomach rumbled. He was sorely tempted to ask about something to eat, but he could still walk and if he could still walk he could still earn himself a meal and not have to be indebted to anyone so he kept quiet. The priest seemed to know the Red so he would let the man talk to him before he continued his sales pitch. Anthony paid attention to the fire extinguisher that Sharer offered, trying to consider a potential deal. They could possibly use one for their lone vehicle, as it was a resource that they needed to protect to the best of their ability. Even still, it's not like fire extinguishers came around all that often. "I think we can strike up a deal," he said curiously towards Sharer. "Regardless, we have food for you, if you're in a struggle, the Reds can help you out." He knew one of the OP's would have some goods to give for the new tool, but regardless it would be something that they could trade for. He had a few cans in his backpack already, and considered the possibility of giving some to Sharer. As he pondered the goods that he had available, he found himself interrupted by Father Joyce, though with this certain figure he did not seem to mind. Anthony was pleased to have the Priest's church within the Reds safe zone and highly respected him, as he admired the assistance and safety that he was able to offer the locals. It all went along with Anthony's plan to protect the few citizens within Midtown, and Father Joyce made his job much easier. So far, the Commune had left the Priest's sanctuary alone, and as long as it was within the Reds' influence, they would do their best to make sure it remained that way. It was a personal priority of Anthony's, and only wished that the solutions could be as peaceful." Ah, Father Joyce," Anthony remarked as the Priest addressed him, and he gave a friendly smile towards the older man. He waited a brief moment as Sharer introduced himself before he went on. "Good to see you. I think we're alright for the moment," he told the Priest. "We've been satisfied with supplies all week, and with a little surplus. If you need anything for your church, let us know." He paused for a moment as he pulled his backpack towards his chest. "If you'll excuse me for a second," he stated, as he reached his hand around his pack. He carried four cans with him, and Anthony pulled out two; one of beans, and another of tomato soup, and handed them to Sharer. "Do you know about our observation points around Midtown?" he asked, rhetorically. "If you have any goods you don't need, bring them there, we'll give you food, clothes, whatever you need in exchange." He gave a slight smirk, as it was always good to see the future of extra necessities flowing towards Reds, and also towards the local citizens. It helped make everyone's lives much easier, and would further achieve their overall goal of pushing the Commune out of their home. Sharer would have preferred more, but his stomach said TAKE IT and his reasoning told him that if the Reds were here to stay he would be better off getting in their good graces before striking the hard bargain. He sits on his free hand and offered it, "You have yourself a deal Anthony." Food in his stomach would clear his mind and give him the energy to scan some more and if the Reds were willing to keep trading he would be back to good in no time flat, "For future reference where are your Ops?" and what is an OP he wondered but left that bit unsaid, "I'm the best scavenger in the Detroit barrens and I know we can come to a mutually beneficial relationship." Anthony was rather pleased, though not surprised, that Sharer took the food. With his backpack still adjusted towards his side, he retrieved his map to help guide the scavenger. He seemed a little cocky, but if he could back up his claim, he was definitely someone that the Reds would welcome. "Our first point is here," Anthony stated, as he held the folded and weathered map in his hand. It was definitely a challenge attempting to navigate using the old pre-war maps, as the vast majority of its content no longer existed. There really wasn't much of an option, as no one was able to make anything more than a simple doodle on a sheet of paper due to the lack of resources or knowledge. "There's two more, one here, and here." Anthony's finger traced over the map as he talked, trying to point out any landmarks that still existed. "Like I said, anything good you find that you see value in but can't use yourself, we can check out." Anthony looked towards Father Joyce, as he wanted to show the location of his church, but wasn't sure about the level of trust the Priest was comfortable with. It seemed as if Sharer had positive intentions at the moment, and with the small force of the Reds to defend themselves, Anthony had no issue revealing his own information to him. "Father Joyce helps the sick and hungry through his church, if you need somewhere else to turn. You can show him where, if you would like." Anthony titled his map towards the Priest allowing him to help Sharer if he wished, though he would not blame him if he did not. What mattered was that there was a lot of potential in the rewards brought in from Sharer, and they would kindly take care of him with food and security as long as he provided. After all, the Reds made sure to take care of their own. Father Joyce made a note to remember the locations of at least a few of the Red outposts. More often than not, the young folks who attended his services asked for information regarding the Reds and their operations. Though he maintained a casually friendly relationship with the militia, he rarely if ever bothered to learn their inner workings or where they hung their hats. He didn't wish to involve the young in their war for the 318, but he would not lie to them about it, and would pray they would return to the path of peace. Raising an eyebrow a short way as the map was tilted to him, Father Joyce took a gander at the map of Detroit; It was old, with many of the landmarks and streets no longer in existence or accessible, only of use if you could mark or remember the edits necessary. Luckily, Father Joyce's home was located on the map quite clearly, and its location was still accessible, if not done so often. Pointing a wrinkled finger at the location, the old priest cleared his voice to say, "I hold mass and give charity at the old Cathedral of St. Paul. Many of the streets surrounding it are blocked, save for the direct access, and the west wing is partially collapsed and many of the upper floors uninhabitable, but the most of the lower floors are secure." Mass is held every day, assuming the weather is passable. We give communion every day, and supplies are distributed every other day to those in need of them. Honor system on that last one, young man." The priest smiled, hoping that he knew that taking more than what you needed would result in a nasty case of a cross to the head. Asterion wrote:Eric leaned on the car, smoking a prized cigarette when one of his off-duty men came in. "Eric! Thank fucking god, some rage-crazed idiot just killed a kid at the bar!" Eric bolted upright, and grabbed his bandoleer, buckling it over his old, Vietnam-era fatigues. "Great, just what we need. Henry! Alex! Move the trip back, bandits in town. Freddy, you come too! Everyone else, stand watch while we are under-strength!" Eric barked, orders sending the men scurrying to their positions, dropping what meager boredom-killing activities they had been doing. Eric and his four men ran across town, finally approaching the house that served as the local bar, the working girls were often frequented by the Reds, and even Eric from time to time. They approached the front door, and Eric racked the cocking mechanism on his Ruler, his men loading their assorted weapons accordingly. "Eric, don't forget this," one of his men said, handing him his armband. Eric took the red piece of cloth, emblazoned with scavenged Sergeant's stripes from a dead Marine downtown, and slipped it over his coat. He then proceeded to kick open the door violently, and entered, his men with weapons raised following. A horrible scene unfolded in front of Eric, a young body sprawled midst blood and gore, flesh torn open like some slaughterhouse pig. Eric sighed, 'Where the hell is Anthony, I shouldn't be dealing with this townie shit. I should be on the road.' Eric thought, and saw a group of men, rough looking freaks sitting on the far side of the bar. Startled, clearly by the entrance of so many armed men, many seemed like they wished to brandish weapons, but chose otherwise with five gun barrels pointing at them. "Who the fuck did this in my town!" Eric yelled, barrel jerking from man to man."WAS 'EM" Yelled Morris, and pointed at a man at the blackjack table. "'E killed the boy in cold blood! Mad over some kinda a... Game or some tin'!" Morris walked over to him. "E' 'ad me hold him down, while he stabbed the boy!" Morris looked at the man who opened his mouth to speak. Morris opened his first. "Look!" and Morris pulled he mans coat off. On his belt was a pouch of money. "Took that off the boy. I have seen him do it!" Morris yelled, and put his knife to the men neck. "Shall I do it for ye' sir?" he asked the red with the gun. Anthony held the map steady for Father Joyce as he gave directions, quietly trying to keep himself out of the way. As the exchange began to end, he glanced over his shoulder, and saw a Red jogging down the road. The Priest had just finished speaking when he arrived, and was obvious by now as his torn boots audibly collided with the worn asphalt beneath his feet." What's going on, Brian?" It was clear that the Red had intentionally looked for him, and needless to say, the news was important enough to cause a search. Brian typically operated out of one of the OP's around town, and came to find Anthony after hearing about the incident at the bar, temporarily leaving his partner to operate alone. He joined the Reds' a few months back, once they began to establish an influence in the area. They lifted the 22-year-old from what was once constant hunger, as it didn't seem like he would last much longer without help. He became a solid success story, and helped encourage others in his situation to sign up for their cause." There's an incident at the bar," he said through a few gasps, trying to catch his breath. "Eric just left, you might want to come help."" Hold on," Anthony replied, before turning his attention back to Father Joyce and Sharer. It looked like he was going to be the one searching for Eric, now. He glanced at the fire extinguisher, and knew he couldn't take it now. "I need to leave," he continued quickly. "Sharer, bring that by one of the checkpoints when you can, we'll take care of you. Thanks for the help Father Joyce, as always, let us know if you need anything." He tucked the map away before turning back to Brian. "Lead me there," he ordered, as they began to jog down the street. Arnold caught his attention for a brief second as they moved down the road, but never gave him a second thought. Brian informed him of the situation on the way, and in about fifteen minutes they were at the bar, moving towards the door. The Red began to shoulder his battered Ruler Gold Label double barreled shotgun, preparing to make his way inside. Anthony held up his hand. "We'll take care of it," he assured. "Go back to your post." There were already enough Reds at the bar, and Brian would do more good tightening security at the OP." Okay. Good luck," Brian replied, and began to jog back down the road. Preparing his Ruler as he slowly stepped inside the door, Anthony took a quick look at the scene, and was assured that the Reds' intervention was necessary. A murder, a child murderer at that, was not someone that he wanted around the Reds' area of protection and the guilty party would face serious punishment. If he had been born before the war, he may have had an impression of some other delivery of justice besides a bullet, but that's the way it was done now. It was what he grew up with, he knew nothing else, and it was the most effective process to quickly rid the struggling survivors of those who would do them harm. It was his own double standard, and his own moral gray area. Those who were innocent and doing their best to survive and get by without harming other innocents were welcome and encouraged to stay and help. Those who did not were not given compassion. People who targeted the innocent were a disease, and needed to be flushed out. Having no knowledge of the previous world, it had reached the point where killing was acceptable if the other was doing harm to those who just wanted to be left alone. An innocent who killed a needlessly violent individual did their duty. Anyone who killed an innocent needed to run or die. It was Anthony's own system of justice; protect the needy and drive out those who threatened that, even if violence was required. It was a mess inside, and Anthony eyed Eric and the other Reds' and let them take the lead while he stood back and watched, as they had it under control. He still had the rifle shouldered, though pointing at the floor, with his finger on the trigger just in case. He eyed a man with blood covering his hands holding a knife to another man's throat, assuming the weapon wielder was the killer, and they were now in the middle of a hostage crisis. Breathing slowly and keeping an eye on the few others within the bar, Anthony waited for Eric to make his move, as he perfectly trusted him to do what he needed with the Reds with him. The Red had to excuse himself and couldn't take the extinguisher with him, so Sharer nodded when asked to take it to the CP, "Sure thing, I'll even tell them I already received payment for it." He watched the 'soldier' head off in another direction with another Red on their way to some crisis or other, he was glad he wasn't one of those guys. Sharer's attention turned back to the priest and quickly committed the location of the church to memory, "Well I ain't a man of God father, but I am a man of the people when the occasion arises, if I find anything I think could help like some blankets or something I'll swing around and give you first pick if you like." Sharer wasn't precisely generous, nor was he greedy, he just did what he needed to survive. However, he had also learned long ago that if you have too much it decreases your chances of surviving since you then become a target for other people who wanted to survive and most of them didn't care if you survived. So he took what he needed when he needed it and tried not to take any more than that, but there were new guys in town and Sharer's instincts told him he needed to make some friends and the best way to do that was to give a little bit of what he found to other people, pass it around a bit, share some of the wealth. Detroit's biggest secret was there was still plenty to go around; you just had to know where to find it; and be bold enough to get there first. With some food in his belly the run in with the Commune would just be another bump on the road to a long happy life if he didn't take a bullet or have a building fall on him like his parents did. Within the former Detroit Financial District, remnants of an old skyscraper by Hart Plaza lay in ruins. Now decimated to a four-story mess of concrete, the rest of the building's levels were vaporized or thrown elsewhere as the bombs fell, now left as the only gray skeleton remaining from the downtown skyline. There was still some life within this old wreck, as the Lansing Commune saw it as an opportunity. Colonel Victor Greene stood on the highest level, motionless in front of a large destroyed glass window that once shielded the buildings occupants from the winds blowing in from the Detroit River. His full black uniform and cap symbolized his allegiance to the Commune, and stuck out as a speck against the gray room. The waters looked dead now, motionless and gray, and filled with debris. Garbage, chunks of asphalt and concrete, and many other surviving bits of civilization fell into the river if they were not destroyed, and now lay as lifeless as the city itself. There was no more wildlife in the river, and no one checked to see if it had come back. Colonel Greene was around before the bombs fell, and was old enough to know what Detroit was like before the world vanished. But unlike many others who survived, Motor City actually meant something to him. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, and Detroit was just a jump away on I-75. Just a three-hour car ride, and he had done it before. Baseball was a heavy childhood interest to him, and even though he had the local Cleveland Indians, something about the Detroit Tiger's mascot drew him towards the neighboring franchise, and that is where his loyalties lie. The first trip to Detroit was when he was nine years old, and his father brought him to see the Tigers play at Comerica Park for his birthday. He remembered the city back then, with the bustling streets and crowded skyline that could mesmerize any child. It certainly wouldn't be his last trip to the city, with more adventures and more Tiger's games to experience in the future, and a summer trip to the Detroit Zoo when he and his girlfriend reunited after their first year of college, at nineteen. Whereas others saw the destruction as all there was to life, Greene actually felt the pain and sorrow, of a successful world that he once knew. But his life ended at twenty, and the next thirty years has been another lifetime. Within a flash, everything he had ever known and loved disappeared, and he slowly transformed into another being. It was a visit to his grandparents’ house in Lima when the bombs hit, and part of their basement held where Greene was talking to his cousin one moment, and buried under rubble the next. When they dragged themselves out of the wreckage, they were exposed to the new wasteland, never to see another member of their family again. Becoming nomadic, there was nothing they could do, but slowly die. And slow it was. Two months after the event, a pair of men attacked Greene and his cousin, hoping they carried something worth taking. Neither had any goods, yet both were shot, and Greene was left to die with a bullet wound near his right shoulder. While lying in the dust waiting for death, he realized there was nothing left but revenge. Leaving behind his cousin’s body, he finally had a sense of direction, and knew where he was headed and what he was going to do for the first time in months. When he found the raiders the next day, he waited for night, while one stayed on watch. Weak from pain and blood loss yet driven by emotion and pure adrenaline, a knife that he scavenged from a destroyed car became his weapon. The one awake was stabbed repeatedly, and the blood covered body was placed by the one who remained asleep, as a surprise for when he woke. The stranger took the only person he knew, and he was going to do the same to him. Feeling the wrangling man in his weak grasp, or the last gasps of air, didn't matter. With nowhere left to go, he looked to the familiar highway, and walked until he hit Detroit. The wasteland turned him into a perfect fit for the Commune, who originated nine years later and quickly absorbed Greene. He had worked his way up well, and showed his value, now tasked with expanding the Commune's power out to Detroit. Lansing was where the Commune made its home, and the Michigan capital was the first to fall. Next was Grand Rapids, then Flint, Ann Arbor, and so on. It was easy, because there was no resistance. No one was left to fight them. There were expansions made into Ohio and Illinois, and the Commune encouraged the raiders living amongst the wastelands around the center states to keep people trapped within the region. That was about all they knew of, anyway. There was no way of knowing that prairies were undergoing a massive dust-bowl, choking out the last remaining survivors. Or of the oil fields exploding in Texas, letting fires rage over the state's surroundings for years. The death of the Gulf of Mexico was unknown, and adding to the destruction was a massive slick of oil that blanketed the Gulf from the destroyed pipelines, pumping the fossil fuel into the ocean. The slick moved into the bayou's in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida, and the once well-known marshlands were toxic, and saturated with oil in a natural disaster that no one alive thirty years ago could have comprehended. When the buildings of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center were ripped apart, Anthrax made its way onto the East Coast, infecting the few survivors. The world truly was over, yet no one knew how badly things really were. The saying "Ignorance is bliss" really rang true during the apocalypse. Ever yet, there was a time when Colonel Greene believed in what he was doing. The Commune was finally an organized structure in a chaotic filled world, and he was given a place to organize the comeback of humanity. It was too convincing that these people stuck in the streets could be purged, as they were just in the way, taking up resources. The Commune needed all the goods if they were going to piece them together and rebuild, and bring back the human triumph. There was a time when a dream was tucked inside, that a world could rise without boundaries. The ashes could be swept away, and humanity united. There would be a revival of science, of the arts, of philosophy and education, all through the effort the Commune was expending. It was a beautiful trap, that sucked in many of the few bright minds that were left. It was a blind following ruled by a fist of iron, creating a militant group all moving in one direction, that wouldn't let anything stop the progress of humanity. Even if that block was humanity itself. Due to the strength of the Commune, Greene knew that Detroit would fall to him eventually. It was only a matter of time. 250 members were with him, and were already established in the remnants of a factory, powered by small and ancient generators, producing what little they could. Shop owners were already being harassed and stolen from under threat of punishment, and some wanderers were made an example of, just to make sure everyone knew the Commune was really the terror they heard about. They were beginning to do some scouting around Midtown, and they had heard rumors of the Reds, though they were not aware that the resistance already knew of them. When Greene first heard of the Reds, the thought of the Bolsheviks in the old world came to mind, thinking that some sort of Communist society was attempting to pull its way out of the rubble in Detroit. They knew little of the force for now, but they were on their way, and would find out soon enough. The Reds would be crushed, just like everyone else, and the totalitarian Commune would claim another quiet victory, pretending that all the world knew. If there was a world that could hear them.

Motor City Crumbles (IC)|rating:3.0

Arcane Adventures Redux_ Adventures in Arcana

Adventures in Arcane Chapter 1, Day 1: The Arrival The Elite Order of Organists has a long arm, and it is obvious that that arm has swept the countryside, bringing together even more of the promising mature minds of the times. This is obvious when viewing your traveling companions. At the border of Artur and Marianas, the kingdom you currently are in, you were met with your final courier, a silent man in black, whose handsome face was marred by deep-set eyes and a troubled look. His communication came solely through hand signals meaning "Time to rest" and "Time to go." The rest of the journey was held in complete silence on his part, a silence you were encouraged to participate in by his glowering, unsettling gaze.Finally, he has brought you to the gate of the Organist's Tower, a great, spindly construction of marble and granite, quartz and limestone, sandstone and concrete, and a thousand other construction materials, all blended seamlessly together until the patchwork seems as if it were made of cloth rather than stone. No one moves through the gates, but you can smell cook fires coming from the inside, hear the murder of raucous young lings and brash arcane chanting, and see lights flickering in every one of the crenelated windows dotting the tower. Beyond the tower, waves crash on the seaside cliff that the tower sits on. You have heard tales of this stronghold being so full of extradimensional space that a well-placed Mage's Disjunction might send the tower tumbling if the proper precautions weren't taken. Your guide pauses before the gate of polished teak, and places his hand on a very large, very visible Arcane Mark on the gateway. No sooner than half a second after this, a wizened yet muscled dwarf appears before you. He turns to the nameless man and signals at him, prompting him to swallow deeply, shudder, and enter the tower through a discretely hidden wicket on the inside of the gate. The dwarf then turns on you all, and says in a gruff, unfriendly voice,"So. You all must be the new recruits. Seems only right they grab a batch of old ones. Well, I'm Terrance Dark bough, former elf, 'welcoming' you to the Arcane Order. Iranian would come to greet you himself, but well, he's got more important things to do." He mumbles under his breath a bit*, then continues." You enter this Order as Acolytes, no matter how experienced you are. When we judge your performance acceptable enough, you will move up the ranks. Unfortunately for you, you don't have the clearance to know what those ranks are yet. We run a tight ship around here, and you'd best get to know that now." As he speaks, a pot full of potion comes crashing out a window, smashing on the ground before him. Terrance winces, and glowers at the broken glass." I'm sure you'll see Gorey punished later today." He concentrates for a moment, then turns back to you." So, are you all ready to join the fun indoors?"*DC 20 Listen Check:Spoiler Hide You'd think he could spare one blasted Simulacrum to do this thankless task, but no, always with the research ... No rick WitherboneNorick was silent for the trip, only speaking when a question was asked of him, and his answers were always short and cryptic. He traveled with a cloaked figure, his skeletal minion, whom he had disguised with padding and a cloak. As they approached the stronghold, No rick shivered and lifted his head, a grim look set on his face. As the Dwarf appeared, No rick paused, lifting a hand and signaling for his skeletal minion to halt." Former, Elf?" Norick asked, keeping his face concealed. He seemed to sigh lightly and roll his eyes. Listen Check (Can't possibly succeed XD)Spoiler Hide (1d20-3)[11] No rick nodded, keeping his head low and under his hood. He barely flinched as the pot slammed into the ground and glass broke across the ground, a smile even flickering onto his face." As acolytes, we enter, as Arch mages we leave." He coughed in a poor attempt to conceal his laughter. "Indeed. Never die next to a Druid, they're wont to meddle with your composition. You may enter, Dark One. I don't think you'll leave in one piece." ToraminusSpoiler Hide The large gate opens for you, though it is too dark to see inside. Do you enter? NorickNorick nods, motioning for his Minion to follow as he stalks into the dark gate... Spoiler Hide No rick enters the fortress with his skeletal minion right behind him. da Silva'saw nearly struck the ground upon seeing the amount of effort and artistry that had gone into the Order's establishment. The beautiful mix of materials and meaning were a delightful change from the dreary, dull progression that had brought herself and her fellow travelers here. She rather disregarded the dwarves greeting in favor of letting her eyes and mind wander the architecture, distracted with a start at the sound of the splattering potion. Jumping aside from any non-existing shrapnel, she pays astute attention to the last few phrases before entering after the other fellow and his associate.((Listening))Spoiler Hide Voluntarily failing the listen check in favor of a Knowledge Architecture and Engineering roll to get an approximation of how expensive this place was to construct and if there are any particular traits that would stand out about it (bigger on the inside once we've arrived there, terraces held up only by magic since there are no visible supports, etc. (1d20+7)[20] FeralVentasSpoiler Hide To make mundanely, the tower would require untold amounts of gold pieces, for labor alone. However, this is clearly a magical construction. You gather that it must be bigger on the inside, in order to house all the people there seem to be inside. Nor rick passes through the gate as if it weren't there, but da Silva bumps into the wood face first as she tries to get through." You need my permission to enter the tower,"says Terrance. EnyanaEnyana, in severe contrast to No rick, has spent most of the journey chatting away to anyone who'll listen. Nothing in particular that's worth mentioning - some theoretical Illusion stuff, perhaps, but nothing particularly important. On reaching the tower, the little gnome's neck cranes to get a good look at it. She doesn't seemquiteas impressed as some of the others - she's seen a few buildings similar to this before. Albeit not quite on this scale..." Hail, Former Elf,"she says, with a bright grin." I can't imagine why being an elf would suit you, but couldn't you just cast Alter Self?" The little gnome stretches, arms above her head." Okay, let's do this thing..." "I could if I'd not sworn off Transmutation. And I'll be damned if I'd let anyone in their try and alter me again. No one who's available is talented enough, and no one who's talented enough is available. As soon as someone gets their third grade of spells they're off ... But at any rate, you may pass, Trickster." Yuki AkumaSpoiler Hide The gate seems to open. Through the arch you see dancing colored lights so bright that you cannot see past them to the room beyond. Emanate little gnome shields her eyes from the gate!" Oh wow, I hope this doesn't burn out my eyes or anything..." And in she goes! Raising a hand to comfort her gate-battered nose, da Silva takes a few steps back. She seems to hold her hand over her face for a few moments before looking back toward the magical impediment and examining it a bit more closely." Aside from that blunder then, what is it that is required of me to enter?"she asks, though not taking her gaze down to the 'elf's level. Spoiler Hide Casting Detect Magic can trip. (1d20)[10] And a sleight of hand check to avoid being obvious about it FeralVentasSpoiler Hide The tower is so ablaze with magic auras that you cannot differentiate one from another. You quickly lose concentration of the spell, as the brightness nearly blinds you. "Just tell me you're ready to go in. We take that kind of thing very seriously. Then I'll have the gate open for you. And I'd avoid looking directly for magic in there. It'll only lead to trouble." As he speaks, Guyana passes through the door as well, not seeming to even notice the wood. Marion had, at first, spent as much time away from Loss, the cart in which she rode, and the horse that pulled them, as possible. It was his fault that they were now at the mercy of the Order, his actions that had estranged her from her brother, and she needed her space before she would forgive him. He knew she would: if she did not plan to she would not have gone on this grim journey at all. Still, it was far too long, and they had almost reached their destination, before she had finally moved her bedroll next to his under the stars. Until then, Marion had spent his time reading his copy of the Phenomenology, or debating the chatty gnome on the role of mind in determining the real. She’d gone around introducing herself the day they’d all met for the journey, but Marion had barely used her name, Guyana. More often, he called her Wilde, which fit in many ways. She had the personality of a fizzy drink, and she had focused on the mind and its insubstantial perceptions. By the time they reached the tower, however, he was walking beside Loss’s cart, Mirror on his shoulder, one hand on the railing and the other swinging free. Mirimon was not surprised by the Organist’s Tower. Alcarohtar had described it in one of his letters, and had even told him how there were no real boundaries between the various building materials. They didn’t even bleed into one another, one material’s grains suspended in a mass of another material, the one thinning out while the other thickened. Rather, there were no boundaries at all: where it seemed there were, one material actually transformed into another and vice versa, the grains ever-changing. The description had fascinated Marion when he first read it, but seeing it for the first time was truly awesome. His eyes started at the pinnacle and slowly worked their way down, taking in every detail they could. It would be a privilege to study the outside of the tower even if he were not let in. Miruvoro ruffled his feathers, tickling Marion’s ear, and bringing him back to the present. Loss pulled back on the reins, bringing the cart to a halt. Marion looks around but fails to spot their guide: in his place, standing in front of the door, is the very image of a disgruntled dwarf. Marion takes his hand from the cart and pats Mirror’s wing, remembering a leafy, gently-swaying tree to inspire calm in the raven. Marion’s own heart beat quickly before the dwarf even spoke.*Perception*Spoiler Hide (1d20+3)[23] "Has Iranian sworn off Transmutation as well then?"asked Marion. Or is he always this unavailable?" The darkened human, No rick, had already picked up on one of the clues Terrence seemed to drop into his speech; Marion felt he should highlight another. While one part of his mind was analyzing Terrence’s spiel, another was feeling disappointed that he would not be meeting Alcarohtar here after all: if he had time to instruct Marion in Transmutation by letter, he could not be that unavailable, and from Arno’s description of the mage’s expertise, far greater than Marion’s own, he believed him capable. Either he was not here, or there existed a feud between him and Terrence. Marion brushed that possibility aside, however. His teacher could not have been so petty. Mirimon watched impassively as the others tried to make their way through the door, taking note of their actions and Terrence’s responses." So,"he said, after Wilde entered,"We need your permission to enter, and you will give it when you feel we are ready. I am almost ready, but will not be wholly until I am satisfied on one point." Mirimon stretched out his hand, and supported Loss’s stepping out of the cart." This gem of a woman has accepted the journey here without complaint when she could, maybe should, have stayed behind. I’d like to know what provisions have been made for those we bring along. Are those outside the Order kept out, and if so will she have a roof over her head while the rest of us are inside? Or can she come with me if she chooses? Answer, and I will be ready."" I may not have learned all that you have,"says Loss, curtsying ever so slightly,"or even all that Marion and the others here have. But I feel ready to enter your tower." She pulls Marion by the hand to stand in front of the door, and he follows, awaiting with curiosity whatever sight had widened the eyes of those who had gone before. Fletcher was also somewhat quiet throughout the journey, though he politely listened to Guyana whenever she felt like talking (something that happened far too often for his liking). The silent guide unsettled him, though he never quite figured out what was so... creepy about the man. He stands silently for a short time after the dwarf-elf appears, admiring the construction of the tower and showing an expression of minor irritation when the potion smashes on the ground, before speaking." Don't have the clearance? I can't even begin to imagine why the mere name of a rank would require special clearance, but if you insist then I shan't press the issue. May I enter?" Listen check Spoiler Hide (1d20)[18] EDIT: Forgot to add my +3 bonuses, so that's a 21. "See, first day here and I'm already learning. Clearly I'm ready to get started,"da Silva stated as she blinked a few irritated tears away. 'Really, smacked my face on the door and then looked at a magical sun. Maybe I ought to trip myself on the stairs for good measure,' she thought to herself." Can I please be let in now?" "Haha, is Iranian always this busy? More like is the sky always blue. Of course, he isn't! But the head of this organization has more important things to do even during his days off than I have to do on my busiest morning. I'm lucky when I can get a question across to even one of him! But at any rate, you may take your lady friend with you, and her bravery is uncanny. The gate is open for you, Changer, though you must take extra care to preserve your jewel." ZimmerwaldSpoiler Hide The gate seems to open for you, revealing a strobing light which never reveals enough of the room beyond to make out any details. "As for you, Bringer, you'll find much of our organization shrouded by mystery and unsure courses. It keeps us safer that way. You may pass, though be wary of what you find there. We trade in impermanence as you do." SqueekenatorSpoiler Hide The gate seems to open for you, revealing a curtain of foliage so thick that you cannot see the room beyond. "Hider, you have indeed learned many things today. And you will learn many more. Your passage into the tower is allowed. But just as you may abjure what you don't want others to find, many hidden things lie in the Tower. You may pass. I trust you will enjoy your journey." FeralVentasSpoiler Hide The gate seems to open for you, revealing a rolling mist contained within the tower, so thick as to prevent you from seeing into the room beyond. Fletcher peers through the gate at the strange sight beyond. Curious. Surely this is some sort of test? He walks through. Marion once at Terrence's explanation. The now-dwarf had talked earlier of Iranian's "simulacra", and now he implied there was more than one of the Order's chief. Marion knew the word, and supposed that it was only natural that the chief of the Order knew several methods of appearing in many places at once, either by giving himself many bodies, or his one body many images. Marion nodded again at the warning, but did not respond directly to Terrence. Instead, he turned to Loss." You don't know what it means that you're coming with me,"he said, taking both her hands,"but our host has good reasons for his words. If I knew they would last, I would enspell you here and now, before we enter, but if this Order does not reveal its structure even to its own members no doubt it wards its doors against magic. So before we enter this room of pulsing light, I need to know I can cast any spell whatsoever on you whenever it is needed. And I need to know that you'll know it's me."" I'll know. I'll know the spell on me now didn't come from a book. And I trust you. Especially to know when it's you that needs protecting. You're the one they're testing, but you can't do everything."" I'll stay with her, Lung." The words scraped out of Mirror's throat, a mockery of his name, but Marion could tell they were truly meant." Yes. We shall go." Miruvoro flapped over the Loss's head and perched on her hair. Marion stepped back over to the cart, and exchanged some items in his pack with those from the cart. One packet of rations now lay beside the rest, while Marion'sPhenomonologysat in his hand." Please make sure my horse is stabled,"he said to Terrence, drawing level with Loss. She fell into step behind him as they walked through the door. Spoiler Hide spell craft to "identify a spell that’s already in place and in effect," namely the strobing lights. Spellcraft: (1d20+12)[22] Ready an action to cast Reduce Person when an attack is launched, on the person, either me or Loss, against whom the attack, magical or martial in nature, is launched. ZimmerwaldSpoiler Hide You do not recognize the spell at all. Also, you must use a standard action to ready an action. Do you do this after you enter? Terrance gags slightly at the exchange between Loss and Marion, and urges them through the doors faster than the others. Spoiler Hide Yeah, didn't think I would. I needed a Nat seventeen to be sure of identifying it. But using spell craft that way doesn't use any actions, and it doesn't hurt to try. As for the readied action, I'm using my standard action to ready, then taking a move action to enter the door. Loss, of course, still has all her actions available, not that that means much. "I appreciate that you're allowing me through and all, but that looks an awful lot like something that's less a door and a more magical maelstrom waiting to tear me apart, and that would seem unhealthy." "You won't be harmed by the entrance, Hider. That I can guarantee you." Her face tenses in a moment of uncertainty, but nods in agreement. She raises her hand up before her, waving before her while muttering a few arcane words, then steps forward once the gate is ready. Spoiler Hide Casting Mage Armor, +4 AC. As you step through the door, you feel as if you had lost no momentum at all, despite the time you spent in the room that is no longer there. The eight creatures before you have such eclectic looks that it is almost impossible to describe them as a group. In fact, you can see almost no connection between any of them, besides a bright signet ring that they each wear on their index fingers*. The one on the furthest left is dressed in simple brown robes. He is a human, with wispy white hair and bright green eyes. He is clean-shaven, and he is decidedly overweight, his vowels bouncing as he nods in your direction. His eyes are as deep as pools, and as you meet them, he appears to be looking through you, or as if he were in a distant place." Pleasure to meet you, children,"he says." I am Word, Arch diviner. No need to state your names." The next appears to be another human, dressed in a bright green cloth suit, which seems to change shades as it shifts position. You find it slightly mesmerizing, as his face is. He is one of the handsomest humans any of you have ever seen, with well-groomed hair and twinkling blue eyes. His smelt figure is almost elf-like, but he is very clearly human." Delko Rill, at your service. Master Enchanter. I'm absolutely charmed." Adjacent to him is a fearsome looking creature. Nearly seven feet tall, its skin appears craggy as a cliff face, and as he shifts his weight you hear a distinct cracking sound, as if stone were grinding with his movements. His eyes are a bright gold, as those of a dragon, but with a glow about them that appear as if they belonged to a celestial being." Name is Marine, Highest Disciple of Transmutation. May your stones remain solid." The fourth man at first appears to be a child, but upon closer inspection has the proportions of an adult. It is plainly a halfling, with mismatched eyes, one green and one blue. He is dressed in leathers, with a dirk at his side and a smile on his face. He appears pleased by your presence, Moreno at less than the others." Arillis Destroy, Abjurer in Chief. I hope Terrance didn't nearly scare you off out there, with his talk of secrecy. It's just because he can't keep track of rank names." The fifth is a stooped old half elf, with enough scars on his face and bare arms that it's almost hard to look at him. He is surrounded by a magical aura so strong, Detect Magician't even necessary to see it. Despite his terrible posture, his stance is strong and his muscles obviously toned. He wears Afro all white." Marenid, Evoke of the Sun, here to welcome you to our fine academy." Number six is a heavyset gnome, who you almost missed as he stood in the shadow cast by Married. His weight belies his dexterity, though, as he moves snakelike into your line of sight. He is wearing all dark colors, with a splash of red over his heart. He is nearly entirely bald, and his eyes dart shiftily as he speaks to you. His tone is friendly, however, as he says"Hope the Council hasn't frightened you away yet. The name's Nae run Vladislav Four Cal anon East-... The name's Nae run. Nice to see such promising recruits!" Second to last is a hobgoblin dressed in glowing plate armor, carrying a broad sword on his back. His black eyes are cold and uncaring, though his face has a smile on it. The designs on his armor seem to swirl and move, creating sinister designs." James Married, Master of Life and Death both. The pleasure is mine even more than the rest." Finally, at the end of the line, stands an elf dressed in multicolored robes, with a passive look on his face. His age is impossible to tell, but it is clear that he has many years of experience under his belt. He has long, slicked back black hair, and the sharp, well-defined features of an elf." My name is Donation, Summoner of Gods. It is a pleasure to meet you all. We are the advising council of the Grand Mage Iranian. Together we represent each of the eight schools of magic. It is truly a pleasure to see so many representatives of the different schools present. You will later hear our function and purpose. For now, though, you are welcome to ask any questions you wish to have answered, and from there proceed to be assigned your first task."*Spot DC 20Spoiler Hide The rings depict an open book alight with flames, DC 25 Spoiler Hide Which, as you watch, seem to consume the pages and binding of the book, leaving only the letters, surrounded by fire. Fletcher stands even smaller than usual, somewhat in awe of these mighty mages, although in truth he is far more impressed by Donation, a master of the most skillful and worthwhile of all magics. Rather appropriate, then, that the summoner makes the longest and most important speech." I have no questions for now. What is your will?" Word seems to speak for the group, as he says"We are here now to answer your questions. Once all of you have none, you will be escorted to your supervisor, Clarendon, to be debriefed as to your purpose here. He will be the tall one. You will recognize him." Marion thought the Highest Disciple’s greeting misguided. Change was the only constant, things contained within them their foes and opposites and these encountered and molded one another always. Predicting and working for the best changes was better than hoping that they would all be inconsequential. But no doubt Marion had much to learn, and it would be wiser to examine Marine’s statement later in more detail: his own views could contain the master Transmute’s as their own opposite, and mold each other through blows. Instead, he spoke on a different subject." I have a question,"he said." Does the Council offer an explanation as to our experiences upon passing the door? Loss and I dueled shadow-figures much like ourselves. Terrence warned us to be wary, and I can only assume, though I did not have the privilege of watching them, that my comrades each faced some sort of obstacle, though perhaps not of that type. It is possible that we all came through these obstacles unscathed, though if that were true my mind would thrum slightly less with magic, my body would bear scabs and blisters, and Loss would only now be regaining her vision. It is also possible that the adversities overcame some of us. If that is the case, given that we are all standing here to hear your gracious welcome, what was the purpose?" It would have been a trivial question to ask how such a trick had been done. Magic, no doubt, played a significant part, and it did not matter what type. No, the question of motive was the important one here. To succumb to the challenge rather than overcoming it was clearly no barrier to entering the Order. Perhaps their methods told the Council (who were no doubt somewhere far removed from this chamber, the men welcoming the Acolytes being Simulacra), and whatever other mages observed the proceedings, something about them as people. If that was the case, what information about Marion could they derive, or think they derived, from his having put Loss and Mirror at risk in order to win? True, he had asked her permission first and his spell had hampered their counterparts more than it had them, but even so. It hadn’t been right. Or perhaps it was simply another defense of the door against outsiders, and wasn’t a test of new Acolytes specifically at all. Marion had seen it rebuff Very when she tried to enter without Terrence’s permission; perhaps any first-time passer-through had to face a challenge, whether he entered by permission or through getting around that particular magic. Or, what was more likely, the true purpose eluded Marion’s pondering completely. That reminded Marion…" If I may beg the Council’s indulgence for one further question, I would like to know if the Order member—I know not his rank, for which I apologize—Alcarohtar Nacelle may be found here." Willis fields Marion's question." It was a test, to be sure. Though not one of your skills, nor did the outcome matter. It was merely an ... examination. We wished to see how you could overcome challenges. Put it out of your mind, though. It is not consequential, surely. As for Alcarohtar ... Well, he is in the tower, yes. However, finding him may be ... difficult."" He is inside if you wish to see him though. Somewhere around the 23rd story. His room keeps changing location, you see." "I think I see,"said Marion. Either the words were meant literally, and the room moved from place to place within the tower, or Alcarohtar moved or was shunted from room to room within the tower. Perhaps both were true." I will try to find him later, Clarendon's debriefing and our further instructions permitting. Thank you for the directions. Speaking of rooms, where will we sleep, trance, or meditate, according to our forms and tastes? Loss and I tire of the ground's hard comfort." As if in answer, Loss piped up." Why is every one of you a man?" The question startled Marion, and his eyes went wide. It was probably impertinent, not that he cared, but more importantly it was an obvious fact that had totally passed him by. Now that Marion thought about it, Terrence had called Iranian "he" too, and was himself male. Marion looked over the Wilde and Very. Would they have to change to fit the Order? Would Loss? Marion pulled her closer. The gnome Guyana crosses her arms over her chest."... That wasn't very nice, you know. You could have at least told us... Do you know how much getting hit by Shadow Spray hurts? My muscles still ache, and I don't even think it was real!" [/COLOR] Originally Posted by zimmerwald1915 "I think I see," said Marion. Either the words were meant literally, and the room moved from place to place within the tower, or Alcarohtar moved or was shunted from room to room within the tower. Perhaps both were true. "I will try to find him later, Clarendon's debriefing and our further instructions permitting. Thank you for the directions. Speaking of rooms, where will we sleep, trance, or meditate, according to our forms and tastes? Loss and I tire of the ground's hard comfort." As if in answer, Loss piped up. "Why is every one of you a man?" The question startled Marion, and his eyes went wide. It was probably impertinent, not that he cared, but more importantly it was an obvious fact that had totally passed him by. Now that Marion thought about it, Terrence had called Iranian "he" too, and was himself male. Marion looked over the Wilde and Very. Would they have to change to fit the Order? Would Loss? Marion pulled her closer. "Two excellent questions,"answers Deck." You will be provided quarters, though I would recommend keeping your valuables either on your person or out of your rooms. It's unpleasant having to find them once your space has blinked out. And this is the first time in many centuries at least one member of the fairer sex hasn't been represented on the council. We are chosen by Iranian himself, and there was quite an uproar about it. But we have been wise in our decisions and council, we think, and not unpopular amongst the Order." Originally Posted by Yuki Aka The gnome Guyana crosses her arms over her chest. "... That wasn't very nice, you know. You could have at least told us... Do you know how much getting hit by Shadow Spray hurts? My muscles still ache, and I don't even think it was real!" "If you expect to be warned before every fight you have, it won't be long before I will see you again, little one,"says James. Guyana frowns." I don't expect to be warned before every fight, but I do expect to be warned before my so-called 'allies' or 'colleagues' send scary robot duplicates of me." She emfs and crosses her arms! It's really more adorable than she intended. Darn governess. Nae run breaks out in huge bouts of laughter for someone his size." Ahhhh, you knew you were in no danger to begin with. A little splash of real pain once in a while is a good thing. Keeps you in touch with the Prime Material, don't you know." Guyana peers Nae run for a moment or two."... Did you get polymorphed into the wrong body too? Or maybe mages are just weird... I don't know many..." "Oh, no, no no. Terrance was one of the few unfortunates I know to have that happen to him. Why do you ask?" Guyana tilts her head to one side." Oh. Well... you just act a little different to most kin I know..." She shakes her head."... I guess it's not important! Um. So... what sort of duties is we expected to perform...?" "That will be covered in your debriefing. Suffice it to say, for now at least, that you are expected to travel." da Silva sighs, raising her palm forcibly to her forehead with a thud. Shaking her head and attempting to return her pace and presences of mind to a calm demeanor." What can I accomplish here to prevent a similar sequence of events in the future, and how best could our efforts suit your needs? I expect we're not here based on scholarly philanthropy." "It is a one time test, I assure you,"replies the Conjurer." And as to how you can serve us ... Well, it's about time you've found out!" At this, he snaps his fingers, and the eight of them disappear in a puff of smoke and a staircase spirals down from the ceiling. Rather than stopping at the ground, though, it continues through the floor, where torchlight dances up from various branching hallways. It must continue downwards for as many stories as it does up, for you do not see an end to the staircase at the bottom. Descending the staircase is a sprightly young human girl in a white muslin dress, springing down three or four stairs at a time." Oh!"she says, spotting the five of you." You're all here! I'm terribly sorry, but Clarendon is a bit preoccupied at the moment. He's grown, you see, and he's examining the phenomenon. Shouldn't be growing much more. He suspects one of the transmutes is having a go at him, you know. But where are my manners, my name is Luciana, but you can call me Old. I'm going to be doing your debriefing. If you'd just follow me, please!" To your surprise, she says all of this during her descent, not stopping at all until she reaches the bottom ... and then keeps descending. It doesn't look like you're going to see the upper rooms of the tower today after all ... As you follow Old, you notice the lighting does not change as you go further underground. Rather, between the various dancing lights, lightspells, torches and other various glowing apparatuses, the light stays fairly consistently bright, if a bit annoyingly flickery. The spiral staircase is one continuous length, but at every few steps there is either a doorway or a hallway that leads into a room, or another branch of the tower, until you aren't sure exactly how far the tower spreads from its base. It is possible you were walking under it from miles away, even. You catch glimpses through the doors, floor after floor, of interesting, esoteric projects being worked on. In one room, a portion of a vat of bubbling pitch is drunk by a dwarf who, though he seems sickened by the taste, is satisfied when his color changes from tan to a dark black. In another, two gnomes argue angrily over an Apparatus of Walsh that seems to be behaving erratically. You finally stop walking at about 263 steps down, for those of you who've been counting, at one of the hallways. You continue past about four doorways, until coming to a room labeled "-913," with a small, ensilvered Salad engraved on it." Well, here's the briefing room. Are you ready to get started?"Spoiler Hide All conversation you have after now is assumed to be had on the walk down the staircase. You can do reactions, etc. before we get to the actual briefing, if you like. Donation's snap seemed to whisk the Council away in a puff of smoke, and to deposit a spiral staircase in their place. It made Marion wonder if the Council had ever been physically present, or the spiral staircase physically absent at all. He had already suspected the Council of being Simulacra of the real council members, wherever they were. Or there might have been some other effect at work. No doubt Marion was meant to feel privileged at having been allowed a few moments of a council member's simulacrum's time, but instead he felt an odd mixture of curiosity and resignation. On the one hand he felt the true sequence of events was perceptible: on the other he despaired of his own ability to perceive it, now and for the foreseeable future. For now the simplest explanation was that the staircase had never been absent, at least. The girl bounding down it raised new and stranger questions. Marion was not old for an elf, and had been thrust out into the world far sooner than he had planned or expected. But this girl was much younger than he, and as far as he could tell relatively younger than any of the Acolytes. And while Alcarohtar had written Marion to tell of spells greater by far than any Marion had mastered - hampered by working from written instructions instead of guided by a master's presence - this girl clearly possessed great talent and great practice. She was ranked high enough within the Order to replace Clarendon - or a Simulacrum of his, assuming this wasn't a Simulacrum of hers - in his duty to debrief the Acolytes. Had she shed years, or transferred her soul to this body from her original, or masked her true looks with illusions, or was this indeed her as she was? From what she said Clarendon seemed to have changed shape, though her explanation was frustratingly vague. Word had told them that Clarendon was abnormally tall already; was he that way naturally or had he or someone else shaped his form with magic? If the latter was true, how could he have been made even larger magically? Such magics usually interfered with one another: Marion had once attempted toreducehimself twice, only to have the spell collapse and release enough energy to leave Mirimonreduced, burnt, and bedridden for a week. Loss and Arno had been so worried." Is there a hard limit as to how long he'll be so large?"he asked Old." From what you've said he sounds more amused and intrigued than worried or concerned. If he could not spare us the courtesy of completing the task which he was assigned, or creating a Simulacrum or similar effect for the purpose as the council members did, I can only assume that he must work quickly analyzing his condition. In any case, it's a pleasure to meet you, Old."" How did you assume the duty?"asked Loss." Were you simply convenient or did Kaledendon have you planned as a substitute in case something happened?" As the acolytes descended, Marion wondered why the briefing room was so far away from ground level and the tower's center. Surely if the Order wanted to send people on missions they would keep the room from which they were to embark near the exit? Unless they expected the Acolytes to leave via the Astral Plane, or were prepared to help them to do so, it seemed less than well-thought-out. On the way down, Marion's attention was grabbed by the pitch-drinking dwarf and the effect the pitch produced upon him. Curious, he flipped through hisPhenomenologybut found no relevant information. He was too absorbed in the text to look up at the sound of raised, high-pitched voices, and by the time he closed the book the dwarf and his odd drink were almost out of sight. The briefing room was just up ahead." Yes,"said Marion to Old's question. He hoped the debriefing would contain some straightforward information. Even the most mundane routines in the Tower, it seemed, required in-depth analysis to penetrate what was actually going on, and new situations came thick and fast. He could hope for answers, but he did not expect them. More likely there would be even more puzzles waiting behind that frog-faced blazon. "Oh, Kali is always growing. It's a bit of a hobby for him. Well, the hobby is measuring, but the growing is the active part. He'll probably only get larger. It's what he does best, after all! He's not nearly talented enough to start making Simulacra, let me tell you. 'Course, neither am I yet, but I'm working towards it! At any rate, we have a full set of redundancies built in to our system of tasking, so one failure or distraction doesn't interrupt us. It's quite useful in such a big place. And that's how I got here meeting all of you!" Guyana walks along!" You know, it's sad. I can't work out whether Old is really this cute, or if it's some sort of illusion to make us all feel at ease..." She doesn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular. "Oh, I am as real as you! But thank you for calling me cute. It's really a nice complement from you!" Spoiler Hide Going to enter the briefing room when I get home this evening, so get any other questions/interactions out ASAP! "That's a relief,"said Marion, putting his book away." I was beginning to think that everyone we would meet here would be some magically-created duplicate.". The possibility was still open that the Old they saw was some kind of duplicate other than a Simulacrum: she had left that possibility open. Even her claim to Wilde of her reality was evasive, depending on how real Wilde was, or how real Old believed her to be. As valuable as getting a straight answer could be, however, Marion felt that training himself to examine the possible truths could be more valuable here. Still, there was at least one practical matter about which the Acolytes might learn." Will we learn about the redundancies in our briefing, Old?". No doubt that Acolytes wouldn't be integrated into the larger tasks, but a system like that required many bodies, apparently more than magical duplication could easily or quickly provide. "Oh, the redundancies aren't really covered. They're just ... a fact. If someone cannot complete a task, their backup is sent. It just ... is." That was odd. Old, according to her story, had been designated as a replacement. Not beforehand, but as she was needed. But her explanation used frustratingly vague." But surely you can remember who sent you, and how. It had to have happened not long ago, between Word's telling us we'd be briefed by Clarendon and your arrival. Did you hear a voice in your head or see an image before you that could be recognized? Or did you just...know?" "Oh, of course I do. Once Kali decided he wouldn't come, his immediate supervisor, who also happens to be mine, assigned me to this task, and then another one of his underlings to mine, and it eventually goes full circle! It's a bit chaotic, but it's got a sort of subtle efficiency to it. Everything we want to get done gets done around here."*Opening the door, you find yourself in a very spacious room, with plenty of space where there is just ... nothing. The only fixtures are five beds arranged in a nearly symmetrical fashion, and a large mirror on one wall." These will be your quarters while you stay here. If you ever need to leave in a hurry, just tell the mirror. In fact, if you ever really need anything, just tell the mirror. We'll get it to you as soon as possible. But you can do your decorating later. I've got some explaining to do!" Oli takes a seat on the nearest bed, then pulls a scroll from the front of her dress, and starts reading off of it." Welcome to this most Elite Order of Organists. We have taken strong interest in your rudimentary magical skill, and have decided that you are now talented enough to join us in our struggle. This struggle is not one that is publicly known, for it pits the world's great powers against each other. The balance of the world is shifting. Whereas the diffusion of magic in the world was once equal, with representation from both the Order and the Archdiocese of the Unified Pantheons being present throughout the world. However, lately it has come to our attention that our agents have been going missing in the South. Divination have revealed some information, but only for brief glimpses at a time. For this reason, we fear that there may be some even more powerful force at work than even Word's powers can identify. Extra-planar contacts have been as frustratingly vague as our own divination. Currently, through one project or another, the entire force of the Order is at work to discover the source of this problem, and you are the newest addition. While some of our most powerful agents have moved to the South, the Order still requires its representatives in the North. You will receive assignments from the Order as the need for them appears. Your first mission will begin tomorrow, as soon as you are ready. There have been reports of disruptive happenings in the town of Chain wraith, to the North-West. You will leave by mirror tomorrow to be teleported there by Clarendon, and get further details." She puts the scroll down on one of the beds and yawns loudly." Boy that was a long read. Anyway, travel by mirror is easy, but something you'll need explained to you. Come, follow me." She leads you to the large mirror on the far wall. Five feet tall, the mirror has ornate designs on it, and at the top there are three inch-long orbs, each colored differently." The blue orb's for contacting another member of the Order. Just think their name after you press it, they'll get the message. The green orb is for transport. Again, think of the place you want to be, or the person you want to see, and just walk through. You'll get out at the closest mirror. The red orb ... well, don't press that except in an emergency." At this, she decides to demonstrate, by pressing the green orb and, with a brief [color="sienna]"Goodbye!"[/color], she leaves you.*Spoiler Hide It is at this point you reach the door. "Well,"says Marion, going to stand by the foot of one of the beds,"That was an eye-opener." Lossë sat next to him, on the foot of the bed." Apparently the Order uses their presence in places to measure the very magical content of parts of the world. Well, theirs and this Archdiocese, which I've never heard of, despite my kin's long attempts to mold me into a servant of Andrea. Loss, has your brother mentioned any such thing to you?" The woman's head moved from left to right, and her eyes said "no"." As for this imbalance, and our mission, I'd like to hear what you think. Has anyone been to Chain wraith before, or heard of the place? I know I haven't. Speaking of which!" Mirimon raises his eyes towards the ceiling for a moment." We don't know each other that well, do we? We could get away with hardly speaking on the road, but that can hardly continue if we're going to be sent on missions together."" Luno and I met in Andrea's temple in Braden,"says Loss, standing up from the bed." I had followed my brother when he took a position there. We were married only a few months before coming here."" Her brother and I did not get along, you see,"explained Marion." He didn't like that I cared more for knowing and changing the world than for the mysteries of his goddess. When he found out, he had me excommunicated and expelled from Braden. The Order recruited me from this desperate state, and Loss - Brutal if you want to be formal - chose to stay together. "That's enough about me."said Marion. The rest they could deduce from his comments to Terrence and to the Council. They were smart enough." Once we're all properly introduced, we should get a list together of what we'll need to make this place livable and present it to the mirror all at once. Nothing fancy, things tend to blink out after all, and we are leaving tomorrow, but things like bookcases for our spell and other books, wardrobes for our clothes and travelling gear. Maybe we could share one large bookshelf and wardrobe. Some kind of water basin would probably help. And I've tired of my Phenomenology, having nothing else to read over the journey here. Maybe some material on the history and structure of the Order - and its Archdiocese counterpart - and on Chain wraith?"" Can you get a perch for me?"said Mirror." I can't crouch on your shoulder when you're lying down."" And see if they can give us something that can silence a small area,"said Loss, quietly, but pointedly. "I suppose I'm willing to be forward if you are." "I approached the Order with the intent of using their resources and working as a scholar or scribe while studying some of their more mundane knowledge, sciences and the like. Turns out I'm good enough with actual spell craft and terrible with record keeping that they would rather have me learning magic, and I found that agreeable enough. Haven't been to Chain wraith myself, though it sounds like a place I'm glad not to have been to." Dyssilka shrugs, finishing her statement by a gesture and proceeding to reach into her pack and pull out a trail-rationed piece of sweetbread that had all the appeal of something meant to last four months in a desert before use." Next?", she asks, gesturing onward as she moves to set herself down on one of the vacant beds. Fletcher sighs inwardly. The chatter was bearable with just Guyana around, but two like her in the same room? Still, he keeps a polite and interested expression, paying just enough attention to Old's words to pick up the important details. As he steps into the room, an enormous black-and-white dog with several bags strapped to its back trots in behind. Titan had been investigating some interesting smells on the wall while the boring magic-talk happened. He gives Fletcher a familiar look, and the gnome reaches up to the dog's ears to scratch them while he talks." I've never heard of Chain wraith either, I've spent most of my life in two small towns, fairly isolated from the rest of the world. Studying the arcane arts was always more important to me than anything else." A somewhat sad look appears on his face for a moment, but quickly vanishes." My name is Titan"is the only introduction the dog gives, and he flops down onto a bed. Fletcher is used to the strange sight of Common coming from a dog's mouth, but he recalls how odd it used to seem. He walks over to the bed and begins to unpack his things from the bags Titan wears. "Well, Very,"said Marion, looking straight at da Silva so that there could be no mistaking who he was talking to,"From your story it doesn't sound like you need me to be forward! I wouldn't have approached the Order if my teacher hadn't invited me." He smiles, hoping she would take that, and the name, as a compliment. "Very" could mean feckless or rash as well as bold or forward, and from her performance at the gate those were accurate as well, but he did mean the compliment." Chainwraith doesn't sound too terrible, aside from the foreboding name,"said Loss, looking at Marion. It sounded like she wanted the subject changed. Probably to stop him from explaining the thoughts he had just had. She was right, he probably would have. He squeezed her shoulder in thanks." Miss Luciana implied that whatever we're to investigate is out of the ordinary. And any place plagued by regular 'disruptive happenings' would hardly have grown a community."" All the more reason to learn as much as we can before going there,"agreed Marion." If Old's speech, not to mention that session with the Council or whatever it was, is any indication, we'll be better off relying on whatever research we can do than what we're told." Mirimon walked across the room to stand by the mirror, as if to emphasize that despite Old's explanation, they still did not really know how the thing worked. As Marion walked, Mirror launched himself off his shoulder and glided over to the bed Fletcher had claimed. He stooped over one of the bags, and perched on top of it, digging his claws into the fabric to compensate for it not being a thin branch on which he could perch." Do you want a bed for yourself, Titan?"he says. Marion could feel the raven's curiosity about another talking animal, and also longing. Though Marion treated him like a member of their little family, and though they could not help but share their emotions intimately, Mirror was nonetheless bound to him. Titan seemed freer. Marion could feel Mirror's confusion as he searched for how to describe the dog's relationship to the gnome outside of master and servant. It made Marion think about what he had come here for. Not just to learn the mysteries of the Order, but also the forces that governed social life. Would there be time? Norris pulls his hood down as you settle into the room, revealing a large scar covering a good half of his face. It twists in a sinister smile as he says"When the Order called me, it was hard to resist. Become a member of a vast, secretive, world spanning order of mages? What else could I say? Not to mention being here may be just the thing to give me the information I need. And the resources to do something about it. There are people who have wronged me, just as I am sure there are those who have wronged you." Titan gives the bird a curious look, before placing it firmly within his 'do not eat' category. If eating pets is unacceptable, then eating talking pets must be doubly so. Satisfied with his decision, he answers its question." This is my bed. If Fletcher wants his own then he can get it himself." The gnome smiles at this and shakes his head." I've never met a blanket quite so warm and comfortable as you, Titan." He then turns to Marion." I agree that we should get as much research done as we can in whatever time we have." He walks over to the mirror." I suppose we should become acquainted with this, since it seems we'll be using it often." Fletcher touches the mirror and thinks 'library', then hesitantly tries to walk through. As Fletcher's thoughts focus on the tower library, the mirror turns an opaque green which starts to swirl with darker colors, until it forms a perfectly symmetrical spiral. As Fletcher steps through, he appears to become spaghettified to everyone in the room. To whomever passes through the portal Spoiler Hide You feel yourself being pulled through the mirror by whatever limb entered it first, gently stretched, and then in a flash of green light you pop out of the other side, with vague images of people and rooms still passing in front of your eyes. When you recover from this unexpected jaunt, as you are used to teleportation being instantaneous, you find you have passed through the portal with seemingly no lost momentum from your entrance. However, you are in a bit of a predicament-You found your way into the library, but the mirror isn't situated near any visible entrance. The shelves alone are all over fifty feet high, and each book-case stretches for hundreds of feet. It'll take a while to find the entrance and ask for help obtaining information, but it would probably be easier than finding it through the tower ... And besides, there's nothing stopping you from looking through books on your way there! Guyana holds her arms behind her head, looking around the room. Her nose wrinkles a bit."... How boring. They could at least put up a tapestry or something..." As people begin to divulge character backgrounds, she grins and shrugs." I got scouted from a college. Nothing too unique. They said I had an 'interesting instinctive grasp of the magics of the Plane of Shadow', but I don't have any idea what that's meant to mean." Shrug! Marion smiles selfishly." If your magic involves the Plane of Shadow, then it does on some levels manipulate something real and physical, and not just the mind. If, as I said before, such a thing can be separated out from the brain--"* Marion was so caught up in scoring debating points, however, that he did not notice Fletcher reach up to the green gem, and could only let out a surprised yelp before he was gone! Miruvoro, jarred by Marion's surprise, squawked, took off, and flapped over to his shoulder." I don't suppose there's a way to track where someone went on this thing?" Mirimon says, turning to the mirror and running his hands over it. Thinking out loud, he continues,"We were talking of research, so he probably went to the library, but the library could have many mirrors, or be decentralized." Mirimon turns his back to the mirror." Just so we don't get separated, whoever's going through the mirror now should probably think and picture 'Fletcher' so they end up near him. Loss, are you coming?"" I think not,"she says." If you will be gone long the room will be left quiet for a trance, and if you are not then it doesn't matter. Tell me if you find anything interesting." Mirimon nods and smiles." I will. Maybe they'll loan out a copy." He turns once again to the mirror, lays two fingertips on the green gem, and thinks'Fletcher Underbough'@ Squeekenator, Football:Spoiler Hide Marion strides serenely through the portal, and keeps walking until he's about ten feet away from it. He looks around. "Do we know where we are? And how to get from here to wherever we can find information on Chain wraith?" He goes to one of the shelves and tries to read the titles off the bindings, to get an idea of what information they contain. Mirror pecks at Marion's pack, looking for all the world like he has a nervous tic. "Not yet," he says to the raven, patting his wings. Marion turns to Fletcher. "I'm sorry, he knows I have a scroll that will let one of us absorb as much as three books' worth of information in seconds. But we should use it for the research we need to do." He seems to say this last part to himself, reminding himself that they had a job to do. Marion knew he could spend hours, days here, if there wasn't a reason not to. *IOC:Spoiler Hide I'm alluding here to conversations had previously on the road. The mirror reacts similarly to Marion as it did to Fletcher, and he also steps through without issue. "They've only just arrived here, and they're already getting up and about again? Ugh." da Silva shakes her head, finishing off her snack and looking around at her still present companions." I can appreciate magic as well as the next spell-singer, but it's something to enjoy, not get bogged down in books over." "Still though, you make a good point, Loss,"she says as she scoots back and rests her head on her hands." Here's to hope that the folks running this place don't have a habit of testing us in our sleep too." Enya follows the others through the mirror! She doesn't want to get left behind! After recovering from the rather unusual teleportation, Fletcher looks around, wide-eyed with wonder. This place was more than just a library - a towering maze of books surrounded him. He could get lost forever in this place - not that he would be trying to find his way out of a treasure trove of knowledge such as this. Still, he probably should at least find the way out. He does have an obligation of some sort to the town of Chain wraith. He picks up an interesting-looking book and responds to Marion while reading." It would take some time to find information on Chain wraith here. I think we should try to locate someone who knows their way around, rather than looking ourselves." @Library folk! Spoiler Hide DC 15 Int Check: Spoiler Hide The books are all written in strange languages, some of which you recognize, but the only unifying topic is they all have to do with the planes, specifically planar travel. (d100)[23] Edit: @FeralVentasSpoiler Hide Nearly as soon as Guyana steps through the mirror, and just as you settle down to sleep, three of these fly through the door to your room, chattering loudly, and carrying a single small bag each. They speak in chorus, but in a very chaotic fashion, each using different words to say, essentially, "Hello! We are your decoration committee! All newcomers meet us, please tell us how you want to decorate your room!" Spoiler Hide da Silva blinks several times, assuring herself that the small, rambunctious creatures were, in fact, asking her for interior decorating decisions. "... Let's see...." Taking a glance around the room and attempting to make sense of what was currently available, while taking into account the capabilities of the artistic assistance she had available, da Silva quickly drew up a series of possible styles, themes, and designs that might work well for the spaces as they were. "Let's have a uniform color scheme please, don't want it too earthy, but if we make it too abstract it'll just wind up looking awful or pretentious. I'm thinking a set of mirrors in addition to the one we have; that one will be central of course, but there's plenty of room for a few more to brighten the place up. Nothing too big of course; don't want to intrude on each other too much." "The beds are probably too big to replace outright, but I'd think that the sheets and spreads should be fairly easy to replace with some blue/gray ones, or else transmute the existing ones. After that, let's add some pillows, shall we? I'm thinking a color motif for each of the occupants, Russia for my own of course, but Crimson on one for Marion, then a dark blue for gloomy Nor rick. Something bright would probably fit Guyana better, though I think she'll like a moderate purple, and we'll finish off Fletcher with a sandy colored shade. "Now then, I want to see about some drapes over each of these; if we're sharing the room a while we ought to be able to have our own privacy too.... Wait! Never mind the drapes, range for partitions between the beds; not so long that they go past the foot of the bed, but enough to make it so that we have to go around to see each other. Let's also look into dressers or cabinets that we can use for our belongings, perhaps some candle-holders for illumination, though if you could range for some permanent light tokens, that would probably be preferable. Dammit I knew I should have learned to paint when I had the chance back then. Whatever, if you can do so without absconding with them from someone else's placement or use, see about bringing in a few paintings or statues; something's to work toward filling in the gaps and adding a bit of flavor beyond simple color." "Hamm...what am I forgetting....RIGHT! We won't necessarily be just sleeping here. Bring in a few extra chairs, perhaps a small table or desk that we can put to use...." "Wind-chimes, preferably all the same type. No, not preferably, absolutely the same type. Several of them, hung so that they're at head level but to the side and away from the main pathways. My head-level mind you, else we might be tripping over them..... Guyana... cannot make sense of these books at all! Planar mechanics have never been her strong point. @FeralVentas:Spoiler Hide The three creatures pipe up. "Well, we've considered your input ..." "And we just must say ..." "Your suggestions are just what we like!" They then proceed to reach into their bags, and each pulls out a rod about the size of their bodies. The first points at the walls and presses a button, sending out blots of colored paint matching your descriptions at each section of the room. Unfortunately, they do this spraying rather ... haphazardly. Within just a few seconds, not much is left splattered in perfectly color coordinated paint ... including yourself, Nor rick and Loss. As that little gremlin makes its mess, the second uses its rod to conjure the items you requested. Seven chairs and a round table, all fit for use by an average sized human, spring into being in the middle of the floor. With another press of the button, dangling wind chimes clamor into being, five sets, one for each bed, making as much noise as possible for their size. Finally, the dividers you requested appear in a puff of smoke, each extending as far as you asked, but of varying heights, so that there is no guarantee that they provide complete concealment. The third removes a rod, pushes a button, and shrieks as he, and the rest of the room, is filled with butterflies. He quickly flies about the room, collecting them, and tosses the rod over his shoulder, muttering "Pooh, not that one ..." He then removes a second rod, and, pushing the proper button this time, contours up exactly what you asked for-tokens glowing with bright light, which he attaches to the ceiling. "The command word to turn them off it 'Lights Out.' We like to keep it simple." Squeaky, Yuki, Moo Spoiler Hide "Most of these I cannot read," said Marion with tight lips. As he continues he almost seems to spit his words. "I recognize the tongue of the heavens on many spines, but I cannot read the words. There are many others whose scripts are wholly unfamiliar to me. " He takes a few steps and reaches up high for a large book with golden cover clasps, then, with that tucked under his arm, he pulls out a second book whose cracked spine reveals much use. He opens the first one to a page somewhere in the middle. "This one, however, says it was penned by the green dragon Grovixepsek, and theirs is a tongue I do know. It talks about how she was able to travel instantaneously from one spot on this plane to another through a transitory plane. It says here that the facing page, and the four after that, show how she did so, but I’m afraid it’s much to complex for me to follow. Besides, it has nothing to do with what we are looking for, though its study might help explain how the mirror works." Marion closes this book, and opens the second. Dust falls out of the spine as the two edges of the crack are rubbed together. "This one, it says, was written by even planes walker Trade Ethan, who describes what looks like even more complex magic. He says he was able to not only use the planes for travel, but to place his body on them and exist there as he would here. To live, and eat, and talk with the denizens of each world, and sometimes to fight them. He gives no instructions, and it would seem his adventures are even less immediately useful, though they might make a good story." Marion’s eyes scan the shelves for further bits of text he would recognize. He spots two. "Polo, could you please pass the book bound in white silk by your waist," he says to Fletcher, "And Wilde, could I see that book with the ink stain by your feet?" Marion has difficulty holding on to the four books, and balancing them all as he opens Fletcher’s. "It looks like this one was written by the dark elf summoner Forum Tennis SU'ACO Tour, who speaks of forcing other creatures, from other planes, into this one. Likely he and Trade treated with many similar creatures, or even the same one, given how long denizens of other planes may live." There is some difficulty as Marion slides this book under the whole stack to make room for the one Ayanna gave him. "Finally, we have what looks like a treatise on calling not creatures, but material, from the Plane of Shadow, written by gnome shadow shaper Subarea Urania Principal…well, let’s just say I could go on. You might want to hold on to that one, Wilde," he says. "Though it looked like the most complex of the lot. It seems that each of these texts deals with some form of planar travel, and I suspect that this whole section is devoted to such travel. "Ironically, knowing what this section holds does not help us travel to our destination within the library. Traveler’s tales, histories, or atlases could be anywhere in relation to here. Polo, why the mirror transported you here instead of somewhere more central is beyond me. I suppose there’s always the direct approach…" Marion takes a deep breath. "HEL—!" he says, raising his voice as if to project it down the corridors of books. Mirror cuts him off, however, by nipping him on the ear. "Ow!" says Marion, more in surprise than in pain, his voice down to its normal volume. "You and your friends might not be able to see above the bookshelves," explains the raven, "but I can." At that he takes off, beating his wings to climb towards the ceiling.[/color] Vents, Dark lord, Moo Spoiler Hide Loss closes her eyes and stands still as she is splattered with paint, a stoic expression on her face and a tightness in the corners of her mouth. After the clattering and banging comes to a halt, she opens them and surveys the scene. "I believe my friend da Silva requested a wardrobe or dresser for each of us," she says, not seeing any. "Apart from that," she continues, "I feel compelled to commend your good taste, and hers. I have a few small requests to make, now that the broad strokes are in place. "The first two are for everybody. If we’re to live here for any time, we shouldn’t have to eat out of bags. An extra cabinet where we can store food would be helpful. We also need a place to wash, and to draw water. Each of us should get a basin, and there should be at least one water source, whether pumped from somewhere or generated however the people here have managed to figure out, whose flow we can control. "These are specifically for Marion and me. My husband’s familiar," she says the word strangely, as if she doesn’t like the concept, [b]"requires a perch, and we ourselves require a little more privacy. If there is a way to make sure no sound can escape from the area between our partitions, I would appreciate your transporting it here. If it is not currently in someone else’s possession of course."[b] Library Spoiler Hide Zimmerman Spoiler Hide Mirror sees that the library stretches on for what seems like for thousands of feet in any direction, with shelves lining every wall, and that the library really does appear to be maze-like in nature. He can, however, see what appears to be a small circulating desk just a few hundred feet away- as the raven flies, that is. After the raven takes off, five books float off the shelves near you, float to the ceiling, and zoom off towards the same direction that Mirror is looking. Room Spoiler Hide "Cabinets! How could we forget them?" In short time, the creatures have conjured up wardrobes for everyone, though their sizes might seem ... a bit off. There are two sized for what look like normal humans, two for shorter creatures, and then one that is ... decidedly larger. At least ten feet tall, this one sits by da Silva's bed, and nearly scrapes the ceiling. "As for items of silence ... Well ..." the creatures seem to huddle together, then after breaking it, come up with a small, disk-shaped object. "Best we can do under the circumstances, m'lady. It should cover about the size of a bed ... just barely. Modified off a Silent Portal Disk, but we don't think it's ... quite as reliable. But no worries! We're sure it'll work just fine!" Squeaky, Yuki, Moo Spoiler Hide Mirror sees that the library stretches on for what seems like for thousands of feet in any direction, with shelves lining every wall, and that the library really does appear to be maze-like in nature. He can, however, see what appears to be a small circulating desk just a few hundred feet away- as the raven flies, that is. After the raven takes off, five books float off the shelves near you, float to the ceiling, and zoom off towards the same direction that Mirror is looking. The raven squawks as the books go shooting past it, banks into a turn, and dives. He manages to stoop only a few feet above the ground, and to land in a heap. Marion runs to him, and makes it just as Mirror is picking himself up and straightening his feathers. He can feel Mirror's shock, but no pain, and he knows that the raven will sense his own concern, so he asks [color="dark red"]"What did you see?"[/dark red] Mirror takes off again, circles around Marion's head, and settles back onto his shoulder. "There's a circulating desk a little way that way," he says, pointing his wing towards the shelf. "Where those books flew off to. I think I can guide you there from down here, but may have to fly up again to see if I'm doing it right." "Be careful," said Marion. "Don't worry." At that, Marion began walking down the corridor, Mirror pointing the way. Moo Spoiler Hide Survival if needed Marion's: (1d20+1)[19] Mirror's: (1d20+2)[20] Vents, Dark lord, Moo Spoiler Hide "Thank you," says Loss, tucking the disk into the pillowcase on her bed. She then walks to her wardrobe, her eyes lowered to the floor, and opens it to see what's inside, if anything. "Fletcher," she says, still looking into the cabinet, "What about that colossus by your bed? It might have something interesting in it." Spoiler Hide da Silva took a look at herself in one of the available mirrors, decided that the splattered look just wouldn't work well for anything slightly dignified and proceeded to invoke a little arcane power to range it in a more sightly manner, redistributing the paint as a solid, uniform shade over her robes. "I'm glad you like it," she said, responding to both comments. Taking a few moments to look at the homunculi's work, she nods in approval before making her way to examine the cabinet in her associated space.

Arcane Adventures Redux_ Adventures in Arcana|rating:3.0

Yu-Gi-Oh PbP Altaria vs. Jindra

Alt aria walks into the Arena, dressed in a green jacket with jeans, his silver hair slightly unkempt." Ahh, it's nice to get out of official business once in a while, how about a duel?" His duel disk, which has a halo on one side, and a pair of dragon wings on the other, glows gold as the halo lights up.{table="head]1|2|3|4|5-|-|-|-|--|-|-|-|-[/table]Spoiler Hide Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Gelled 2. Gelled 3. Gelled 4. Victoria 5. Victoria 6. Victoria 7. Cyber Dragon 8. Herald of Orange Light 9. Herald of Orange Light 10. Herald of Orange Light 11. Radius, Herald of Heaven 12. Radius, Herald of Heaven 13. Radius, Herald of Heaven 14. Mist Valley Soldier 15. Mist Valley Soldier 16. Mist Valley Soldier 17. Honest 18. Honest 19. Majestic Much, Gory 20. Majestic Much, Gory 21. Majestic Much, Gory 22. The Sanctuary in the Sky 23. The Sanctuary in the Sky 24. The Sanctuary in the Sky 25. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 26. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 27. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 28. Lightning Vortex 29. Lightning Vortex 30. Brain Control 31. Dimensional Prison 32. Dimensional Prison 33. Mirror Force 34. Bottomless Trap Hole 35. Bottomless Trap Hole 36. Beckoning Light 37. Beckoning Light 38. Dark Bribe 39. Dark Bribe 40. Dark Bribe Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Stardust Dragon 2. Stardust Dragon 3. Stardust Dragon 4. Goya Guardian 5. Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier 6. Avenging Knight Pars hath 7. Avenging Knight Pars hath 8. Light End Dragon 9. Light End Dragon 10. Light End Dragon 11. Black Rose Dragon 12. Red Dragon Archfiend 13. Red Dragon Archfiend 14. Iron Chain Dragon 15. Iron Chain Dragon Stats: Life Points: 8000 Graveyard: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Removed from Play: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Hand- 5 Spoiler Hide Face Downs: ((Just noting character for this deck is Blazing HIIT))As Alt aria finished his line a lady walked into to the arena and asked"It's nice to not have anything riding on the outcome, isn't it? And yes lets begin"Unit:(1d20)[11]Hand:(5d40)[38][40][18][31][25](152)Extras:(3d40)[24][17][26](67){table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|-|-|--|-|-|-|-[/table]Life Points 8000Spoiler Hide Hand-5Spoiler Hide - facedownsSpoiler Hide - Deck-Blazing Inferno-40Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. Solar Flare Dragon 5. Solar Flare Dragon 6. UFO Turtle 7. UFO Turtle 8. UFO Turtle 9. Magma Drag 10. Magma Drag 11. Magma Drag 12. Little Chimera 13. Little Chimera 14. Little Chimera 15. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 16. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 17. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 18. Heavy Storm 19. Lightning Vortex 20. Call of the Haunted 21. Backfire 22. Backfire 23. Backfire 24. Molten Destruction 25. Molten Destruction 26. Molten Destruction 27. Dark Bribe 28. Dark Bribe 29. Dark Bribe 30. Threatening Roar 31. Threatening Roar 32. Threatening Roar 33. Mirror Force 34. Swords of Revealing Light 35. Mystical Space Typhoon 36. Pot of Avarice 37. Pot of Avarice 38. Transmigration Prophecy 39. Flame Archer 40. Flame Archer Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon Graveyard Spoiler Hide - "Yeah, there's way too many world-ending threats nowadays."(1d20)[10](5d40)[5][13][34][40][11](103)(3d40)[19][20][14](53)"Well, looks like you go first."{table="head]1|2|3|4|5-|-|-|-|--|-|-|-|-[/table]Spoiler Hide Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Gelled 2. Gelled 3. Gelled 4. Victoria 6. Victoria 7. Cyber Dragon 8. Herald of Orange Light 9. Herald of Orange Light 10. Herald of Orange Light 12. Radius, Herald of Heaven 14. Mist Valley Soldier 15. Mist Valley Soldier 16. Mist Valley Soldier 17. Honest 18. Honest 19. Majestic Much, Gory 20. Majestic Much, Gory 21. Majestic Much, Gory 22. The Sanctuary in the Sky 23. The Sanctuary in the Sky 24. The Sanctuary in the Sky 25. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 26. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 27. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 28. Lightning Vortex 29. Lightning Vortex 30. Brain Control 31. Dimensional Prison 32. Dimensional Prison 33. Mirror Force 35. Bottomless Trap Hole 36. Beckoning Light 37. Beckoning Light 38. Dark Bribe 39. Dark Bribe Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Stardust Dragon 2. Stardust Dragon 3. Stardust Dragon 4. Goya Guardian 5. Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier 6. Avenging Knight Pars hath 7. Avenging Knight Pars hath 8. Light End Dragon 9. Light End Dragon 10. Light End Dragon 11. Black Rose Dragon 12. Red Dragon Archfiend 13. Red Dragon Archfiend 14. Iron Chain Dragon 15. Iron Chain Dragon Stats: Life Points: 8000 Graveyard: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Removed from Play: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Hand- 5 Spoiler Hide -Victoria -Radius, Herald of Heaven -Bottomless Trap Hole -Dark Bribe -Radius, Herald of Heaven Face Downs: "So true anyway my move."(1d34)[7]{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|f|-|--|-|-|-|-[/table]Life Points 8000Spoiler Hide Hand-5Spoiler Hide Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm Molten Destruction facedownsSpoiler Hide UFO Turtle - Deck-Blazing Inferno-34Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. Solar Flare Dragon 5. Solar Flare Dragon 6. UFO Turtle 7. UFO Turtle 8. Magma Drag 9. Magma Drag 10. Magma Drag 11. Little Chimera 12. Little Chimera 13. Little Chimera 14. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 15. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 16. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 17. Lightning Vortex 18. Call of the Haunted 19. Backfire 20. Backfire 21. Backfire 22. Molten Destruction 23. Molten Destruction 24. Dark Bribe 25. Dark Bribe 26. Dark Bribe 27. Threatening Roar 28. Threatening Roar 29. Mirror Force 30. Swords of Revealing Light 31. Mystical Space Typhoon 32. Pot of Avarice 33. Pot of Avarice 34. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm Molten Destruction UFO Turtle Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide - "Any way I will set one monster face down and end my turn." "Time to see what my fairies have in store for me..."(1d35)[34]Well, first off, I discard Radius to get a Sanctuary in the Sky. Which I then play. The floor beneath the duelists seems to give way, as they now stand within a huge temple above the clouds. Then I play two face downs and summon Victoria, who destroys your monster. Presuming all is well my turn ends. A fairy riding a many-headed dragon appears and destroys your face down with fire and light.{table="head]1|2|3|4|5-|-|V|-|--|F|F|-|-[/table]V=Victoria, ATK=1800Field=The Sanctuary in the Sky Spoiler Hide Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Gelled 2. Gelled 3. Gelled 4. Victoria 5. Victoria 6. Cyber Dragon 7. Herald of Orange Light 8. Herald of Orange Light 9. Herald of Orange Light 10. Radius, Herald of Heaven 11. Mist Valley Soldier 12. Mist Valley Soldier 13. Mist Valley Soldier 14. Honest 15. Honest 16. Majestic Much, Gory 17. Majestic Much, Gory 18. Majestic Much, Gory 19. The Sanctuary in the Sky 21. The Sanctuary in the Sky 22. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 23. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 24. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 25. Lightning Vortex 26. Lightning Vortex 27. Brain Control 28. Dimensional Prison 29. Dimensional Prison 30. Mirror Force 31. Bottomless Trap Hole 32. Beckoning Light 33. Beckoning Light 35. Dark Bribe Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Stardust Dragon 2. Stardust Dragon 3. Stardust Dragon 4. Goya Guardian 5. Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier 6. Avenging Knight Pars hath 7. Avenging Knight Pars hath 8. Light End Dragon 9. Light End Dragon 10. Light End Dragon 11. Black Rose Dragon 12. Red Dragon Archfiend 13. Red Dragon Archfiend 14. Iron Chain Dragon 15. Iron Chain Dragon Stats: Life Points: 8000 Graveyard: Spoiler Hide -Radius Removed from Play: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Hand- 2 Spoiler Hide -Radius, Herald of Heaven -Dark Bribe Face Downs: -Bottomless Trap Hole -Dark Bribe "You took out UFO turtle allowing me to summon Solar Flare Dragon. Does that make you add anything?"{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|SD|-|--|-|-|-|-[/table]SD-Solar Flare Dragon-1500/1000Life Points 8000Spoiler Hide Hand-5Spoiler Hide Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm Molten Destruction facedownsSpoiler Hide - Deck-Blazing Inferno-33Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. Solar Flare Dragon 5. UFO Turtle 6. UFO Turtle 7. Magma Drag 8. Magma Drag 9. Magma Drag 10. Little Chimera 11. Little Chimera 12. Little Chimera 13. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 14. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 15. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 16. Lightning Vortex 17. Call of the Haunted 18. Backfire 19. Backfire 20. Backfire 21. Molten Destruction 22. Molten Destruction 23. Dark Bribe 24. Dark Bribe 25. Dark Bribe 26. Threatening Roar 27. Threatening Roar 28. Mirror Force 29. Swords of Revealing Light 30. Mystical Space Typhoon 31. Pot of Avarice 32. Pot of Avarice 33. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide UFO Turtle "Nope, you may continue with your move." "Right then let the fun begin."(1d33)[3]{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|SD|SD|--|-|-|-|-[/table]SD-Solar Flare Dragon-1500/1000Life Points 8000Spoiler Hide Hand-4Spoiler Hide Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Molten Destruction facedownsSpoiler Hide - Deck-Blazing Inferno-32Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. UFO Turtle 5. UFO Turtle 6. Magma Drag 7. Magma Drag 8. Magma Drag 9. Little Chimera 10. Little Chimera 11. Little Chimera 12. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 13. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 14. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 15. Lightning Vortex 16. Call of the Haunted 17. Backfire 18. Backfire 19. Backfire 20. Molten Destruction 21. Molten Destruction 22. Dark Bribe 23. Dark Bribe 24. Dark Bribe 25. Threatening Roar 26. Threatening Roar 27. Mirror Force 28. Swords of Revealing Light 29. Mystical Space Typhoon 30. Pot of Avarice 31. Pot of Avarice 32. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Solar Flare Dragon Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide Heavy Storm UFO Turtle "I shall start by playing Heavy Storm. Assuming you do not counter it I will then summon another Solar Flare Dragon and end my turn dealing 1000 points of damage to you. I'll stop Heavy Storm with Dark Bribe, what do you do now? "I'll tell you after my draw"(1d32)[9]{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|SD|SD|--|-|-|-|-[/table]Field= Molten DestructionSFD-Solar Flare Dragon-2000/600Life Points 8000Spoiler Hide Hand-4Spoiler Hide Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Little Chimera facedownsSpoiler Hide - Deck-Blazing Inferno-31Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. UFO Turtle 5. UFO Turtle 6. Magma Drag 7. Magma Drag 8. Magma Drag 9. Little Chimera 10. Little Chimera 11. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 12. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 13. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 14. Lightning Vortex 15. Call of the Haunted 16. Backfire 17. Backfire 18. Backfire 19. Molten Destruction 20. Molten Destruction 21. Dark Bribe 22. Dark Bribe 23. Dark Bribe 24. Threatening Roar 25. Threatening Roar 26. Mirror Force 27. Swords of Revealing Light 28. Mystical Space Typhoon 29. Pot of Avarice 30. Pot of Avarice 31. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Solar Flare Dragon Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Turn will continue as stated except after summoning the second Solar Flare Dragon, I shall play Molten Destruction. After which one of my dragons shall attack your monster the other your life points. Assuming you have no reactions my turn will again end with you taking 1000 points of damage. Well, when you summon the second Dragon, I'll use Bottomless Trap Hole, otherwise, everything goes as you said, my monster is destroyed, and I take an extra 500 points of damage, I presume that is all? No for I am a little concerned by your move and shall add two face downs. Then yes I will be done.{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|SD|-|--|f|-|f|-[/table]Field= Molten Destruction- Solar Flare Dragon -2000/600Life Points 8000Spoiler Hide Hand-2Spoiler Hide Flame Archer Little Chimera facedownsSpoiler Hide b. Threatening Roar d. Transmigration Prophecy - Deck-Blazing Inferno-31Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. UFO Turtle 5. UFO Turtle 6. Magma Drag 7. Magma Drag 8. Magma Drag 9. Little Chimera 10. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 11. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 12. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 13. Lightning Vortex 14. Call of the Haunted 15. Backfire 16. Backfire 17. Backfire 18. Molten Destruction 19. Molten Destruction 20. Dark Bribe 21. Dark Bribe 22. Dark Bribe 23. Threatening Roar 24. Threatening Roar 25. Mirror Force 26. Swords of Revealing Light 27. Mystical Space Typhoon 28. Pot of Avarice 29. Pot of Avarice 30. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Solar Flare Dragon Little Chimera Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Spoiler Hide Solar Flare Dragon "This would have been much more simple had I simply allowed you to use Heavy Storm..."(1d33)[33]I play another face down and use another Radius to get Sanctuary back out. Your move.{table="head]1|2|3|4|5-|-|-|-|--|-|F|-|-[/table]Field=The Sanctuary in the Sky Spoiler Hide Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Gelled 2. Gelled 3. Gelled 4. Victoria 5. Victoria 6. Cyber Dragon 7. Herald of Orange Light 8. Herald of Orange Light 9. Herald of Orange Light 10. Radius, Herald of Heaven 11. Mist Valley Soldier 12. Mist Valley Soldier 13. Mist Valley Soldier 14. Honest 15. Honest 16. Majestic Much, Gory 17. Majestic Much, Gory 18. Majestic Much, Gory 19. The Sanctuary in the Sky 20. The Sanctuary in the Sky 21. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 22. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 23. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 24. Lightning Vortex 25. Lightning Vortex 26. Brain Control 27. Dimensional Prison 28. Dimensional Prison 29. Mirror Force 30. Bottomless Trap Hole 31. Beckoning Light 32. Beckoning Light Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Stardust Dragon 2. Stardust Dragon 3. Stardust Dragon 4. Goya Guardian 5. Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier 6. Avenging Knight Pars hath 7. Avenging Knight Pars hath 8. Light End Dragon 9. Light End Dragon 10. Light End Dragon 11. Black Rose Dragon 12. Red Dragon Archfiend 13. Red Dragon Archfiend 14. Iron Chain Dragon 15. Iron Chain Dragon Stats: Life Points: 7300 Graveyard: Spoiler Hide -Radius -Dark Bribe -The Sanctuary in the Sky -Bottomless Trap Hole -Victoria -Radius Removed from Play: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Hand- 1 Spoiler Hide -Dark Bribe Face Downs: -Dark Bribe "It also would have been less painful for you.(1d31)[7]{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|SD|MD|--|f|-|f|-[/table]Field= The Sanctuary in the Skyped- Solar Flare Dragon -1500/1000MD- Magma Drago-1400/600Life Points 8000Spoiler Hide Hand-2Spoiler Hide Flame Archer Little Chimera facedownsSpoiler Hide b. Threatening Roar d. Transmigration Prophecy - Deck-Blazing Inferno-31Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. UFO Turtle 5. UFO Turtle 6. Magma Drag 7. Magma Drag 8. Little Chimera 9. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 10. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 11. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 12. Lightning Vortex 13. Call of the Haunted 14. Backfire 15. Backfire 16. Backfire 17. Molten Destruction 18. Molten Destruction 19. Dark Bribe 20. Dark Bribe 21. Dark Bribe 22. Threatening Roar 23. Threatening Roar 24. Mirror Force 25. Swords of Revealing Light 26. Mystical Space Typhoon 27. Pot of Avarice 28. Pot of Avarice 29. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Solar Flare Dragon Little Chimera Magma Drag Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide Molten Destruction Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Spoiler Hide Solar Flare Dragon I shall summon Magma Drag and have my two monsters attack your life points directly. Assuming no recourse on your part I shall then end my turn dealing another 500 points of damage. [I'll just note that your monsters actually have 500 less attack than what you have them listed with]"Hopefully this time I'll get something useful"(1d32)[13]I summon one of the allies of the heavenly forces-Mist Valley Soldier, and have him destroy your Magma Drag. If that's alright, End Turn. Within the temple comes a Special Forces unit in the Sanctuary's army, who then destroys your own tuner.{table="head]1|2|3|4|5-|-|VS|-|--|-|F|-|-[/table]VS=Mist Valley Soldier, ATK=1700Field=The Sanctuary in the Sky Spoiler Hide Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Gelled 2. Gelled 3. Gelled 4. Victoria 5. Victoria 6. Cyber Dragon 7. Herald of Orange Light 8. Herald of Orange Light 9. Herald of Orange Light 10. Radius, Herald of Heaven 11. Mist Valley Soldier 12. Mist Valley Soldier 14. Honest 15. Honest 16. Majestic Much, Gory 17. Majestic Much, Gory 18. Majestic Much, Gory 19. The Sanctuary in the Sky 20. The Sanctuary in the Sky 21. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 22. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 23. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 24. Lightning Vortex 25. Lightning Vortex 26. Brain Control 27. Dimensional Prison 28. Dimensional Prison 29. Mirror Force 30. Bottomless Trap Hole 31. Beckoning Light 32. Beckoning Light Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Stardust Dragon 2. Stardust Dragon 3. Stardust Dragon 4. Goya Guardian 5. Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier 6. Avenging Knight Pars hath 7. Avenging Knight Pars hath 8. Light End Dragon 9. Light End Dragon 10. Light End Dragon 11. Black Rose Dragon 12. Red Dragon Archfiend 13. Red Dragon Archfiend 14. Iron Chain Dragon 15. Iron Chain Dragon Stats: Life Points: 3900 Graveyard: Spoiler Hide -Radius -Dark Bribe -The Sanctuary in the Sky -Bottomless Trap Hole -Victoria -Radius Removed from Play: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Hand- 1 Spoiler Hide -Dark Bribe Face Downs: -Dark Bribe Nope because when you summon him I activate Threatening Roar.{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|SD|MD|--|-|-|f|-[/table]Field= The Sanctuary in the Skyped- Solar Flare Dragon -1500/1000MD- Magma Drago-1600/600Life Points 8000Spoiler Hide Hand-2Spoiler Hide Flame Archer Little Chimera facedownsSpoiler Hide d. Transmigration Prophecy - Deck-Blazing Inferno-30Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. UFO Turtle 5. UFO Turtle 6. Magma Drag 7. Magma Drag 8. Little Chimera 9. Little Chimera 10. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 11. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 12. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 13. Lightning Vortex 14. Call of the Haunted 15. Backfire 16. Backfire 17. Backfire 18. Molten Destruction 19. Molten Destruction 20. Dark Bribe 21. Dark Bribe 22. Dark Bribe 23. Threatening Roar 24. Threatening Roar 25. Mirror Force 26. Swords of Revealing Light 27. Mystical Space Typhoon 28. Pot of Avarice 29. Pot of Avarice 30. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Solar Flare Dragon Little Chimera Magma Drag Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide Threatening Roar Molten Destruction Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Spoiler Hide Solar Flare Dragon Hey, the useless thing I drew actually came in handy, I'll stop you with a Dark Bribe, and also play another face down to replace it in Main Phase 2. Ouch, then I guess it'll be my turn?(1d30)[24] ((Sorry about double post miss read your post))Right lets finish this up then.(1d29)[6]{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|SD|LC|--|f|-|f|-[/table]Field= The Sanctuary in the Skyped- Solar Flare Dragon -2000/1000LC-Little Chimera-1100-500Life Points 7900Spoiler Hide Hand-3Spoiler Hide Magma Drag Flame Archer facedownsSpoiler Hide b. Threatening Roar d. Transmigration Prophecy - Deck-Blazing Inferno-28Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. UFO Turtle 5. UFO Turtle 6. Magma Drag 7. Little Chimera 8. Little Chimera 9. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 10. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 11. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 12. Lightning Vortex 13. Call of the Haunted 14. Backfire 15. Backfire 16. Backfire 17. Molten Destruction 18. Molten Destruction 19. Dark Bribe 20. Dark Bribe 21. Dark Bribe 22. Threatening Roar 23. Mirror Force 24. Swords of Revealing Light 25. Mystical Space Typhoon 26. Pot of Avarice 27. Pot of Avarice 28. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Solar Flare Dragon Little Chimera Magma Drag Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide Magma Drag Threatening Roar Molten Destruction Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Spoiler Hide Solar Flare Dragon I'll summon a Little Chimera. Followed by Solar Flare Dragon attacking your soldier and my Chimera attacking your life points directly. Then I'll place a face down and end my turn. (1d31)[10]Now I summon Radius, Herald of Heaven and have him destroy Solar Flare Dragon. End Turn{table="head]1|2|3|4|5-|-|Z|-|--|-|F|-|-[/table]Z=Radius, Herald of Heaven, ATK=2100Field=The Sanctuary in the Sky Spoiler Hide Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Gelled 2. Gelled 3. Gelled 4. Victoria 5. Victoria 6. Cyber Dragon 7. Herald of Orange Light 8. Herald of Orange Light 9. Herald of Orange Light 11. Mist Valley Soldier 12. Mist Valley Soldier 13. Honest 14. Honest 15. Majestic Much, Gory 16. Majestic Much, Gory 17. Majestic Much, Gory 18. The Sanctuary in the Sky 19. The Sanctuary in the Sky 20. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 21. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 22. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 23. Lightning Vortex 24. Lightning Vortex 25. Brain Control 26. Dimensional Prison 27. Dimensional Prison 28. Mirror Force 29. Bottomless Trap Hole 30. Beckoning Light 31. Beckoning Light Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Stardust Dragon 2. Stardust Dragon 3. Stardust Dragon 4. Goya Guardian 5. Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier 6. Avenging Knight Pars hath 7. Avenging Knight Pars hath 8. Light End Dragon 9. Light End Dragon 10. Light End Dragon 11. Black Rose Dragon 12. Red Dragon Archfiend 13. Red Dragon Archfiend 14. Iron Chain Dragon 15. Iron Chain Dragon Stats: Life Points: 2000 Graveyard: Spoiler Hide -Radius -Dark Bribe -The Sanctuary in the Sky -Bottomless Trap Hole -Victoria -Radius -Dark Bribe -Mist Valley Soldier Removed from Play: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Hand- 0 Spoiler Hide Face Downs: -Dark Bribe I think you'll remember this one. For when you summon Radio I activate Threatening Roar.{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|SD|LC|--|-|-|f|-[/table]Field= The Sanctuary in the Skyped- Solar Flare Dragon -2000/1000LC-Little Chimera-1100-500Life Points 7900Spoiler Hide Hand-3Spoiler Hide Magma Drag Flame Archer facedownsSpoiler Hide d. Transmigration Prophecy - Deck-Blazing Inferno-28Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. UFO Turtle 5. UFO Turtle 6. Magma Drag 7. Little Chimera 8. Little Chimera 9. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 10. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 11. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 12. Lightning Vortex 13. Call of the Haunted 14. Backfire 15. Backfire 16. Backfire 17. Molten Destruction 18. Molten Destruction 19. Dark Bribe 20. Dark Bribe 21. Dark Bribe 22. Threatening Roar 23. Mirror Force 24. Swords of Revealing Light 25. Mystical Space Typhoon 26. Pot of Avarice 27. Pot of Avarice 28. Flame Archer Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Solar Flare Dragon Little Chimera Magma Drag Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3xBlack Brutdrago 3xBlack Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide Threatening Roar Magma Drag Threatening Roar Molten Destruction Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Spoiler Hide Solar Flare Dragon I'll use my last Dark Bribe to stop that.[Yeah, I got TWO Bribes in my opening hand, then drew another] "Wow your both lucky and unlucky"Draw:(1d28)[10], (1d27)[9]{table="head"]1|2|3|4|5-|-|CED|-|--|-|-|f|-[/table]Field= The Sanctuary in the Skyped-Chthonian Emperor Dragon-2400/1500Life Points 7800Spoiler Hide Hand-3Spoiler Hide Chthonian Emperor Dragon Magma Drag Flame Archer facedownsSpoiler Hide d. Transmigration Prophecy - Deck-Blazing Inferno-26Spoiler Hide 1. Blazing HIIT 2. Blazing HIIT 3. Solar Flare Dragon 4. UFO Turtle 5. UFO Turtle 6. Magma Drag 7. Little Chimera 8. Little Chimera 9. Chthonian Emperor Dragon 10. Lightning Vortex 11. Call of the Haunted 12. Backfire 13. Backfire 14. Backfire 15. Molten Destruction 16. Molten Destruction 17. Dark Bribe 18. Dark Bribe 19. Dark Bribe 20. Threatening Roar 21. Mirror Force 22. Swords of Revealing Light 23. Mystical Space Typhoon 24. Pot of Avarice 25. Pot of Avarice 26. Flame Archer Chthonian Emperor Dragon Chthonian Emperor Dragon Transmigration Prophecy Flame Archer Threatening Roar Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Molten Destruction Solar Flare Dragon Solar Flare Dragon Little Chimera Magma Drag Extra Deck 3x Flame Uruquizas 3x Black Brutdrago 3x Black Rose Dragon - Graveyard Spoiler Hide Little Chimera Solar Flare Dragon Threatening Roar Magma Drag Threatening Roar Molten Destruction Heavy Storm UFO Turtle Spoiler Hide Solar Flare Dragon "But it looks like so too am I. I tribute Little Chimera for Chthonian Emperor Dragon. Who shall attack and destroy your Radio." "I'd complain that you always get the exact right card for the situation, but I have given you three extra draws, so I'm partly to blame."(1d30)[11]"Nothing I can do now. I surrender, good game. Darn Dark Bribes did more damage than good."{table="head]1|2|3|4|5-|-|-|-|--|-|-|-|-[/table]Field=The Sanctuary in the Sky Spoiler Hide Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Gelled 2. Gelled 3. Gelled 4. Victoria 5. Victoria 6. Cyber Dragon 7. Herald of Orange Light 8. Herald of Orange Light 9. Herald of Orange Light 10. Mist Valley Soldier 12. Honest 13. Honest 14. Majestic Much, Gory 15. Majestic Much, Gory 16. Majestic Much, Gory 17. The Sanctuary in the Sky 18. The Sanctuary in the Sky 19. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 20. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 21. Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen 22. Lightning Vortex 23. Lightning Vortex 24. Brain Control 25. Dimensional Prison 26. Dimensional Prison 27. Mirror Force 28. Bottomless Trap Hole 29. Beckoning Light 30. Beckoning Light Extra Deck: Spoiler Hide 1. Stardust Dragon 2. Stardust Dragon 3. Stardust Dragon 4. Goya Guardian 5. Britney, Dragon of the Ice Barrier 6. Avenging Knight Pars hath 7. Avenging Knight Pars hath 8. Light End Dragon 9. Light End Dragon 10. Light End Dragon 11. Black Rose Dragon 12. Red Dragon Archfiend 13. Red Dragon Archfiend 14. Iron Chain Dragon 15. Iron Chain Dragon Stats: Life Points: 2000 Graveyard: Spoiler Hide -Radius -Dark Bribe -The Sanctuary in the Sky -Bottomless Trap Hole -Victoria -Radius -Dark Bribe -Mist Valley Soldier -Dark Bribe -Radius Removed from Play: Spoiler Hide *nothing* Hand- 0 Spoiler Hide Face Downs: ((That and as you pointed out I was getting bloody close to godly draws the whole duel. I'm a little scared by the luck my fire decks seem to have.)) The lady bowed and before turning to walk out said,"Well was a decent game nonetheless."

Yu-Gi-Oh PbP Altaria vs. Jindra|rating:3.0

Vampire the Masquerade_ Darkness in Manhattan OOC

Vampire the Masquerade: Darkness in Manhattan.___________Camilla___________Prince: Palette Roche (Jinx)City Imogen: Eloquence Chastity Potter (Charlie Rivel)Male Imogen (Wilfling72)Premier Imogen Timothy Bordeaux (Orange Marmalade)Nosferatu Imogen Gerald Maxwell (marauder13)Toreador Imogen Gemma Anderson. (playfullchick76)Moldavian Clan Member Amelie Chevalier (AYA Semi)Venture Clan Member Alexander Hinton (Marion)Toreador Clan Member Elise Delacroix (EndofDivine)___________Unaligned Clans___________Ranks Emilie Vespasian (Re Z L)___________Ghouls and Humans___________Thou: Elise Blackwood (Imogen)Ghoul: Jacques Leroy (Sardine)Vampire the Masquerade: Darkness in Manhattan is a game based loosely on the tabletop game World of Darkness: Vampire the Masquerade. You will find not everything is to the ‘T’ here but that's okay! Because either way it's going to be fun for all of us! Now, if anyone has a plot idea they would like to do or have happened PM me with the details and I will make a list. I hope to see this as a long term game and I hope everyone enjoys it to the fullest. I give everyone a little taste of things that may happen, but prefer to keep the juicy details to myself. We are always accepting new Players. Please PM me! The passing of the Cities Prince was sad new indeed. Sad to only himself. Charles Brandon though a Venture was a monster in his own right. Ruling the city with an iron fist. So his sudden passing wasn’t a shock to the Kindred of New York City. But it goes without saying who killed the Prince? Palette Roche made quick moves of taking the throne in the Kingdom of Manhattan for herself. She made fast moves of putting things together for the Kindred of the city. A private server that only they would be able to access, a place where they could share information, schedule meetings and ask for help when need be. Each one receiving a personal, unhackable email address. Once taking over the ‘throne’ looking through the documents the new price started to see a pattern. Masquerade breeches covered up, sightings of things that have yet to be explained, sickness and death among both Kine and Kindred. Kindred numbers dwindling. What was to become of the last surviving Kindred in the city? Would the new Prince me murdered like the other? Or was she the Murder? Would things get better or continued to get worse? So many questions with so much time to answer them all. *book marked for easy finding* Awesome! I found it! Oh boy more ghouls! Quote from: Re Z L on 07-10-2013, 01:24:15Oh boy more ghouls! More playboys! :) Is that a happy oh boy, or a die in a hole oh boy? Warning, I've NEVER played a guy before. No guys take offense. Quote from: Sardine on 07-10-2013, 01:32:44Is that a happy oh boy, or a die in a hole oh boy? Warning, I've NEVER played a guy before. No guys take offense.It's the good oh boy ;No worries, you'll figure it out :-) #newAND HERE! *is a happy Talkie doing an odd little dance*I have such ideas!!*runs away to start plotting an introductory post* Quote from: Wolfling72 on 07-10-2013, 03:36:18*is a happy Talkie doing an odd little dance*I have such ideas!!*runs away to start plotting an introductory post*I love seeing someone as excited as I am about it! I couldn't type fast enough and people kept poking me and and and just YAY!*does a dance to!* Your energies are addicting I must say. Time to make a CS!!! Quote from: Jinx on 07-10-2013, 03:19:56#new AND HERE! Now, to make the time to do up a good opening post. Look out, peoples, The Nosferatu are in town and ready to play for those willing to pay. Quote from: marauder13 on 07-10-2013, 04:23:57Now, to make the time to do up a good opening post. Look out, peoples, The Nosferatu are in town and ready to play for those willing to pay. Really excited! So much so I may attempt to go jogging! *hears the rain and coyotes* Never mind. Quote from: Sardine on 07-10-2013, 04:06:05Your energies are addicting I must say. Can't wait! Oh, yeah... Jinx am I still able to make a CS? Quote from: Would on 07-10-2013, 04:45:04Oh yeah... Jinx am I still able to make a CS? Yes. As I already knew you would be joining before I closed us down. The same goes for the others who I have already talked to. Would!!! -Pounces you.- Are you stalking me? No wait it's secret observation right? Okay :3*is pounced* X. X Quote from: Sardine on 07-10-2013, 05:01:34Sould!!! -Pounces you.- Are you stalking me? No wait it's secret observation right? Stalking is good! If you being stalked stand in front of the window just so and give a show! They will never know what hit'em! Would would burst in, and molest me if I did that. Lol Pretty sure all of us might do that Dwell I would! But that's because I am zonked on cold meds! You'd fall asleep mid-molestation. Lmao I'd pay $39.95 per view to watch you molest her Jinx lol I am not going to tear my room apart to find the camera so you better give us a cut of the profit would. Lol who do you think I'd be paying for it? 3 Also I sent my CS finally... Hope you like it Jinx!! Quote from: Would on 07-10-2013, 05:23:32I'd pay $39.95 per view to watch you molest her Jinx lol Deal! I could use the money to fund my chocolate cookie habit! WWW! I forgot about my cookie habit... v.v lol 19.95 then! ^ We Nope contracts already wrote down you lose I say we split costs 50/50 Jinx. I may even share my naughty coffee recipe with you. It's very hush, hush top secret. Lol I can post in the IC now right? The words, they just flowed. Jinxy, I hope you don't have any major issues with what Gerald did. Aww! I wanted to meet her first. Lol our chars are seemingly alike in some ways Marauder :) Was going to try to get my reply up tonight, but I'm too exhausted. I'll get it up tomorrow! yay, vamps! Quote from: Would on 07-10-2013, 06:50:33Aww! I wanted to meet her first. Lol our chars are seemingly alike in some ways Marauder :)You never know, your fellow may get there before Gerald. We'll just have to wait and see. Yeah. YOU! -Points to Marauder.- I should send security to bite you face with on norms. Lol JK on norms!!! Quote from: Sardine on 07-10-2013, 07:02:37YOU! -Points to Marauder.- I should send security to bite you face with on norms. Lol remember, Nosferatu baby. They may not want to on nom The Face. :) Quote from: Would on 07-10-2013, 07:23:38om norms!!! Lt;3BTW, check your last post. You got some tags incorrect. Who me? Crap!!!! Oh, you meant would. Lol tags fixed. Half dead so hard to get it right...night. Damn dog woke me up and I came to look! I am all giggly and excited. The Brutal doesn't know he's talking to the Prince. Which made me giggle. Love that the Nos broke in! Sneaky bugger!! I am going to wait for a few more before I post My what should be seemingly amusing post. I hope my butchered French accent doesn't toss anyone off there game. If need be at any time I will willingly tell you what I said. Just ask. I'll need to check with Re Z if he brings his ghoul along for the party, so holding off posts for now :-) See *does happy dance with super jazz hands*. The time to post has come. Although I think I'll switch from being on the tablet to go on my laptop to do so....... Oh, and coffee, I must get myself a coffee.....and perhaps some norms. One must be comfortable when writing. Did I mention SEE!!!!! Quote from: Imogen on 07-10-2013, 09:22:50I'll need to check with Re Z if he brings his ghoul along for the party, so holding off posts for now :-)Nah, 'course he doesn't realize she's been invited too ;DI'll have a post up later today Quote from: Re Z L on 07-10-2013, 12:39:43Nah, 'course he doesn't realize she's been invited too ;DI'll have a post up later today Hm. Okay. Elise isn't invited, of course. Ghouls are the responsibility of their doctors who decide whether to bring them. Jinxy, how would you feel if Elise provided the catering? Perhaps glasses of vitae laced champagne to celebrate her rise to power? Quote from: Imogen on 07-10-2013, 13:55:53Hm. Okay. Elise isn't invited, of course. Ghouls are the responsibility of their doctors who decide whether to bring them. Jinxy, how would you feel if Elise provided the catering? Perhaps glasses of vitae laced champagne to celebrate her rise to power? Sure! That works for me! Quote from: Jinx on 07-10-2013, 14:31:21Sure! That works for me! Awsome! So, some bad news on my side of things. Had something come up that's eating in to my already limited time online, so I'm going to have to drop out temporarily and probably permanently. However, I would like to offer my character up as an NPC that can be used as needed by the group. He's already got the makings as a possible villain in the chronicle, so there's a lot of possibility with him. So, yeah, sorry guys :(Quote from: Marion on 07-10-2013, 21:24:21So, some bad news on my side of things. Had something come up that's eating in to my already limited time online, so I'm going to have to drop out temporarily and probably permanently. However, I would like to offer my character up as an NPC that can be used as needed by the group. He's already got the makings as a possible villain in the chronicle, so there's a lot of possibility with him. So, yeah, sorry guys :(I am sorry to hear! I hope everything gets better what ever it may be. Quote from: Imogen on 07-10-2013, 13:55:53Hm. Okay. Elise isn't invited, of course. Ghouls are the responsibility of their doctors who decide whether to bring them. Jinxy, how would you feel if Elise provided the catering? Perhaps glasses of vitae laced champagne to celebrate her rise to power? Whoops! Haha, must have misread that part of the post ;DI like your solution better anyway ;-) Jinx! You're alive! *Clomps her* Quote from: Would on 08-10-2013, 01:35:19Jinxy! You're alive! *Clomps her*I am! *checks her pulse* Holy hell! I am! I am going to wait a bit to see if I get any more first post from anyone else before I reply to you all! Skies! Lol Jason's talking to you though. He doesn't know you're the prince. Quote from: Would on 08-10-2013, 02:03:31 Okies! Lol Jason's talking to you though. He doesn't know you're the prince. Oh, this is going to be fun to watch.*Gerald leans against the wall, and observes the aftermath* Quote from: Would on 08-10-2013, 02:03:31 Okies! Lol Jason's talking to you though. He doesn't know you're the prince. I noticed that! I am going to post soon anyway but won't start the real fun stuff till later. Lol That's confidence for ya. Yay! Jinx post! Finally, going to get my post up here shortly. Work kicked my butt today! Quote from: Orange Marmalade on 08-10-2013, 02:49:10Finally going to get my post up here shortly. Work kicked my butt today! Yayyy! And Book! I was going to wait for you post, but I was getting overly excited! Lol yay! Jinx post! LMAO I love this group. You just say that because I'm excited lol Oh, this group has potential... real potential. The mischief that I can get up to here... the possibilities are just about endless. Hides behind Would and Jinx to stay away from marauder's mischief. Quote from: Sardine on 08-10-2013, 05:23:29 Hides behind Would and Jinx to stay away from marauder's mischief.*rattles the brown paper bag in Sardine's direction* But I have lots of yummy chocolates in here... Peeks out and smirks moving to Marauder's side.- Tricky bastard knows my weakness. Access denied orange. Without the invitation you shall not pass. Quote from: Sardine on 08-10-2013, 06:36:51 Peeks out and smirks moving to Marauder's side.- Tricky bastard knows my weakness. Now you know why I am playing a no. :) Quote from: Sardine on 08-10-2013, 06:55:25 Access denied orange. Without the invitation you shall not pass.No problem ;) I'm all sugar and spice me, far too innocent to cause trouble *ahem* Finally, Catarina is posted. Quote from: marauder13 on 08-10-2013, 07:33:47Now you know why I am playing a no. :)No why? -sits on the floor beside you with the bag. Lol I keep envisioning Sebastian from black butler while playing this role. I am simply one hell of a butler. So... hiya all! ’D Sorry to those in the lobby that Eloquence bypassed. She's a bit awkward like that sometimes :PI had written the whole post and basically hit send before realizing I'd done it. If it really causes issues, I'll tweak as needed, but otherwise, it will at least give you all something to talk about. Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 08-10-2013, 17:57:13So... hiya all! ’D Sorry to those in the lobby that Eloquence bypassed. She's a bit awkward like that sometimes :PI had written the whole post and basically hit send before realizing I'd done it. If it really causes issues, I'll tweak as needed, but otherwise, it will at least give you all something to talk about.*waves hello*Not a problem for my Talkie. She was too busy being entranced by the pretty colors the guys had going on to even notice your contribution. Also, I am glad to see a Gang rel around...they are my second favorite clan. Raw I say! I seriously considered going Premier, but it's been a while since I've played politics with a clan that hates it so much :P Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 08-10-2013, 18:43:27Rawr I say! I seriously considered going Premier, but it's been a while since I've played politics with a clan that hates it so much :PE gads... I loathe Premier. The better a role player is? The more I hate them!! My very first introduction into a VTM game was as a psychic human who was fouled and eventually turned by a Premier. The guy playing him was CREEPY excellent and my girl walked into the sun...after a frenzy (brought on by hunger and being forced to eventually feed on a child) her first real day out... Grins. They are my favorite clan to hate followed closely by the Sabbath's Toreador's... I adore Gang rel and Brutal. But my crazy deserves Talkie and so usually, that is what I end up playing. I'm flat out jealous! I could only wish I was that good at Creepy :Okay, I am, but only in my own mind. Here's hoping that Eloquence will live up to your Gang rel love ^_^ Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 08-10-2013, 18:43:27Rawr I say! I seriously considered going Premier, but it's been a while since I've played politics with a clan that hates it so much :PLAY Premier! Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 08-10-2013, 18:57:25I'm flat out jealous! I could only wish I was that good at Creepy :Okay, I am, but only in my own mind. Here's hoping that Eloquence will live up to your Gang rel love ^_^ Methinks you are going to go above and beyond for my Gang rel adoration...as that post was Excellent! Quote from: Orange Marmalade on 08-10-2013, 19:02:02YAY Premier! Shakes head and starts playing with all the pretty colors floating around the room...while trying to see just who I can give my first full on crazy episode to. Oh boy, a gang rel cousin! ’D Kay... you're going to make me blush. Mostly because I trimmed a bunch, so I wouldn't 'wall-o-text' the whole game the first time out. Kind of hoping that Eloquence doesn't end up getting hit my the first full-on-crazy. More frenzy would suck. Crazy is good, we like the crazy, the crazy can stay and play :) Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 08-10-2013, 19:19:57Kay... you're going to make me blush. Mostly because I trimmed a bunch, so I wouldn't 'wall-o-text' the whole game the first time out. Kind of hoping that Eloquence doesn't end up getting hit my the first full-on-crazy. More frenzy would suck. Nah, your darlin' little Gang rel is safe, for now.*nods*Quote from: AYA semi on 08-10-2013, 19:49:31Crazy is good, we like the crazy, the crazy can stay and play :)Yay... A Madness network friend!!! Every time I look here I see how much I freaking like you all! This has got to be the best group of people ever! Like seriously I couldn't have asked for more! So with that being said! *hugs and molests all!* Quote from: Jinx on 08-10-2013, 20:16:00Everytime I look here I see how much I freaking like you all! This has got to be the best group of people ever! Like seriously I couldn't have asked for more! So with that being said! *hugs and molests all!**tackles and proceeds to do the happy dance of booty shaking with Jinx*WHEE!!!! Oh, I forgot to mention Elise has fame 3 as a Chef and owner of La Scheme Restaurant (1 Michelin star). Quote from: Jinx on 08-10-2013, 20:16:00Everytime I look here I see how much I freaking like you all! This has got to be the best group of people ever! Like seriously I couldn't have asked for more! So with that being said! *hugs and molests all!*Not all at once I hope. Is thinking all at once would be awesome...*nods, nods* Awesomely messy LMAO Did I see an orgies being planned? Fun times :P Quote from: Sardine on 08-10-2013, 23:14:18Awesomely messy LAUM, yay?? Quote from: AYA semi on 08-10-2013, 23:35:27Did I see an orgies being planned? Fun times :PI don't know. I just assumed with Jinx molesting and snuggling everyone all at once that we should try and be accommodating.*nods* Quote from: AYA semi on 08-10-2013, 23:35:27Did I see an orgies being planned? Fun times :See she got it LMAO I step away for a few moments, and now I am in an orgy! I can't say that I am not pleased. Well at least I will be. Well, you don't become involved in the world of BDSM without learning a thing or two about the ways of pleasure and having fun ;) Oh my! Is hiding.- laughs hysterically and starts handing out goody bags... Quote from: Sardine on 09-10-2013, 00:47:08Is hiding.-*takes out a chocolate from the brown paper bag, and puts it on the floor beside me* I really really really love this group! Just saying! *giggles then saunters over to collect a goodie bag* What sort of fun things might I find inside? Oh, wolfing... I have a dilemma. Do I post in this game first, or in our game first? Comments from the peanut gallery will be heard but probably ignored. Because I is asking the giver of my "Title" :D Quote from: marauder13 on 09-10-2013, 00:52:41*takes out a chocolate from the brown paper bag, and puts it on the floor beside me*Hides behind marauder stealing the bag and munches.- One day that won't work. -Giggles and winks.- Quote from: Sardine on 09-10-2013, 01:53:57 Hides behind marauder stealing the bag and munches.- One day that won't work. -Giggles and winks.-*Smiles with a hint of evil*Oh, did I forget to mention what is in those chocolates? Raises a brow looking up at you.- Your not one of those guys who sit it the van right? -Looks at the chocolate.- Quote from: Sardine on 09-10-2013, 01:58:57 Raises a brow looking up at you.- Your not one of those guys who sit it the van right? -Looks at the chocolate.-*Looks innocent*Moi?!? Sit in a van?? Pffft. I sit in a high-end RV, thank you very much. Shrugs and munches the chocolate.- Ok then Who's stalking without me!? We'd never stalk without you Jinx! -hugs Jinx sharing the chocolate. Quote from: Jinx on 09-10-2013, 02:06:29Who's stalking without me!? No one yet, but that can be easily changed. No, Sardine is playing "roulette" with the bag full of chocolates she stole from me. It won't be long before the effects kick in.*pats the pockets to make sure he has the roll of tape...* Winks at marauder playfully.- You sure you'd have to drug me? Quote from: Sardine on 09-10-2013, 02:13:19 Winks at marauder playfully.- You sure you'd have to drug me? Have to? Maybe not. But it is a lot more fun. ’D Oh you like those lucid doll kinda girls. -Flicks my hair tie at you. Quote from: Sardine on 09-10-2013, 02:22:52Oh you like those lucid doll kinda girls. -Flicks my hair tie at you.*laughs and dodges the hair tie*Did I say it wasthatkind of drug? So then what kind is it then? -Continues munching, and grins-Quote from: Sardine on 09-10-2013, 02:31:06So then what kind is it then? -Continues munching, and grins-What, and spoil the surprise? Sticks my tongue out.- You just want a placebo effect to kick in. I'm on to you. Now drugs are bad. And if you do drugs you're bad. Because drugs are bad. M'Kay? Uh Jinx I have been sending them up as soon as they come as long as they have the invitation. -Hides behind marauder.- Quote from: Sardine on 09-10-2013, 02:47:50Uh Jinx I have been sending them up as soon as they come as long as they have the invitation. -Hides behind marauder.-*whisks Sardine into the RV, and drives off somewhere safe* Is whisked away.- ^ o.of *follows in a Dodge Charger, several loaded shotguns and pistols filling up the passenger and back seat* *follows in a helicopter, several loaded machine guns and rocket launchers filling up the uhh stuff* Lets not blow me up over chocolate LMAO Kidnapping. It's no joke. *rams the RV* Give up the chocolate and nobody blows up! Nauru!!!! It's my snack--I mean evidence against him! >:0 Growls tucking the chocolate closer.- Not going to happen it's mine!!! -Whips out a colt and bunkers down.- *tapes everything from her ice cream truck*Yeah that's right. I am that guy! Or ERM girl *looks down her shirt and grabs her crotch* Yup girl! 0,0 *hops in the ice cream truck and feels Jinx up* Quote from: Would on 09-10-2013, 03:07:49Kidnapping. It's no joke. *rams the RV*Kidnapping? What kidnapping? I am just keeping the woman safe from marauding confectionery thieves.*takes evasive actions against the rogue elements giving chase.* Marauding eh, marauder? *drives the ice cream truck into the side of the RV* Aw thank you Marauder! -Clomps Marauder with chocolate in one hand and my colt in the other.- So sweet to me. Quote from: Would on 09-10-2013, 03:14:520,0 *hops in the ice cream truck and feels Jinx up* Lt;3 Carry on.*is felt up* Are you touching my boobs?! Quote from: Would on 09-10-2013, 03:18:23Marauding eh, marauder? *drives the ice cream truck into the side of the RV*You're going to break my truck! *pouts all pouty like* I'm not breaking the truck. And push, your boobs are mine! O.my boobs! Stop! This is the police! C:)Cut out all this nonsense! Quote from: Would on 09-10-2013, 03:18:23Marauding eh, marauder? *drives the ice cream truck into the side of the RV*Yeah. Takes one to know one.*serves away from the truck, yet spots the groping occurring in the other vehicle*At least they have the right idea... Quote from: Re Z L on 09-10-2013, 03:44:08Stop! This is the police! C:)Cut out all this nonsense! This is not nonsense! This is serious business... no pleasure... no fun... Whatever the fuck it is, it's serious stuff, and not nonsense.*Nods with a little hmm pf added* lol *cuddles Jinx* Quote from: Sardine on 09-10-2013, 03:49:58 Flashes the cops and steps on marauders foot which is on the gas kicking up a dust cloud.- You just want the chocolate mayor know if we do things properly, we stand a good chance of luring out a Charlie Rivel to have all manner of fun with. But until then, I'll just have to havefunwith you.*finds a nice quiet spot to fill with noise* lol *pulls out a bazooka and fires one round at marauder through the window of the RV* Quote from: marauder13 on 09-10-2013, 03:55:58You know if we do things properly, we stand a good chance of luring out a Charlie Rivel to have all manner of fun with. But until then, I'll just have to have fun with you.*finds a nice quiet spot to fill with noise*Slips into your lap and circles your neck, and whispers into your ear.- Mmm promises. -Fogs up the windows, and munches the chocolate.- Quote from: Would on 09-10-2013, 04:01:47lol *pulls out a bazooka and fires one round at marauder through the window of the RV*Returns fire with the colt causing it to explode before it reaches us.- *speeds off with Jinx in the back* Gweehehehehehe!! Quote from: Would on 09-10-2013, 04:33:26*speeds off with Jinx in the back* Gweehehehehehe!!*has been stolen in her own ice cream truck* Lol run Jinx!!! Hey! I'm not that bad! v.v *is bummed out by being given a bad rap, and parks the truck in the Walmart parking lot before hopping out and buying new pants* There. I feel better :3 The things I miss when I sleep.... On one hand, I'm sorry I missed the chocolate-related hi jinks. On the other.... I fear for my Avi Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 09-10-2013, 07:03:19The things I miss when I sleep.... On one hand, I'm sorry I missed the chocolate-related hi jinks. On the other.... I fear for my Tithe only fear your Avi may have is loosing her coating from one or more enthusiastic tongues. Exactly my point! That there is -my- chocolate.... >.> Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 09-10-2013, 14:08:20Exactly my point! That there is -my- chocolate.... Sgt;.Sgt;Hamm... what if I offer to replace whatever was licked off... making sure that I spread it over the uncovered parts with my hands? *licks Charlie* MMM..... Come with me deary wow, I disappear for a bit and come back to a human chocolate lollipop. Tommy. You want a lick? *offers AYA Charlie* :3 I could lick you too if you want ;) Does it make me a horrendously perverted person to be wondering just where the stick is? Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 09-10-2013, 16:35:09Does it makes me a horrendously perverted person to be wondering just where the stick is? Not at all Hun. -winks- You should come with me to the fondue pot. It shall be an experience to remember. -grins- You know... all of a sudden I have this mental image of french ogres sitting around a campfire with a right big bloody pot of melted chocolate, and a bunch of halflings tied to sticks... That would be epic!!! Wait are you calling me an over? Quote from: Would on 09-10-2013, 16:01:13You want a lick? *offers AYA Charlie* :3 I could lick you too if you want ;)Well, no doubt I will get a little messy licking that chocolate, so someone will need to clean me up. Quote from: AYA semi on 09-10-2013, 18:09:07Well, no doubt I will get a little messy licking that chocolate, so someone will need to clean me up.You're going to give him a nose bleed AYA semi. *Camp;blinks and worries about my innocence, backs away...slowly* Wait.... your... what?!?!? Lol never mind. Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 09-10-2013, 18:55:17Wait.... your... what?!?!? Innocence *blinks wide honey brown eyes in your general direction* I am as pure as the driven snow...*blinks*Don't ask my harem though, nor my play pets. They tell fibs on me all the time...and ignore the bull whip wrapped round my waist... I didn't have a handy belt...*blinks and grins* Oh me! The things I miss while being kidnapped and sweeping. If we are lick Charlie I want to help. We ate close. She can see me from her van*nods* Only here to watch the lickings... Stirs the giant FOD pot.- Charlie in the pot or were going to candy mountain. Quote from: Wolfling72 on 09-10-2013, 21:48:00Only here to watch the lickings...*Licks the cinnamon lovely, slowly with a wide tongue laving all the parts it can reach*Quote from: Wolfling72 on 09-10-2013, 19:19:22Innocence *blinks wide honey brown eyes in your general direction* I am as pure as the driven snow...*blinks*Don't ask my harem though, nor my play pets. They tell fibs on me all the time...and ignore the bull whip wrapped round my waist... I didn't have a handy belt...*blinks and grins**rolls about on the floor laughing so hard he starts having trouble breathing*You, my dear Wolfing, are about as innocent as I am accused of being - which is not being innocent at all. But I still loves ya lot and lot. *stares at Charlie for a moment or two, watching the spot AYA licked slowly being reclaimed by the chocolate He strips down, grabs AYA around the waist and rushes towards Charlie, wrestling her to the ground, removing chocolate from both lovelies' bodies.*I couldn't help it. I've been infected by the Males... or their players... hard to tell which is responsible though. But who cares when there is chocolate involved!!! *sneaks off to be a potty plotter* Quote from: Jinx on 10-10-2013, 02:41:05*sneaks off to be a potty plotter*NO!!*grabs Jinx and pulls her toward the mass of chocolate smeared bodies and at least one busy tongue* Quote from: marauder13 on 10-10-2013, 02:46:28NO!!*grabs Jinx and pulls her toward the mass of chocolate smeared bodies and at least one busy tongue*I already get Charlie to myself. I don't need to lick her in a group setting when I am sure I will get too privately. ;) Quote from: Jinx on 10-10-2013, 02:53:11I already get Charlie to myself. I don't need to lick her in a group setting when I am sure I will get too privately. ;)Yeah, but that is just one combination of many that you wouldn't get. So, you're staying put. I was thinking - should we start another thread where people can repost their Bio with as much/little info as they want? (From basic description/name to rumors, history, sheet if they want, etc.)Just a handy dandy reference :) Quote from: Orange Marmalade on 10-10-2013, 03:40:40I was thinking - should we start another thread where people can repost their Bio with as much/little info as they want? (From basic description/name to rumors, history, sheet if they want, etc.)Just a handy dandy reference :)I love that idea. I will make one add all the info from this IOC thread as well as my own char sheet. Rule is It's only for char sheets and bio's. If you update it with something important that someone should see or look at let us know in the IOC thread here. I will post a link soon. #newThere we go! I saw this in the Character Info thread, and I just had to commentQuoteName: Timothy BoudreauxClan: TremerePosition: Primogenitor/DOD: Not publicly known Status: Elder Miscellaneous public information:Has been in the city for about a herein that year he has amassed considerable sway over the mortal happenings Seems to always have a retainer, blood doll, or other useful toy at the ready Never seems to miss much of anything, and those who try to spy on him often end up a little on the crispy side. Rarely seems to drive himself anywhere - often uses a driver. Is known to be quiet, but quite firm. Respects status and age and expects the same. Bolding for emphasis Challenge Accepted. Oh, me gosh! LMFAO! Bahama :D Quote from: Orange Marmalade on 11-10-2013, 01:34:17Bwahaha :This is going to be seriously interesting to watch. All of it! Orange Marmalade! Are you seriously trying to make me drool with all these freaking pictures! Jerez! A girl can only take so much! :P Quote from: Jinx on 11-10-2013, 01:40:19Orange Marmalade! Are you seriously trying to make me drool with all these freaking pictures! Jerez! A girl can only take so much! Needs to investigate a new obfuscate power that will Mask of a Thousand Faces someone else... The use it on certain Kindred in the city... yes. This is a great plan, and I am proud to be a part of it. Walks to a bean bag chair and lays down munching strawberries, and caramel.- Sounds like someone's playing Orochimaru. Quote from: Jinx on 11-10-2013, 01:40:19Orange Marmalade! Are you seriously trying to make me drool with all these freaking pictures! Jerez! A girl can only take so much! Just wait until he uses Impressive Visage! Lol I can not wait :P Quote from: Orange Marmalade on 11-10-2013, 01:48:18Just wait until he uses Impressive Visage! lol Ever seen a cartoon series called "Total Drama Island?" You're making your Premier sound like Justin. Quote from: Sardine on 11-10-2013, 01:48:01Walks to a bean bag chair and lays down munching strawberries, and caramel.- Sounds like someone's playing Orochimaru. Who is playing what?!? *cracks her knuckles* Now the fun begins! Mahayana Quote from: marauder13 on 11-10-2013, 02:11:21Ever seen a cartoon series called "Total Drama Island?" You're making your Premier sound like Justin. I have not, but Justin must be awesome! Alright, people. Get your stuff posted up in even if it's just a quick blurb :)There are characters posting with no hint of what they look like or if they'd been known at all. Don't reveal all your secrets, but putsomethingthere for reference at least. Pretty please! Got mine up. *reads through all the threads* I shall post a little something up shortly AYA semi I love your SIG. I have that on my bumper sticker. Lol Quote from: Sardine on 11-10-2013, 18:39:17xya semi I love your SIG. I have that on my bumper sticker. lol Thanks, it's a great quote. Plus dragons are awesome. Lol I love how everyone's shocked to have to agree with the Brutal :D Have you ever played Vampire the masquerade Would? No But I've wanted to Finally added up my Eloquence to the characters section, for those interested. Hard to decide what to include and what not to when dealing with a quarter millennium of history... Boohoo :) Glad to see some of this up there, makes it so much better when we're interacting. I've got Amelie all posted up now. Enjoys learning more about characters. Reads through all the new additions in thread and slaps my inner Cat when she starts screaming responses to previous posts. Such awesome friggin' people. I'm so far loving people's reactions to the announcement of Eloquence as City Imogen/Seneca :) So properly Camarillo. I'm going to adore playing with you all. Furthermore, I can hardly wait for the proper Machiavellian plotting to begin! Quote from: Would on 12-10-2013, 10:40:30No But I've wanted to think that you should at least watch a play through then to get a good sense of the game. This way you know the story, and why there all so shocked to agree. I see nothing wrong with learning on the job, so to speak ^_^ After all, that's part of what this lovely IOC board can be used for. Education! For example: The reason most people are shocked to agree with a Brutal is because stereotypical Brutal are pretty much just shit disturbers who disagree with anything sane or normal in favor of just running out and curb stomping everything in sight. The more anti-establishment they can be, the happier they are. Just like people are being all reticent about a Gang rel being placed in any level of authority in a Camarillo Court because the Gang rel clan are typically the kind of Kindred who disdain politics, and avoid getting involved with the Camarillo on the whole as a result. Stereotypes are good baselines, but as we can see from both of our characters... not always the truth of every situation ;) Just wait until us two Males go all crazy on you guys :D I agree that the IOC. Is of that as well, but experiencing it himself could enlighten him on things that we hold as our own opinions. -pokes you with a strawberry, and munches it happily.- Oi! If you look at the picture... the Lady has very bravely rescued the berry she is holding from drowning in chocolate.... A horrible berry fate if ever there was one. I freeze them and then dunk them in the peanut butter and then chocolate magic shells. Sum Best snack ever. -munch much munch like a squirrel.- Okay... I have a new treat to try out now.... Lol you'll love it. I feed it to my guests and the damn near rape me. You mean I have to make enough to share with others?!? Damn.... Quote from: AYA semi on 12-10-2013, 20:45:14Just wait until us two Males go all crazy on you guys :Runs into to high five the other awesome Talkie and grin... Is it bad that I half worry that they two of them are PMing each otherlike made lot, preparing Madness Network shenanigans? Quote from: Wolfling72 on 12-10-2013, 21:15:11 Runs into to high five the other awesome Talkie and grin...*squeals with joy and grabs her Talkie companion beginning to dance around with her* Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 12-10-2013, 21:17:05Is it bad that I half worry that they two of them are PMing each other like mad a lot, preparing Madness Network shenanigans?Eep, not yet...give it time...even my elder can't really hit the madness network just yet...least not as herself...and THAT is all I am going to say.(I can however induce frenzy...*grins* and I believe the other gorgeous Talkie might be good for boosting that as well)Quote from: AYA semi on 12-10-2013, 21:27:02*squeals with joy and grabs her Talkie companion beginning to dance around with her*Lots of hysterical giggling while music blares from odd corners and hips move in hypnotic little circles. WHEE!! Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 12-10-2013, 21:12:50You mean I have to make enough to share with others?!? Damn....Pfft, sharing is not required, but greatly appreciated. God, I love this group! Just saying Quote from: Jinx on 12-10-2013, 23:14:31God I love this group! Just sayinWhee! More posts! Moooooooooooooore posts! Quote from: Jinx on 12-10-2013, 23:14:31God I love this group! Just sayinWhat did we do this time? 0_0 -Can feel the love.- ^-^ Quote from: Sardine on 12-10-2013, 23:56:59What did we do this time? 0_0 -Can feel the love.- ^-^ Made me smile. I've been tired and sick so yeah... Smile was much needed.Oh, and everyone is going to get the death stare from the Prince Xor at least something close to it. Now that I have finished doing battle with this computer, I'll have an IC post and my character posts up in the next few hours. Quote from: marauder13 on 13-10-2013, 02:13:01Now that I have finished doing battle with this Lt;censored; computer, I'll have an IC post and my character posts up in the next few hours.yayyyyy! Low demented giggling from a dark corner Oh I love this!! Quote from: marauder13 on 13-10-2013, 02:13:01Now that I have finished doing battle with this Lt;censored; computer, I'll have an IC post and my character posts up in the next few hours.Aw, poor marauder did you feed chocolates to the wrong person and the censored you out of spite? -Snickers teasingly.- As kissers eh masquerade? In truth Jason just didn't give enough of a fuck to say more. He'd let his people bleed out the old Prince's lovers, and that caused them to have strife. There was no respect for the Prince or his title. Hides in the corner far away from Wolfling72 and her darkness Quote from: Jinx on 13-10-2013, 01:37:34Made me smile. I've been tired and sick so yeah... Smile was much needed.Oh, and everyone is going to get the death stare from the Prince Xor at least something close to it. Get well soon Jinx! Wonders if my darkness is catching? Jinxy, I hope you feel better!! Starts working on a proper Talkie reply...while giggling dementedly. *watches the wiggling and stares at Wolfing's new profile pic* Sexy sexy sexy :3 Let me know if I miss when I need to post by PMing me please Jinx. -g- Sorry I was somewhat absent on the weekend, been on a bit of a downer. I'm feeling a little perkier today and plan to indulge of my world of crazy and do some posting this evening/tonight. Ah, lovely... I just finished my Talkie, and she ran away with me...*fingers twitch* Aww. Sorry you've had a rough weekend AYA. If you ever want to vent or anything, my PM box is open :) Waves hello to the Chico-covered lady. G'day Wolfing! ’D Good morrow to you, Charlie! I hope the day finds you well? Each day is a little easier to manage than the one that came before :) And that is a blessing. *ponders* I don't think I should be allowed to write Catarina any more first thing in the morning...she...slips away from me when I am not properly awake. Nods and settles into a corner, curled up like a puppy. I am however, all caught up on story posts and that is good. Maybe I should just go back to bed for a while? Congratulations to you on your posting! While youcouldgo back to bed... you could also come and play with some chocolate.... Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 14-10-2013, 16:50:43Congratulations to you on your posting! While you could go back to bed... you could also come and play with some chocolate.... Nods, just once. But will there be anyone around for me to use as a platter?? This is a serious question. Playing with chocolate is only fun when I can heat it up and use a paint brush to trace designs over flesh. And I was very happy to be all caught up but now.... I am sad. Nothing else to write!! Well... fine. If you need a platter, Supposed could offer myself... but a brush is so. Impersonal. Ever consider finger painting? ’D Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 14-10-2013, 16:57:21Well... fine. If you need a platter, I suppose I could offer myself... but a brush is so. Impersonal. Ever consider finger painting? Grins.YOU are a giver. Nods. I like that about you... Picks up the two warming bowls of chocolate... I am all about...fingers... Winks. Now see? That's a lovely compromise ^_^ It's the very spirit of compromise that allows for two... minds... to... merge... and explore... and share... and make all manner of yummy... Delighted laughter. This could be the start of something...tasty. Meanders into the dark with a smile. You bring yourself... I have all the rest... Follows along afterglow... and here I half hoped you'd be painting me in public.... Quote from: Wolfling72 on 14-10-2013, 16:42:03And that is a blessing. *ponders* I don't think I should be allowed to write Catarina any more first thing in the morning...she...slips away from me when I am not properly awake. You say that like it's a bad thing. I loved the post. It was suitor Male.*hugs the cinnamon lovely* Now that I have finished reading everything after the post I responded too... Damn, what a show that would have been. Chocolate and two lovelies playing with it... in it... *shivers*Right, I now have to write in Widdershins just to help cool off. Quote from: marauder13 on 15-10-2013, 00:41:22You say that like it's a bad thing. I loved the post. It was suitor Male.*hugs the cinnamon lovely**hugs a patient male*Thank you. Slipping into Cat's skin is EASY. It's getting back out that is difficult. Quote from: marauder13 on 15-10-2013, 00:43:54Now that I have finished reading everything after the post I responded too... Damn, what a show that would have been. Chocolate and two lovelies playing with it... in it... *shivers*Right, I now have to write in Widdershins just to help cool off. Cracks up. My stupid 'Peter died and by the time I got home? Well Charlie was long gone...may hap I will get to paint her skin in chocolate another day... Thanks all! Feeling a bit better! Waiting for Charlie to post, and then I will get something up *winks* this is about to get seriously interesting. Quote from: Jinx on 15-10-2013, 03:14:40 Thanks all! Feeling a bit better! Waiting for Charlie to post, and then I will get something up *winks* this is about to get seriously interesting. Tackles a Bingham glad you are feeling better!! Grins and kisses her cheek. *Juggles Jinx and Wolfing* The boss is better! 3 Hope everyone can translate ;)Glad to hear you're on the mend there Jinx! I was waiting to give AYA the chance to get some words in before Eloquence's small tirade. Now... do we resume the chocolate shenanigans? XD Thanks Charlie. Chocolate shenanigans sound just like what the doctor ordered. I need some good stress relief and endorphins creating fun. A cinnashaded BOI slips inside the IOC thread and finds a corner in which to curl up in. See... now chocolate dipped cinnamon are awesome! Good to see that Seneca isn't trying to make any new friends lol Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 15-10-2013, 19:05:36See... now chocolate dipped cinnamon are awesome! Grins, white teeth flashing.Ahh, and I am partial to vanilla/chocolate swirls...winks. Quote from: Orange Marmalade on 15-10-2013, 19:12:20Good to see that Seneca isn't trying to make any new friends lol Giggles hysterically in her corner. Quote from: Orange Marmalade on 15-10-2013, 19:12:20Good to see that Seneca isn't trying to make any new friends Lowell, we wouldn't want anyone to have -too- easy a time with Eloquence now would we. ;) A couple of centuries of being discriminated against will build some pretty defensive attitudes. A lot of 'get them before they get you' going on there. I'm sure once everyone settles, we'll all have the opportunity to apologize for various slights :P Blinks and thinks this through as I know Cat didn't even care enough to try and offend anyone at all...at least most of the time...or maybe she offended everyone and decided that counting coup on the others meant just not caring, thus earning even more status that she wouldn't use because it didn't really matter.... And thus we see why Eloquence didn't include the Maldivians in her "use everybody" scheme. You can't use someone who can't use themselves... Malkies are always a lovely element of chaos in every mix ^_^ Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 15-10-2013, 19:31:33And thus we see why Eloquence didn't include the Maldivians in her "use everybody" scheme. You can't use someone who can't use themselves... Malkies are always a lovely element of chaos in every mix ^_^ Tackles and L-I-C-K-S... Heh...now I feel better. Meet! I've been.... hey. Umm... vitamin... umm..... Kay go ahead.... >.> Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 15-10-2013, 19:34:07Meep! I've been.... hey. Umm... vitamin... umm..... Kay go ahead.... Sgt;.Sgt;drags slim fingers over soft flesh~dipping first one and then the other in chocolate~white and dark...before nibbling wet sweetness away....WHEE!! Some day.... I'm going to be awake long enough to make good on some of these playful little teases of yours... But not today! See you all later. Bed calls. Hugs a Charlie and waves bye bye See ya later, sleepin' beauty. *starts on her post giggling while she works* WHEE! And now we get to the fun bits!!*dances with Jinx while eagerly awaiting what the *SANE* ones will offer up...* Quote from: Wolfling72 on 16-10-2013, 03:11:10WHEE! And now we get to the fun bits!!*dances with Jinx while eagerly awaiting what the *SANE* ones will offer up...*Now that depends on who is the one being offered to. ’D Quote from: marauder13 on 16-10-2013, 03:14:03Now that depends on who is the one being offered to. Tackles sexy patient one and covers him in happy kisses. Hell I was going to debate their supposed sanity...but I much prefer your take on the situation. Quote from: Wolfling72 on 16-10-2013, 03:22:48 Tackles sexy patient one and covers him in happy kisses. Hell I was going to debate their supposed sanity...but I much prefer your take on the situation.*bows*Thank you. Oh, while I have you here... so to speak... I need to tell you Alejandro is doing stuff, that you'll be able to read shortly. Quote from: marauder13 on 16-10-2013, 03:36:02*bows*Thank you. Oh, while I have you here... so to speak... I need to tell you Alejandro is doing stuff, that you'll be able to read shortly. Blushing grin and a decidedly happy wiggle. Oh my, the day keeps getting better. Quote from: Wolfling72 on 16-10-2013, 03:52:07Blushing grin and a decidedly happy wiggle. Oh my, the day keeps getting better. I believe it did, 10 seconds after you replied in here. Orange, you're doing a great job with the Premier. Seriously, I am starting to dislike him for all the right reasons. Well done. Quote from: marauder13 on 16-10-2013, 04:14:52Orange, you're doing a great job with the Premier. Seriously, I am starting to dislike him for all the right reasons. Well done. I agree! And if he wasn't so damn handsome I would punch him! Hell Jason may still punch him lol haha TSK TSK there's a reason people usually don't fuck with the Premier >:) Survival is one of Jason's highest priorities. He's not too worried about getting in a tough fight. ;) We should actually make a fight scene! Sorry for the short post. I have a question I'd like to put forward. Soon, the collected Kindred of Manhattan will be scouring the city for the missing lover of the ex Prince. Someone, I believe, will eventually find her. But the big question is not who will find her, but how will we determine who finds her? I'm sure that everyone has ideas, but I'd rather not see several people all find her in different places, and then have a heated discussion as to who gets the honors of bagging the prey, along with the benefits that will come with it. I'm happy for people to come to an agreement, let Jinx decide as the GM of the game, or put it down to some publicly verifiable random pick. Anyone got any thoughts, opinions, suggestions, etc. to add? I would assume that our GM knows where the missing woman is, so I was assuming we'd all be spreading out and posting up our methods of searching and the where's, and she would be telling the "winner" who got it right. Or possibly dropping individual clues to individual people, meaning we'd need another meeting to put things together and then assign a 'hunting team' to go get her. Just my way of thinking, to avoid the half dozen posts of people finding her coincidentally in every borough of New York. Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 19-10-2013, 16:09:17I would assume that our GM knows where the missing woman is, so I was assuming we'd all be spreading out and posting up our methods of searching and the where's, and she would be telling the "winner" who got it right. Or possibly dropping individual clues to individual people, meaning we'd need another meeting to put things together and then assign a 'hunting team' to go get her. Just my way of thinking, to avoid the half dozen posts of people finding her coincidentally in every borough of New York. That makes sense. It's later at night/early in the morning for me, so I'm not thinking as well as I could be. But yes, your last line is the one thing I'm wanting to avoid. Anyway, I feel it's better to raise a point that has already been thought about and decided on, than leave it quiet and discover that it was the one thing that had slipped through the cracks when planning everything. I cannot count the number of times as a GM I wished I had a player like you. :)It never hurts to have someone ask those questions. Never. Anyone who ever gets snippy about being asked questions like that should take a step back and realize just how incredibly valuable it is to have players concerned enough and interested enough in their game to actuallycareabout the little details along the road ^_^ Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 19-10-2013, 16:20:20I cannot count the number of times as a GM I wished I had a player like you. :)It never hurts to have someone ask those questions. Never. Anyone who ever gets snippy about being asked questions like that should take a step back and realize just how incredibly valuable it is to have players concerned enough and interested enough in their game to actually care about the little details along the road ^_^ I have been table-top role-playing for nearly 34 years now, and I have done GM/DM/ST duties for games for the last 20 years or so. So, I have a fair idea from both sides of the "Shield of Ignorance" of what can happen. Plus, we're all in it to have fun, and making sure that I'm doing the right thing helps make sure that I'm having fun, and the GM is not left in the lurch. But, I am looking forward to seeing how things pan out from here. It's going to be fun. 1st- I love you guys!2nd- My plan had been this simply. I would NPC the female lover. Starting after this meeting had ended. I had planned to ask one person to be the person who finds her. Being there will be plenty of more plots for others to take a lead role in later down the line. I would get with this person discuss a few things, ideas and then move on from there. It's a rather short plot, so it shouldn't take very long to "handle" the job.3rd- The hunters though, will be a very long plot. And going to be a lot of fun. Everyone will be impacted by this story line. I've already been plotting with someone here with in the group on it.4th- I always need people to NPC roles. Most NPC roles will end in death, so there will be no need to go into a long process of making them an epic character sheet.5th- I love questions! Ask away!6th- Did I mention I freaking love you all! 1 - I love you too! 2 - I could do the plot. As I stated in the IC, Jason wants to embrace her.3 - Sounds fun! Can't wait to see what it is!4 - I can NPC for ya.5 - How many NPCs would one have to play at any one point in time?6 - I loved the chains off your av vie once. She'd slapped me though, so I put them back on. I am trying to cobble together a piece for the Talkie Imogen...BUT so far, not happening, at all... She just keeps devolving into crazy. SO if I can't get her on track, you will have to deal crazy Male Imogen by no later than this evening, EST. Waiting on a couple of more posts, and then I will get this moving along. Think I am only waiting on one or two. That's a mental figure. Sorry for the delay in posting, I seem to have gathered a truckload of work to do from uni - not fun :-(Quote from: AYA semi on 22-10-2013, 23:35:43Sorry for the delay in posting, I seem to have gathered a truckload of work to do from uni - not fun :-(Sorry to hear about the Uni work, AYA. It may be many years since I was there (23 years now I counted it out!!), I remember what a PITA it can be. But, what I wanted to say is that between my dear friend Wolfing and yourself, I am sorry I didn't run with my own Moldavian concept. You have done a fine job with Amelie, and I wanted you to know that. Thanks for joining the game and sharing you talents with us. I entirely sympathize on the whole workload thing AYA! My workload at work has become likewise insane this week. Very much looking forward to the weekend! Thanks guys. Uni can be pretty hectic as a normal student but having a child as well I sometimes feel like I'm chasing my tail. Quote from: AYA semi on 23-10-2013, 20:46:27 Thanks guys. Uni can be pretty hectic as a normal student but having a child as well I sometimes feel like I'm chasing my tail. I totally feel you there! I WI be putting up a new post tonight! Finally posted! Enter Jason's dark secret and aggression streak! Well it's not really a secret. Gerald will probably know, and be paid to no tell *stares and marauder* You will be paid to not tell. Feel free to post at any time ladies and Gents!It's been so silent its sad! I can't post again! T. T Looks in, coughing miserably. I am in the hospital for pneumonia. Been here since my birthday. Accessing by phone. I left a note for Jinx and had my Brat update my A/a's. If I owe a post, skip me please. Quote from: Wolfling72 on 30-10-2013, 17:23:50 Looks in, coughing miserably. I am in the hospital for pneumonia. Been here since my birthday. Accessing by phone. I left a note for Jinx and had my Brat update my A/a's. If I owe a post, skip me please. Get better soon! Happy Birthday Marauder! ’D Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 02-11-2013, 13:24:43Happy Birthday Marauder! What she said! Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 02-11-2013, 13:24:43Happy Birthday Marauder! Thank you. *hugs*Quote from: Jinx on 02-11-2013, 17:47:15What she said!*grins* What he said. Happy bday bro bounces in, flops down and waits for people to add more words to the story while I gather thoughts (or scatter them) who can tell with a Talkie? Good morrow, people. I am here. Let the party begin. Happy Birthday Sardine!!! ’D Aw thank you so much!!! -Hugs you tight getting all Chocolatey.- I'll give your present in the morning SAR ;) I will post something soon guys. Having a few health issues with migraines. Leaves some cool cloths and a darkened room behind for Miss Jinx Pie. Quote from: Wolfling72 on 08-11-2013, 15:49:10 Leaves some cool cloths and a darkened room behind for Miss Jinx Pie. Thanks! Does anyone still have to post or need to talk to me about anything?! I am half here but have abandoned my brain for a little. I posted. Catarina is feeling...antsy and it shows. I will be using blue from now on to differentiate when her other is speaking. The way I wrote it, it was the only way you would have been able to understand what the HELL was going on....blinks and settles into a pink-colored pile of tired flesh. Poke me when you need her, again. Still waiting on a few posts.....2 more days and if there is nothing I will put something up! Interest check! Quote from: Jinx on 22-11-2013, 03:12:39Interest check! Raises hand interested still. Raises handle too. Still here babe Did we lose everyone else???cries. *consoles the Wolfe and cuddles* They'll pop back up. I'm sure of it :) Quote from: Wolfling72 on 25-11-2013, 01:38:50Did we lose everyone else???cries. Not everyone. We've got a Male, Brutal & a no. Nothing can stop this combo :D Push!!! >:0 And don't forget our fearless leader! Hey everyone. I am so sorry for the disappearance. To say I have had the worst month of my life would be a bit of an exaggeration, but November has been pretty terrible. The good news is that I have internet again, and am back to being reasonably healthy. And I'm definitely still interested. I should have a post up in the next couple of days. Sorry for dropping the ball :-\ *hugs* I hope you're feeling better later in the month :/ Quote from: Charlie Rivel on 04-12-2013, 04:08:52Hey everyone. I am so sorry for the disappearance. To say I have had the worst month of my life would be a bit of an exaggeration, but November has been pretty terrible. The good news is that I have internet again, and am back to being reasonably healthy. And I'm definitely still interested. I should have a post up in the next couple of days. Sorry for dropping the ball :-\Damn... Crappy November was contagious?!? Well, I am pleased that things are heading the right way for you again, Charlie. No need to apologize for things beyond your control. Oh, and welcome back :-)

Vampire the Masquerade_ Darkness in Manhattan OOC|rating:3.0

Knights of the Old Kingdom (IC)

About a day's ride from the former Geradian capital of Hard, deep in Heron territory, a steep hill rises 200 meters above the plains that spread all along the Hard river. On the hill stand the ruins of what was once the strongest fortress in Germania. Situated atop a long dead volcano, Orion Hall was built in 1303 to be the chapter house of the Orion Knights. It was the last Geradian stronghold to fall to the hordes of Heron. As you slowly make your way towards Orion Hall you reach the causeway that winds around Orion Hill twice before reaching the inner Gatehouse. The first gate is in ruins, broken by catapult fire. You continue, riding higher and higher, with a strong wall to your left and a steep drop to your right. You pass 7 more gates before you reach the outer ward. The inner Gatehouse is not broken like the rest, you realize. It has recently been repaired and seems to be in top condition. The artificial chasm before the gate has been cleared of rubble and promises a long fall to those foolish enough to trip. You see nobody manning the walls and the drawbridge is up. What do you do? Saber readies her shield just in case the occupants are hostile and uses her offhand to cup the side off her mouth;"Hello!"she yells. The first to arrive, Samba has to wait a few minutes until a man in armor steps out onto the battlements atop the inner gatehouse." Who seeks entrance into the house of Orion?" he demands. Spoiler Hide As a knight of Toucan, Samba is not sure about the protocols of gaining entry into the chapter house of Orion, but he is sure there is a fairly evolved series of questions and answers involved. "Who is asking? This fortress is a shadow of its former self, and you could very well be a squatting brigand for all I know"She yells up at him. After a few seconds the man answers: "I am Sir Random of the Knights of Orion, Keeper of the Gate." After another second he repeats: "Who seeks entrance into the house of Orion?" "I am Saber Alan, Knight of Toucan and friend to the house of Dorian, servant to the old kingdom of Germania" "Welcome to Orion Hall, Saber Alan, Knight of Toucan. WE recognize your right to enter these halls, friend." After a second, Sir Random continues: "We are expecting a few more people soon. Please wait in the outer ward for them to arrive." A minute later the drawbridge is lowered, opening access to the outer ward of Orion Hall. As Below rides over the chasm, he sees the two before him speaking. His steed's steps light as the wind across it. Arriving to stand beside this other knight, Below announces himself." I am Below Dakar, of the Knights of Mercy, I have been asked to come here, and so here I am." As Mameluke followed her fellow Knights in to the castle, it quickly became apparent that her horse had gone to seed faster than she had. She could still fit into her plate (though she hadn't worn it for the journey, it was in her saddlebags so she'd be a little less conspicuous), but the boarding wasn't providing quite the same cover as it should have done... and come to think of it, she hadn't ridden the horse *that* hard to get here, but it seemed a little tired..." Sister Mameluke, also of the Knights of Mercy." Since there was a gatekeeper, and the two ahead of her had also announced themselves, Mameluke followed suit. Then followed them into the outer ward. Drag rode upon his steed up the hill, his cloak tight around his shoulders and his head low, only a few inches above the horse's neck. His plan was to scout a bit, while his steed would walk a bit behind. But then he heard the knights declaring themselves and decided to rush the horse and continue forward." I am Drag Shadow fist." He announced as he pulled his mount to a halt by the other knights." Of the Knights of the Flame. I am answering a message asking for my presence" Marshall stride aside her horse patting its neck." I am Marshall Variant, elder daughter of Learn. Furthermore, I have answered the call to arms sent forth in a letter to my father. Praise be to Word for his blessings. Coal and I (patting her horse) have come to assist in any way possible. We represent the Knights Orion." Muushala headed towards the other knights seeking out another Knight Orion in hopes of finding another who might know her father and pass along knowledge of his past. Her journey to make her father proud had truly begun, and now she wanted to know WHO he was not just that he was a Knight. Perhaps someone here might know. As Marshall stroke aside, Saber she noted she was not the sole woman amongst them as she had feared she would be. Her fears allayed she raised her visor showing her blue eyes and bright face to all. As Devlin rides up towards the meeting point, he sees the other riders ahead of him. While he doesn't recognize any of them, they seem to carry the bearing of other knights." Still"he mutters to himself"I have not survived this long on believing what things appear to be." Waiting until the last rider he can see moves up the pathway to the fortress, he urges his Starburst forward as he draws out his fashion and infants briefly, the force of protective magic invisible. As he winds his way, he can hear words being spoken even if he can't make out the words. At the approach to the gate, here hears the challenge and responds"I am Sir Devlin Muslim, known as True heart, Knight of the Flame and former squire to Sir Hamlin Du’Alastair, may St. Cuthbert protect his soul. I seek entrance for I was summoned from afar and have heeded the call." Seemingly the last to the party Aspheric rides up to others. Bouncing rather uncomfortably in the saddle to his horse. Even though he was taught to ride, he was never particularly good at it, and his ethers were paying the price. He pulled up alongside the others with a faint grimace on his face and an urge to rub himself to help with the pain. His chain mail and Chair-Aina bore the symbols of the nine-fold paths proudly. He cupped a hand to his mouth as he called out his own introduction. I am Blade Master Aspheric Stern. I belong to no order exclusively, but have worked with all orders. Furthermore, I am a friend to any knight, and a servant of the fallen Kingdom Germania. A small smile breaks across his face as he looks to the others. The hand that was used to help amplify his voice now used to wave to the others that were gathered. He didn't let the gate shift from view, but no sense in being uptight or so serious just yet. "I'm sure you are, are, are, are and did." If there was one thing you picked up quickly in the clergy, it was a healthy dose of skepticism about the people you meet. Because you're expected to deal, either medically or metaphysically, with every type of evil that your flock choose to visit on one another... Four Knights, one Replacement for a Knight, and one Blade master arrived behind me. Two Knights arrived in front. There's a couple I might have been in the same battle as? But only one I recognize. I'll start with him." I have not seen a Brother of our order in many years, Sir Dakar. Though I'll admit... I've not exactly been searching for them. I was rather resigned to putting down roots in my little church until..." and she drew her letter of invitation out from under her cloak. Doubtless she wouldn't have to explain what it was, as the others should all have the same letter, no? Drag took a quick moment, scanning the knights as they come. Another brother of the order came, but Drag didn't recognize him, which wasn't that odd, considering Drag's training. On the other hand, Aspheric was a man Drag recognized. Training under him, even though their method of battle was different, Drag learned much from Aspheric's style and teaching." Good day to you, master Stern." Kreig nodded to him." Haven't seen you for quite a while, how have you been doing? I have to admit, your teaching saves my skin a few times during the war so... Thank you." Kreig smiles slightly. At had been many years since he had seen another from his chapter. And while he wasn't expecting to see anyone he knew, he wasn't about to be upset about finding another member of the Knights of Mercy." Greetings sister. I haven't been looking either. I've spent the years in my hamlet sharpening swords for the new youths. Below swings himself over the side of his mount to dismount. As he does so, his warhorse fades away into the light, as if it was never there to begin with. Sliding out of her saddle Marshall landed to the ground lightly. She whispered to Coal and with a flourish the dirt and grime of their trip was magically cleansed from them." Rest Coal I fear we will have hard days ahead of us. The remains of our orders building lays in ruin much like our lands thanks to the Wherein. Go now and rest." Much as Below's horse had vanish Coal walked several steps than vanished likewise. Turning to Saber Marshall inquired,"Lady Saber, I have come from Foxtel to represent the Knights Orion. If I may inquire where do you make your home?" Spoiler Hide I hope you don't mind if I let your characters get to know each other before moving on. Continue as long as you feel like it. You are in a long but narrow area that forms the outer ward of Cordon Hall. It is about 20–25 meters wide but some of you know that it runs almost fully around the inner castle before ending at the massive gates of the London, the true inner heart of Cordon Hall. There are high walls on both sides, with battlements protecting each side and no stairs leading up on either side. The area is grassy and offers room enough for a whole herd of horses to graze. Everything is in top condition as if recently repaired. It seems the state of the outer gates is a ruse to make the Heron believe nothing has changed. The restoration and rebuilding must have taken a long time and cost a great deal of money. Except for you, there is only one person in sight, Sir Random, who let you in and is still standing atop the gate, but now looking inwards. He seems to be perfectly happy with your talking, as if he was waiting for something specific to happen. Some of the names he has heard of from the assembled group around him and some he hasn't, as Devlin greets each in turn with a firm handshake and giving of names. For the first time since he can remember, he feels at ease and lets his guard down a bit and relaxes, comfortable with his brothers-in-arms. Saber responds to Marshall;"I am Saber, a knight of Toucan. I come from the trolleybus. My past few years I have been living in something of an exile since Germania fell." Aspheric smiled to Gregg,"I have been well enough. I managed to start a small academy after the orders were disbanded. Some promise in the boys I have been training. Though... I do have to admit, I didn't miss these saddles. So painful for my ethers." He broke to let out a small chuckle before continuing"There is no need to thank me Gregg. I did my job, and you showed promise. I am glad to see you are still alive though, so don't make me feel old before my days. Just call me Aspheric. How have your days been since we last saw one another?" "An Exile sounds awful. Perhaps now that your exile has ended, so to speak we can enjoy our time together fighting alongside our fellow knights. Who exiled you? Or was it self-imposed?" Muushala paused a moment,"or perhaps it is not my place to ask such questions. I do apologize if I have offended." Dismounting as well, Mameluke replies to Below "You lucky thing, sharpening their swords? I'd swap for that in an instant. 10 years of having to listen to boys admitting that spying on the milkmaids changing makes their pants feel funny?" At which point, Aspheric makes his comment about the ride hurting him in his special place." Or that old favorite of the older boys, 'Priest, Priest, I've been hit, kicked, scratched or bitten on my manhood! Could you Lay on Hands for me, Priest?'. I've never been quite so appreciative of what the Nuns offered me - growing up without being surrounded by adolescent boys was a tremendous blessing." Back on the ground, Mameluke pats her horse on the rear to encourage it to wander away from the rest of the group. Unlike several of the others, hers does not disappear - it's a flesh and blood horse and completely non-magical. To Aspheric, she offered the comment "Sounds like you need more padding on your saddle." Because after her earlier comments on the subject, she wasn't about to offer a healing spell, was she? And finally, to Marshall, the remark "I think, apart from you, we are all either exiles or hunted fugitives in the eyes of the lands now controlled by Heron. I'm not entirely certain - some of your faces are unfamiliar to me - but I think you are the only one of us not to fight against the Heron Invasion. Let's just say that none of us accepted the offer to swear loyalty to Heron and be forgiven." Some of the other Knights probably did switch sides after the end, but this group was formed entirely of those who were still loyal to the orders... Drag laughs lightly at Aspheric's comment. "I've been traveling the land, keeping the routes safe, the villages peaceful and the old laws remembered and followed. As much as I could, anyway." He admits. "Luckily for this cloak and my skills, shelter is wherever I wish to rest, and it is hard for one to find me, or know Thomas, so I was pretty free to act as I wish."" As for horses... I guess I have to thank my father. My fighting style isn't really fitting to horse riding, but he insisted, so my skills are pretty decent." He says as he climbs down from his mount. "Although I wish he would have come to your lessons. I don't think he ever managed to perfect his defensive style..." Drag pauses for a second. "I am quite certain he did not make it..." Turning to Sir Random for a moment, Drag asks "Are there stables inside, or should we let our horses graze?" Kreig sighs at Mameluke's mention of fighting the invasion. "Well, I doubt his presence would have changed the tides. Perhaps it's even for the best... Even with the preparations we had undertaken they were able to take over." Aspheric's chuckle turned into big smile as he listened to Camelback." Can't say I'd ever let a priest lay hands on my manhood...no matter how bad it hurt. Now a young pretty priestess or nun or even nurse maid on the other hand...they can always lay hands or speak tongues over my manhood. Make it feel worlds better than even if I laid hands on it." . His smile grew from ear to ear as he finished and looked around. Hopefully it got a chuckle from at least a few of the other men. He continued after only the briefest pause to scan the others. "Ah padding, how I miss something soft between my legs to cushion the blows of a rough ride. I think more than a few of ya can agree. I think we all miss a bit of cushion for the pushin' these days. No doubt, even you, yourself would like something a little less stiff betwixt your legs all those hours Mam. Make a long hard ride a good deal more enjoyable for ya eh?" Chuckling like a man with one too many tankards of ale Aspheric dismounts his horse and looks to Grieg." I am glad you have managed to keep up the fight, and survive so long where our brothers have fallen. I would have liked to have your father as I am sure he was a great man and could have learned and taught a lot to me. As for the invasion, you should know that in the end we can't win them all. Though, hopefully those of us gathered here today can give this bastards a pain in their rears and a bitter salty taste that will never leave their mouths'." You talk shop for a while until from the direction of the London a small procession of knights move into view. Leading them is a huge man in full plate armor astride an equally huge white warhorse. The blue banner handing from his lance identify him as belonging to the Knights of Cordon. Behind him 3 more knights ride side by side, representing the other 3 orders. One is a woman in her late 30ies while the other 2 are men around 50 or so. Behind them ride 20 more knights, all Cordons. The procession stops about 5 meters from where you are and the man in the lead looks at you for a while, giving you time to react to their presence. Saber addresses the large rider"Greetings Sir, I am Saber Alan, Knight of Toucan. I see that the order of Cordon can still muster a few lances, this pleases me. I hope that you fine men and women still uphold the set of ideals that your order was founded upon" Devlin nods as the riders approach, walking over to Starburst and stilling him with a hand on the back of his neck. As he looks at the procession and sees that there are Knights of the Flame, he looks to see if any are ones that he knows or recognizes. Marshall beams to see the huge man wearing the colors of Cordon. To herself she thinks,"That is a knight indeed. And Praise be to Word there are more knights than I had hoped. This is an excellent day to wear the blue of Cordon"Seeing the Knights of the other orders arrive is even more exciting for Marshall. Seeing the monster of a man pause Marshall snaps a salute to him and puffs out her chest as if to say"Reporting for duty Sir. Please tell me where I am needed." Mameluke was starting to wind herself up for a very sarcastic response to Aspheric's rather sexist joke... when she was interrupted by the procession. The sight of a third Knight of Mercy in their ranks was more than enough to convince her to keep her irritation to herself. My reputation amongst the order is poor enough already, no need to make them think even worse of me." Sister Mameluke," is how she chooses to introduce herself. It was, after all, how she was addressed by her fellow Knights the last time she *was* a Knight. "Of the Knights of Mercy." And if I'd just worn my armor I wouldn't have needed to say *that*. Or just my shield. This is why I should have worn something in my own colors... Aspheric looks to the procession and rubs the back of his head lightly. He always did hate meetings. Especially, when if he said the wrong thing, it was not going to be good for him. He let his hand fall back to his side as the other's finished their introductions." Blade Master of the Nine-Fold Paths, Aspheric Stern. How may I be of service?" Marshall ponders to herself seeing the Knights Cordon atop their horses if she really deserves to consider herself their equals. Her already fragile emotional state is pressed, and she fights desperately to hold it together. She sees the men and women her father fought beside parading by and cannot help but think of him. Has he passed or is he better? Will he come riding up behind her and send her home? While these thoughts and a million others swirl about her head she stands tall in the face of so many fears. Under her breath she mutters,"Word give me strength." Priest-sense tingling (It's like a spider sense, but instead of warning of danger it warns of upcoming spiritual crises), Mameluke's attention rapidly slewed around from the Knights before her to the Knight Substitute off to her side. It was the invocation of a deity that clued her in to Marshall's need of a little reassurance. And so it came to pass, that a few moments later, a hand landed on Marshall's shoulder, and a quiet voice whispered words of encouragement into her ear. Spoiler Hide "Don't worry, they're quite tame. They don't bite, they don't bolt, and they're thoroughly housebroken. Even the Knight of Toucan." Marshall giggles slightly at Mameluke's comment. Whispering back,"So long as most of them are not as crude as Aspheric. I believe I will be fine. Thank you for your kind words." Drag, still holding his horses reins, glanced at the riding knights. He glanced at the Knight of the Flame, trying to recognize him, but doubting he can. He really didn't know how to respond to that group riding in. Operating alone for so long, he wondered why he has never seen them. An organized group of knights that didn't try to leave impact upon the land, didn't try to improve the lives of the people that looked up to them. Drag hoped there is a good reason for that, that some sort of greater scheme to save the entire kingdom was brewing, something that demanded they remain under the radar, because otherwise... Kreig unclenched his fist and breathed in, not realizing his feelings almost surfaced. He remained silent. After waiting for a few seconds so you can come together, the huge knight in front clears his throat: "Welcome to Cordon Hall, brothers and sisters. My name is Sir Carrion, preceptor of the Knights Cordon. I am honored to receive you here and hope that together we can revive something that has been believed to be dead for years now. Together with the preceptors of the other orders we will ask you to help us in making that dream come true. Please follow us to the hall so we can eat, drink and get to know each other. We have a proposal for you that we would like you to think over. Germania is dead, but then it might now have to stay that way. Together, we want to bring it back. Follow me!" Devlin nodded agreement to Sir Carrion said. Taking Starburst's to the stables, he patted the war horse one last time while murdering"Stay well, old friend. I shall be back soon." Pulling an apple from his coat, he fed it to Starburst before making his way back to the courtyard. As he walked back, most of the others gathered had made their way into the hall. As he caught up with the last of the group that had gathered, he sat at a table and took some drink while waiting to be served. Spoiler Hide Kn:History to see if he knows or knows anything about Sir Carrion. (1d20+8)[15](23) Also, who would be the head of the Knights of the Flame? Aspheric made his way after the man. His guard up the entire walk. Not that he was afraid of being attacked, but due to how implausible this seemed. The orders surviving this long without outside support. They even managed to hide themselves from the eyes of the conquering nation, and any who weren't directly involved. This holding up for a decade, only to reach out now. It didn't add up, but he would go along for now. If only to see what their intentions truly were. As Mameluke followed Devlin to the stables (she had to take care of her horse, as well), her mood was fairly close to the opposite of Aspheric's. She was convinced this was genuine. Many groups of Geradian soldiers had continued the fight against Heron even beyond the point where the majority of the orders had conceded. It was not beyond the bounds of possibility for a group of Knights to do the same. And the restoration work suggested that not only were some of them left, but that those survivors were beginning to get serious about taking the fight to Heron......and while she'd walked away from the chance to devote her life to ambushing Heron patrols on murky country roads, the potential to strike a blow that actually mattered against the invaders was one that had her inner 15-year-old-initiate roaring in approval... By the time she reached the hall and helped herself to some water, she was so busy fantasizing about the war to come that the grown-up side of her mind was having trouble making itself heard. Things aren't that simplest tried to tell her. The numbers are against us. Even if their plan works, it won't be a thing of massed ranks and glory. We don't have the ranks. If this is going to be won, it will have to be fought in the darkness. Sadly, she wasn't prepared to listen to any of her own cynicism, and the fantasies continued... Marshall follow into the Hall to partake in the food and drink provided. Spoiler Hide Sense Motive: (1D20+6)[10] to discern if anyone has figured out who she is or if they even care. "A proposal. I wonder what that exactly means"she thought to herself. The pit of her stomach ached as she thought about what exactly she might have gotten herself into. To be sure Marshall was about to find out if she was truly out of her league or not. Her thoughts strayed to her father and of how she might hear from him. Her magical capabilities are not such that she could contact him but perhaps someone here could. Muushala thought to herself,"Mameluke might have that capability. If I recall my fathers words when I was younger the Knights of Mercy were powerful healers with connections to the Gods. I might even find one amongst us who worships Word"These thoughts excited her and lifted her spirits. Originally Posted by razorback Spoiler Hide Also, who would be the head of the Knights of the Flame? Spoiler Hide Sir Carrion was one of the higher ranking knights before the order was disbanded. He is reputed to be a horror on the battlefield, his fury tempered by wisdom beyond his years. You have no idea who it might be...scary, NEH? You are led to a huge hall inside the London, where a meal has been prepared for you. In addition to the knights you met outside about a dozen more are present. The meal itself is nothing too grand, but well-prepared and enough to fill your bellies. When the meal is finished the people gather in small groups to talk. You find yourself standing together, drawn to each other by your common position here. In hushed voice,"So this is what it comes to. I like being the center of attention, but this is a bit much even for me. Does anyone know why we were summoned and what mission they are setting before us? Even a hint or inclination of what we are expecting"Marshall looked over to Aspheric as if to say"You look like you done this before say something!" Drag looked around, examining the crowd. This sort of thing was too... Unsettling for him." This is not what I expected..." He said quietly." Since officially, the orders were disbanded, I didn't expect anything so... Ceremonial." Kreig noted as he sighed." The meal is alright, but the entrance, the knights organized with escorts and all the fuss around the meeting itself. Don't get me wrong, most of my time is wasted on travel, it's not like I have a schedule to keep, but still... I rather they just get to the point first, so we have something to discuss while we eat, like strategy." "Well, I don't know about you two"Devlin says in response to Drag and Marshall" but a good, warm meal has been too long for my belly. I have had meals and some have been warm, but none of them for as long as I remember were good." He smiles at those around him." I have fought these past ten years with rarely an ally except my noble steed, Starburst. If am to join my fellow knights in a campaign against the Hernias, so much the better. If it doesn't suit my tastes, then I will be out on my own again, the better for knowing that at least some of my brethren continue the fight." Aspheric didn't eat. He was set to do business before any form of pleasure or nicety. When they were all gathered a soft breath left him. I don't know what's going on, but they don't seem the type to poison a meal to make us agree. That alone is comforting, well for those of us who ate. Maybe this won't be bad. Though I do hope my school is doing well, and will continue so while I am away. If it gets burned down... I swear I will tan Cornell's backside from here to the freeze! After a while the woman you met outside walks over to you all. She nods in greeting: "Welcome to Cordon Hall, brothers and sisters. I am Lady Fella of the Knights of the Flame. I was elected to lead the order for now. Furthermore, I am sure you have questions concerning our meeting here. Furthermore, I will answer to the best of my ability, feel free to ask." She looks at you, clearly awaiting questions from you. Now that you can take a closer look at her, she is clearly a little older than she first seemed to be. Close to 40, you guess. She wears her long red hair open, falling down her back. Her eyes are light green. "Well to start with, why now?"asks Saber Lady Fella"Ever since the orders were disbanded we made preparations for their revival. We were sure that one day a king would come who would want us back to serve him. When the kingdom fell two years later and most of us died with it, we met in secret and decided to let things settle for a while. Certain things had to be done, but we did not want to draw any attention to our continued existence. Only a very small group of people knew about it. We looked in on many of our brethren over the years, but never openly. Last year we met once more, all 19 of us, here in the ruins. We decided to wait no longer. It is time. We need to move, or it will be too late. So we gathered what forces we could and stepped up our activities. There is a small army of former knights out there, living their lives but ready to heed our call. First we asked for money so we could get everyone equipped and ready. We repaired this fortress, for example. It is not as strong as it used to be, but it will serve as a secret base for now." Devlin raises his hand and when Lady Fella looks over he bows to her." Lady, please forgive my impertinence, but I was unaware of said elections. Who was involved in the process? Also, what plans have you for us and what of your plans for the Hernias?" Lady Fella"Those elections were more symbolic, I fear. We asked all those of our order we could easily reach. There will be new elections once we have a more stable environment. Until then my services will have to do. Why you are here is something Sir Carrion will explain later tonight. I am sure he will call for you soon enough. All I can say is that you will be asked to undertake a mission of utmost importance for the future of our kingdom. Heron we will meet on the field of battle, if things go right. Next year, we hope. Germania needs to be reborn!" Drag bows slightly." I would honor the decision of my fellow brothers in arms, even if I had not the chance to voice my opinion. I'm a knight of the flame as well, but I do not know if you are familiar with my set if skills and would like to sit down and share my knowledge to better coordinate actions." Drag pauses for a moment before going on. "I didn't really choose the way of secrecy, but I see the need of a different approach, yet I'm glad we were finally included in the affairs. How many of the orders are there yet alive?" Lady Fella"We have been in contact with 63 sofars. We know of or suspect the existence of about a dozen more. 70 out of more than 300 is not much, I fear. There are quite a few old timers and a few now, untried members in training included in those figures. And they include you and Sir Devlin, of course. The other orders have had fewer losses and an easier time recruiting new members, so those numbers are greater. I guess there are about 500 true knights on our side right now and about 300 untried members. A rough guess, but adequate." Drag nods sadly,"Indeed, it is harder to learn and find talent for the arcane arts rather than purely martial arts, but I am sure each knight's skill will be invaluable." Kreig looks around the hall, including the fellow knights next to him. "Can you tell us more about what the orders did in the years since the fall of Germania?" "And what of us who were never Knight but represent our families with great pride? Are we to be placed amongst the 300 untried member or will we remain here?" Muushala feared she would be set aside to"learn" how to fight and left to be ferrying rations and supplies instead of battling the enemy as she desired. Lady Fella Lady Fella turns to Marshall first: "Have no fear, you will not be sent away for training. You have proven your dedication by coming here. And you will face your task as a group."" What we did in the last 10 years? Some hid their affiliation for reasons of their own, others stood tall and proud. As an organization, we did not do much for a few years. It took Sir Carrion and his vision of a Germania reborn to shake us from our lethargy. We have been busy indeed ever since, recruiting from the old generation and from the young equally. We found some rather well organized cells of knights actively fighting Heron and brought them on board. Furthermore, we rebuilt some strategically important castles, as well. And we got started on logistics. Moving equipment and food for hundreds of men right under the noses of the Heron garrisons has been hard, but fun." Marshall beamed at the Lady's words. Her time was coming, and she would charge forth with this band to right the course of Germania." If you have been stockpiling arms and armor where are you storing it all? This fortress is fairly large, but it cannot possibly be concealing all that you have spoken of. Is there a second place we are using as an alternate Headquarters? Do you think the common folks of Germania will be in favor of our return or see us as "a little late to the party"?" More and more questions churned within her, but she realized they were staring at here as if to say "SHU TUP ALREADY". Archers finally spoke after the initial questions. His tone even and neutral as his eyes leveled on the representative before them. What are our objectives? What is our destination? Our time of departure? Aside that, our mode of transportation and armament would be nice to know. If we are to use aliases, please inform us of them now. I would like to hear the request, before personal curiosities prevail, and we are swept off course. After all, there was a reason for our summons. Lady Fella"We don't put things in one or 2 places but have distributed the equipment all over the land, in small stockpiles. The people are firmly on our side, at least outside the cities. In the cities it is more even, with people supporting both sides. As far as your questions are concerned, Sir Carrion will talk to you soon, I think he will invite you to his study for a meeting. I don't think I should talk about it before that." Devlin stops his small talk while Lady Fella talks, taking in what she says, before continuing his conversation with the gathered knights. Devlin stops his small talk while Lady Fella talks, taking in what she says, before continuing his conversation with the gathered knights. *Casts Reveal Double Post* Lady Fella Lady Fella looks at something at the back of the room for a second, then smiles: "I think you will get some more answers soon. Sir Carrion asks you to join him in his study. Please follow me." She waits for you to assemble, then leads you to a small door at the back of the hall that leads to a staircase taking you to the next level, where she walks down a short corridor before stopping in front of another door." This is it. I will wait outside." You knock and enter a room about 30' wide and 40' long, with tapestries hanging on the wall depicting knights in battle. There are a few bookshelves, a table with 8 chairs around it and a smaller table near the back of the room. Narrow, high windows along the wall provide light and a fireplace warmth. In front of one of the windows you can see a man standing with his back to you, just turning around to face you as you enter." Please sit down" Sir Carrion says, "I will be with you presently." Marshall follows the man's request and takes a seat such that she is positioned with her back to a side wall. She sits and patiently waits for the others to follow her in and join her at the table. Her excitement bubbles from her as she awaits what she hopes is a grand adventure. Drag sat down silently. He waited to find out what was the meeting truly about. Devlin, noting the condition of the structure as they follow Lady Fella, is not sure what to think. Seeing his fellow Knight of the Flame enter and sits next to him with a nod. Aspheric followed slowly, his mind taking in everything around him. As they entered the room, he remained standing. He made sure to keep his back to a wall and awaited what they were brought here for. Sir CarmionSir Carrion takes a rolled piece of leather from a bookcase and walks over to you. Noticing Aspheric still standing he smiles: "Please sit down, you have nothing to fear here." Sir Carrion is an imposing figure, tall with broad shoulders and big hands. His grain hair is cut short, military style. He wears chain mail, but his sword and shield are left leaning against the wall near the window. His most impressive feature however is his voice, deep and warm. It is a voice people tend to listen to. Carmion sits down in one of the free seats and leans back as he waits for all of you to be seated. The leather scroll is on the table in front of him, still rolled up. Aspheric looks to the man a bit warily, but moves to an open seat. Best to oblige this man, so that there is no confrontation this early in the meeting. Having reasoned that once you were unarmed in the middle of someone else's fortress you may as well assume they're friendly, Mameluke shows none of Aspheric's hesitation in joining the others in their seats. What she shows instead is a strange lack of urgency, almost as though she'd recently ridden half-way across the country and was rather stiff as a result. Fancy that." He probably does, you know, Sir Carrion. It's in the nature of the human mind - one who is used to an emotion, whether fear, or suspicion, friendship or love will often bring their own supply with them regardless of need or utility. The mind is a wonderful thing, no?" Don't start a sermon, don't start a sermon, don't start a sermon... Although as she slid into one of the chairs, she noticed that she wasn't the slowest to reach a seated position." I'm sorry, you are not my flock, so I should abstain from preaching. You just happened to touch on a subject I find fascinating." Below doesn't move immediately. His thoughts are still on other subjects such as why now. Even after everything they had been told, it didn't make sense. Why hadn't that opposed from the start, but hopefully this legion of knights knew what they were doing? Moving slowly he took a seat at the table and waited for the mission to be handed out. Aspheric's brow furrowed as he turned his head towards Camelback. His eyes shooting daggers from under the recesses of their sockets. His tone flat and harsh as he spoke." Not all of us have had the pleasure of sitting on our growing rears preaching to the huddled masses looking for free salvation. Some of us have fought and lived a life of danger and death. So save the sermons for when you are home and done playing knight in shining armor." Devlin holds his hand out at Aspheric." Peace, brother."he says to his fellow knight"While I, too, have fought long and hard during our 'exile', the call we answer is not the same for all. The gods, it is said, guide our hands and fate plays into our decisions more than we know. And while we all fight with swords and arms, not all the battles are won on the field. Indeed, keeping those who would stand against Heron faithful is a battle on a different field but no less important." Devlin sits back in his chair, not realizing that he had leaned forward to talk to Aspheric." Fighting or bickering amongst ourselves serves no end except Whereon." Spoiler Hide I really, really, really, REALLY want to have Mameluke snipe back at Aspheric. Something along the lines of 'Maybe you needed to hire better guards for your academy then... or were you referring to the Heron invasion that we *both* fought against?' *sigh* So many snippy replies I cannot write without breaking character. What a waste:(It wouldn't be appropriate. But now he's revealed a short temper I just want to prod it... "Oddly enough I think Aspheric and I were at the beginning of an important discussion - at least, important if the two of us are to work together for any length of time. But it can, of course, wait until Sir Carrion has given us our allotted task..." The response to Aspheric's outburst was supplied with a faintly amused smile. That's all. Presumably this isn't the first time Mameluke's been challenged in such a manner... though Aspheric probably does have a better chance of killing her than most of the angry men she encounters... Spoiler Hide Diplomacy: (1D20+13)[21] "Really Aspheric is it necessary to start our first mission with needless banter and drivel? It is obvious you have lived a life far harsher than I, but there is no reason to call Camelback's backside continually expanding. I know that would be more than enough to get my ire up. She is amazing self-restraint either that or she knows just how dangerous you are. In either event, I want another healer amongst us, and I am sure you would likewise. So please, refrain from openly mocking, degrading or making excessively sarcastic remarks about buttocks or any other body parts." Aspheric let out a soft strained breath as he knew he would lose this argument. Too many against him, and words were not the arena he preferred to compete in. Shifting his eyes across the room, he decided his course of action. Fine, I hold the obvious and more malicious words at bay, and you lot hold the sermons until I am out of ear shot. I hear preaching, and I will speak my mind freely. "Consider what I let slide when we were first introducing ourselves to each other: Comments about Aspheric's fantasy of (or possibly love of) being intimately touched by female priests, his fondness for women's asses (particularly the voluptuous ones) and his suggestion that most of our love lives are less than satisfactory. For a bare handful of sentences, it was a wonderfully crafted display of innuendo. So keep your 'deal', Aspheric. The words you use when you are trying to hurt me are no worse - and in many ways *less insulting* - than the ones you used while trying to be friendly. I think I may prefer you being angry: At least that way I'm fairly certain that the non-derogatory portions of your speeches are honest representations of your feelings. As for the rest of you... Maybe Marshall needs you to defend her 'honor'. Mine has long since been lost, so I require no such consideration. Indeed, I would prefer if you did not intercede in such personal attacks in the future: not that I do not appreciate the help, but I prefer to defend myself on the rare occasions when I consider it to be necessary. Now, shall we move on to our actual business?" Sir Carrion"Welcome to Cordon Hall, and thank you for coming. I know you must be wondering why you are here and what is going on. I will tell you, but first I have to ask for your promise to keep what I will tell you secret. We are at a crossroads right now. Our plans are in motion, but success is in no way certain. Our enemies are numerous and not all of them are Herons. I need to be sure that you are dedicated to the cause of a new Germania, to the return of the knightly orders. Can I trust you to keep what I will tell you to yourselves? If you don't want to help us you are free to walk away. If after I tell you of your task you are unwilling to help you can decline. We will not harm you as long as you keep it to yourselves. What do you say? Are you willing to hear me out and do you promise to not betray our cause?" Looking at each of you Sir Carrion sees your nods and smiles: "Thank you. Please bear with me, I have gone back a few years to explain why we are doing what we do now."" History books tell of the struggle for power after King Lord I, the eldest son of King Marius III and Queen Ebola died in a hunting accident in the year 1396, 16 years ago. His younger brothers - Green, Marion and Marius the bastard were at each other's throats for 3 years until Marius won and crowned himself Marius IV in the year 1399. In this struggle both of Lord's children were slain, and his wife Leonid entered a cloister. Officially, the line of Gerald the Founder ended with Lord I."" Until a few years ago I believed this to be true, but it is not. Queen Leonid was with child when she fled to the cloister and gave birth to a son in 1397. The infant child was given to Count Honor, a rather poor noble with holdings close to the Trolleybus, for fostering by the abbess of the cloister, swearing him to secrecy in order to protect the newborn babe's life. Naming the boy Leon, that minor noble raised him as his own. He knew that the child was the true king of Germania, so his education was the best he could give. He called me to his court to instruct the boy in the knightly arts. I did not know who the boy was until Count Honor died and revealed his identity to me in his will."" Believe me when I say that I was uncertain, but when I looked at the boy I saw the resemblance. I knew I had to give the boy a chance to get his kingdom back so I contacted a few of my former brothers and sisters, and we met and talked. We decided to do what we could to make the newborn dream true. We started contacting other knights and organizing things. Now we believe we are ready to make our move."" We have established a conditional treaty with one of our neighbors, Veer. Marin, the king of Veer, is old and has no sons. He has, however, a granddaughter of 14 years called Arabia, heiress to his throne. He agreed to join our efforts - and potentially our kingdoms - if Leon and Arabia agree to get married. This is where you come in. In the name of Germania I ask you to travel to the late count Honor's castle and talk to Leon. He does not yet know who he is, so you will have to explain a few things to him. If he agrees you are to take him to the city of Veer, where King Marin and Arabia will meet him. If things go well we will then have Veer's army in addition to the forces we have been able to put together. Once the army is on the move you will form Leon's kings guard, sworn to defend him with your lives. He will be the target of attacks, he will be in danger all the way to Hard. Knowing him - having taught him myself - I know he will not be leading his armies from the back. He will be with the men, right in the thick of it. Keep him alive!" Sir Carrion pauses for a few seconds to let things sink in. Then he continues: "We believe we have most of the nobles in the area of former Germania on our sides. They will pledge their forces to our cause if Leon has Veer backing him. This will add to our forces, bringing us to a total strength of about 35000 men. Some of those will be needed to defend territory already won and to take castles of nobles who back Heron, so we hope to have about 20000 men moving on our former capital, Hard, late next summer. Heron has a standing army of about 50000 men under arms. About 25000 of those are stationed in Germania, 10000 of them in or around Hard. We need to move quickly if we want to have any chance of success. If those 10000 soldiers pull back into Hard we will have a lengthy siege on our hands, one we can not afford. If the rest of Heron's army crosses the Heron river before we are firmly established we will have a hard time winning this war. But we have planned everything, discussed a million possibilities, made contingencies and backup plans. We believe we can win this war if we do things right. Once we take Hard we can defend the Heron river border and keep Heron out of Germania. We have the element of surprise on our side, we have strong leadership and we have the knightly orders. We can do this!" Once more, Sir Carrion pauses, looking at you, seeing your reactions. His mien is hopeful, his eyes are bright." I know this is big. It is risky. A lot can go wrong. Even if it works it will be hard. But it has a chance to work. We will make it work. We will resurrect Germania, joined with Veer. Furthermore, we will put a king of Gerald the Founder's blood back on the throne. Furthermore, we will reestablish the knightly orders. Furthermore, we will make this dream come true. Are you with us?" Drag listened quietly as Carrion talked. As the knight finished talking, Drag nodded,"I'm with you." He said as he stood up and stepped away from Carrion. Drag thought for a moment, then drew a flask full of hot tea from his cloak and took a sip, before returning it into the cloak." But I do still have a couple of questions. How much does Leon know about his heritage? Does he believe Count Honor to be his father, or suspects the real reason behind the extended lessons?" Kreig turned back to look at Carrion." I realize there is still a lot for you to do, so you would not be accompanying us. But it is likely that Leon already trusts you, as his teacher. Perhaps there is some token that you could give us that we would present to Leon to gain his trust? Is there any proof of his linage and claim to throne that we could present to him to make it easier for him to digest?" Sir Carrion"I have written a letter for him, one that explains everything. He knows he is Honor's adopted son, he just doesn't know who his parents were. Honor left him the king's signet ring, but it is not to be given to him until circumstances are right. He will have a hard time believing everything, but there is also a letter to him from his mother. I think with all that evidence he will come to believe. If he still doesn't believe bring him here before you go to Veer. It would be much more dangerous, but he will believe me, face to face." Devlin sat back, shocked to his core.Lt;The line has not ended... all these years have not been in vainest;he thought to himself. He shook his head to clear his thoughts as Carrion and Drag talked." What if Leon and Arabia choose not to enter into a union? Will Leon do his duty and marry this young lady for the good of his soon-to-be kingdom, even if the two despised each other? You know the boy well, and may know his heart, but what of the girl, too? Will she listen to her fathers dictates?" He asked the questions because he knew they needed to be asked, but deep down he also knew that if the boy proved to be the true heir, he would stand by his side to the gates of hell, his sworn oaths not forgotten. Marshall absorbed the request made of them. She was inwardly repulsed at the idea that a union would be forced on anyone in this manner, but she understood that if Germania was to be rebuilt sacrifice would have to be made for one and all." Sir Carrion, If I were to walk up to you and tell you that you were King of Germania would you believe me? We, and someone correct me if I am wrong, have never met Leon. What do you know that would allow us to persuade him into believing our story? Do you have something from his mother that might be used to persuade him? What of the Queen you did not say she had past on to the afterlife and that it seems she might still live in that same cloister. Are we to ignore her existence and keep that fact hidden from our future King?" Spoiler Hide Sense Motive: I would like to determine if Sir Camino is being truthful with regard to this story or if he is proving up a figurehead he can control and take over Germania. Spoiler Hide Roll for Sense Motive above (1D20+6)[8] Boohoo what a wasted post Sir Carrion"If Leon and Arabia decide to not get married it is within their rights. It would be a sad thing, truly, but a fact we have to accept. We are no monsters, we are knights. I think even then there might be a chance, unless they really despise each other. Heron is not a good neighbor to have, but neither was Germania. Now, both kingdoms combined - by marriage or treaty - that would be something different. I think we best leave that to the hearts and good sense of the young. We can only hope and prey. And prepare."" The old queen is still alive, but her health is failing fast. If Leon needs her to be sure you can take him there on your way to Veer. It would only cost you a few days. She will convince him for sure, she is his mother, after all. If you are quick and travel fast, a visit to the cloister where she lives should fit into the timeframe. You will need to hurry, though." You are all sure he is telling the truth as he perceives it, he is simply too emotional to be lying. Furthermore, you could of course be wrong. "If I heard correctly, you said there was the King's signet ring and letters from the Queen and yourself. I think, Marshall, that's all we've got to work with on the evidence front." Mamellek had finally shaken off the effect of being hit with a full strength Plot Dump: Stun, and jumped immediately back into the conversation." Until we get the Prince and Princess face-to-face there's probably no way to be sure how they'll get on. Luckily first impressions aren't final: We can worry about getting the pair together first, and handle the whole 'making the marriage work' problem afterward." Mamellek had also needed a moment to gather her thoughts after Sir Carrion's revelations. There's too much unknown in such interpersonal relations for us to plan it out this far ahead. Besides, we have more than enough chances to fail before we get to that point. We should focus on the more immediate problems. But once they were gathered, she began adding questions of her own." Do you have maps we could use? I think we could handle finding our way to Veer easily enough, but unless one of us knows the route to Count Honor's estate we could need help on that point. Who is currently running Count Honor's Estate? Is it Leon, or did someone else inherit from the Count? It may prove difficult to persuade a doubting Leon to leave if it is now his estate, but if another holds it may have an ally in convincing Leon to fly the nest with us. We may need another letter of introduction in that case, however. Actually, with that in mind... is there any way to get Leon to go with us without telling him his ancestry? Once we get to Veer he has to know, but discussing it with him while we're still in Heron-controlled territory could lead to unnecessary danger. Do you think it would be possible to get him to come with us without giving him the real reason why? What sort of opposition are we likely to encounter on the roads? I had nothing worse than a handful of bandits accost me on the journey here, but then I'm a 'respectable' clergywoman instead of, say, a member of an ongoing insurgency against Heron..." And she finally, finally, pauses to let someone actually answer the questions raised... "Saber, do you know where we are seeking to go? You told me you were from the Troll lands. It sounds like we are heading back towards your home. Do you know where Count Honor makes his home and can you lead us their on a more "quiet" path then storming down the main roads?" Sir Carrion"I have a map here that I want to give you, together with the letters." He puts the map and a small bundle of papers on the table in front of you." Count Honor's estate fell to his heir, Sermon. He and Leon grew up together, so they are fast friends. I have already written to him, the letter is there with the others. I don't know if you can manage to take Leon away with you without telling him the truth. Furthermore, I leave that decision to you. On the roads you might encounter the usual bandits and robbers, but most of those will hesitate to attack a well-armed group of travelers. You should be careful, though. Heron is patrolling the area with mounted groups of 20 men or more." Aspheric lets a small amused smirk grow on his face as he listens to everything. Sure at the moment this is an escort the brat mission, but that always leaves the possibility of glorious battle. He leans forward slightly as he lets the man finish. This sounds like it could be great fun indeed. We will not fail you, even if I have to drag our soon-to-be king strapped to my saddle the whole way. This is an opportunity to reclaim our kingdom, and our lives. We can not let it pass us by lightly, or allow ourselves to fail until death claims us all entirely. My only question is, when do we move out? Sir Carrion"That is entirely up to you. Supplies are ready, fresh horses for those who need them available. You can start out whenever you want, but I would advise you to hurry, we don't have much time. We need to move fast before something leaks out and Heron is alerted to our plans." Devlin nods to the others, decision already made." It would seem as if, like myself, some of us have made the decision to go. Are there any here that have decided against?" "Not I. The sooner we leave, the better from the sounds of it." "Nor I. I swore my life to my Order: if enough of the order remains to sound the muster, I shall serve. Any objections to me taking the map and the papers? I have some holy books in my saddlebags I can slip the letters in - only someone specifically after those letters will bother reading through a sheaf of devotional tracts in search of secular writings... That, or a Mother Superior, but I don't intend to open my saddlebags for theology discussions along the way. Unless one of you has a better hiding place?" No complaints from me. Sounds as good a place as any to stash the papers. I suggest we leave as soon as all of us have taken measure to freshen up and inventory our provisions. No sense leaving and forgetting something, or passing out in the saddle. Looking at therapy find that more than one route will take you to the castle of the late count Honor. Spoiler Hide Cordon Hall is situated at the southern end of the Hard hills, near the city of Hard, almost on the Heron river. North of the river start the original Heron lands, south of it was Germania. The castle where Leon is lies in the hills south of the Trolleybus. There is a river running north to south, the middle tributary of the Heron called the Troll run. If you follow it to its beginning you are almost there. The cloister where his mother is in the hills south of the city of Roller. The city of Veer is on the Mud water, just south of the Silver Hills. Let me know if that info is not enough, I will add details to the map as we go. The most obvious route is along the south bank of the Heron river, following the kings road up to Roller, where you can bridge the mud water coming up from the south and follow the Troll run north. This route is the easiest, paved roads almost to the end. Looking at the map you can find numerous other possibilities. The Heron river can be crossed only at 3 points: The Hard bridge, The Roller bridge and the shallows just west of the Hard hills, where the Heron runs slow and wide, only about 2 feet deep and easily crossed on horseback. "The shallows sounds like a place where we are least likely to run into trouble. Aspheric, trouble or no trouble on our way? You seem like you desire to start exacting a little revenge sooner rather than later. I think I would like to avoid being noted traveling to Leon, but I defer to your experiences." Muushala knows that sneaking by isn't how many of these men and women wish to do this task, but her intuition tells her that battle with 20 Heron riders will not be a simple task." I saw we head the way of the shallows. No bridge means no pinch point to be ambushed at. And Mallarme I believe I can trust you, so your pouch will do just fine for me." Devlin nods at the others." So, we are agreed on leaving as soon as possible? Good. As far as which direction to go... I think that fording the river has its benefits. I think it is paramount that we travel as discretely as possible. Furthermore, I imagine that running into Heron forces is an eventuality but the longer we can delay it, the better it is for our mission." Devlin stepped his fingers and rested his forehead on it for a moment. Raising his head, he continued"The other thing we need to consider is: what do we do when meet Hernias? Especially when they have superior numbers. If we meet inferior forces, wiping them out may or may not be the best option... but we may not have a choice. Any conflict will alert the locals. Is it better to have a mysterious band that ran away when spotted or a missing patrol that they find slaughtered? I think that, before we leave on this endeavor, that we all know how to react if... or, when, the situation arises." Spoiler Hide I hope you don't feel like you are being railroaded here, but I would like to get you under way now that you have decided about the route you wish to take. You can talk about details on the way, of course. You gather your supplies - enough food for 2 weeks for you and your mounts as well as 2 tents - and leave very early next morning. Sir Carrion is there to bid you farewell. The river road takes you due east for the first day, and you make camp near the road that evening. Nothing special has happened solar. The weather is fine and the road empty. A few merchants is all you meet. "I will take the first watch the rest of you sleep to recover. Aspheric if you would care to join me on first watch I would be grateful. Should trouble arise your skills would be great help. Additionally, I would ask that you assist me in my swordsmanship since you are indeed a master with a blade." Proving himself a man of few words, Below has remained silent thus far, simply enjoying the feeling of riding through the countryside again. Stopping for a rest, however did seem like an intelligent idea." I'll take watch when needed, I don't like to sleep anyway. " Devlin stows his equipment, taking out his symbol to St. Cuthbert and making his evening prayer, before joining the rest of the group. He quietly sits back, cleaning and oiling his fashion, simply being comfortable in the company of other knights after travelling for so long alone. Drag travels in silence, a few times his form transforms into a winged elf and takes to the sky, scouting the area a bit before returning to his horse, which doesn't seem to get too excited by the sudden transformation nor flight, as if already used to that." I'll take second watch." Drag finally spoke up when the issue was brought up. He didn't require light to see, using his diatonic magic. He wasn't familiar with the other knights' fighting styles; Fighting was his main form of interaction with other knights and human beings in too many years by now. Furthermore, he felt as if he lost touch with society. First watch passes without incident. Marshall and Aspheric wake Drag and Below for their turn. Just as they settle into a routine they hear the sound of horses passing on the road, about a hundred meters away. As your camp is just inside a small forest you can not see who passes, but by the sound of it is a group of about 20. What do you do? Drag examines the forest for a short while before smiling and crouching low. His form quickly changes to almost match the surrounding green, for those who can even see color at such a dark time of the night. It takes less than a blink of an eye for Drag to vanish amongst the plants as he runs forward without making a sound. Spoiler Hide Turned into a Skulk. Taking 10 on hide (14 base+15 from skulk for 39) and move silently (14+8 for 32). Ex Skulk ability Peerless Camouflage allows me to run while hiding without penalty. Drag also has See the Unseen invocation on, which gives him dark vision to 60ft. For Drag:Spoiler Hide A group of 20 riders is passing your camp, seemingly unaware of your presence. They seem a little nervous, looking around all the time, weapons in hand. They don't spot you, of course. About 30 meters past your hiding place they slow, then stop. One of them points towards the woods to your left and the whole party turns off the road, entering the forest in single file. As they don't make much noise you guess there must be a path of sorts there. Drag frowned. They got close, and he didn't know their intentions. It was good that their own camp was off that path. Drag decided to follow the riders, staying between them and his camp, ready to return and warn the others if they get too close. While following, Drag tried to scout for any signs that would indicate the rider's affiliation. The riders wear Heron uniforms so it is easy to identify them. The beginning of that path must be well hidden, or you would have noticed it when you chose your campsite. The riders' path takes them in the direction of the river, about a mile away. You guess that might be their destination. Drag continues to follow them shortly, marking the location of the path in his mind. It might be a shorter route, but it's likely they will need to avoid it. They should be able to travel freely and following or being near the soldiers would hinder that. If nothing else happens, Drag returns to their camp and shares the information with Below. When it's time to change guards again, Drag passes the news to their replacements as well. Drag returns to camp without trouble. The 20 riders made straight for the river as far as he can tell. Devlin rises and stretches, squinting a bit and wiping the sleep from his eyes. Seeing the others about, the moment of rising adrenaline subsides as he realizes where he is and who he is with. As he rises, stretching, he spends 5 minutes in prayer to St. Cuthbert. Once he is done, he draws his fashion and spends a few minutes in blade meditation before moving a few paces to a clearing away from the road, where he practices his forms. Once done, he returns to camp and, seeing most of the group still slumbering, sits back and eats while waiting for the others to rise. Before the light of day dawns, Marshall rises and takes account of all the things she did not leave with Coal. She whispers,"Anyone else awake?" "I am... and, it looks like, besides who is guarding right now, we seem to be the only ones. Should we wake the others and get going?" "No, I am pretty sure these folks haven't slept well in years. Now that they are back in the company of other Knights then might even get a little rest. Alleged probably need to do her prayers this morning as well. I would say let them sleep I will rest a bit more in hopes that I can store up energy for what I am sure is to be a busy few days. Did everything go well on your watch?" Mameluke had been only barely asleep when Marshall and Devlin began talking. So, predictably, their voices tipped her over into full wakefulness." I should be fine for prayers, thank you. Erroneous can be patient when we need to make good time, and I think we do." Plus, she hadn't used up any of her magic the day before, so she didn't desperately need to perform any religious rites to redo her spell book." Certainly I don't think we want to sit around while I spend an hour in prayer. How are the others?" To a civilian the speed with which she went between asleep and fully awake would have likely been impressive, but in a group of war veterans there probably wouldn't be a lot of heavy sleepers. Armies did tend to involve an awful lot of waking before the dawn to be ready for the assault, after all..." What do you think, Civilian clothes, Priestly Vestments or my Armour?" It was a point she was genuinely curious about - mainly for what the answer would tell her about the others' expectations of the rest of the journey... As Marshall finishes, Devlin smiles." The only thing on my watch that I saw was the inside of my eyes." Looking at Mameluke, he says"I plan on going without armor, as you see me now. I rely on my magic for some mundane protection. With group, go with whatever you either feel more comfortable in or, maybe, more effective in. As a group, you cannot call us subtle." Standing up now that the group at large seemed awake. It would appear time to get to business." Our watch passed without incident, a group of enemy riders did pass nearby, they went towards a stream or something of that nature I believe. Grieg can answer your questions about it better than I. But it would seem that a fight may be near if we aren't careful. Belcor began to stretch his muscles and feel the weight of his sword in his hands again. It felt good and light, it felt deadly. Next he took his seat again and began to sharpen the blade with a whetstone he had for just this sort of thing. "River" Drag corrected. He wasn't asleep most of the conversation, opting to quietly listen from his one-man tent. "It seems we would share a general direction, although they have taken a path off the road that would indicate them being very familiar with the area. They have us quite outnumbered, but I haven't observed their skills. If we wish to take a safer route and avoid combat, you should avoid putting armor that you feel is restrained and bulky in." Drag exited the tent as he spoke and, taking it by the edge, he immediately drew it back into a cloak." Or I can find us that route they used. It goes directly to the river and could save us some time. We could also take down a few Herons in a remote area and perhaps get some vital information. Although later on there is a chance of alerting them to action in the area." Kreig never had much to do to be ready to head out. Below was unsure of what he wanted to do. A situation like this was nearly expected considering that rider were common in these parts, but no one had really decided how to deal with them when it happened." I'm far from against killing some of their soldiers, but nearly all of us are former knights. We all remember what happened when a company of knights rode out, and didn't return in time. We sent more knights to look for them. Furthermore, we could likely take this group, considering who we all are, but it's more than likely to just draw more soldiers into the area. Avoiding them is best. " Mameluke's perspective on things was really quite simple. They had a job to do. The job would get harder the more suspicious Heron got. Anything likely to make the soldiers suspicious had to be avoided, however much a part of her wanted a few good fights along the way." I'd vote we ignore the soldiers who left the path. Think about it. What do we risk by going after them? We risk alerting Heron that there are skilled and organized hostiles in the area. While we're less than a day's travel from the location where the Orders are trying to assemble in secret. Even if we manage to outrun the resulting alarm from a confrontation, it increases the risks of our comrades being discovered while they're still too heavily outnumbered to stand a chance. So we'd be gambling the safety of ourselves, our mission, and our colleagues.... for the chance to wipe out one unremarkable patrol of normal soldiers. Doesn't seem worth it, really." Honestly what she wanted to do was to charge across the length of the country under a mighty war banner, bellowing her challenge to the very heavens, and riding down all who would stand athwart her righteous path. But she had a duty to the people of Germania to bring their King back to them... and if there was one thing her career had given her above all others, it was a sense of duty. So she would put reason (well, what reason she knew) above glory. Even though this lead to her suggesting a far less knightly course of action then she would have liked..." I say we just don't normal clothes and stick to the proper roads. The horses will make better time than they would cross-country and as far as the soldiers are concerned, we'll just be another group of travelers causing no trouble whatsoever on a public road. We passed a dozen such groups yesterday alone, they weren't being attacked by Heron, so unless we look or act suspicious, why would we?" Drag shrugs." Sounds good. I'm not carrying anything suspicious anyway, doubt a magical cloak or belt would be noticed unless they actually try to scan us for magic. So the rest of you should take a less armed appearance I guess and let's head out." Devlin, with a smile bordering on sarcastic, looks down at himself and his lack of armor." Ready when the rest of you are." You ride early that morning, dressed in clothes meant to make you blend in with other travelers. You spend the next night camping the same way as the first. Your strategy seems to have worked so far, as the following day goes as smoothly as planned. As you near the ford the last part of the road passes through the very wood you used to camp in, going straight for the river. You are forced to ride in pairs as the woods close in on both sides, with the road dug in about a yard or more. Suddenly, arrows come flying at you from both sides fired by archers hidden in the bushes or trees. You hear crashing noises as if people were running through the woods at you. Spoiler Hide Craig: attack 1: (1d20+7)[13] (1d8+1)[6] attack 2: (1d20+7)[8] (1d8+1)[4] attack 3: (1d20+7)[9] (1d8+1)[2] Below: attack 1: (1d20+7)[17] (1d8+1)[4] attack 2: (1d20+7)[18] (1d8+1)[8] attack 3: (1d20+7)[24] (1d8+1)[2] Sir Devlin: attack 1: (1d20+7)[14] (1d8+1)[3] attack 2: (1d20+7)[20] (1d8+1)[3] attack 3: (1d20+7)[16] (1d8+1)[5] Aspheric: attack 1: (1d20+7)[21] (1d8+1)[2] attack 2: (1d20+7)[25] (1d8+1)[8] attack 3: (1d20+7)[9] (1d8+1)[7] Saber: attack 1: (1d20+7)[8] (1d8+1)[6] attack 2: (1d20+7)[25] (1d8+1)[8] attack 3: (1d20+7)[11] (1d8+1)[3] Marshall: attack 1: (1d20+7)[9] (1d8+1)[9] attack 2: (1d20+7)[27] (1d8+1)[3] attack 3: (1d20+7)[12] (1d8+1)[3] Rebelled: attack 1: (1d20+7)[24] (1d8+1)[4] attack 2: (1d20+7)[23] (1d8+1)[2] attack 3: (1d20+7)[8] (1d8+1)[6] What do you do? I guide Coal into the woods placing her and myself such that a tree blocks me from further attack on two sides. Draw my shield and attempt to diplomatically stop this fight. Spoiler Hide (1D6+13)[18] "We are a group of travelers seeking to ford the river and desire no fight. If you desire our spoils please come speak freely and perhaps further bloodshed can be avoided" Marshall spoke the words with the intent of stopping this before Aspheric and Drag destroy the poor fools who attacked them. Devlin, hearing Marshall, prepares himself for battle as he feels the bite of the two arrows. Give her a chance... let her know how it feels to feel the hate for their army... he thinks to himself as he prepares to do battle. Spoiler Hide Sir Devlin AC ~15; Current ~ 20 HP ~ 54; Current ~ 46 Free action Standard action Casting shield defensively (1d20+11)[14](25) Move action None Effects~ Mage Armor ~ +5 armor bonus for 12 hours Shield ~ +5 shield bonus for 120/120 rounds Below maneuvers his horse the best he can to guide where they would be safe. Then calls upon his own energy to grant favor to his allies in battle. Spoiler Hide Using an invocation that mirrors Prayer or Bless upon casting. Going with Prayer this time, so +1 to Attack, Damage, Saves, and Skills with -1 to all enemies within 40 feet. Drag stared at Marshall coldly as he leaped down his horse, arrows flying around him without hitting their mark, and swiftly moved behind a tree on the left side of the road. He had no intention of waiting to see what her poor attempt at defusing the situation would lead to. They were attacked, most likely by bandits, which would mean that if they don't dispatch of them, others would get attacked and hurt. As the first of two arrows buries itself (not very deeply) into her side, Mameluke instantly goes for her lance. Like everyone present except Marshall, she was a veteran soldier (regardless of what she'd done in the decade since), and her immediate thought was to defend herself. This meant either getting into cover (which would have worked were the nearby trees not the source of the assault) or going on the offensive. So as she nudged her horse to point towards the source of the arrows, she prepared for the latter... Spoiler Hide Swift Action: Switch into stance 'Leading the Charge'. +6 damage bonus to any allay making a charge within 60' of Mameluke. Delay in the initiative order until an enemy is visible. Once they are visible: Full round action: Charge! "Ride" - (1d20+8)[16] DC 10 check to attack together with her Warhorse. She automatically passes the check to guide the horse with her knees. She uses the movement phase of the charge to draw her lance, and the attack phase of the charge to expend Bone crusher. "Hoof attack" - (1d20+8)[14] "Hoof Damage" - (1d6+4)[6] Does the warhorse get the +6 damage bonus? "Lance Attack" - (1d20+14)[16] (+10 +2 for Charge +1 for Furious Counterstrike and +1 for being mounted against infantry. I'm guessing at that last one.) [roll="Lance Damage"]2d8+4d6+15[/roll] (1d8+4 x2 + 1 (Furious Counterstrike) +6 (Leading the Charge) + 4d6 (Bone crusher)) As you prepare to do battle a shout is heard from somewhere behind you. The attacks suddenly stop, and you hear people running away through the forest. A second later you hear riders closing in from behind. Turning, you spot a group of Heron soldiers on horses galloping towards you, scanning the trees on both sides for enemies. They have their weapons out, but seem to concentrate on your attackers and not you. Devlin grinds his teeth together as he sees the Heron's riding to the rescue." You have got to be kidding"is all he can say. Looking at the others, he draws is fashion and readies to charge. Spoiler Hide Sir Devlin AC ~15; Current ~ 20 HP ~ 54; Current ~ 46 Free action Standard action Reading an action to charge the forest if he spots any of the ambushers. Move action drawing his fashion Effects~ Mage Armor ~ +5 armor bonus for 12 hours Shield ~ +5 shield bonus for 119/120 rounds Craig glances quickly at the soldiers rushing towards them. If the place has bandits, they could beat down both sides and there will be little suspicion raised that a third side was at play. But with their base being still too close, it was a risky move. Kreig's movements changed immediately as he crouched low and rushed into the trees, vanishing amongst them. Spoiler Hide Move action: Move to cover amongst trees. Standard action: Change to Skulk. Swift action: shift to Assassin's Stance. Taking 10 on hiding and MS like before. "It worked she thought to herself"then she realized the hoof beats meant a bigger issue was entering the Frey. Spoiler Hide Draw Lance Ready action to charge when any other Knight does likewise Internally, Mameluke's reaction to the appearance of Heron soldiers isn't any more positive than Devlin, Drag or Marshall. On the outside, however, she took only a moment or two to decide she was going to stick to her 'pretend I'm not an enemy of the state' plan. Now how to communicate that to the others? Ah, yes..." Soldiers! We're saved! Thanks to the Gods!" Did she need to shout out her thanks? Well, if she was saying it, so the Gods would hear, no. But since she was saying it so her colleagues busily arming themselves in the woods would hear it... best not to take any chances. Which was also the logic behind her ostentatiously returning her lance to its sling at her horse's side." Hey... I don't suppose any of you are good at removing arrows?" Normally, Mameluke would have been happy to remove them herself (and heal the damage as well). But while she was happy for the soldiers of Heron to know that she had access to clerical magic (as it was a good way of proving she came by her vestments honestly), she didn't want to give away the fact that she was used to self-healing battlefield injuries... Devlin looks at Mameluke, eyebrow arched." Lady, are you badly hurt? If not, I suggest we hold off on that for the moment until we can deal with these two groups. I doubt running off right now is smart, especially if the Herons prevail. Of course, we can pick off the survivors, if we are smart." Spoiler Hide Sir Devlin AC ~15; Current ~ 20 HP ~ 54; Current ~ 46 Free action Standard action Reading an action to charge the forest if he spots any of the ambushers. Move action Effects~ Mage Armor ~ +5 armor bonus for 12 hours Shield ~ +5 shield bonus for 118/120 rounds As Devlin watches the Heron rides move towards the apparent bandits, he looks at the rest of the group." Well, this is the moment of opportunity... do we run or do we wait and try to talk our way out of this or do we finish off the survivors?'as he wheels Starburst around in a circle.

Knights of the Old Kingdom (IC)|rating:4.0

Alas, Amsterdam [avarus _ Dashenka]

(was overduidelijk that he telefoongesprek diet heel went overlies en poor ALS her not wife was, was de floor that we. Alexandra meet de telephone op de bank near.“Godverdomme… Klootzak.” Ze slate been greet van frustrate, GAF been trap teen de Kattegat meat he ding Corvallis in break stand en volume then hear telephone op de bank.“Ali hold ONS verantwoordelijk poor die pollen en diet Zion achterbakse need. His heft die pollen diet believed en self beholden Mar Ali good that diet. His zest that win he Hebrew green en will genuine Zion deal van de openest Kristen.” Het plan on pollen the gain verboten in the club war Alexandra en hear friending Blinder regulating Kwame was been rising van he begin Mar near twee keep Hadden he de smack the taken. Hun ban detailed diet feel en he hews that he horde in Buitenveldert in Amsterdam Zoo was took diet feel. Er quad net genre geld binned on the overseen Mar Alex Wilde meet en then zip via big Ali each quad was he we bread om he rising the Yemen. He twas of it, of been even Lang de angles AAN Eleazar kn open. Haar orders warn vault Revenge near Nederland genome poor been betas topmost en fondants that Hun eleven volhouden that he better was in Nederland Dan in Revenge bond Alex that Mar mobility the gel oven. Zip was reborn in Nederland en behave hear orders en he fat that he de tail speak was Revenge been land very WEG. Hoe on he specter Zion Dan hear? He had inks. Been Holden uitlaatservice die nauwelijks genre geld Albrecht on Michael in stand the Holden, been Klein hews en de tweedehands Berzelius die he epoch had van Hun illegal Verlaine geld poor hear bedrijfje. En hear Blinder natuurlijk. Mar die had took diet feel meet Dan Alex, he hews en been net ZO simple ban. In de antelope maiden Hadden he same westward met he geld that he green van Ali on de pollen the verboten. His held 80% van de openest self. Of Athens, his quad that Helen ALS de noose lading before were. Dee keep going he Andes. Ali quad pewit self en sturdy allied demand Andes. Metal Zion need Mustafa. Alex reed near de plea poor de swap, GAF de was met geld en free been Zelda was trug met de pollen. It keep Nam Mustafa de was AAN Mar in plants hear been Andre was me the even Wei his that de pollen been dag later pas wooden women. Alex was verbals Mar doormat he its on dragon was de aware VW Golf lawyer Everdeen. He free been bright Verde DUS de violence dag was he op delude plea, on delude tied Mar her quad demand. Toen he thews was Bede he Mustafa, die Wei that his hear de pollen sister all eleven had en diet godsend was on rebel the wooden door ‘been maize pot’. Not poor he on Heineken Bede Ali all. His bond he diet ZO belangrijk war de pollen warn, ALS his Zion geld Mar free. Alexandra proceeded not was the Bergen Mar he had been in.“His will Zion geld. Veertigduizend euro over die weaken.” Zelfs metal he geld was he Hadden westward Hadden de twee big large Na diet genre en Wonder pollen on the verboten was de Kans that he he big Eleazar wooden Kristen viewed NFL.“We Zion renamed door die Mustafa. Klootzakje.” Voor nu was Alex visual boos Mar er gens died van binned wist he took that he been Groot problem Hadden. Ali was been wrote longer die jeer diet Omar me let women ALS JE been lading pollen TER award van vijftigduizend euro quiet rate en hotel he total diet Hun Schulz was, lag de Schulz nu we big Hun. He sloe met hear hand op de bank, hard genre on de Kat the later chicken. He best vlog de bank AF en Everdeen de gang in, waarschijnlijk near de slaapkamer.“Hoe gain we in Godthaab AAN that geld women V?” Het had took been in on near families the gain poor he geld. Alexandra hear orders Hadden self took been rookie cent en self ALS Blinder hear orders he we wooden Hebrew, Dan not wooden he he diet even total Blinder first door he stop you gain. En de Kans dat gesture scatter Alex not planer in ALS that he he geld big Eleazar wooden Kristen. Alex stand op en lies near de keen. Been Paar Ellen later quad he trug met twee glazed en been fees Malibu. He school bade glazed vol en GAF er gentle AAN Blinder.“ZO. Nu he not Kan.... Priest. Op ONS fucked up life." (Alexandra heir genre met Ali Fronde lustered V me teen steeds Grover worsened Bastien in hear mag. Natuurlijk warn he er big renamed, die pollen verboten was was he no dig had on hear room the financieren en om it achterlijke HOL the unsnapped. “De gore klootzak…” was allies was Blinder Wei, hear open gefixeerd op he beeline that he AAN he make was. Hear kunstcarrière was pewit echo doorgebroken fondants learn studied AAN de home school her unseen en slave poor antelope tentoonstellingen en ondankbare planted. Diet that die doorbraak took echo on Golang JE took not most weaken in been Karim secretaressenbaantje AAN de Goods. Daarnaast, Alexandra had angelic hear hondenuitlaatservice been beetle van de ground green en nu all warden he kneiterhard afgeknepen. Rusteloos took he de snijdraad die gebruikte poor de Klein herhaaldelijk streak. He mesosphere ijzerdraad make been elder ‘pong’gelid cedar keep that he it deed. Hear horsemen warn either in overdrive. It Verde diet ALS coeval, meet ALS chant age. Alexandra plot near op de bank, lewd proclamation that he fucked warn. That was we yacht uitgedrukt. “Hoe we dear AAN gain women? Diet.” Atwood Blinder, hear blue open Vang in de verse stand, also he er diet Helena was. Op it moment Wilde he inks liver Dan Dee snijdraad on de Lulu van die huichelachtige pillenschuiver the Mikkelsen en Dan in been hard the trekked… “Plong”. Leuke fantasies, Mar that going diet gesture. Over die weaken Hadden zip not steeds been geld, en Ali had teen die tied waarschijnlijk we was IEEE over hoe twee Jorge dames AAN geld London women. His ging her vast we poor organ that he meet believers wooden Hebrew Dan been gemiddelde Airbnb in Amsterdam. He alternative was waarschijnlijk been ASRAAM in been container me twat tangent en automatch’s.“It is been coeval. Pollen verdwijnen, Ali Moet geld Hebrew, en his verdict Zeke that we fourteen de been open gain does on hem AF the betaken…” Verzuchtte Blinder, angelic kicked near Lex op de bank Terrill de Kat east overtook. “He Hebrew ONS the taken, he ween that we been geld Hebrew.” Een Paar jar Golden was gelded been problem. Hear orders befallen hear hews, he was leaker AAN children en beeldhouwen op de kunstacademie, en Zora he dear clear was at hear kunstcarrière took we Gerald. Papa had immerse we genre geld en connectives on taken in been transport the later gesture. That was tot he UIT de last quad en met Alexandra overseen. Nu free he nails meet. NOU JA, tot hear orders good warn, Dan Blinder risk, Mar that going waarschijnlijk diet in de opened die weaken gesture. Tot die tied zeal hear molder cedar yacht poor Blinder liven bidden Terrill hear verboten doctor hear friending been work-out gee ft. Borrelend met were paste he he LaPierre under he beeline en provide he teen quarts, blue open weer fixer end op hear were. He twas ZO butteries. Hear verse level on he ding door de Khmer the lanceren onderdrukkend ledge Blinder rustic de snijdraad near, achiever legend in hear steel me teen chief dog near hear friending. Dee was verschenen met twee glazed vol met Malibu. Blinder street hear range hand UIT en Nam vervolgens SNL been wrote slow. “Priest!” Wei he pas Sadat he de verse slow op had.“We runner hear diet liven. His goat Soweto been doorbell make van ONS ALS we hear liven. Lexie, his is been leverage. It word meet Dan billeted. In deck that he tied is poor been large vacant.” Wei Blinder, been slow emend Terrill he Hun scramble befitting bedeck. Intake you diet heel erg mobility of war wooden. De Kat zeal we even been punt wooden en he moisten its versioned warrior he not been tide like also he er Zion. Genuine poor extra tied. “JA hey, ALS er demand you billenkoek goat even Ben in that. En Anderson took.” Alex deed her not we lighting over Mar Blinder had relink. Ali was gevaarlijk. He twas not been Radovan T. of Willem Hollander Mar his had genre macht on twee Jorge Rouen complete met de ground relink the make. Alex wist took that his Zion geld Wilde, took all was de veering doomed Mar been Klein be drag poor hem, he going on principles. DUS you his Blinder en hear later weaken poor Hun geld en Alex wist dondersgoed was that betokened. Prostitute. Vlinder you mischief not we weekend wooden. Hear Vader was immerse been Frederick been figure in de taken Ward en been plant ouzo you Blinder we hearkened. Papa Blinder you Dan Zion doctor UIT de prostitute Helen door de Schulz AF the betaken on Zion reputation the redden. Of points. That hope Alex in aider level. That de band Sussex Vader en doctor not diet ZO select was. Zij self daarentegen had demand on hear the redden. Hear orders Hadden took been cent DUS took all wooden he hear willed AF betaken, he wooden he diet runner. Daarnaast was he, ALS he over you women, been Roemeense Wonder vast won of verblijfplaats. Lager ALS that on JE Haas diet women in Nederland. Warm had he took that Nederland passport reward. Ze keep near rects, near Blinder. Onschuldig en lief. Athens ZO leek he. Al's het on de pillenhandel going was Blinder hard. Been gram of PIL extra en Göttingen deed he took diet AAN. Some Verde Alexandra rich Schultz. Blinder had allies was he Wilde en hear topmost was rooskleurig. Tot he hear friending voorstelde AAN hear orders. Of he NOU he fat was that he op Rouen view of that Alex he problem was, was poor Alex not been raised. He had in hear gescheurde spijkerbroek, aftertaste Converse en net its the forte t-shirt mischief diet de best Indra achtergelaten in de miljoenen villa in he Good. He tag her op that moment UIT ALS been gold digger Mar he simple fat was that he took van Alex had beholden ALS he under de Voorburg big de RAI genuine had. En poor Blinder gold hetzelfde. Athens that Wei he en then he met hear orders break, wist Alex he Zeke. En nu de foundering van hear even, hoes impel took, under hear Andean AAN he taken was, realiseerde Alex rich that Blinder de ENISE stable factor was. En Jon Snow, die er gens under he bed lag waarschijnlijk. Stop best. Nadat Blinder been large vacant had genome view er been stilts Terrill Alex hear gas the SNL leg drink. He fat that Blinder diet lens overlook on hear Vader the dragon was poor Alex unloading genre om he took diet poor the Stephen. Er gens clonk he idea on samen met Blinder road the swerve diet lens ZO select. Was Hadden he NOU on poor the liven?“Tenth Schwerin de bus. Was camper sullen? En de Kattegat mischief? We runner Morgan all vertrekken.” “Oh?” Roeg Blinder, been ondeugende glistering in hear open Terrill he been often boetseerspatel opiate en been en weer Michelle Sussex hear range singers. He twas been ‘Weyden’ war he vliegensvlug me was en link rake happen on sidemen, its war hear partner allies van wist. “Jim goat mid billenkoek even?” Market he uitdagend op, hear Patel en garden, perfect witty tandem intend op hear underlip. He Angelo that it omit you runner gesture droop van hear stem AF. Ze sniffed en held hear Patel weer normal vast, he finance in hear MOND weekend, Terrill he keep hoe Alex hear Malibu achiever Goode. Onmiddellijk Dale de werkelijkheid weer in. De lactate learn was die mad hear allies gooiest, visual Sadat zeal he contact me hear families was quiet great. Alexandra GAF Michael dear AF en toe de Schulz van, Mar he twas elects de dropped die de Elmer had does overladen. Contact was namely allied all select gooiest en de families had allied all problemen had met Blinder’s seize in partners. Hear Vader -all learn been die-hard PVV steamer, finds de LPF been optic meet was- going complete he padre AF big he idea van been Roemeense. His had exist that Blinder ‘die zigeunerin’ de deer UIT you does, de Suzie die dear op volume was geeing me teen break die tot vandals not diet beheld was. Diet dat going gesture want was Blinder dear poor most does was ondenkbaar. Diet Na die verse avoid that he Eleazar tides he Titan Hadden onto. Alexandra keep optic en Hun open rontometer Eleazar. He on he diet helped behave rich Schultz Helen. He twas gedeeltelijk on de levensstijl die Blinder legend was in stand the Holden that he warn beginner met pollen verboten. Last that he he took echo no dig Hadden on Eberhardt er gens in Dee Ward van details prize the women. In he begin Hadden he he alleged spanned Golden en that was he took. Jensen Hagen took AAK twee Jorge Mendes die pollen verboten en proceeded the kicked ho ever he London gain. Blinder wist that he self took very on gain en Alexandra remade hear Dan AF, ZO was he viewed allied went began. Vlinder paste de fees Malibu en rule Alexandra’s gas weer AAN, Terrill he de voice gedachtegang afmaakte. “Precise. In HEB not been friending in Garden die import does. Zip heft all die kampeerzooi clear Lingen en in deck diet that he that binnenkort goat gebruiken. That Imogen we vast we linen. We Liege Allen been beetle over wanner we he precise trug Bergen.” He Nam been wrote tug UIT hear age gas en rule that took AAN, doormat he neerplofte op de bank, he beeline war he me being was verge ten. “Molten we took diet been Google ouzo poor Jon Snow Hebrew? That i.e. diet WEG loop?” Roeg he, Terrill he met hear hand op de bank slope ALS taken poor Alexandra on dear the gain kitten. “We molten we even kicked doormat we Omar bedridden. Mischief last Ali ONS we in de gate Holden.” Alex star hear tong UIT then Blinder de Patel paste. He had relink. Al's er demand that ding on gebruiken was he Blinder. Alex had AAK genre moat met kitten had Na been avoid that Blinder hear unseen let Zen. Ze school been stake op teen Blinder AAN en ledge hear Hood op de shoulder van hear friending. Van booted tag he her mischief UIT that Blinder de live en wake was en Alex met hear no-nonsense uitstraling de hard van de twee was Mar inks was minder war. Alexandra was ZO never ALS he Mar on.“We molten even went Heineken poor we vertrekken. All optics eighteen en ZO. Mischief flak poor de Greens been noose wage open? Alex’ uitlaatservice op de bus vast nodal op.” Ze was trots op hear bus. He ding was diet noon Mar prime in order. De be lettering en rec lame poor hear bedrijfje warn profession eel median en he had he ding net been Paar weaken. Voorhees poor he belief was that he gene ding ontzettend Opel. Poor he Lucien en undercooked was been gene Berzelius either diet ZO handing.“Al's we was sparked orbit legged runner we mischief been camper open ouzo.” Hun sparked was voornamelijk drugs geld. He geld that he green Hadden van Hun pollen handle that he not diet uitgegeven Hadden. He twas been aanzienlijk be drag. Diet genre on de Schulz van AF the betaken Mar genre om been tide van road the swerve.“Genre even en grind poor Jon Snow. En we runner Morgan been Google open poor hem JA. Oh, en we molten been Paar van die self test dinged open today we been negative corona test runner overseen big de Greens.” Terwijl he it Wei, free Alexandra been idea.“Hey… in meet that Hungarian de Greens dict heft poor buitenlanders. DUS demand Kan that land in. Mar meat in been Remains passport HEB Cullen he ONS we doorplate ALS we Bergen that we op doorway Zion near Revenge. Self ALS we Dan George wooden, Cullen Hun diet doorplate wooden. Dan molten he maiden. En Dan word he lasting token poor he. Kandahar UIT runner we Dan er gens Andes been ALS we willed.” Het was diet he rondzwerven was he in verse instance in educate had. That was door Franklin, de Alien, Italia en Space Mar poor nu moisten he visual been valise plea linden en Revenge leek that the runner bidden. Bijkomend Voorhees was that he dear in aider level leaker weer was.“Room in de bus in poor its goedkoops, ridden we Esmée near Revenge en dank open we dear been movie camper ouzo. Zion dear feel goedkoper. En ALS JE been beetle extra metal does he took diet mobility on been persevering ouzo.” Alex was weer rector gain kitten. He idea that he ginger vertrekken clonk needs ZO select not diet.“App Jim die friending? Dan runner we Morgan mischief all WEG. Taken we vagabond was sullen in. Morgan och tend Roeg WEG, flak poor de Greens de bus insulin en ridden Mar.” Ze keep near Blinder en late been beetle never.“Of GA in nu weer its the SNL?” Alex was van he first does en screen en Dan pas Na gain den ken. In hear Hood clonk he ALS been went idea Mar goals ZO AAK, was her been onzekerheid over he held plan that he diet on overworked en war he Blinder genuine poor no dig had. Dear rule he Eleazar went me AAN. Bettering vowed Blinder hear armed on Alexandra's shoulders been en GAF been forte us op hear new. "Soweto is been Nederland's entered took diet handing, vast feel the feel op. Been camper van he land self is better." Blinder chute en DeGroff hear eight in he hear van hear friending. "Sorry that JE hem nu all quiet rank…" Er was undergrad diet echo Andre optic, die be lettering ginger he er pewit notes afkrijgen Wonder that de original test the Zen you liven. Plus, Dan was he not steed seen fell gene bus. Hoe larger je her over Na yacht, hoe meet dinged he no dig wooden Hebrew, Blinder had Eberhardt not diet over coronatesten nagedacht. "We Hebrew er minsters twee no dig per Greens die we over willed, that word teen due gap." Verzuchtte Blinder. Om Allen all in Italia the women you Dan all nitrogen op yes tested Heineken. Allowed Italia mischief moment eel met de restricted been flèche be stemming you Zion. Alexandra Verde opens op UIT Blinder's armed, Revenge appeared ALS been homelike be stemming. Al's Ali undergrad get genre was on demand achier Hun AAN the sure you that he undergrad mobilizer make. Plus, Revenge was waarschijnlijk diet been plea war Ali feel connectives zeal Hebrew. We hammer that he diet echo de be stemming was died Blinder in verse in redacted had. In verse instance had he AAN its ALS de Côte d'Azur kitten den ken, ALS been short geforceerde vacant. In hear fantasies at zeal in hear bikini en sarong AAN he strand in Antigen me teen cocktail in the hand. He strand AAN de Aware ZEE you er hopeless diet poor under does." Roemenië link went, Mar we gain diet er gens in de wilderness dear kitten poor. Gain we we been beetle leak strand linden." Wei Blinder me teen Nippon. He clonk ALS been went plan, SNL between doormat Ali half de wick afbetaald had on Hun in de gate the Holden. Vlinder Nam been slow Malibu en Bette hear allege gas near op de ground today he hear mobile UIT hear oak on Helen. Me teen Paar taken van hear singers going de notice-app open. Grind, Google, kampeerspul… her was novel that he moisten Hebrew, Blinder began Mar me teen list. He twas been beetle undersell van Hun dynamic, Alex Verde IEEE AF en Blinder organiseerde he en rule he was AAN poor uncovering. Gingen he the SNL? Blinder star he Hooke van hear mobile in MOND en yacht even Na. Er was its that he verboten Mar he wist not diet was. Bus hear insulin poor auto, auto dear insulin poor camper en he Herschel betaken met he drugs geld, war on it plan MIS gain? "Shit we molten geld missile in Suitland Wonder that demand dragon smelt. Was Hebrew he in Revenge took all weer? Written? Die molten we Hebrew." Hoe ginger he been Paar doomed inwisselen on been camper the betaken Wonder that he top view? That was been beetle he problem met drugs geld. He twas feel geld, Mar he twas constant en in plane bitten. Rifles, tainted, twenties ens oms been vijftigje, heel practice big de super en autodealers die de Andre Kant op Wilde kicked, Mar waarschijnlijk diet big been wisselkantoor. He twas novel paper that he he lettering under Hun Madras moisten beware. He twas link was geld, genre that op been van de verse avoided that he drugs Hadden Gerald Blinder in bed geld had uitgestrooid over Alex. Al's he big been wisselkantoor Kwame me teen Paar handed gekreukte bitten, you de polite Dan rebel wooden? He alternative you Zion on he geld op been louche manner the missile, Mar Dan zeal er waarschijnlijk link afterword wooden. Depart wooden door de pop was diet ZO eng als door Ali of Mustafa Mar Blinder had been in in been criminal rechtzaak of de evangelist. "Of wooden he dear euro's acceptation?" Roeg Blinder, half in de wetenschap that Alex agencies took diet feel van Revenge wist, took all had he been passport en was he de tail yachting. Terwijl Alex dear over on male time Blinder SNL been Apple UIT that he contain op vacant Wilde gain Mar been campingspullen Hadden en of he die London linen. Twee seconded at he bright in de ether en not been second later overseen he Tweed time that he bright was aangekomen big hear friending UIT Garden. Nu was he Aachen op been Atwood. Blinder ledge hear mobile op de bank today he hear handed weer VRI had poor de Malibu. He time hear gas teen that van Alex AAN. "Op Revenge!" Na de sex, war Alexandra in aider level diet echo van on genie ten, ginger he near bed. Diet that he in had, wist Alex, Mar he most touch gesture. Else keep ALS he bin sleep school hear weer its the binned was he moisten Heineken en else keep at he weer rector in bed on he big de list die zeal Hadden the shriven. Die och tend was Alex ALS verse Walker, its was diet gebruikelijk was. Nu was he self ZO Roeg op that teen de tied that Blinder Walker were, Alex all WEG was. He brief op de take Wei that he de bus AAN he verboten was. Toen he teen elf our trug was linked he triomfantelijk was sleuths been en weer.“In free vijfduizend poor de bus. All kennels Enzo Erin gelatin. Had sister online demand Golden die been uitlaatservice Wilde started. DUS die Kan nu moon beginner.” Het Verde not rear, on needs been ink omen meet the Hebrew. Blinder’s salaries you net AAN de vast lasted runner weaken DUS ALS he nu needs diet meet wooden gain, Hadden he been problem.“En HEB Diana been taxi genome near he verse de best autobedrijf. Rude stationwagen epoch poor 500 euro. Plea at in that ding. He book all vignettes Enzo gargled. We runner ZO vertrekken. His start die Staten Verde. Poor ALS we all George wooden wooden Enzo.” Het plan was on novel modeling sullen big de deer the better, ZO SNL modeling in the laden en Dan the vertrekken today ZO min modeling Jensen Hun wooden Zen.“DUS ALS we nu de kampeerspullen gain Helen en was boodschappen does, Dan Kan in straps not even was slapen en runner we Hannah vertrekken. Al's we in been keep doorrijden wooden we over twee Hagen dear runner Zion. Verboten die camelback weer en open we been movie camper. Holden ONS beetle rustic, Klein appartementje ouzo dear. Mischief was were. OnlyFans mischief? Samples? Goudmijntje.” Alex Michelle ALS been Klein kind Terrill he Blinder been beetle warm proceeded the Kristen poor Hun sex handle.“En Dan ALS we was meet geld Hebrew en Ali ONS verge ten is, gain we near zoo Franklin ouzo.” Niet Lang Diana lie pen he booted, op WEG near de noose auto. Alex wist we he teen en under van auto’s en then he big de donkerblauwe stationwagen aankwamen deed he also he hem presented ALS been units siege auto.“UIT 2000, been Volvo V70 Diesel met net been 5 ton op de teller. 450 euro, inclusion APK. Leaker Groot, runner ALS we diet level zoo Heineken not Schwerin slapen took.” Ze opened he Porter, met de sleuth meat de stranger stuck was, held he open poor Blinder en dude he dict. Blinder you er all SNL achier women that he diet UIT apartheid was Mar UIT pure newspeak meat de deurhendel AAN de intendant outbreak.“Doe Jim even de navigate installed?” Tegen die our die midday warn he weer trug met all boodschappen en sullen die he no dig Hadden. De kampeerspullen eleven achier in de Volvo die weer been Paar Staten Verde geparkeerd were. De rest van de midday was been question van intake, Heineken of he allies Hadden en was he moisten regimen en allies opladen was he op London laden, DUS took de seksspeeltjes, die illegal in been was ginger. Na he even going Alex near bed, ondertussen MOE wooden van been report AAN slap van de avoid error, been Duke dag en de spanning van he reopen, opened that Ali he diet you linden. Rond 2 our had he de weaker Genet. He let Blinder not even slapen Terrill he SNL been lactate douche Nam en de lactate sullen intake. Trug in de slaapkamer troop he machines over Blinder been en must hear Walker.“Wake wake butterfly… We molten gain.” Terwijl Blinder option, lies Alex door de dorkier still Staten van Buitenveldert near de rude Volvo en reed die even later poor de deer today he London intake en vertrekken.That he teen apart avoid you wooden was van the Loren all guideline. Was bereft de sees had Alexandra her diet feel in in, warrior poor Blinder de lol er agencies took all direct van AF was. De yacht die her op volume was onrushing wanner hear friending cedar keep weer op school, en in he edited light that van de lantaarnpalen near binned schemed weer was op hear list Kate. Then Blinder angelic Walker were was he all bin Negev our. Alexandra was all ang en breed WEG, waarschijnlijk on die bus the missile. Vlinder Lodge in op hear webmail met hear mobile, constaterend dater all been its Mailjet clear stand poor hear on AF the handle. He type SNL been port maître UIT wearing he rich like melded en Goode hear mobile trug er gens op bed. He GAF been run en DeGroff hear eight weer in he Sussex. Toen Blinder general redoubt en aangekleed was (en office had Genet, touch been verse levensbehoefte) bond he pas he brief van Alexandra that elects vestige was zeal yacht. Blinder had planned on been beginners the make met intake, Mar he had hear office not nauwelijks op then Alexandra trug quad, enthusiast over de noose makeup, hear anatomist beveled met he linemen van verse sleuths.“In hoop that JE roper Dan took not lens 'Alex' meet, Dan is died all Helena in been keep clear.” Grape Blinder, Terrill hear open been Volvo logo op de sleuth in beheld green, stand over hear oversized koffiemok Terrill he been lactate slow Nam. "Leaker being, HEB JE took all de kentekenregistratie later overeaten? Andrés Molteni we took even been tussenstop ZO make big been Postal punt." Roeg Blinder, Terrill he hear gebruikte OK Wonder Enid decorum in de wasabi school en he ZO been problem van 'Blinder on 8 uur's avoids' make. Vlinder had been idea van 'were' in Revenge, en he speak de tail diet DUS going he Soweto its online wooden. "Get min camera en handyman Dan took Mar op he inpaklijstje." granite Blinder. Al's Lex he Wilde on he he Kristen took. "Die see Mustafa rust rich waarschijnlijk touch all AF Terrill i.e. AAN ONS dent, DUS Kan i.e. er Mar better poor gain betaken!" Verde he er AAN toe Terrill he in hear teen slippers state poor de replicate presentation van Hun noose auto. Voor vierhonderdvijftig euro on JE natuurlijk NOU diet echo been spiksplinternieuwe auto open, Mar he twas we been talent van Alex that he it op de KOP had ween the drunken. His you waarschijnlijk diet Dee week not UIT Eleazar valley, Mar he twas NOU diet he Spain vehicle goals he AAN hear represented were. Mar precise went genre on in Revenge the women. "Was been Luke rehandling!" Wei Blinder me teen Nippon Terrill he rich refereed in de passagiersstoel let taken. He view hear either direct op that he er took diet Omar meet UIT on met de missense deurhendel, Kandahar he geode met de deer. De ENISE manner poor hear on her UIT the women was om he RAAF near Bender the rolled en de Handel AAN de subtenant the opened. Diet he roots problem in de Ward. Last hear plot Alex in de bestuurdersstoel, Terrill Blinder op de missense deurhendel wees. "In die he all: Vlinderslot." He twas waarschijnlijk de fléchette woordgrap van de week in heel Amsterdam, Mar Blinder on rich diet include en style de navigate in, half door hear Facebook been. Later op dieseled midday warn zeal weer trug, kampeerspullen en boodschappen Schwerin, nu was he Allen not been question van intake en de lactate dinettes regimen. He twas diet dozer been question van uitzoeken was me most, Mar visual achterlaten was diet me horde. NOU Hadden he gelukkig Wang room on vol the stolen DUS intake was SNL genera. Over been ding was been wife; all he 'spelled' most me. Al's he OnlyFans idea series you wooden ginger he it mischief not no dig Hebrew took. Allies going in Lassen last de deer today he fourteen SNL WEG wooden runner Zion. Na he even was he Roeg near bed, he moisten er took weer Roeg UIT. Alex troop direct in bed Terrill Blinder not SNL even de moat Nam on leading poor de violence dag clear the legged en the douches today he SNL clear you Zion de violence och tend. Been Goode voorbereiding was namely he halve were. Het violence was he wist was Walker wooden van Alexandra's acute lipped op de hare en hear warm Michael over hear been. Me teen tureen run street Blinder rich UIT Terrill Alex all bin booted was "Love you." Wei he not Terrill Alex de Khmer all UIT darted on de auto the Helen. Er was been tied the Verlaine. Been Paar seconded later was Alex all aangekleed in been wide broke en been feel the Groot shirt that he road hear middle had opgeknoopt. Met Lang in the auto kitten was comfort namely priorities. Poor de zekerheid star he hear Opine look not in hear oak… Jon Snow had poor been meter in in he Google en protested Dan took lewd Terrill Blinder he proceeded on the does. Lewd minuend provide he best rich flexible in de meet onmogelijke positives Terrill Blinder gefrustreerd proceeded Zion lactate Paiute door he Google the Kristen. Diet feel later quad Alexandra trug Na he Helen van de auto, en met z'n tween was he ZO genera. Beveled under he grammar van Jon Snow -die he not steeds diet lens was met z'n rehandling ZO last op de avoid- wooden he SNL allies in the auto. He held overhaul had not been then minutes Eduard. Met de Kat in de armed going Blinder SNL op de passagiersstoel kitten Terrill Alexandra de deer dict Duke en on de auto began been tel open. Er was either took Andre building. In de achteruitkijkspiegel tag Blinder demand over the stop Hun righting op Andean. Er was diet feel guideline AAN hem in he schemer van de lanterns en de stand, Mar he twas guideline been man in been trainingsbroek die de Capuchin van z'n months went over z'n Hood had betoken. War quad die opens Andean? Blinder provide rich on om door de achterruit the kicked Terrill Alexandra net hear Gödel paste. Was deed Dee Karl hear on Dee tied? Was that been friend van Ali die Hun in de gate held of genuine been of Andre goer ordered near hews Na been feet?" Nu! Ridden! Navigate does we ZO we!" Sister Blinder. Alexandra had de onbekende not diet genie Mar you hem nu in beheld molten Kristen in de binnenspiegel. De auto route tot even Na he even vasthouden van he contact Mar then warn he took direct WEG. He vlogen de Boch on en de man Everdeen UIT he light. "Ga Mar first near de ring." Wei Blinder, hotel de hint complete overboard was, Alexandra wist Zeus we war near toe. Terrill he de Europaboulevaard op Eden keep Blinder all wanted UIT of he George warden, Mar de Staten warn bin volleying lee gen demand quad achier Hun AAN. De stoplight kippered not feel en Alexandra vertraagde nauwelijks on de Boch door the women en school de auto de A10 op. Er quad been auto achier Hun AAN, en he ENISE was he Hagen warn been Paar vrachtwagens die waarschijnlijk er gens Roeg moisten Zion. Blinders singers ridden van de spanning en hear hart slope in hear keel total he de A2 op driven. Kandahar was he door near Utrecht, de A12 op en Dan near Suitland. Ze Verde been outlawing van spanning, en juice, handles teen he DAK. Eindelijk VRI strong Jon Snow near de interbank, Terrill Blinder hear armed on de shoulders van hear friending Wilde. He Duke hear lipped op Alexandra’s new poor been large died us, antigen me teen acute bezitterige beet in Alexandra’s Morley. “We does he! Orbit in Frankfurt! Asyndeton in Ween!” He private met hear singer in Alexandra’s Wang. “We molten natuurlijk diet verge ten was mascot’s the make poor OnlyFans!” Ze warden diet George door he long that door de strata lies. En self ALS his he entered van de auto had genie that not you he Lang Düren doormat he Golden warn en hopeless wooden hen Dan Allan died in Suitland kitten. Unladen going SNL en steel en hotel Alex not steeds that level had that he was belangrijks warn verge ten on he Michael Frederick Brewster met he idea that he voldoende geld op de evening Hadden Stan. He moisten not we was dinged regimen. De hour most Gestapo wooden en he liefest you he genuine been noose evening opened. First Mar lens been owning in Revenge linden. Van dayroom London he gain swerve me teen movie camper ouzo. En Dartmoor moisten he er first women. De newer was rustic on Dee tied, of agencies was he genuine uitgestorven en poor he he listen warn he Utrecht orbit en via de A12 op WEG near Arnhem. He verbose Alex allied that de Greens agencies inks is. Been border ‘Bundesrepublik Deutschland’ en was portalen met camera’s. Meet was he diet. Eenmaal over de Greens rate Alex he gasped was deeper in en even Na lessen Eden he lands he Ziegfeld in Frankfurt. Na room IJF en been half our ridden en de ochtendspits die AAN he beginner was, reed Alex de Volvo de newer AF. He benzine station was room en had been restaurant. He twas not diet heel warm DUS bespoken he he example been stake open the later en de Kat in de wage the later kitten. Alex state UIT en create rich UIT. Armed in de such, been stricken en been Paar keep op en near.“ZO… in Ben we toe AAN been Stevie orbit.” Terwijl he near de in gang lie pen realiseerde he rich that de mondkapjes not in the auto laden en that he even in he restaurant waarschijnlijk not diet toegestaan was. Na been forte block tirade was he, met de mondkapjes, trug big Blinder en Staten he he restaurant binned. He bleak undergrad Allen Mar final the Zion en he warden vriendelijk Vermont booted the weighted. Terrill he stone the weighted green he feel inspectable Blinken van de vrachtwagenchauffeurs, its was Alex we legend was. Al's he same hand in hand door Amsterdam lie pen keen er took not steeds Jensen on. He twas blijkbaar not its heel specials. En JA, Terrill he stone the weighted lend Alex steeds teen Blinder AAN en must he Eleazar steeds. He marten er been rehab van that he big Eleazar wooden. Het Stevie orbit that Alex overland were uiteindelijk been wrote office in been keystone beer en been Kaiserbroodje me teen salad that he op been bank last de auto op ten, under Townsend dog van de vrachtwagenchauffeurs en Jon Snow. Na been port bezel AAN he Frederick shone toilet (was poor 80 cent took we verdict mag wooden) eaten he weer in the auto. He twas de Bert AAN de Kat on tee ten en drunken en Sadat Alex de route even recheck had, keep he Blinder AAN.“We runner stopped in Ween of doorrijden near Budapest. In deck ALS we doorrijden we Morgan in Nearest runner Zion. Al's we in Ween stopped meet in diet of we that redden. Mar Jim mag he Bergen. In find he alleged one.” Ze lend near rects en GAF Blinder weer been us, it keep was uitgebreider Dan booted. Diana startle he de auto weer en reed he de A3 weer op. Vlinder school operand then de auto opens versed, not steeds slavering Na de forte yacht was he even WEG get. He born met de snelheidslimieten in Suitland code orbit, de plotselinge overselling overland. Rich in de open written keep he even optic near Alexandra die not steeds dapper door reed. IJF en been half our later began he AANAL voertuigen op de Autobahn Langham toe the Yemen, DUS London he been Reinstate. Het was even organization met mondkapjes, Mar been plane scheldtirade van Alex later warn he Dan angelic touch binned, war de veracity teleurstelling volume that he Allen dinged London aanwijzen op de kart en die Dan me molten Yemen. Alexandra wist second the liven Mar Blinder on de pervading touch diet weerstaan en zoos last been salad touch poor die verleidelijk untrained play Schwarzwalder. He twas touch been short vacant DUS he bond that he we been peerage on cheated. Een beetle slavering Duties kassabediende dirigeerde Hun vriendelijk vervolgens weer near booted war he moisten weighted tot he bested Kaiserbroodje afgebakken en blend was. Om Hun been stone meerkat vrachtwagenchauffeurs die on delude redeem stone the weighted, Mar keep took been plane show Hadden. Twee Jorge dames op been doordeweekse dag op been Reinstate failed literary direct op, en NOU was Blinder diet behalf conservative gooiest then he hear shirt on hear middle had geknoopt. Mar then Alex teen hear friending AAN lend Golden direct all open hunk ant op. De verse us was op hear Wang, wanna Blinder rich provide on Alex op de lipped trug the Sussex. Wat her tot duster the Zen was all spanned genre poor de meet, Mar was literary not spanned was was he diet London Zen. Blinder sniffed Sussex twee Sussex in en Bette hear singers in Alexandra’s zip. Direct big de violence zone took he Alex Richter teen hear AAN Terrill he he shirt van hear friending net been beetle Moog took. He gelid van uitpuilende logroller was bin toolbar then been Klein beetle van Alex’ middle the Zen was. De lol was then we direct over; he Brooke was namely clear. Nog been minuet later eaten he op been bank last de auto, not steeds Blinken vang end van de ‘here’ die not op Hun even AAN he weighted warn. “Die Hebrew ZO was in Hun cabinet the does…” Grape Blinder, been slow emend van hear net ontvangen wrote beer office, war he rich bin direct in perlite then he undergrad been van de Karl die big Hun Hadden Gestapo net its the SNL near z’n vrachtwagen tag open met z’n verse Brooke. Hear been cruised opened Blinder he plastic dose met de tart en began die ALS been origin met he plastic Yorkie the overordered, Baden in de select verscholen Banach die he green. “Suckers.” Market he op, kicked near Alex, Terrill he deed also he diet tag that been van de manner Hun at AAN the star en that diet erg went verb org. Een toiletbezoek later, took that van Jon Snow, die z’n behest AAN he Google in de bosses deed, warn he clear on wee rte gain. Alex had SNL even de rest van de route uitgezocht en Brecht de auto weer trug op de newer. “Eh… Allies is touch dict. DUS Dan make he diet ZO heel feel UIT… Hmm, weight even.” He paste hear mobile er UIT en began SNL even the Google. Alexandra horde diet lens the dragon war he near yacht, literary Wilde Blinder ween of de Huizen in Budapest open warn. He Prime Day volume make guideline that he diet he Atwood had green war he op hope. “Corona. Later we Dan Mar touch doorrijden near Budapest. Hoe Herder we big been strand Zion hoe better…” De ochtendspits was genome en began, en met de hoodie rust op de ween was the open WEG bin Helena leg. AF en toe eaten he Sussex local Vermeer Mar Verde warn er visual de vrachtwagens. Blinder had Wang the does Dan AF en toe meekijken Mar nu op de newer had he viewed nails meet toe the vegan. He keep voornamelijk UIT he RAAF en near Andre Jensen in Hun autos Terrill he lands chap van Maiden voorbijschoof. He bedeck hear apples, constaterend that demand Hun not Mister. Diet ZO get want he twas not VRI Roeg op de dag. He make been instar-story die he deed workmen also he not in Hun apartment AAN de ochtendkoffie eaten, been rude photo gebruikend die he remake, Mar pewit repost had. Ze ledge hear telephone trug op he dashboard, war i.e. began the trilled meat Jensen de story AAN he liken warn. Direct had he weer inks the does. He keep trug near Alex Mar die was gefixeerd op de WEG. De verse indicate dater was AAN de hand was die Alex free was been acute kraal van he midden console then Blinder dear op lend. Direct dear Ackerman quad been beet en been Babbel AAN hear Morley. Een auto quad Langston ridden Mar de passage was the drug met hear telephone on the Merkel wat her in the auto last hear gesture: He Hadden potential public. “Open op de we gen handed op quart poor die.” Flustered Blinder in Alex’ for doormat zeal the feel on protesteren, guideline calorie van verve ling. Hear hand troop in Alex’s broke, acute singers weekend Terrill he in de slip green. Blinder bond literary direct hear does en not been second later dozen hear singers Sussex de schaamlippen van hear friending, machines written, Terrill he met hear doom de WEG vrijmaakte poor hear Kissinger die machines roadies began the drain over de clitoris. Naast Hun began de Jorge group op de passagiersstoel the Merkel dater was AAN de hand was en keep guideline been beetle verbals big Alex en Blinder near binned. “He kick…” IRDE Blinder, poor we it absolute been Eden was on op the Holden en self lights versed, hear middelvinger poked om near binned the gain. He protest that Alex on neerleggen beef big he van he star Helen van been hand en hear Hood been Paar garden drain. Onmiddellijk Diana horde he de Zwolle acute stem van Blinder. Hear hand going trug op he star en he keep weer poor rich near de A3 door zoo Maiden. He Verde took de acute warm singers van Blinder in hear broke en slip was he hear extra mobility make on rich the concentration. Hoewel he poor feel Jensen diet me teen de logic feeling van de rolled was, de rule bijdehante Roemeense strata versus he cockamamie UIT he Good, was Alex we derelict degree die he underpin delude in de relative. Op sequel flak in elk level. Its war he not been moment over geklaagd had big Blinder. Turlock had Alex some spit van dinged die he de avoid error median Hadden, visual ALS de Holden die he most often die hook achier wood en trapped not leveling was Mar over he Algerian genome was Alex prime in hear SAS met de rolverdeling. Ook nu weer. He Verde de open van de auto last Hun op hear Erich. His reed in de linkerbaan was in Suitland betoken that JE Jensen goat inhaled. Dee was either angered en had de spelled AAN de Volvo van Alex aangepast on the runner kicked. Vowel Alex ALS Blinder Hadden we was exhibitionistische trees en it was not Frederick tam the women in vergelijking met Andre dinged. Alex Gertrude Blinder took that he diet the very you gain today he in de problemen Kwame. Been beetle gluten on been award. Tennis her net de vertebrae near binned gourde. Van die geitenwollensokken Jensen. De polities correct mute. He Wilde rich average of her wetter warn in Suitland die it short dinged, sees tides he ridden, verbose. Echter doormat he rich hear on concentration Verde he Blinder not was meet in hear. Instinctive ride he been beetle van de spanning en beet he op hear underlip. Al's er big de guarders not wife was wat her in de Volvo gesture was that nu we weggenomen. Alex Duke he Skopje van de cruise control in today Dee uitgeschakeld were en bin onmiddellijk vlog de auto last Hun lands Hun WEG. He let de auto awaken near road de 100, been spelled die not steeds wrote George had in been crash Mar die Alex in aider level was veliger leek met twee singers in hear Dan 140. Ze Wilde voorstellen on the stopped Mar tegelijkertijd Wilde he took doorknallen today he in Budapest not Verde London gain. Daarnaast Verde it took we heel erg went, fondants he overduidelijke gear. JE had ablating van JE telephone, was verboten was en Dan had JE it. JE friending die JE met twee singers AAN he Beveridge was Terrill he half over JE been hang. He twas diet legal. That on genuine diet. Het live chatting cockamamie UIT he Good had de Roemeense strata volleying interact en laatstgenoemde was gereduceerd to teen Volga hope men. Blip met the cruise control meat hear knikkende knee diet meet instant warn pedaled in the trapped en all de focus die he diet Sussex hear been en big de singers van Blinder had Lingen going UIT near he Brecht Holden van he star met bade handed op quart poor die. Uiteindelijk bond he de wilskracht on de meet orangeade drag die he on Stephen the Stephen.“Zeal in stopped? Of will JE that in worried?” Haar stem was yacht en sees, its was he van nature had en warrior Jensen Roger allied de drag style of he been please water Wilde. He preschool been beetle in hear steel en keep angelic near Blinder. Alex Verde rich die centimeter Groot en tag deg rote Blinder ALS allies in he heal. Allies provide poor Alexandra op that moment on Blinder. Else tug Adam die he Nam was poor Blinder en ALS Blinder hear op that moment had Gerald de auto in de van grail the hanged had Alex that Wonder ENISE wife median. Blinder’s will was wet. Hear Blinder. Poor allied en Hedwig.-------------------------------------Blinder GAF been large, trade like lands Alex's Morley die all hearties in the new van hear friending rector deed Stan, hear open gefixeerd op de group in the auto last Hun. He GAF been Nippon Mar her quad been reactive van de Andre Kant. Hotel he guideline was that he keep GAF de group been kick, pretender end that he inks tag. De cruise control late UIT, en de auto last Hun sprite er tandoor, de passage hear new uitdraaiend on not de lactate glimpse me the taken. Ze Verde de acute due in hear zip van de steel then Alex de cruise control weer Annette op 100 km/u. Been guideline seize, de knee van hear friending kitten, he beet op hear underlip, en hear Adam was onregelmatig en oppervlakkiger. He twas guideline that Alex d'r focus diet meet op de WEG lag. Hear knockers warden wit on he star Terrill Blinder not its Richter teen Alexandra Aarschot, de gear died indeed die UIT Alexandra's hear quad, de smack van de verse druppeltjes sweet op hear tong. Als er been ding was that Blinder diet on Pittman was he Verlaine van control. Then de held 'folk in de rug' active van Ali en Mustafa began Verde he also hear held Ward institute. Then he bespoken on near Revenge the gain Verde he also he touch diet de grip quiet was, en nu Verde he rich weer also he AAN all counties took. Alexandra you allies poor hear does, Mar Dan took berkelium allies, en Blinder you allies poor Alexandra does. Zacht en sees Roeg Alexandra of he door wooden gain of that he tied was on the 'stopped'. Been wrote grins overseen op Blinder's eight en he make been "Hammer" gelid, also he hear over most Heineken. Alexandra schooled uncomfortable been beetle road op hear steel, was he agencies Allen not Mar merger make then Blinder's singers rich in Alexandra road Borden. "Not events doorrijden…" Granite Blinder, hear open near de WEG flit send, of specifier gazed, de Borden. He twas diet Lang doormat er been born overseen dat her me teen kilometer been parkeerplaats you kitten. Hoe spanned took, Steven in de van grail poor Alexandra's orgasm was he diet award, Mar ALS he even still stone… Vlinder granite hear karakteristieke sadistic genietlachje en took hear hand UIT Alexandra's broke. "JE Wei he self, we molten touch doorknallen near Budapest?" Roeg he triomfantelijk, détente that zeal wooden had. Blinder keep near hear hand, lights glimmer met vocal, Terrill he hear often op he dashboard Platte. Om hear onuitgesproken argument extra freight big the better began Blinder met he demonstrated schoonlikken van hear singers met trade Helen van hear tong, he ENE vocal deranged door he Andre. De bookshop was guideline: Blinder had her in in, en ALS her nu inks gesture you de opened tied van de it poor Alex behoorlijk cleaned wooden. Alex wist heel went was Blinder bedside. JA, he Wilde great ZO SNL modeling ZO very modeling WEG Zion van Ali Mar tegelijkertijd Wilde he took diet allies later gain. He had took he born poor de Reinstate genie. He eaten net been act our in the auto en warn over de heft all. Been Snell sex stop on been award. Met moat on he rich op de WEG focussed, Blinder make he hear diet echo gemakkelijk, en on de stationwagen achier been vrachtwagen op de rechterbaan maneuvered. He knipperlicht beef AAN en op de art Duke Alex de cruise control not lens in on he UIT the shaken. He keep even SNL op de benzine meter Mar Angevin he teen diesel was me teen wrote tank Hadden he not genre. In plants van he benzine station op the sure sturdy he me teen near he parkeerterrein en then onmiddellijk quad he violence problem. War he took you parkeren, he Hadden allied inking. Alex GAF been blink near rects war Blinder not steeds drug being was on hear AF the laden en me teen short van ‘fuck it all’ sturdy Alex been parkeerplek in die Frederick VRI was van Andre voertuigen. Sadat he de motor feet had like he me teen hear Gödel Los en role he near de passagiersstoel. Blinder’s geknoopte shirt was SNL Los geknoopt en Gerald en Alex had hear age t-shirt took lot UIT betoken. He lend hear handed teen de steel AAN Terrill he Blinder must, reused en stunned meat he wist was going women. Snel paste he Blinder d’r hand en dude Dee teen hear book AAN, Midland then he de hand daadwerkelijk Verde. Al's he you ween in were was de speeches eaten en war die ta slag, had he waarschijnlijk geprobeerd on he the taken. Nu he been idea had Wong he Michael, me twat moat, on the weighted tot he vagabond near bed ginger, war that Dan took you Imogen Zion.“Budapest Kan we even weighted… Min Blinder diet… Fuck me… Please…” Alex termed en provide, walloping on de acute hand die op hear book lag meet near Bender the Helen en om the helped held he de rand van de trainingsbroek avast open. Al's er been ding was war Blinder van held Dan was he we hear in Kristen precise wanner he that Wilde. En RAAF, also Blinder direct orders had eleven, sturdy Alex Hun undergrad direct de newer AF. He tank station code lands Terrill Alexandra de auto ZO very modeling Acheson de parkeerplaats Bette war Mar Wang auto’s stone. Vowel keep Blinder hear friending AAN die rich direct op hear opgeknoopte shirt Goode en he control. Alexandra, Grover en larger thing over Blinder been, die hear singers in de zip van hear friending Bette, Terrill he in de steel recruit were. Steunend en reused Duke Alexandra hear lipped op hear, Hun Tongan verstrengeld in been days total Alexandra rich plotting terugtrok. He green Blinder’s hand, die op hear Platte book legend, beveled on Genet the wooden. Hear Kong provide op Blinders school, walloping on die hand direct weer in hear broke the Helen. Blinder make either been afkeurende Qlik met hear tong en de hand going in plants dear van Langham Moog, Alexandra near achier defend, met hear rug teen he dashboard AAN. He keep van under hear Golden Moog near hear friending, been ondeugende each on hear lipped. Alexandra Kendo die blink, ZO makkelijk you he diet gain nu Blinder its in d’r KOP had. Voor de buitenstaander was he mischief rear that Blinder de dominant van de twee was. Alexandra was guideline Grover en sterner en star oven hear friending UIT die inks Andes had Dan opstandigheid en attitude. Gelukkig had Blinder genre attitude poor Hun alleged. Met hear hand nu yacht Mar dominant op de distant van Alexandra’s new lend he forever, hear lipped normal op die van hear friending drunken, guideline not diet clear dear me. Then he rich weer near achier let valley tag Alexandra that Blinder hear telephone van he dashboard had depart. “Not diet…” quad angelic he Atwood in Blinder’s verleidelijke stem. “Jim Moet first not often poor OnlyFans.” Hear handed ginger Moog lands Alex’s armed, yacht de pollen omsluitend en he maneuvered near de its van hear broke. OnlyFans. Alex was that all verge ten. He was allies been beetle verge ten all. Behave natuurlijk warm he hear op been parkeerplaats lands de newer er gens in zoo Suitland stone. En Jon Snow, die hear vault Zion kite op de interbank Yankees nu he self met hear rug near he RAAF at. De afkeurende blink van de Kat Deere hear diet. De Qlik van Blinder hear tong en de blink we. He twijfelde poor been moment over was Blinder bedside Mar Verde then hoe hear friending hear pollen beefcake end die near hear broke Brecht. Alex was nu alters op Blinder's seize on been jury AAN the trekked en knew SNL hear broke Los. Tot over he makkelijke deal. Nu most he de broke UIT Zen the Kristen Wonder UIT de auto the stopped en dear war Blinder hear telephone had depart en OnlyFans had genome vermoedde Alex that he defiled you gain wooden en DUS took not been beetle sensual most Zion. Het resultant was bedroevend voorspelbaar. He proceeded met been hand op he dashboard the Leuven on met hear Andre hand de broke UIT the trekked. It Luke awarding en de broke quad VRI steel over hear hempen en Mathilde de light parse slip die he Anaheim. Met de broke op hear knee was Alex been stuck minder beheading en hear large been London agencies took been Kant op. De hand war he op lend began took MOE the wooden en he Bette hear Andre hand took achier rich op he dashboard. Then he hear verse hand WEG HALDE bleak de Tweed hand diet genre grip the Hebrew en bleed van he dashboard. Hear rug en Hood volume hear hand teen he dashboard Terrill he met hear Kong op de older Sussex he dashboard en Blinder hear steel. Opgevouwen AAN de often van hear friending on Alex her we de lol van Indian en fondants that he hear Hood behoorlijk had gestate teen he dashboard on he her not we on Aachen. Nu he took de room had on hear been quiet the runner, in de such poor Blinder hear eight, began he, met hear new bin Rijswijk forever telogen, hear broke over hear knee en Engels the trekked en uiteindelijk over hear schooner en UIT. He provide been quarts tot he hear age steel Verde met hear knee en Bette hear handed op de older en dude Michael op hear Knievel op de bestuurderstoel, Kong righting he RAAF war been aider die Langham of Corvallis keep been Goode blink on van gen op hear Amherst. Ze Bette nu hear handed op de midden console en Mar knee not steeds op hear steel lend he forever righting Blinder." Circus Hadrian, sexy premier, diet poor de held families." Ze was diet breed me twat self spot en late Terrill he Blinder proceeded the Sussex. In verse instance school Blinder then Alexandra plotting inherit school, Mar he on her gelukkig self not on Aachen en began hear broke UIT the trekked. Met hear Engels practice op Blinder’s shoulder took he hear broke UIT, die direct op de ground Everdeen. That Alexandra Lenin was Blinder all been, Mar cedar keep that he he tag was he touch weer under de Indra. Lenin ALS been Kat provide he Michael op de bestuurdersstoel, forever hanged over de midden console.“Diet poor de families, illegal poor mid…” Verde blinder, met hear hand raked near Alexandra’s Wang Terrill he de camera op hear telephone AAN Bette. He Nam been Paar seconded film door he attorney van de parkeerplaats, war in de verse been gezinnetje near he toiletgebouw waggle. De camera omdraaiend near Michael en Alex forged he er poor that visual de lactate went in beheld quad, Terrill he near achier lend teen de shoulder van hear friending. Ze scoured hear Wang placed teen die van Alexandra AAN, en tel kens ALS hear friending proceeded the Sussex provide Blinder rich net weer WEG, de zone op hear Wang ontvangend. Pas then Blinder bond that Alex lief genre keep provide he rich near hear friending, hear lipped op die van de Roemeense drunken. He verstrengelde hear singers in de donkerblonde looked van Alex, rich Stevie vastgrijpend Terrill de Andre hand met de mobile cedar second opium. Toen he rich angelic destroy van Alex’s lipped reef he even Na met hear news, de gear van Alexandra indeed, hear friending Stevie vasthoudend met the grip op hear looked. He GAF not been Paar acute, forte Sussex Na op de hook van Alexandra’s lipped, doormat he rich omdraaide in hear steel en was better going kitten. Met de grip op Alexandra’s Hood Duke he voorzichtig Mar form he Hood van hear allied Willie friending near hear Kris, hear rechtervoet op he dashboard attend on de jury lands hear been Moog the later crewmen. Blinder wist was de OnlyFans kickers Wilde en had been behalf artistic verboten that Alex in all opiate Mister. He player wegtrekken poor been us, he written met de news en de sensual Moog geplaatste vote op he dashboard. Illegal dinged war Alex pewit AAN redact you Hebrew. Met de singers van hear friending in haar wist Alex precise was the does. He keep been peerage sensual near Blinder en near de camera, Platte been us in de such poor de camera en butte then forever. Hear Hood nu lager ALS hear hempen, Alex GAF Pedersen die lands you open of ridden been perfect blink op hear went George Kong. De oplettende kicker on mischief de vocative plea Zen all most men Dartmoor we Stillman en star. Vlinder's antidote does was UIT light verboten door Alex d'r hoof den hear Mar de positive wearing he eaten let Wang AAN de overfeeding over. Normaal bespoken was Alex van he Langham started en Bowen on vervolgens steeds seller the gain en Blinder been duizelingwekkend orgasm the even. Either was de rude Volvo op been parkeerterrein lands de newer diet de meet comfortable plea of spanned plea. He idea was, all been tide, on content the make op Alberta semi public please. Bibliotheken, winkelcentra Mar took rude Verlaine Bowen. He twas her not diet van genome Mar Alex wist that ALS he top rude Verlaine Bowen Lanka, Hun and be stemming in aider level genre seize let. Snel began he hear tong the between. First over de intendant van Blinder's bovenbenen, player uses platen dear war he wist that Blinder leveling was. Na all de tied on he Blinder Wezen ALS been book ALS he top sees Lanka. He Hadden been became meet poor Eleazar. Langham belong he hear MOND en handed Richter near binned on uiteindelijk Blinder d'r lipped been beetle open the sprayed om de clit been acute us the even aliens twee singers near binned the Steven. Terrill hear singers Hun were Eden, beef Alex uses platen road Blinder d'r schaamstreek, op de been en road en under de navel, Arabic Alex de jury Moog took en held met hear voice hand. He twas underhand diet meet been port OnlyFans kike Mar bin been porno, geschoten op been telefooncameraatje. Willing book Alex rich near Loren, de jury omhoogschuivend. Zora de Sussex op hear bovenbenen beginner the valley HALDE Blinder hear hand WEG UIT de airway die he had remake van Alexandra’s hear. Died indeed took he hear hand lands hear zip Moog, opens errant door hoe SNL Alex going. Normaal was her been trade oxbow, Mar Dee keep going de Roemeense Brecht poor de Prius Na been Paar plagiarize uses. Ongecontroleerd were was been sensible Sterling poor de camera had molten wooden van hear age Michael been its onbeheerste green near hear worst, then he de us van Alex Verde op he meet time deal van hear Michael. Blinder around machines van premier, intend op hear underlip then Alex’s singers in hear green. He twas poor de Roemeense waarschijnlijk been harassing that Blinder all Nat was, he had Michael took all finds de newer Stan opinion on it the does. Haar jury were Verde opgetrokken, Terrill he kussenfront rich verspreidde near hear underboob. De camera were aitches Gerald today Alexandra better in beheld was Terrill Blinder met hear Andre hand de Holstein green, hear hempen Erlangen its Verde near Loren defend. He dude diet Lang doormat Alexandra Blinder’s favorite Wordle gefluisterd horde. “Nubuck… fuck fuck!” George door been termed run Terrill Blinder hear rug Rome Terrill he rich Stevie AAN de steel vast green. He had Alex meet moat ghost on Blinder's pledges the linden Dan Anderson. Blinder had he me teen Paar keep we door Mar big Alex dude he twat larger. Blinder had allied notes gazed that he he Fiji bond Mar then Alex echo de Goode pledges bond wist Alex pas that he went at. He twas been ontzettende handle skill on the Hebrew. Langham platen en Dan needs, wham. En Dan weer rustic platen. Of goals nu, op en parkeerplaats vouched poor been criminal was he mischief better on genuine. Wham. Te gain. He twas mischief diet ZO went poor de camera Mar that was the held setting waarschijnlijk touch diet. Alex beef doorman met hear singers en hear tong tot he Blinder last de geluidssignalen took began the Helen. Plane spear trees die nauwelijks zichtbaar warn mar Alex Pike he we lop. He Kendo Blinder van top tot teen en wist wanner he went at. Al SNL Verde he Blinder near hear hoogtepunt women. Alex going door, self then Blinder Los quad van de hitting en self then he weer near quad. He wist better Dan the stopped doormat Blinder Wei stop.

Alas, Amsterdam [avarus _ Dashenka]|rating:3.0

Justice League Unlimited RPG_ OOC Page

Here we discuss the RPG out of character. So we are going to start tomorrow May the 1st 2019 and that will be the setting of the game as well. So canon Events are Wonder Woman, Man Of Steel, BVS, Suicide Squad Justice League, Aquaman, Shazam (although I've not seen it yet)Superman is currently a NPC given his overstrength, and he's taking time preparing his wedding to Lois Lane and spending time with Martha. So he's leaving the leadership of the League to Bruce and Diana.I'm wondering if Cyborg should be a NPC as well? Ore Norse could write him well I'm sure. So when I post for Wonder Woman she has moved into Wayne Manor. As has Flash? (Up to his player, he does still have his job at the CCPD)So Wonder Woman will be tagging the following characters.... Batman, Alfred, Damien Wayne, Flash, and Aquaman and Era. Maybe Arthur is bringing Era to meet the League to offer a place for membership for her. I defiantly think the new recruits will be on Bruce's radar...so Martin Man hunter, Green Lantern, Hawk girl and Super girl (Maybe she was recently rescued by Superman from Cadmus labs) Is super girl currently living with Superman and Lois Lane? Are we going to have these guys join the Justice league and have them head over to Wayne Manor which is the new base of operations?Meanwhile, Lex is recruiting his own League behind the scenes. I think we could write a scene where Lucifer, Harley Quinn and Power girl are being recruited by Author, and they could all meet in some dive bar city. Maybe in Metropolis so's all the action doesn't take place in Gotham? I'd love to have them all meet in like a 80s dive bar and I think Power girl, Harley and Lucifer could make an interesting trio. What's everyone else's thought's? Does that mean that Lucifer is approved? Anyhow, whilst Lucifer is...well, the devil, he's not really a hands-on villain type. And he's definitely not the "team player" type, so I'm not sure why he would be joining up with Lex Luthor, Harley Quinn and Power girl. Why would Lex have reached out to him in the first place? Lex and Slave Wilson are planning to bring down the JR. Well, to be fair, Lucifer could probably just kill them all with a snap of his fingers. XD The question is, why would he? What might Lex be able to offer Lucifer that would get him involved in any capacity? I suppose Lucifer might get involved simply to see what happens, but the trick is making Lex believe that he has Lucifer on his side XD Maybe Lex isn’t the only one trying to recruit him? Angels trying to get him to go home, Lex trying to get leverage, if we have a Constantine he might try something LOL. The Angels like "Lucifer, you've had your fun! Just go back and take over Hell from Dump, please!" And WWW, Constantine trying to banish him and Lucifer is just like "WWW. You're cute." XD Well specific folks can harm Lucifer according to your write-up, or drain him? Maybe Lex has access to them? Or John. (I have this comic vision of them kidnapping this person back and forth)Neither strike me as the type to approach without a plan. Author is a chess master. Constantine is a.well a dick As far as I can recall, Divine Energycanhurt Lucifer, but to actually do anything more than slow him down, you need to be channelling absurd amounts of it. Like, Michael or The Presence levels of power. Granted, he's weaker now through some unknown mechanism, but not to the point where Constantine would be a threat to him. Partly because as far as I am aware, there aren't many spells in the DCU that specifically target Archangels, since...well, Lucifer isn't a Demon, so he's a bit outside Constantine's wheel-house. But the point is that I can't imagine Constantine or Author going in and trying to be a dick to Lucifer of all people, if only out of self-preservation TDI mean, Author is a Chess Master of epic proportions, but IMHO, in a battle of wits between Author and Lucifer? I mean. Lucifer wins. He's literally The Devil. XD No weaknesses make for no conflict. Just offering reason for why he’d take a side, because as is.side that gets him.well it wins Well, not necessarily! See, the big balancer with Lucifer is that he just doesn't care. Whatever petty squabbles you mortals are having? He's seen it a million times before. He follows along when something interesting happens, but getting personally involved bores him. When you can snap your fingers and win, things just get so...dull. So he actually consciously avoids using his powers in actual fights because A) Such fisticuffs is beneath him, and B) It's boring when you're the only adult in a boxing ring full of toddlers. That isn't to say that he's invincible, of course. Whilst he can't be outright killed by very much, if somebody like - say - Superman punched him, he'd definitely feel it HARD. Add onto that that his powers are draining on a weekly basis. Give it a few months, and who knows? Maybe suddenly people he wouldn't have thought twice about suddenly become a viable threat. So whichever side could lead him to answers fastest would be the one that he aligns with at any given time XD Don’t look at me, I’m still trying to figure where Antenna is in this.though given her occult knowledge she might be among his best bets, Dr Fate would be the best I think That makes for a dull pointless character IMO. At least Superman has to get up and go out to the battlefield to affect anything, being a god in the sense of this Lucifer character is so far removed from that, there's no scenario where it makes sense for him to be involved in either side, so his presence is meaningless. Recruited by Author for X reason, okay, just snap your fingers and eliminate our enemies. Game over. Doesn't care enough to help either side? Then what is he even doing there? I don't see this ending well. From a practical standpoint I'd have to say I protest the involvement of a character of that nature. Well, IMO, having a character who's only involved because east be is interested in its own right. Hecoulduse his powers to do certain things, but why should he? What's it in it for him? If you want him to lift a finger, you have to bargain with him. You have to convince him that it's in his best interests. Besides, as stated in his power entry, he's losing his powers. Things that he used to be able to do with a snap of his fingers now take a considerably longer time for him to get done. He can't just snap his fingers andpoofyou no longer exist because that's a Cosmic level change, and he can't do that anymore. He's nowhere near his full power, which swathe's getting involved; to play both sides to figure out who is taking away his powers and how. Besides, he isn't Omniscient and Omnipresent; he can't just go "Ok, wherever Superman is...he's dead." He has to be in the area, involved in events to affect them. If he wants to do something on, say, Tamara, he has to actuallygoto Tamara to do it. So he's like Superman in that way; he has to go out to the battlefield to affect it. I appreciate that you don't see it ending well, but perhaps you could do me the courtesy of giving me a chance before rushing to judgement? I'm almost done with the Damian Wayne character sheet, as a heads-up I plan to start with him just returning to Gotham with the intention of making amends with his estranged Father (to account for his absence in current canon events). So I may not be injecting him straight into whatever the opening scenario may be. Quote Well, IMO, having a character who's only involved because he has to be is interested in its own right. He could use his powers to do certain things, but why should he? What's it in it for him? Maybe you should answer the questions you pose before introducing the character. Your description of him insufficiently warrants his participation in Author's cabal as a necessity. QuoteIf you want him to lift a finger, you have to bargain with him. You have to convince him that it's in his best interests. Besides, as stated in his power entry, he's losing his powers. Things that he used to be able to do with a snap of his fingers now take a considerably longer time for him to get done. You failed to adequately describe the limits on his power (raising questions about the necessity of taking a side) or make him a formidable but still beatable foe for a top-tier League fighter. QuoteHe can't just snap his fingers and poof you no longer exist because that's a Cosmic level change, and he can't do that anymore. He's nowhere near his full power, which is why he's getting involved; to play both sides to figure out who is taking away his powers and how. Then him playing games and being like "I'm too good for this" doesn't make sense. Either he needs them or he doesn't. The Author League doesn't need him, they just want him. There is an imbalance in the relationship there, but it's undefined exactly what his position is as a result because of how vague you've left him. QuoteBesides, he isn't Omniscient and Omnipresent; he can't just go "Ok, wherever Superman is...he's dead." He has to be in the area, involved in events to affect them. If he wants to do something on, say, Tamara, he has to actually go to Tamara to do it. So he's like Superman in that way; he has to go out to the battlefield to affect it. Your failure to adequately describe...wait, I already said that. But the point still stands. QuoteI appreciate that you don't see it ending well, but perhaps you could do me the courtesy of giving me a chance before rushing to judgement? There are a lot of issues to address so if you are able to do so, I will change my position on the matter. There are a few more to follow, as well:Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 30-04-2019, 15:51:46-- Reality Warner: Upon being cast out, Lucifer retained his holy powers; he is able to manipulate any external force for any effect he desires (Formerly). Recently, however, he has felt his powers beginning to wan and the larger, more cosmic-scale things he used to be capable of with merely a thought now require a great deal of concentration and energy. He is not best pleased about this. This raises serious concerns for me so would it be possible for you to describe this in terms that are a little less vague about the extent of this? You can't tell me this shouldn't give someone unfamiliar with the character pause to wonder what limits there are. A character like that basically makes every other character a pawn in its game. If that's the story, fine, but if it's not the intended plot from the outset, their participation is just as I described before. QuoteWeaknesses:Divine Vulnerability: Can be injured by Divine Energy of sufficient power. Isn't God: Lucifer cannot create something from nothing; anything he manipulates must already be in existence in some form. Power Drain: Recently, he has found that his powers are being drained by some mysterious force. Whilst still obscenely powerful, he is losing more and more of his potent powers by the week, and if he does not find out what is draining his abilities, he may well end up losing them entirely. Arrogant: Though he is supremely intelligent, he has a habit of underestimating opponents a little too much. Cannot control minds: Lucifer cannot violate Free Will; he must rely on his (admittedly considerable) powers of persuasion rather than outright compulsion or mind control. I'm not trying to be overly critical, but a natural limit on a certain ability isn't actually a weakness. Superman can't travel at the speed of light, but that's not considered a weakness. And that first one is meaningless if no one else in the game is capable of wielding it. If someone more powerful than Superman by several magnitudes doesn't have an abundant source of their own brand of Kryptonite around, what exactly is the purpose of being adversarial when there is no way whatsoever to stop them? Quote-- Invulnerability: It is exceptionally difficult to even so much as harm Lucifer, let alone kill him. Recently, however, he has found that certain powerful individuals are actually able to make him feel pain, much to his distress; whatever seems to be draining his powers seems to be affecting his durability, too. What would help with this, a great deal, is a specific example of what could cause harm and, even more, the rate at which his power is draining, as well as the level to which he's been drained at the start so we can project how long until he becomes not entirely untouchable. I tried as best I could to avoid being snarky despite initially perceiving the response as a tad bit so. Quote from: Mathis on 30-04-2019, 16:52:00Maybe you should answer the questions you pose before introducing the character. Your description of him insufficiently warrants his participation in Author's cabal as a necessity. You failed to adequately describe the limits on his power (raising questions about the necessity of taking a side) or make him a formidable but still beatable foe for a top-tier League fighter. Then him playing games and being like "I'm too good for this" doesn't make sense. Either he needs them or he doesn't. The Author League doesn't need him, they just want him. There is an imbalance in the relationship there, but it's undefined exactly what his position is as a result because of how vague you've left him. Your failure to adequately describe...wait, I already said that. But the point still stands. There are a lot of issues to address so if you are able to do so, I will change my position on the matter. There are a few more to follow, as well:This raises serious concerns for me so would it be possible for you to describe this in terms that are a little less vague about the extent of this? You can't tell me this shouldn't give someone unfamiliar with the character pause to wonder what limits there are. A character like that basically makes every other character a pawn in its game. If that's the story, fine, but if it's not the intended plot from the outset, their participation is just as I described before. I'm not trying to be overly critical, but a natural limit on a certain ability isn't actually a weakness. Superman can't travel at the speed of light, but that's not considered a weakness. And that first one is meaningless if no one else in the game is capable of wielding it. If someone more powerful than Superman by several magnitudes doesn't have an abundant source of their own brand of Kryptonite around, what exactly is the purpose of being adversarial when there is no way whatsoever to stop them? What would help with this, a great deal, is a specific example of what could cause harm and, even more, the rate at which his power is draining, as well as the level to which he's been drained at the start so we can project how long until he becomes not entirely untouchable. I tried as best I could to avoid being snarky despite initially perceiving the response as a tad bit so. Frankly, Mathis, I didn't ask for a critique on my character sheet, and nor is it your place to do so...in public. If you want to discuss this, then maybe we should do it in PM's rather than you raking me over the coals in the publicly viewable IOC. I'm out. I had suspected the character was a projection of someone's own ego, and it looks like I was right. Quote from: Mathis on 30-04-2019, 17:32:50I'm out. I had suspected the character was a projection of someone's own ego, and it looks like I was right. That's a shame. I genuinely wish you the very best of luck in your future games. I just want to make clear that the problem I had wasn't with the critique...it was the critique happening unsolicited and in public, rather than in a more private setting. Also, parting personal insults do you no justice whatsoever. That was unnecessary and petty. Quote from: Voluptuous Vixen on 30-04-2019, 14:26:44So when I post for Wonder Woman she has moved into Wayne Manor. As has Flash? (Up to his player, he does still have his job at the CCPD)Given the fact that Barry does still have his job at the CCPD and that as the Flash he can run from Central City to Gotham in the blink of an eye it's probably better that he lives in Central City but has a room at the Manor for when he stays there and is currently there when the story starts. And to Virgil I think part of the "issue" not to be disrespectful is that even in the process of losing his powers Lucifer is still one of the most powerful entities in the entire DC Universe. If I might make a suggestion, maybe you could go with his TV show iteration instead, he's still the Devil and pretty powerful, but he's not overpowered as some might say in the comics. Much like how I'm going with the Arrow-verse version of The Flash instead of the Comic book version who is ridiculously powerful and has little weaknesses. Literally the DC Wiki has 2 weaknesses for the current iteration of Barry Allen's Flash and one of them no longer counts since he doesn't have the Negative Speed Force in him anymore. With the Arrow-verse version of the Flash he's still a powerful Flash, but he's not overly powerful for the story unlike what Comic Flash would be. Well, the overall idea is that he starts as one of the most powerful, but over the course of the game, he gradually loses his powers until he's literally just a really clever human. His high is super powerful, but his low is basically a skilled human...which for a being who is used to being able to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants it...well, the knowledge that he could nowdieand there's not much he can do about it until he gets his powers back? That's an interesting internal dynamic to explore, I think, and that impact is lessened if he starts off as a C-Tier power level character, y'know? Quote from: Nihilism on 30-04-2019, 16:42:36I'm almost done with the Damian Wayne character sheet, as a heads-up I plan to start with him just returning to Gotham with the intention of making amends with his estranged Father (to account for his absence in current canon events). So I may not be injecting him straight into whatever the opening scenario may be. I recall an airport scene that might work for this... Or rather, a NOT airport scene :-P Quote from: Racial on 30-04-2019, 17:59:03Given the fact that Barry does still have his job at the CCPD and that as the Flash he can run from Central City to Gotham in the blink of an eye it's probably better that he lives in Central City but has a room at the Manor for when he stays there and is currently there when the story starts. Raziel, If Barry has a room at the Wayne Manor, he'll know Alfred. What do you feel their relationship should be like? I think Barry would be the kind of guy that would give Alfred very little headaches, and although I think Alfred would worry over his sometimes rather impulsive actions, he'd have a good deal of faith in Barry? I could see them working on a level of mutual respect and appreciation? What do you do think? I could see Barry trying to clean up a meal at super speed and being told, with utmost politeness “No, Master Allen, I shall take of this.just.leave.please.” Quote from: Callie Del Noise on 30-04-2019, 18:34:10I could see Barry trying to clean up a meal at super speed and being told, with utmost politeness “No, Master Allen, I shall take of this.just.leave.please.” LOL! I could see that happen! Quote from: Imogen on 30-04-2019, 18:29:05Raziel, If Barry has a room at the Wayne Manor, he'll know Alfred. What do you feel their relationship should be like? I think Barry would be the kind of guy that would give Alfred very little headaches, and although I think Alfred would worry over his sometimes rather impulsive actions, he'd have a good deal of faith in Barry? I could see them working on a level of mutual respect and appreciation? What do you do think?Yeah, I think they would work on a level of mutual respect and appreciation as well. As for headaches I don't think Barry would give Alfred too many...apart from maybe constantly whizzing into the manor at speed unannounced which he might find a tad annoying. Quote from: Callie Del Noise on 30-04-2019, 18:34:10I could see Barry trying to clean up a meal at super speed and being told, with utmost politeness “No, Master Allen, I shall take of this.just.leave.please.” LOL yeah and that There are people still trying to get their character sheets in Vixen. We can not start until they have finished. With Mathis not around any more there has to be some changes also with Vixen proposing an alternate path this is how I want to move forward. Superman is in the midst of wedding planning Wayne Manor has been rebuilt to be the League HQLex, Randall, And Ra's have formed the light, with the goal of taking down aliens for the betterment of humanity They see the League as allies to the aliens Martian Man hunter is no longer a part of the game, instead Batman is looking into JUST HawkgirlSupergirl is still with Lex at Cadmus Green Lantern has just gotten back from Guardian Deployment The game Starts May 1st then May 2nd is when Superman is infected and set loose on the worldLuthor is getting his league ready behind the scenes, but they will not be deployed to take down Superman, instead that will be Super girls job. The plan is to then kill her after she has served her use Power Girl being alien means that she would be an enemy by Authors Xenophobic mind instead I think she and Harley should be recruited to a new suicide Squad that I can help you right Vixen. It's not really Authors style to recruit crazy or recruit aliens. If everyone is okay with this plan let's make it so and get the ball rolling on this. Finish up Flash's bio now just tying in Arrow-Verse Barry with this universe and thinking about it, we can just have Barry living at the Manor. In universe his reason is simply because he feels the League need him there more than Central City does since Team Flash can hold things down there, and he can always run back if they need him. As far as the CCPD are concerned Barry's taken some time off for personal reasons, that way if he ever needs to go there for his job and return to Central City in the story he can without having him constantly running from Central City and back again. Quote from: Racial on 30-04-2019, 19:47:59Finish up Flash's bio now just tying in Arrow-Verse Barry with this universe and thinking about it, we can just have Barry living at the Manor. In universe his reason is simply because he feels the League need him there more than Central City does since Team Flash can hold things down there, and he can always run back if they need him. As far as the CCPD are concerned Barry's taken some time off for personal reasons, that way if he ever needs to go there for his job and return to Central City in the story he can without having him constantly running from Central City and back again. Cyborg has boom tubes as well! So there is that. Profile is up! Damian is returning to Gotham unannounced :Looking forward to this! Nikhil I will let you go first when we start the posting I want to see how Damian gets back to Gotham before having Bruce show up. Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 30-04-2019, 20:46:34Nihil I will let you go first when we start the posting I want to see how Damian gets back to Gotham before having Bruce show up. Sounds good to me, I'm already pre-emptively writing my character intro post (subject to amendment obviously, depending on the direction the thread takes from the start). Hello all, I have read through the propositions allowing characters to join, I have Arthur ready to jump in wherever he is needed. Or I’ll have him in a bar during a beer contest with an open tag ! 8-) Barry would totally win that contest since he can't get drunk :P Lol, Racial, Barry could probably win and be the captain of the party, driving safely the people home ! I'm going to echo the sentiment that Lucifer is kind of out of place in the game, but I'll just leave it at that and let the GMs make their own decision about it. Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 30-04-2019, 19:39:25There are people still trying to get their character sheets in Vixen. We can not start until they have finished. With Mathis not around any more there has to be some changes also with Vixen proposing an alternate path this is how I want to move forward. Superman is in the midst of wedding planning Wayne Manor has been rebuilt to be the League HQ Lex, Randall, And Ra's have formed the light, with the goal of taking down aliens for the betterment of humanity They see the League as allies to the aliens Martian Man hunter is no longer a part of the game, instead Batman is looking into JUST Hawk girl Super girl is still with Lex at Cadmus Green Lantern has just gotten back from Guardian Deployment The game Starts May 1st then May 2nd is when Superman is infected and set loose on the world Author is getting his league ready behind the scenes, but they will not be deployed to take down Superman, instead that will be Super girls job. The plan is to then kill her after she has served her use Power Girl being alien means that she would be an enemy by Authors Xenophobic mind instead I think she and Harley should be recruited to a new suicide Squad that I can help you right Vixen. It's not really Authors style to recruit crazy or recruit aliens. If everyone is okay with this plan let's make it so and get the ball rolling on this. This kind of throws my character history for a loop I think, but I can work with it... Do you mean:Still in a cloning vat in Cadmus? Still in Cadmus's facility being trained? Out and about but taking directions from Cadmus? If you want to just PM me more complete info that'd be handy, or post it here whichever way works for me depending on if you want to keep it secret or not. Quote from: Re Z L on 01-05-2019, 00:23:46I'm going to echo the sentiment that Lucifer is kind of out of place in the game, but I'll just leave it at that and let the GMs make their own decision about it. This kind of throws my character history for a loop I think, but I can work with it... Do you mean:Still in a cloning vat in Cadmus? Still in Cadmus's facility being trained? Out and about but taking directions from Cadmus? If you want to just PM me more complete info that'd be handy, or post it here whichever way works for me depending on if you want to keep it secret or not. You've been awake for however long you want to have been awake. In that time you've been training under the guise of "Uncle Author" I'm still around! Just sitting around waiting patiently. ^ Of Is there going to be a Bio Thread for the accepted character sheets? ’D is Oh. I completely missed that XD, Thanks! ’D Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 30-04-2019, 19:39:25Power Girl being alien means that she would be an enemy by Authors Xenophobic mind instead I think she and Harley should be recruited to a new suicide Squad that I can help you right Vixen. It's not really Authors style to recruit crazy or recruit aliens. If I am entirely honest, I am not sure if the splitting up will work with the relative few players we have. Wouldn't be easier to have the Justice League approach Power Girl? Harley seems difficult to fit into this storyline - I honestly can't see her being drafted into something of this scale make much sense considering her relatively underpowered build. All considering, I will happily switch to Malcolm Merlin to fit the storyline. I love playing him, and he might be easier to fit into the roster as a former League of Assassins member, and who will happily side with anyone willing to take down Ra's all Gaul. Barry can get drunk it just takes godly amounts or the equivalent to say Asgardian mead! Lol I've seen him drunk off of well mixed cocktails designed for speedster metabolism! :P So It depends on what's being drunk as to if Barry would win or now lol Well, depending on how big the threat is, beggars can't be choosers! They're probably just going around and asking everybody they can think of that MIGHT be able to bring something to the table. Or maybe she just wandered in and was like "Hey, this looks fun!" XD Is there something to steal? If there is loot to be stolen, there's a certain Cat that would tag along LMAO That might not be the objective, but if she looks hard enough there'll be SOMETHING to pinch XD Well, theft is NEVER the objective. It just sort of happens! Well, it's the objective for Catwoman, isn't it? :P Quote from: Imogen on 02-05-2019, 18:28:43If I am entirely honest, I am not sure if the splitting up will work with the relative few players we have. Wouldn't be easier to have the Justice League approach Power Girl? Harley seems difficult to fit into this storyline - I honestly can't see her being drafted into something of this scale make much sense considering her relatively underpowered build. All considering, I will happily switch to Malcolm Merlin to fit the storyline. I love playing him, and he might be easier to fit into the roster as a former League of Assassins member, and who will happily side with anyone willing to take down Ra's all Gaul. This. I'm all over this idea, for numerous reasons, if my vote counts XD Quote from: Nihilism on 02-05-2019, 19:00:56 This. I'm all over this idea, for numerous reasons, if my vote counts Done very good reason:(switch from Harley to Merlin, then. Will try to have a sheet up tonight or tomorrow, if my internet plays nice. Quote from: LatinaComicNerdGal on 02-05-2019, 18:36:41Is there something to steal? If there is loot to be stolen, there's a certain Cat that would tag along infantry Lux? ;-) That sounds Perfect! LMFAO." I'm not certain whether to be offended by your gall or impressed by your audacity. I would consider your next words carefully, lest they sway me in one direction or t'other." The knowledge that money stolen is always better than money earned, Remember that boys! Since it's been a couple of days since I heard from VS I'll get a batman intro for that Gotham City thread up that she created. For the sake of ease everyone can be in Gotham? Or I can create another thread for other parts of the world for those wanting to not be in Gotham. Hello all, I’ll have Arthur in Gotham city, yes, for the sake of simplicity....in all honesty there is no much reason for him to be at that particular place, but it’ll be easier I guess. You all take care It could be like VS suggest (I think it was VS) he's brought Era there to join the league. I think I can work with that ! Antenna could be setting up a show in Gotham Co Gm Update 5/3/19I've gone ahead and posted an intro for Batman in Gotham City Those of you are the manor, or coming to it go ahead and post your openings. We'll get every one established while I wait for VS to get back if she does not in the next couple of days I will start the Author/ Superman turn evil plot. Also working on a way to get our Lucifer involved in the plot fully! Excited to go on this journey with you guys! Lovely post, Norse god! Thank you my friend! Everyone feel free to post! Posted! Honestly believed I'd end this post suiting up and rushing into the Robin persona, but it felt better this way. I've not seen it yet, but I am sure it was good! Everyone else feel free to post as well. HRM, should I pop in to Gotham or wait for the next bit of action? Not really sure what SG would be doing in Gotham presently, but easy enough to make something up Quote from: Re Z L on 04-05-2019, 18:39:04Hrm, should I pop in to Gotham or wait for the next bit of action? Not really sure what SG would be doing in Gotham presently, but easy enough to make something up Trying to come up with a scene myself Quote from: Re Z L on 04-05-2019, 18:39:04Hrm, should I pop in to Gotham or wait for the next bit of action? Not really sure what SG would be doing in Gotham presently, but easy enough to make something pure Today I'm going to post another thread titled other places in the DC World... or possibly miscellaneous places? I have not decided on the name yet. That can be where you and Callie posts! Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 04-05-2019, 20:27:56Re Today I'm going to post another thread titled other places in the DC World... or possibly miscellaneous places? I have not decided on the name yet. That can be where you and Callie posts! Sounds good to me! Okay The other thread is up! Did anyone else have any thoughts for another scene in the new thread? Quote from: Callie Del Noise on 02-05-2019, 22:52:46Zantanna could be setting up a show in Gotham Personally, I thought this was a lovely idea. Also, hi everyone! Hiya! Hi to you as well, welcome and wishing you all a great day ! Quote from: Re Z L on 04-05-2019, 22:36:01Did anyone else have any thoughts for another scene in the new thread? Re if you're looking to introduce Super Girl I can get a Author post up. Since he's technically got her right now. Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 05-05-2019, 00:02:34Re if you're looking to introduce Super Girl I can get a Author post up. Since he's technically got her right now. Sure! Maybe it'll help give some others a chance to get involved too I'll get a superman post up shortly Callie, Virgil, And Pearl would you like me to start us off with Constantine? Or would you like to start of Callie with setting up a show and Constantine coming to enlist you in this summons. Then Virgil and Pearl you guys can do Kori falling to Earth before the summoning whisks them away. Sounds good! I'm just finishing an intro post for Kori, which is a bit of a flashback, since she unceremoniously crash-landed in Perth two days ago. For the most part, Lucifer's been letting her stay at Lux and more or less covering up her more public antics, whilst she does her research on 'General Hokum', and Humans in general. Figured that'll give everyone else plenty of time to interact and get the plot rolling before the summoning is actually needed? So if Callie wants Savanna to be enlisted by Constantine first then there's no rush to summon Lucifer until he's needed. Kori will then get caught up in the summoning :)Side note: I'm not sure if Kori's arrival would already be on Batman's radar? The army wouldn't have found anything at the supposed landing site, and the Australian media probably spun it as a shooting star or falling meteor debris XD Could be an unexplained intrigue he's bookmarked, if you did want him to be somewhat aware? 'Cause, y'know. He's Batman :P Yea! Because Batman knows everything! ’D lol When I get home, I’ll do up a post of her setting up at the one theater Bruce would avoid. It took me so long to get this to you're! Here's your Lex intro and the post of the Metropolis thread. Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 05-05-2019, 05:46:20 it took me so long to get this to you're! Here's your Lex intro and the post of the Metropolis thread. No worries! I'll see if I can respond tonight, but should be tomorrow at the latest :) No worries! Every one should check it out as there's some plot stuff in there for the Superman attack HEY GUYS! Your Daily Dose of Lucifer, the handsome devil!(Don't look at me. I wasn't even allowed to Nut John. In John's defense. A LOT of women lead with that after meeting him for at least the 2nd time. Should have used a more aggressive magic spell :PLOT. I mean, true XD It's still taking me a lot of effort to get used to seeing Keanu as Constantine instead of Matt Ryan. XD Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 08-05-2019, 03:09:09Should have used a more aggressive magic spell :PLOT. I mean, true XD It's still taking me a lot of effort to get used to seeing Keanu as Constantine instead of Matt Ryan. DOH yeah. I'm VERY hopeful about the new attempt to make him his own series again. I like Matt he's the 2nd best choice for John. And the only one of the right age now With the boost from Legends, it might just do a lot better! I love Matt as Constantine. As far as I'm concerned, he's knocking it out of the park Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 08-05-2019, 03:18:34With the boost from Legends, it might just do a lot better! I love Matt as Constantine. As far as I'm concerned, he's knocking it out of the park Lt;3Yeah he's the very epitome of the John 'I'll shag anything and leave bodies all in my wake' Constantine. He's got the Cronjob vide from Hell blazer spot on in my opinion. Cool. Icon. My second favorite Dakota resident.’D What the heck?!? :o 2nd favorite?!? :-\ Quote from: Ganymede on 13-05-2019, 22:45:31What the heck?!? :o 2nd favorite?!? :-\Sorry Static will always be first. ’D Yep they always love the Kid!! :-(But at least I am not the only Dakota fan!!! O8) I was waiting to get the big thing going because I wanted to give VS time to get back. That being said I don't want to just be on a hold and wait team. So starting pretty soon (Probably after this night in the game) I'll be moving to the big old Superman attacking the Author conspiracy thing going. Though that being said, we've had some people drop off and or not post yet. So I would like to see who is here and still with us. And Lucifer being summoned by Constantine! Much to his horror, I would imagine XD"I'm Lucifer."" Well fuck."XD Yep summoning is going to start shortly. I'll be getting that post up for Gotham City in a second as a matter of fact. Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 14-05-2019, 06:23:55I was waiting to get the big thing going because I wanted to give VS time to get back. That being said I don't want to just be on a hold and wait team. So starting pretty soon (Probably after this night in the game) I'll be moving to the big old Superman attacking the Author conspiracy thing going. Though that being said, we've had some people drop off and or not post yet. So I would like to see who is here and still with us. Still here, internet being a pain. Sorry for the delay, guys! Your fine Imogen! We're not going to be moving to fast anyway. Well, don't rush the scene on my account! I don't mind waiting for it to happen naturally :Besides, I have Pearl's insatiable posting appetite to contend with >.>Also, in his last post, I mentioned some of the capabilities Lucifer has at full power. I didn't pull that out of my ass, I actually have been digging around old pre-52 DC runs involving Lucifer (whilst Vertigo-verse isn't part of the mainline DC Comics, they still exist within the same Multiverse since Savanna and Constantine have both been to Vertigo verse before) and some of the shit he has done is INSANE. Like. He left the DC Multiverseandcreated his own at one point. Like. The fuck?! Dion't worry, my Lucifer has lost a large chunk of his powers, so he's nowhere near that powerful ATM (though his goal is to get that power back). To be fair, he had to use the detonation of energy from Michael's dying body to create the Multiverse, but he still created the Universe, the planets and fucking life. Although, for all his bad rep, that run of Lucifer was talking to his version of Adam and Eve in his Garden, and he was like "I am the gifted of life and death," and they're like "What's death" and he describes it as nothingness, the absence of thought and presence, just simply ceasing to be. And they're like "Um. No, thanks." And he's like "I won't inflict death upon you, as long as you follow my one commandment. Don't bow to or worship anybody, ever. Not even me." Then he fucks off and is like "Well, have fun kids!" And I'm like."...huh. I wouldn't mind Lucifer as God, if that's his attitude." XD Yeah I'm, I'm going to have to go on a Gm level of thinking here and say that stuff didn't have. The whole leaving the DC universe creating his own. That's just a level of god level that should not and can not be present in a group RP. Even say he once was that powerful sets a bad precedent especially since like you said his goal generally speaking is to get that power back. That's still fascinating! I had no idea that happened then again that's older DC, and I've yet to really explore that history of the universe. Oh, I have no intention of him getting that power back in the game. And if he by some miracle DOES? Then I'll be retiring him and replacing him with a different character as he goes off to parts unknown to do something or other to alleviate his perpetual boredom. XD Don't worry, I know that his power is ridiculous, which is why I'm playing a vastly powered down version of him. XD I like playing capable characters, but there is such a thing as "Just Utter Bullshit." XD Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 14-05-2019, 07:19:56Oh, I have no intention of him getting that power back in the game. And if he by some miracle DOES? Then I'll be retiring him and replacing him with a different character as he goes off to parts unknown to do something or other to alleviate his perpetual boredom. XD Don't worry, I know that his power is ridiculous, which is why I'm playing a vastly powered down version of him. XD I like playing capable characters, but there is such a thing as "Just Utter Bullshit." TDI seriously don't see what difference it would make considering his "could alter anything at cosmic scale with a thought, but takes a wee bit more effort now' in terms of our game setting. Oh no, by "Vastly reduced in power," I mean "He can only affect things on a local scale now." Like, his Reality Warping abilities have reduced waylay down in scope. Like, pre-M Wanda, or a powerful sorcerer or mutant. Still super powerful, but nowhere NEAR Omnipotence. It's like the difference between Scarlet Witch (BEFORE she was made super powerful) and Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet. Wanda is still powerful...but nowhere near that scale. TDI get what you mean, but believe me, he is NOWHERE NEAR his full power. He has lost the vast majority of his powers. That's not canon to the game anyway. Like as a Gm I would have to say he never had that kind of ability in the first place. I think it sets a bad tone to say oh I could once do this but no worry I'm not that powerful anymore. Lol, fair enough. In my defense, I only found these details yesterday XD When I originally designed the character, I had no idea that he - at full power - had that kind of feat to his name in the first place XD Still here, just let me know where you want me to put my guys! >:) Also here, I'll be doing another SG post later today too most probably ;D It’s a shame we’ve lost some people :(I was particularly looking forward to some Star fire / Green Lantern animosity! Also thumbs up to Norse for taking over the GM reigns - much appreciated! I am still here, with an agitated Star fire on standby to be summoned whenever ^.^ Mm, I'd LOVE to agitate Star fire, good LAND I would happily disappoint that woman. ;) :P*AHEM*Just let us know when Lucifer and Star fire are summoned :P You’d happily want a star bolt to the face? o. O lol! Each to their own I guess :Lucifer still has plenty of time to piss her off. Not sure if she’ll be going into raging berserker mode any time soon though >.:P Not the best...but damn sure pretty good!! ’D From a 6’4” woman who can crush you with her thighs...? Hmm! ’D Hey, I can think of worse ways to go than crushed between Star fires thighs. Just saying. :P I second that for sure!!! ’D Quote from: Pearl Ruby on 14-05-2019, 14:18:42It’s a shame we’ve lost some people :(I was particularly looking forward to some Star fire / Green Lantern animosity! Also thumbs up to Norse for taking over the GM reigns - much appreciated! I am still here, with an agitated Star fire on standby to be summoned whenever ^.^ I hear you :-) I would love some Alfred/Barry chatter! Maybe it'll happen! I'm still here! Looking forward to seeing some progress :) So my plan more or less is to get all the interactions for the "night" finished, and then the next day will be the big Superman goes berserk event. Lucifer on the side going "this is something I haven't seen before. Neat!"" Aren't you going to help?"" Why would I do that? He just punched Author into the sun! It was kind of cool."XD Quote from: Imogen on 14-05-2019, 14:56:56I hear you :-) I would love some Alfred/Barry chatter! Maybe it'll happen!Oh, I'm sure it will, especially with how Barry's going to appear in the Kitchen at the manor and start wolfing down those 6 pizzas I imagine Alfred will have something to say about that :P Virgil and Pearl it is time for you two to get zapped to Gotham City. Quote from: Racial on 14-05-2019, 23:54:50Oh I'm sure it will, especially with how Barry's going to appear in the Kitchen at the manor and start wolfing down those 6 pizzas I imagine Alfred will have something to say about that :Something about chewing his food b my INTERNET EXPECTANTLY WENT DOWN ON THE 1ST OF MAY AND I HAD NO WAY OF GETTING IN TOUCH.I'm so sorry. NP glad to have you back?!? Welcome back Vixen! Welcome back ! I have to go to work (I'm currently catching up on all my games)IL post soon as I can For Wonder Woman, Lois Lane and Power girl. I'm having second thought's about Hawk girl (any suggestions what I can do with her people). I need to read more Hawk girl comics lol. ??? You're playing her as reincarnated. She could be just coming into her powers, or she could be fighting crime in her area?!? I was quite fond of the DC Legends of Tomorrow Hawk girl. That is a good source outside the comics to brush up on Shay era IMO I agree! Black Adam INC. DC Legends did a great job with a lot of their Canon personas! I was personally awe stricken with their Johnny and Firestorm the most! Hey folks! Can I call dibs on a second DC persona? I already have the one in mind! Lol I don't see why not?!? I would say who is it?!? Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost CW-Verse version. Not my call would love Caitlin!! I'll look through my laptop files and see if I still have my bio I wrote up for her on another site to help with the CS here if it's approved for me to make her lol. Always liked her honestly. I'm fine with that though I think our Flash writer borrowed from the CW Verse to so you might want to check with him to see if he referenced her. I do believe she was mentioned in the writers "allies" section. But I'll message them! On another note... does this place have a thread for become formatting questions or code tutorials? If so could I get the link! As this story's Flash I'm perfectly happy with you taking her, will be fun. She's listed in Barry's bio as an Ally and I wrote a little bit of dialogue as her in my opening post but beyond that that's it. Looking forward to writing with you :) Sweet! Then I suppose the only thing left is to get the bio formatted and posted! There you go!! Norse is helping me with the bio trimming it will be posted as soon as he's done! Yay lol Finally, the post for Alfred is up! And, obviously, I have my internet back. YAY! Glad you are back!!!’D Co Gm Update5/20/19My last Batman post was also a Gm Post, Everyone not currently engaged in a scene outside the manor was pulled into the manor. In laymen terms the scene with Author and Cali is finishing and the scene with those in the house of mysteries will go on a bit longer and then finish as well. Everyone else was pulled to the manor more or less. I'm sorry for the slight god modding I took there (Really just Cyborg porting everyone in with portals) but I wanted to get everyone back and grouped together so we could move to the next day. The next day will be out first Event/ Mission. It should feature every one's involvement. If you have an idea for what said involvement is then please reach out. If you want an idea than I have a general sense of the roles everyone can fit into said mission. The fight will be between a Superman enhanced beyond his normal. It will be a big event that will have severe repercussions for all involved and the league. Last I heard we might have found someone to be our Superman, if not I will be playing him. If anyone has any questions comments concerns feel free to voice them! I'm still here by the by, I just figured the scene with Cali was over, so I'm just patiently waiting ;D It is! Re you're good you'll be the starlet of our mission. Co Gm Update5/22/19 Due to some real life obligations the person who was going to play Superman had to drop out. That puts the ball back in my court as far as the character goes, so I'll be playing him for the event A shame they dropped out, but I look forward to seeing you write him, Norse! Also, I'm tinkering on that post for Merlin :-) IMPORTANT INFORMATION I've gotten the first event for our group up and running! It can be found here: The Fall Of Heroes (those ready to jump into the event please post your openings and be mindful of the tags, If I gave information everyone needs to know I made sure to tag either Gm or Everyone. Apologies for the delay in my posting, RL got busier than I expected once I got back to work. I'm writing posts for my ongoing games as we speak, and prioritizing this one! Thank you Nikhil! I appreciate that! Sorry for being away for so long, my laptop screen broke, and I just got it back today. WB glad you are both still alive and hopefully better. O8) Anyone up to do some character plotting with Dark star? At the moment, I'm unsure where to use him. I'm open to ideas. I've never seen that version of Dark star before :O Which run did you get his powers from? ’D Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 28-05-2019, 03:52:38I've never seen that version of Dark star before :O Which run did you get his powers from? No run. I always thought a star powered superhero was a pretty cool concept, so I rolled it into the Dark star mythos. Dark stars being a CADMUS backed project gave John an anchor and more to work with storywise. Cadmus didn't create the ex's mind you, it's more like they acquired (possibly via a supplier of alien tech) and thought "hey, let's find someone who can use this dang thing. Because we can't have them illegal aliens taking all OUR shine" AAAA, I see. So you found a loophole! I've done similar things before XD It's an interesting concept, though a bit niche XD "I create Stars!" "...when is that useful?" "...um...when you want to read a book, but it's too dark?" XD So the next time Lucifer boasts about creating stars, the same logic can be applied to him? Well, Star fire at least, will be very happy for all the star power available to her. She certainly won't be running out of energy any time soon ^.^@ Purple Jesus: Welcome back! I think most people have their characters tied into the plot by now, so might be best to check with Norse? Could be that Dark star and the GL team up maybe, since they're both yet to make an entrance? Ah, but Lucifer would be boasting aboutinventingStars. Small difference :P Quote from: Pearl Ruby on 28-05-2019, 04:37:29So the next time Lucifer boasts about creating stars, the same logic can be applied to him? Well, Star fire at least, will be very happy for all the star power available to her. She certainly won't be running out of energy any time soon ^.^@ Purple Jesus: Welcome back! I think most people have their characters tied into the plot by now, so might be best to check with Norse? Could be that Dark star and the GL team up maybe, since they're both yet to make an entrance? Darkstar doesn't like giving away his energy so cheap. Star fire is going to have to get to know him. I look forward to that btw. A team up with GL at this point is unlikely. I wouldn't rule it out, but it wouldn't play out like you think. Dark stars and GL's are natural-born adversaries, so there'd be more tension. John has his thing with Cadmus (and by extension its partners). Though, I wouldn't say he's a tool. Quote from: Purple Jesus on 28-05-2019, 05:21:36Though, I wouldn't say he's a tool. That remains to be seen.EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY-YO. I'm sorry. I'll be leaving now. >.> Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 28-05-2019, 04:51:11Ah, but Lucifer would be boasting about inventing Stars. Small difference :The would boast? Not openly and in front of Alfred, I would hope. Bruce: "What do you think of our new addition, Alfred?" Alfred, after a thoughtful silence: "Let me put it this way, Master Bruce; he managed to make Master Damian look humble." Bruce: "Is that all?" Alfred: "Not at all, Sir, but it was the only thing about him that impressed me." Nah, he wouldn't boast. It's not his style; he's confident and a bit cocky, but he ain't no braggart. Though technically, I suppose it's only arrogance if he can't back it up. XD I mean, he's not lying.:P Lucifer's job upon Creation was literally inventing and creating stars. Why do you think there's so much variety? He got bored! That being said, Lucifer doesn't care what Alfred thinks of him. He's an old human who's going to be dead before Lucifer's next sneeze anyway, so why bother sparing him even a moments' consideration? :P Gm Post 6/2/19Except posts promptly for the House Of Mystery Party and the Superman Event. Those at the league meeting should have received a call on the various devices they were given to hear from the league. That communication should let the league know about the threat and give them a rally point. This will be a multi level event where everyone will get a chance to participate and have something to do. For now, I need to get everyone posted so far as getting to the event. Their will be boots on the ground to direct and call the play as needed. Hey guys, happy to join you all!! Quote from: Idea on 07-06-2019, 03:06:52Hey guys, happy to join you all!! Welcome to the party...happy to have you!! Thank you very much!! Gm Update 6/9/19At this point I need everyone involved in the GM event to have posted or be posting on it this week. I can not move forward with my own GM post as Superman until everyone has actually assembled. After my next GM post I will also post a Posting Order for everyone to follow. Please get your intro posts up as soon as possible I believe I did so already, but please correct me if I am wrong.:) Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 10-06-2019, 01:02:10Gm Update 6/9/19At this point I need everyone involved in the GM event to have posted or be posting on it this week. I can not move forward with my own GM post as Superman until everyone has actually assembled. After my next GM post I will also post a Posting Order for everyone to follow. Please get your intro posts up as soon as possibleColour me confused ^.^'Does this include characters in the house of mysteries scene, or are they exempt until further notice? The events of the Superman going crazy and attacking occur the next day. IE within the next game day. So Superman attacking occurs after the events of the house of mysteries. The house of mysteries conversation has no bearing on the Superman attacking storyline. Basically Constantine isn't going to ask them to form some kind of Justice League dark or anything. He's going to ask Lucifer his questions and then tell them that they are free to go back. Why Kori and Lucifer get involved with Superman attacking is up to you two. I'll also clarify. By assembled I mean posted within the game. You don't have to be AT The event yet, but I do need everyone to have posted within the event. Ah, okay! Gotcha :)I think I was confusing it with the League meeting. I'll try to get an intro post up either tonight or tomorrow. Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 10-06-2019, 19:08:59The events of the Superman going crazy and attacking occur the next day. IE within the next game day. So Superman attacking occurs after the events of the house of mysteries. The house of mysteries conversation has no bearing on the Superman attacking storyline. Basically Constantine isn't going to ask them to form some kind of Justice League dark or anything. He's going to ask Lucifer his questions and then tell them that they are free to go back. Why Kori and Lucifer get involved with Superman attacking is up to you two. I'll also clarify. By assembled I mean posted within the game. You don't have to be AT The event yet, but I do need everyone to have posted within the event. I'll have the replies this week! Quote from: Pearl Ruby on 10-06-2019, 19:11:43Ah okay! Gotcha :)I think I was confusing it with the League meeting. I'll try to get an intro post up either tonight or tomorrow. Yeah! I understand the confusion! I should have bitten a bit clearer in my Gm Update. What I meant was that I need people posting their intros within it is all. Okay, I got Alfred caught up on Day 1. Will do the next sequence in a separate post to keep things organized :-) Sweet!!! Any other places I can post in? I think there were 2 other places, but check with Norse!! Not really right now Idea? Unfortunately the only other "time" going on in the game is the night right before the attacks. Everyone's tied up in that time frame at the moment.Thanks, Imogen! It's all good! :)Just didn't want to be a stand-off player, this all. I didn't have that much to comment for Alfred so that post is up :-) I just need to post for Malcolm now and I will give his arrival in Gotham priority over the backstory. Will get to that either tonight to tomorrow! Quote from: Imogen on 12-06-2019, 16:14:38I didn't have that much to comment for Alfred so that post is up :-) I just need to post for Malcolm now and I will give his arrival in Gotham priority over the backstory. Will get to that either tonight to tomorrow! No worries my friend! Once this mission is done we move into the main "events" of the game which will give you more of a chance to interact Quote from: Imogen on 12-06-2019, 16:14:38I didn't have that much to comment for Alfred so that post is up :-) I just need to post for Malcolm now and I will give his arrival in Gotham priority over the backstory. Will get to that either tonight to tomorrow! Alfred's going to be the guy Bruce goes to when he needs fake batman distraction! I don't know if anyone's read that issue of Rebirth, but it's hilarious! Alright! Since I just posted, I'm gonna wait for a little bit (Like, four or five posts, perhaps) before posting again. ^_^ Out of curiosity what is Lucifer's opinions on Triton? I just realized that Lucifer was even a DC character as sad it may seem. But, am curious about this though as I haven't read much about the fallen angel's influence in the DC Universe. OH BOY, you ask the COMPLICATED questions, don't you? Took, well. The answer really comes down to DC's complicated shit to do with Hell. See, whilst they share a Multiverse - and people like Savanna and Constantine have been to the Vertigo verse before - Prime, Earth and Vertigo don't ever really interact that much, since DC doesn't want kids accidentally picking up their more "adult themed" comic runs. Hell in Vertigo is a completely separate entity to Hell in the wider DC-verse, so Lucifer in Vertigo has never (that I know of) actually MET any of the Demons from Earth 1 / Prime / etc. Complicating matters further is that Triton istechnicallynot a demon, and actually rules his own conquered realm that is separate from the DC Hell (most of the time), but then he's also ruled parts of hell when they rolled in Triton and the Triumvirate...it depends on the run and the writers, really. We'd need a GM Ruling as to how Hell actually works in this Universe, and where Triton falls in that hierarchy To answer your question, though, what does Lucifer think about Triton? He doesn't. He's heard of Triton, he investigated his realm upon arriving in this universe (he's from a different universe, and only appeared a few months ago, hence why Batman has no data on him; he didn'texisting this universe until a few months ago) and he's like "Cool. Oh look, a butterfly." He views Triton the same way as he does any of the powerful demons in his own Hell; with vague amusement, and barely disguised contempt. Half-demon offspring? Meh. He knows all about complicated relationships with father figures XD Yeah, sorry for that just wasn't sure if Lucifer would know that Raven is a spawn of Triton and such. Lol Though your input has given me greater insight and I honestly do appreciate your input in this. Thank you very much! That said, I think it would be cool if we could form the Titans in this game at some point! I love how Virgil Segways me into an even MORE complicated question/ Gm RulingSooooooI don't know if Triton is ever going to get involved, I mean I guess we have a Raven now so I can see him becoming an actual plot or mission. However, I also know very little about his whole deal in the mainstay comics. I guess if I was going to GO with something (funny how I have Constantine and never thought about this) I would say a version of Hell exists in this "Our Universe" part of the Multiverse. That being said I always enjoyed Triton as more of an interdimensional baddie, so I would probably go with something like that. Triton is trying to break into this reality and wants to use Raven as a portal to do that. Ok, btw I am not expecting Triton to take center stage on anything for plots or missions unless you want it to happen. It isn't my intent to derail any stories you have in mind. That said it does give you some tools in your toolbox to use too. Regardless, while Triton and his influence on Raven have always been a central part of Raven's character, it isn't the sole defining aspect of the character and has dealt with plenty of other threats to Earth and the multiverse. Well, he wouldn't know that it's Trigonspecifically, but he's encountered half-breeds before, so he can tell from her energy signature that she's "Half Demon." Which Demon? He doesn't know, and he doesn't much care. XD The big overarching point of Lucifer is that he generally doesn't care much about what mortals do with their time. He just cares about his own amusement and his own long term goals. XD If she helps, cool. If she stays out of his way, alright. If she gets in his way, she dies. Simple as that! In his head, anyway. Whether or not hecouldactually kill her is another matter entirely XD Let's hope we never find out, eh? Because they might destroy the planet during that fight. DRM. I want to reply to the sudden appearance of Raven and Cyborg, but I feel like I should wait for Pearl, since...well, she hasn't had a chance to reply to Lucifer's last post. I think I might make a quick two or three paragraph response, then ask that people wait for Kori? It feels like Lucifer would respond first, since he's closer, and he would have felt the Reality-Warping that occurs with teleportation. What do people think? Norse:Ok, so...the complication rises from how Hell USED to work (Triton rulership) and then rolling in The Triumvirate when Constantine was acquired by DC. So...if I understand this correctly, you're saying that Hell is ruled by The Triumvirate (Lucifer, Beelzebub and Azazel), and Triton is an interdimensional conqueror who has acquired demonic powers, rather than an actual demon? But then, how would we explain the presence of two Lucifer's, one of whom is vastly more powerful than the other? Goddammit, DC. DRM. Ok. So...if we go with Multiverse Theory of branching paths splitting off from key decisions, and time travel fucking with the cosmos and The Flash destroying and remaking vast swathes of the multiverse several times (Goddammit, Barry) we could easily say that every universe has its own "Version" of Lucifer in some way, created through both branching paths and the messy bits in between the repaired shattered shards of previous timelines, but they're all merely "Echoes" of the original one (the one I'm playing) because having too many Lucifer's who are THAT POWERFUL poses a problem. So there are different "versions" of Lucifer dotted around the multiverse, but they were all "created" after the original to exist solely in that universe as the "King Demon," whereas Vertigo Lucifer was the "original" and was the undisputed King of Hell before he retired and left the Triumvirate in place. It's complicated, but I think that sorts out the tangle that is the DCU's stupid cosmology XD If I could ever find a female Hell girl I'd throw so much hell in here you guys would get tired of it! Given Raven is now involved in the events of the game there probably will be a Triton event of some kind! I'm okay with you doing that Virgil. Given that Cyborg, Raven, Lucifer, And Kori are in their own little "bubble" within the larger event.@Pearl how would you feel about starting a Titans Issue team btw. Vertigo isn't really a different universe, it was spawned from the original DC universe, so they've always been connected, they just don't tend to "interact" much with one another aside from brief cross-overs, Morpheus/Dream being the one who imprisoned Starr way back when, Constantine bouncing back and forth between his Hell blazer series and other comic runs as well. The fact that they're connected isn't reallythatcomplex, it's figuring out all the weird multiverse implications, and which things are canonical. Constantine, for example, has outwitted "Lucifer" on a couple of occasions--but it's not really clear who it really was, or how it connected to Lucifer's brief comic run, if at all. If anything, in my opinion, the existence of the continuity in Vertigo makes thingseasierto explain, because there can be multiple tells--something that's described a couple of times in the Sandman series. Lucifer's hell is just one of many possible destinations of the afterlife, Triton's "hell" (or whatever you want to call it) could be another. Lucifer's obviously conforms to more Abrahamic traditions, whereas Triton's could diverge in various ways. Similarly, there are different heavens as well. The "multiverse" tends to refer to different parallel dimensions (Earth 1, Earth 2, etc...) whereas these realms seem to transcend those to a degree--the recent Dark Nights: Metal arc also implied that there was an infinite number of these alternate "dark" realities whereas the traditional multiverse realities had a discrete number. Just some ramble thoughts from me. I'll get a Super-Girl post up probably tomorrow for you all! :) Well, this is true. The problem comes from when DC has tried to smash three different tells together in the same universe (Like when they rolled Triton and The Triumvirate together). From what I recall, Constantine has never actually met Vertigo Lucifer in the canon comics; his dealings have always been with The Triumvirate Lucifer, whereas Vertigo Lucifer always ruled alone (again, as far as I remember). That brings another point, though. As far as I can tell, Full Power Vertigo Lucifer is far, far more powerful than any other version of Lucifer that has ever been shown to exist in the wider DC Multiverse, so there needs to be a justification there as to why that is. If we go with the idea that The Vertigo-verse was the "First" DC Universe, that answers that rather nicely. Lucifer, being the first Lucifer, was super powerful. Then, as they created new universes, the subsequent Lucifer's were weaker to avoid such a devastating war happening again? I don't know. I'm rambling now. Took. NEW IDEA. In this Canon, there are several different "Hell Dimensions" that transcend the Parallel Universes (Earth-1, Prime Earth, New Earth, etc.). So, you have the Hell blazer Hell that is run by Beelzebub, Azazel and...fuck, I don't know, Nero. You have another "Hell" that is run by the celestial conqueror Triton, and you have the Vertigo Hell, which was ruled by Lucifer. Similarly, you have a few different versions of Heaven. Each of these have their own rules and hierarchies, but there's only one instance of them across the multiverse, so you have ONE Lucifer, ONE Triton, ONE Nero, ONE Artisan, etc. That could help clear up the cosmology, and add room for others being added in later, like - for example - the Bellboy Hell. *Perks up at bellboy hell*Who can I volunteer to be Hell girl for me eh? :) Is Bellboy a DC franchise now? You're not answering the question :Which one are you going to go with? Since Lucifer and Raven being so linked to this hypothetical Lore means that we need to know early so we can adjust their thought processes on the matter no, he isn't. He's published by Dark Horse Comics, though he HAS had crossovers with DC before. (Is to busy thinking about Hell girl to answer any Gm Related questions MMM HOOVES)They cross over a lot! Also, he's fucking fun as hell in Injustice 2Anyways... I'm good with your idea Virgil! I'm not sure how MUCH of it will play into the overarching story BUT I think that does make it ten times easier. True, but crossing over isn't the same as being DC. I mean, Superman has met Spider-Man once, too. For the sake of clarity, you mean my last idea, right? XD Oh, I didn't even realize there was a question and for that I honestly do apologize for that. I like your latest idea as it does leave room for other Hellish rulers so to speak and leaves room for Lucifer to possibly know who Raven's heritage is. Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 13-06-2019, 04:37:32True, but crossing over isn't the same as being DC. I mean, Superman has met Spider-Man once, too. For the sake of clarity, you mean my last idea, right? Who can forget the mashup of Wolverine and Batman! And yes for the sake of clarity I meant your last idea! Okey-dokey then! Obviously some Hell's will be older than others. I imagine that some Hell's are tied to specific universes, so Souls go to their respective He'll Dimension. And there are probably wars between Hell Dimensions for "Territory," as it were, because Demons seem to love sucking down that soul juice >.> Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 13-06-2019, 04:37:32True, but crossing over isn't the same as being DC. I mean, Superman has met Spider-Man once, too. For the sake of clarity, you mean my last idea, right? And if we open up that door, we open the door for even more zany ideas like having characters from Mortal Kombat show up (which atm Nether realm Studios operates under the umbrella of WB just like DC). Just my input there, but if others are onboard with this, I won't fight it. No point if everyone is ok with it. :) :) Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 12-06-2019, 18:34:48No worries my friend! Once this mission is done we move into the main "events" of the game which will give you more of a chance to interact Alfred's going to be the guy Bruce goes to when he needs fake batman distraction! I don't know if anyone's read that issue of Rebirth, but it's hilarious! No worries, Norse! I just meant that the League had not really committed to the fight yet. :-) I love playing Alfred. And posted! I couldn't resist XD Now I'm gonna wait for Star fire like a good boy before my next post XD Hey guys, I am afraid that I lost the spark for this game, and for that reason, I am bowing out. Norse and I talked about it in PM, and my leaving this game is on the best of terms Sorry to see you go Imogen :-\ I really enjoyed reading your Alfred posts! Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 13-06-2019, 04:07:47@Pearl how would you feel about starting a Titans Issue team btw. Unlikely, given that Kory is so new to Earth. She could be associated with a Titans Issue team, perhaps as a JR sub-branch? But I can’t envision her creating or leading her own team. In this ‘verse she’s more Prime Earth / Outsiders Issue :) Sorry to see you go Imogen. Hope to see you around later! As to Star fire leading or creating a team, I am in agreement with you Pearl on that, but I do believe that we could all get together with Cyborg and maybe Robin to make a team. If not I like the relationship Raven and Star fire do have as friends, and wouldn't mind something like that happening. Quote from: Pearl Ruby on 13-06-2019, 08:45:05Sorry to see you go Imogen :-\ I really enjoyed reading your Alfred posts! Unlikely, given that Kory is so new to Earth. She could be associated with a Titans Issue team, perhaps as a JR sub-branch? But I can’t envision her creating or leading her own team. In this ‘verse she’s more Prime Earth / Outsiders Issue :)More than likely it would be Cyborg creating the team THOUGH I might be tempted to throw in my own version of Dick Grayson. Generally speaking he's my favorite (Even more than Batman) *Cough*The Batman is overrated*Unconvincing Cough*:P Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 13-06-2019, 09:33:21*Cough* The Batman is overrated *Unconvincing Cough*:The pit! The pit! Fuck, I'll go down to Tartarus. By all accounts, a lot of the Titans were pretty chill... Quote from: Idea on 13-06-2019, 09:22:59As to Star fire leading or creating a team, I am in agreement with you Pearl on that, but I do believe that we could all get together with Cyborg and maybe Robin to make a team. If not I like the relationship Raven and Star fire do have as friends, and wouldn't mind something like that happening. Can certainly see how they interact and stuff :) Would it be a good idea to introduce John into the event and if so...to what extent? I want to strike a balance of usefulness and allowing the others to take lead on this one. This seems more like a moment for other characters to shine, IMO. I still don't want to show 100% of what Dark star is capable of as well. Personally, I wouldn't worry about him "overshadowing" them. In terms of raw power, from what I can tell, people like Super girl, Power Girl, Star fire, Dark star and Wonder Woman are all on the same kind of scale. There are a lot of powerful characters there, so it isn't like he's going to be coming in and saving the day like Superman did in Justice League against Steppenwolf. XD And it would be a good vector for people to find out that he exists :P Hey guys! So I feel the need to compose this pm out. First off, I just want to say that you all have been great helping me with the move over to Vixen running this versus me. Vixen still with us so I’m not about to blast her for letting me take reigns. Generally speaking I prefer that anyway over Co Going, and so I’m not upset about it. That being said… There are something's generally that I inherited that I’ve had to work around and or deal with. It’s been kind of a whirlwind to get everything back up and running, while also implementing the story idea I thought up for the game. So because of that, and because I feel people are still generally confused about what’s going on I want to clarify. First and foremost…1. This story involves an overpowered Superman, enhanced with red Kryptonite and also magical shenanigans. This is not a superman you should be able to defeat, dent, hurt, and or anything like that without some serious weight and power. This may feel unfair, but there’s a reasoning behind it both narrative and in the purpose of the game. We essentially have everything from a minor god to a cat thief in this game. I’d like everyone to play their part in this2. Which brings me to number two. In my last post I implied you guys could softly play Superman for the purpose of grappling, punching and fighting with him. The reasoning behind this was because there are many of you and only one combatant. I did however preface that with an understanding that this was again a Superman dialed up to an eleven. That being said I am RESCINDING that. It just isn’t working the way I expected. Now in terms of the general narrative beats of the whole mission.1. Superman is attacking downtown Gotham, and we’re trying to contain him2. Bruce is trying to go talk to him with Wonder Woman so he can fight it3. Luthor, Cyborg, and Raven are tracking a magical energy seemingly controlling superman4. And then some haven’t posted yet! Now I’m not going to control this mission beat for beat, but the general end is to have Cali (super girl clone) land the final knock out punch that brings Superman down. This then gets spun by the Light (Author and his bunch) to put the league on a bad standing and make them outlawed. The outlawing of the league leads to a Author UN Sanctioned League (The Dark Author League) and what not. This is kind of where the game “begins” and this should be considered kind of our opening Prequel mission. So this is more or less the sequence of events. On another note generally speaking the big NPC characters (IE the important ones) should be manned by me the Gm. Unless you ask for permission or work it out with me. Cause if I then have to go over to them and use them for GM purposes, and you’ve made them wildly tonally different it might… make some people confused! Thanks all for reading!-Norse I'm going to update tomorrow night Hey All! Alright so I’m sure a fair bit of you won’t be surprised by this. The whole coming in late, taking over as Gm, and then the task of trying to get everything sorted has become too much for me to continue acting as Gm for this game. Honestly, it’s nothing you guys have done. I just wasn’t expecting to manage this game and two others and being a full Gm. I’ve got my own game that I’m doing and heavily invested in. Ninety percent of my time on E right now is firmly in that game and the world I am creating there. Which is also where I mainly want to focus at. You all have been great! Really you have. Honestly I’ve been fighting this for the last couple of week, and you all have no doubt noticed. My mind just isn’t here like it needs to be. I’m stepping down as Gm and offer the seat back to anyone who wants it or if you want Vixen you can retake it. I’d tell you all are welcome to join my game, but I don’t wish to be disrespectful to Vixen. So if we’re not engaged in other gaming already I hope we can write again together! Sincerely Norse god Quote from: Norsegod1839 on 25-06-2019, 22:40:58Hey All! Alright so I’m sure a fair bit of you won’t be surprised by this. The whole coming in late, taking over as Gm, and then the task of trying to get everything sorted has become too much for me to continue acting as Gm for this game. Honestly, it’s nothing you guys have done. I just wasn’t expecting to manage this game and two others and being a full Gm. I’ve got my own game that I’m doing and heavily invested in. Ninety percent of my time on E right now is firmly in that game and the world I am creating there. Which is also where I mainly want to focus at. You all have been great! Really you have. Honestly I’ve been fighting this for the last couple of week, and you all have no doubt noticed. My mind just isn’t here like it needs to be. I’m stepping down as Gm and offer the seat back to anyone who wants it or if you want Vixen you can retake it. I’d tell you all are welcome to join my game, but I don’t wish to be disrespectful to Vixen. So if we’re not engaged in other gaming already I hope we can write again together! Sincerely NorsegodSorry to hear, I felt like you were doing a pretty good job of things, but I know how demanding running games can be. Good luck with everything else! Hey all, IL re take over as GM. Honestly I want to keep this game going. Can we get a Roll call? Wonder Woman, Power girl and Hawk girl still here I am here just got tied up IRL I'm still here as well. Arthur curry/Aquaman is still here, Just have a lot to deal with IRL until coming Friday, and then it’ll be better. Icon / Black Adam present I'm happy to stick around as well :) I'll still be here as well playing Batman just not serving as Gm. Still here just need to find time to reply. Hopefully after work and after yard work around the house is done. I can post tonight Who's going to strike next and take a pop at Superman? I can have Icon attack him?!? Sorry for delays, I hit a few RL roadblocks Yes icon can get a few slugs in, but no killing blow. Will do!! Departure Hello my friends! I hope this message finds you well. Like the title says, this message is to let you guys know that I am going to be both stepping down and leaving the game as GM. With my time going more into my own group game I just don't have the ability at this time to manage this one as well. My characters are free and open for anyone who wishes to take them as well as the GM stuff. I wish you all the best of luck and to have a great rest of your day! Day con Dies!!! Be Blessed!! Who's still here? Wonder Woman, Power girl and Hawk girl present! Icon. GAME CLOSED DOWN

Justice League Unlimited RPG_ OOC Page|rating:2.0

The Girl from the Asylum (lunaronyx x roleplaylover163)

It had been about a week sinceLissandrahas escaped from the mental asylum where she had been held for over a year. It wasn’t that she didn’t belong, she certainly did, but it was the lack of freedom that drove her insane. Cassandra, often referred to as Less or Lisa, was a schizophrenic, unpredictable, generally unstable mess. She had hallucinations constantly, she made horrible impulsive decisions, she hurt herself, and she shifted moods incredibly quickly to name a few aspects of her being. Especially since she had stopped taken the meds that were given to her at the hospital, her symptoms were becoming much, much worse. Despite her unpredictability, though, this was welcome for one who would want to control her. Lissandra has stumbled across a house in her escape from the asylum her first day. Thinking it was empty, she broke in and began to squat...until the owner came back. Instead of kicking her out or calling the police, though, he let her stay. He was nice to her for the first few days, but the longer she stayed, the stranger he acted towards her. Worse, her mentally clear moments were becoming few and far between the longer she was without medication, but she didn’t want to go back. She did know that something was wrong with the male, though. It was an easy choice: she would deal with whatever he had in store for her, it was better than the asylum. Liss woke up the eighth day of her stay, stretching and getting out of bed, walking downstairs to the kitchen. Her light blonde hair was a mess from her sleep and she only wore a loose fitting tee and huge shorts, both articles of clothing were his as she wasn’t going to wear anything from the asylum. Well, except for the bra, she did need that. She began to make herself some food, humming softly to herself and then beginning to talk to herself as she began to hallucinate for the first time already, talking to an invisible person about dreams. Joseph woke from his bed but when he looked around he didn't see the maid who usually woke him from his slumber causing him to become concerned. He had told the staff that the newcomer was a guest for a while but to try to keep their distance and to not disturb her or do anything to unsettle her. He sighs and climbs out of bed heading downstairs to find less making herself breakfast while talking to one of her invisible friends. "Less.... One of my maids have gone missing... Did you have anything to with that and if so then where is she?" He had a skinny muscular form with short brown hair and a square jaw. His eyes were a deep brown that seemed to look into a persons soul and broad shoulders along with shining, strong white teeth. He wore casual clothing which were a white shirt and pajamas at the moment. Less looked back at the voice addressing her and let out a little giggle, a half crazed one at that. “Oh no, I have no idea. I hope she’s okay” she said with feigned concern, whispering to her hallucination “just imagine how scared he’d be if he saw what we did to her.” and laughing. She turned back to look at Joseph and asked “do you want something too? I’m already making, so I might as well ask. I’m not rude” she said with a wide smile that looked both innocent and haunting. Joseph just frowned with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow. Despite her crazy demeanor he remained calm and calculated despite the fact she could turn on him anytime. "I'm not going to ask again less." He stepped towards her till he was right in front of her standing at 5'9. He raises a hand caressing her cheek gently. "Tell me the truth.... She was here last night, so where is she? Is she in the basement?" Cassandra looked back at Joseph with a confused expression and a raised eyebrow. He was talking to her like a child. She wasn’t a child! Despite the irritation in her mind, though, it did work. She looked down at her feet for a moment and said softly “maybe....so what if she is? You have a lot of maids and I got really bored...it’s not my fault she died...she just wasn’t tough” she said with a small pout and crossing her arms “she was boring anyway.” He groans and rubs the back of his neck turning away from her. "Great...." He turns back to face her with frustration in his eyes. "Listen less.... You can't just be killing and torturing random people willy-nilly. They have families and people will come looking for them which will make me a potential suspect. You're lucky I have someone I can call to clean up any evidence." He walks over to the basement door, opening it then turns to look at her. "I promise I will find someone or maybe a few people for you to play with, but please don't grab random people anymore, or maybe I will have to teach you a lesson. Enjoy your breakfast..." He heads downstairs to assess the damage rubbing his eyes. He seriously did not need this today especially when he had to go to school today and deal with that bitch and her entourage. Cassandra frowned a bit at his telling her that she can’t kill or torture people whenever she wanted to. “Boring” she murmured to herself, turning back around and away from him, irritated. She didn’t respond to his promise or his threat, simply finishing making her breakfast in silence and sitting down to start eating as he was walking down to the basement. She didn’t like being told what to do. He didn’t get to tell her what to do. After all, the entire reason she left the asylum was to get away from people telling her what to do all the time. Maybe she needed to leave here eventually, too. Downstairs was a mess. The maid looked like a victim in a horror movie. Her body was dismembered, her head cut off and many of her facial features cut out or mutilated. Bits of flesh and tissue were also missing, most curiously her lungs were both gone. Basically, it looked like a pack of wolves had torn her apart. Joseph stared at the body not at all disturbed or disgusted by the sight. "The guys going to ask for a good amount to cover all this up.... Sometimes it really helps to be rich..." He looks at his watch and sighs before heading upstairs and into the bathroom to bathe and get dressed. When he finishes he steps out and heads toward the door but then pauses. He had forgotten about less so he heads over to talk to her smiling softly. "Hey less. I got to go to school but when I get back I might have someone we can play with. Just behave and be patient till I return then maybe we both can have some fun. Deal?" Cassandra ate her breakfast quietly, even when he left. The only sounds she would make would be occasional humming, just something to do while she ate. She was much more alive than when she had first arrived, the medicine having pretty much shut her down while she was on it, but now able to function completely. Granted, that brought with it her insanity and murderous tendencies, but she felt better about it so she didn’t care. She looked up at Joseph when he came back and frowned a little, whining a little bit and saying “but it’s so boring...” before rolling her eyes and letting out a begrudged “fine” and shaking her head. “I’m bored already” she mumbled Before he left he looked at her and smiled saying, "you can do whatever you want as long as nobody is harmed. I'll be back at three." He leaves the house and heads to school where the botch he was thinking about and her posse were waiting. They always made fun of how her acted and how casual he dressed despite being rich. Basically they made fun of anything about him that they could cause him to developed a long held hatred of them. Cassandra frowned and once he left, mumbled “so all the fun stuff” and finished her breakfast. She got up and walked outside, feeling the warm sun and smiling, looking down at her arms. He didn’t specify if she could hurt herself. That could be fun, right? A man next to her answered her, telling her “yes, do it. It’ll be fun. You’ll like it” with a smile. She didn’t hesitate, running back inside and collecting a knife, running back outside to start carving her arms The bitch had a name, Katelynn Schwartz. An ugly sounding name, but the actual girl herself was completely the opposite. With long blonde hair, a small and skinny frame, and a pretty face, she had it all. Looks. Money. Even a group of girls who followed her: she was a queen bee. She walked towards Joseph and gave a little laugh, asking “oh, did they not kick you out yet? I guess they feel bad. Unsophisticated swine like you always cries and makes a scene when you get kicked out” she said with a cruel grin, a similar laugh coming from her group He scowls at her but then gets a bright idea as he forces a smile. "Yeah I guess you're right.... But I can be sophisticated I know I can but... I'm too much of a moron to get it right so....Katelynn do you think you and your friends could come to my place after school and show me where I'm going wrong?" He tried his best not to laugh or smirk as he played to her ego and gave them the chance to actually make fun of everything for a so-called good reason. "I will do anything you ask if you do that for me. Please?" He also knew that they lived in their own homes and their parents were on the other side of the world so that made things a bit easier. Katelynn thought for a long minute while her friends whispered and giggled in the background. Then, with a wicked smile and a laugh, she says “fine. But every bit of it is going on social media. I can’t wait to see the reactions people have when they see you having a tea party” she laughed hysterically along with her group “tell us where to be and we’ll be there. I hope you know what you’re in for” she laughed and, after hearing the address, she and her group walked away Joseph smiled evilly as they walked away before heading to class. When school was over he went home and quickly found less. "Kiss!" He notices her arms and frowns before wrapping them up to help fight off infection and to keep the blood in. "I can't leave you alone can I.... Anyway I have people coming over that we both can play with, but you can't kill them immediately, and you need to play along until I say to knock them out ok?" “I got bored” Cassandra said with a small pout, poking at the bandages wrapped around her arms “I wasn’t in danger. And I didn’t kill anyone” she protested, not thinking she did anything wrong. She gave a nod and said “okay...new friends” she giggled with a bit of insanity...or a lot. Cassandra hadn’t changed so she would still be in a large t shirt and no pants, the shirt now a bit bloody. Just at that moment, a loud knock echoed through the house He looked to the door then at less. "Ok now just pretend to be my girlfriend named less and that you're .... Just act casual until I say so... Also, they are complete assholes so they might be mean but don't try anything." He runs over to the door and opens it smiling brightly. "Welcome to my humble abode!" He does a slight bow before stepping aside. Cassandra usually wouldn’t listen to anyone...well except the voices in her head. However, she did know after the short time with Joseph that he brought her friends...he was her supplier of fun, freedom, and had imprinted on her. So she was uncharacteristically obedient to him. She watched as he went away to open the door, walking to the living room and sitting down on the floor cross-legged, running a brush through her hair and humming softly. Katelynn has come with most of her friends. Not all, two were missing, but four were there in addition to Katelynn. She laughed at Joseph for his bow and then said “as it should be” and walked in, tossing her coat at him as did her friends. They walked straight to the living room, talking amongst themselves until they saw Cassandra, who simply stared at them with an eerily blank expression. “Um...who is this?” Katelynn called to Joseph, while Cassandra simply responded with a quiet and neutral toned “Cassandra.” Joseph walked into the living room calmly pulling Cassandra to her feet and wrapping an arm around her trying not to startle her or anything of the sort. "Everyone this is my girlfriend Cassandra or less for short." He slowly kisses Cassandra on the cheek giving a light peck before placing his attention back on the group. "Cassandra this is Katelynn and her friends... Say hi Cassandra." Cassandra had horrible people skills, everyone who came into contact with her before (who she didn’t kill) knew that. She was easy to pull up due to how light she was, and she looked over at Joseph, a bit confused, at the peck. “Hi...” she repeated softly. She was a loop that the group wasn’t prepared for. They all simply stared at her, taken aback by how she was and the fact that he could have a girlfriend. “Haven’t I seen you before somewhere?” One of the friends began before Katelynn cut them off. “Of course. Her hair looks like a rat nest, she doesn’t know how to act around people, and she seems to hate being touched by you. You would get a girlfriend that is just horrible. That’s so sad for you. But fitting.” She said with a grin, Cassandra’s eyes flashing murderously for a moment before it was gone Joseph laughs at the insult before saying, "she's been going through a rough spot this month so she's staying with me for a while. There's nothing I won't do for me.... She doesn't talk much because she was in a car accident that did something with her mind, but she is still the girl I love." He stepped towards them holding Cassandras hand gently. "So where would you like to start Katelynn?" Cassandra stared at him in confusion for a few moments before her attention fixated towards the other end of the room on a hallucination. Of course no one knew that, so they just saw her staring off into space. “Such a dork” Katelynn murmured and shook her head. “Anyway. Let’s start with how you stand. Straight back. You stand like the hunchback of disgustingness” she insulted “and get her to stop doing that. It’s freaking me out” He nods and stands up straight then looks at Cassandra snapping his fingers to get her attention. "It's ok Cassandra. Almost time for dinner I promise just bear with me." He continues to stand straight with his minor muscles flexing and his chest puffed out a bit. "How's this look?" Cassandra snapped to it and bit her lip in irritation. She hated waiting this long. And she really hated these girls. Katelynn, meanwhile, was laughing and nodding “yes. Now. I want you to pretend she had just disobeyed you. What are you going to do? Are you going to let her get away with it or be a man?” She said with an evil grin. This was clearly meant to sow discord in his relationship and an attempt to sabotage it "You know what? You're right... I'm not going to let her get away with it anymore." He turns to face Cassandra before saying, "don't kill any of them yet. Just subdue or knock out." He turns with a sudden Burr of movement as he closed his fist and struck Katelynn across the jaw before tackling her and one of her friends squeezing bother their throats with a hand on each. Katelynn looked with a wide evil grin, excited to see what would happen. Cassandra, meanwhile, only looked at him when he spoke to her, a maniacal and crazy looking grin sweeping over her face. Suddenly, Katelynn was hit hard and fell to the ground, gasping for air as she was choked. Cassandra was far less nice. She tackled the first girl and gripped her leg, twisting it just the right way to result in a loud snap echoing from her knee and a scream of pain to echo from her. A hard smack to the face shut her up as she instead sobbed in pain, the other two girls starting to run. They didn’t get far. Cassandra was on them the next instant, throwing the first into the wall with enough force to knock her out on impact. The other girl she grabbed by the neck and squeezed her with a maniacal grin, saying “I don’t like you...” softly before ramming her first hard into the girl’s face, her nose breaking and she's falling to the ground unconscious Joseph immediately kept slamming the second girl whose throat he was holding into the floor until she was unconscious so he could put both hands on Katelynn. "Cassandra is the best, isn't she? I probably never would have done any of this if not for her.... Which you are probably going to wish I never met her or even go as far as to wish you were never mean to me..." He looks at Cassandra smiling. "What do you think hon?" He looks down at Katelynn before leaning close to her ear to whisper, "you will go last just so your sheep can suffer for your bitchiness. I'll make sure you can hear your screams." He begins punching her repeatedly in the face until she blacks out. He stands up and approaches the only girl who was awake. "I guess we can start with you..." The only girl who was awake was the girl with the broken knee. She had tried to stand a couple of times only to tumble down again, screaming in agony. She had crawled a few feet from her initial drop position, but hadn’t gone far. Cassandra turned around and gave a grin, licking her lips and walking back towards the girl. She tried to shove Joseph and Cassandra away, a problem that was solved by Cassandra reaching out, grasping her elbow, twisting it, and shattering it. “Which one should I eat?” She asked him, the girl’s eyes wide in terror "Good question...." He kneels down looking the girl over before flipping her over onto her stomach making sure she rolled on top of her broken arm. "This one is kind of broken, but I can't decide until her clothes are no longer in the way." He looks at Cassandra as he licked his lips. "Would you like to unwrap the possible meal or me?" She cried out in agony once again and simply sobbed motionless, begging for mercy. Cassandra said nothing, simply gripping the girl’s shirt tightly and tearing it off. The same was done for her pants and underwear until her body was bare. “She has such smooth skin...” she commented “no scars either...” she hummed, looking down at her own heavily scarred legs from her self harming bouts “I can’t wait to change that” He gently stroked the girls skin gripping her breasts and pulling the tits as far as they can go. "Mmm nice and plump. Look at these thighs and her pussy is hairless too.... Looks like she wanted some attention there." He looks down at her feet pulling her shoes and socks off lifting them up to look at her soles. "Mmm so smooth and no callousness." He moves over to the girls head and lifts it up by her hair placing it on his lap. "I'm going to ask once. Do you want me or Cassandra?" The girl didn’t react to anything except when her head was pulled up by the hair. Tears falling from her eyes, she asked softly, “w-what would you each do with me?” Causing an eye roll from Cassandra who gave the girl a nasty punch to the vertebrae just to hurt her. It wouldn’t cause any damage. Cassandra, meanwhile, also stripped. She liked the feeling of others’ blood on her body. Her flat chest and large ass and moderately hairy vagina were all exposed as were her scars...and the wounds she inflicted earlier when she tore off the bandages "Well I would have my way with your body before doing some not so nice things, but your body is just.... Too damaged to have any fun with, so I'm sorry, but I think I'll pass you to Cassandra but first..." He walks away before returning with a cutting knife then cuts her right foot off at the ankle and looks at Cassandra. "Would you like a taste sweetie?" The girl whimpered softly, figuring out relatively quickly that Cassandra was the more insane of the two. By far, even though she was sure Joseph lost his mind. “Please no...” she whimpered as he walked away, loud screams of agony filling the room as he cut off her foot at the base, bleeding hard onto the floor. Cassandra grinned and nodded, taking the foot as soon as she could and taking a bite out of her toes, crunching on two of them. She took the knife from Joseph and spun it on the girl’s back, humming softly and asking “where should I start, Joseph?” "OOO so many choices less." He smirks as he takes the severed door licking the sole before taking a bite out of the arch being inexperience in eating human flesh it took him a small struggle to rip the meat off, but he did it chewing as he gripped the girls' ass squeezing hard. "I think we should do some 'ass play' first." He chuckles Cassandra had made national headlines before she was put in the asylum. She killed, tortured, mutilated, and ate a huge number of people before getting caught and was televised as a serial killer closer to a wolf than human due to her brutality. She did not disappoint. Furthermore, she thought for a moment, staring at the girl’s jiggly ass before getting up and disappearing for a moment. Furthermore, she returned with a plastic bag of things for using on the girl. The first thing she did was take out a huge looking carving knife and jam it up the girl’s asshole Joseph does a fake wince watching as the knife cut into her puckered asshole while listening to her screams. "Louis that has to hurt babe." He smiles as he takes another bite of the severed foot remembering the stump. He pulls out a lighter and begins burning the stump to cauterize the wound and keep her from bleeding out. "I don't think its fair that you both are naked, and I'm not." He strips his clothing off before beginning to stroke His cock. "You are doing great less. Keep going." The girl was simply sobbing in agony, having lost the ability to scream from how loud it was before. Cassandra didn’t mind. Next, she pulled a peeler out of the bag and put it next to the girl’s ass. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she was doing next. She began to carefully skin the girl’s ass, taking off thin layers of skin and leaving the meat below untouched for the most part Joseph licked His lips as he moved close to the girls ass and plucked the thin slices from the cheeks standing up when he came up with an idea. He cuts off the rest of her toes and puts each one into one of the girls mouths before taping them shut then starts walking walling towards the kitchen looking at Cassandra. "I'm making a sand which. Want one?" She nodded and called to him “sure” not paying much attention to what he was doing with the toes. She finished skinning the girl’s ass, revealing the bare red muscle and meat and gave it a small squeezed smiling at the blood welling up. That is when she pulled the knife out of her asshole and pressed it into her right cheek meat Joseph walked in with sandwiches that had the skin as the meat handing one over to Cassandra before gently grabbing her wrist. "Before we continue let's give her some hope." He whispers to her before rolling the girl onto her back lightly slapping her cheek to make her focus on her. "Listen. I'm willing to cut you a deal. If you can get me and Cassandra each have an orgasm that makes us happy then we will let you leave or at least move onto someone else. But if you don't then I'll have Cassandra continue and I'll join in. Deal?" Cassandra frowned, eating pretty much all of her sandwich quickly and wanting to torture the girl more. The girl whimpered in pain as she was flipped and nodded. Asking softly “h-how. Am I supposed to?” With a pained expression. Cassandra was playing with the knife, wanting to get back to it so badly "My girlfriend Cassandra will sit on your face and allow you to eat her out while I have some less painful fun of my own. You will have ten minutes to make her cum and the same will go for me once it's my turn." He looks directly at Cassandra. "She will be allowed to play with your tits and pussy but no knives or cutlery whatsoever as she does so." He then takes Cassandras hand and pulls her over to be standing over the girls head. "Let's get started." Cassandra stood over the girl’s head, but she knew what was expected of her. Even if she desperately wanted to torture the girl more. She got down, supporting her weight with her shins and positioned over the girl’s head with her vagina in her face. Even Cassandra’s vagina wasn’t untouched by her obsession with mutilation. She had a safety pin sealed through her clit, the wound evidently didn’t heal right which caused more clit meat to grow around part of the pin, resulting in a larger clit. The girl began eating her out immediately, a soft moan escaping Cassandra He smiles as he watches before he begins to rub her remaining foot kissing the tips of her toes then begins to suck on them moaning at the taste of sweat. He would lick her sole until he stopped and lifted the foot up using his dick to thrust against it as he watched the show in front of him. He didn't have much pubic hair and his length was quite impressive if anything. "How are you doing Cassandra?" “Good” she mumbled softly. Despite the lack of knives, she was still hurting the other girl. Pinching, scratching, and pulling on her poor nipples to cause cries and whimpers of pain even as she went to town on Cassandra’s vagina. She could tell he was into feet, and made a mental note of it. Maybe it would help Cassandra in the future. In the meantime, though, she was enjoying the girl’s whines of pain and attention to her cunt, excited to continue tormenting her Joseph watched quietly as he foots fucked the girl knowing that if he came now then it would be harder for him to cum when he was fucking her mouth. "Keep going girl. You're doing great." He smiles as he took a bite from his sandwich loving how chewy the skin was. He watched as Cassandra kept scratching and tearing the girls tits but just shrugged and kept thrusting as he got close. It couldn’t be argued that Cassandra wasn’t good at skinning. Despite the full skinning of her ass, the girl was not bleeding much from it and her ass cheeks were still together in their shape. Cassandra whimpered softly, smacking the girl’s breast hard as a particularly pleasurable wave of pleasure courses through her. She was close to cumming Joseph looks at his watch moaning softly before cumming onto her sole moaning loudly. "You have one more minute girl. Better get cracking if you want to be free from anymore suffering." He smirks as he moves to be right beside Cassandra looking closely at the action as he finishes his sand which. She had learned pretty quickly that focusing on Cassandra’s enlarged clit was the best option. So that was what she was doing. It was going to be close. It seemed right at the last second, Cassandra let out a massive cry of bliss, digging her nails into the girl’s breasts and cumming hard, her juices covering the girl’s mouth. Furthermore, it was just a question of did it count Joseph looked at his clock with an eyebrow raised seeing that it hit zero right when Cassandra came. "Hamm.... Well she did make you cum right as the time ended, so I guess that counts." He moves over and waits for Cassandra to move until he thrusts his cock into the girls mouth. Cassandra pouted a bit as she stood up and got off the girl, giving her face a little kick before standing behind Joseph crossing her arms. Shit. She had really wanted to continue. Meanwhile, the girl was gagging on his cock but seemed to acknowledge it was better than the alternative. Maybe she would survive. It was Cassandra that spoke next. “Can we keep one of them as a torture doll?” She asked softly He looks at Cassandra with a glint of enjoyment in his eyes before answering, "of course we can! Also, we are keeping the leader of the bitch squad." He says this as he began thrusting into the girls mouth. "Use your tongue and suck as if your life depended upon it... Oh, wait it does..." He laughs before looking at Cassandra. "You can keep playing with her but nothing too severe in case she succeeds." Cassandra had a talent for keeping people alive and conscious throughout all her tortures. So she wasn’t concerned by the restriction. She simply grabbed her knife again and began to slowly cut through her upper thigh, causing her to cry out in pain miserably as she sucked on his cock for survival. She was excited by the idea of keeping a torture doll. Granted, they were less fun than new victims as they were always horribly disfigured, but still. Joseph kept thrusting into her mouth making sure to push down her throat every single time gently massaging her shoulders as he thrust. "Keep going sweetie. Your mouth feels so nice. I bet you gave plenty of blowjobs before you came here." He moaned at how she screamed with her mouth around his dick. "Oh yeses." Cassandra’s cuts soon began to take shape, carving an L into the girl’s thigh. Moving down, next she began to carve an I. Having a long name, Cassandra was not doing the girl any favors. “Wonder what her name is...maybe we should rename her anyway” she said with a little giggle. The girl continued to cry and scream in pain around Joseph’s Cock, still doing her best to suck even when in excruciating pain He looks at Cassandra then his timer to see she only had two minutes left. "Two minutes sweetie. Work harder..... I will tell you that you're close." He smiles and begins thrusting harder into her mouth with his balls slapping against her chin. "MMM one minute!!" He finally came with ten seconds to go and slowly pulls out with a strand of sperm connecting his tip and her lips. "Good job sweetheart.... I guess we have to let you go...." He looks over to Cassandra. "How good are you are cutting off legs without killing the person in the process?" The girl thought she was off free. She had made him cum, so maybe she would be free to go. Then she heard his next words directed at the psychopath. Her body went cold and Cassandra just giggled a bit. “I’m very good at it...” she said with an even wider, sadistic grin. “Are we really letting her go back home after losing her legs?” She asked, her eyes showing she wanted to keep the girl, the sparkle matching that of a child wanting a pet dog. She was whimpering, begging “please don’t...” softly He looks between then before he holds his chin and says, "I said I would let you go girl. I never said how far or what I would do before." He gently strokes her head before looking to Cassandra nodding. "We will take your legs then allow you to crawl home. If Cassandra catches you after the ten-minute head start is done then she can do what she wants with you. I think that's fair." The girl was visibly shaking underneath him, terrified of what was going to happen to her. She let out a choked “please...” with eyes full of fear. Cassandra was the opposite. Her eyes were excited and happy, ready to start breaking this girl even more. She found a knife with a part of the blade serrated, part normal, and the end having a blunt side like a hammer. It would do the job. “Tell me when to start” she breathed with lust Joseph leaned close to the girls face wiping some of her tears away before kissing her cheek. "You shouldn't have made fun of me for all these years' girl.... But I'll do you one last act of kindness." He looks at Cassandra. "Get one of the good knives from the kitchen...." He turns his attention back toward the girl licking her cheek. "We never could let you go because you would've told people what we have done. While she's doing that.... I want an apology and an explanation for why you were so mean to me...." The girl shook her head and whimpered “please... I promise I won’t say anything. I won’t say anything to anyone if you let me go... I didn’t want to I was just following Katelynn...it was stupid. Furthermore, I’m so sorry” she sobbed, while Cassandra came back with what seemed to be a full-fledged carving knife. She was looking at the girl hungrily and then asked Joseph “can I start now?” Seemingly she couldn’t wait Joseph stared into the girls eyes feeling a small bit sad and guilty of what he is doing, but his anger outweighed it. "I can't take your word for its sweetheart. Nothing short of taking your tongue will make me believe it." He kisses her forehead before stuffing a shirt in her mouth. "Bite down on this." He looks at Cassandra smiling darkly. "You may begin." The sobbing girl was gagged and closed her eyes, seemingly accepting what was going to happen to her and just hoping the agony would end. The tears streamed down her face faster when she heard him tell Cassandra to begin, contrasting with her wide smile. She took the carving knife and immediately began carving in the girl’s upper thigh, as close to her waist as possible, causing muted screams of agony He pins the girls legs down with his and makes sure her arms are secure before bending down to suck on her bleeding breasts loving the taste of blood and sweat mixed together. "Its ok. She's almost done with the first leg then she will move on to the other." That did nothing to comfort the girl. She continued to sob and scream, trying desperately to escape the knife. Things only got worse when Cassandra began to saw through the bone, the girl screaming louder and more agonized as she was ripped apart. Cassandra continued, sawing through and finally through the first leg, pulling it away and holding it up with a self-satisfied look on her face "Wow Cassandra! What a clean cut!" He takes it from her hands making sure that he didn't just snatch it away. "This gives me an idea.... Make sure you wrap her leg up so she doesn't bleed out." He pulls the shirt from the girls mouth and places the thigh of the leg in making sure she can't spit it out. "There we go. Now do the next leg less." Cassandra frowned as the leg was taken from her, but did wrap up the wound from the cut-off leg as much as she needed to in order to make sure she would survive. Then, she began her next cut. This one was just as effective, the screams of the girl muted by her own leg in her mouth and her remaining leg coming clean off, Cassandra looking at it and grinning, unable to control herself from taking a bite out of it He watches Cassandra take a bite out of the other leg. "I'm glad you like her legs Cassandra." He looks at the girl and gently picks her up carrying her over to the house entrance and places her in the grass. "You have ten minutes starting.... Now!" He looks at Cassandra before picking up the leg he had taken from Cassandra and bites into the thigh. The girl was still a sobbing mess. She was also very weak. Some adrenaline began to kick in, though, as she was put down in the grass, beginning to crawl away from the house slowly and trying to drag herself away the best she could. Cassandra wasn’t looking out the window, instead just enjoying her snack, tearing off chunks of flesh in her own world, humming to herself Joseph chuckled as he watched the girl crawl away till she was in the woods with 6 minutes left on the clock. Joseph sat down on top of a brown skinned unconscious girl eating the leg making sure to pay extra attention to the foot licking it and sucking the toes before chomping down. He suddenly had a thought and looked at Cassandra. "How come you haven't attacked me?" Cassandra looked up at him and she just shrugged. “They like you.” She said, referring to the voices in her head “and when in here, that means I don’t go back to the asylum...and you bring me friends” she smiled, the last bit referring to the victims. She put the leg down, halfway eaten and laid down, head on another girl and closed her eyes, lounging He smiles knowing it wasn't healthy that she had voices in her head but liked that some part of her liked him. His watched beeped loudly after a couple of minutes and he lightly nudges Cassandras foot. "Ok. Her times up so she's all yours. Don't get spotted. We are a good distance from any others, but you never know about hunters or hikers." It wasn’t good to verbally say anything bad about the voices in her head. She liked them. For a long time they were her only company, so she loved them like best friends. Luckily he was smarter than to say such a thing. Then, she nodded and grinned, standing up and stretching her back before she walked out of the house and began to walk around Joseph watched her leave before looking down at the brown skinned girl he was on top of. "Might as well have some fun." He begins stripping the girl before slapping her hard across the cheek to wake her up. "Hey bitch! Wake the fuck up!" He smiles evilly as she wakes while the legless girl was found only a half a mile away. The girl stayed as quiet as she could as she saw Cassandra get near her. She only screamed when Cassandra saw her and hummed “you’re mine” and booked it at the legless girl. Cassandra jumped on her, not taking a moment to do anything else before ripping the girls eyes out with her fingers, her own eyes shining with bloodlust. She had a new toy. A new toy to use and kill Joseph smiled down at the sexy brown Skinner girl licking his lips. "My... What to do with you...." He leaned close, so his eyes were inches from hers. "I wonder if you taste different from white bitches." He licks her cheek before shoving his tongue into her mouth then pulling away wiping the drool from his mouth before grabbing her head and slamming it into the floor. Cassandra had no intention to bring the girl back. She would find a torture toy somewhere else. This one was too broken already. She stepped down onto her neck and stomped until it was black and blue just for fun, her victim crying and screaming pathetically. Cassandra just couldn’t decide. Should she do a decapitation? Should she do something else? So many options Joseph smiled down at the brown woman but then just sat down on her stomach watching as she cried. "I think I'll wait for Cassandra to come back. It'll be more fun with my girlfriend around." The legless girl continued to cry and scream from the pain she was suffering from as she stared up at this crazy person. "P-please..... Let....me....go..." It was incredibly painful to speak especially after the stomping on her throat but pushed through it hoping to find a tiny bit of mercy. Cassandra was bored with the legless girl. That didn’t really matter to Cassandra, but that was very bad for the girl. She simply hummed “it’s almost over” with a little laugh and pulled the knife back out of her pocket. She got down on her knees next to her, and quickly ripped he knifes through the girl’s neck, slitting her throat open. Furthermore, she then sawed her head off completely and picked it up by her hair. She walked back to the house and entered again, seeing Joseph and tossing the girl’s head on the ground “what’d I miss?” "Nothing much. Just moving onto this black girl here. She was always a sexy tease and even filed me for sexual harassment when I didn't do anything." He picks up the head and looks into its eyes before placing it beside the black girl. "Her skin is so smooth.... Have a feel less." Cassandra walked over and got down next to him and the girl, touching her skin. She grinned a bit and said “hmm...soft skin is so much easier to break...” she hummed. “She’s pretty. I want to keep her” she said with a nod, looking around and making sure that was her choice “yes I want her” Joseph just nods and pushes her to Cassandra. "Ok she's all yours then, but then I'm going to go play with the Mexican if you want to join me. She seems to have the smoothest and softest looking feet." He moves over to the unconscious Mexican girl smiling but already knew that the head of the group was who he was going to keep. Cassandra smiled and turned back to the girl, who was shaking terrified and staring at the destroyed head. “Shhh...” she hummer softly, running a hand through her hair “you’re going to be good for me...you don’t want to end up like her...” she hummed, prompting soft, scared nods from the girl. “What is your name?” She asked, the black girl responding “N-Nina”, slowly turning back to face Cassandra. “Well Nina... you’re going to be my little toy. And you’re going to do it well or...well you’ll join your friend” Joseph smirks as he cuts the Mexicans clothes off before slapping her to wake her up. When he eyes open he leans close to her face. "You will do what I say, and I promise that I will go easy on you. Am I understood bitch?" He asks her softly while gripping one of her large breasts watching as the toe of the first girl they killed sat on her tongue. Cassandra growled at the indecision and slapped Nina “answer me!” She growled angrily, the look in her eyes betraying her insanity. She was not one to trifle with. If she wanted to survive, she would need to do what Cassandra wanted, though if it was a fate worse than death was yet to be determined. The girl, named Gabriela, shortened to Gabi, woke up after he slapped her and whimpered, moving to hold her head and unable to because of him. Her eyes widened in panic, and she whimpered “o-okay” softly, noticing the toe on her tongue and spitting it out quickly in disgust Nina whimpered loudly as she nods, but her body trembled while she was close to soiling herself. "Yes... Just please don't hurt me oh god please...." Joseph smirks as he picks the toe back up and forces it into her mouth staring into her eyes. "Chew and swallow bitch or else." Sandro shook her head and said “don’t worry...you’ll learn to like it and crave it...” she said with a grin. It was true. She knew how to break people and more often than not did break her victims entirely. “Now. Tell me what body part. I’m not going to tell you what for” Gabriela’s eyes widened, and she whimpered softly, but slowly did as told, fearing her fate if she didn’t. She chewed for a little and then swallowed, shuddering She sniffles softly before speaking quietly, "m-my hand I guess...." Her fingers closed tightly terrified of what she was going to do. Joseph watched quietly chuckling as she ate the toe before gripping her chin and kissing her deeply as he pushed his tongue deep into her mouth. Cassandra smiled and said “good...” and slid down her. She opened her fingers and held her hand down flat, the knife back in her hand. Without a second thought, she chopped off the three middle fingers and then held up her hand, sucking on the bleeding stumps and saying “shhh” softly to her screams. She whimpered miserably as she felt the toe go down her throat and didn’t react to him pushing his tongue in her mouth, distracted by what she said It took a moment for her to process what happened as she hears the sound of flesh cutting before scream in pain crying as she felt Cassandra sucking on her stumps. "It hurts!" Joseph looked her up and down before leaning close and whispers into her ear, "where should I take my first bite?" Cassandra nodded and hummed another small “shhh” while running a hand through her hair. “You’ll learn to love this...crave it...need it. I promise.” She said with an encouraging smile and popping one of the cut-off fingers in her mouth and eating it. Gabriela whimpered softly at his questioned, absolutely terrified. She didn’t want him to eat anywhere but...she had to answer otherwise he’d go nuts. “I...I guess my sh-shoulder” She couldn't stop crying as she watched her eat one of her own fingers hearing the bone crunch between her teeth. "Why are you doing this? We never did anything to you...." He smirks and leans down to lick her bare shoulder before opening his mouth wide to bite down tearing the meat right from her bone chewing slowly to enjoy the taste. "MMM your meat is so soft and chewy. Just falls right off the bone." Cassandra rolled her eyes. “I’m not doing this to you for any revenge reason you may be thinking. More the reason a lion eats a gazelle...just nature” she shrugged. “I’m not like you. To me...you’re just prey” she shrugged again. She let out a loud cry of pain as she felt him bite into her body, bleeding and screaming in pain. “Why” she sobbed softly and whimpered miserably. Tears were running down her cheek as she cried from the pain and fear of what her future will bring. "I'll do anything just please don't hurt me anymore.... Oh, god, I don't want to die...." He licks the blood from his lips before looking into her eyes. "All of you hurt me one way or another. For you, you agreed to go on a date with me. We started a relationship, and you would tease me all the time I'm any way you could. You would flirt with other teens and I would forgive because of one excuse or another then when I opened up to you and shared my secrets you told everyone. I was alone.... Everyone made fun of me.... Well now I get to have revenge." Cassandra looked down at Nina and her face changed “I’m bored. Come on. Let’s put you away” she said and pulled Nina up. She walked into a different room and pushed her into a sitting position and fastened an iron restraint onto her wrists which was chained to the wall. “Eventually you won’t need to be but until then... I’ll see you later pet” she smiled. She walked out of the room and back to where Joseph was. She came up behind him and ran her hands over his shoulders and onto his chest, kneeling behind him and putting her head on his shoulder. “Why don’t you finish this...later” she said with a smile “I have needs? Meet them for me?” She asked He smiles when he feels her arms around him before turning his head to look at her. "I'd be happy to do that." He stands up and grabs the bitch and the Mexican by the ankle dragging them to the same room as the black girl before chaining them up. "If you need something to nibble on then nibble on each other." He closes the door locking them before going to Cassandra. Cassandra watched him walk away and hummed softly, waiting. When he came back, she didn’t hesitate. She took off her clothes quickly and looked at him expectantly. Her body was covered in scars just like the rest of her, mutilated. The huge adrenal glands poked a bit out of her skin, showing a couple bumps around her waist. Outside that, she looked like a normal human woman. He licked his lips as he looked her over before stripping down to nudity and lifting her up by her ass. "MMM. I'm going to taste you all over like a fucking Jolly Rancher." He kisses her roughly pushing his tongue into her mouth. His tongue wrestled with hers as he squeezed her ass cheeks. Maybe scratch that. She looked like a very curvy human woman. She had plenty of sexual appeal to be sure. Furthermore, she held onto him as he picked her up by her rear and she grinned widely, kissing him back and letting his tongue dominate hers. He already knew he was the only one she’d listen to and who could control her. He was also the only one she’d let dominate her. “Need you...” she whispered softly and lustfully Joseph looks into her eyes smiling brightly as he drops her onto the couch and sucks on her neck as he lines his dick up with her pussy before shoving into her. "MMM.... You're so tight!" He continues to suck on her neck before thrusting repeatedly in and out of her moaning loudly while massaging her breasts. She watched him as he lined himself up and then let out a powerful moan as he thrust into her, biting her lip hard and moaning with every one of his thrusts. She held his head to her neck, whimpering in pleasure and just moaning out “faster” He sucked harder on her neck before giving a small bite to draw a little bit of blood as his thrusts became faster shaking the couch. "Oh my god...." He moans while pulling hard on her tits rubbing them. She moaned softly and held onto him tightly, holding his waist so he wouldn’t be able to pull out of her. Her blood flowed out nicely, sweet to his taste likely. “Hurt me...fuck me....yes” she moaned, holding onto him tightly and nails digging into his waist. “You feel so good...” she moaned He chuckles and moves faster before kissing her deeply allowing himself to suck on her bottom lip and take her tongue In His mouth to suck on it. "MMM.... I'm so close my dear..." She moaned softly as he moved faster, breasts and body bouncing a bit with his thrusts. She held onto him tighter, nails sinking deeper into him and whispered “do it...cum inside me...” she whispered lustily, kissing him back and moving to kiss his ear and neck He moans then gasps as he cums inside her before pulling out with a loud pop. "That felt amazing..." He kisses her again before moving to suck on her breasts. She smiled widely as she felt him cum inside her, holding onto him until he was finished and letting go with a satisfied sigh, running a hand through his hair as he sucked on her breast. She murmured “perfect...” softly and stretched a little bit, visibly tired He looks up at her as he continued to suck noticing how tired she was. He didn't want to stop, but he decided to let her get some rest so he pulled away before having another idea giving a playful smile. "Would you like something to suck on while you sleep?" She gave a small yawn and watched as he pulled off her breast, letting go of his hair. She nodded her head and said “yeah, sure. What do you mean?” She asked curiously and looked up at him with innocent, pretty eyes. Innocent for once, a stark contrast to the person underneath those eyes He carries her to the bedroom and lays her down making sure she is on her side and her head was in the center of the bed before lying down as, but he was at the top of the bed with his dick right in front of her face. She laughed a little bit when she saw what he was doing, looking at his dick and wiping it off a few times with her hand before she took it in her mouth, beginning to suck on it, He moaned softly as he laid there with a hard cock in her mouth thrusting slightly. "Oh my god I love your mouth. Just rest, and I promise I will try not to wake you." She raised an eyebrow, and she said “I can stay awake long enough to get you off” she laughed a bit around his cock, continuing to suck on it and relaxing into the bed. She didn’t think she needed to rest that instant "Ok, but then I think I'm going to go have a snack." He gently grabbed her hair before thrusting into her mouth fucking it as if it were her pussy. "Ohhhh messes" he kept going until he finally came down her throat making her choke a bit. "How was that?" She nodded a bit and continued sucking him until he started fucking her mouth. She let him take control then, keeping still and letting him fuck her throat before she finally felt him cum down her throat. Furthermore, she pulled off after choking momentarily and swallowed, nodding and saying “it was mostly for you so you tell me” she laughed "that felt great..." he winks at her before climbing off the bed giving her a kiss on the top of her head smiling. "Go ahead and get some rest my dear. You did good today, and you deserve it..." the givers her neck a light suck before covering her up and leaving the room to go see the Mexican for a light snack. Cassandra laughed a little and nodded, saying “alright good.... I’ll see you later” and readjusted herself on the bed, drifting easily to sleep. She would be out for a while. Gabriela looked up when she saw Joseph enter the room and her eyes widened in panic, backing up as much as she could and begging “no please...no more...no more” she cried he chuckles at Gabriela begging as he walked over to her and lifts her up by her neck before throwing her to her stomach in order to have a good look at her front and back. "You really do have a nice body...." he walks over to the bitch's unconscious body and rips her clothes off looking her up and down. "She has a nice one too...." he looks at Gabriela and gestures to the bitch. "She looks tasty, doesn't she? I think you might want a bite..." he grabs her hair and drags her over pressing her face into the bitch's thigh. "Don't you?" Gabriela cried out in fear as she was thrown to the ground and backed up again when he moved onto the lead girl, eyes wide and scared. She didn’t respond to anything, focused just on keeping herself out of the way. “No please don’t make me do this” she sobbed as her face was pressed against Caitlyn’s thigh, shaking in horror. Caitlyn was crying as well, shaking her head and asking “what are you doing??” In a panicked tone. She hadn’t been conscious for the cannibalism, but she saw the bite marks and mutilation on her friends Joseph lifted Gabriela up and said within her ear, "come on Gabriela. Don't tell me you were never curious.... look at her." he gestures to Caitlyn. "She has nice thick breasts and a juicy ass to go with these firm thighs that are so smooth and soft..." he grabs one of her thighs squeezing roughly before he continues, "if that doesn't convince you then how about this...." he grabs Caitlyn's ass and then Gabriela's ass. "If you take a bite out of her Gabriela then i won't rape you today. Ill just use her instead but only if you take a nice big bite of her thigh." Gabriela’s eyes were watering with fear, and she kept shaking her head, repeating “no, no no” sobbing. Until he offered her not to rape her if she took a bite. She stopped, looking at Caitlyn for a long moment before nodding slowly. Caitlyn screamed “GABE NO DON'T DO THIS PLEASE!” In terror and struggled to get away from her friend, but it was useless. Gabriela bit her friend, and it took her a few bites and tears to actually get a chunk of flesh off as she was not used to it. She swallowed with a shake while Caitlyn screamed and cried in pain Joseph gently pet her head feeling her entire body tremble. "Good girl..." he smiles softly as he bends down and kisses her head then pulls her head up to look at him pushing his tongue into her mouth tasting the blood and enjoying it before pulling away. "Ok. A deals a deal so you can go ahead and go sit beside that black girl and relax for now." he watches as she crawls away before looking down at Caitlyn licking his lips as he uses a shirt to tie up and cover the injury on her thigh so she didn't bleed out."you will be mine Caitlyn. There won't be any doubt about that for you are the head of all the bullying I've taken through the years, and now it's time to pay the piper." he strips down to show his cock and forces it into her mouth moaning. "All the jocks say you are a great fuck, and it's time to find out if they're right. It's so sad to see how quick your friends betray you ben't it?" he smiles down at her as he fucks her mouth. “I’m sorry...” Gabriela cried before she was kissed by Joseph, cutting her off. She coughed up a bit of Caitlyn’s blood, not used to the feeling of blood in her throat. She then crawled away next to Nina, the two girls holding each other tightly from the trauma. Caitlyn, meanwhile, had her crying in pain cut off from Joseph sticking his dick in her mouth, she sucking it as she thought maybe if she did so she would survive. Maybe he’d let her go if she was good to him, He could feel her sucking on his cock and just laughs. "Oh what's this? The teenage slut immediately and rolls over the to show her belly the minute she gets a cock in her mouth." He chuckles as he grabbed her hair in each hand fucking her face roughly as she sucked. "Yeah you like that don't you bitch? That's going to be your name now. Bitch. It has a nice ring to it." He looks over to the two girls. "You two should be thanking me for sparing you as meals. Begging for my cock only to know you won't get it today."

The Girl from the Asylum (lunaronyx x roleplaylover163)|rating:2.0

Midnight City [IC]

[IOC]"Good evening, Midnight City! How we all doing tonight?"9:30 p.m., New York. The day was ending for a lot of folks, and the roads were alive with activity. Concrete highways rose in levels above the ground, coiled around buildings that made skyscrapers look like shacks. The sky was clear, as much as it got in a big city, not a cloud in it. The lower levels bustled with the same intensity as the roads. Crowds moved in busy masses, and cars traveled in packs directed by the traffic lights. Above them, billboards shone with bright neon-shaded holograms, washing the city in a brilliant contrast of shades. Pink and blue stood out amongst the dark backdrop of asphalt and cement. Parked outside a small diner on the ground level, a black car rested still. The windows were shut, and only a slight muffled sound could be heard outside of it. Within the vehicle, the radio played, the dim lights of the controls and the dashboard the only illumination besides the lights of the building entering through the driver side window. The radio's screen showed the station's name, Midnight FM. The announcer was amongst the more distinctive of broadcasters. A vocal augmentation gave him a distinct mechanical twang to his voice, much like that of a vocoder." It's been a long, long day for all of us, I know. Workin' hard or hardly workin', life throws its punches and never holds back. Now a lot of us are going back home, back to those important things, ready to kick back and relax. But to those of us whose days are just started, this one goes out to you." The announcer's voice went silent, and asongbegan to play. During the slow buildup of the introduction, a tone came from the dashboard, and a feminine, but clearly artificial voice spoke." Incoming call from: Anne. Do you wish to answer?" The voice asked. An AI built into the car's systems that aided with navigation and communications was quite standard these days. With one that was good enough, a person could essentially mark a destination and relax while their car drove itself. Jack, the driver, slightly adjusted his seating and leaned forward. "Yeah, put her on." As the call was taken, a projection was displayed on the interior of the windshield. A picture of the caller, as well as other relevant information such as connection quality and locations. "Hao," He answered, making a slight wave towards the portrait." Hey, Jack. Work news." Anne was seated in an office at the police station, calling through her watch. The earpiece functioned as both incoming and outgoing speakers, while the screen displayed information similar to that on Jack's windshield." Which CEO's kid did we arrest this time?" Jack sardonically asked, tugging a box of cigarettes out of his shirt's chest pocket. He plucked one out of the pack and placed it between his teeth. He then raised his right hand, the top of his thumb's metallic casing shifting apart. From the tip, a lighter apparatus shifted forward and out. He made a motion similar to snapping his fingers, and with the small flame that now sat on the tip of his finger, he lit the cigarette's end and shook out the fire, encasing the lighter in its resting position again. Anne smiled a bit at that. "Nope, not that this time. You know those shootings that have been going on? Turns out another one went down, and we've got footage this time." A string of mass murders had taken place across the city, normally targeted at criminal gatherings. Vigilante work, if she had to guess. Helpful, but not something they could allow continuing. "Chief wants you to see it. They're putting some more officers on the case, us included.""Finally, something we can go off of. Alright, be there soon. Any news on whom those officers are?" Jack turned the key by the steering wheel, starting the car properly. Before pulling out of his parking space, he took a moment to secure his seatbelt. The call information shifted out of the way as the vehicle began moving, sticking to the bottom and sides of the windshield projection instead of the whole thing." Nothing they couldn't tell you better. But hey, they're apparently pretty good. You should be able to get along with them just fine," Anne responded. "See you soon." The call ended, and Jack's car turned onto a highway ramp. The information projected onto the windshield vanished, and the bright lights lining the road illuminated the signs above it. It would be a bit of a drive, but he had absolutely no complaints about that.-----Elsewhere, a test of some homemade gear was about to take place. Atop an older apartment building, only about four floors tall, a young woman adjusted a series of straps holding something onto her. A backpack-styled piece of equipment with four cylindrical extensions took some preparation and positioning to get on. Once it was in place, she pressed something on the belt strap, and four plugs in the pack screwed themselves into augmentations lining her torso. A light on the back of her neck augmentation glowed, confirming the connection was successful. The cylinders segmented, and extended to a length of about five feet each. They began to move around, as if each was constructed with hundreds of joints, in a smoothly flowing motion around her. "Okay, looking good. Let's get going." She spoke to apparently nobody, and after tightening the strap of the bag that was currently hanging off her hip, she broke into a run towards the edge of the building. Taking a jump right off, the mechanical limb on her upper right shoulder shot forward, the segments stretching further to increase its length to ten feet, just enough to grab the edge of the next building. The other three changed position as well, moving forward to catch the impact against the wall rather than let her smash into it. The first limb began to retract, and the others moved her up the surface with a walking motion until she reached the edge. She directed them to lift her directly onto the roof, at which point she glanced back over her shoulder. A silent message was sent through her nanomachine communicator, directed towards the only person she was synched up to." Come on, Juno. I thought parkour was your thing?" She was very much only giving some good-natured banter, but being in the lead was always fun." Don't drop your bag, that stuff was expensive to put together. C'motion." She turned forward again, and made her way towards the next building, propelling herself forward with the two lower limbs extending from her back. They extended to full length to catch her fall on the shorter building's length, and after impact, they slowly began to retract until her feet touched the floor. She moved them out of the way, curling the limbs behind her back to give her space to remove and set down her bag. Placing it on the floor, she squatted next to it and opened the zipper, taking out a variety of objects. A few small drones, some disk-shaped objects, and a dark green full-faced helmet. A few brushes of her hair aside on the back exposed a plug augmentation, which she lined up with a USB-like device on the interior of the helmet as she put it on. The visor lit up for a moment as an HUD was projected onto the interior. The drones that had been set on the ground activated, and began to float around her as they moved into positions that she directed them into. It was just about time to get the testing started, and since she evidently had all the time in the world before her partner finally caught up, there were plenty of preparations she could make. A black motorcycle rested with its motor quietly running in the alley way behind a small family owned diner. The bike's gauges glowed softly bathing the helmet of its rider in a pale green light. The helmet's visor was backlit with a matching pale green light, information streamed across while the rider's eyes followed. 9:30pm, partially cloudy, 55 degrees, weather, news, and the date streamed across a small bar across the bottom of the visor's HUD." Good evening, Midnight City!" The radio in the helmet kicked on, before switching to a soft female voice. Black market AI sounded much more human than standard or even government issue, but it was still clearly robotic." Connecting", the voice spoke 3 times, informing the rider of an incoming call." Good morning, Tess". A gravely female voice cut through, it's owner having smoked for years. "I trust you slept well, because you won't be sleeping for at least 12 more hours". She let out a soft chuckle before continuing on. "Your job now is to collect our newest employee from her agent". The faint sound of a lighter clicking echoed over the call. "Piece of shit-", followed by a sharp exhale. "She's about 19, she'll be wearing a jumpsuit matching yours, and a bright yellow full faced helmet. Any questions"?" Threat level and firepower"? Tesla shifted slightly in his seat, his arm reaching to his pistol to check if it was still there." Minimal threat, and if all goes well you won't need any. She'll be waiting for you at 4 am 10 miles north of your current location. Time to get to work courier, bring the package home safely, and you'll be getting a nice bonus". Tesla kicked up one foot onto the foot rest of his motorcycle, his hand returning to the throttle. The motorcycle roared to life as he twisted the throttle. The bike screamed out of the alley way cutting into traffic 3 feet in front of a small sedan. The lights danced off the bike as it tore down the street towards its destination. The cracking of joints could be heard as Juno limbered himself up. He pulled on one of his arms, flexing his hands, eying the black caps on all of his fingers. He didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about his companion moving ahead of him, but he also didn’t seem too intent on catching up to her. Furthermore, he continued his stretches, arms bending down to almost reach the blades of his prosthetics. Furthermore, he rose up with a huff, picked up his bag, and then decided it was time to make a move. The prosthetic blades crunched against the gravel on top of the roof, and with a quick run to gain momentum, Juno shot off the building, using the metal structural beams beneath the concrete to give him a considerable boost into the air. As he did so, he silently sent a message to Heather that consisted of nothing but a string of farting noises, as to better portray how he thought about her taunting him. Parkour was totally his thing. How dare she even go there. Juzo landed hard on his prosthetics on the roof of the other building. They seemed to absorb the impact, because he didn’t even flinch as he unbent his knees from his landing position and ascended to full height. He made his way over to Heather, and then gave her a confused look. “Bag? What bag?” he joked, his tongue sticking halfway out as he did so. However, the joke would probably fall flat considering he was holding the bag with both hands. He squatted alongside Heather and began to unzip it, and revealed pretty much the same items she had, disregarding the helmet. He had a few more drones on him, as well as the discs. Furthermore, he put one next to his face and feigned eating it, and then put it down, entirely unsure what to do with it. “This was expensive? It’s a disc,” he said, half teasingly, half confusedly. In the police station, a meeting room was occupied by a series of crimes. Photographs of bloody bodies strewn across concrete floors, autopsy reports all with the same ending, and statements from police officers were arranged on a rectangular table, surrounded by unoccupied chairs and agitated police officers. On the far wall of the room, video feed was displayed on a television hung on the wall. It was paused in the middle of a spray of gunfire, making the violent moment strangely still. Evidence arranged in a neat set." We're waiting on a few more officers to arrive before we begin," said one of the officers in charge of the investigation. He was standing cross armed in front of the other police officers in the room, impatience apparent in the set of his jaw. "I trust you're all familiar with the events of the case?" There were a few murmurs of assent from the group. In the back, which felt cruel as she could barely see what was going on in front, Velma flipped through the file she had been hastily handed. A string of violent shootings against groups of criminals, one had finally been caught on tape. She gnawed at her lip as she read over the summary again. Lance craned his head to look down at her, and frowned slightly as he saw she was flipping through it again. She frowned back up at him, unsure of how to communicate her thoughts without speaking, which she was sure she would get. She'd been on edge since they'd abruptly been assigned this case, and they had been attempting to learn the important aspects quickly before the rest of their team got there. It had been the biggest case they had been put on since transferring to the CCI, and while Velma was glad to not being desk work, she was also slightly terrified. Mostly they had been kept on the sidelines, and away from criminals who would shoot them with arm cannons or whatever. Velma still felt entirely too normal for this department. "Who are we waiting on?" She asked in a whisper. Lance said, "Jack Kandinsky," with similar softness. "Anne just contacted him, he should be here soon." Everyone around them was on edge, but Lance seemed as relaxed as always. There was a tightness in his brow, though, that indicated he wasn't entirely calm. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked up." While we're waiting, we're putting you into teams of four to begin searching for our suspect. Rogers, House, Zhou, you're with me. Loyola, take Wazowski, McCabe, and Rivera." He rattled off a few more names that meant nothing to Velma, then paused. "Vance... You're with Kandinsky, Walker, and Holt." There was a tone of apology in his voice that irritated Velma. She and Lance both turned to look at Anne. She seemed fairly nonthreatening, and there were no visible augmentations, but of course that didn't mean anything. Furthermore, she tried to conjure up an image in her mind of Jack, but failed. Furthermore, she hardly knew anyone in the department. Furthermore, she just hoped he wasn't one of the people who immediately hated her and Lance based on the PR scramble that had caused their transfer. Of course, knowing her luck, he was.-"Good evening, Midnight City! How we all doing tonight?" The radio blared in the background as Tonia picked her way through a piece of security code for a small job she'd been given. She lay on her stomach on the floor, legs crossed in the air behind her. "There it is," she murmured, tabbing through the code. "Got you, you sneaky little-""Miss Tonia?" She lifted her head in response to the mechanical voice behind her. Wally stood in the door to her bedroom, giving her his usual unblinking stare. "It's Alexander's bedtime."" Alexander, go to bed!" She shouted over the radio's throb. There was a groan of dissent from somewhere in the house. "You heard me, buster." She clicked a few keys and then slapped her laptop shut. Climbing to her feet, she turned the radio off and followed the complaining until she got to the living. Alexander was sitting on the floor, head resting on the coffee table, watching the news. It occurred Tonia that her little brother was more aware about current events than she was. "What's this?" She asked. There was a stern looking news reporter shouting bullet points." There was another shooting in that case that's going on right now," he said, not moving his head. "Can I stay up a few more minutes?"" Have they played this same story repeatedly the last few minutes?" She asked. He grumbled, and she gave him a light thump on the head. "Go to bed. And stop watching all these violent crime stories." That was probably the maternal thing to say. He stood up sulkily. "It's just the news." He slunk off. "Night," he said." Night, she answered distractedly, watching as the crime story was explained. A string of shootings, all targeted at crime families and syndicates. Tonia tilted her head, then sighed. She shouldn't be watching this, she had work to do. Rolling down the highway, Jack's car projected something else onto the windshield, a small holographic arrow in the corner that pointed in the direction he needed to go for the quickest route to the station. The deep shade of purple light it gave off illuminated the cab to some degree, and with a few turns onto new lanes and a turn off an exit, he had crossed quite the distance pretty quickly. Aside from the occasional red light, there were no obstacles that required immediate attention, just smooth sailing down the bright-colored roads. The nearer he got to the station, the less the guidance system actively moved his route. GPS improvements were quite an advantage of 23rd century life. Pulling into the station's garage, the car's AI chimed in a final time. "Arrived at destination. Goodnight, Jack." All informational projections vanished, and the engine went quiet as Jack turned off the ignition. After removing the key from the car, he pinched the end of his cigarette with his robotic fingers, snuffing it out about three-fourths of the way through its length. What was left ended up stuck back into the box for later, then stuffed into his pocket. On his way into the station proper, Jack slid his coat off. He doubted he'd need the extra protection inside. A few greetings were exchanged with other officers, mostly just small nods of acknowledgement, and the front desk attendant was the one who got most of his attention. A much younger officer, who was a rookie of about two months, currently shuffling in his chair to a song playing over a pair of large over-ear headphones. A hologram projection from the headset covered his eyes, acting as a screen for an accompanying video. Jack stood in front of the desk, coat slung over his shoulder, and rested his hand on his hip while watching the attendant dance the night away. After some moments, he cleared his throat, but still got no response. He tried waving, once again to no avail. Finally, he leaned forward and lightly pounded the desk's top, which shook up a bunch of smaller objects and got the attendant's attention. A surprised jump, followed by a slap of the headset off his face and a frantic flailing motion to catch it, drew quite a bit of amusement out of Jack." Oh, officer Kandinsky!" The attendant sighed in relief that he hadn't been caught by one of the harsher officers of the station. Not throwing away the blessing, he turned off the headset and stuffed it into a drawer behind the desk. "The chief called you in, there's a meeting about that case you guys were working on a while back."" That's what I'm here for, Bucky." Jack stood up straight again, placing his coat on the tabletop. "Which office is it in?"" Oh, the big one. You know, the one with that big wall screen? They've got the footage set up for it and everything." He pointed over his shoulder to the door on the right. "Just go through there, and it's the-"Jack raised a hand, and with a half-smile, nodded. "I've been here for a few years, I get what you mean. Thanks." He started to head for the door, but stopped and took a step back towards the desk. "By the way, you might want to be careful with those headphones. Never know when the chief's gonna show up." With a nod, the attendant straightened up in his seat. "Oh, of course! I'm done with 'em for the night, anyway. Good luck with the case!"" Thanks. Hey, do me a favor?" Jack nudged his coat forward. "Watch this for me. I'll see ya later." He stepped back, and as the younger cop nodded and took the coat, Jack made a 'finger guns' point with his mechanical hand and winked before walking through the door. After he was gone, the other officer decided to try the coat on for himself. The door to the meeting room opened, and Jack walked in. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showing off the lowermost part of his robotic arm entirely. There was no hiding an Aug like that, and after a quick scan of the room, he made his way over to Anne's side. "Hey, what'd I miss?" He inquired, voice a hushed tone." Only everything important," Anne responded. "Squads were set up. You're with me and those two." She motioned with her head towards Lance and Velma. Anne wasn't one of the people that held anything against how they got into the bureau, but she did have some concerns regarding their safety. Neither were visibly augmented, but then again, Anne herself was quite well-equipped with only small amounts of machinery visible. Maybe they had some sort of ace up their sleeve, but the emphasis put onto Velma's induction into the bureau, as well as the focus on how she wasn't augmented that news reports gave, made her doubt that very much. She brushed the thoughts aside, and instead verbally jabbed at Jack. "Took you long enough, by the way."" It's my day off," Jack quipped. He looked over at his new partners, scanning them both figuratively and literally. The pupils of his eyes rotated as his sight zoomed in on them, and a quick check of their files from the database showed him what was publicly available to CCI officers. "Hm, not bad. Could be worse." He paused, and made a good-natured joke at the desk attendant's expense. "Could be Bucky."" But he's not even-..." Anne almost objected to the possibility due to a lack of augmentations, but recalled their current situation rather quickly. "Mmm. We'll have to manage."" Sure will." Jack allowed his eyes to return to a neutral state, and focused attention back on the head officer in the room. "Okay, so that footage. Where's it from, what's it show us, and when are we watching it?"-----Heather watched Juno as he approached, and since her eyes were covered by her helmet's visor, she made an exaggerated motion with her head that suggested playful exasperation. "It's afancydisk," she countered, taking hold of one in each hand as she stood up. While doing so, she held her hands out to the side, and decided a bit of drama was necessary for the beginning of their excursion. The drones all lit up, encasing themselves in bubble-like shields, while both of the disks she held lit up as well." These, I made special. They should work well with your magnetic bugs, and can bounce around pretty good without breaking." While she had no electromagnetism bugs herself, she knew just the way to demonstrate the combat potential. She turned and chucked one at one of the drones, and it began to bounce around the shielded machines in the air, flying in an extremely straight path between each one before moving onto the next. "So we're going to see if you can't get good with these, yeah? Catch!" With a hefty toss, she flung the other disk to Juno. Luckily, they were designed to be non-lethal. If he missed his catch, the worst he'd get was the wind knocked out of him or a bit of a zap. "And after you get the hang of these things, we're going to get some more direct practice. A real live-fire exercise." One of Heather's hands came to a rest on her hip, while the other one gave Juno a thumbs up. "You, me, and a bunch of stuff to throw at each other. Sounds fun, huh?" She mentally guided one of her drones around in such a way that the disk bouncing between them was sent flying towards her instead, and one of her tentacles snatched it out of the air on its approach. It then transferred to her actual hand, and she passed it to Juno with a weak underhanded toss instead of a direct throw. She saw no need to be so rough on him in such a short time. (Collab between me and Eggs.) As the door to the meeting room opened, Velma and Lance's attention immediately went to the man entering. While there were various features that made him remarkable, they were all lost behind the large mechanical arm. After a moment, Velma attached a name to the man-Jack Kandinsky. He strode over to Anne's side, and they had a murmured conversation that Velma forced herself not to guess the subject of. Lance nudged her with a sharp elbow. "Head on over to meet the team?" He murmured. Velma grimaced slightly, but nodded. She headed over to the pair, Lance following behind. She almost began to introduce herself, but stopped when the chief spoke." If we're all here, we'll watch the recording we found," he said, gesturing to the screen. This got the attention of the police officers-no one had seen it except the chief, and there had been much speculation on the content. They collectively turned towards the screen. He pointed the remote clasped in his hand at the screen and rewound the video to the beginning, a few choppy frames appearing as he skipped back. He fought with the device a few moments longer, then finally hit play. The screen went black for a moment as the captured video was reversed to its salvaged state. It showed a long hallway, arched into a 90-degree turn into another one. Doors lined the hall, and pressed against the corner, a suited man stood holding a gun. Blood covered his front side, and a stream leaking from his knee suggested injury. He breathed heavily, his hands holding a tight but shaky grip on the handle and stock of his rifle. The lighting of the hall was drenched in a deep red, flickering every few moments. Normal lights remained off, suggesting it was emergency backup lighting or some sort of alarm system gone quiet. At the end of the hall, a figure came into view. From the angle of the camera, only a pair of legs and a rifle were visible. The figure strolled very casually towards the first door, and kicked it open with force enough to break it off its hinges. For a few moments, he disappeared into the room, and gunshots rang out. At each one, the hiding man flinched, trying to steady his feet. The shooter emerged from the room after a short time, and proceeded to the next room, opposite the first door and slightly further forward. More of their body came into view: a tall male, dressed head to toe in what looked like black leather. His face was obscured by a motorcycle helmet, the only identifying sign a glaring red light shining from behind the visor. His methods were repeated with the final two doors. The first went much the same way as the other, a forced open followed by a hail of unseen gunfire. When he emerged, he carried another weapon, a double-barreled shotgun held over his shoulder. While approaching the final door, a blade sprung from it, scraping against the side of his helmet. A step was taken back, and after he pointed the shotgun at the part of the door nearest the blade, both triggers were pulled. A wide hole was blown into it, and the sounds of viscera dripping down the wall could be just barely detected. The room seemed to be much smaller, as instead of entering, the shooter merely looked inside before taking a few steps back. The foot of the injured man slipped, prompting the shooter to turn his head in the direction of the corner. He quietly turned, and pointed his rifle at about head height at the wall, aiming through the corner proper. A pull of the trigger sent a burst of gunfire right into it, and into the head of the man trying to remain in cover on the other side. As he fell, the shooter lowered his rifle, checking it for ammunition. He stopped suddenly, and the red dot under his visor shifted focus onto the camera itself. Staring for a moment, he then turned his gun on it and fired. The screen cut to black, and the video feed ended. Velma stared at the screen a moment longer, then turned back to the chief. He was rubbing his chin, brows knit together in frustration. "It's not much to go on, but it's something. Bastard finally slipped up, let's see if we can make anything of it. I want everyone to find something, anything in that video that can help us locate our motorcycle man. I don't care what. Get to work." As the groups dispersed, Velma thought about the video. It was honestly chilling. The man showed no regard for the people he killed, and his total silence and concealing attire made him seem like a horror movie villain. Something about it made her think it wasn't quite a vigilante seeking justice against criminal groups. He was just too skilled. However, it wasn't time for theories just yet. She turned to her new teammates and hoped she looked friendly but also capable. "Velma Holt. Good to work with both of you." Behind her, Lance half raised a hand. "Lance Walker, Jack and Anne, right?" Even though his greeting was fairly normal, Velma had a feeling he was only half paying attention and instead thinking about the video they had just seen. She couldn't really blame him. Juno crossed his arms as he looked skeptically at Heather, cocking his head to the side curiously. “Alright, fancy disk. I’ll roll with that,” he said with a subtle nod, looking up when the drones flew up. He blinked when the shields rose up across them, switching view so he could get a good look up close at them without actually being up there with them.“Catch?” he asked, having been preoccupied with the drones. He made a little noise at the idea of Heather hurling a disk at him. Furthermore, he crooked his arm as the disk swung low, and the magnetic tips of his fingers caught the disk easily. Furthermore, he made a face that seemed a little too prideful considering the situation, and then began to spin around the disk a la Harlem Globetrotters on one of his little thumb pads. “Oh, I bet I can definitely get good with these,” Juno said confidently, already loving them in their non-lethal state. He caught the other one in the other hand, while still spinning the other one. The disk had zipped onto his hand effortlessly, and he placed the one he had been spinning on top of the other and tucked them both between his arm and side. “I’m definitely looking forward to the live-fire. Can you make these things explode? I think that would be cool,” he commented, giving them a once over. He mirrored her thumbs up with his free hand, and prepared to get throwing. He caught the last disk easily and twisted, flinging it with a majority of his force towards the first drone. Furthermore, he was unsure how accurate that actually would have been considering he had been in such a rush, so he tweaked its trajectory magnetically so that it would, hopefully, hit the mark. Furthermore, he then eyed Heather, digging a sharp heel into the ground, and flung one over her head, towards the drone behind her. Furthermore, he stuck his tongue out again, giving her a playful smile. Furthermore, he loved testing days. Silence hung over the room for those few moments after the tape had ended. Jack held a frown and tightly crossed arms while he watched, eyeing every detail closely, at the same time feeling that familiar sort of sickness that came with seeing someone so blatantly disregard life. The actual method was far from the worst sorts of murders the bureau had dealt with, but the sheer effectiveness, speed, and skill that the killer demonstrated, it was clear that they were dealing with someone professional. While there was no footage from each room, he could imagine that they were emptied with brutal efficiency. While he was focused, Anne took notice of Velma and Lance's approach, turning towards them to offer a greeting of her own. "Likewise. Let's try not to let this guy walk free for too much longer, yeah?" She nudged Jack's elbow with her own to draw his attention back out of the video. They wouldn't get much figured out if he was just thinking about it to himself, anyway. Some talking would be good for them. Jack uncrossed his arms, instead offering his right hand for a greeting handshake. "Right. Nice to meet ya." The mechanical limb hopefully wasn't too foreboding for a friendly greeting, what with its obviously robotic joints and jet-black dermal plating. It was hard to be offended if someone turned one down from a clearly combat-ready Aug, but at the same time it acted as a good determination of a new partner's sentiments towards that type of thing. One could expect anyone in the CCI to be more accepting towards augmented officers, but a few in the past had been viciously bitter towards the very concept. Seeing so many people using them for crime could get grating. Once greetings were complete, Anne suggested a starting course of action. "Okay, so. Once we get our files, we'll pick through them and see what might be useful. The cleaners probably brought in some important things from the crime scene, too. Computers, phones, bodies. Anything in that building could be a lead." Information on intact databases, call logs, text messages, any sort of communication or information could offer some insight as to what exactly happened, and why it did. As a nice bonus, information on any surviving criminals affiliated with the group that had been wiped out could be forwarded to other officers, and possible targets for interrogations could be picked out. "Let's get going." On the way out of the room, she stopped by a table, host to multiple palm-sized devices. A portable HDD and hologram display system, similar in appearance to a handheld transceiver, loaded up with information on the case, communications systems for the officers assigned to squads together, and data scanners. Anne took one for herself and clipped it to her belt, passing one next to it to Jack. He likewise put it on his belt for safe keeping.-----The idea of explosives was interesting, Heather had to admit. "Maybe? They're kinda big for explosives, though. They'd cause way too much collateral damage, and I'm not sure how well the magnetism will work if they're weighed down." Small amounts of plastic explosives molded into the interiors of a less expensive design could work, but at the same time she was worried about the effectiveness. "We'll have to see! Let's make sure you can usethesewithout hurting yourself first, yeah?" After quickly clasping her hands together, she undid them and stepped back a bit, ready to control her drones and make sure the testing went well. On impact of the first disk, the drone's protective barrier knocked it away into another, so Heather changed their positions to keep the disk in a back-and-forth movement between them. Close observations were made, making sure that the disk could withstand the repeated impacts. So far, it seemed to be working fine. Juno's second throw had been unexpected, and it soared a mere inch above her (thankfully covered) face while she was looking up. Heather yelped in surprise and stumbled back, very nearly falling over entirely. Her limb pack caught her a few inches off the ground, after she watched the disk bounce off the rear drone and sail back towards Juno." Ass," She mumbled out alongside a laugh. To get him back, she changed trajectory of the disk being held between two drones by shifting one, launching it at an angle towards the wall of the next, much taller building. It bounced off the wall and arced back towards Juno, flying low towards his legs. During its path, she moved her drones again, this time keeping them in a constant circular motion in the air. Juno proved he could hit a stationary target, so now she wanted to see if he could make his mark on something in motion. Although the metallic hand gave Velma a moment's pause, she took it and gave it a shake. Part of her wondered if he could tell if her handshake was any good through the metal plating. She stepped aside as Lance took the same hand without blinking, which somehow felt stranger than if he'd acknowledged it- like he hadn't even registered it, which she honestly really wouldn't put past him. Velma considered briefly shaking Anne's hand, but the woman didn't offer her so she decided against it, hoping it wouldn't offend her. Still, the two didn't seem to immediately hate them, which Velma hoped was an indication that the team would at least function. Anne's plan seemed as good as any, so they followed her out the door, stopping at the table to pick up the pocket devices. Velma clipped it on her belt, while Lance dropped his in a coat pocket. Velma silently anticipated never seeing it again. As they walked down the halls, Lance rubbed his hands together in an anxious, twitchy motion, knitting and unknotting his fingers together. The video was still bouncing around in his brain. The fact that it was the best clue they had to go on was frustrating to say the least. They had almost nothing to go on. Maybe if there was some way to figure out height in relation to the door- but even that would be ballparking, and do little to narrow down the range of suspects since they had none. The red light under the visor, however, had caught his attention. An Aug of some kind, like a bionic eye, could create a sort of light like that-it could be useful. However, he needed to learn more about the case before going down that sort of trail. They came to one of the larger evidence rooms in the police station. The room arranged cold metal tables lit with glaring white light, with various scraps of evidence that could be important arranged on top. It was all carefully tagged. A door in the back led to the room where the bodies were, at least for now while officers investigated them. A few other police officers who had apparent had the same plan were examining objects on the tables. "What should we check out first?" Velma asked. She sort of doubted the victims had useful evidence, as it seemed they had all been shot, but it couldn't be ruled out. It could be better to divide and conquer. “My best quality,” Juno laughed, jumping up into the air and catching the disc that had been coming back towards him. He landed in a crouch, and with a slight turn of his neck, caught movement in the corner of his high. Using his prosthetics, he vaulted off the ground, the disc that was coming at him zipping through the air beneath him. He landed yet again, his legs clanking on the ground. He waggled a finger at Heather, as if to signify that it was a nice try. He dragged the disc back magnetically, so it wouldn’t land on some unfortunate bystander on the road beneath. When the disc hit his magnetic open palm, he fanned himself with both of them. He liked these discs so far. “I mean, you’re smart. I bet you could put, like, C4 in this. A tiny bit, and it would just go boom. How heavy can explosives be?” he said with a smile. While he had no idea how the mechanisms that Heather made worked, he knew he had seen her make some pretty incredible things. Returning to the task at hand, Juno flung one of his discs at the drone. It hit it, but didn’t hit it exactly square. It angled sharply back towards him, and he ducked. Furthermore, it impaled itself into the stone on top of the roof. “Oops,” he yelped. He jogged over to the edge of the roof, where the disc was firmly lodged. He bent down and tried to pull it, and then stopped. “Yo, H, get a load of these sick wheels,” he called, pointing down towards the street. Some dude had excellent taste in motorcycles. Jack and Anne entered the evidence room just after their new partners, and without wasting much time, got to work coming up with some ideas. The bodies were likely a dud when it came to any evidence. Their PERP was doubtlessly using a non-registered gun, and the security footage gave no clear indication of what the basic model was. Worse yet, during the investigation, no empty cartridges were left behind; caseless ammunition left even less of a trace to follow. While some markings could be noted on bullets removed from corpses, the impact often left them deformed." Run ID on all the bodies. Let's see if we can find out who these people are," Anne answered, giving at least one option for them. "And make sure to check them for bugs. Especially anything in the head. One of these guys could have a whole other viewpoint backed up in his skull." She took her own advice, and moved further into the room, back towards the morgue where the dead men were resting. Upon entering, she frowned at the sight of the bodies, stripped of clothing and awaiting autopsy. There were a lot of them in there, each one covered in bullet holes. What bothered her was less the presence of the fatal wounds, but how uniform they were. A few over the heart, or in the forehead. The deed had been done with inhuman accuracy, each shot differentiated by mere centimeters. First things first, Anne decided to run a basic check on the bodies. She pulled the device off her belt and held it out ahead of her, giving the button on the front a quick press to activate it. The display feature activated, a hologram projection hovering a few inches above the device itself. With some maneuvering through the menus, she then opened the scanner, which broadcasted from the back of the handheld machine. Lines of light formed a grid that scanned the face of the body nearest where she stood, which was then compared to various mugshots within the police station's database. Nothing. Just a small-name carjacker and drug runner, devoid of any known augmentations. He was immediately set lower on the priority list to cut open and poke around inside. Still, she felt it was worth looking over them all, and continued to scan over the bodies one at a time. Each of them had some form of record, a few much more severe than the others. Bank robberies, hits, larceny, extortion. All distressingly common crimes in the city, but nothing that stuck out to her. At least not until she was about halfway down the line of tables, scanning someone with a busted head. His record was much more techno logic in nature, including security threats and theft of personal information. But better than that, he had an Aug or two." Think I got something," Anne spoke up, talking to whoever may have accompanied her to the morgue. "Wayne Phillips, previously affiliated with Backlight Security. Got fired because he was looking through credit cards in the database. Went on to leak a bunch of the higher-ups' info before going off the map." Adjusting the display, she brought up his medical information as well. "And he had some modifications done. Basic enhancements and a neurological link. Must be wireless." She could see no external ports on his neck, but a more thorough look through his skull could lead them somewhere. "If we can find a database in him, then we might get something good out of it." Jack, meanwhile, was looking over firearms and other weapons recovered from the scene. Before touching anything, he pulled a glove over his left hand. His right could go without. One more advantage of a fully mechanical limb. His eyes were clearly at work as well, apertures widening and narrowing as augmented reality displays took note of all the parts of the weapon, both for information on it and any sort of identification to the people who had been using them during the assault. Fingerprints on the stocks and handles were quickly run through, while jailbroken ID tags on some of the more advanced weaponry lead him back to some reported thefts." Looks like most of these were nabbed off an import. Foreign made, tags broken into, good quality. Must have been a recent gain." His hand tilted to an unnatural degree as he examined the weapon, doing an almost complete 180 to the right as he focused more on the information floating around the gun than the weapon itself. "A few thefts could be linked to these things. There were three reported in the last couple of months. All of 'em follow a pretty uniform method, going loud as hell and leaving a ton of property damage behind." He turned the gun back over, readying his database for synchronization. Upon turning it on, the VR displays became fully visible holograms broadcasted from the machine, and the added access to the police database loaded up cases matching his descriptions." Theycouldbe associated with the More family, or at least they got these from them. Their address doesn't quite match up with More territories, but it's something to keep in mind." He paused, wondering just what the people brought in could have been doing with the much larger, more infamous group. None of them particularly looked like people the Morris would deal with on matters greater than a simple under-the-table trade, and most of them weren't exactly notable criminals. Why would no-names like them be taken out so thoroughly?-----Heather couldn't help but laugh as well. "Hey, no arguments there," She answered, putting on a jokingly flirtatious tone. It was hard to disagree with such a statement, and his choice in outfits certainly helped emphasize it. She didn't dwell on the subject for too long, since actual discussions about the devices came up. Putting her hands on her hips, she considered the possibility, and smiled at the compliment. Her helmet kept her face hidden, but something about her speaking perked up and made it clear she appreciated the gesture." Aw, thanks. And yeah, that's one option, but then you'd need a detonator. As of now, those things are kinda expensive to go blowing up, you know?" She pursed her lips, trying to come up with a few potential quick solutions to the idea. "Give me some time to tweak them a bit, I'll need to make them a bit more affordable before we go making them explode. Maybe downsize? Could save us a ton on materials..." She trailed off, and as Juno missed the return catch on one of the disks, she had to wonder if he wouldn't end up busting them before she got the chance. At the very least, she got a nice view out of his little mess up, and whispered a quick"Nice,"to herself. She decided not to ogle him for too much longer, acknowledging his statement. "Mm? Oh, sorry, I was already enjoying the view." While only halfway joking, she made her way over to the edge of the roof and leaned over herself, resting her hands on the tall barrier that stood ahead of them. Her drones, still hovering around behind her, moved slightly down and back to make them somewhat less visible from the road as they watched the 'sick wheels' approaching. A large and quite advanced-looking motorbike was approaching the building at a casual pace. Slick black paint reflected the surrounding lights, and the driver, clad head-to-toe in heavy-looking biker gear, kept an eye on the road while he drove along. The motorcycle slowed down, eventually stopping just ahead of the building that they were standing on. Heather made a sound of approval, clearly enjoying the craftsmanship of the machine. "Damn, that thing must have been expensive. I want one," She commented, lifting the visor to her helmet to get a clearer look. Lance and Velma exchanged a glance after Anne called out some orders. Velma decided to follow the other woman, leaving Lance behind in the main room with Jack. She steeled herself for a grisly sight, but was surprised to find that, when she entered after Anne, the bodies weren't as bad as she thought they would be. The bullet holes had a clean precision to them that removed any element of gore, besides blood, but it was almost as unsettling as if they had been killed in a messier way. And the exact strikes made her feel as if the theory that he was augmented was more likely than ever. Still, she needed to focus on the task at hand. She pulled out her own device and switched on the scanner, then went to the side of the room that Anne didn't choose. Velma saved the profiles of each man that came up, but nothing seemed likely to be very helpful. Small-time criminal after small-time criminal, and nothing that seemed to tie them together except that they had all died the same horrible way. Anne found something before Velma did, but Velma didn't go over to her. Instead, she listened as she finished scanning the last few men-nothing useful, naturally. "Seems to be the only thing we've got to look into right now, so it's worth a shot," she said. "I didn't turn up anything that seemed helpful, so..." She shrugged. Velma felt like Lance knew someone who would be helpful for mining through databases, but it might not be necessary to go to an outside source. She frowned down at the last ID scan, whose worst crime on record appeared to be theft. "I don't really get it, though. I thought the deal with this guy was that he killed big time criminals, not people like this." She began to head toward the morgue door, then paused a bit uncertainly. "We're done in here for now?" She asked Anne, beginning to push the door to the morgue open. Meanwhile, Lance was helping Jack sort through the piles of weaponry. He immediately realized the other man's augmentations made him much more suitable to doing this than Lance, who would have had to punch in each ID number into the system individually, so he mostly just passed weaponry to Jack and memorized any noticeable details on the weaponry and ID tags. Quietly, he hoped this wasn't going to be an indication of how the rest of this team up would go. He eyed the holograms Jack created with interest, but didn't say anything and instead read the information presented on them. "I suppose one question would be how this shooter found this particular group in the first place. Tracking crimes, weaponry? Something else entirely?" He turned over one of the guns and examined it more closely. "And what his criteria is for who gets chosen, too." Lance turned over case details in his mind, trying to find common threads. He was distracted, though, when the door leading to the morgue opened again.-Tonia had finished her work for the night and gotten paid, which was always nice, but she was still restless. She wanted something to do, but that had been her last job she'd turned up lately- and frankly, it wasn't very interesting. She sighed and leaned out the window, overlooking the city. It was a blur of bright lights and motion as always. Tonight, she felt like being a part of it. Quickly, before the impulse faded, she pushed away from the window and began hunting for shoes. "Wally, I'm going out," she called out, finally producing a pair of black boots and mismatched socks." Understood. Where are you going?" Wally asked from somewhere in the house. As she pushed her feet in the shoes, Tonia shrugged. "Just out. I'll pick up some groceries or something." Before the robot could object by saying something like 'it's late' or 'the grocery store is likely closed', she grabbed her phone, keys and wallet from the kitchen counter where she'd left them and headed towards the front door. "Later!" She said, pulling her coat off one of the hooks in the entryway as she walked out the door. She exited the apartment and locked the door quickly, then shoved her keys in her coat pocket. Then Tonia began heading down the apartment hall to the staircase. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going, but she hoped it was somewhere at least a little exciting. Tesla's ride wasn't as long as it was boring, his target was almost in sight. He figured the rest of his work would be done after pick-up. He slowed down and crept towards the rendezvous point, far ahead of schedule. Spotting the younger woman standing there he narrowed his eyes and came to a stop directly in front of her. "Are you ready to go"? He asked her, his hand resting on the throttle." I'm guessing that makes you my ride then." She said climbing onto the back of Tesla's bike. "The name's Hazard, what's your name?"" I'm Tesla"." Can I call you Tess? What do you do Tess?" Tesla blew air sharply out of his nose before replying. "I'm a courier, you know what a courier is right?"" It's a person who delivers mails and packages"." Good, so you know I'm here to pick you up and deliver you somewhere when the boss tells me where you're to go". He sighed, revving the motorcycle's engine. "So let's keep the chatter to a minimum while we work. Hold on tight though". Hazard let out a puff of air as she squeezed closer to Tesla as the motorcycle jutted forward. She held closely too him as the bike pulled them ever closer to the city. She wondered why they had her wait out here if she was going to be brought back in. Furthermore, she let her mind wonder as they rode, their trip being rather uneventful for most duration. Hazard's eyes wondered upwards as they rode through a denser part of the city. Catching a glimpse of a small drone floating above them between two buildings she spoke. "Hey Tess, wait, I think I saw something up there. Stop the bike, let's go check it out."" We can't really afford-"." Just stop already, it'll take like 5 minutes". Hazard interrupted him. Her eyes looking at where the drone had been. As Tesla stopped Hazard jumped off the motorcycle, her feet landing with a dull thud on the concrete. "Hurry up, let's go check it out". She spoke loudly as she headed towards the building's fire escape. [IOC]"Good evening Midnight City! How we all doin' tonight?" The announcer's voice sounded filtered, almost robotic in nature despite very human inflection. A radio broadcasting the station sat upon the corner of a diner's counter, sparsely inhabited by a few nighttime visitors. A clock on the wall read 9pm, and the Midnight FM radio station's broadcasts begun." Let's see what we got goin' on today. News reports say that conflicts goin' down in the Bronx blocks have been headed downhill this week. Witnesses are sayin' somethin' about a man on a motorcycle showin' up all over the place. You all would do good to stay away from there." New York's night-life was significant, and outside the diner, the streets were alive. Cars drove along roads old and new, concrete super-highways spanning over the older constructs that sat at ground level. It was a hazier evening, the clouds that hung in the sky dyed a duller purple from the neon signs that they flowed above. The diner's own sign was a simple old thing made of physical lights, an antique compared to the moving holograms and screens that displayed advertisements and company logos on the sky-piercing towers around it. The interior was likewise rather quaint, host to manually operated utensils and only a single service droid, hard at work cleaning the floor behind the counter." But enough about all that mess. We're all here for one thing, and that's the beauty of music. I got somethin' good I'd like to share with you all. I hope you enjoy the tunes." The announcer went quiet, and music began to play. It was a slower song, layered synths making up the entirety of its notes. The station focused on similar music, and had become quite popular amongst the city's various demographics. Music aside, the diner was mostly quiet. A pair in a corner booth sat together, having a simple conversation over some coffee. The larger of the pair, a man, was telling some tall tale supposedly from his past. Motions of the hand not holding onto his cup, a blocky-looking mechanical limb, emphasized his words." So the coach says to me, 'Jack, if we don't get the touchdown, the game's done. We lose, all this practice was for nothing.' So you know, at this point I'm pretty hyped up. It's all out." Jack took a sip from his drink, while his companion watched and listened, looking a little unimpressed." And then you lost, right?" She asked, taking a drink as well. Jack's expression changed immediately, much to her amusement. She let him keep going for now, setting her cup back down." What, me? Lose? Nah. I was the best damn player on that team. Of course, we won, I was there." He smiled confidently, to which she rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Anne. What's so unbelievable?"" Last time you told me a football story, it was about how you tackled through a line of sports droids. You can't overthrow football." Anne finished off her drink, setting the empty mug aside. Jack frowned a little, raising his mechanical arm. "It's this damn thing's fault. No more muscle memory for it." His justification, true or not, was at least believable. Getting a whole limb replaced meant relearning how to use it, and sports use wasn't really a priority. He finished off his coffee, standing up afterward. Anne followed suit, and after they put their mugs on the counter, Jack dropped a dollar and some change in the tips jar. Outside the diner, their car awaited. It was an older model, made just before the turn of the 22nd century. While it had been heavily modified due to maintenance and special additions, it was recognizable as a 2099 Interceptor, painted a glossy black with silver rims and bumpers. Both of them got in, and Jack turned on the ignition. The car's AI activated with the engine." Good evening, Jack. Do you have a location in mind?" On the inner windshield, hologram projectors displayed a map of the city streets, a grid of purple lights forming shimmering outlines of streets and buildings. The car's location was highlighted in blue." Nah, just going for a drive." Jack's answer prompted the AI to let the map fade, and after they both buckled in, he pulled back and began driving down the road. He remained on the streets at first, then turned up a ramp and onto the highway. A large, lanky man in a long red overcoat watches the two patrons leave the diner out of the corner of one of his dull, glassy eyes. He notices the enhancements on one and marks his appearance for later. With the way this town is moving, he thought of anyone with any metal to be a future recruit. Maybe not a full member, but he could always find ways to gain the services of people like him, when they're at their lowest. Never fails. A shorter, stockier man wearing dirtied blue overalls sipped at his coffee. He hasn't touched his. It's been sitting there cooling since he ordered it. He was never really liked eating out, but it's better to at least order something at a diner, he thought it rude otherwise. And he was anything but rude. The overalls man sat down his drink, finished, and stood up, motioning for the taller man to follow. He stood, slight creaking noises escaping his joints. He thought he needed to get out more, get some exercise in. Hard to do these days. He looked around the small diner and sighed." You know, places like these are a dying breed, Vinny." The tall man said. "Hardly many places where you can just drop by for a cup of Joe and some tunes." He scratched at his ear. "Even if it's the new age crap, like what's playing now." Vinny simply said nothing and led the tall man outside, around to one of the nearby alleys littering the underground." Gallante, listen, I know you like the older stuff, but it just don't go nowhere's no more. We got to look towards the futures, ya see, the new stuff." The tall man suddenly struck Vinny in the side of his head, before whirling around to face him, shoving him against the opposite wall to the diner." No, you listen, you fucking button, I'm your Boss, The Boss, your father, your elder, your paycheck, understand? I expect to be treated with some respect relevant to my position, cache?" He wrapped a cold hand around Vinny's throat. "If not, then I can pop you right now and leave you to the pigs. Got it? I'm packing enough heat in this hand to send you home to your mama, see? Do. Not. Let. It. Happen. Again." Vinny said nothing, terrified and shocked by the sudden, almost complete change in character. He leaned back against the wall, trying to get away from Gallant's gray, souless eyes and his icy grip. It was like looking Death in the face, and worse, if he was your Boss." Hey, you in there, you fucking goon, I'm addressing you here, eh?" Vinny snapped out of his reverie and blinked rapidly, nodding to Gallant, anything to get some space." Good. Remember what I said. Or you'll be the next mark to take a trip to the fish market, understand?" Gallante released the small, scared man, and he stumbled in front of him, silent, leading him the rest of the way down the alley." I guess good help is a dying breed, too." Gallant dusted himself off and followed, scratching at his ear every so often. The night sky, in its vague fluorescent haze, was beautiful. Velma knew it was probably over polluted and otherwise bad for the environment, but still, it was a lovely violet color at this time of day. She did her best to shut down the worrying part of her brain about this-it had enough to worry about already. Besides, she was trying to look at the night sky as a break from work. It had been a long day already. She had just emerged from a small coffee shop-one of those get your order and go places-with two coffees and a large muffin with an inadvisable number of chocolate chips. After pushing past a crowd of pedestrians, she broke through to a tall skeleton of a man leaning against the cracked brick of the coffeehouse. Lance had opted to take a smoke break instead of go inside with her, although she suspected it had more to do with a desire to be alone with his thoughts than to smoke.“One large black coffee for me, one large black coffee for you,” Velma said, nudging him with the drink. “Careful, it’s from a fresh batch.” He blinked at her after a moment, like he was waking up again. Then he took the coffee and, apparently ignoring her warning, took a large swallow. Velma watched with some alarm as his Adam’s apple bobbed as he forced it down his throat. Lance’s mouth puckered as he squinted at the sky. “That is hot,” he remarked. Velma thought his eyes might have been watering. “Why do I drink this, again?”“To stay awake through long hours?” Velma suggested.“I’m not even tired,” he said, frowning.”Well, we’re not all machines like you, Lance,” Velma said, reaching inside the brown paper bag to remove the muffin. “Want some of this?” He waved a hand at her. Velma was thankful he was at least thoughtful enough to not let it be the hand holding the cigarette. “Not hungry. Thanks, though,” Velma had already known the answer, but it made her feel better to ask. She leaned against the wall beside him and took a cautious sip of her coffee and grimaced-it was hot. Still, it wasn’t impossibly hot, so she proceeded after taking a bite out of her muffin. The two stood in relative silence, working on their drinks- or at least Velma did. Lance seemed to mostly just hold his. Finally, he ground out his cigarette on the wall behind him, then chucked the butt into a nearby trashcan. “We should probably walk back,” he remarked. Velma made a mph sound around a bite of muffin. She swallowed forcefully, then said, “to do more paperwork? Not exactly in a hurry.” Still, though, she stuck her unfinished muffin back into the bag and folded the top. She wasn’t exactly hungry, but she could at least attempt to make Lance eat something later. The two began the walk back to the police station. It wasn’t far, maybe three blocks or so, but Velma wasn’t exactly in a hurry. Small talk in the car continued for a short while, eventually giving way to silence. Both of them had rolled their windows down, the cold night breeze flowing through the dark interior of the car. Jack held the steering wheel with his organic arm, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a pack of cigarettes. High quality natural tobacco, none of that synthetic stuff that was popular amongst the lower rung for its cheap price. He plucked a pair out, passing one to Anne, and stowed the rest back into the pocket of his shirt. The cigarette found its way between his teeth, and the tip of his robotic arm's thumb parted slightly, the plates moving aside to allow a lighter mechanism to emerge. He made a motion like snapping his fingers, and a small flame lit on the tip of his digit. He held it to his cigarette to light it, then did the same for Anne, the fire going out as his thumb closed back into its initial state. Anne took a slow drag, turning her head to blow the smoke out the window. She held the cigarette in her fingers, her arm bent up at the elbow to hold the burning end just outside the car. "Thanks," She began, pausing for some time before speaking again. "You know, I'm thinking about that news on the radio." Once more, she turned her head, this time looking at Jack. Her irises made some small motions as the mechanical parts of them opened her pupils a bit more to adjust to the darker interior of the car. "That guy on the motorcycle, you think that's our guy?" One of the cases they'd been on had been open for upwards of a month with little progress. Mass murders and serial killings were hardly uncommon in the bad parts of the city, but a recent string had some linking similarities. Criminals targeted, deaths by extremely precise shooting, and chaotic crime scenes. Still, their PERP went unknown. Any recoverable bullets didn't match any gun on registry, and security systems were always cut before the murders began. Jack shrugged. "Could be. Could also be any number of punk vigilantes trying to be copycats. Motorcycles are pretty popular with the kids these days." Eyewitness accounts were important, but a vague few sentences on a music station weren't really viable proof. "Maybe we'll catch a big break if the investigators bring something new in. It all depends on what they find." The thought of finally finding the one doing the street cleaning and closing the case was nice, but he doubted any sudden developments with what they'd been leaving behind. It was all the same, every time. "If they call us in to look around, it might mean they found something useful for us. Til then, all we can do is work on other stuff they give us." It had been a mercifully long time since they'd had an active engagement, at least a few weeks without having to face down a rogue cyborg or killer robot. Both knew the relative peace wouldn't last forever, and despite being a period of relative downtime, both were anxious that something big was around the corner. Plugged into the dashboard, Jack's phone began to ring. He reached for it, but Anne lightly pushed his hand back. "You focus on the road. I'll get it," She ordered. Jack nodded and kept driving. Anne touched the phone's screen, and communications information appeared on her section of the windshield, set at an angle that wouldn't interrupt the driver seat's line of sight. A picture of a work accomplice and something similar to a wavelength graph were projected onto the interior of the glass. "Vance here. What do you need?" Immediately, the person on the other line responded. "Just got a call from a block in Manhattan. Get to the station as quick as you can, people are saying there's an armed and augmented individual going through it. No shots fired yet. Let's try to keep it that way. We'll set you up with your gear and send you out. Don't take too long."" On our way." Anne's response ended the call. She turned to Jack once more, who was looking toward her after the information was given. "Let's not keep them waiting," She suggested."" Wouldn't even think of it." Jack rolled his shoulders and took his steering wheel with both hands, twisting a section of it forward. From the front bumper and roof, red and blue lights emerged and began to shine, and a siren began to ring. The car's AI automatically kicked in, forming a route to the police station that took the least amount of time to reach. Other drivers began to move out of the way, allowing the vehicle to pick up speed and barrel down the highway. Some strategic lane swaps were necessary to avoid larger vehicles, but they soon reached an exit that led them toward the station. The car's AI automatically kicked in, forming a route to the police station that took the least amount of time to take. Finally, they pulled into the parking lot, the siren silenced after entering the premises. Jack twisted the wheel back into its normal position, deactivating the lights, then turned off the ignition and plucked his phone from its plug on the dashboard. Anne got out as well, moving around the front of the vehicle to begin heading toward the building's entrance. Before entering, she passed her cigarette to Jack, who snuffed out the end of both hers and his with his robotic finger, then slipped them back into their case. Upon entering, she approached the front desk attendant, who was distracted by a set of bulky headphones playing music and projecting some sort of hologram visor over his eyes, doing a sort of dance with his arms while seated. "Hey, Bucky." She failed to catch his attention, so she rang the bell sitting on the desktop. Again, there was no response. She pursed her lips, but Jack managed to get him to look over by slamming his robotic fist down near it, shaking much of the desktop's items around, including the attendant's feet that were resting atop it. Bucky nearly fell out of his chair trying to immediately straighten up, tearing the headphones off at lightning speed. He looked up at the officers in a panic, but let out a sigh of relief when he noticed it wasn't his boss come to scold him. "Oh, hey guys." A meek wave was given, which Anne responded to with a small one of her own, and Jack with a quick two fingered salutes. "You here for the call?"" That we are," Jack answered, slipping his hands into his coat pockets. "Something about a guy with a gun in a Manhattan block." Bucky nodded. "Right, right, yeah. Just head on up to Jamison's office and she'll give you the details. And, uh, can I ask you a favor? Don't tell her about these headphones, please?"" Sure thing, kid. But be careful with that stuff while you're on the job. Ya never know when the chief will come check up on you." Jack turned on his heel and started to walk away, while Bucky turned off the headset and hid it in one of his desk's drawers. Anne gave him a small smile and thanked him, then left as well, walking alongside Jack to the office they were called in to.-----Out on the streets, a girl seated on a bench was typing away on a phone, sending a message to a friend." Hey, Juno, it's Heather. The drone tests are going pretty good. At this rate we'll be able to get these things into their final stage by the end of the month. How are you doing with the materials?" It had been a couple of days since she'd seen him face to face, but she eagerly awaited that time to come again. With her message sent, she put the phone into her pocket and adjusted the long coat she was wearing. It wasn't merely to keep warm; beneath its length, her limb pack was worn, four mechanical arms currently in an inactive and partially retracted state hanging off of her back. Above her, partially obscured by the dark under the highway she was sitting beneath, multiple drones were flying around seemingly of their own volition. Heather looked up at them, and they began to descend closer to her. Each was a bit blocky, not very sleek and clearly homemade, welding marks visible on a few of them. Their propellers kept them aloft, and with two fingers, she began to make circular motions. The drones followed them, hovering around her in a circle. Progress on them was going good, despite a recent dry spell in parts. For now, they'd proved satisfactory. Once she had the means to, surveillance and defense features would be added to all of them. Her mental augmentation's link to the machines would provide her with a means of viewing things from afar once they were implemented, and with shielding and something to shoot, they'd be extremely useful for her line of work. The drones stopped spinning and ascended again as she stood up, hiding themselves in the dark overhead once more. It was about time to head home, she thought. Another quick adjustment was made to her coat, and she began to walk down the street, keeping her guard up. The ground level could be quite dangerous, but with her extra limbs, she felt like she'd be fine on the way out. Bob smiled to himself as he rolled the case he had just received to the back of the shop, through the large oil stain on the concrete, looking for all the world like a satisfied warehouse worker in his canvas overalls and baseball cap low over his eyes. The loading dolly wobbled a bit on its four wheels, and he noted to himself yet again that some day he would have to tighten those bolts. The crate itself was a heavy shipping box, around six feet wide and twice that in length, almost four feet deep, and weighed close to a half-ton. Well before he reached the back of the shop Bob planted his feet and hauled back, letting the dolly drag him forward until it ground to a ponderous halt less than a foot from the pitted concrete wall. He patted the dolly like a favored horse that had performed well and glanced up at the HappyCatParty(tm) clock." Damn, already that late, huh? Wonder if I should put in an appearance at Dave's." The bar wasn't actually called Dave's, it was called McGillicuddy's, one of the numerous dive bars in this part of the Pits. The bar owner's name was Geoffrey, but Bob called him Dave to be contrary and to amuse himself. It was his favorite place inside city limits, one of the few places where he had learned he could cut loose and relax without constantly reassuring himself that his wallet and his sidearm were still on him. It was only a block up his alley, an easy walk, though there had been gunfire earlier so he thought perhaps he should skip it. He glanced over at the new crate." Nah, much too late to unpack that beast today. Beef it is!" He strode over to a set of lockers near the door leading to his apartment and opened the third one, wrestling to get the hard-worn latch to let go of it's fastening. Inside hung various vests for both over- and under-clothes wear. He selected a thin reactive plate and set it aside just as a small brown head stuck itself through the swinging panel in the door and barked at him quizzically. "Yeah, boy, I'm goin' out. Try not to wee the carpet this time, yeah? We'll go for a walk later tonight." The puppy's affirmative bark and disappearance through the panel threw Bob off for a second. "Damn dog is gettin' smarter by the hour, I swear. Now where the hell did I leave my keys at?" Twenty minutes later saw Cochran pull the reinforced steel side door of his garage shut and key in the lock and secure code on the panel next to it, now dressed in jeans and a button down gray work shirt. Checking the lock and feeling the buzz from the security system, he nodded to himself and headed off down the alley. Thankfully, he had never had to pry anyone's corpse off of the door, but in ten seconds it would be charged with enough juice to bring down any three people one could name and leave them charred piles of mess on the step. The neighbors would warn officials and whatnot beforehand, as would the sign above the keypad, but anyone stupid enough or shifty-looking had to figure it out on their own. Bob's boots echoed down the alley as he ambled along, humming an old Irish folk song as he went. Vinny pushed open the heavy door of the building at the back of the alley, leading to a dim hallway. He looked back at Gallant's tall frame shadowed by the fading light of the street and shuddered, their encounter still fresh in his mind. He was told the Boss could snap at anytime at anyone, but he couldn't have known how easy it was to set him off... Furthermore, he sighed and shook his head, telling himself to put it aside for now and continue the job. Gallant stepped past Vinny during his inner pep talk and rapped his knuckles against his forehead." Ey, Sleeping Beauty, let's get movie we're burning moonlight 'ere." Gallant continued down the hall as Vinny followed, rubbing his head. They approached another heavy door and Vinny executed a series of knocks, two fast knocks then a break followed by three more. A voice crackled from an unseen speaker." Password, fellas." the voice sounded tired, but there was an edge there. Vinny answered with, "It was the One-armed Man." There was a silence that stretched for a few seconds, until the shifting of metal was heard behind the door. It swung inward and light poured out, along with a muffled Jingle Jangle Jingle playing over an old record player. The man on the other side seemed human in most respects, middle-aged by the look of him, with a medium build and the looks out of one of those old soda ads, like the spitting image of a decent working man in the 50s. Though, the off-putting thing was his missing arm. No stump, no indication an arm was even there, just a hole." Well, a good howdy dew to you, there, fellas." He spoke cheerfully, but he made it apparent he'd been up for a while and wasn't happy about it. "What can I do for you this fine night?" Gallante stepped past Vinny and clasped the other man on the shoulder. "Robert, my boy... I need some, uh, flowers. A good friend of mine is having his funeral today, and I can't show up empty-handed, you know?" He strode past him, into his small shop and up to the counter. The shelves were all bare and reinforced with steel, though the counter was made of fine wood. Robert followed and stepped around the counter. "I know it's late, and short notice, but help a guy out would ya? We're friends, aren't we?" He gripped Robert's hand and squeezed it tightly, feigning a look of profound sadness. "Be a pal..." Robert felt the credits press against his palm and smiled up at the poor man. "Why, of course we're friends, Gallant, so I'll help ya out." He reached under the counter and pressed a button, causing the sound of cracking gears to sound behind the walls. Then, the walls flipped outward, revealing an assortment of weaponry, from close to long range, silent to loud, personal to well, "collateral damage." Robert tucked the credits into his pocket and watched as the two men perused his collection. "If you don't mind me skin, Gallant, when did your friend kick the bucket?" Gallante turned to him, brandishing one of several semi-automatics. "Oh, he's not dead yet." He wiped his hand along the weapon, testing its weight. "I just have... I don't know, a feeling or a premonition. I think something terrible is going to happen to him. Better to be prepared, isn't that right, Vinny?" Vinny, for his part, nodded dutifully before returning to hefting out a nice rifle for himself." It'll be quite the public affair, gunned down I think. Terrible. Just terrible. And all because he stole from someone very important." Robert blinked and shook his head. "Well gee, this feller doesn't sound too smart to me, if you pardon." Gallante stuffed a few more choice pieces into his coat and headed for the door. "No. He wasn't." Her claws sank half an inch into the brickwork as Mittens' nightmarish figure climbed steadily up the side of the building in order to see through a second story window. She had seen several of the slavers moving in and out of the front of this stinking box place. "Warehouse," chimed her internal encyclopedia. "A building used for the storage, organization, and distribution of various goods, ranging from perishable foods to electronics and industrial equipment." She paused and shook her head, causing her radar dish to wobble about on it's mounting. "Shut up, infernal thing," she thought to it, her way of giving it orders. "If I desire correction I shall ask for it!" These thoughts were not in the tongue of the slavers, but simple emotion, desire, and intent. The program dutifully ceased monitoring for the moment. Mittens certainly made an odd sight, if anyone had bothered looking. She was nearly a foot and a half in length, and the design of most of her chassis seemed heavily inspired by early twentieth century science fiction. Old film fanatics and collectors would recognize a heavy H.R. Tiger aesthetic, though the plating on her limbs was blocky, and all of it made in a somewhat slipshod and junky fashion. In fact, some of it Mittens had replaced herself, and these parts were obvious because they were even more cobbled together from scrap wire, old plastics, and rusty metals. On the whole, however, she functioned quite well, and more importantly to her, she could still move as silently as her biological brethren. Her left eye, the one which still retained an organic nature, narrowed as she approached the window, fifteen feet up from the street. The IR laser in her right eye scanned the window, but there was no heat against it, so she proceeded onto the ledge and sat, much like any other feline, looking for all the world like she was meant to be right there and was completely unconcerned with whatever anyone else might be doing. Her head swung from side to side as she scanned the room inside, radar dish swiveling to point at the computer on the desk. A typical slaver "workspace", such as she had seen before. One of the ones in the multi-layered authority costumes must reside here during the day. No matter, this was not her goal, though it could be useful. She lifted one front foot and exposed a single claw, the micro-edged steel gleaming lethally in the faint light from the building across the way. It etched a careful line around a suitably sized section of the glass, and then she extended all five of her claws and gently stabbed them into the panel. They sunk fractionally into it, and then the panel popped loose with a faint clinking noise. Carefully she stepped through her new entryway, letting the glass down onto the rough and stained carpet without breaking it, then moved over to the computer terminal. Yes, this must be a manifest of goods, and she knew how to get at it. Lifting her left front foot, she pressed it to the jack she remembered this working with before. A slim little connection device slid out from the wrist and inserted into the jack. She immediately began receiving information. Most of it had to be filtered through her internal search engine, matching keywords to find what she was looking for. A hit came up within a minute. Though she couldn't smile, she was very pleased. After removing her interface device, she stalked across the room to the door, an electronically sealed security affair. She simply climbed up the door as she had the walled and buried her right claws into the keypad and wiggled them for a moment, them dropped, tearing out a trailing of shredded wires from the now smoking device. She shook her paw daintily as the door clicked and swung open. The warehouse stood before her. She scanned her eyes across the place, noting the several stacks of likely looking boxes before her image search pinged her that the correct area was in the back. Silent except for the soft clink of metal on concrete, she made her way across the vast and darkened space, avoiding the pools of light that lit a few key junctures of the paths between boxes. It would strike a human how anachronistic the whole place was, as long ago most companies had figured out that lighting the whole room was better, but these were not people who operated in the light most of the time. After what seemed an eternity to the impatient thief, she came across the storage unit she wanted. This was not as secure as it should be, but was also disguised as simple electronic parts. She clawed a small area of the bottom corner to pieces within the span of a few seconds, the micro-edges of her claws meeting barely any resistance from the shipping crate's wood. Then she clambered into the secret space below the standard electronics boards and packing material and emitted a horrible gurgling sound through her voice emitter, which one could generously call a chuckle. Slowly, she dragged her prize out from the depths of it's 'secure' area, revealing a short tube with an array of wires and a box on one end, connected to a cooling unit. She opened the battery pack deftly and emitted another strangled giggle when she saw that one was already in place. Now the slavers would really begin to suffer. She just had to convince one of them to attach this, and her revenge could commence in earnest. She was busy imagining their burning flesh and horrified screams when the sound of heavy footsteps approaching shook her from her fantasy. NO! Not when she was so close! The beam of a flashlight swept around a corner, and fell upon her. Kevin was not having a good night, though he did not know how bad it was about to get. Sheila had broken up with him this morning, and he had had no desire to come into work, but considering the people he worked for, missing a shift meantgoingmissing, and he had much less desire to end up at the bottom of the river. So he had come in. Paul was passed out in the front gate shack, so it was up to him to patrol the interior. Help was less than a few minutes away, in the form of five heavily armed and augmented toughs, but they usually played cards unless something went wrong. He himself had an autopistol, so he never worried too much, though if the police ever showed up he would definitely try and feign ignorance, as he had a vested interest in staying alive and out of jail. When he went to investigate the noise from the back that sounded like a paper shredder, and he figured rats, he was not exactly dutiful in calling for backup. He strolled along cautiously, but he was not at all prepared for what his flashlight illuminated, and he stood dumbfounded as Mittens hissed, a sound made all the more horrifying with the electronic accent from the modulator. The pause was all she needed. She spent some time eating some of Kevin, because she had not fed yet tonight and her energy reserves were running low. After finishing, she licked herself clean, gathered her newfound toy, and out of necessity walked out of the building on her two hind legs, something she despised doing but would not disdain from in light of its utility. Paul never woke up in time, and the skaters would find two of their own dead in this place in the morning. As she searched her small data bank for local chop shops, she made her horrible laugh again into the night. The revolution had begun! At the very top of a mid-rise apartment block, Igor Murray sat, silhouetted due to the darkness that was the New York City night. He was too high for streetlights, and other than the lone light shinning from the entrance of the staircase leading to the top of the building, as well as the lighted windows of the apartment rooms below, it was very dark. But that was the benefits of having an augmented right eye; it allowed Igor to see even in night-vision (very important to the man's career), which was why he was able to perch himself on the thick stone border around the edge of the building. It prevented people from falling off, even while drunk, and by that time those thoughts were no longer on his mind. It was peaceful and quiet, and when it was not raining Igor liked to come up here, to think. Heights were always a comfort to him, and like a cat he always liked to perch himself on areas as high as possible, so that he would get a good view of his surroundings, enough to at least prepare if anything should occur. He was friends with heights; the higher he was from ground, the stronger, more confident he was. That was where his talents lay as well; the higher he was, the more effective he was in combat. Still though, one could never be more careful during these dangerous times, so he took his sniper riffle with him. It was close to useless in close combat, but at least he felt safer with it on his person. These few days, things had been especially boring for him. New York City was his home base, and he was stationed here. On call, for emergencies that required the army sweeping in. Yet it did not seem like the NYPD had everything under control. The crime rate was increasing exponentially, yet he had not been called into service. Of course, crime was the NYPD's area; it was hardly necessary to call the army in, but still though, he had been asked to remain here just in case things turned even more sour. It did mean, however, that he passed his days doing virtually nothing. Already, he was past relaxed-mode, dipping right into boredom, and unless something happened, he did not see any way of extricating himself from it. Bars, TV shows and the internet could only do so much. He released a sigh as he continued to peer down. Directly opposite his apartment was a warehouse, and it was this warehouse that he set his sights on. It was just something to look at, to past the time, until it was time to go back in to sleep. Gallant and Vinny chugged along the choked motorways, thick with traffic, as a slight mist began to settle on the streets. It was well into the night now, and everyone was either going home or starting the graveyard shift. They were of the latter, gallant supposed, off to do some business. Though he'd prefer to leave graveyards out of it. Gallant went through some checks on the compact submachine gun he picked up from of Robert, while Vinny focused on the road, silently preparing himself for the job. This would be the first time he'd been out on a hit like this. Gallante used to have him run cover jobs, changing ledgers and falsifying inventory, so the gang could smuggle supplies from certain businesses. This was usually the job of any non-augmented member of Gallant's family. However, Vinny was around since the beginning, one of the first people who found Gallant when he was small-time. One of the few humans Gallant kept in his employ. Despite the attitude he gives him, Gallant respects Vinny for sticking around, and decided it was about time to take him on a more important job. The target was an old associate of the family, a human like Vinny who would help with supply runs. However, he ended up turning on them, revealing his disgust at the mostly all cyborg group, saying he was looking to stop them for the good of humanity. He called in the cops on them and a good three of his men were brought down. Gallant made it out, but ever since then was very distrusting of anyone who wasn't augmented. He figured the cops must have paid him off, or sweetened the deal with a short prison sentence. He thought of himself as the only man with any respect left in the world. A relic of times, he would say. He had no problem with any cyborgs, mostly thought of them as the downtrodden in this society, and wanted to bring them up, give them a good life. And, if that meant he would get some strong grunts to do some dirty work for him, how could he refuse? Some practically begged to join up, wanting some revenge on society. Poor, misguided anger like that was very lucrative for business, and he soon whipped them into shape, making a name for himself in certain street level districts. Vinny slowed the car at a red light and spotted the mark, standing outside an old general store. Vinny tapped the steering wheel twice and Gallant looked up, spying him out of the corner of his eye. He nodded once and rolled down his window, while Vinny stepped on the gas, peeling out of the stoplight and drifting alongside the sidewalk. Gallant set his gun against the door and opened fire, spraying bits of metal against the front of the store, a path of small dents painted across it as a splash of blood completed the scene. A tragic work of art, bright against the dreary gray of the city at night. There were screams, but they died down as Gallant rolled his window up again, storing the piece in his coat." Good work, Vinny my boy, now you're on the trolley! Let's stash this wagon and hide the typewriter, we can have one of the boys pick them up later. Don't want any bulls on our tail." Later at Jorge's Rust Heap, a junkyard known for taking undesirables beyond that of cars and making them into cubes, Gallant and Vinny drive slowly in, headlights off, as the mist of late night boils over the streets. They pull up to a small, but sturdy shack in a clearing, surrounded by junk of every description, most unrecognizable from what it once was. Gallant stepped out, while Vinny waited inside, and knocked sharply on the door three times. A tall, pale man with shoulder-length black hair slowly creaked the door open, spilling out both light and the rhythmic tones of a wrestling match. "What you want, Mr. Gunmetal, sir?" Gallant took his hat in his hands and glanced up at the man, squinting slightly to make out his face, slightly disfigured by large scar running from his right temple to the left side of his jaw. "My good Jorge, I require your assistance in making something very hot disappear for a few days till things cool off, see?" He hooked a thumb behind him toward the car. Jorge scratched his jaw, then looked down at Gallant inquisitively. "Alright, sure, let's hash out the terms."

Midnight City [IC]|rating:4.0

Feathersnow's Egypt game IC

Your Kate find itself on detached duty to Queen Fishnet of the district known as Upper Delta. She is a matronly kobold whose once glaring white scales have faded to gray. Her, her royal guard, and an avatar of Thoth are visiting a Blue Village. After a crusade by a son of Apex was but down by efforts of the Sun King's army and less direct hostility from the Semites, the local barbarous races are disunified, and both Draw and civilized envoys and missionaries have made headway. The ruling pair of this farming village of psionic goblins have agreed to convert to the true faith, in a gala ceremony, in exchange for expanded markets for their rice and protection from marauding Petite Orcs. The avatar of Thoth is here to endow them with holy office, and the Queen is here to show that the civilized races welcome all beings, even psionic creatures and former enemies, under the banner of the Sun God. As you approach the fortified portion of the village, a young Blue goblin greets you: "Help, help! A Set-beast has attacked. Save us! Save us, clerics of Pharaoh!" Upon hearing the call for help from the goblins, Sap ham-Tet powered herself up, and peered across the village to see if she could find the creature. "Where is this creature?" she asked, drawing her bow and speaking a command word to ignite the weapon. Hearing the cry of distress, Odom reflexively summons the blade of light that is his signature. Could be a trap. But me must investigate regardless. It would look poorly on us to have those newly joined to be beset by such a creature. He thinks, saying nothing. Spoiler Hide sense motive (1d20+21)[30] perception (1d20+20)[31] to spot an ambush Your sense motive check reveals no deception from the Blue. You furthermore hear sounds of struggle and fear from deeper in the town. The Blue points in that direction, helpfully. "The Set-beast materialized in the fort courtyard. The Ardent managed to trick it into thinking it is trapped in a magic circle, but it will figure out that it isn't soon!" Odom nods." He speaks true, unless I am deceived. Few have done so for many years. And I hear the sound of battle. Follow me." He closes his eyes momentarily, channeling the power of ages to ward himself against harm. Spoiler Hide vigor, augment to 6 pp, 30 THP. Next round force screen, no augment. Heading toward the sound of battle with move actions until buffed, then running or doubling moving as available until he can see an enemy Odom, Immortal Blade of the Radiant Sun M LG Elan Soul knife (gifted Blade)//Inquisitor, Level 8/1, Unit +2, HP 112/82, Speed 30 AC 32, Touch 21, Flat-footed 21, CMD 29, Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +15, CMB +8/+3, Base Attack Bonus 8/3, Power Points 42/49/34 Collision +5 damage, combat expertise Mind Blade +2 16/11 (2d6+20, 19-20x2) Mitral Breastplate +1, Force Screen (+7 Armor, +4 Shield, +2 DEX) Abilities STR 10, DEX 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 28, CIA 8 Condition 42/49 PP force screen Vigor "I am with you,"chimed in the Cleric in charge of the mission to bring the barbarous races into the civilized fold. Kane fer, resplendent in his ceremonial robes, drew his blade and with a quick blessing, hastened towards the sound of fighting. Spoiler Hide If he can be assumed to have prepared his daily spells, here is what he has: (Casting a Divine Favor on himself) Level 0: Detect Poison, Enhanced Diplomacy, Purify Food and Drink, Mending Level 1: Divine Favor x2, Endure Elements, Liberating Command, Vacant Slot x2 Domain Spell: Shield of Faith Level 2: Bull's Strength x2, Protection From Evil (Communal), Resist Energy, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Bless Weapon Level 3: Dispel Magic, Wind Wall, Summon Monster III x2, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Prayer Level 4: Air Walk, Summon Monster IV x2, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Holy Smite The royal guard close ranks around the queen and the avatar. You rush forward, and encounter a Set-beast. You can roll knowledge religion for more information. The ardent, a female Blue, seems exhausted as the Set-Beast paces around an invisible, imaginary cage. As you close within twenty feet, the mind trick falters and the Set-beast rushes at the Ardent. She is rescued at the last instant by wormhole! The beast, not seeing the nomad who trapped it, turns on his natural enemies: You! The Set-beast advances towards you. It is superficially just a giant black-furred badger-like creature, but you know these creatures are demons with strong magic. They are created by rituals used by the Draw and other Semites. It is about the mass of a human, but it is all muscle and low to the ground. It is ten feet from you and closing fast. Roll initiative. Set-beast(1d20)[17]+9 Odom's blade raises high to greet the creature with measured strokes. Spoiler Hide initiative (1d20+2)[18] know planes (1d20+14)[32] (includes +9 from monster lore) move camp; attack (1d20+16)[20] (includes -3 from combat expertise) damage (2d6+20)[27] if losing initiative and full attacking, second attack (1d20+11)[17] (includes -3 from combat expertise) damage (2d6+20)[28] Odom, Immortal Blade of the Radiant Sun M LG Elan Soul knife (gifted Blade)//Inquisitor, Level 8/1, Unit +2, HP 112/82, Speed 30 AC 32, Touch 21, Flat-footed 21, CMD 29, Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +15, CMB +8/+3, Base Attack Bonus 8/3, Power Points 42/49/34 Collision +5 damage, combat expertise Mind Blade +2 16/11 (2d6+20, 19-20x2) Mitral Breastplate +1, Force Screen (+7 Armor, +4 Shield, +2 DEX) Abilities STR 10, DEX 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 28, CIA 8 Condition 42/49 PP force screen Vigor Kane fer calls out, loud and clear, an invocation of the Sun God's aid as he raises his hands high." Grant this servant your boon, that I may cleanse this unholy creature from Your sight." A show of force, in the service of a righteous cause, was in order. The Great River flowed in Heaven as it did on Earth, and in either plane its crocodiles were deadly to the unwary. Spoiler Hide Swift Action to activate Aura of Heroism. All allies within 30' gain a +2 Morale bonuses on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks. Full round action, casting Summon Monster IV to summon (1d3+1)[2] Celestial Crocodiles from the SM III list, putting them right next to the Set-beast. They have +4 Strength and +4 Constitution from Augment Summoning. They each activate Smite Evil and bite the Set-beast, trying to grapple it. Knock 3 damage off each hit if the Set-beast turns out to not be evil. Croc 1: Attack: (1d20+9)[22] Damage: (1d8+12)[13] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[30] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[19] and target is knocked prone. Croc 2: Attack: (1d20+9)[17] Damage: (1d8+12)[19] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[24] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[17] and target is knocked prone. Croc 3 (if applicable): Attack: (1d20+9)[24] Damage: (1d8+12)[19] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[33] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[13] and target is knocked prone. Croc 4 (if applicable): Attack: (1d20+9)[29] Damage: (1d8+12)[19] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[23] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[20] and target is knocked prone. Spoiler: Spells Hide Level 0: Detect Poison, Enhanced Diplomacy, Purify Food and Drink, Mending Level 1: Divine Favor x2, Endure Elements, Liberating Command, Vacant Slot x2 Domain Spell: Shield of Faith Level 2: Bull's Strength x2, Protection From Evil (Communal), Resist Energy, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Bless Weapon Level 3: Dispel Magic, Wind Wall, Summon Monster III x2, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Prayer Level 4: Air Walk, Summon Monster IV x2, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Holy Smite Atherton's knowledge check reveals That Set-beasts are spirit beings brought into existence through the transmuting of magical items and animal sacrifice. They can summon true outsiders and cast divine spells, but their most deadly attack is their claws. The set-beast attacks Despoiler Hide (1d20)[10]+16 (1d20)[15]+16 (1d20)[10]+14 Frustrated at its failure to rend the Righteous servant of the Sun God, The set Beast summons forth a demon from the howling wastes between worlds Spoiler Hide Set-Beasts are affected by a perpetual haste effect A fiendish dire-weasel comes forth and attacks a celestial crocodile A low undulating growl rips from landaus's partially open jaw. Gripping his blade in both hands he charges forward, speeding across the sand, throwing himself at the Set Beast. ActionsSpoiler Hide Swift Action: Enter Crane Stance Free Action: Start Raging (+4 STR, +4 Con, +2 Will Saves, -2 AC, +16 HP) Full-Round Action: Charge Set-Beast (Fighting Defensively, using Stalwart to trade AC for DR) To-Hit: (1d20+19)[24] Damage: [roll]2d6+16 Status Effects Charging: +2 to Hit, -2 AC Fighting Defensively: -2 to Hit, DR 4/- Raging: +4 STR, +4 Con, +2 Will Saves, -2 AC, +16 HP Odom's holy blade barely clips the fur of the Set beat, doing no damage. Al-Andalus manages to hit the creature, though.(2d6+16)[19] The set-beast turns on landaus. He goes into a flurry a razor claws and teeth.(5d20)[19][2][12][7][13](53)+15/+15/+13/+15/+15 Here is the damage from the set beast to al-Andalus(4d4+48)[53]Please note changing targets provokes and attack of op from Odom. As The set beast is first in initiative, you may take your next round actions. Odom drops his defensive stance to launch himself fully at the beast. Spoiler Hide How did it provoke? Just changes targets doesn't unless it moved away, charging and using pounce to get a full attack. Not that I'm complaining. AOO (1d20+16)[19] damage (2d6+20)[31] move and attack (1d20+20)[36] damage (2d6+20)[29] unless he can 5' step, then he full attacks 2nd attack (1d20+15)[26] damage (2d6+20)[28] AC 23 since not getting focused defense bonus Kane watches in horror as the beast summons a creature of its own, and goes on to savage one of his companions. Time to really pour on the pressure. He casts another summoning spell, accompanied by an incantation against the creature. Spoiler Hide Swift Action casting Litany of Sloth from his Inquisitor spells. No save, (1d20+2)[5] vs SR if applicable. If it works, the target cannot make Attacks of Opportunity and cannot cast spells defensively. Full Round Action casting another Summon Monster IV for another (1d3+1)[3] Celestial Crocodiles. He will put as many around the Set-beast as he can without impeding his teammates, and any "extra" he will put next to the Fiendish Dire Weasel. Croc 1: Attack: (1d20+9)[22] Damage: (1d8+12)[14] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[23] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[14] and target is knocked prone. Croc 2: Attack: (1d20+9)[21] Damage: (1d8+12)[17] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[20] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[19] and target is knocked prone. Croc 3: Attack: (1d20+9)[16] Damage: (1d8+12)[19] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[31] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[16] and target is knocked prone. Croc 4: Attack: (1d20+9)[21] Damage: (1d8+12)[18] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[32] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[17] and target is knocked prone. Croc 5 (if applicable): Attack: (1d20+9)[27] Damage: (1d8+12)[14] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[21] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[15] and target is knocked prone. Croc 6 (if applicable): Attack: (1d20+9)[23] Damage: (1d8+12)[19] Grab attempt: (1d20+13)[16] vs CMD Death Roll (if Grab is successful): (1d8+12)[19] and target is knocked prone. The set-beast is knocked on its side and the dire weasel is ripped to shreds by the holy crocodiles. The Sacred crocodiles of Secret rip the creature to shreds after Odom delivers the final blow, and they proceed to eat its corpse before fading back to the next world. I'll edit this post to describe your loot when I'm not so tired. Odom's blade bursts into flame, cleansing itself of the beast's blood. He speaks solemnly, eyes scanning the area." Whoever summoned this beast is still out there; they must be stopped." The nomad and the ardent walk wearily towards you. "Thank you, heroes. We made the right choice in trusting Pharaoh! The creature was summoned by an Irish necromancer we had dealing with during the... unpleasantness. His Petite magic allows him to become invisible and to teleport, but he probably is nearby. The royal guard arrive, escorting the avatar and the queen. The queen says, "We will be safe now. Lord Thoth will consecrate the land, barring Petite magic until noon tomorrow. The Irish scum wouldn't dare attack with such a disadvantage! Go, hunt down the necromancer!" Spoiler Hide The unpleasantness is that most of the tribes in the area were swayed by the Appetite crusaders several years ago, though it is unlikely a simple farming village fielded many or dedicated combatants. Your treasure is one trifling rod of quickening (apply to quicken to one spell of level 3 or less once per day), one crawling tattoo of biofeedback manifested as a level 4 psychic warrior (+3dr/-) one crawling tattoo of animal affinity, one +1 flaming burst hopes, and 1500 GP worth of masterwork nonmagical silver jewelry. Each player also take 3600 XP. "The foul mage may have left some spoor we can follow. If that yields no clue, tracking our quarry will fall to more traditional experts." Kane's eyes narrow as he opens his senses to the arcane, trying to pick up any sort of lead. Spoiler Hide Studying the area closely with Detect Magic. There is a fell distortion in the air near where the "magic circle" was. The nomad, being an expert on teleportation, might have some power to trace where the hole in the either was ripped to. Upon asking him, his eyes glow for a moment, then he announces that it leads to a cave nearby. Spoiler Hide I am using the "psionic are different magic" interpretation, which allows you to use magic to detect psionic, though with more difficulty, and vice versa landaus shakes off the Set-Beast's attack in the aftermath of their attack and gathers himself before speaking aloud in a thick, gravely voice." To the caves then." Odom abandons his search of the area when the discovery is made. "Let us make haste. We do not want him to escape." The avatar Thoth uses a healing spell on landaus.(4d8+8)[23] The royal guard establishes a perimeter as you leave. The Blue you met at the gate offers to lead you to the cave. "I won't go in, though, I'll use this tattoo to get back." The cave is dank and dark. A breeze indicates that this may lead to the underdark. However, as you go in, you realize the Orc didn't go far. You see him in a clearing up ahead. Kane mutters a quick prayer of protection and hastily applies it to the rest of the party. Spoiler Hide Casting Communal Protection from Evil, dividing its duration (8 minutes) evenly among all present. Spoiler Hide Level 0: Detect Poison, Enhanced Diplomacy, Purify Food and Drink, Mending Level 1: Divine Favor x2, Endure Elements, Liberating Command, Vacant Slot x2 Domain Spell: Shield of Faith Level 2: Bull's Strength x2, Protection From Evil (Communal), Resist Energy, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Bless Weapon Level 3: Dispel Magic, Wind Wall, Summon Monster III x2, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Prayer Level 4: Air Walk, Summon Monster IV x2, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Holy Smite Aura of Heroism: 6/8 rounds remain today Flanking him are four skeletal revenants denied Anubis' judgement and peaceful rest for the convenience of this Petite wretch. Originally Posted by Feather snow The avatar Thoth uses a healing spell on landaus. [roll0] landaus bows his head and says"Gratitude"before heading off with everyone else. The holy Ibis bows in acknowledgement of your courtesy. Odom takes the lead, blade radiating gunfire as he advances. Spoiler Hide Holy smite sounds like a good plan. I'm presuming force screen and vigor are still up, they have 6 minute duration. Initiative (1d20+2)[6] If he can get to the caster without Amos, then that's his target. If not, hit the nearest undead. Attack (w/ combat expertise) (1d20+17)[37] damage (2d6+20)[27] (fire) If losing initiative and getting a full attack, second attack: attack (w/ combat expertise) (1d20+11)[27] damage (2d6+20)[25] (fire) Spoiler Hide Odom, Immortal Blade of the Radiant Sun M LG Elan Soul knife (gifted Blade)//Inquisitor, Level 8/1, Unit +2, HP 112/82, Speed 30 AC 35, Touch 24, Flat-footed 21, CMD 32, Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +15, CMB +8/+3, Base Attack Bonus 8/3, Power Points 42/49/34 Collision +5 damage, combat expertise Mind Blade +2 17/12 (2d6+20, 19-20x2) Mitral Breastplate +1, Force Screen (+7 Armor, +4 Shield, +2 DEX) Abilities STR 10, DEX 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 28, CIA 8 Condition 42/49 PP force screen Vigor Spoiler Hide necromancer (1d20+4)[11] The skeletons are blocking your approach to the necromancer. Odom attacks the exoskeleton of a Thai-kreen and incinerates its torso, setting its scattered limbs ablaze. The skeletons of two blues and another Thai-kreen remain, interposing themselves between you and the necromancer. Kane raises his hands to the sky once again, and a blinding flash of sunlight fills the cave as he chants a more direct invocation of the Sun God's power. Spoiler Hide Initiative: (1d20+8)[19] Casting Holy Wrath on the area, trying to catch as many enemies in its 20' radius as possible without excluding the necromancer. Odom will be unaffected. (4d8)[11] damage and targets are blinded for one round. A DC 22 Will save halves the damage and negates the blinded effect. (1d20+8)[11] vs SR, if applicable He will then take a move action towards the fray, and use Litany of Sloth on the necromancer, preventing it from making attacks of opportunity or casting defensively for one round. (1d20+8)[26] vs SR, if applicable The necromancer twitches his an invocation. Your holy fire spell inverts itself into vile shadow energy! Roll an opposed caster check(1d20)[5] your spell is set ablaze by vile Set-energy. Each of you takes 4 damage from the flames. The energy then funnels into the necromancer's hands and rebounds at you anew dealing(2d6)[8]damage to Odom and(1d6)[1]damage to landaus and Kane fer. Each of you then makes a 20 fort save or become sickened. He then launches a second, weaker salvo of that same fell energy, (2d6)[6]to Odom, (1d6)[1]to the others, save 18, but if you failed the first, no effect. Al-Andalusal-Andalus works himself into a rage and throws himself at the necromancer, a crocodile snarl tearing from his jaws. Bringing his great sword to bear he swings wildly at the necromancer. ActionsSpoiler Hide Free Action: Enter Rage (14/17 rounds per day remaining) Swift Action: Enter Crane Stance Full-Round Action: necromancer (Power Attack, Fighting Defensively, using Stalwart to trade bonus AC for DR) Attack Roll to-hit: (1d20+17)[34] damage: (2d6+26)[32] Bonus Breakdown Spoiler Hide To Hit: +8 Base Attack Bonus, +9 Strength, +3 Enhancement Bonus (weapon increases enhancement bonus when raging), +2 Charge, -2 Fighting Defensively, -3 Power Attack Damage: +13 Strength, +3 Enhancement Bonus, +9 Power Attack, +1 Witch Hunter The surviving Thai-kreen and the two blue zombies all make attacks of op against al-Andalus(3d20)[11][3][6](20)If successful(1d8)[4](2d6)[5][2](7)They then attack him again with same weapons.(3d20)[18][19][8](45)(1d8)[4](2d6)[4][5](9)Landaus also takes(1d6)[4]from some manner of fell energy aura around the necromancer. None of the attack succeed, for skeletons are inept creatures that were never meant to exist. Something you will rectify, soon. Begin next round. Odom also pushes past the undead to close with their master, heedless of his lesser foes, blade streaming a trail of flame. Spoiler Hide Moving past the undead, taking AOO's if needed, to attack the boss ATT (1d20+15)[34] (combat expertise, sickened) damage (2d6+20)[28] fire If he moves away, will use step-up and strike ATT (1d20+15)[29] (combat expertise, sickened) damage (2d6+20)[26] fire Disruptive feat makes concentration checks to cast defensively +6 DC Odom, Immortal Blade of the Radiant Sun Spoiler Hide M LG Elan Soul knife (gifted Blade)//Inquisitor, Level 8/1, Unit +2, HP 98/82, Speed 30 AC 35, Touch 24, Flat-footed 21, CMD 32, Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +15, CMB +8/+3, Base Attack Bonus 8/3, Power Points 42/49/34 Collision +5 damage, combat expertise Mind Blade +2 17/12 (2d6+20, 19-20x2) Mitral Breastplate +1, Force Screen (+7 Armor, +4 Shield, +2 DEX) Abilities STR 10, DEX 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 28, CIA 8 Condition 42/49 PP force screen Vigor sickened AL-Andalusal-Andalus shirks off the blows of the abominations, ignoring their pitiful attempts to penetrate his hide while focusing on the necromancer. ActionsSpoiler Hide Full-Round Action: Full Attack necromancer (Power Attack, Fighting Defensively, using Stalwart to trade bonus AC for DR) Attack Roll - First Iterative Attack to-hit: (1d20+15)[17] damage: (2d6+26)[30] Attack Roll - Second Iterative Attack to-hit: (1d20+10)[28] damage: (2d6+26)[32] 13 Rounds of Rage Remaining. Bonus Breakdown Spoiler Hide To Hit: +15 Total - +8 Base Attack Bonus, +9 Strength, +3 Enhancement Bonus (weapon increases enhancement bonus when raging), -2 Fighting Defensively, -3 Power Attack Damage: +26 Total - +13 Strength, +3 Enhancement Bonus, +9 Power Attack, +1 Witch Hunter You go to dispatch the necromancer, only to have your blade land on air! The illusion fades as it is revealed. Listen checks, everyone. Kane cursed bitterly as the holy energy of his attack was turned aside and perverted into a counterattack, and their opponent suddenly disappeared. With another hastily-uttered litany, his blade glows brighter and the aura heartens his allies, after that reversal they just suffered. Thinking quickly, he summons yet another heavenly animal. He requests one of the great cats of the plains, to scent out their hidden quarry. Spoiler Hide A Lot of action while I was at work. Fortitude save: (1d20+10)[16] Perception: (1d20+19)[31] On his turn: Swift action, activating Aura of Heroism. Full round action, summoning a Leopard with Summon Monster III. If our opponent is within 30' (60' if upwind, 15' if downwind) the Leopard will detect it via scent and charge. Otherwise, it'll be rolling Perception with the rest of us: (1d20+5)[16] If it does detect it, it will make a charge-pounce attack: (Add +2 to all attack rolls if the cat is still within Kane's Aura of Heroism) Bite: Attack: (1d20+8)[14] Damage: (1d6+5)[6] Grab attempt: (1d20+11)[20] vs CMD Claws: Attack: (1d20+8)[22] Damage: (1d3+5)[6] Claws: Attack: (1d20+8)[19] Damage: (1d3+5)[6] If its Grab attempt is successful, it will make its Rake attacks (basically 2 more Claw attacks): Rake: Attack: (1d20+8)[26] Damage: (1d3+5)[6] Rake: Attack: (1d20+8)[22] Damage: (1d3+5)[8] The leopard tackles the necromancer, disrupting his invisibility! Unfortunately, the magical protections he has invoked seem to protect him from harm. Al-Andalusal-Andalus seizes the chance offered by the leopard and attempts to sunder the necromancer's magical defenses. Spoiler Hide Standard Action: Sunder magical protections (1d20+18)[27] vs 15 + Effect's Caster Level 12 Rounds of Rage Remaining. Spell Sunder Spoiler Hide Once per rage, the barbarian can attempt to sunder an ongoing spell effect by succeeding at a combat maneuver check. For any effect other than one on a creature, the barbarian must make her combat maneuver check against a CMD of 15 plus the effect’s caster level. To sunder an effect on a creature, the barbarian must succeed at a normal sunder combat maneuver against the creature’s CMD + 5, ignoring any miss chance caused by a spell or spell-like ability. If successful, the barbarian suppresses the effect for 1 round, or 2 rounds if she exceeded the CMD by 5 to 9. If she exceeds the CMD by 10 or more, the effect is dispelled. Landaus sunders the most powerful of the magical protections. Spoiler Hide did you want to reduce his armor, or get rid of the damaging aura? There are multiple effects on him. You would take damage from the aura, but your Dr absorbs it. Odom follows Landaus, moving to flank the villain. Spoiler Hide ATT (1d20+17)[32] (combat expertise, flanking, sickened) damage (2d6+20)[25] fire If he moves away, will use step-up and strike ATT (1d20+15)[21](combat expertise, sickened) damage (2d6+20)[25] fire The necromancer is nearly dead, now. Then he does... something. You aren't sure. Then, a moment later, the leopard tackles his invisible form, and finishes him. Treasure: Amulet of natural armor +2, gloves of dexterity +2, cape of charisma +4, psi crown of the discerning watcher (100 charges), (10d100)[449]worth of uncut gemstones. The Petite tribe he came from is probably further into the caverns. Do you turn back and check on the royal procession? "Let's go back to check on the procession before we explore these caves any further. The safety of the Queen and the village must be guaranteed before we embark. I shall instruct my company to garrison the town while we get to the bottom of this little stunt." Spoiler Hide Kane will instruct his Cohort and Followers from the Leadership feat to guard the village while the party goes underground. "Indeed. Let us hurry, There may be more here, but then this may have been a diversion." Odom strips the nocturnomancer of his gear, both as evidence of how well-equipped he was and to prevent his allies from claiming it before they returned. Spoiler Hide psi crowns in PF come in lesser, greater, and true types, the scale defining the PP spend to charges gained when recharging them. What grade is this one? You rush back to the village. The avatar of Thoth has finished consecrating the ground, making a Petite attack unlikely in the next day or so. The Blues have re-gathered in the parade grounds for the ceremonial investment of the Ardent and Nomad as clerics. You watch this ceremony with pride, both for making it happen and helping advance the cause of Pharaoh in this region. Afterward, you can get intelligence from the Blues. The Nomad says "Those Orcs were the principle followers of Apex when he was incarnated as a Bugbear twenty years ago. But after his crusade was put down, they betrayed the Crawling Chaos for the Desert Walker, while we put our faith in the Living Sun. They are all sniveling cowards, but some of them have powerful magic, like that leader you slew. It seems unlikely they would attack with one of their most powerful warriors slain, but, if you launched a punitive expedition, you would never have a better chance to hurt them, perhaps enough that the Draw stop subsidizing them, and they are forced to surrender. "Say no more. I will make this journey, along with all who would accompany me, and one way or another, these Orcs will be illuminated." Odom shrugs." Another cult, lashing out, clinging to darkness when the light is at their doorstep. I stopped trying to understand them centuries ago, stopped counting them not long after that. We ought to strike. Another will come along and replace them eventually, but it may buy peace for a time." The Ardent insists that you stay the night and join in the festivities. In the morning, with their powers refreshed from sleep, they and the village's other manifested and warriors well join you in the raid on the Irish village. But, to set your mind at ease, she brings out a power stone and uses it to create an astral construct, which she set to do a quick patrol of the villages borders. It has hardly gone any distance outside the consecrated ground, however, when a Draw spy, spooked by the misapprehension that he was detected, attacks and dispatches the low-level construct. "Relentless, these people." Kane grumbled as it appeared the village was to be harassed yet again. He signalled the others to follow him and took off in the direction of the construct's last position. Originally Posted by Athlon "Relentless, these people." Kane grumbled as it appeared the village was to be harassed yet again. He signalled the others to follow him and took off in the direction of the construct's last position. Al-Andalus"Will you be needing assistance"landaus comments in his gravely crocodile voice. As the draw sees you barreling toward her, she screams (this is how you know it is a she even at a distance when elves are androgynous looking) and runs. She trips over a rock. She tries to get up, and collapses on a broken ankle. By the time you get to her location she is sobbing." Finish it then, it's still better than I'd get if I went home after screwing up this pathetically on my first assignment." Do you kill her, or try to bring her back to camp? Edit:Something to consider:Spoiler Hide The draw take prisoners and are willing to exchange them, either for other prisoners or for concessions during times of relative truce. Unfortunately for the Draw POW's, their fate upon repatriation can vary wildly based on their worth relative to what was given up. This poor girl would probably be Ordered, and her family would be shamed, ruining the marriage prospects of her brothers. Perhaps there is a third path... Kane spoke up after a short pause. Here was an opportunity for a convert. It would be a major breakthrough if it could be proven that even Draw could be brought into the light. And what choice did he have? He would otherwise have to kill her, or send her back, which was even worse." I'm not going to kill you, nor will we send you back to your merciless kin, who revel in cruelty. You're coming with us, and you will answer our questions." "Take her back to the camp." She goes limp, and you easily carry her back to camp. The Nomad drinks in power from one of his more to warp her into a holding cell. Like most holding cells in psionic societies, it has no doors, but you can watch her through a barred window. Kane stands outside the cage and makes sure the spy has his attention before he starts questioning her. He has waited until all members of his party are present before questioning, as much for the intimidation factor as the chance that someone else will catch some subtlety he missed. His first question is simple:"How many more spies are out there?" What? Spies? Just me, I wasn't spying on the village, I was spying on you. You killed Lord Filth-Weaver, who was a servant of Apex during the last war. I needed to see who had done the deed, to report back to the Sisters Who Stand Against the Worm. The Draw will not risk themselves to liberate a village this mired in the false teachings of the Hawk without help, and the Orcs' loyalty to Set is as papyrus-thin as was their loyalty to the Madness Worm. Any other Draw in the area are loyal to the Army of Set directly, and really don't care about one orc more or less. But I've been suspecting him of contact with the next incarnation of Apex... She trails off, realizing she may have said too much. Before the questioning, Odom speaks to Kane,"I sense you have thoughts on the matter of the spy. I will help as far as I am able, but I would caution you not to set your hopes high. Few of her kin have turned from the dark in my long days." He listens carefully as the prisoner speaks, weighing her words. Spoiler Hide sense motive is +21 Odom comes to realize that the Draw really is more concerned with stopping the forces of Apex than the forces of Pharaoh. And you already knew that the Orc was duplicitous and worked with Apex in the past. Since Apex is reborn periodically in mortal guise, everything she says is plausible. The forces of Set hate Apex as much as the forces of Horus. Apex wants to destroy what Set merely wishes to usurp. Odom pulls his allies aside." Seems to speak honestly. Surprising. If she is correct and Apex is returning again then we have to report it immediately, try to stop it." Originally Posted by stack Odom pulls his allies aside. "Seems to speak honestly. Surprising. If she is correct and Apex is returning again then we have to report it immediately, try to stop it." With a loud snort and a deep basso rumbling landaus contemplates this before looking over at the woman and says"Yes, let's get moving." What are you going to do with me, then. If you leave me here, these goblins will probably kill and eat me. Spoiler Hide This is PROBABLY false. Strictly speaking, they would be within their rights to kill her, but they seem to be loyal to Horus, who strongly disapproves of ritual cannibalism. Odom looks at the others and shrugs. He doesn't care about her fate. "I doubt they'd eat you, but they might kill you." Kane sighed." I told you I wouldn't kill you, or throw you back to your kin, and I am a man of my word. I obviously can't just turn you loose either..." After a pause, he straightens up and continues." You will accompany me, unless my companions object, as we report and investigate this new development." For my own safety, as well as, incidentally, your peace of mind, I am willing to swear my parole against harming you or the people who have bound themselves in service to the hawk, with the understanding that I will not help you fight members of my family, nor leave your service until the matter of Apex is settled. The only way my people would take me back is if I redeem myself in battle against the worm, and the only way you'll let me do that is if I give a binding oath. And the only deity both sides trust is Thoth, who judges all according to their merits. "Well-said. I will hold you to your oath,"Kane agrees with a deadly expression on his face. "Break your word, and you will see the judge shortly after." Odom's words are delivered flatly, no particular passion noticeable, merely a statement of fact. How could I break my oath? An oath before Thoth will bind me, regardless of my intention, until released. But I will not try to break it. Odom shrugs. I've seen many things. "Let's move out then. We have a report to make." the holy ibis flutters to perch nearby. A deep voice emanates from the walls. 'Avila* Al-Zahrawi AL-Anjumi, fourth daughter of House AIF-al-Set you are bound to your word by the weight of the eternal scales of Thoth. Ever will you be watched and held until the designate of the Sun God deems fit to release you. Go and serve all who live against the crawling chaos. Odom watches the proceedings casually." Huh." Then he heads to make his report. "Then it's settled, by the laws of gods and mortals." Kane will request the Draw be freed, and he will continue with the party to make their report. The blues release 'Avila* the next morning, and you begin to head pack to the regional palace, where Pharaoh and other senior leaders can be contacted. You are met on the road by an orc surrounded by several creatures like giant moles with red, raw skin covered with teeth. Spoiler Hide Everyone take a bonus Skill point. Also, Kane's followers are there. Odom's blade snaps into existence." We are servants of the Pharaoh on the Pharaoh's business. Who are you and what is your intent?" My name is not important. I serve the ever-reborn, the skin-changer, the mind-worm. I had hoped to avoid your attention, but the draw has surely told you what she suspects. So now you all must die!!roll initiative.(1d20+1)[19] "It is easier when they just come to us, isn't it?" Odom's blade rises as he quips. Spoiler Hide so, not switching to the tabulated initiative for easy rolling then? Init (1d20+2)[7] fight defensively, move toward the orc (30') and attack if possible, fighting defensively ATT (1d20+17)[20] damage (2d6+20)[25] if losing initiative and getting a full attack on an enemy, 2nd ATT (1d20+17)[36] damage (2d6+20)[28] Odom, Immortal Blade of the Radiant Sun M LG Elan Soul knife (gifted Blade)//Inquisitor, Level 8/1, Unit +2, HP 98/82, Speed 30 AC 31, Touch 24, Flat-footed 17, CMD 32, Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +15, CMB +8/+3, Base Attack Bonus 8/3, Power Points 42/49/34 Collision +5 damage, combat expertise Mind Blade +2 17/12 (2d6+20, 19-20x2) Mitral Breastplate +1, Force Screen (+7 Armor, +2 DEX) Abilities STR 10, DEX 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 28, CIA 8 Condition 42/49 PP Spoiler Hide tabulated initiative? Who with what now? I'm actually very new to the forum, I have very little idea what I'm doing. Also, has anyone seen Moldova lately? Edit: see lower post Kane was suspicious of the Orc from the outset, but he was not the sort of man to attack without provocation. The only thing that surprised him was the Orc's brazenness. Springing into action, he quickly signals his followers before he begins to recite his battle-blessing. Spoiler Hide Initiative: (1d20+8)[28] Move action to draw his weapon Free action, shout instructions to his followers. "Protect the civilians!" if there are noncombatants traveling with us. He will gesture left and right and yell "Outflank them!" if there are no civilians around. Standard Action: Cast Prayer Swift Action: Cast Litany of Sloth on the Orc. Spoiler: Spells Prepared Hide Going with the same list of spells today as yesterday. Level 0: Detect Poison, Enhanced Diplomacy, Purify Food and Drink, Mending Level 1: Divine Favor x2, Endure Elements, Liberating Command, Vacant Slot x2 Domain Spell: Shield of Faith Level 2: Bull's Strength x2, Protection From Evil (Communal), Resist Energy, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Bless Weapon Level 3: Dispel Magic, Wind Wall, Summon Monster III x2, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Prayer Level 4: Air Walk, Summon Monster IV x2, Vacant Slot x1 Domain Spell: Holy Smite The orc raises his mighty battleaxe and charges 'Avila*. Ghostly snakes swarm around him.(1d20+16)[32](1d20+11)[31](1d20+11)[31]if successful(1d12+8)[14], (1d12+8)[9], (1d4+5)[7]'Avila* casts protection from chaos as the orc approaches. There is an odd flash of distortion as the cleric against Apex perverts the power of the god from its intended purpose. (I'm lost on order, I believe Odom's actions happen now due to losing unit) sorry I posted something from the wrong thread. :(I am assuming Moldova has dropped. So, on with 'Avila*'Adila’s eyes glow red, and she attacks with her rapier. Spoiler Hide (1d20+5)[10] if successful (1d8)[7] + (2d6+5)[9] - - - Updated - - -Odom nearly kills the Orc. The tooth beasts charge Kane. Rather than attack, they release a massive moan in eerie harmony. Roll will saves. Odom lays into the orc again, blade flaming. Spoiler: rolls Hide ATT (1d20+17)[23] damage (2d6+20)[29] (1d20+12)[28] damage (2d6+20)[22] Against any that move away, step up and strike ATT (1d20+17)[29] damage (2d6+20)[27] Odom, Immortal Blade of the Radiant Sun M LG Elan Soul knife (gifted Blade)//Inquisitor, Level 8/1, Unit +2, HP 98/82, Speed 30 AC 31, Touch 24, Flat-footed 17, CMD 32, Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +15, CMB +8/+3, Base Attack Bonus 8/3, Power Points 42/49/34 Collision +5 damage, combat expertise Mind Blade +2 17/12 (2d6+20, 19-20x2) Mitral Breastplate +1, Force Screen (+7 Armor, +2 DEX) Abilities STR 10, DEX 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 28, CIA 8 Condition 42/49 PP Kane stepped back before the onslaught, but he drove the creatures' unholy cadence from his thoughts as he called a direct invocation of the Sun God's power. Spoiler Hide Sorry about the long delay. If possible, Kane will take a 5' step into a non-threatened zone and cast Holy Smite on as many of the enemy as he can. He will exclude the Draw (whom he would suspect of having Neutral alignment) but he and Odom should be unaffected. If he can't make it to a non-threatened square, he will try to cast it defensively: (1d20+16)[31] vs. DC 23 (4d8)[19] damage, (8d6)[32] if these creatures happen to be evil outsiders Evil targets that fail their saves (Will DC 22) are blinded for 1 round As a Swift Action he will use Litany of Sloth against the Orc again. No save, (1d20+8)[27] vs SR if applicable. The tooth beasts seem only slightly hurt by to smite, and you can't tell if they were blinded, as they don't seem to have eyes.' Adila* attacks the Orc Spoiler Hide (1d20+5)[15] if successful, (1d8)[6] + (1d6+5)[6] 'Avila* cuts down the orc with her rapier!stack is next in initiative Odom turns to lay into the nearest tooth beast. Spoiler Hide (1d20+17)[32] damage (2d6+20)[25] (1d20+12)[14] damage (2d6+20)[22] Against any that move away, step up and strike ATT (1d20+17)[32] damage (2d6+20)[26] All three tooth beasts turn on you. Spoiler Hide (1d20+14)[21] if successful (1d8+8)[10] (1d20+14)[27] if successful (1d8+8)[11] (1d20+11)[17] if successful (1d8+4)[11] (1d20+14)[29] if successful (1d8+8)[10] (1d20+14)[20] if successful (1d8+8)[15] (1d20+11)[26] if successful (1d8+4)[11] (1d20+14)[29] if successful (1d8+8)[12] (1d20+14)[33] if successful (1d8+8)[12] (1d20+11)[25] if successful (1d8+4)[5] Odom rolls with the blow and continues his measured attack, not neglecting his own defenses. Spoiler Hide (1d20+17)[20] damage (2d6+20)[28] (1d20+12)[26] damage (2d6+20)[27] As the tooth beasts turned away to attack Odom, Kane seized the opportunity to send some crocs at their backs, before Odom was overwhelmed. Spoiler Hide 5' step away from them. Swift Action activate Aura of Heroism. Probably should have done that at the start of combat. Summon Monster IV to summon (1d3+1)[4] Celestial Crocodiles. Sending them into flanking with Odom. Croc 1: Attack: (1d20+11)[23] Damage: (1d8+12)[20] Grab attempt: (1d20+15)[24] vs CMD Death Roll (1d8+12)[19] and target is knocked prone. Croc 2: Attack: (1d20+11)[18] Damage: (1d8+12)[18] Grab attempt: (1d20+15)[31] vs CMD Death Roll (1d8+12)[15] and target is knocked prone. Croc 3 (if applicable): Attack: (1d20+11)[25] Damage: (1d8+12)[16] Grab attempt: (1d20+15)[22] vs CMD Death Roll (1d8+12)[17] and target is knocked prone. Croc 3 (if applicable): Attack: (1d20+11)[19] Damage: (1d8+12)[18] Grab attempt: (1d20+15)[18] vs CMD Death Roll (1d8+12)[15] and target is knocked prone. The celestial crocodiles swarm the tooth beasts. The first tooth beast is ripped to shreds by a crocodile. The second is in a death roll with a crocodile. The third get bit, but shuffles to defend itself It unleashes another moan. The crocodiles make will saves. Spoiler Hide (1d20+7)[16] (1d20+7)[22] (1d20+7)[27] (1d20+7)[16]

Feathersnow's Egypt game IC|rating:4.0

A Year of Weekends (Jaclyn)

A Year of Weekends Contents:Forward (#msg15739686)Prologue – A Manila Envelope (#msg15739709)I – First Weekend (#msg15739709) (Forward (story is written for my own pleasure and hopefully yours too, dear readers. If the plot and writing style appeal to your writing talent, I’m open to derivative stories. Please send your thoughts. I’m also open to comments on my writing and on the presentation here. Again, your thoughts would be appreciated. — Jaclyn, February 2021 (Prologue – A Manila Envelope (arrived at work that fateful Monday the same as every working Monday. Dressed smart yet casual in a white, comfortable crêpe top over a comfortable lace bra, gray matching slacks and jacket. Black, comfortable flats with 4” heels in my bag in case I need altitude and formality beyond sitting at my desk or conference table. I greeted my Executive Assistant Jennifer. She had a small stack of messages for me from late Friday and over the weekend yet nothing urgent. Typical Monday, assess status from last week and plan for this week. I don’t schedule regular meetings except for standups on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Three sentences each, a moment for me to consider whether to get together for more, and on to the next person. “Please see me with details” or “Please see me to tell me how I can help.” With a very flat organization of less than 40 people, we mostly tried to stand shoulder to shoulder toward our goals and help each other out. I’d sworn to never hire the 50th person. We develop and run boutique hotels. Something I stumbled into when I was gifted more money than I knew what to do with so went on vacation, found a run-down hotel on Antigua, talked to the women working there and to the owner who sold without an argument. I’d rolled up my sleeves and the women working there saw how we could all better our lives by working together and soon enough it was no longer a run-down hotel. We catered to a diverse clientele and soon word of mouth had tourists trying to book what we no longer could provide. We restarted the restaurant with local cooks and food, raised the quality to where we were getting visits from the wealthier locals. And so JR Enterprises was off and running. We now had 10 hotels around the Caribbean with another in development, all on that same model of working with the local women and infusing cash and a sense of quality with rewards for all who shared their sweat and skills. Our New York City office was situated more to make it easy to work with the bankers on getting the right amount of money to the right place at the right time to take the best care we could have those who worked with us. Our in-house lawyer Margo handled all the legal paperwork and mostly kept us out of trouble with those who needed their palms greased to allow us to conduct our business. And very often, a word by one of our employees in the ear of the wife of a local official was enough to send the overly greedy packing. So my Monday goes as most do, reading reports and glancing at what finance sends me. Reports from three or four people at each hotel, what’s working and what they’re working on and what might be helpful. I’m interrupted when Jensen knocks.“Jaclyn a courier with something he insists must be handed to you. He passed security coming into the building so is probably not carrying. Will you see him?” A courier? Just for me? First for anything! “Show him in please Jensen, and observe please.” There, the door will remain open and she’ll see whatever transpires. She shows in a typical bike messenger. A bit spattered yet one of that superb breed of people that is as fit as possible for a very risky job. He’s holding a manila envelope perhaps a half inch thick.“Miss Jaclyn Rosenthal? I was directed to deliver this to you by hand and to verify your identity. May I see identification?” Jenser bristles. I smile. “But of course. One moment.” Lift my purse from the floor under my desk to my lap. Open it and take out my wallet. Get my license and a tip for him. Put the license across the desk from me where he can look at it, my hand back in my purse for the mace if needed. He steps forward enough to look at the license, nods, and puts the envelope on my desk and steps back.“Thank you. This is for you. Be safe out there and leave a card with Jensen please. We’ll call you if we need your services.” He steps forward to take the five, turns on his heel and leaves. Stops to hand Jensen a card. The envelope looms.“Close the door please Jensen. I’ll let you know when we can have it open again.” She closes the door. Rare for my door to be closed too. Before touching the envelope, I take a picture of the front with my phone, and then flip it over to do the same for the back. Addressed to ‘Ms. J. Rosenthal, ℅ JR Enterprises,” this address and suite number. Return address reads simply “M, New York.” Slit the end open carefully and slide the contents out onto my desk. Typed letter on top. View the material in this envelope and then read the note at the bottom of the pile. Set the letter aside and look at the first photograph. Oh, my goddess! How did that ever get taken let alone fall into someone’s hands. Each successive picture is worse. An incident from years ago in Vegas I’d hoped had been forgotten, when I’d had to do things I didn’t want to do to rescue my sister Norma Jean from that sick woman and her deranged sidekick. How did the pictures get taken and whose hands have they fallen into? Did I really do those things? The pictures change. A hotel and casino east of Vegas. Where my Mom works. Mom, who won’t take a penny from me. I need to go visit her! And there she is, in the hotel kitchen cooking. Walking home. Her modest little house that she insists on paying for. Pictures of her through the partially closed shades. The people who sent this have my Mom in their sights too! Then the promised note Need I tell you the consequences if you do not do what I tell you? You’re smart, you understand this. You will come to me every weekend for one full year. 52 weekends. When you are with me, you will do what you are told to do. And may I say, you’ll maybe enjoy it like you did with Mistress Britannia! You will take your vacations with me as well. Four weeks, like you did last year and the year before. I will tell you when w are going on vacation. You will acknowledge acceptance of this plan by cancelling your dinner reservation for Friday. If you accept, you will return to your apartment Friday at 4:30 and receive instructions for the weekend. Unsigned. Look at the photo again. Reread the note. Take pictures of all the photo with my phone and encrypt them before consigning them to the cloud. Then shred them in my crosscut shredder. The manila envelope too. Then sit at my desk and take 100 calming breaths. ‘They have Mom.’ ‘They might be able to ruin me.’ ‘They have Mom!’ Pick up my phone, check the time, yes, Mom’ll be awake.“Morning Mom, how are you? Been thinking about you this fine morning.” False good humor, hope I’m covering well.“Good morning dear! I was thinking of calling you! Some at the hotel yesterday asked if I’d heard from my son lately. How weird is that!”Oh, my goddess no! I haven’t been her son since I turned 18 and only a few people in this world know that. They went out of their way to drive home the pictures. ‘They have Mom in their sights!’ Somehow, I managed to make it through the rest of the conversation. Not long, We’re close but neither of us is a type-A. Another hundred cleansing breaths. Then stand and open the door.“Business as usual Jensen.” My attention is not on my work. When Margot the lawyer invites me to lunch, I decide to do that. She tries to start conversations and I have trouble paying attention. She comments and I tell her I learned some bad news recently, and I’m trying to process it. No, not business. I order a martini which I’ve never done for lunch, and decide to take the rest of the day off. At my condo, I use my phone to look again at the pictures from Mistress Britannia’s apartment at Lacy Place. I thought that was all behind me. But I feel a strange stirring that I’d hoped my psychiatrist had laid to rest. Do I call her? No, because this is all about a decision and not about the stirring deep inside. I drink two more martinis over a salad at my local bar. And then two more back at the condo. Next morning, the hangover seems to help me through work. Tuesday runs normally, and I manage to avoid drinking until I have one martini with dinner. My sleep is filled with strange dreams. But Wednesday I wake knowing my decision is to accept the letter writer’s demand. That afternoon, I cancel my Friday dinner reservation. Not 20 minutes later, my phone buzzes with a text message. ### Looking forward to Friday. Hope you are too. Shudder. I manage to make it through the day and all too soon it’s Friday. I leave Jensen with instructions to not contact me for anything this weekend. Make decisions in my name or contact Margot or two other senior members of our team. I’m home at 4:40. (I – First Weekend (First Friday – Preparations (mailbox in the lobby contains the usual bills and junk. What was I expecting? But a knock on my door shoves that thought aside. It’s one of the doormen.“Package just delivered for you, Miss. They said it was urgent. We passed it through the scanner first, it’s safe as far as we know.” I glance at the box. The address has my name and this address and the return is ‘M, The City.’“Anymore from this sender are safe and need to be brought up directly, thank you, James.” And so it starts. Inside on the counter, I cut the sealing tape on the top and open the box. On top is a note. Bathe or shower and wash your hair. Avoid scents. Put on the articles in this box in order from top to bottom. Follow the makeup instructions at the bottom of the box to the letter. When you are dressed, text ‘J is ready to visit her Mistress’ to 212-555-1212. Precisely that. Follow them with your Uber App. When they arrive, walk directly to the car and sit in the middle of the back seat. Repeat ‘J is ready to visit her Mistress.’ Do what the driver tells you. Okay, first bathe and wash my hair. ‘To the letter.’ Carry the box to my bedroom, strip and shower. Use the unscented conditioner on my hair. Comb it out and let it hang damp for the moment. In the bedroom, take the first article out of the box. A pale pink garter belt with fabric ruffles and long, shirred garter straps. Coco de Mer even! No Frederick’s of Hollywood for this mysterious Mistress. Then pale pink, sheer stockings with lace tops. Get those situated and the straps attached and lift out a pair of panties that match the garter belt. Slide those up my legs. Very sheer, my shaved mound is clearly visible. Next is a pale pink sheer skirt, ‘if you can call this a skirt!’ It’s more of an apron with a built-in crinoline that is visible under below the hem. 14 inches long or less and wide ribbon tie in back. Tie it on to cover the garter belt and as expected it leaves several inches of garter strap showing to stocking tops. Mistress’ intent seems clear, I’m to be an expensive slut for her. Next is a wicked pair of shoes. Red, open toe sandals with a 5½ inch heel and ankle straps that have D-rings for a lock and for a chain. Expensive bondage slut, I improve my definition of Mistress’ goal for me. A red leather collar that matches the shoes, two buckles and a D-ring. Buckle it in front and then turn it to expose the D-ring in front. There is likely a matching leash somewhere. Putting on the collar gives me my first look in the full-length mirror. My nipples are standing up hard! My brain tells me to stop reacting to this because to continue is to reenter my slavery to Britannia and Du Mode. My body refuses. ‘She has my Mom!’ How wicked she is, the one thing that pushes me over all my objections. Shake myself away from the mirror to return to the box. Next is a tube of lipstick and a note. Apply this lipstick liberally to your nipples and clitoris now. Three coats! The tube reveals what this tube really is, “Christian Dior Addict Lip Tattoo Long-Wear Colored Tint 771 Natural Berry.” Top of the line. Color matches the shoes and collar too. I push the panties to my ankles and tuck the top of the apron into the waist band, so I can access my now hard button at the top of my slit that Dr. Tang made for me so many years ago. Take a seat at my makeup table and begin. Below and left and right. My nipples and clit stand even harder with each application of the red, creamy lip gloss. Blot my nipples with tissue when it appears dry and the tissue removes little so no fourth coat needed. Same as I would and probably will soon do to my lips. With my panties back in place and the swelling there and on my chest distracting me as I’m sure Mistress intends, remove the next item from the box. A pale pink, sheer blouse that again matches the garter, panties, and skirt. Long sleeves with fluttery cuffs over my hands. Buttons up the front. The hem is barely below my nipples and the underside of my B-Cups are clearly visible. My red nipples are very obvious through the sheer material. Earrings are next, gold 2-inch hoops. The last thing in the box is another note. Your usual evening makeup. Pinks! Eyes must pop! And yes, three coats of the Dior lip plumper. When done, pack your makeup and toiletries bag for two nights and summon your Uber. Pinks she says. Not my usual. Foundation and pink blusher. Still the rules I learned years ago from Big Sis back at Lacy Place. Eyebrow pencil. Eyeliner, eye shadow. Waterproof mascara, something tells me streaking mascara would not be accepted! And then lip pencil to define them and the lip plumper. My tingling, swelling lips remind me of my still tingling, still swelling nipples and clit. Calming breaths between applications. Blot and apply a fourth coat, must be perfect for Mistress. The makeup I used plus remover and a few similar colors go into my airline carrion bag along with toothbrush and paste and mouthwash. What is missing? Oh, nail polish! Mistress may have chosen to ignore it tonight, yet somehow I don’t expect her to miss it tomorrow. A deep breath. I could back out now. Anytime before I get into the Uber I can back out. Anytime before I enter Mistress’ place I can back out. ‘She has Mom!’ No backing out, and besides this feels exciting! Darn it, it feels so exciting, and I haven’t had this kind of excitement in too long! Dial the Uber and wait for acknowledgement. 10 minutes out and headed my way. (First Friday – The Ride, and Introductions (app announced the Uber’s arrival. Deep breath. ‘You can do this, Jaclyn! You’ve done this before and can do it now!’ Carrying my bag, I made my way to the door and elevator. Tingling below has mew squeezing my legs together. Fortunately, no one else on my floor is leaving. The elevator flashes down and rings, and a couple emerges. I step on quickly and almost break a nail jabbing the lobby button. The couple’s mouths were both wide as the door closed. In the mirror on elevator wall, my nipples look like two pink puppy noses through my blouse. And I’m starting to blush to match their color. In the lobby, the doorman does a double take. Need to defuse that!“Clubbing James. Early dinner and then a party! See you later.” And out the double doors to the Uber Prius. In the rear door and drag my bag in behind me. Rear seat made for two, not three. Sitting on the hump.“J is ready to visit her Mistress.” I tell the driver. The car doesn’t move, and the driver adjusts the rearview mirror, so I can see their face, and they can see me. A woman’s face. Her sleeveless top reveals heavily inked arms, short blond hair and a grin.“Well, well, Mistress told me you were a looker and would be nicely dressed. I’m not disappointed. Okay, spread your legs as wide as you can and put your hands behind your back to grab the opposite elbow. When I’m happy with your pose, we’ll proceed.” I take a moment for her words to register. Okay, spread. The skirt slides up. She may be able to see my panties. Her arm reaches for the back of the console, and she flips on the light to illuminate the floor and my lower parts. She can certainly see my panties.“Lift your skirt to your waist in front.” Blushing again, I lift it as she said and then go about getting my arms behind me. The effect is to pull my shoulders back and to tighten the blouse even more across my bright, red points. I take shallow breaths and try to relax. Not uncomfortable, just unusual. The car starts out. Every traffic light she stops at, I watch her look back at me. I’m hoping that the tinted windows keep outsiders from seeing me, but the light at the back of the console may help them see too. No cars honking, so maybe it’s only the driver.15 blocks, she pulls up in front of a classic Manhattan brownstone. She reaches back and turns off the light.“Up the 13 steps and ring the bell. Put your arms back behind you as you are now. Turn so the light shines fully on your chest. And I look forward to seeing more of you when I drive you home on Sunday. Do enjoy Mistress! Now get out.” I’m suddenly aware of the 5½ inch heels as I climb the steps to Mistress’ brownstone. The steps are uneven and concave from many years use. I manage to make it to the top using the handrail to keep from falling over. Anyone inside may be having a good laugh at my expense. At the top I find the bell and press it briefly. Then put my hands behind my back as the driver had instructed, with the same result as before, my shoulders are pulled back and my crimson, engorged nipples are trying to poke through the thin blouse. The chill night air has its effect too. My nipples crinkle as I turn to stand, so the light strikes my chest. I hear a brief car honk, my Uber waited for me to complete the instructions. Stand and wait for the door. The heels have my legs starting to tremble as the cool night breeze chills my legs and fluffs my skirt. My swollen nipple and clit and lips throb. The feelings are both unpleasant and unpleasant. My reverie is interrupted not by the door but by the sound of feet on the steps. ‘Stay, Jaclyn!’ Two people, click of high heels too. A well-dressed couple steps in front of me and both look down.“This must be the entertainment our hostess mentioned,” the man speaks first.”We’ll have to wait though, can’t ruin the presentation,” the woman briefly caresses my shoulder. I shiver at being touched. The man rings the doorbell and that gets a quick response. A woman’s voice, contralto, mature, and an undertone of cruelty.“Hello there! Come in, you two. I see you’ve met my new toy. When did it arrive? Before you, I trust. Come in, please. Join Damien in the study and I’ll be along shortly.” She steps in front of me. Raven hair, cream silk blouse, dark midi skirt, boots. Piercing dark eyes and wicked makeup. Ruby lips and a snarl.“I’ve waited long for this day! We’re going to have so much fun with you.” She grabs my hair and holds my head while she attaches the red leather leash.“Come along. And keep your arms like that. It shows you off nicely.” She turns and steps toward the door. I’m able to follow. She is not cruel with the leash, nor does she take her time. She takes me into the kitchen where a maid is picking up a try of snacks. The woman turns to me and drops the leash, only to take my chin in her hands.“My name is Mistress. You will meet Master soon enough. All others are Sir or Miss as appropriate. You have no name here. If anyone asks, tell them you have none, and they are free to call you as they choose.” She lets go my chin and walks around me. I feel her hand at the back of my skirt as she reaches between the crinolines to my partied butt. She caresses each cheek and pulls the panties up between my cheeks.“You will do as you are told. You will be punished because I believe I will enjoy punishing you. I will hurt you. I will pleasure you.” Her hand leaves my cheek and I feel it come around to the front where she caresses my mound and creases my panties into the crease there. I moisten. She notices and presses deeper.“Hands clasped behind your neck! Elbows back.” She continues to press inside me and I struggle to avoid a moan. She brings her hand out and from behind me, rubs her damp fingers under my nose. Moistens my septum. Touches my lips.“Open! Always open when your mouth is touched. Close when the touching ends, or you are told what else to do.” Her fingers touch my tongue.“Suck on my fingers. Good.“I will ask a few things of you that are optional, those will be very clear when I do ask. They are things that would please me if you were to do them, but you will not be punished if you do not. Here is the first.” She removes her damp fingers from my mouth and takes my swollen nipple between thumb and fingers. My nipple amazes me by getting even harder. She continues.“It would please me much if you would have these pierced. Two each. A small gold ring in each nipple and a larger brass rings with ferrules in the flesh at the base of the nipple. It would please me if you would have this done here next Saturday night. If you have this done, I will use the rings to hurt your breasts. If you don’t, I will hurt your breasts and nipples. We both might enjoy the rings. You could have them removed when your time with me is up, though it’s unlikely the holes will ever close afterward. You will tell me your decision before you leave on Sunday, so I can prepare the party for next Saturday. I will give you a list of piercers who can be trusted to do this discretely and well. Someday you may see my piercings, it’s not like I’m asking something of you that I haven’t done.” She caresses my breast and then takes up the leash.“Hands at your sides. You are the entertainment tonight at our party. You will do what I tell you to do. No other is allowed to tell you to do anything. They already know this. This will change in the future, but that is the rule tonight until I tell you otherwise. Follow!”“Yes, Mistress!” My first words. Perhaps my last for tonight too, I don’t know. We leave the kitchen and walk back the way we came to turn into a room halfway to the front door. Voices. A dozen heads turn as Mistress leads me into the room. (First Friday – Mistress’ Party(turn as we enter. Men and women, mostly the younger, handsome and pretty kind but a few older and dressed better than their looks would seem to warrant.“Good evening, everyone. This is my new toy. She will be on display tonight. If there is something you believe she might do for our pleasure, speak to me. She is off limits to you unless I grant the privilege.” She leads me to a raised platform at the end of the room opposite the door. Step up onto it. A red, velvet covered cushion is on the floor. She disconnects the leash.“Kneel, slut, facing the room. Knees apart. Sit back on your calves and keep your back straight.” She steps to the side while I comply. This position doesn’t hurt, yet. It may if I remain so for a while. When she returns, she has something in her hand.“Tonight we celebrate your mouth and tits first. You will suck on what I hand you. When it is wet, you will hold your tit with one hand and apply the wet from your mouth to your nipple. You will return it to your mouth and do the other tit. And alternate until I stop you. Here.” She holds out a purple thing. It takes me a moment. Oh, it’s a plug, probably a butt plug. Take it in one hand and look up at her. She nods. Bring it to my mouth and lick it.“You are to worship it. Gaze at it longingly. Yes, it is going inside you later, so worship your new, soon to be intimate friend.” She takes her cell phone from a pocket in her skirt. I insert the tip in my mouth and slowly suck it in. I feel it come to life and my eyes widen. She is holding her cell phone and touching the screen, sliding her finger up and then down and the plug vibrates faster and stronger as her finger slides up. She slides it back down and the vibration ceases. Furthermore, she reaches down and pushes it farther into my mouth, so I feel it at the beginning of my throat.“All the way in, honey. Your throat needs to get in shape for what is to come. This is only the beginning.” With those words, ‘only the beginning’ echoing in my mind, she turns away. A handsome man of indeterminate age steps from the crowd and hands her a flute of champagne. I return my attention to the thing in my throat, feel my throat convulse a bit but no gag reflex. The base of the plug is against my lips. Reach up to pull it out slightly and then suck it back in. Let the dreaminess come over me, the pleasure of sucking. Several more times and I remove it. Right hand lifts my right tip and I apply the dampness to the nipple. The pink fabric becomes transparent as glass to the moisture. It vibrates slightly. Mistress is playing. I continue to widen the wet spot. My mind wonders how this would feel if I were to have my nipples and breasts pierced. Two each she said. Perhaps nipples next Saturday and breasts a week or two later? If I do it, I remind myself. Yet I know I will do as she asks, and the thought moistens my panties. My fingers grip my nipple and squeeze. Hard! Sharp breath! Return the plug to my mouth, feeling dreamy and enjoying what I am doing. I’m gazing at my wet nipple as I slide the plug over it for the nth time. My mouth has started to stay open after removing the plug, lips forming an O. Feels like my mouth should stay open and available even when it’s not being used! Mistress interrupts.“Roll your skirt up, so everyone can see your pussy. Then dampen your panties too, but don’t stop with your tits. We will put your friend inside you when your pussy is clearly visible through your panties.” I place the plug back in my mouth and start to roll up my skirt. Spread my knees a little wider apart, to feel the panties stretch over my pussy. Remembering Mistress’ fingers there earlier. A light comes on from the far wall and illuminates my thighs and panties. Suck the plug and apply the wet prong to the crease in my crotch. My other hand touches my thigh above the stocking top and caresses it close to my crotch. The plug vibrates slightly and stops. Mistress approves! My panties dampen from the inside. Again and again, tits and pussy. Feel my eyes smiling in dreamy pleasure. Enjoying my mouth being full and then available. A hand interrupts me putting the plug back into my mouth.“There’s a better place for that, my pet. Beg me to put it there.” She releases my wrist. Look into her eyes and compose my request. My voice carries as the room seems to have quieted.“Mistress, please put this lovely plug in my ass pussy. My ass needs to be loosened to be of service and this lovely plug is just the thing to start that.” A smattering of applause?“And so it shall, pet. Turn to face the wall, so my guests can watch.” I turn on my knees, blushing. The spotlight will likely fully illuminate my rosebud, and it’s spreading. Face to the floor and ass up. Panties to your knees and spread your legs.” I bend and raise my ass. Then reach back and slide my hands under the crinolines to lower the thin panties with the wet crotch to my knees. Then inch my knees perhaps six inches apart, as much as the panties will stretch.“Now spread your ass cheeks, so everyone can see you!” I spread the back of the skirt and take my butt cheeks in hand, and open for her. I can’t see, but I’m sure the light is showing all, perhaps even my pussy lips between my thighs, ‘Breathe, Jaclyn. Just breath.’ Mistress’ hand rests on my spine at the top of my butt crack. Her finger slowly traces down to tap on my opening and lightly press her fingertip inside. Can feel her fingernail. She doesn’t press farther, but I feel another hand and then a finger.“Open her, Charles. Is she ready?”Oh, my no! What can only be a man’s finger presses inside me! And a second! Slides and twists! A handsome voice.“She’s ready! But she hasn’t been cleaned inside!” My blush has to be coloring my ass cheeks! The plug is pulled from my mouth and I feel it replace the fingers in my ass. Then the expected widening. Surprising yet not painful. ‘Relax, Jaclyn!’ And then relief as it pops inside. My pucker is perhaps only ¾ inch across now, feels so open!“Have her clean your fingers, Charles. She has a good mouth!” She slaps my bottom.“Up, cunt! Turn around! Clean your Master’s fingers!” Up kneeling straight, shuffle around on my knees to face the room. People are smirking. Yuck, she wants me to clean fingers that have been in my own ass? He places his fingers under my nose. A musky smell, not what I expected. Rubs them back and forth on my upper lip. I open my mouth as his fingers move down to touch my lips, the way Mistress said. He slides his fingers briefly into my mouth and then takes them away.“Good pussy, very good.” And then he turns away. Mistress returns.“Sit on your heels and back straight. Hands to elbows behind your back. Put this in your mouth.” I sit back and grasp my elbows. My nipples again try to push through the still wet blouse. She brings her hand toward my mouth and I open for whatever she holds. It’s a pair of very red lips with a short tube attached that holds my mouth open. What is this? She turns to her guests.“Any who wish to play with its mouth or hurt its tits, feel free.” None move toward me for a while. Feel the thing in my butt vibrate and I look up. Mistress has her phone out and is explaining something to a younger couple. It stops. The woman whispers in her partner’s ear and then walks over to me. She bends down to whisper in my ear while grasping one tit firmly and pinching hard with a bit of fingernail.“Mistress sometimes offers her toys to us. Do you like that little thing in your ass? My husband likes to ass fuck, but his dick is too big for me. Perhaps we’ll rent you for an evening, your mouth eating my pussy while his dick reams your little asshole. You’d enjoy that, wouldn’t you, you little pain slut!” I manage to not grunt at the pain she’s causing my tit, though I’m sure her fingernails will leave marks. And she is gone. Another couple comes over. He fingers the inside of my mouth while she holds me by the hair as his fingers probe my throat.“Maybe she can take my long cock all the way,” he tells her as they walk away.”I hope so because I can’t,” she responds as they walk away. I’m ignored after that, except occasionally Mistress reminds me of her presence by buzzing my plug. She returns for me after showing the last of her guests out.“You did well tonight, pet. Come, let’s get you to bed. Do you have anything you wish to say?” I keep my hands behind me as I stand to follow her. What to say to her? She takes me upstairs and opens a door to a spacious bedroom.“Mistress, first, thank you for choosing me. I will try to serve you well.” She turns and smiles. Do I want to say this next thing? Yes, yes I must.”“And Mistress, take my hands away from me in bed tonight. I do not deserve to touch myself as much as I know I will want to. If that pleases you, Mistress.” Her smile widens.“Of course, slut. Now, the bath is through there. You are to remove your makeup except for your nipples and clitoris. Those you will paint again twice with the plumper and let it dry before you go to bed. I’ll be in to put your hands away. Oh, and only put on the nightie top in the bath, that way you can use the restroom overnight.” In the bath is my kit. I remove the makeup including the lipstick, working around the collar that is firmly clasped around my throat. My lips won’t be the same for a long time, and I’ll need an explanation Monday. The two coats of plumper on my nipples and clit, and I’m ready for the nightie she said was here. Ah, back of the door is a pale pink wisp of nothing on a hanger along with a wispier pair of panties. Drop the top over me. A classic baby doll with puffy sleeves and elastic above and below my tits. The bedsheets are nylon! I lay back and await Mistress. She is not long, and I suspect she has cameras to watch me. She is carrying cuffs and chain. Furthermore, she sits on the side of the bed and I hold out my wrists. Furthermore, she locks the cuffs with a padlock along with a chain. Then she puts my hands on my chest above my tits and locks the chains to the collar, enough chain to move my hands, not enough to even reach my tits. She pats my cheek.“Charles and I go out on Saturdays for breakfast and shopping. When you are awake, go to the kitchen. The maid will unlock you and have instructions for you to follow. We will be going to a party tomorrow evening. If you would like to accompany us, and I would like you to but won’t insist, you will be dressed head to toe in latex and unrecognizable. It’s a fetish party, and we would introduce you as our niece visiting from college. You can participate in the festivities except you may not take cocks in your holes. You will have a chastity belt to keep the lower holes safe and a gag for the upper one. Think about it as you sleep. Goodnight, pet.” (First Saturday – Morning Fun (must have slept very well! There’s sunlight beyond the drawn shades and a cool light fills the room. I’m startled for a moment when I try to stretch my arms and can’t. Oh yes, Mistress kept me from touching myself. The maid has the key. The door is my first problem. On my knees, I manage to turn the doorknob and pull the door slightly open. And then stand to push it farther with my foot. I’m naked from below my tits down and only a little less from there up. Downstairs carefully, and then to the back of the house to the kitchen. That door is closed too. To my knees to turn the doorknob and push it open. It swings free, and I look up to see the maid glancing at the door.“Come in! Hi, I’m called Maid. Mistress tells me to call you Pet. So come in Pet, have a seat and let’s get your wrists free so you can eat breakfast, and then we’ll talk about your day.” She points to one specific seat of four around the table. The chair is different from the other three.“Yes, that’s the chair where Mistress seats her pets. It has features you can see and some you can’t. We’re not using those today. Mistress would have to order it, and she usually does it herself to punish pets who misbehave. You don’t seem the type to misbehave.” The chair does have ‘features’ as she said. Holes in the seat for two plugs, D-rings, slots for straps to attach. And it looks like the seat can be opened up to allow ‘access’. No padding on the seat or armrests, which the other three chairs have. Maid sets a 9-inch tablet up facing me.“Mistress will be able to see you when she wishes. You may or may not see her when she does. Behave as though she is watching your every move and hearing every word.” I nod and wait. She comes over with a key and unlocks the cuffs and chains at my neck. The collar remains.“So breakfast. I suggest two eggs poached soft on a toasted English muffin with marmalade. I have some smoked Salmon if you’d like too. Mixed fresh fruit. And of course, coffee. How do you take your coffee?”“One piece of Salmon would be nice to please. Coffee black please. Maid. I can get it!” She dismisses my attempt to help with a gesture. Quickly a mug of steaming, aromatic coffee is placed in front of me. Lovely temperature for drinking too. I take a sip and watch the screen. Realize this is no different from the control she has over what’s in my bottom. Sip the coffee and watch the screen. Flatware and a cloth napkin are set in front of me. Water, with no ice. How properly continental! A plate with the eggs perched atop the lightly toasted muffin and dusted with paprika and a roll of Salmon on the side. Presentation perfect and unpretentious. I place a corner of the napkin in my collar and slide closer to the table, the chair too heavy to move. The eggs are cooked perfectly. I realize I haven’t eaten since lunch yesterday and have to push myself to slow down and savor. I watch the screen, aware that Mistress may be watching me eat. When done, I wipe my mouth with the napkin and fold it on the table next to the unused spoon.“You will be spending the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon in the dungeon, Pet. Evening too if Mistress doesn’t take you with them. Very typical Saturday. I’ll give you a tour of the dungeon when you’re ready to go down, and then you have the honor of choosing how you wish to be restrained. Mistress will of course come along with us. But first return to your room and clean up, then dress in matching lingerie from the dresser, with a garter belt and stockings, and the shoes from yesterday. Makeup including the plumper, three coats of that. Then return here and we’ll begin your tour.” I thank her and leave, padding upstairs barefoot, realizing the killer heels will be back on my feet that prefer flats if I wear shoes at all. She said nothing about the plug, so I remove that and sit on the restroom. Step in the shower briefly to wash from my waist down. Then wash the plug in the sink. I’m about to reinsert it moist with water but remember how Mistress had me prepare it the first time. I put it in my mouth and return to the bedroom to find what to wear. The dresser reveals drawers with lingerie. All sets too. A lovely pale blue set with a Demi bra that barely covers my scarlet, swollen nipples and panties with a slit in front and opening in back. Yes, I know what will eventually happen to me, so why not flaunt that knowledge. Ruffled fabric where suitable too, including where the bra straps go over my shoulders. Lovely! White sheer stockings to better show the red shoes. Walking carefully in the 5½ inch stilettos, I manage to make my way to the kitchen without a mishap. Maid is cleaning up the last of the cooking utensils, so I take a seat to wait. She soon turns.“Follow please, your tour is starting. Next Saturday unless told otherwise, after dressing as directed after breakfast, you are to proceed directly to the dungeon and wait. A kneeling posture with arms behind and mouth forming an O you are expected.” Down a staircase, no steeper than the stairs to get to the upstairs bedrooms, leads us down. Light fades to yellow and then flickering yellow to simulate flames once we’re at the bottom. The anteroom has a place where she tells me I will kneel in the future. We proceed in. Four cells, two with bars for doors and two with heavy, wooden doors. Then the dungeon proper. Apparatus all around. A rack, various posts and crosses and X-frames and chairs and other things. It’s quite vast, and I realize it goes all the way to the front of the huge house. I stop to take it all in.“Today you choose one apparatus to be used. The only rule is your face and chest must be exposed and your hands out or behind you. I suggest choosing quickly, you’ll likely experience most if not all of them on your remaining days with us.”“Then I will stay simple, a simple post. That one? You’ll have to choose ropes or straps or whatever.” Walk over to the post and stand with my back to it. She comes over and takes my elbows from behind and lifts them up with the post between. Then lets go and goes to a cabinet where she is obviously choosing items. He returns and fastens cuffs to my elbows, then lifts them behind the post and fastens them together before lifting them up and placing some sort of peg in the post to keep them high. She then stands in front of me and holds a black ball on a long strap to my lips. I open because that’s what I’m to do when my lips are touched. The strap goes around the post and fastens my head to the post. Then wide leather straps with buckles fasten my torso to the post, above and just below my tits. Then one fastens my hips. Shh, kneels to clip a strap to the rings in my shoes and lifts each foot to set it down outside the post behind me. The strap is tightened, and a peg holds it down, forcing my heels to the floor and stretching my calves. She stands in front of me to inspect her work. She brings a stand over with a 9-inch tablet and sets that, so the camera can see me from head to toe. Then she folds the top of the Demi bra inside to still support the bottoms of my tits yet expose the nipples and returns to the cabinet. I’m expecting nipple clamps, but instead she returns with plastic tubes and a vacuum BUL. A tube is place over my nipple and the bulb squeezed to pull my nipple into the tube. She watches my eyes. I try to gut it through the pain but eventually my eyes and a squeak betray me. She turns a valve at the end of the tube and uses the bulb to do the same to my other nipple. She caresses my cheek.“I’ll be back in about an hour, your nipples should be ready by then.” It’s quiet down here! Upstairs there was street noise, down here, nothing! My own breathing and heartbeat are what I get after she closes the door to the anteroom and very distant, the upstairs. Head to toe check. Head held rigid and dull ache from the post at the back of my head and to my cheeks where the gag straps pull back the corners of my mouth. Arms too, a dull ache. Having my hands free and elbows constrained is a strange feeling. Torso except my tits feels fine, the straps allow me to breath and that’s all. Hips fine. Feet and ankles fine too, the torso and hip straps take weight off my feet and the only ache is from the steep heels. My tits are a different story. Distended into the tubes and longer than ever before. And the tubes weigh down on them, bending the hard nubs toward the floor. Mistress would like my nipples pierced, how would that affect this? I’m startled in my reverie by my bottom, the plug starts to vibrate. I look up. There’s Mistress! Then Charles as she shows him what is on her phone. Then back to her.“Good morning, Pet. I see Maid has done as I asked her to do. How do you like your tits today? They’d look even nicer with little gold rings in the tips, sucked into those tubes. Maybe even hurt better.” She pauses. I can only blink. She continues.“So I need to know your plans for tonight. I’m about to go to a store where I can buy certain things for you, but I won’t if yon don’t want to go with us tonight. So I need your answer now, go with us belted and gagged and encased in latex, or spend quality time. If you wish to go with us, three very long blinks.” Several shallow breaths to gather and resolve my thoughts. Here like this with aches and pains that will be worse and worse by the hour or at an unknown fetish party in latex and other stuff. My deep submissive self likes both options, I’ve experienced both and remember the deep thrill from each. Yet today, what would please Mistress? She invited me tonight, so that is what would please her. Blink. Blink. Blink. Gaze on her wonderful face. She smiles, showing her sparkling teeth.“Thank you, Pet. The belt will be ready for you along with a new Latex catsuit and schoolgirl latex outerwear. I’m looking forward to seeing you and the reactions of others at the party. Oh, another question. What do you totally dislike in your mouth? Gags? Prongs? Penis? Inflatables? Any of those? Three long blinks if those are all okay with you.” Blink. Blink. Blink.“What about cloth gags, panties or socks or those sorts of things? Three blinks if those are high on your list of things good for you?” I don’t blink. I hate cloth gags of any kind, prefer leather and rubber and plastic. Don’t like bits either, but she didn’t ask. Mistress nods.“You may still receive those, but thank you for your heartfelt feelings. Now I have to go shopping Pet. Maid has her instructions for you. Have fun! See you both in time to get ready for the party.” Mistress goes blank on the screen and Maid steps into view, holding something in her hand.“Mistress is pleased with you, Pet. Or so it seems. I have a treat for you!” She steps close, and her hand goes to my panties and opens the slit in front. Something slides between my damp pussy lips and starts to vibrate, then finds my hard, red clit and I shudder in the early throes of an orgasm. Her fingers find my pussy and reach inside toward the G-spot Doctor Jenny made for me out of the same flesh as my clit. That pushes me over, a petite MAL orgasm. Maid slowly removes her hand and the vibrator.“Very nice, you like this Pet! Now I have to hurt your tits more.” She takes the tube on one nipple and rolls what looks like a little rubber band off the end of the tube so it now ties off the base of my nipple from the swollen, throbbing tip. She opens the valve on the tube and pressure on my nipple stops, leaving my nipple to turn purple because the rubber band is doing its best to cut off the blood supply. Furthermore, she repeats this with the other nipple. A new sense of pain rises in my chest. But she’s not done. She steps behind me, and then I feel a rope wrap around me above my tits, then below and above and below and above until three strands of the rope are above and below my tits. She steps in front of me and loops a short rope around both those strands between my tits and pulls the two strands together, pinching my tits. Then two more ropes just outside my tits so that each tit has a bit of Demi bra and lots of rope around it. My tits are really going to hurt after this all is done. Maid’s phone buzzes, and she looks at it before going behind me. Next thing I feel is the ball gag strap loose. She comes around in front of me and holds something else up.“Mistress wants you to try a prong next. Enjoy!” The prong is a 2-inch ring with a wide, metal tongue depressor at the bottom inside my teeth. The inside intrudes into my throat and presses down on the back of my tongue. She fastens that behind the post and again my head is immobile but this time my mouth is wide open, and I can’t move my tongue. She touches my nipples and caresses my face.“See you in a while!” Alone again and the quiet lets me feel the pain without distraction. Pain in my nipples radiates to my tits. Pain in my tits radiates to my chest. My mouth has a mind of its own, drool seeps out the edges of my mouth and splatters between my tits. The pain is so, so, so wonderful. Pure feeling, just nerves on fire and no human emotions to complicate or distract. I let it spread and spread, and my pussy gets moist, and my ass clenches the occupier. I’m only there for a long time until a hand touches my cheek. My eyes open, it’s Maid.“Tell me if you feel this. Blink if you do.” She shows me a feather and then touches the tip to my nipple. Fire rushes through me. Blink! The other too, so exquisite! ‘Please don’t stop, Maid!’ my eyes plead with her. She has other instructions. She kneels and presses her face OT my crotch and I feel her tongue spread my pussy lips and find my clit. Teeth! Oh, my she’s biting my oh yes oh. Another petite MAL orgasm floods me and my body tries to shake in its bonds. But she’s releasing me. Feet, then hips, then ropes holding my tits and straps on my upper torso. Arms next, and finally the prong is removed. I lean against the post and breath. My nipples still have the rubber bands. She holds up a tweezer.“You or me? I don’t want to pinch you with the tweezer.”“You,” I tell her, and hold one breast for her to do first. She manages to capture the band and tug it off. The other takes two tries. I massage my purplish breasts to get blood flow back to them. Maid restores the Demi bra to cove my nipples as she explains.“Mistress has returned. Here is the order of things. You will go to her bedroom and knock. You will kneel with eyes down until she opens the door. Furthermore, you will go into her bath with her and undress. Furthermore, you will help her into her bath and bathe her. Furthermore, you will help her from her bath and dry her very gently. Furthermore, you may kiss her breasts and pussy and hands and feet but not aggressively. Furthermore, you will wrap yourself in a towel and return to your room. Furthermore, you will shower and wash your hair. Use the shampoo and conditioner there, Mistress is not allergic to those. You will blow dry your hair and apply plumper three times. You will sit on your bed and wait for me to dress you.” I nod.“Thank you, Maid. Today has been wonderful at your skilled hands. Perhaps I can return the favor someday.” Her smile tells me all I need to know. Follow her out of the dungeon and up the stairs. To the second floor where she points to Mistress’ door and turns to return to her duties downstairs. I quickly check my appearance in the framed mirror, adjust one bra strap, knock three times and sink to my knees. ‘Eyes down,’ Maid said.

A Year of Weekends (Jaclyn)|rating:3.0

Fallen Warrior (Ty5550 & Michi)

Labrador, a small and rather unnoticeable planet. It was home to approximately, and pathetically, only 100,000 inhabitants of its main life form. It was full of other, smaller species that made up the food population as well as pets. Mainly an Agriculture planet with no real, trade-able, resources. A Terrestrial planet that could support most life forms with a standard gravity. Everything about it was fairly standard and average. Thirty-one standard hours in a day and three-hundred-seventy-five days in a local year. It wasn't more than a blimp on most universal maps. Even the people on it were generally overlooked for their inability to adapt to new environments and skills. A Cabrini was born into one of five classes. Sea fair, Terra form, hunter, warrior, or healer. It had nothing to do with breeding since two sea fairing Keybinding could produce a hunter off spring. Likewise, two hunters could produce a healer for an offspring. No one had ever bothered to figure out why they were born like this, it simply was the way it was. There were very few in their history that had ever complained or tried to go against their birth class. Generally, if one was born into it, they loved it. It was a part of who they were. One's class was noticed upon birth due to the color of their skin and hair. Sea fair tended to be born with an almost corpse like blue tone to their skin and sea green tints to their dark hair. Warriors, the rarest class, were born with flame red skin and coal-black hair. Hunters were, for lack of a better term, greenish with tree bark colored hair. Terraforms were muddy colored from hair to toes. Each one was perfectly suited for their given environment and could do their jobs from the moment they could walk. But all were complete messes when they attempted to do a job outside their class. This left them useless to most creatures outside their home planet since they couldn't even be slaves. Instead, they were left to do what they did best. Live. Melania was like most Labrador girls her age, though a bit on the short side for height. She was also a Healer. While not the rarest class, it was likely the second rarest and that made her special. She was the only healer in her sea side village, and that made her important. While most could mend small things like cuts and scrapes, it was her they went to when they were ill or in need of bone mending or deep injuries. Mel, as she was called by friends, wasn't sure why or how she knew what to do with an injury, but there had yet to be one that baffled her. Like many healers, she simply knew what to do when she saw an injury or once she figured out an illnesses symptoms. It was surprising that a Healer was meant to make people healthy, yet they all appeared so fragile. Like all healers, she was born with no pigment in her hair and that left it a bright, white color. Currently, it hung limp and soft around her shoulders. Her pale skin was very susceptible to burning if out in the sun for too long, so she covered in a long-sleeved, black dress that went down to her bare feet. Over her head and hair, she had a large sun hat to keep the beams off her face. As 'sweet' as she appeared, Melania was fairly opinionated and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She wasn't quiet, unless feeling shy, and she wasn't one to be pushed around. Mostly because of another ability of the healers. Charm speak. It allowed them to calm scared or panicking patients, but it also affected people when not inured. This made them, at times, more dangerous than the warriors or hunters. Carrying a small basket, Mel was deep in the forest that neighbored their sea village. It was a good village with many of the resources people needed. The sea to one side and the forest to the other. They lacked nothing. Mel was out looking for some herbs for a medicine she needed today. She was shocked by what she found in the area where this plant was supposed to be. Instead of the small clearing she was used to seeing, Melania came across a large hole. A crater. One that had never been there before. The trees were all broken down and down in the center of the hole was some kind of...pod? Mel didn't know what it was, but it looked metal. Worse yet was that she could see a body laying halfway out of the pod thing."Oh, Ishtar!" she dropped her basket and started to slide her way down the crater. Luckily, it wasn't too deep nor were the sides too steep. When she got down to him, she could easily see he wasn't a Cabrini. But she could also see he was injured. Badly. Mel couldn't imagine what must have happened to him, but she did know that whatever it was had left him with four cracked ribs, a mildly fractured left wrist, several strained muscles, and a rather bad concussion. He was, physically, bigger than her, but she knew she couldn't leave him here. Who knows how long he'd been out here already, and she was sure wild animals would get him soon enough. It would take too long to go back and find people to help her, so she started dragging him up the side of the crater, knowing it would likely further some of his injuries but having no other choice. Dragging him up that crater was probably the most physical labor she'd done in her whole life. By the time she got him out, it was already getting dark, and she was laying on the ground panting and covered in sweat, "This...is not...my job..." she panted out before pulling out a canteen of water from the basket she'd tossed aside earlier. Melania had to get moving again. If she sat too long her body would refuse to move, so she had to force it to keep going. Taking the handle of her basket in her teeth, she dragged his limp arms over her shoulders and started dragging him back towards the village. It was well past night fall by the time she dragged his and her feet through the sand outside her hut door. Mel nudged the door in with her foot and dropped her basket to the floor as she hauled him back to the small, medical room, "You're heavy," she grunted as she slumped his body over the patient bed. Melania had been complaining to him the whole way, even with the basket in her mouth. As tired as she was, she went about cleaning him up a little and getting him situated on the bed before hooking up an IV fluid bag to his uninjured arm. That would hold him over till morning. With that taken care of, she was too tired to care about what he was or where he'd come from. Mel just dragged herself to her bedroom and passed out for what was left of the night. Everything was dark and blurred. The pain was gone as now everything was just numb. The Saipan could feel the ground beneath him where he lay as his fingers dug into the dirt. He had crawled as far as he could from where his pod crashed and spent the last bit of his strength and energy. The alien warrior had no clue what planet he was on, he was a bit confused at the moment. Never had he felt so helpless before, so weakened and beaten. If he had the energy he would be gasping out and groaning in pain. So this was it...his end. So the Saipan warrior's entire life of enslavement to that tyrant known as Frieze lead to this...a backstabbing betrayal in the end. After he went on mission after mission to capture planets for him so he could sell and make his profit and spread and establish his rule across the universe. After doing all of his dirty work, giving sweat and blood, everything...he had his men ambush his squad. They were all dead, all of them! Takashi was the only one who managed to get away after defeating one of Frieze's dogs. He managed to escape into his pod as the other Saipan that were with him all met their fate. They had fought their best but in the end none of them for any match for some of Frieze's elite. Why him? Why his team? Why now? What had he done in order to deserve such a punishment? His team had never even failed Frieze, and they followed every order even if they despised it. No one was stupid enough to challenge the tyrant...he was far too powerful and kept powerful lackeys by his side at all times. So why had all of his friends been slaughtered and why after trying to escape from the current planet he had been assigned to conquer, Frieze's men continued to chase after him as if it were crucial for him to be nonexistent? They shot him down, and he barely managed to aim the co-ordinance at the nearest planet to crash-land on. It all happened so fast. He barely remembered crawling out of the rubble of the pod and struggling to try and crawl out of the crater to find help. All he knew was that his computer managed to lock on to the nearest planet that was capable of baring a life-form under similar living conditions as his own. That all lead him to the point of where he was now, sprawled out on the ground and slipping in and out of consciousness. Not even he knew how long he had been there, if he had to guess it was probably half a day or so. Distinctively he thought he felt someone over him, grabbing him and taking him away and out of the crater and there was a soft tone that flowed over him...perhaps it was some sort of dream. Eyes shooting open with a sudden gasp, Takashi sat up quickly from when he lay. A bad move as he grunted in pain and winced, his entire body was throbbing and twitching in dull, uncomfortable pain from his broken bones, bruised skin, and the small cuts he received from the fight and crash that he barely escaped with his life still intact. He felt chilled, waking up in a cold sweat as his black, spiky, shaggy hair hung down around his face a bit. Panting ever so slightly, the Saipan looked down at his body and armor and grimaced. His black armor was shattered and tattered, barely clinging to his body. It was clear that it was easy for whoever did the patch job...they did not have to remove any clothing since most of it had been blasted off where his major wounds had occurred. It raised the question, where was he, and who brought him here and patched him up? Grabbing at the IV, he ripped it out of his arm and grunted as he moved to try and get up from where he sat. "Damn it...my body is fried. Curse you Frieze!" Groaning out, he tried to stand up, his legs felt weak like jello. He sat on the edge of the bed for a moment and just tried to gather himself for a moment. His head hurt, his side hurt, his wrist hurt and his entire body ached. Takashi realized that he was in no shape to be moving about, he was barely in any shape to still be living. There was no time for rest now though, for all he knew his entire race could be in trouble. What if Frieze was sending out his troops to completely eradicate all Saipan? What would become of Planet Vegetal? Straining himself once again and grunting, he pushed his already burnt out muscles to the limit as he stood up. It was like his body was not responding to him. He got up though and started to stumble around a bit, what was this...someone's living quarters? It was dark, Takashi did not know where he was going, but he found himself barging outside into the night air and looking up into the dark sky that was lit by the stars. Falling to his knees to coughed as he fell on all fours, though his arm with the hurt wrist gave away right away, and he found himself down on an elbow, panting slightly. "Where am I?" He groaned out as he looked around and glanced back at the hut he came from. Pushing off the ground as he tried to get up again, he stumbled back and found himself falling on his bottom with a thud. "Blast it...this body is useless! All those years of training...these muscles...what the hell are they for if I cannot even get back up and keep moving forward?! Pathetic!" He punched the ground hard with his good hand as he let out a cry of agony, his knuckles breaking the surface just barely. He was useless and weak...even if he did manage to get off this planet and back to Planet Vegetal, what could he do? Falling flat on his back, the Saipan's full chest swelled up and down as he breathed heavily. His dark brown eyes idly up at the stars as he let his body slump into a rest, and he felt the weight of fatigue on his eyes. Melania would have been perfectly happy to patch him up further in the morning and just sleep for the rest of the night. But apparently that wasn't going to happen. Not used to having people wandering around her house at night, it easily woke her up when he started stumbling about to get outside. She sat up from her bed and looked around droopy eyed before sliding out of the blankets and grabbing her cover sheet to use as a shawl. Mel walked softly towards the patient room and saw the IV on the floor leaking and the man she'd dragged back here missing. Surely he hadn't got up and walked out. His injuries were rather severe and Mel couldn't imagine anyone being able to move around with them so soon. She hadn't even set his wrist or bound his chest yet. Though there was no other explanation for why he wasn't here. No one would have come in here and taken him, so the only thing she could think of was that he was wandering around somewhere with his injuries. Well, Melania certainly couldn't let that happen. He was going to hurt himself more. It didn't take her long to find the front door open, and she peeked out to see him laying in the sand. Shaking her head, she headed out to get him, "You have a broken wrist, at least three cracked ribs, and probably a sprained ankle, and you're sitting out here playing in the sand. Are you trying to get an infection or break anything else?" she might have been small, but she wasn't scared of someone so injured they could barely walk, "And who knows what sort of internal damage you have or if you already have an infection. If you sit out here all night the sand crabs are going to start picking at you and if they don't kill you, you'll get a cold and likely die of that." Sighing, she walked over the cold sand, shivering a little as she got closer to him, "I carried you once, do I need to do it again?" she asked as she pulled the sheet off her shoulders and draped it over him, "We need to get you inside, clean the sand off, and put that IV back in. I don't have many antibiotics this time of the year," she only went to the main city twice a year, and she was still a month away from her next visit, "I'd rather not let the little bit I have gone to waste because you pull it out and let it leak all over the floor," Mel wasn't interested in trying to use her Charm speak when she was this tired and hoped that his pain would be enough to lure him back inside, "Do I need to help you up and back inside?" Even in the darkness, she could tell he was different from other men. He was too tanned to be a Healer, but his skin tone was not one she'd seen before. It wasn't blue tinted, red, green, or muddy. While his hair did have the coal color that the Warriors did, it was still unlike any she'd seen before. Melania wasn't quite sure what he was, but he appeared enough like her own people in physical form to be medically treated like one. The Saipan's ears twitched as he heard someone approaching, and he was somewhat startled and caught off guard by the soft, feminine voice that washed over him as the source behind it existed the hut to find him laying there in the sand. So it was a female inhabitant of the planet who found him, brought him in and patched him up. Better than being bound and thrown into some prison or killed off he supposed. His eyes locked onto her womanly figure. She had a body similar to that of a female Saipan, though her figure held a more of a curvaceous outline as she was more petite and lacked the appearance of a muscular brawler. She also had incredibly light tones and her hair was bleach white...not like the Saipan's at all whose skin tone was somewhat tan, and they all had very dark brown to black hair as long as they were pure blooded. What Takashi did not really care for was this woman's words and tone...it being ever so sarcastic. Who did she think she was? It was like listening to one of those knowing medical assistants Frieze had and their advice about what they should and should not do when it came to injuries and physical limitations. As if he needed a motherly figure to take care of him. Though he had to admit, he was in bad shape, and he never felt so weak or vulnerable before. Too bad it seemed like this civilization was not all that advanced. If he had been on Planet Vegetal they would have him sitting in a healing tank, and he would be good in go in a few hours...technology courteous of the Truffles in which they took the planet from of course. Grabbing the blanket, he threw it off with a grunt as he sat up...too quickly once again and winced and gasped with the sharp pain that ran through his body. "I don't need your help getting inside...if I can't even get up and walk myself then I deserve to lay out here and rot." He grumbled angrily, frustrated with his body's limitations. Yet he would refuse to let her be his crutch. He would go back inside as she said, it was clear he was not going anywhere anyway...his space pod was probably in ruins, and he was in no condition to travel. Takashi did not like his options, but if this woman was going to help him with his wounds then he really had no place better to go. He needed to treat these and get out of here as soon as possible, and he could not tend to himself...he lacked the medical knowledge. The warrior forced himself up on his feet once again, holding himself together with nothing more than his willful pride. Stumbling a bit, his balance was still off, and he could not figure why. Sure his legs were sore, and his ankle was burning, causing him to limp a bit, but for some reason everything just seemed to be thrown off. Maybe the hit he took to the head was more powerful than he originally though. Quivering slightly and shuddering in the cool night air as it flowed over his body, Takashi pushed himself to his full height as he stood up straight and glanced down at the petite female and limped inside slowly. Heading for the bed, he sort of fell onto it rather than just sat himself down. Stubbornly, he pulled himself upright as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Alright hurry up woman...do whatever it is you need to do." Takashi said rather rudely as he reached down for the IV and snatched it up off the ground. Wielding it like a knife he drove it back into his arm with a grunt of discomfort. Many Healers were considered 'motherly'. That was their job. To take care of people. All of them were generally good-natured people and sometimes their tone of voice was seen as parenting. Since most Healers rarely married or had children, they tended to baby everyone in the village they lived in. While there were no Warrior types in this village, she had met a few, and they didn't take to well to the Healer's kind nature. They found it 'childish' or 'weak'. Still, all of them knew they had to put up with it if they wanted their injuries treated. Even though this guy seemed to be very warrior like, he was at least submitting to that as well. He seemed to understand that he was hurt and needed help. Melania watched him grunt and groan in pain as he climbed to his feet slowly. Going on about how if he couldn't do it on his own then he deserved to rot. Mel wouldn't let that happen, but she wasn't going to kick his ego till he absolutely needed it kicked. Though she was mildly surprised that he was able to haul himself all the way back to the patient room. He was obviously used to being put through a lot of physical strain. She shook her head as he climbed onto the bed and then gasped as he jammed the IV back into his arm, "Are you trying to kill yourself? You're going to collapse a vein doing that," she snapped and walked over quickly after flicking on a light, "No wonder you're in such bad shape if you're going to treat your body that way," Mel grabbed his arm, her small hand barely able to reach around his muscled forearm, and carefully pulled the IV back out, "My gods, how did you even get that in there? The needle isn't even attached. You're going to kill yourself doing stuff like that. This was laying on the floor," she held the IV up to his face, "Do you know how unsanitary that is? With all your injuries, I wouldn't be tempting fate with infections," Mel was tired and starting to get a little grumpy. The few times she'd gone to the main city and had to help out with the Warriors, they had all been rather childish and thought they knew best. Somehow, he was reminding her of that, and she wasn't willing to put up with it after dragging him all the way back here, "Now. Lay down," she said very sternly before going over to a desk and fishing out a clean IV end, needle, and sanitary wipe. While they were the most technologically advanced, they did have the basics for medical needs." Hold still..." she muttered as she wiped the bend of his elbow off and gently put the IV back into his arm the proper way, "That should hold you over till morning. Should take care of anything you might have caught laying in that crater," Mel pulled open a drawer from under the bed and held a pill out to him, "Multi-vitamin. Swallow it whole. Try to get some sleep; I'll set your wrist and ribs in the morning. Don't try walking around again. Understand?" Takashi's eyes flickered as she turned on the light, he tried to give her a stern glare but ultimately just glanced and looked away, avoiding her eyes. She was scolding him like a child. It was his body after all, he could do as he pleased. A silly infection or cold could not stop him...he was a Saipan after all. The only glory in dying came from battle. Sure that had been stories of diseases so strong that others had actually died from them, it even happened to a few Saipan which was seen as shameful...either you died of old age or you died in battle, that was the only way to live and die. They were warriors after all, and he would not allow himself to believe that something as silly as some dirt in his body or wounds would be the cause of his death. These healers were always so dramatic and paranoid it seemed...probably because they were weak. The warrior grunted as she grabbed his arm and pulled the IV back out. As she showed it to him and said how it had been on the ground he just scoffed and jerked his arm away from her. Avoiding her gaze with his eyes, Takashi just laid back down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling of her hut. He did not like taking orders, but he knew how tired he was, and his body needed the rest. Plus he had learned from the past that the fastest way to get better was to listen to the healer's advice...to an extent anyway, at some points they just got too annoying beyond reason." Don't treat me like a child... I am a man, a warrior... I can handle myself. Just get me better and back on my feet and I will be out of here." He grumbled softly in his deep voice as she slipped the new IV back into his arm from where he lay. Listening to her instructions and looking at the pill, he snatched it from her hand with looked at it in his palm with a grimace. He hated when he was forced to take things like this...in general he hated everything, having to be stuck in a bed, hooked up to some fluids, and becoming just totally useless. He only simply gave her a half of nod to somewhat agree to what she was saying about not getting out of bed and waiting until morning. Takashi had not planned on it, he was too fatigued now anyway, and it was hard to just lift his arms, still he did not like following her commands." Get me some water woman, my throat is dry." He could barely swallow alone while talking, there was no way he was going to get this pill down without some water. Once again he was holding a rather rude and demanding tone...but if she did not want to get him the water then he would get it himself...if he found the strength to move and stand again. Maybe it would be easier to just not take the pill at all then. Melania could only take so much from a stubborn patient, just as he could only take so much from a Healer, "First off, I'm not treating you like a child. I'm treating you like someone who has been injured and is need of medical assistance. I am treating you no differently than I would any other patient," she then pointed at his face, "Secondly, don't take that tone of voice with me, or I will start treating you like a child. And, lastly, my name is not 'woman'. It's Melania. You can either call me that or Mel. Treating me like a child or a servant will not get you anywhere. Nor will rudeness. If you need something, just ask. There's no reason to be ordering people around. I don't know how long it is going to take your injuries to heal because I'm not even surewhatyou are, so you might as well get comfortable," she'd certainly never met anyone with a tail before. Straightening up, she shook some of the sand out of her dress, "I'll be right back with some water and some blankets for you." Sighing with slight annoyance, she headed out of the room and towards the kitchen. He'd admitted to being a warrior, and thus his demeanor was not all that shocking to her. He was as stubborn and pigheaded as the warriors of her own species. Because of that, she hoped he would heal quickly and leave. Whether to the main city or to wherever he'd come from, so long as he left. Melania poured him a glass of water from the pitcher and grabbed a few blankets from the closet before heading back into the patient room, "Here," she handed him the glass and put the blankets next to him on the bed, "If you absolutely have to move..." she pointed to a door, "That's the bathroom. Don't pull the IV out. Just take the pole with you," she pointed to the IV pole." Now, unless you need something else... I'm going back to bed. Carrying you here from that crater was tiring, and you're not very light," she stood waiting to see if he would make any more snappy comments or if he would just do as she said and go to sleep. Mel didn't even think to ask for his name. She was tired and too tired to even make food despite the grumbling in her stomach from time to time. It could wait till morning. Takashi scoffed once again and just looked away from her. If he could, he had turned his back, given her the shoulder and crossed his arms. This nurse or whatever the hell she was sure did have quite the attitude in his eyes. She was a bit haughty, ready to bite back rather than just simply submit to whatever he said. In a way it reminded him of the feisty personalities of the female Saipan...but that's because they were warriors as well and this woman here definitely was not, and yet she still held her held high and did not give an inch to him or even show fear. Woman...he would never completely understand them, they could be so foolish especially those of other races. He did not ask for her name, but at least he was getting some water. Staring blankly at the ceiling once again while he awaited, he could not help but let his mind wander about through everything that had happened. The fight, losing his team, getting shot down, crash landing here, and now being taken care of by some native woman. He was pulled back from his thoughts as she came back and set the blankets down. Takashi grabbed the glass of water, quickly popped the pill into his mouth and gulped down the refreshing liquid as fast as he could with a gasp and a satisfying sigh as his parched throat was quenched. Glancing at where she directed the bathroom was at, he simply nodded as he set the glass down and snatched up a blanket." Fine..." He grumbled, "I don't need you to tuck me in, just go to bed." She had done enough, now he just wanted to be left alone so he could get some rest. One thing surprised him though...she was the one that dragged him out and brought him here. Sure did go out of her way and really did all she could to save him. It was rather impressive, she sure did not look like much...like she had the strength to do such a thing in the first place. What was even more mind-boggling was why she went through all the trouble in the first place to save someone she did not even know? Being a Healer, Mel had to deal with many types of people and personalities. Many were stubborn and rude towards Healers because getting hurt sometimes meant weakness. It was her job to deal with these people and not let it get to her. If you let one get to you, then they all will. At least he seemed willing to rest. That was more than some were willing to do at first. Sometimes it took a near death stunt during recovery for them to understand that they needed to rest like she told them to, "I wasn't planning on tucking you in. You're a big boy, you can do it yourself," she said with a smirk before turning to leave, "I'll bring you breakfast in the morning. The nights get cold here, so I'll turn the heat up some. Good night." Mel flicked off the light in the patient room before heading off. The hut didn't really have a heating system, but it did have a fire place. It took her a few minutes to get the fire started, but once it got going it would be enough to warm the hut up a bit. She was used to how cold the nights got, but wasn't sure if he was. Warmth would do him some good anyway. Hopefully help him sleep. He was rather snappy, and she hoped it had to do with his poor body condition at the moment. People got cranky when they were injured. She was sure he'd feel better after resting and once she got his bones set more properly, and of course food. A full stomach always made things better, in her opinion. Sighing, she headed back to her bed and crawled back into it. She'd been tired enough before, but now she was exhausted and passed out quickly. It only felt like minutes when the sun crept through her window and over her face, "Ugh..." she groaned and rolled over to cover her face with the blanket. Melania's body refused to move. Thankfully, her Healer nature kicked in and reminded her of the injured man in the other room. It was enough to get her out of bed. Mel braided her hair and changed into a clean sun dress before going about making breakfast. Mel didn't know what or if he could eat what she was making, so she tried to keep it simple. The small village was mostly fishers and a small farm, so most of it was fresh and most of it was fruit and seafood. Carrying the tray she knocked on the door with her foot, "You awake and decent?!" she called out. If he wasn't awake, he would be if she yelled loud enough. The Saipan made a face as she called him a big boy and he scoffed. Once she was out of the room he curled up on the bed a bit into a position that felt better for the side of his ribs that were cracked. It was a bit chilly as she had said, normally that would not have bothered him at all, but it seemed he had a constant cold sweat as if he were trying to break a fever. Takashi figured it was because his body was dealing with all the injuries and trying to heal itself. It would probably take a couple of weeks before he was at one hundred percent again, but he would be damned before he would let a several of broken bones keep him inside and away from his training and Planet Vegetal. The warrior was hungry for revenge. Pulling the blanket around his body, he found his eyelids become extremely heavy to the point that no matter how hard he tried to resist or fight it, it was no use, and he succumbed to a deep sleep rather quickly. Everything had turned to black once again and then there was a faint light as his body started to feel warm with the nearest star shining through the window and caressing the curves of his muscular body. Groaning, he was stirred from his sleep and the Saipan slowly sat up as he threw off the blanket. He was still sore as hell, causing him to feel a bit stiff as his body was throbbing with a dull, numbing pain. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he found it easier to actually stand up this time even though he had to support himself primarily on one foot, still having to limp with his other ankle slightly fracture. The sturdy black, combat boots that matched his armor probably helped in supported his walking a bit. Hobbling to a mirror next to the bed, Takashi examined himself. He still looked tired, but felt a bit refreshed. It was clear the man in the mirror was in a weakened state, a pathetic excuse for a warrior...covered in bruises, scraps, and wrappings on his wounds. He dared himself to take off the combat boots and kicked to the side with a grunt to test his ankles out. Just as he thought, he was even more wobbly now, but he held his ground. Reaching down with his good arm, the IV getting in the way only slightly, he started to tug and tear off the remaining bits of his tattered armor that clung to his abdomen and up only one side of his arm. Panting as he got it off, he took in a deep breath and sighed as the air hit his bare chest...it felt good to get that off. The armor was for protection, not much good now though with how damaged it had become. The armor was supposed to be very sturdy and durable, he was surprised that his own body was still intact after observing all that was left of it. There was no need for it now, while it was also made to fit comfortably and quite flexible....it was useless, and he was better off without it. Plus he felt freed of it and refreshed. All he had on now were the thick, black pants that clung to his legs, but they were torn up a bit as well. There were some burns and scraps in it along with some rips and tears, but it remained in good enough shape to still hold most of its form, and it kept his lower half covered. Looking in the mirror he noticed his tail flickering around behind him. "My tail..." Takashi could not feel it for some reason, as if it were numb. That's why he had a problem balancing himself. Taking a hold of his tail he squeezed it and could barely feel the pressure. It was odd, usually when anyone squeezed his tail it would cause him much discomfort and drain him of his strength. Some Saiyan's had been able to train to a point where such a weakness no longer bothered them, had his last battle pushed him over that mark? The sound at the door brought his attention away from his body as he looked away from the mirror. "Define decent..." He grumbled out as he grabbed onto the pole attached to his IV for some support as he turned around to face the door. "Just come in already." Melania rolled her eyes as he said to just come in already. Apparently sleeping hadn't improved his mood very much. Maybe she could give him a sedative, no, he didn't appear to be in that much pain despite his injuries. It would unethical of her to do it just to improve his personality for a few hours. Mel couldn't deny being tempted to do that at times. Thankfully, she knew better than to waste her resources on things like that. She could handle this. Now that she had gotten some sleep herself, she could get him fixed up and hopefully well enough to go back wherever he came from. Pushing the door open with her foot, she didn't seem affected by his state of undress. As a Healer, she saw many people at their most vulnerable. A half naked man wasn't impressive to her. He was built much like the Warriors in the main city, just with a tail. Animals had tails, but he was obviously not a common animal. What was a bit impressive was the fact that he was standing. He was obviously used to pain. She set the tray of fruit and bread on a small table for him and pulled it over to the bed, "How are you feeling? Were you able to sleep at all?" he looked a little on the weak side, but not overly exhausted, "Here, this is Parabola, Major, Pepin, and Mangosteen," she pointed out the different fruits on the tray, "Don't eat the skins on the Major or the Mangosteen. It'll make you sick if you do," all the fruits were sliced up for easier eating, "The skin on the Parabola and the Pepin aren't very good, but they are high in protein and good sources of energy. It would be best if you could manage to choke them down. Most can't, but it'll do you good if you can." Melania walked over to her cabinet and pulled out some stuff to help set his wrist and ribs. Mostly wrappings. Casts were hard to manage with the beach environment and tended to just get messy. It was usually better just to splint and wrap and have them stay on bed rest till it set enough for them to move around, "I'll take care of your wrist first so you can eat," he still had one good arm after all. She set out the supplies on the bed and went about fixing up his wrist, "I think it's safe to assume you're not from around here. What exactly are you?" most of the damage seemed to be to his ribs. Mel thought he was lucky that his wrist was just slightly fractured and not shattered, "This might hurt a little..." she warned as she forced his wrist to straighten as she started to wrap it. Keeping it tight enough so he couldn't move his wrist, but wouldn't lose circulation and would still have use of his fingers, "I've never seen anyone with a tail before." Takashi's eyes locked onto the female figure as she opened the door and walked in, right away he noticed she was carrying some food for him. Now that he thought about it, he was rather hungry...on the edge of starving. Being reminded of food made his stomach rumble and growl...it was to the point that he thought it was going to be strong and loud enough that she would actually be able to hear it. So as she sat the tray down, he natural followed her lead as he went to the bed and sat down and grabbed the table with the food on it and pulled it close." Yea yea yea... I slept fine." He brushed her off for the moment as looked at the food. The warrior did not even bother trying to remember all the exotic names of the foods that she put in front of him, just basically looked at the colors and shapes and listened to what she said about which ones were safe to eat and which ones were not. Then he waited impatiently for her to do work with his wrist. He could eat without having it wrapped up...but he waited anyway and sighed as she warned him it might hurt. There was a sharp pain that rang out in his arm which caused him to wince and grunt in discomfort, but it was not too bad. With that done, Takashi dug right in to the two kinds of fruit in which she said not to eat the skin, peels, or whatever. Grabbing them he ate the insides completely in just a few quick bites and set the outside bit to the side. Now he went for the other two types in which she said it would be best to try and eat it all, even though most could not choke it down. Saipan's would eat anything though, and he doubts this was any worse than some of the other things he ate on distant planets. Grabbing the fruit he shoved it right in his mouth and forced it down his throat with little problem. Then he tore into the bread and engulfed that just as quickly. His type had quite the appetite, and it may have seemed odd or strange to some races, but he couldn't care less. Grabbing the glass of water sitting next to the food he gulped that down in an instant. He had finished his food in a matter of seconds, not even bothering to acknowledge her questions until now as he sighed with content and examined his bound wrist. "I am a Saipan from the planet Vegetal. We are a warrior race...but we are under the rule of a tyrant that goes by the name of Frieze who uses us to do his dirty work. For whatever reason... Frieza sent his men after me and my team to kill us all. The other Saipan with me were automatically slaughtered, and I barely got away...then the next thing I know I am crash landing here and waking up to you." He felt like he owed her that much of an explanation since she was the one he dragged him out of that crater and saved his life. His tail swayed a bit behind him before he wrapped it around his waist like a furry belt. Glancing at her, his dark brown eyes measured her up as he looked over her figure up and down and examined her pale skin tone and white hair. "What about you? Where the hell am I...what are you? What kind of name is... Me-lan-ji..." He pronounced rather slowly, obvious not really remembering what she told him what her name was. To say that she was shocked at how quickly he ate was an understatement. She could only assume that he was starving and that his quick eating habit was not common place. Melania knew that their planet was not the only one in the galaxy with intelligent life on it, but it had been a very long time since Labrador had seen other worldly creatures. Children were taught that there were other worlds, but nothing more than that. They weren't able to advance into space themselves and so lacked the knowledge to educate themselves about other species that did not originate on Labrador. Melania was very interested in hearing about him, mostly because of that lack of education. A Saipan. Certainly not something she'd heard of before and not something of this planet. A whole race of warriors. Mel was sure she'd never be able to handle living in a place filled with warriors. More so if they were like the ones here or as moody as this one. Her gray colored eyes widened as he said that someone had killed his team. It explained how he got here. To hear that people that might have been his friends had been killed and for a reason even he didn't know, was saddening. Melania hated when people had to die. They were a rather peaceful race, but violence did happen from time to time. Healers were usually spared from the violence since most seemed to agree that the Healers were the only that could 'clean up' after a fight, "Oh gods...they killed your friends?" she couldn't imagine how much it would pain her if one of her friends were killed, "I'm so sorry to hear that. No one deserves to die like that. More so under the orders of someone else," he's said he was a warrior and while she had issues with warriors, she did have respect for them. They were honorable fighters. Melania had no idea that this man was basically a mercenary, "I'm sure this... Free-Za," she attempted the name, "...will be punished for his actions. People that do bad things always get what's coming to them in the end. At least in my opinion..." When he started asking questions of his own, she used to time to assess his ribs and start getting bindings to help set them, "This is Labrador and I'm a Cabrini Healer. And my name is Melania’m(e)-Lanka," she pronounced it out for him, "It means 'dark skin'...my parents weren't expecting a Healer. Both of them were Terra's and both their parents had been Terra's. By the time I was born it was a little late to think of a new name," she shrugged a little. She liked her name, despite its meaning and how it didn't fit her one bit." Lift your arms as much as you can, please," unlike him, she was willing to use manners now that she had gotten some sleep, "...so I can wrap this around your torso. It might hurt a little," she warned again as she reached around him to start twisting the wrappings around his rib cage, "What's your name? Age? And do you have any allergies? Any past injuries that cause any problems? Alcohol? Drugs? Anything like that?" she asked as she went into doctor mode, making mental notes of his answers. Healers rarely used actual paper notes. They had a knack for remembering what most would see as useless details or mind-numbing work, "You ate pretty quickly, do you have a history of intestinal parasites? Worms can make you eat more than you need to because they are 'stealing' the food. Are you still hungry?" Takashi just sort of rolled his eyes, "yea... I didn't tell you my story so you could get all sappy with me." Saipan's were not really much of the types to get heavily involved with emotion. They were more basic, following their instincts and relying more on the physical matters of life. After all, they were a race that was born to fight. They had a natural talent and thirst to become stronger and dominate. That was something which Frieze wielded and used to his advantage of course since they were such a simple race. Once the Saipan's knew they could not defeat the tyrant and his race they agreed to cooperate and do his dirty work and in return they got to freely express their need and desire to battle as they were sent off to conquer planet after planet. In reality, it had not been all bad working for Frieze, but the prideful race did not follow anyone...they were not lapdogs that could be summoned and trained to run errands. They respected Frieze only because of his power...if an opportunity ever presented itself though it was highly possible that the Saipan's would rise up against him. This was probably no secret to the tyrant, many races resented him. The question was not really why he had lashed out at Takashi and his team, but why now?" That's the idea..." The warrior mumbled softly with a blank stare as the woman beside him mentioned that Frieze would get what was coming to him and would be punished. Takashi did not know what was going on right now, but he planed to fly off this planet as soon as possible in order to find out. Maybe there were some answers on Vegetal...he just hoped an all out war had not broken out with Frieze trying to eradicate all of them. He only half listened to what she was saying about the planet...mainly because he had no clue what the hell she was talking about. Though Labrador did ring out to him, he believed he had heard a brief description about it because it was a planet that was marked for conquest...he dare not mention that to her though, not now anyway. So he had an idea of where he was now. All he really knew about the planet from the reports were that it was covered in life and there were signs of intelligence and possibly the inhabitants had some special abilities. Melania was confirming that. "Melania..." He said her name soft and slowly as he tried it on his tongue and let it slip from his lips. Lifting his arm he grunted as he looked at down at her as she was at his side tending to his ribs. It seemed she was going full medical on him or something as if a switch was clicked...it was those pestering kind of questions he heard when one of Frieze's doctors were checking on him after a battle. "My name is Takashi...roughly twenty-five years old? ... I'm not allergic to anything that I know of, I have eaten and been introduced to plenty of different things, so I don't fucking know... I have healed from all my past wounds, only the scars remain...alcohol, yea sure I like to drink...not exactly sure what you are asking though...all Saiyan's tend to have a high metal-whatever you call it...something about us having high energy and burning it quickly as we are born for battle and are constantly training... I don't know the specifics. Furthermore, I'm not a doctor, I'm a warrior." He grumbled with a rather irritated tone before quickly adding in, "yea I could eat some more...got any meat?" "I wasn't being sappy. I was being sympathetic," she muttered under her breath as she worked to bind up his chest. It was hard repairing ribs, but so long as he didn't work himself to death before they healed enough he would be fine. Moving on from that, she listened to him answer her questions, making mental notes of his answers and repeating them to herself softly, "Takashi," she murmured his name, "Twenty-five," she was surprised to hear him say 'roughly'. Did he not know his birthday? Somehow, she didn't think birthdays were all that important to this man, "No allergies...high metabolism," from the way he mentioned it, it seemed to be a genetic trait. So likely no parasites. Still, she'd give him something to clear out any bugs in his system if he started to show any other signs of them, "Just because you're a warrior doesn't mean you can't learn about your own health," she added in. Then again, she could say the same about herself. Melania couldn't fight off a housefly if it decided to attack her. Okay, maybe a fly, but not much beyond that, "And please don't swear, I don't like it. And you shouldn't drink. It'll kill your liver in the long run, but that's your own choice," she rarely got onto people about things like that unless it was killing them immediately. Finishing with his ribs, she stood up straight and gave the wrapping a once over to make sure it looked alright. He mentioned meat, and she smirked, "Sorry, little too early in the morning for that. Market doesn't open for another hour. I can get some red meat then," she figured that was the kind he meant, "Never keep any in the house. It goes bad too quickly, and I don't eat it much," seafood was more readily available here, "I have some Ouroboros in the deep freezer, Ouroboros is a deep sea reptile. Kind of like a snake." she was the only one in the village with any kind of cooling system. It was mostly used for medicines that needed to be kept cold, but if she sealed it up enough she could keep some foods in it too, "Though by the time it thawed enough to cook I could have just gone to market and got you something else."" I'll go get you some more fruit, water..." she looked him over for a moment, "...and some clothes. I think I have a cotton shirt and pants that will fit you," she nodded as she picked up the tray and headed out of the room, "And don't try to stand up yet. Furthermore, I haven't properly checked your ankles. The more you walk around the more damage you might do if there is something wrong," Mel snapped as she headed towards the small kitchen. It only took her a few minutes to cut up more fruit and dig out the clothes. They weren't at all like his armor, but they would do while he was healing. If he was still around when she went to the main city in a few weeks, she'd see if she could find anything there from the Warriors, "Here you go," she said as she walked back into the room and set the tray down on the table again and then set the cotton clothing on the edge of the bed, "That is Pita ya," she pointed to a bright reddish colored fruit that had inside flesh color almost as white as her hair dotted with black seeds, "Don't eat the flesh. It's not poisonous or anything, but it's tough and doesn't digest well. Just make sure you chew up as many of the seeds as you can. They are rich with lipids, but indigestible if not chewed."" Anyway... I have to put together a few things to take with me to the market. You eat, change, and rest. I'll come get you, and you can come with me so long as your ankles are okay. I'll just be down the hall, so yell if you need anything," reaching down, she grabbed up his combat boots, "And don't put these back on. They're filthy and will do you no good in the sand," Melania took them with her as she left the room and headed to her work area to mix up some medicines that she knew needed to be delivered. In such a small village, Mel didn't charge for her services. Instead, she used a bartering system. She provided health care, and they provided her with the means to support herself, such as food (other than fruits she could gather on her own) and favors when she needed them. It was a fair trade. Takashi just scoffed and pushed all of her words to the side. Here she was acting like some sort of mother figure again, or concerned doctor, whatever the difference was he could not tell. He was a grown man and could do as he pleased and make his own decisions. If he wanted to drink and swear then he would. He would be devout his life to being a warrior, a fighter, nothing else really seemed to matter. It was all about being stronger and faster, being the best so that you could rise to the top and dominate and earn respect. Often usually respect just meant the same as someone who is weaker having fear. Saipan blood was coursing through his veins and his instincts had him only lusting for the basics such as battle, food, and sex. The warrior then started to grumble, she did not have any meat at this moment? He would eat whatever she had and put in front of him, but nothing could replace so good old red meat. "Whatever... I will eat anything you got. Seafood...doesn't matter." His tone was rude as always and irritated. Takashi was frustrated with this situation, being stuck here with these injuries and not sure if he would be able to get off this planet nor what he would do even if he did. He did not want to wear whatever she was going to get him, he wanted the type of armor that he was used to. This all sucked, that damn Frieze was going to pay! He started to move around and flex his upper body and stretch a bit to test out his muscles and bones over the areas she patched up. He was still incredibly sore, and it made him wince with pain when he tried to move too much. Takashi was beginning to think that she saved wrapping up his ankle for last so he could not get or and move around or even attempt it. Grumbling under his breath again, he ate the food she gave him quietly and made sure to follow her instructions so he would not get sick...that's exactly what he did not need. He grunted out, "To-" and was about to yell out as she took his combat boots, but she was already out of the room. Growling with anger, Takashi shoved the rest of the food down and started ripping off his torn and worn pants. He started to pull on and get into the clothing she gave him, scowling with disapproval as he did so. The Saipan was not use to wearing something so light in color and weight. Now he did not even have his own clothing, he felt like a total patient. Something was uncomfortable...his tail, these pants were obviously not made for someone with an extra appendage. "Woman, these pants don't accommodate my tail...got anything with a hole in the back?!" Melania started to wonder about how his body might differ from her own people. Outwardly, it didn't seem all that different. Other than the tail and his strangely tanned skin, it was basically the same as the Warriors. And apparently just as stubborn as one. Once he was recovered he would probably do well to go to the main city and stay with the Warriors. Or maybe he planned on leaving. Mel didn't really know and didn't really care. So long as he healed and recovered, he could do whatever he wanted. It was, again, very tempting to just give him a sedative and let him lay there like a vegetable till he was healed. More so when she winced as he yelled 'Woman' again. Sitting at her work bench, she'd been grinding up some things for a joint medicine for the elderly Hunter that she got meat from. Since she'd already decided that she was going to give Takashi the meat, she was also putting together an early batch of children's vitamins. The village children, the Sea Fairing ones at least, caught fish for her. While it would be the parents she gave the vitamins to, they had the kids do the work. Melania didn't mind. She liked kids. They always brought her seashells and whatever else they found laying on the beach or tide pools. But the fish they brought her would make up for the meat she would be giving to him." Sorry!" she yelled back down the hall, "But no one named 'Woman' is here right now. If she comes by, I'll make sure to give her your message!" it was a little petty, but she couldn't help but smile to herself as she started using the very small spoon to pack it into clear, swallow-able pill capsules, "You know, they hare just cotton, hand sewn pants. I'm sure even a finger could poke a hole through the back! Though, if youreallywant to wait, I'll let 'Woman' know when she shows up!" the white haired girl yelled back before going back to her pill making. It was a long process for a beginner, but Melania could put together a bottle of pills in about an hour if she focused...and closed one eye and didn't breathe too much. Probably the worst part was when she went to weigh each pill and if one came up over or under it's desired weight. At that point she had to find which other ones were over or under and re-do them. About halfway through the batch, Mel had to take a break or her eyes were going to revolt and kill her. She wasn't even sure how much, if any, time had passed since she yelled back to him, but she decided to check on him. Before going to the room, she got a fresh pitcher of water for him and some more fruit, "Now...those ankles...think you can walk on either of them?" he'd been moving around before, so she assumed he could, "That one seems to be sprained, but I don't think either are broken," grabbing another wrapping from her supplies, she walked over and held out a hand, "Lift your leg, please, and I'll wrap it for you. I'll get you a cold pack for it too. So long as you stay off it till market opens, you can come with me. The fresh air will do you some good," not that fresh air was lacking. Melania's house/hut was well aired, "Think you can manage that?" Takashi clenched his teeth and gritted them together, his eyebrows furrowed as his eyes only reflected annoyance, and he let out a growl of pure irritation. This woman was trying his patience...he understood that all females were rather difficult at times...but the ones of this race was just bizarre. A healer...the exact opposite of a warrior, he could not simply stand her and the words that came out of her mouth! If she were a Saipan or a man then he would not think twice about slapping her...fortunately for her, she was so fragile, and he needed her in order to get better!" Fine, be that way..." He grumbled angrily as he reached around and ripped a whole through the back of the pants and slipped his tail through it. Crossing his arms he sat on the bed with his eyes closed, almost pouting as he sat there still and waited impatiently for her. His eyebrow was twitching, and he was tapping his bicep with his index finger as he kept his arms crossed over his chest and he was tapping his bare foot on the floor with the ankle that was not sprained. When she finally came back he grabbed the fruit she brought him and shoved it down, not looking directly in her eyes or even saying anything for the moment. Grabbing the water from her, he started to gulp it down, pretending not to pay attention to a word she said...it was obvious that he was though because he lifted his foot as her request. Sighing after he finished the water he looked at her, "yes I can walk...what do you take me for, an infant?"" Fine I will stay off of it but only if you will take me to go see my ship. I need to see what kind of condition it is in and if I can salvage anything from it." He hated feeling so helpless and limited to just the bed. Takashi just felt so restless, in a way he cursed the limitations of his physical and mortal body for he wanted to be able to do so much more. "What am I supposed to do in bed all day?" He grumbled, expressing his boredom. Melania was slowly getting used to his eating and drinking habits. He seemed to go through it so quickly that she doubted he even tasted it. A shame, really. Fruits were her favorite. Actually, food in general was her favorite. Mel took her time eating so she could taste everything. It could take her all day just to eat one meal sometimes. She wondered if he ever tasted his food or if it just went down his throat right away, "Maybe..." she teased as he asked if she thought him an infant, "Children do tend to whine and complain a lot...so maybe not an infant..." Mel had no idea how close she was to death. Him being a Saipan meant little to her and that was likely the only reason she was talking to him the way she was." I'll take you to see the ship...tomorrow. You're in no condition for a half day hike through the forest," not that he would be tomorrow, but Melania would put it off as long as possible, "I'm in no mood to drag you back here again," maybe she could hold it off for at least a few days. Though the issue was that it was the rainy season, and it might rain before he was well enough to go. As stubborn as he was, she wondered how he would be if it rained and his ship was destroyed even further because of the rain. Mel would have to work something out. She would see how well he handled walking around today. If it went well, then she would take him out there tomorrow. If not, well, she'd figure out a way to keep him indoors, "Though from what I saw it looked pretty beat up," Melania wasn't completely ignorant of technology. The main city had the most up-to-date technology for their planet, but even that was Stone Age compared to what the ship looked like." As for what you can do in bed...there is a lot you can do in a bed," she said as she finished wrapping his ankle and standing up straight, "Relax, rest, and recover. Of course if you'd rather do something else... I can get you a book. The children are always bringing me seashells to make necklaces with, if you want, I can bring you the basket, and you can do that. It's only going to be another half hour or so before we can go to the market. It's not going to kill you to lay back and rest till then, now is it?" she smiled, "If you need me, I'll just be finishing up down the hall. And, try to remember, my name is 'Melania'," if he called her 'woman' again, she might not even respond sarcastically. Turning on her heels, she headed out of the room again and back to filling up the small pill capsules. Finally, when she was finished, she poured the pills into their glass bottles and putting the bottles into a cloth bag over her shoulder. Mel wondered how he was fairing. He didn't seem the type to like sitting there doing nothing. Someone that preferred to always be on the move unless he was stuffing his mouth. Walking to the patient room, she smiled, "You up for going outside for a bit?" This woman...she was so infuriating, so frustrating, so irritating, it went along with the medical and educated types though. Most of them seemed to hold themselves rather highly just because they were smart, and yet at the same time they were weak and knew nothing about fighting, the thrill of a battle, and war. In the past he had killed people for less, he had killed those he knew nothing about all under the orders of the tyrant known as Frieze. That was all over now, though a part of him would have liked to kill her or teach her a lesson...at the same time he knew he needed her since he knew very little about the whole medical field. Takashi realized that without her, he would have been dead, and he owed her...still he cursed the situation he was in. All he could do was scoff, cross his arms, furrow his eyebrows and look away from her. Sure he was pouting, and he did have an attitude that was somewhat childish, it was noted amongst the Saipan as they were a race that was run by their need to instantly gratify their desires. He was upset that he lost his team and the fight, that he suffered these injuries and was now being told that he had to stay in bed. "You won't have to drag me anywhere..." He snapped with a deep grumble, he wanted to go check out his ship now! Unfortunately he had no idea where it was, nor did he know anything about her planet so he needed her guidance. Rest in bed, how boring...and reading, he never really had must interest in that, he did not know how to read all that well anyway. His eyebrow twitched though when she started to talk about shells and necklaces, "I don't want to do some damn arts and crafts... I am a warrior. Remember that before you open your mouth next time... Melania." he spoke her name rather sarcastically this time and just waved her off as she finished with his ankle and went out of the room. He was not just going to lie around and do nothing in bed. He was not a basket case, and he was not a vegetable, he could still work some parts of his body after all. Laying back, he put his hands behind his head and started to do sit-ups and a few other related and various ab workouts, going up and down, doing his best to ignore the pain at his side from his fractured ribs. It caused him to feel a strong burn, making him reach a limit rather quickly as he broke out in a sweat. His body was still sore and fatigued, it was hard for him to do as much as he was use and accustomed too while in good condition. His injuries were limiting him. Takashi pressed on though, forcing his sore body to keep on going. He needed to work himself back into shape, he could not just go soft. Every second he wasted was crucial, Frieze and his men were still out there. Even when Melania came back in he did not stop but just looked at her as he breathed in and out heavily and panted softly. "I am ready when you are." Melania wasn't prepared for him to be working himself sick when she went back in there. He was doing sit-ups and obviously straining his body and broken ribs. Mel couldn't believe someone could be so stubborn as to injure their body further. He might have been a warrior, but that didn't mean that was all he was. Then again, she didn't know much about him or his race. Maybe all he really was muscle. She liked to believe that even warriors could make time to relax and rest. Surely at some point in his life he had just sat and enjoyed looking at the sky or watching the clouds? Didn't everyone do that? Maybe not." You're most certainly not ready," she snapped and set her bag down before going over to him, "I said to rest and relax. Not work yourself into unconsciousness again. Are you trying to kill yourself?" she grabbed one of his arms and checked his pulse from his wrist. It was racing, and his chest was heaving up and down as he panted, "Youngest rest," her voice was one of concern, but she doubted he would hear it that way, "If you do things like that, it's going to take you longer to recover," they were no blessed with the technology that he was used to. There was no medical tank to put him into for a few hours, and he'd be good to go. His injuries were going to take time to heal. Time he was likely not used to waiting for. Melania was going to have to make him, "Let me get you some water and once your breathing has calmed we can go. But only if you promise not to do any more sit-ups today." She left him with that thought as she went and refilled his water pitcher. She made a mental note to check the main city library to see if there was anything about Saipan. Melania doubted it, but it would be worth it to check. Maybe then she could find out if all of his people were this stubborn or if it was just him. She had a hard time imagining a whole race of people that were like that. The warriors here were stubborn, but not like this. Something told her that it wasn't just him and his hardheadedness was genetic. If so, she might have to see about restraints to keep him confined to the bed. Bringing back the water, she made him drink it all before even moving enough to let him out of the bed, "Now, if your ankle starts to hurt too much, I'll get you a crutch," his ankle didn't seem too bad. Mel was sure that it would heal the quickest. She was sure once his ankle was better he was going to be even more of a handful. With that said and done, she leads him out of her hut. She wasn't far from the coastline, in fact, when the waves got large enough they would come all the way up to her porch. For now, it was very nice out. A soft breeze going over the sand and the palm trees providing enough shade till the treeline of the forest. There were little huts and such dotted as far down as you could see. Some in the sand like her home and others further back into the trees. Not far from her porch was a large dock with several boats and boathouses lining it. Already it seemed the entire village was on the dock. It was surprisingly strong enough to hold them all and many were going from boat to boat buying things. While there were a few Hunters and Terra's, this was primarily a Sea village. Most of the people that Takashi would see as they got closer to the dock, that was also the market, had skin the color of the sea. Ranging from dark blues to light sea foam colored. There were a few people with muddy brown colored skin and hair and even a few with dark green colored skin; but Melania was the only one seeming to lack any sort of coloring. She pulled her hat down over her head to protect herself from the sun, "Try not to draw attention to yourself," she said softly, but knew that would be difficult for him. He really didn't look anything like anyone else, "You can walk around if you want...just try not to get hurt or strain yourself, okay? If you do that, I promise to take you to your ship tomorrow," Mel could really see no way around taking him there unless he hurt himself too much. Almost as soon as she walked away from him, all the village children seemed to take interest in him. There were at least a dozen, most with sea foam colored skin and hair, but others with various shades of green and brown. They stayed several feet behind him, pointing at his tail and whispering. One boy, with a reddish tinge to his skin, got up the courage to wander up close to him and grab his tail. Not hard and he didn't tug, but he was obviously seeing if it was real. The boy was barely ten and his skin was different from the others. It was redder. He was to grow up to be a warrior and was the only one in this village. Even though he was more defined physically than most ten-year-olds and even taller than most of the other kids, it was obvious that he was like Melania. He was different. An oddball in the village, "It's real!" he screamed and ran back towards his friends, all of them taking off down the beach immediately. Takashi continued with his sit-ups even as she came in with the surprised look on her face that soon turned into a face expressing an anger of authority and concern. She may have been some sort of doctor, but she knew nothing of the Saipan and their warrior ways. They had no limitations and if they did arise, they pushed themselves far beyond them and just kept going. There was no such thing as giving up, giving in, or losing. Winning was all that mattered and victory would be obtained by all means necessary. He did stop though as she came over to him, he ignored her and did not say a word. Every time he opened his mouth to argue with this woman so far she would just say something snappy right back. The best way to deal with an annoyance is to either obliterate it or annoy it, and since he benefited from her being alive he chose to ignore her. His panting slowly started to succeed as he took the water from her and gulped it down like he had everything else, letting the liquid quench his parched mouth and throat as well as cool his heated and fatigued body. He decided he could rest a bit until it was time to go out, he was looking forward to getting out of that bed and stretching his legs a bit as well as get some fresh air. Maybe it would give him a feel for where he was at as well. Laying back on the bed, he rested his head on the pillow and closed his eyes for a moment. When she came back in, he sat up and was ready to get going. Steadying and balancing himself on the edge of the bed he stood up, wincing and grunting for only a moment as he felt the pain in his body radiate through his nerves. "I don't need a crutch..." He mumbled angrily. He could do this on his own, or force his body to if he had to. Furthermore, he would not use something as shameful as a crutch to support him and get around on. If his body could not even hold himself up and move, then what good was it? He followed behind her, somewhat slow at first, but he limped in strides and picked up the pace a bit. The air was cool and relaxing, though it smelled heavily of salt water...something he was not sure that he liked or not. The sand made it a bit difficult as he shuffled his feet through it as his bad ankle continued to cause him to limp a bit and his steps were a bit uncoordinated and unsteady. Curiosity took him though, he wondered where they were going as she leads him toward the ocean. Did they have to take a boat to get to the market or something? To his surprise...the market was right there on the beach leading into the ocean with a huge dock that was littered with boats and stands. It was the first time he had seen such a thing. Their technology and civilization was obviously not as advanced as he was used to, but he had seen similar settlements on other planets." Whatever..." He muttered as she said he could walk around by not draw attention to himself. He noticed right away the different colors of the individuals in the market. It was not all not strange to him for he had seen many different races that were all colors, shapes and sizes. Yet they were all one race, but divided into classes of colors. Glancing at Melania, she seemed to stick out of the group for some reason. Was it because she was a healer? Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a bunch of children that were staring at him, or really his tail. In fact, a lot of people were looking at him because he was different. No one else there shared his complexion or even his muscular build. Even his hair stood out, but most of all it was his tail. Takashi grunted as his tail was suddenly grabbed, and he whirled around in anger, ready to hit someone, but they were already gone. His eyes were burning as he looked at the kids that were dashing away, the little red one that stuck out like a sore thumb was exclaiming that his tail was real. "Little rascals... I will each you to play games with a Saipan. No one grabs my tail without paying dearly for it." Raising his hand up, he spread his fingers open while he pointed his palm in the direction of the darting kids. Grunting and wincing, he started to gather his energy as a small orb of energy flickered within the center of his hand before finally forming into a large, yellow glowing I ball. Many around him suddenly stopped what they were doing as they stopped and stared, some in fear. Letting out a yell, his aura burst around him, and he shot the blast off like a powerful rocket as it raced toward the little red child. At the last minute though, Takashi scoffed and raised his hand up, redirecting the blast so it curved upward and exploded high in the air above the group of sprinting kids like a large firework, the shock wave was enough to stir up the wind a bit and get the waves rocking the boats. "Little pests...are not even worth my energy to dispose of." Turning his attention away from them, he looked at a merchant who had a display of meat before him and gave him a petrified look. "What, you ain't ever seen a tail before?" Snatching a haunch of meat, the warrior took a large bite out of it and started to chew. Gasping, he dropped the meat as he stumbled a bit and lost his balance. His vision was becoming blurred as he suddenly felt so drained. "Damn...my body..." Falling to all fours he grunted in pain as he felt sick to his stomach all of a sudden. He realized he overdid it a bit, first working out in bed and expending what little energy he had left to show off and give these people a little frightening show so they would stop staring and leave him alone. Melania had thought things would be alright. Honestly, how much trouble could he get himself into? Other than falling into the ocean or getting hit in the head by a coconut or something, what could really happen? So long as he took it easy and didn't intentionally draw attention to himself, he would be fine. At least that's what she told herself as she walked along the dock. She knew people would be curious about him, but she saw nothing that would cause an issue. What she didn't take into thought was the fact that children were naturally curious, and a tail just screamed 'grab me'. The Healer was busying herself with getting food for the both of them to last at least a day or two. It was a simple process. Most were more than willing to help her out with food. Money wasn't a big thing in such a small village. It was more about trading. Even if they didn't need Mel's talents at this moment, they would at some point in life. It was as simple as that. The fact that she now had a strange, tailed man wandering around with her (or near her) just made them more willing to give her food and things like that just to hear her talk about it. The longer she stayed at a booth or boat, the more likely she was to talk about her new patient. When Takashi yelled and the bright light from his energy blast lit up the already bright beach, the children all ran for the dock. Many climbed into boats where their parents were. The little warrior ran past her, smiling to himself instead of crying or looking terrified like the others, "Deng! What did you do?!" she snapped, and the little boy turned to her shaking his head." Nothing, Mel. Honest," the boy was a terrible liar. Luckily for him, a little blue girl stuck her head out of a boat and ratted him out, "Mel! Deng grabbed his tail and he started glowing! And he yelled at us!" the little girl dodged a shell thrown at her by Deng." Dreng, Cari, get home now!" Melania rarely raised her voice, so when she did the two children both scattered, and she ran off towards the beach in time to see Takashi stealing food and then falling over. She rolled her eyes and started towards him. The old man he'd taken the meat from relaxed a little when he saw her walking by, "Morning, Mr. Gaffer," she said like nothing was wrong as she walked over to Takashi. She pointed to the food now sitting in the sand, "I'll come by and check on that newborn calf for you later and bring by your arthritis medication too," he wasn't due for that for at least another week, but it was all she could think of to make up for the meat that was going to be swarmed by seabirds in an hour or so. Kneeling in the sand near the Saipan, she reached out a hand and placed it on his forehead. He wasn't running a fever, "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" she didn't yell at him or scold him, mostly because she wasn't quite sure what all had happened, "Is it your ribs?" she moved her hand down to his chest, everything felt the same. Muscular and thick, but nothing felt more broken than it had been before, "I don't see any bleeding," her voice was one of concern. Scolding and 'I told you so' could wait till she was sure he wasn't in any immediate danger, "Come here..." she carefully pulled him towards a nearby palm tree to get him out of the sun, "Is your tail okay? Cari said that Deng grabbed it," the little warrior boy sometimes didn't know his own strength. Just a few years ago he broke the tail of a cat on accident. Mel hoped he hadn't done that.

Fallen Warrior (Ty5550 & Michi)|rating:4.0

Said the Spider to the Fly (DominantPoet & DrusillaJenson)

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide(had much everything in life that he could ever imagine or dream of. He was the head of a multinational corporation. He was one of the world's most prominent, yet mysterious billionaires. Despite all of his success, he kept out of the public eye as much as he possibly could for a variety of reasons. Chief among them being that he was a traitor to his nation. Being well-connected, influential, powerful, and with a thirst for power and Dominance, he had many underground and black market dealings with various other countries and organizations. Because of this fact, he was constantly sought after by many organizations, including the FBI, CIA, NSA, Interpol, so on and so forth. But he was slippery. His tracks were non-existent, and any time anybody thought they would be able to bring him down, they found out quickly that it was their lives instead that were destroyed. Their reputations destroyed, their precincts sued into bankruptcy, DA's and lawyers tying up everything in litigation for decades on end until people could no longer afford to continue their fights for justice. He had built a network around himself, carefully, slowly, intricately. He had no family, and he kept no real friends around. Furthermore, he made sure to have no weaknesses, nothing people could go after to try and blackmail him with. And in turn, he knew how to exploit these things with others very well. Having an extreme taste for women, as many powerful and influential men would, he used these traits and skills to go through them like they were candy. He would pick them up in nightclubs, in grocery stores, on the street, through people he had met. Basically, if he saw someone, and he wanted her, he would use everything in his power to get to her without her really knowing what he was doing. Then, he would use her, until he was tired of her, and dispose of her just as quickly. Many of them matched some, sometimes many, of the traits he was looking for, but not all of them. This frustrated him to no end of course. One day, he decided that he would have himself a secretary at work. He figured he could go through them, pick and choose who he liked, use them, and give them substantial compensation when they were let go after so they never talked up about it. This was the route that would bring her to him. Selene was a well-educated woman. She grew up in a wealthy household with parents that wanted nothing but the best for her. They had dreams of their little girl growing up to be a wealthy doctor or even a lawyer some day. But Selene she wanted something with a little more action. She wasn't tame enough for occupations such as those. She had a somewhat of a wild child side of her. Sitting behind a desk or in a hospital just never interested her. She wanted to go out in the world where the action was. She got that wish too. When she was in the middle of law school she did a couple stints at the local law enforcement office for added credits and with her charming skills that she never revealed to the officers she was able to help them close a couple fraud cases. Lucky for her the FBI caught wind of her achievements and abilities, and they recruited her right out of law school. She went to the FBI academy in Quantico, Virginia and then from there on out she has been working as a special agent of the FBI tracking and tacking down scumbags who think they can slip through the cracks. The FBI likes her because she is tough. In this job she has to be tough, in control. The moment she loses control, the criminal wins and in dire situations it could cost her, her life. Sure she has a sweet soft submissive center. Somewhere. But it's hard to reach. She doesn't take crap from anyone. A file was dropped upon her desk with Draven's name upon it. Looking up she lifts a crimson brow. "What's this?" Her boss sat down in the chair in front of her desk. "Your next assignment, you fly out tonight so I hope you can pack fast." She looked at him as if asking, are you serious, a moment and went to open the file. "We've been tracking him for a while, and exhausted all other options. You're the best SEL. You can look it over in flight. Go pack." She closed the file and looked to him seeing his charming smile and smirk sands getting. "Ok, ok." The next day she was all settled, had her orders and address and what she was supposed to do. She slipped into a red dress, heels, and her long red hair was loose upon her shoulders. She grabbed her coffee and bag and headed out of her nice condo apartment thanks to the FBI's expense and headed to this big office building she was supposed to start 'working' in. Furthermore, she hailed a taxi and gave the address and upon arriving she got out looking up at the large building she headed inside and to the front desk. "Hi, good morning. My names Selene Riddle. I'm supposed to meet someone here by the name Draven for a secretary position?" The FBI wasn't always the best with trying to hide their people. For one thing, when they're trying to get someone into an organization like his, they make a lot of crap up on her resume. Give her contradicting information for backgrounds, odd work histories. Although to give them credit, they were getting better at it as time went on. They learned from their mistakes, if extremely slowly. This didn't stop Draven from having suspicions about this one. Selene Riddle. Her last name made her sound like some sort of enigma. She has just moved into a condo apartment down town, which of course raised a few flags for his staff. It was an extremely grueling process any potential resume went through before it reached him. There were background checks, history checks, record checks, everything from birth, dental, medical, thorough reference checks. Despite having made it through, there were many tags on her resume when he had slid it across his desk. Still....the required photo that had been attached to her particular application is what really convinced him. She was a redhead, busty, very alluring and sexy. Already his ideal woman physically. This drew up more flags. His preferences, despite his best attempts, were fairly well known for women. He had an incredibly strong obsession for redheads, cleavage, and breasts in general. Much more so than most men in the world. Her education and background were more flags. Very well-educated, which means FBI material. Wealthy household, wealthy parents, she seemed to want for nothing when she was growing up. Which means she was likely either extremely prim and proper, again FBI material, or she was rebellious. In which case, she was seeking thrills, action, spice in her life. This attracted the government as well, but it also meant she could be manipulated if he played his cards right. A woman looking for excitement in her life was open to seduction if you could show her things in life she had never imagined, never experienced. As the buzzer sounded, he hit the button on his intercom for the lobby desk. Apparently she had arrived. He gave the desk permission to let her come up on the private elevator. It went straight up to his office, and it was the only stop along the way. It also was rigged with cameras, various high-tech scanners for wires, and fitted with an x-ray scanner as well. By the time she would arrive at the top floor, he'd know if she was concealing anything, her measurements, and how firm and perky her breasts were under her clothes. Not to mention what she was wearing. After a moment, the desk rang him back, informing him of how she had arrived in a taxi, which was standard procedure for them. A taxi, not her own vehicle. Just moved her the other day....despite his suspicions, he was excited for this. If she indeed was an agent, she was in for an exciting game of cat and mouse.....besides. If she was searching for incriminating information, she was likely sent because she was willing to do whatever it took to get the job done. Draven could easily use that, and he was tingling with excitement for that to be the case. Especially as he saw he walks onto the elevator. He didn't think he had grown so hard in his pants in such a quick amount of time. Ever. She was more rebellious than prim and proper, despite the wealthy home and family she grew up in. Now if the Feds threw her in a situation where she needed to be prim and proper she most certainly could pull it off. But it wasn't her natural calling. She was a rebel, a wild child, thrill seeker. But she was cautious about it. She did what she needed to do to get the job done within her own limits and rules. And this assignment was no different. There were reports of failed attempts to bringing this man down in the past. Well not this time. She will find the evidence they will need to crucify him. Rule number one, never lose control! A sweet smile spread upon her rose colored lips when the woman at the front desk gave her the okay and gestured to an elevator behind her that would lead her to where she needed to go. A polite thank you was given along with a slight tilt of her head before she moved walking around the front desk behind it to the elevator, and she stood there waiting. The doors of the elevator opened and she stepped inside. She really was a petite woman but nicely figured. Slender, busty, gorgeous bright red hair, athletic. The scanners in the elevator would pick up on a tiny hand gun she had in her handbag. But it wasn't a government issued one, that way he couldn't trace her to the FBI. It was just an ordinary registered handgun she had for protection. As the elevator took her up to his office her mind went over ways she could find possible evidence. Phone records, computer logs, client logs, financial statements. There had to be something. Her thoughts were interrupted when the elevator dinged just before the doors opened. She stepped out of the elevator and into Draven's office looking around a moment before her eyes glanced to the man at the desk recognizing him from the FBI photo in the case file. She casually made her way towards his desk. "Good morning Sir. I'm Selene Riddle. I received a call about your secretary position I applied for a while back." As the elevator doors dinged, the results of the scans coming up on a small computer just under his desk for him to see, he raised an eyebrow at the fact she was carrying a handgun. That certainly wasn't going to do. He looked up to see her coming out of the doors, just as he was sliding the computer back into place in a slot that went up into his desk and blended in with it almost perfectly. Seeing her walking towards his desk, his eyes were entranced by her hair and her hips, and most especially her chest. She was different from many of the others as she was wearing a dress as opposed to a skirt, blouse, business jacket. He watched her intently as she strode over." Good morning Selene" he said as he smiled. It was a smile filled with mischief, mystery, but at the same time was innocent and almost that of a smile you would receive from an old friend. His perfectly aligned teeth were almost sparkling, his black hair slicked back over the right and parted just slightly on the left. It was wavy, and obviously styled, but seemed almost natural as well. He seemed to be suave, with a slight hint of deviousness to him. His hands were big and firm, his fingers long but not slender. His nails were well manicured, and his face was as smooth as a baby bottom. He wore no rings, no watches, had no piercings, earrings, tattoos or anything of that nature. There were no visible scars anywhere on him either. He wore a dark navy collared shirt, and a black jacket that curved along his muscles, almost as if they were going to tear through it. Yet he seemed comfortable, completely at ease." Before we can continue, I am going to have to ask for the gun that is within your purse there. If you refuse to hand it over, then we have nothing further to discuss, and you may exit out the same elevator back to the first floor" as he put his fingers against his face, waiting and watching her reaction. She mentally studied him as she approached his desk. Look at that smile. Cocky bastard does he really think she could fall for the sweet innocent look? She's seen it all before. Though he did look better in person than in the mug shot. But still she had a mission. To take him down, and she will. And his cheese little smile wasn't going to get him out of it either. She just walked across the office her hips swaying softly in a slight seductive manner as that red dress hugged her curves just right. She wore a thin dressy black coat over it. Her fingers flexed and tightened on her coffee the closer she got to him. But two can play at that game. He wanted to play the charming innocent businessman. She can play the sweet innocent woman seeking a job. She offered him her own soft sweet smile hearing his greeting back to her. Once she got to his desk the scent of jasmine would come off from her filling his nose. Lifting her coffee she took a small sip, and she stood there and smiled. A slight bit of confusion however came over her face when he mentioned her gun. Inside she expected him to figure out she had one, but she had to play innocent did she not? "Gun?" A slender brow lifted for a moment as she starred at him, and then it was like a light turned on in her head. "Ooh! Oh, god! I'm so sorry! I... Furthermore, I'm sorry please forgive me." She fumbled a bit and opened up her bag and dug around a bit and pulled out the small silver handgun and handed it to him. Again it was not government issue, so there was no way to trace it to her to the FBI. Her government one was locked away in her condo. "I'm so sorry, I carry it for protection. I do have a permit. I meant to take it out this morning. " She was certainly harder to read than most of the women that came for this job. Although she did seem to have some small flashes of contempt in her eyes towards him. A very slight grin crept along the corner of his mouth. If she was thinking he was cocky, that was a good thing to him. He liked to keep people wondering if they were right about him, and it would give him opportunities later on to prove them wrong, which always helped in his fooling of them. Much of the time, though, they were nearly spot on with their first instincts. He rested his hands on his desk, interlocking his fingers together and sighing, his eyes keeping a lock on hers. He purposefully kept his eyes from wandering to her chest or looking over her body as she got closer. Men who were able to keep eye contact with women, from what he had learned in his life at least, were more likely to let their guard down since they weren't ogling their bodies. It would also let him know if she would try to make herself more alluring with her body language to try and entice his eyes and suck him into her." It's fine, many women out there nowadays carry something or other for protection. Furthermore, it's a dangerous world out there after all" as he took the gun from her and laid it on his desk, smiling softly at her. He motioned for her to sit down in the chair across from his desk with his hand, as he studied the gun, looking it over for any identifying marks, any signs of being government. Not that any other agents had ever had actual government issued guns, they weren't quite ~that~ dumb to send them in like that. He chuckled softly to himself as he remembered one of them that had a wire on her that the elevator had picked up. That certainly was an interesting day there. He opened one of the drawers of his desk and pulled out a few diodes, tossing them to her and then pointing the gun at her, clicking it back. "If you would please be so kind as to attach those to your wrists, on your neck, and on your chest there then Selene" She waited for him to take the small silver handgun before lowering her hand. Her smile though never faltered. As she suspected, she watched him inspect the weapon. Again, he would find no government markings. Yes there was a serial number on it that would trace it back to where it was made and purchased. And if he did a search on the weapon he would find that it's been registered to her for the last two years and was bought at the local Smith and Wesson dealer in the city. When he mentioned to the chair she smiled softly and gave a polite nod of her head before she moved around the chair and slowly lowered herself into it. Lifting a slender leg she crossed it up over the other. Her hands she just folded gently in her lap as she seemed to calmly watch you. Though inside she was studying your every move, every emotion, every word, every fucking blink you made. Her bright green eyes lowered a moment when he went into his desk pulling something out and soon tossed the little electrodes at her. A slender crimson brow lifted in question hearing his words, and she looked up seeing the gun suddenly pointed at her. Ok, what the fuck?! Had she been made? No! Wasn't possible! So what the hell was up with this shit? No one said anything about a polygraph. Sure as an FBI agent she is trained on how to fool and pass those things, but still." What the hell is this?! You can't just go off pointing guns at people!! What is wrong with you?!" He chuckled softly at her "I can do whatever I want sweetheart, it's my building, it's my property. The only people in my office and witnessing anything are me, and you. Even if you were to tell anyone that I was "pointing" your own gun at you, I'd simply state that I was examining it, and it happened to be pointed somewhat in your direction"Turning on the polygraph machine within his desk drawer, he waved the gun at the electrodes on her lap "Now, as I said, please attach those to your wrists, on your neck, and on your chest there my dear"Through this, he acted calmly, not at all agitated or angry. He wasn't sweating, showed no signs of distress on his face, and his breathing was not quickening or increasing at all. The polygraph test had multiple purposes. First, it was meant to detect whether she was lying on some very standard, every day questions. Secondly, it was meant to see if she would fool it on purpose, if she had been trained to do so. There was a very specific set of questions he had set up. If all of them were answered with not even a small spike, obviously they were either extremely boring people who had led completely innocent lives, or they were trained to do so. Not that he was intending on killing her or anything. Her anger at this did make him a bit suspicious though, and he watched her intently for signs of duress. If she were an agent, she might be thinking right now if she had been made. And if that were the case, she might just reveal herself as some of the others had. Either way, he hoped she made it through his tests and games to come and could indeed become his secretary. And if not, well.....he might just keep tabs on her to hunt her down somewhere down the road, drug and kidnap her and make her disappear so he could have his way with her regardless. Oh yes, she was picturing slamming his pretty little face into his desk and messing up that perfect hair do of his before slapping the cuffs on his wrists. As his cocky chuckle and words fell upon her deaf ears as she sat across from him starring at him. She barely heard a word he even said because she was so lost in that wonderful thought of hers. If only. But if she acted now she would give herself away, and she can't do that so she is simple just sat there and would just grin and bare it. Her eyes lowered to the electrodes that were in her lap as he waved the gun towards them. She shifted her jaw slightly gritting her teeth within her mouth reminding herself not to lose control. A slight sigh would come from her lips before she finally picked them up and started to put them on her wrists. Followed by her slender neck and then her chest. Her face really held no emotion at this point. And if it did, it was more of an annoyance than anything because he felt the need to threaten her with her own gun. She leaned back in the chair folding her arms across her chest starring at him waiting with a look like she was wondering when you were going to begin. She knew how to pass these things so she wasn't worried about that at all. "Well...?" He smiled at her and then put the gun down on her desk, facing towards her, slowly pushing it closer towards her. However, he gave no indication past that whether he meant for her to pick it back up or not. Watching her, noting her annoyance, he smugly said "Remember, you applied for this job. This is simply the rigors of getting it"He then went through a standard list of questions, such as "Where were you born? What is your birthdate? What is your hair color? What is your favorite color?" and then onto a few lewd questions as well "What is your bust size? Are you shaved currently? Have you done anal? How many men have you slept with in your lifetime?" and finally onto some more personal but less lewd questions "Are your parents alive? Do you have any brothers or siblings? Are you married and/or otherwise involved romantically?" His eyes stayed focused on the screen showing her heart beat, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. He never once twitched a muscle, made any kind of reaction. He just stared solemnly, as he waited for her answers after each question. She just sat there with her legs crossed leaning casually back in the chair with her arms folded across her chest as she starred across at him. She watched him push her gun across the desk towards her. What was he trying to do? Test her to see if she was going to reach for it? Because she wasn't going to. He told her to hand it over, so she did. She wasn't going to fall into some pathetic little school house game with him. She would only glance at the gun noting what he was doing but nothing more. She waited for his questions to begin. Furthermore, she had nothing to hide, well she did, but that wasn't the point. Furthermore, she knew how to play her part. There was a reason her Director put her on this assignment when nothing else for them worked. Because they knew she could get the job done. She was labeled the best. But she did start answering his questions calmly as she starred at him. "I was born in Los Angeles, California on June 10th 1982. My hair is red as you can see, yes this IS my natural hair color. My favorite color is red and black." She shifted a bit in the chair but when he got to the more lewd questions her brow slightly raised starring at him as he asked the questions. "Excuse me? And tell me...what does my breast size, or me being shaved, or whether I've done anal have anything to do with being your secretary?" She just starred at him a moment giving him a bookstore she suddenly stood up and ripped the electrodes off her wrists, neck, and chest and threw them at him. Placing her hands on his desk she leaned over her breasts practically fell out of her dress as she starred at him. "I don't know what game you're trying to pull here. But I'm through playing. I came here to be a secretary, not your slut. And no silly little machine is going to tell you anything of what I have between my legs or have done." She picked up the gun and this time she boldly pointed it at him. "So you'll just have to take my word for it when I say, I am shaved, I haven't done anal, and as far as how many men I've slept with. Not many. But unless you want to be the last, you'll stop prying into my private life in the most rude and unprofessional manner I've ever seen understand?" She was certainly feisty. She was also fairly hot-tempered. He didn't budge much as she stood up suddenly, ripping the electrodes from her body. Quite in fact, he smiled and almost dared her to pull the trigger as he leaned forward onto his desk, his hands clasping together firmly. He was enjoying the view of her breasts nearly falling out of her dress now. If she was an agent with some form of government from some country, they had certainly sent a little fire cracker into his midst. Perhaps they were getting desperate. She seemed like quite a challenge to him. However, the fact she had picked up her gun and now pointed at him, he had her right where he wanted her. If she wanted this job, she was going to do whatever she needed to do to get it. Her superiors would have made sure of that. However, if she was just a normal woman, she was likely to just walk out the door next. Or shoot him. Although even she did that, it would do much good to her. While she had been busy more so paying attention to his examining her weapon, his hands had concealed an almost invisible skin on his palms, that was able to directly inject a highly potent acid into a microscopic hole within any hand gun. It would disable the firing mechanism through a very precise burning of metal on the firing plate. Not that she was likely to even try. But he covered all of his bases as well as he ever could. He made no secret of staring at her breasts at this point." Well, then I would like to thank you for coming in today. Unfortunately, if you're unwilling to answer all the questions of the screening process, then I would be unable to offer you employment at this time. Whether or not you feel it's relevant for me to know things, I am the boss. What I want to know, I will find out and you will tell me. I think it goes without saying, this is no normal job, and not a normal process of employment. I have a waiting list two months long of women dying for this position and the perks that come along with it"He grinned wickedly at her "That's an interesting phrasing....you haven't slept with many, but if I want to be the last....are you saying you wish to sleep with me Selene?" If this guy really was as smart as he tries so damn hard to make himself appear to be. Then he would also know that the gun she was carrying wasn't loaded at all. But it has been funny watching him react and treat the weapon as if it were loaded. But oh yes, she was prepared to do what she needed to do to get this job. It was her Directors orders that she is to get in at all costs. Well, Selene is setting her own rules down. And never, never forget, rule number one, never lose control!" Do you kiss your mama with that mouth? You Sir are rude. Perhaps I should have brought a bar of soap to this meeting instead of a gun to wash your mouth out! I didn't say I was finished yet now did I?!" Still she had the weapon pointed at his crotch. "No, I didn't. Yes my parents are still alive, I'm an only child thank god! And no I'm not married or seeing anyone. Are you happy now?" She smirked and suddenly tossed her handgun back at him making sure it landed on his crotch. "By the way sport, it's not loaded." She flashes him a quick wink. And I didn't say I wanted to sleep with you! You perv! He laughed softly, not flinching an inch even as she pointed the gun at his crotch. As she answered the last four questions, he's smiling at her. The gun landed on his crotch, and he picked it up, opening his drawer and pulling out a magazine clip for that particular hand gun, sliding it into the chamber, cocking the barrel back, and then aiming it directly at her once again." Are you sure about that now?" as he gave her a smug smile and watched her carefully, intrigued by her. Either she wanted this job very badly, or she was just as good at playing these games as he was, which would most definitely hint towards her being with an agency of some sort. He was going to go with the latter until such time as he was proven wrong, as he always did." No, you didn't say that, but it was rather inferred by the way you worded it....even if it was a slip of the tongue. Now, especially given your outbursts here and what not and that any normal woman would have just either ran screaming by now, or said this wasn't worth any job in the world, you have me highly intrigued, but highly suspicious as well. I haven't even told you to suck my dick yet" as he grinned, raising an eyebrow at her almost as a challenge." So, if you would, please, sit back down, and we can continue this and see if you are able to serve as my secretary, and serve me of course" She watched him open a drawer and pull out a magazine and load it into the gun before pointing it at her. Was the magazine loaded? She wasn't sure. But she did as she was trained to do. She portrayed no fear. She was still holding on to that control despite his threats. Sure inside her pulse rate quickened. Who's wouldn't. She watched him with the gun and a crimson brow lifted in question before she boldly chooses to challenge his motive for it. "Either use that thing, or put it down before one of us, probably you, gets hurt.... Sir" She put a bit of emphasis on the last word as she starred at him. This guy really was a tool. With how cocky he was and reckless with waving guns around like they were mere toys she can see that perhaps getting the evidence she needs might be easier than she anticipated. He's like a little boy in a china shop playing games he doesn't yet understand. Silly rabbit. However, her own brow lifted when he made the comment about telling her to suck his dick. Her arms lifting to cross over her chest as she starred at him. "And I have yet to tell you to kiss my ass. So we're even then."" As your secretary..." She seemed to so boldly correct him when he tried ti slip in that she was to serve him as well. She slowly lowered herself back down into the chair crossing her legs and leaned back in the chair keeping her eyes on him. "Please, continue." It was interesting watching her reactions and playing this little power struggle with her. Clearly, ever breaking her was going to take some persistence and cunning....or maybe just some blind luck in finding something that would help him crack her entirely. His suspicions of her were of course growing by the second, barely nudging with a loaded gun, even if it was disabled, meant training. What remained unclear was where this training came from. If she had been thinking of using said weapon with his prints on it as some kind of evidence, that would have been futile, as he had his prints altered with some minor surgeries long ago, and even on top of that was constantly wearing the thin invisible skin with which he used to disable it earlier. The gun having served its purpose at this point, he simply stood, walked over and handed it back to her. Leaning down, he whispered almost right against her ear "I'll be happy to once you reconnect the electrodes Selene" as he then turned and went over behind his desk, where another, smaller, desk was holding a small collection of finely aged rums and scotches in various sized glass decanters. He took out a small glass from a drawer in the desk, which specifically held the glasses in silk inlays, and poured himself a bit of scotch. He then went back and sat at the desk. Raising his glass slightly to her, he happily said "Too true, though I would gladly kiss it and very likely other things as well"He was almost certain the next set of questions he was going to ask her, she would breeze through with nary a quickening or rise in anything. He sat, his eyes taking her in entirely, an excitement stirring within him. An excitement that he knew could potentially be dangerous if he didn't keep his head about him. She sat in the chair watching him and she just couldn't believe this guy. She watched him get up and move around the desk and hand her gun to her and after a moment of her just starring at him. Cause honestly, she didn't trust this man. After what she had read in his case file. She had every right NOT to trust him. A slender brow would slowly lift again in question before she finally took her weapon back from him. His whispered words in her ear bringing only a slight little smirk upon her lips." How about I don't." She watched him pour himself the scotch, and while he was doing that she took a look at her gun with a smirk before she lifted her coffee she still had and took a calming sip out of it and waited for him to sit back down. When he did sit she shook her head at his comment as she leaned over towards his desk with her gun and held it over his desk pointing it at him. "Oh, you won't be kissing anything my dear." After she said that her finger hit a release trigger on her weapon and the magazine he loaded into her gun would fall onto his desk. Before she pulled back on the charging handle to release the bullet that was loaded in the chamber. Before she suddenly tossed it at him with a smirk." How about we skip the Kindergarten games shall we? First off. Very clever. But not clever enough to think I wouldn't notice that you'd tamper with my weapon. I've had that gun for two years I know it is like the back of my hand. Which means I know when someone's done something to it. Though you're not very smart tampering with a weapon that's not even loaded to begin with. I carry it for show. Not like I could have shot you with it anyway. Secondly, if I'm to be your secretary. You would have to trust me, and playing your little games of question and answers with your little electrodes to pry into my private life isn't a way to gain said trust." She leaned back into the chair watching him now taking a sip from her coffee. "Try talking to me and asking me your questions normally would you?" "Too true!" he cheered to her as he raised his glass, drinking it down and slamming the glass down onto his desk. He slapped the computer closed, putting it back into the drawer and closing it loudly. Taking the gun, and a remote from his pocket, he lowered a section of the fairly tall sectioned glass wall behind his desk, and proceeded to chuck said gun out the window." Now no more gun! No more gun, no more electrodes, no more job! So I can most definitely talk to you normally since I shan't be hiring you. Because, well, it's my game, it's my rules. It's my offer, right? You came to me, not the other way around"As he moved over and sat back in his chair, watching her intently "I don't have to trust anyone. I don't trust anyone, I trust me, but even then, I can be a bit of a scoundrel, and I'm a tad unpredictable when I want to be. Sometimes even I don't know what I'm going to do! Which is how I got everything I have today. My life is very...shall we say, exciting Selene....it's not something I let anyone into easily, but those that do get in, well....they have fun. Lots of it. But I can see how someone like yourself might not like that concept too much" as he smiled brightly at her, almost as if in some kind of triumph. Then he stood and walked over towards the elevator "Sadly, those who don't want to play my games, I have no use for. Even if they are the epitome of a perfect woman physically in my eyes. So, having said that, I'm afraid to out little coup here is done for now. I do sorrowfully regret that you won't be working for me, I think we could have had a lot of fun together"He leaned next to the elevator, crossing one leg in front of the other. His hand was in a gesture towards the elevator. Her move. He blinked a few times excitedly, curious what she would do now. He was almost entirely certain she was with an agency by this point, but he couldn't help being lured in by her. But this was a woman with which you couldn't let your guard down, him especially. She watched him suddenly cheer out loudly, slam the glass down, slam the computer closed. A slender brow lifted in question as he did all these things. Was he trying to prove something by slamming everything? Was it to show his masculinity? Cause really, he looked more like a five-year-old throwing a temper tantrum. It was truly pathetic to watch. She didn't even move a muscle when he tossed her gun out the window. She sat there watching him as if she didn't even care. Which really she didn't, it was a piece of junk anyway. However, the moment he said no job, her face dropped and she blinked a moment. Okay. That part she didn't see coming. Shit! She really dug herself a hole this time, and she needed to find a way to get out of it. Her Director would kill her if she blew this case. She's never lost a case, so he expects her to get this done. Quick Selene think, think fast. Even when he moved over towards the elevator she remained in her seat a moment almost appearing as if she was in shock. But really what she was doing was thinking of a way out of this. But she had to appear like the innocent normal person right? After a few minutes she closed her eyes and stood up and turned around looking over at him. "You're right. I'm sorry. I overreacted the moment you felt the need to threaten me with my own weapon to put the electrodes on. All you had to do was ask Sir. But then you started prying into way deep personal questions which I still don't quite understand what they have to do with being your secretary. But please, I really need this job. Give me another chance, please. I'll answer your questions." She stood there across the room by her chair watching him seeing what he'll say. He chuckled softly, remembering that he had indeed pointed the gun at her instead of simply asking. As he recalled this, he looked around the ceiling of his office, as if he was remembering some fond, distant memory in his life. As he looked back at her, he decided to give her another chance. Walking into the elevator, he motioned for her to hurry and get into it with him. The sensors in the elevator would work just as well, and he could study them later after all." You're right, and I do apologize profusely for that ill thought out course of action Selene. However, knowing everything about those who work under me is fairly essential in my line of work. Even if nothing seems relevant, I assure you, it always will be. I'm getting famished though, I can ask you the last of the questions within the elevator here as we head down. I need to go out for lunch anyway, you can join me if you wish to"He slipped his motioning hand back to his pocket, and simply stood there, as if he were any other guy in an elevator, waiting for the doors to close in front of him. She stood there watching, waiting. Would he fall for the innocent plea and give her another chance? She sure hoped so. Cause if not she really would be in a bind and wouldn't be sure how she would get access into the building to get her proof. But if she had to she would find another way in. She just hoped this worked, because it was far easier for her. When she saw his motion of his hand and the look of approval on his face that she would get that second chance she felt like a weight was lifted. A sigh of relief came from her lips as she quickly grabbed her bag and moved around the chair and across the office into the elevator to stand next to him. "Thank you so much Sir, thank you." She smiled as she straightened herself out as she stood there beside him. And when he mentioned lunch she smiled politely. "Oh, I...no, no, thank you.... I have my parents visiting later today, and we're going for an early dinner, but thank you." She smiled to him. He smiled as she walked over to stand in the elevator with him. His eyes wandered up and down her once again as she stood next to him and the doors closed. The elevator began to move down slowly, and then about half way stopped completely. He looked over at her and smiled"All right then....so, have you ever or do you now work for" as he rambled off every known agency in the world, watching her eyes and her body for shifts and movements. It took him about 2 and a half minutes to fully list off every single agency that was known to the world. As he said the last one, he sighed softly and smiled once more "That list is starting to get hard to remember, keeps getting longer with all these new agencies they open every year in various countries"He then leaned back against the elevator opposite to her "No? Getting visited by the parents must be exciting...it's a shame you can't join me though!" as he smirked softly at her. She stood there next to him calmly as her eyes mostly were looking upward at the ceiling as the elevator started to move. Was her parents really coming for a visit later like she said? No. What she really needed to do was call her Director and check in and then take a ride down to the County Court House to prepare for Plan B in case he figures out who she really was and what she was really there to do. When the elevator stopped suddenly she blinked playing the confused innocent as she looked to the doors and then to him. It took her a moment to realize he had stopped the elevator mid-way, and she turned to face him listening. She blinked hearing his question and gave him a look like he suddenly grew an extra head from his shoulders. Like he was some crazy person. When he was done listing off all these agencies she suddenly let out a soft chuckle before clearing her throat looking to him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just find it funny that you ask me that. Cause, why would I be here if I worked with or for the Feds? Wouldn't this be a downgrade compared to a job they could offer? I mean...going from fed to secretary? Uh no...he... I'm coming right out of studying business management at Yale. He let out a small chuckle as well, although his was more of the serious type of chuckle as opposed to actual laughter. "I know why would you be here coming right out of studying business management at Yale? You seem more like someone who would be going for a management position....that is....what you trained for, after all, right? Went to Yale for? Management?" Walking forward towards her, he kept his eyes glued on hers. He inched closer to her, until his body was so close her breasts were nearly pressing against his chest. He sighed softly, exploring her eyes, keeping her gaze on him. Now that they were stuck in an elevator together, as opposed to a wide open space like his office where she could potentially run away if anything were to accidentally happen to her, well.....plus he did control the elevator, obviously, able to make it stop when or where he wanted. Since it only stopped at two floors, there really was no way out but up or down. His breath could be felt upon her lips, and though it should smell of scotch, it was a much more mint based refreshing smell. But his breath was quite warm regardless, giving away his obvious arousal at the sight of her. She blinked when he suddenly started to chuckle himself. A slender crimson brow lifted once more looking at him as if he were mad. But when he questioned her schooling she smirked a bit. "That is true. But who is going to hire someone for management fresh out of college with no experience? We all have to start somewhere, don't we? Plus, everyone knows this is the best franchise to work for and be a part of. Why else would there be so many flocking to get a foot in here, and would it be so hard to get in?" When he did step towards her however she lifted a brow and quickly stepped back. Her back bumping into the wall of the elevator as she starred at him with questioning eyes. "What are you doing?" Maybe he wasn't as stupid and blind as she thought he was. But, if he thought he could seduce his way out of this he had another thing coming. Though he was good-looking. Had that dark, mysterious handsome look to him. She starred into his eyes as she took long deep breaths causing her breasts to press and strain against the fabric of her dress as she stood there. "That is true. Although, as you say, this job is flocked to by a great many women, so it's much the same as trying to get into management right out of college" as he watched her smirk. He was starting to love watching her do that "And it is definitely hard to get into, there's no doubt about that. Especially what with the personal questioning and the leering boss" as he grinned, looking down at her breasts, as she took long, deep breaths. Her breasts were very sizeable, many would even say huge." And then there's your clothing as well. Just seems a bit....slutty, for someone so fresh out of Yale" as he cheekily and boldly ran a finger up between the long cut down the middle of her dress and between her breasts. Before she could even react really, his mouth moved down and was licking up across her body, between her breasts, and his hands had grabbed hers and put them up on the wall, holding them firmly there. His lower body was moved back a bit, giving him time to react and avoid if she tried to knee or kick him on any part of his lower body. "Uh... Well I suppose, when you put it that way it is kinda the same. I saw the job opportunity and I heard so much about this company. I mean who hasn't right? Furthermore, I thought.....it could be a real good place to start a career and get my foot in the door." She put on that sweet innocent act pretty damn good as she spoke to him. Pressing her back up against the wall of the elevator as if it could make her move further away from him. Though the moment he commented on the way she dressed. Stating that she was dressed too slutty for someone that was freshly out of Yale that sparked a real nerve in her. The glare that soon followed and came from her bright green eyes was not one of her charades. Cause for one, she truly did attend Yale. Just not for business management like she told him. She had studied psychology. "Excuse me? Slutty?" Her jaw shifted slightly as she ground her teeth together. And when he so boldly ran his finger along her cleavage one of her hands flung up to grab his hand while the other went to slap him. "What the fuck?! You perv! What are YouTube--"The next thing she knew her hands were being slammed into the wall by her head by his hands. A slight growl escapes her throat followed by a sudden gasp when she felt his host tongue run along her cleavage. Another deep breath was taken in causing her breasts to strain once more as she pulls against his hands, and she indeed would bring a knee up rather quickly towards his groin. "Get off!!!" He held her wrists tighter against the wall. As her breasts strained against the fabric of her dress, he licked up against them once more, slowly, harder, savoring the feel of them against his face and his mouth. Growing tired of the games between them, back and forth, he had decided that he would take her as much as he could. At worst, he would end up with a sore face and in a heap on the floor of the elevator if her knee or foot connected with him down there. But he was overly convinced at this point she was an agent, and she was required to get this job. If that was the case, and assuming she was as passionate about her career as she had been feeding him, she would do this as well. If nothing else, if she began to over power him, he had the elevator wired with a specific type of knock out gas to which he had been immunized against. It would knock her out and cause short term memory loss, and he could have her simply let out into the street and trying to remember what had happened. There would be no way to prove what had happened, happened anyway, as there were no witnesses within here." If you want this job than you'll do as you're told. You will shut your whore mouth and realize the actual purpose of this job and why it pays so well and has such benefits for a simple secretary position. You are to be my personal play thing. I've had enough with the games. If you want it, you decide right here and now if you're prepared and willing to be my fuck doll. If not..." His hand slipped from her left wrist and grabbed her throat instead, as he growled, watching her eyes "Maybe I just make you disappear and see who comes for your body" Her jaw shifted once more grinding her teeth together when she felt his tongue once more trail along her chest. Her fingers curled into the palms of her hands and those beautifully manicured nails dug into her palms as she made a tight fist in disgust. This bastard really was a slime ball. She wanted to take him down so badly at this moment just for the assault on a federal agent, but she couldn't. That would give her away. She had to keep up with the normal person act. It was hard, but she had to, at least until she got her evidence. She blinked suddenly when he started talking about the job and what it entailed. Was this guy for real? He was actually going to hire someone to be his own personal......slut, bitch, sex slave, or fuck doll as he put it? And women would actually lower themselves to such a level just for a job? Was it really worth it? Did they not have any respect for themselves or their bodies? This sicko seriously needed to be taken off the streets. She was in a bind though. She was extremely passionate about her job. There was a reason she was the best in her district in catching guys like Draven. So she had to do what she needed to do to get into this company to get access to the evidence. Even if it meant playing along with his little game. She swallowed hard when his hand went to her throat. It took every once of will she had to not do some maneuver on him and break his hand. Her left hand suddenly came down, and she reached down and grabbed his cock through those pants of his and squeezed rather tightly, almost as if she was threatening him. Her eyes narrow." Prepared and willing? No..... But will I?..... Fine.... Just know one thing... You could never make me disappear, because I would haunt you for the rest of your life." His body flinched softly as she grabbed him through his pants and squeezed rather tightly. Watching her eyes narrow, but accepting his proposal nonetheless, clinched it for him entirely. His expression changed to a soft, neutral smile once more, and the elevator began to move once more, heading down to the lobby. He softly stepped back, adjusting himself, and then breathed in deeply and sighed softly." Very well then. Your starting wage will be five hundred thousand per year, full dental and medical benefits, your own personal company vehicle, and various other perks we shall discuss tomorrow when you begin"As the doors opened, he took her with him to the front desk, acting entirely nonchalant, as if nothing in the elevator had really occurred. He was handed a stack of about 40 pages, bound together, and handed it to her." These are your employment agreements, privacy clauses, all of that fun legal stuff. Have them signed and notarized by tomorrow morning Selene. I'm sorry you're unable to join me for lunch though....oh yes!" he remarked as if he had suddenly remembered something "Your car" he reached over the desk and grabbed a set of keys, tossing them to her "You'll find insurance papers and the lack in the glove box with your name and everything, you're already good to drive. If you need a notary for your signatures, just call the number in your agreement, they'll set you up with one later today"He turned and looked at her, his hands in his pockets, smiling brightly at her "I believe that's all of it....are you sure you can't join me for lunch today?" Unknown to her, while grabbing the car keys, he had signaled for her to have a tail put on her 24/7, everything about her tapped, wired, and monitored. It was already being put into place as he spoke with her. Her condo apartment would be wired and set up with surveillance on her within the next 20 minutes. When he stepped back that was when she would release the hold on his dick. She straightened herself out smoothing her hands down her sides before leaning over to pick up her purse that had fallen. Standing straight up again her eyes nearly popped out of her head when he said how much she would be getting. Holy shit! She doesn't even make that much a year working for the Feds! She should have become a fucking secretary! As the elevator doors open she slowly followed him into the lobby towards the front desk. A slender brow arching when he hands her the 'novel' of paperwork to sign. "Jesus.... You'd think I was joining the military and signing my life away or something." However, she gave him a curious look when he tossed her the car keys and told her it was already in her name and all set for her to drive. Did this fucking bastard play her? She tightened her grip on the keys glaring at him. He knew the moment she walked in she had this job. He had everything set up. Furthermore, he fucking played her! Oh, he would be able to tell that she realized he toyed with her and that she wasn't happy with it. Her jaw once more shifted in annoyance." I'm fine..... Thanks..." She spoke through her teeth at his third attempt of offering lunch. "See you tomorrow." With that she quickly turned away from him leaving the office building in quite the hurry. Once outside she pulled out her cellphone, the only thing he wouldn't have tapped since she had it on her. And she called her Director. "Bright and early!" as he turned around, waving his hand at her. He headed out through the main revolving doors and slipped into his limo waiting for him just outside. As the door closed, and he was alone within his walls, he grinned softly and sighed, saying to himself "Well that was certainly interesting" as he reflected on the woman. She was quite the firecracker indeed. As he picked up the phone and told the driver where to go, he pulled out a secure cell phone and called one of his contacts to see if they had found out who she was working for yet."FBI, is it? They must be stepping up their recruitment processes a bit. Very well, thank you" as he hung up the phone, taking the SIM card out and smashing it in his fingers and then tossing it into a small burner within the limo, taking out another one from a secret compartment and putting it into the phone. He wondered what her plan could possibly be to try and find anything incriminating on him. Regardless, he made sure that security on all information, all hard disks, all passwords were more secure while she was here. How long she would remain there before he would have to make her disappear was in question though. He smirked, wondering if indeed she would make it out of this job alive. After she called her Director and filled him in on the details of what happened today and about Draven's little threatening game. She had to persuade her boss not to send anyone into the city as back up that she was fine. After a few words back and forth he warned her to be careful and she hung up. Jumping into her new luxurious car for now she drove to her condo where she would retire for the rest of the day and prepare for tomorrow. The next morning she got up extra early. Hours before the sun was even in the sky. Slipping this time into a little black dress and black boots. She brushed out that long red hair before slipping a gold chain around her throat, and from the center hung a cross with a diamond stud in the center. Placing hoop earrings in her ears and spritzing that jasmine fragrance upon her. She grabbed her purse and keys and headed out the door. She drove back to that office building parking her car. The parking lot was empty, not a soul seemed to be in the building yet. They shouldn't be, it was 4am and the sun hasn't come up yet. She stepped onto that elevator that led up to Draven's office and she limited a bit as she waited. The doors opened, and she stepped out into his dark office looking around before she quietly set her purse on a small table by the wall. She then moved around his office just looking around til she made her way to his desk sitting in his chair and looked around in thought. Draven was sleeping in his penthouse suite, surrounded by extremely soft and comfortable bedsheets of the finest quality. The alarm that notified him of unauthorized entry into his elevator sounded, and he slowly yawned, blinking his eyes and then sitting up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. For all of his power in this world, he was the most human, just like everyone else, when he woke up from a deep sleep. And he hated it just as much as the rest of the world did. He looked at the clock, shaking his head "Really? 4 am? God-damn woman" as he yawned and shook his head more. He hit a few buttons, which permanently locked off the elevator and any power to the majority of the office, sealing her in there. It also engaged dead bolts for all the drawers of his desk, and effectively cut off all hard lines leading to any databases, hard drives, or anything else that his computer would connect to. The computer and the lights would work, for all the good it would do her, but nothing else. Deciding to try and mess with her a little bit for waking him up so early, he grabbed one of his many untraceable phones and sent a text message to her, anonymously of course, and typed out "You've been compromised! The entire office has been sealed and locked! I can help you, but you must do as I say. A friend"Walking over to his security desk, he flipped the monitors on for the security cameras hidden in the ceiling along his office, watching her as she read the text, sitting his chair. She looked quite fetching this morning in her black dress. He wondered what she had worn under it, and if today would go in any sort of direction where he would be able to find out for himself. She sat at his desk in the dark thinking since she didn't bother to try to turn on any lights. She didn't want to draw attention to the office so she left them off. Furthermore, she was determined to find something, anything. But knew it would take time. She had to start somewhere. And if she has to, she'll even find out where he lives and search his house. Before he had gotten up and hit the security switch she had managed to get at least one drawer of his desk open before the others suddenly locked down. Sitting there with the bottom right drawer open she was about to look in it when she suddenly heard a loud shift and clicking sound as dead bolts slid into place locking drawers and her into the office. She lifted a brow looking around before her eyes lowered to the drawer. Reaching in she shifted through what looked like employee files and records. And on the bottom in the back she could feel something, and she reached in pulling it out, and it was a .22 again, a brow lifted, and she placed the weapon on the desk closing the drawer. She was about to try a different drawer when all of a sudden her phone started to buzz. Picking her cell up which she had placed upon his desk when she sat down, and she looked at the text. What the? Confusion spread upon her face and she quickly looked over at the elevator and saw that the power to it was shut off. Hamm. She looked at the number of where the text came from and then quickly made a call using her cell to the FBI Headquarters. "Hey, it's Riddle. I need you to trace a number for me if you can. 583-5437." As she waited on hold while they tried to trace the number she leaned back in the chair in thought. Though unfortunately they came back telling her that it was just some untraceable disposable phone. A heavy sigh escaped her lips. "Okay, thank you." Her jaw shifted a bit as she starred at the text before she replied with her own little text. "I don't have any friends here, I just moved recently. Which means you're only one person. Draven quit the games!" He grinned to himself as he read her reply, typing back "You're not alone. Don't do anything foolish"Sitting at his desk, he watched her with great curiosity. She had managed to get one of the drawers of his desk open, but thankfully it was simply employee records and what not. The gun would lead nowhere if she tried to trace it, and it was completely clean of any prints of course. His security team at the building ran his home number. Answering, he explained that he knew who was in his office. Regardless, he had them waiting outside the elevator downstairs for her to come down in it. Wondering if perhaps he could trick her somewhat, he sent another message to her phone "There's an air shaft with an entrance into the office there. You could likely get through there, though it might be a tight squeeze even for you"The shaft in question had a few different routes, however one way dropped about 30 floors, another lead to the A/C in the building and would likely freeze her solid, and the last lead to the elevator shaft on top of the elevator there. Sitting back in his chair, he waited to see if she would stay within the office, or if she would go through the ducts like a little mouse in a maze. She smirked looking down at her phone seeing his text. A little chuckle spilled from her lips and shake of her head as she stood up from his chair and turned and opened the window behind his desk. Don't do anything foolish, huh? Hmm. She picked up the gun she had found in his desk looking it over before she lightly shrugged her shoulders before simply tossing it out the window in the same manner he did with her gun. She smoothed out her dress before closing the window speaking to herself. "Don't think he'll be needing that." Seeing her phone go off, yet again she picked it up reading the second text, and she suddenly burst into laughter. Yea, her morning search was over for now. Perhaps she should go get a coffee before she really is supposed to be here. She sent a reply to him. "Yea... I don't think so. Nice try. You're not getting me to crawl anywhere that easily." She headed across the room and grabbed her purse off the small table and since the power to the elevator got cut off she turned and took the emergency exit out of his office and started down the stairwell. He made a mental note to himself to have someone on his PR team come up with a logical reasoning as to why guns continued to keep falling down in the vicinity of his building, and to make sure all bases would be covered, were anyone to look into it. Sitting bewildered in his chair as she found the emergency exit hidden within the wall, not sure which befuddled him more. The fact she had found it, or the fact that it wasn't bolted shut like everything else in the office had been. He dialed his security team and told them that she was now heading down the stairs, and to intercept her along the way. His guards did just that, heading up the emergency stairs out of his office. He then dialed his contractor, and told him to get his ass to his office pronto this morning and check into this. Sighing in defeat, he flung the phone against the wall, smashing it into bits, and then deactivated all the security within his office there. Grinding his teeth together, he debated whether he should return to bed for a few hours or not. It wasn't hard for her to find the exit. All she had to do was look around the room and look for the abnormality in the wall. Which was the faint little line that was barely seen where there door actually opened. It just worked to her benefit that his locking system was a piece of crap. You'd think for a man of his stature he wouldn't allow for any faults to occur in his security system. MMM mess up number one. Guess our guy isn't as top-notch as he'd like us to think he is. With her purse in hand she pushed threw the hidden door out into the cool, dark stairwell. She hurried herself making her way down the flight of stairs. But halfway down she paused hearing the sounds of footsteps rushing up towards her heart jumped. "Shit!" She quickly turned and started to head back up the stairs instead. Laying back down in bed, he sighed softly and watched the ceiling above his bed. His eyes closed slowly, firmly, and he continued his internal debate with himself. His bed was certainly comfy and welcoming, the warmth from his body still trapped within his sheets and mattress. He thought for a moment about how body would feel, were she with him right this second. Picking up another cell of his, he dialed one of the guards to inquire if they had caught up to her yet. They informed him that she was heading back up the stairs towards his office. He grinned softly, and told them to head all the way up to the top. Slipping out of his bed, he slowly slumped back into the chair before the monitors, watching his office intently, waiting for her to show back up in there with no way out now but the one he had told her about before.

Said the Spider to the Fly (DominantPoet & DrusillaJenson)|rating:3.0

[NSFW] - Ordinary Teenage Problems OOC

Welcome players, to Ordinary Teenager Problems. Really, totally ordinary. We have two things to do before we get started with in-character play.1) Establish strings. All of a player's starting strings should be on other players unless they specifically call for them to be on someone else. Discussing who has the strings on who and why should give everyone some pre-existing connections to help start RP and give some plot hooks.2) Establish setting. We need to pick a town (or design a new one) and then set up the Homeroom chart to determine who your classmates are and set up some relationships and basics to get things started. Also! Remember the-Cardrule. If something happens that you're not comfortable with, you are welcome to call an X-Card here or in the IC thread. That will let us know that you need things to pull back or be tweaked. Discussion of some basic limits ahead of time is smart, but this lets us adapt to surprises and keeps things fun for everyone involved.IC Thread ​ Teacher's Desk - Elizabeth Gonzales (Social Studies)Timothy Evans Isaiah Thomas Angela Mandela Elijah Baker Dirk Pavlov Alistair TrevainMoribel Ross Leah Male ah Arthur Bellamy Dennis Easterly Jacob Hassan Trent CoxleyMegan StenbergBecca Williams Stephen HowardsJonathan TaussigAgnes K. Byron Vivian SmithAnnalee Levi Christof Wilhelm kamenhero25 said: ↑ 1) Establish strings. All of a player's starting strings should be on other players unless they specifically call for them to be on someone else. 2) Establish setting. We need to pick a town (or design a new one) and then set up the Homeroom chart to determine who your classmates are and set up some relationships and basics to get things started. Click to expand... I'm fine with almost any town, but ill wait for others to say something. Agnes has people that need to have watched her die, or. Inspired her. As in, had *really* kinky sex around the time after she arose. Also, no limits here. Spoiler: Character Sheet Name: Annalee Levi Look/Eyes: Guarded, calculating eyes Origin: Avid reader Hot -1, Cold 2, Volatile -1, Dark 1 Experience: 1 Moves: Sympathetic Tokens, Hex-Casting Hexes: Illusions, Watching Backstory: You start the game with two Sympathetic Tokens. Decide whose and what they are. Jonathan - A few scraps of cloth cut from clothes. Agnes - A cut tuft of hair. One of the others has caught you rummaging through their stuff, but hasn't said anything. They get a String on you. Jonathan Aussie Annalee Levi is, to most people, that weird girl in the back of the classroom, constantly drawing in a sketchbook and giving people weird looks. She wears a thick jacket and a black beanie, no matter the temperature, which contrasts with her blonde hair, pale skin, and bright green eyes. She speaks with a faint French accent, a hold-over from her parents' French heritage. Furthermore, she is never seen without a satchel slung over her shoulder, or her sketchbook and a pencil. Furthermore, she often keeps to herself, snarking to whoever sits next to her at most. Spoiler: Image She first discovered witchcraft entirely by accident, almost a year ago. Bored one night, and on the phone with a cousin in France, she was dared to perform a ritual that her cousin had found online. Shocked to discover it actually worked, she spent the next several months finding every resource, both online and in print, that she could, and put together her skills in witchcraft, loosely based off of various occult rituals from all kinds of beliefs and times, combined with the necessity of cheap materials that comes from being relatively poor. Annalee is both biologically and identifies herself as female, and considers herself a pansexual aromantic. Re-posting this here for easier access. As for the setting, based off of the Recruitment thread, Ithinkthe preferences are 2/2 with one vote for "I don't mind", so... I guess we'll see. Luigilewis889 said: ↑ Spoiler: Character Sheet Name: Annalee Levi Look/Eyes: Guarded, calculating eyes Origin: Avid reader Hot -1, Cold 2, Volatile -1, Dark 1 Moves: Sympathetic Tokens, Hex-Casting Hexes: Illusions, Watching Backstory: You start the game with two Sympathetic Tokens. Decide whose and what they are. One of the others has caught you rummaging through their stuff, but hasn't said anything. They get a String on you. Annalee Levi is, to most people, that weird girl in the back of the classroom, constantly drawing in a sketchbook and giving people weird looks. She wears a thick jacket and a black beanie, no matter the temperature, which contrasts with her blonde hair, pale skin, and bright green eyes. She speaks with a faint French accent, a hold-over from her parents' French heritage. Furthermore, she is never seen without a satchel slung over her shoulder, or her sketchbook and a pencil. Furthermore, she often keeps to herself, snarking to whoever sits next to her at most. Spoiler: Image She first discovered witchcraft entirely by accident, almost a year ago. Bored one night, and on the phone with a cousin in France, she was dared to perform a ritual that her cousin had found online. Shocked to discover it actually worked, she spent the next several months finding every resource, both online and in print, that she could, and put together her skills in witchcraft, loosely based off of various occult rituals from all kinds of beliefs and times, combined with the necessity of cheap materials that comes from being relatively poor. Annalee is both biologically and identifies herself as female, and considers herself a pansexual aromantic. Re-posting this here for easier access. As for the setting, based off of the Recruitment thread, I think the preferences are 2/2 with one vote for "I don't mind", so... I guess we'll see. Click to expand... I shall do the same. Spoiler: Character Sheet The Hollow Name: Maribel Ross Look: Disheveled, Inexperienced, Earnest Eyes: Wide, Curious Eyes Origin: A heedless experiment Stats: Hot (-1), Cold (-1), Volatile (+2), Dark (+1) Moves: Try Harder Next Time, Strange Impressions Backstory You’ve been taking your social cues from someone, and doing so has taught you a lot about them. Gain 2 Strings on them. (???) Someone’s seen through your invented past, and realized it’s all lies. They gain 2 Strings on you. (Alistair Trivial) Maribel Ross is, quite literally, the new kid in town. Gangly and thin, she gives off an impression of an enthusiastic, underfed puppy, asking constant questions rendered almost incomprehensible by her excitable Scottish burr. She seemingly has no understanding of fashion, convention, or even good taste when it comes to clothes, her wardrobe consisting seemingly of old novelty t-shirts, lower wear half consisting of stained knee-length skirts, half consisting of jeans in every color except blue, and an omnipresent white-and-green plaid jacket. Her red hair is perpetually unkempt, and those she inevitably ends up pestering are often put off by the contrast between her bright green eyes and her corpse-like pallor. Her father, Doctor Bennett Ross, was not expecting to have her, though in retrospect he probably should have. Dr. Ross held interesting and much-maligned theories about the possibility of re-assembling and modifying corpses to create new life, and sought to prove them via experimentation both practical and illegal. Maribel was the result of his efforts, but Dr. Ross quickly realized that he hadn’t exactly thought through the implications of his work when the now-vital body got up off the slab and gave her father a hug. He had thought that creating new life would be the end of his research, but now there was a girl hugging him that was calling him 'Dad'. That was almost a year ago. Since then, they've moved out of the country, Maribel has been instructed in the finer points of not mentioning the specifics of her nature, and she's about to start school! Maribel is too enthusiastic about experiencing existence to recognize the fact that her father doesn’t know how to deal with her. She’s too naive to recognize the fact that her constant curiosity is as much an effort to understand herself as it is one to understand the world. And she’s much too trusting of other people to recognize the fact that not all of them will like her... Maribel hasn't yet grasped the concept of gendered behavior, but identifies as female due to the fact that most people assume that she is. As it happens, the organs line up, though she's flat as a board. At this point, she doesn't know what sex is, much less what sort she'd like. For some reason, people keep changing the subject whenever she asks what this whole 'sex' thing is supposed to be, and her father never brought up the subject with her due to his asexuality. Setting-wise, I'm okay with either option. On one hand, I've got a more solid mental image for what Arjuna would probably look like, on the other, a sense of unfamiliarity would dovetail well with Model's overall character. String-wise, I have gotnoidea. Any takers? Spoiler: Johnathan Aussie - Werewolf The Werewolf Name: Johnathan Aussie Look: Primal Eyes: Predatory Eyes Origin: Favored of the Moon Stats: Hot 2, Cold -1, Volatile 1, Dark -1 Moves: Primal Dominance: When you harm someone, take a String on them. Scent of Blood: Add 1 to all rolls against those who have been harmed in this scene already. Sex Move: When you have sex with someone, you establish a deep spiritual connection with them. Until either of you breaks that spirit connection (by having sex with someone else) add 1 to all rolls made to defend them. You can tell when that connection has been broken. Backstory: You lack subtlety. Give a String to everyone. You’ve spent weeks watching someone from a distance. Their scent and mannerisms are unmistakable to you now. Gain two Strings on them. Johnathan Aussie is in the eyes of many is something of troublemaker given his proclivity of getting into fights, one-night flings, and casual disregard for the rules. It's certainly not helped his reputation any and then there's the matter of Jonathan's father... Though it's not known by many but the Aussie's can trace their bloodline back to the isolated forests of the old world. What their ancestors did in those places far from the light and reach of civilization is unknown, but it left a mark upon their family ever since which has been both a blessing and a curse. Know the Aussie's for the wolves they are, ravenous and predatory and most of all the favored children of the Moon. Or at least that's the tale that this branch of the Aussies have passed down over the generations. It's not easy living with such a thing at times and sometimes, just sometimes, a Aussie will snap under the strain of their heritage in a way that can't be covered up. It's what happened with Jonathan's father. The blood on his hands won't ever be washed away nor will the stain on the Aussie family name. It's not something that Jonathan tries to put much mind to, but it's not easy being the son a known murderer, especially one so brutal... ----- Preferences Jonathan is a heterosexual male. Fully explicit Took, Hawaii though the other one is good as well. Spoiler: Agnes K. Byron - Ghoul Name: Agnes K. Byron Look: Slightly Detached, Gaunt Eyes: Hungering, Thirsty Eyes Origin: Disturbed From Her Slumber Stats: (Hot -1, Cold 2, Volatile -1, Dark 1) Moves: The Hunger: You have a Hunger for thrills. When you heedlessly pursue a Hunger, add 1 to rolls. When you ignore a promising feeding opportunity, roll to Keep Your Cool. Satiety: When you satiate a Hunger, choose one: Heal 1 Harm; Mark experience; Take 1 Forward. Ending: You remember every detail of your death. When you tell someone about it, give them the Condition morbid and roll to Turn Them On with Cold. Backstory: Someone reminded you what life was like when you thought that death had stolen it away from you forever. Give them a String. (Maribel) Spoiler: Appearance Agnes Byron had always been detached from the others in her community. She knew that her parents never quite understood, but she did. She could never quite. Connect with others the same way they could. She had no old friends, no deep bonds, merely acquaintances that she helped along on occasion and that helped her in turn. Before her desires overtook her, she had been a member of the student council, a studious girl with a near four-point GPA with a deep fascination in literature and the arts. She was a shut-in with little true contact among the actual student body. They saw her as cold, an unreachable treasure despite (Or because of) her warm, alluring appearance. Stress built up, as was usual. She needed outlets. But could find few that satisfied her as much as sexual pleasure, and even went to great lengths to keep her past times separate from school. In life, there had been no shortage of willing people to help her along whenever she felt needy. Through her second life, however, she's learned she can't merely rely on her stiffer, gaunter, body. Once, she had tanned skin, bright warm eyes, and silky flowing hair. A harsh juxtaposition with her new vessel. Even more ironic was the increased fervor that mismatched her new appearance. Before, she had been flexible, sensitive, flushed--Her corpse reborn was all but the opposite. Light slaps and hard pinches were hardly anything more than dull throbs to her. The exciting fear of being caught, shame of being seen in a certain way had faded through constant exposure, and she needed more. More--More! Agnes had hardly been a slut. Her icy persona blunted most advances, and even the most persistent and charismatic of men or women found her uninterested in relationships. Sex was merely a stress reliever, something to take the edge off once in a while. But as things began to escalate, Agnes found herself searching for the act in larger and larger doses, more always needed to get off the next time. One thing led to another, and before she knew it, she was bleeding out in an alleyway because of some crazier-than usual stalker. When she reawoke, it was horrible. The dull sensation had only grown, and nothing she did could reignite the fire in her nether region. That was before she witnessed the most depraved, desecrating, vulgar act in the world--And suddenly, she was satisfied, if only for a second or two. Her hunger was not infinite--That much she had proven. But it did grow. And to keep up with its growth, Agnes would satisfy her appetite, her need for 'flesh' any way possible. Any way she could. Agnes is an aromantic bisexual. Fully explicit with very few limits. Black comedy is always a favorite, if the backstory didn't tip you off, and I don't like to delve too deep into romance or drama for fear I'd turn it into melodrama. Little preference on location. Any thoughts or offers on the Backstory String possibilities? Had trouble deciding on Ending or No Rest, and moves that would net me more experience. I'll throw mine in as well Spoiler: The Vampire Name: Alistair Trivial Look: Smoldering, thirsty eyes Origin: Taken this century Stats: Hot 2 Cold 1 Volatile -1 Dark -1 Moves: Hypnotic Marked for the Hunt Sex Move: When you deny someone sexually, gain a String on them. When you have sex with someone, lose all Strings on them. Spoiler: Appearance Backstory: You’re beautiful. Gain a String on everyone Someone once saved your unlike. They gain 2 Strings on you. To many, Alistair is a playboy, leaving behind him a string of broken hearts and crushed dreams as he progresses towards graduation. Fully willing to indulge in his good looks and the natural attraction it seems to provide, he has been much more reluctant to commit to a solid relationship, which has proved the undoing to his previous lovers in the past. In actuality however he is something darker, more sinister. A creature of the night, one with a thirst for blood. The night of his turning was traumatic and blurred, assaulted while walking home one night and left for dead, only death did not claim him. Something else did. Eventually he came to find that he enjoyed the power of the vampire, the thrill it gave. Alistair has kept on the move, always leaving when people start to grow suspicious about how he isn't visibly getting any older, or if they start to connect him to the bodies. Recently he's begun looking towards the future, and building up his influence, power, and respect in the vampire community. Having to deal with the more mundane concerns of school and keeping his secret a secret? Well, he's confident that it won't be too hard. Right? Alistair is biologically and mentally male, and at the moment considers himself heterosexual. I've mentioned my preference in locale before, and it's definitely not just because of the SPF degree that he has to use in his daily life in Hawaii Also having thought about it a bit, I'm leaning towards giving my unlike string to Maribel, since she seems well suited to have aided in saving his life either directly or indirectly (setting her up to make a distraction and the like). Though I'm not set on it just yet Metal said: ↑ Also having thought about it a bit, I'm leaning towards giving my unlike string to Maribel, since she seems well suited to have aided in saving his life either directly or indirectly (setting her up to make a distraction and the like). Though I'm not set on it just yet Click to expand... That works for me, though I'd prefer unintentional to intentional in regard to any life-saving done by Maribel. Or, at the very least, that she still hasn't caught onto the whole 'vampire' thing. Hmm... Honestly, ifHeWhoWasMardukis fine with it, having my "Get Caught" history and his "Following" history be of each other can make sense, since he's been watching me and caught me during that time. Which also would mean one of my sympathetic tokens could be of him. Somebody take my striiiiiings- Hakan said: ↑ That works for me, though I'd prefer unintentional to intentional in regard to any life-saving done by Maribel. Or, at the very least, that she still hasn't caught onto the whole 'vampire' thing. Click to expand... Of course. Part of the Schick of the vampire is toying with the notion of consent, so he probably didn't outright say he was a vampire or anything like that. Just taking advantage of her naturally friendly and curious disposition to save himself from an actual tragic end Metal said: ↑ Of course. Part of the Schick of the vampire is toying with the notion of consent, so he probably didn't outright say he was a vampire or anything like that. Just taking advantage of her naturally friendly and curious disposition to save himself from an actual tragic end Click to expand... And, of course, that gives a good excuse for Alistair getting Maribel's 'invented past' string. Her amateurish attempts at avoiding attention probably did the opposite, she slipped up somehow, and voila, a new pawn! Sable said: ↑ Somebody take my striiiiiings-Click to expand... ... Earnest enthusiasm from a complete stranger reawakening the soft, affectionate parts of Agnes' personality? Sable said: ↑ Somebody take my striiiiiings-Click to expand... The Witch not only watched you die, she nicked a part of you while you were getting back up? Hakan said: ↑ ... Earnest enthusiasm from a complete stranger reawakening the soft, affectionate parts of Agnes' personality? Click to expand... HAH. Luigilewis889 said: ↑ The Witch not only watched you die, she nicked a part of you while you were getting back up? Click to expand... .. Was she doing really kinky shit when she did so? Sable said: ↑ HAH. . Was she doing really kinky shit when she did so? Click to expand... Kinky shit, going at you with a butcher's knife... If you're into it, I guess? Luigilewis889 said: ↑ Hmm... Honestly, if HeWhoWasMarduk is fine with it, having my "Get Caught" history and his "Following" history be of each other can make sense, since he's been watching me and caught me during that time. Which also would mean one of my sympathetic tokens could be of him. Click to expand... I'd be fine with that as it makes sense. Sable said: ↑ HAH. Click to expand... Right, are. The only other thing I could think of would be harvesting spare parts, and that's not something she'd do herself. Or in back-alleys, for that matter. Hakan said: ↑ And, of course, that gives a good excuse for Alistair getting Maribel's 'invented past' string. Her amateurish attempts at avoiding attention probably did the opposite, she slipped up somehow, and voilà, a new pawn! Click to expand... Sure, I'd be okay with that. Nothing wrong with a nice patsy, especially one who probably doesn't taste that good (No offense, of) Luigilewis889 said: ↑ Kinky shit, going at you with a butcher's knife... If you're into it, I guess? Click to expand... Mm. I could see it working somewhat, but I'd rather keep things like butcher knives on the back burner. Hakan said: ↑ Right, are. The only other thing I could think of would be harvesting spare parts, and that's not something she'd do herself. Or in back-alleys, for that matter. Click to expand... Could change the death place for you guys, if that'll make that easier, but I'm not sure. Might have to tweak it all to find a fitting string A couple more questions to remember to think about while you're discussing strings.- What seat do you sit in during homeroom?- What does your homeroom teacher teach? kamenhero25 said: ↑ A couple more questions to remember to think about while you're discussing strings. - What seat do you sit in during homeroom? - What does your homeroom teacher teach? Click to expand... Back left most seat, next to the window And we can choose our homeroom? I'm fine with anything, really. Sable said: ↑ Back left most seat, next to the window And we can choose our homeroom? I'm fine with anything, really. Click to expand... Everyone is going to be in the same homeroom. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Everyone is going to be in the same homeroom. Click to expand... Mm, I meant the subject. Which one would be most interesting? Have any suggestions for Agnes' strings? Sable said: ↑ Mm, I meant the subject. Which one would be most interesting? Have any suggestions for Agnes' strings? Click to expand... Oh, my bad. Yeah. Developing your homeroom collaboratively is part of setting up the school. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Oh, my bad. Yeah. Developing your homeroom collaboratively is part of setting up the school. Click to expand... On second thought, maybe we should decide the town first What were the options again? Sable said: ↑ On second thought, maybe we should decide the town first What were the options again? Click to expand... That will probably be helpful. The two I came up with are:Arjuna, Washington: A small town in central Washington. It was once a major boomtown that became very wealthy through logging and mining, but has died back a bit in the last decades. The town still has factories and decent industries, but the downtown has largely been taken over by restaurants and shops to support the local liberal arts college. The older residents are still uncomfortable and having trouble adapting to the changes while the teens are drifting away from the older generation to enjoy the town's changes. Pohoku, Hawaii: A resort town on the northern coast of Maui. It's almost exclusively a tourist town where the hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and other tourist attractions make most of the town's money. The local teens are more than used to it all, since it's just home to them. But that also means that their home is constantly filled with temporary residents who are poking around and potentially getting into their business, or their secrets. You're also welcome to propose other things if you have something that interests you. Huh. Alert didn't work for me. The Hawaii one sounds fun, but I'll go for either. Might suggest one later on, too. kamenhero25 said: ↑ A couple more questions to remember to think about while you're discussing strings. - What seat do you sit in during homeroom? - What does your homeroom teacher teach? Click to expand... Okay, question from the totally ignorant here? My private school/homeschooled ass never got an explanation at any point of what "Homeroom" is supposed to actually be, despite having heard the phrase before. What does it mean in this context? Hakan said: ↑ Okay, question from the totally ignorant here? My private school/homeschooled ass never got an explanation at any point of what "Homeroom" is supposed to actually be, despite having heard the phrase before. What does it mean in this context? Click to expand... In this case, homeroom refers to the beginning period of the day. The homeroom teacher takes attendance, gives any important announcements, etc. It also gives the students a period to get things together for the day like getting books, finishing homework, socializing and chatting with friends, etc. kamenhero25 said: ↑ - What seat do you sit in during homeroom? - What does your homeroom teacher teach? Click to expand... I'm going to go back, middle-right. And as for the teacher, how about just simply going Math? kamenhero25 said: ↑ - What seat do you sit in during homeroom? - What does your homeroom teacher teach? Click to expand... Second row, third to the right Don't listen to these people who want hard brain thinking activities like math first thing in the morning suggest social studies kamenhero25 said: ↑ In this case, homeroom refers to the beginning period of the day. The homeroom teacher takes attendance, gives any important announcements, etc. It also gives the students a period to get things together for the day like getting books, finishing homework, socializing and chatting with friends, etc. Click to expand... Huh. Okay, that's informative. Metal said: ↑ Second row, third to the right Don't listen to these people who want hard brain thinking activities like math first thing in the morning I suggest social studies Click to expand... Seconded. As for seating position... second row, middle right? kamenhero25 said: ↑ A couple more questions to remember to think about while you're discussing strings. - What seat do you sit in during homeroom? - What does your homeroom teacher teach? Click to expand... Second to the back on the far right, and I'll second social studies or maybe gym? My school didn't have homeroom as far as I can recall. Alright, I think social studies is the favorite then, and I think Took is currently favored for the town. Is that a dealbreaker for anyone? Also, I have a few general questions and then a selection of specific questions for each of you to start developing the homeroom and adding some more students. Feel free to suggest other characters than the ones I prompt. I'll set up a master list of other students once we start designing them.1) What is your teacher's name? How much does the class like them?2) Who is the most popular person in class who's not a party member? Where do they sit?3) Who sits directly in front of the teacher's desk (front left)? Why?4)Sable: Who is one non-player person in class you've slept with before? How was it? How are things with them now? Where do they sit?5)Metal: Who sits directly behind you in class? Do you ever feel like they're staring at you?6)Luigilewis889: Who was effected by the first spell you cast? How do you feel about them? Where do they sit?7)HeWhoWasMarduk: Who have you picked a fight with before? Who got hurt and how much? Where do they sit?8)Hakan: Who was the first non-party member to try to befriend you? How are things with them? Where do they sit? kamenhero25 said: ↑ 4) Sable: What's one person in class you've slept with before? How was it? How are things with them now? Where do they sit? Click to expand... .. Are you asking me to make an NPC, or do some strings? I haven't even gotten those, yet Sable said: ↑ . Are you asking me to make an NPC, or do some strings? I haven't even gotten those yet Click to expand... NPC. Just a quick description (like one to two sentences) is sufficient. It's mostly about fleshing out the class together. You're welcome to hold of on answering until you have your strings with party members determined, but I wanted to put out a few questions while I was thinking about them. kamenhero25 said: ↑ NPC. Just a quick description (like one to two sentences) is sufficient. It's mostly about fleshing out the class together. You're welcome to hold of on answering until you have your strings with party members determined, but I wanted to put out a few questions while I was thinking about them. Click to expand... No, that's fine, I embrace questions. EMBRACE THEM. Sorry for answering so late, I didn't see this until minutes before I responded. She tried to sleep with people who didn't know her in her 'main' social circles, so she'd likely have been surprised to see him. Not that she really cares that much about the embarrassment in her new state He likely didn't know she died or anything, as she likes to keep it to one-night stands. Might be a little awkward at first, but the sex was good enough to put her desires up a notch on the proverbial sex thrill kinkiness meter, so she'd be up for seconds, if only to sate herself once in a while. Other than that, she might try to discretely avoid him. I don't know where they'd sit, really. And it feels like I did a shitty job describing it, so I might drop in another description of whatever character this is later. Maybe.... Can I give both strings to you? Sable said: ↑ No that's fine, I embrace questions. EMBRACE THEM. Sorry for answering so late, I didn't see this until minutes before I responded. She tried to sleep with people who didn't know her in her 'main' social circles, so she'd likely have been surprised to see him. Not that she really cares that much about the embarrassment in her new state He likely didn't know she died or anything, as she likes to keep it to one-night stands. Might be a little awkward at first, but the sex was good enough to put her desires up a notch on the proverbial sex thrill kinkiness meter, so she'd be up for seconds, if only to sate herself once in a while. Other than that, she might try to discretely avoid him. I don't know where they'd sit, really. And it feels like I did a shitty job describing it, so I might drop in another description of whatever character this is later. Maybe. ... Can I give both strings to you? Click to expand... I'm kind of a night owl, so answering late is no trouble for me at all. That sounds like a good basic description. I'd like a name, but I can just assign them to any seat if it doesn't matter too much. Probably the far row with Jonathan since Agnes tries to avoid being too close to him (or her). The first string should be on a party member. The second one is optional for the ghoul, so you're welcome to just say you died alone. kamenhero25 said: ↑ The first string should be on a party member. The second one is optional for the ghoul, so you're welcome to just say you died alone. Click to expand... Perfect. Takes a lot of stress of her knowing nobody actually knows she 'died'Since we're in the Hawaii town, I imagine she takes advantage of the tourism and visitors. Wouldn't be surprised if she knew every bar and glory hole in the city. But for that first string, I still can't figure out who she would have seen when a little bit after she rose. If it helps, I can slightly change what inspired her, though. Any suggestions? And are the new pictures I added okay? Sable said: ↑ Perfect. Takes a lot of stress of her knowing nobody actually knows she 'died' Since we're in the Hawaii town, I imagine she takes advantage of the tourism and visitors. Wouldn't be surprised if she knew every bar and glory hole in the city. But for that first string, I still can't figure out who she would have seen when a little bit after she rose. If it helps, I can slightly change what inspired her, though. Any suggestions? And are the new pictures I added okay? Click to expand... Well, the first string doesn't necessarily need to be immediately after you came back. Maybe one of the other party members did something later that reminded you what it was like to be alive and that shook something up. I'd say that anyone other than Alistair probably can do that well, but it depends on what you interpret as remind you what it feels like to be alive. For example, maybe you watched Jonathan in a fight and seeing that raw primal strength and the bruises and maybe a little blood afterward reminded you what it felt like when you were alive. Or maybe Maribel trying to learn something about being alive reminded you of something when she asked a question either to you or when you were around to hear. Pictures are great. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Well, the first string doesn't necessarily need to be immediately after you came back. Maybe one of the other party members did something later that reminded you what it was like to be alive and that shook something up. I'd say that anyone other than Alistair probably can do that well, but it depends on what you interpret as remind you what it feels like to be alive. For example, maybe you watched Jonathan in a fight and seeing that raw primal strength and the bruises and maybe a little blood afterward reminded you what it felt like when you were alive. Or maybe Maribel trying to learn something about being alive reminded you of something when she asked a question either to you or when you were around to hear. Pictures are great. Click to expand... Something getting abused, manhandled, roughed up, or just beaten would probably do it for her. Doesn't even need to be sexual. Anybody want to bite? On a side note, I wasn't sure if I should take that Ghoul Perk--The one that lets her come back from dying. I put perks that seemed to help her level faster, but what do you guys think? Are ghouls any tougher than humans? Need less air, sleep, or anything? kamenhero25 said: ↑ 8) Hakan: Who was the first non-party member to try to befriend you? How are things with them? Where do they sit? Click to expand... Lena Male ah. Generally a bit of a class clown, whose family are native to the area. She wants to become a doctor like the rest of her family, who basically run the local hospital and are fairly respected because of it. Her favorite hobby strolling the tourists, a habit she picked up from an old uncle of hers. She and Maribel originally met when Dr. Ross was applying for a job at the hospital when he and Maribel first moved into town, and Lena got stuck with entertaining her 'peer'. She initially tried to mess with Maribel, but Maribel took (insert whatever prank happened here) completely in stride, and Lena warmed up to her. They got assigned to the same homeroom, Lena sitting to Maribel's right, and they're fairly close friends. Angela Mandela: Known as highly religious and judgmental. Has occasionally really let loose at parties and made a scene, but always tries to cover it up or deny it later. President of the school's Christian Youth organization. Arthur Bellamy: School punk. Known troublemaker who comes across as belligerent and aggressive to most people. Can be nicer if someone manages to earn his respect, usually through equal aggression. His parents are on the school board of trustees and keep him out of too much trouble. Has an on-again, off-again relationship with Megan. Becca Williams: Trendy and always up on the latest fashions. Can be rather vain and a bit self-centered, even by teenage standards. Wants to get rich and travel the world in style, but doesn't quite know how yet. Christof Wilhelm: Quiet and relatively normal. Generally known for being level-headed and not terribly social. Tries to avoid situations that might cause a lot of trouble and has a tendency to try to be the voice of reason, when he can be bothered. Dennis Easterly: Surfer, skateboarder. Doesn't really know what he's doing with his life yet, so spends a lot of time on his hobbies. Parents run a tourist restaurant with a gimmicky style. Possibly has an interest in Alistair. Dirk Pavlov: Studious and focused student. Stuck up due to his high grades and intelligence. Lives with his single father who owns a series of rental properties for tourists, making him fairly well-off as well. Elijah Baker: Wanna-be musician. Has a tendency to be judgmental of others, but doesn't directly challenge people he doesn't like. Cursed by Annalee. Doesn't like insects after the incident making him uncomfortable. Elizabeth Gonzales: Homeroom teacher and somewhat well-liked by the students. Teaches Social Studies and knows her subject well. Starting to get a bit older with gray in her hair. Has a tendency to go off in small tangents when talking about subjects, but gives fairly easy work as well. Isaiah Thomas: New transfer from New York City. Dad works at an airline, and he generally knows when anyone 'interesting' is going to be coming to the area. Cocky and self-assured. Tends to get invited to big parties, so people can get the gossip and revels in his status. Jacob Hassan: Nerdy guy, Arabic descent. Fits the stereotype of being intelligent, but socially awkward. Uncomfortable around guys, but more comfortable around girls. Hasn't quite figured out that he's gay. Plays Battle tech. Leah Male ah: Class clown who wants to become a doctor like the rest of her family. Likes to mess with obnoxious tourists and prank her friends. Generally friendly, but could come off as annoying to someone who doesn't like her pranks. Friends with: MoribelMegan Steinberg: Quiet girl who sits near the back of the class. Rumored to be involved in all sorts of illegal activity. Only ever actually caught with some pot at a party, but rumored to be able to get just about anything for someone who's willing to pay. Timothy Evans: Athlete with a bit of a jealous streak. Popular for his ability, but known to be a little short-tempered and possessive. Picked a fight with Jonathan and ended up off the team for the end of the last season due to his shoulder injury. Trent Conley: Fairly ordinary guy who hangs out in town. Likes to pick up girls on the weekends and enjoys getting a bit kinky when things get started, but is generally gentle out of the bedroom. Plays several instruments as part of his charm, but has trouble with long-term relationships because he sleeps around. Works on the boardwalk after school. Slept with: Agnes Vivian Smith: Hardworking red-head from a family going through some financial trouble. Works part-time to help with the bills, but has a tendency to overwork herself. Sleeps as often as studies in class and occasionally gets in trouble for it. Sable said: ↑ . Are you asking me to make an NPC, or do some strings? I haven't even gotten those yet Click to expand... I suggested that Annalee might have seen you die though. kamenhero25 said: ↑ 6) Luigilewis889: Who was effected by the first spell you cast? How do you feel about them? Where do they sit? Click to expand... Elijah Baker, a young wanna-be musician. I cursed him to constantly feel bugs crawling on his skin, after he badmouthed me when he thought I wasn't listening. He sits right at the front-right, and quite frankly, I don't really care about him anymore, beyond keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn't do it again. Luigilewis889 said: ↑ I suggested that Annalee might have seen you die though. Click to expand... Mm, apparentally one is optional, so is there any moment in time that she would have been treating someone roughly, meanly, or otherwise manhandle somebody? Or cause an ordinary amount of physical pain? Luigilewis889 said: ↑ wanna-be musician Click to expand... Yes, lots of musician boys. Sable said: ↑ Yes, lots of musician boys. Click to expand... Given the town is heavily focused on tourism, a lot of wanna-be performers or entertainersisvery fitting. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Given the town is heavily focused on tourism, a lot of wanna-be performers or entertainers is very fitting. Click to expand... So what about somebody who enjoys the world's oldest profession? Also, how are Agnes' parents handled again? I forgot. Sable said: ↑ Mm, apparentally one is optional, so is there any moment in time that she would have been treating someone roughly, meanly, or otherwise manhandle somebody? Or cause an ordinary amount of physical pain? Click to expand... Not really, she tends to avoid physical confrontations. More the snarky bitch. kamenhero25 said: ↑ 5) Metal: Who sits directly behind you in class? Do you ever feel like they're staring at you? Click to expand... Dennis Hastert. Brown hair, Parents run a restaurant on the island, one of those gimmick places. He hasn't decided what he wants to do yet, but he likes skateboarding, exploring the island, surfing, that sort of thing. So essentially one of the restless youth I suppose. And of course they're staring at me. I'm beautiful. Sable said: ↑ Also, how are Agnes' parents handled again? I forgot. Click to expand... You can do what you want with them. They're your character's parents. kamenhero25 said: ↑ You can do what you want with them. They're your character's parents. Click to expand... .. Single mother who wasn't very good at it, and now Agnes has--Whats the word--Uh, adulated herself?.. Emancipated? Sable said: ↑ . Single mother who wasn't very good at it, and now Agnes has--Whats the word--Uh, adulated herself? . Emancipated? Click to expand... Being emancipated is an interesting possibility. That actually poses another question. Agnes would have to have a job that she could present in court to get emancipated. Where does she work? Also, remember that anyone can chime in on the general questions to help fill out the class faster. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Being emancipated is an interesting possibility. That actually poses another question. Agnes would have to have a job that she could present in court to get emancipated. Where does she work? Also, remember that anyone can chime in on the general questions to help fill out the class faster. Click to expand... Don't you hate it when the GM replies right after you had checked the thread? Her grades were pretty high before her addiction took control, but I'd probably say something like stocking a grocery store, or working in the mall, and off paper, prostitution, ironically the way she first died. Maybe somewhere she could find potential 'clients' or even just sleazy looking men? Can she get diseases as a ghoul? Sable said: ↑ Can she get diseases as a ghoul? Click to expand... If you want her to. The manual seems to indicate personal preference, so I could have my guy survive by using SPF a billion sunscreen to not burst into flames if I wanted Metal said: ↑ If you want her to. The manual seems to indicate personal preference, so I could have my guy survive by using SPF a billion sunscreen to not burst into flames if I wanted Click to expand... Pretty much this. Whatever makes the RP more interesting. Some NPC ideas. Take'em, don't I don't care. A sleazy, yet hardworking boy with a penchant for sleight of hand who's never actually gotten far enough to know what to do after flirting? A super excitable idiot savant blonde (That may or may not be putting on an act) coworker? An older 'fruitcake' of a woman through one or two divorces, desperately looking for a new, hot young guy to replace her stagnate career as a manager. Somewhere? A fidgety, awkward, only-sane-boy who's far more perceptive and or shrewd than he should be? A naive chuunibyo girl that's somehow ridiculously prepared for catastrophe, and knows multiple martial arts? An asexual / likely aromantic implacable OCD law student germaphobe who runs a black market on stolen underwear and other below-the-table memorabilia? The classic delinquent punk / jock with a heart of gold possibly in a gang who's too proud to admit he fervently believes in the occult? A super religious prude who has a closeted 'thing' for animals? A repressed narcoleptic smut writer who makes her best works when she's writing down her wet dreams, asleep? A student teacher or president of student council who really tries to be nice and lenient and do the best for everyone, but always ends up eventually snapping in a fit of utter rage? A Ryanair boy who takes an interest in one of the students, male or female, and will methodically slaughter and blackmail anybody in their way? A rich and socially affluent boy or girl whose parents are in politics, who actually wants to be a hentai artist? A trap? kamenhero25 said: ↑ 7) HeWhoWasMarduk: Who have you picked a fight with before? Who got hurt and how much? Where do they sit? Click to expand... Timothy Evans, sits on the far left in the front row, thought that his girlfriend had taken a bit too much of an interest in Aussie for his liking which led to a confrontation that neither one backed down from. Evans ended up with a broken nose and dislocated shoulder while Aussie got a bloody lip out of the fight. Having blamed Evan for starting the fight his girlfriend sided with Aussie which led to them having a short fling together. As far as the teacher goes, I'm thinking something like: Elizabeth Gonzalez, older woman, hair previously black going towards grain. She likes her subject and cares for her students, but has an unfortunate tendency of being dragging into only slightly related tangents that are informative but not entirely relevant to what she's teaching, and wasting class time that way. Gives out fairly easy homework most of the time, and runs a club or two. As a thought or two. What's special about the desk in front of teacher's, anyway? Sable said: ↑ What's special about the desk in front of teacher's, anyway? Click to expand... It's the one closest to the teacher. Someone might have a specific reason for wanting to sit that close to them, just like someone might have a reason to want to sit in the back. kamenhero25 said: ↑ It's the one closest to the teacher. Someone might have a specific reason for wanting to sit that close to them, just like someone might have a reason to want to sit in the back. Click to expand... .. Has nobody realized the significance of the very left back seat? PCs Agnes K. Byron-Jonathan, MoribelAlistair Remain- Agnes, Maribel (3)Maribel Ross-Agnes, Alistair (2) Alright, I think I have everyone's strings spelled out correctly, and I'll add more as well as tracking NPC strings here. We should be ready to start as soon as the class is completely filled. Let's see some NPC ideas! Christoph Wilhelm's: Highly perceptive, relatively level-headed boy, very back right seat. Angela Mandela: Religious girl with a lot of repressed desires, sits in front of Maribel. Stephen Howard's: Jock with a thing for the occult and superstition, sits in front of Annalee. Did you want me to flesh these guys out more? They seem a little bare compared to the rest of the NPCs. I don't think we've made a 'Popular' NPC yet, though. Isaiah Thomas - Newly moved from NYC, dad just got promoted in an airline company, self-assured and a bit cocky, sits in front of Alistair Becca Williams - Up to date with the latest fashions and trends, dreams of traveling the world, getting rich, etc. Sits behind Dennis Vivian Smith - Hardworking red head, has a part-time job and an unfortunate tendency to use class to catch a few extra ZZZ's. Sleeps Sits between Agnes and Annalena few more for the NPC pool Metal said: ↑ Isaiah Thomas - Newly moved from NYC, dad just got promoted in an airline company, self-assured and a bit cocky, sits in front of Alistair Becca Williams - Up to date with the latest fashions and trends, dreams of traveling the world, getting rich, etc. Sits behind Dennis Vivian Smith - Hardworking red head, has a part-time job and an unfortunate tendency to use class to catch a few extra ZZZ's. Sleeps Sits between Agnes and Annalee A few more for the NPC pool Click to expand... Sounds good. Would it be fair to say that Becca might be the class popular girl? kamenhero25 said: ↑ Sounds good. Would it be fair to say that Becca might be the class popular girl? Click to expand... If there aren't any other candidates that show up in the last few NC's, it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that, yeah. I'll throw in:Megan Steinberg - Quiet girl, improbably to something slightly illegal at any given moment, sits in front of Agnes. Dirk Pavlov - Studious boy, the highest grades in class, tends to be a bit stuck up. Lives with a single father. Sits behind Timothy. And a couple more:Jacob Hassan - Massive nerd, of Arabic descent, nervous around men and comfortable around women. Hasn't quite realized he's gay. Plays Battle tech in his spare time. Sits behind Maribel. Arthur Bellamy - The school punk. Actually pretty nice if you've earned his respect, aggressive, standoffish, and belligerent otherwise. Hasn't been kicked out thanks to his parents being on the board of trustees, who are convinced he's just 'going through a phase'. Sits in front of Megan Steinberg, who he's in an on-again off-again relationship with. And that should wrap up NPCs for a start. I do have a question or two to help detail relationships, but I think we'll be ready to actually get things started now1) Has anyone ever used Megan's services to acquire anything? What did they buy?2)HeWhoWasMardukHas Jonathan ever gotten into it with Jacob? Do they respect each other? kamenhero25 said: ↑ 1) Has anyone ever used Megan's services to acquire anything? What did they buy? Click to expand... Vodka. Maribel occasionally needs to clean up her seams, and she needs strong alcohol to do it. Can't get an infection, after all! She'd be very surprised to discover that Megan thinks she's a high-functioning alcoholic. A side thought revisiting that old job requirement--Agnes could work at an adult store somewhere either deep in the mall, some back alley, or on some out of the way corner of the city. kamenhero25 said: ↑ 1) Has anyone ever used Megan's services to acquire anything? What did they buy? Click to expand... A few odds and ends for rituals, which has kind of maybe convinced Megan that Annalee is into someweirdshit. Oh, and one my question that will help me set the first scene. Who shows up to class first?EDIT: Actually, what order do you think you show up for class in general? kamenhero25 said: ↑ Oh, and one my question that will help me set the first scene. Who shows up to class first? EDIT: Actually, what order do you think you show up for class in general? Click to expand... Well, there are a lot of possibilities. Dirk because of their studious character, Elizabeth is the teacher, Vivian so she can sleep, and Christof, Megan or Agnes so they can get in without having to interact or get caught up in the craziness. The popular kids would probably arrive a little after all the normal kids, e.g, Christof or Trent, and the punks would arrive last. (Just took a look at the NPCs, dunno about PCs) kamenhero25 said: ↑ EDIT: Actually, what order do you think you show up for class in general? Click to expand... Annalee arrives fairly early, and just sort of hangs in the back quietly, doodling in her sketchbook and watching people. Sable said: ↑ Well, there are a lot of possibilities. Dirk because of their studious character, Elizabeth is the teacher, Vivian so she can sleep, and Christof, Megan or Agnes so they can get in without having to interact or get caught up in the craziness. The popular kids would probably arrive a little after all the normal kids, e.g, Christof or Trent, and the punks would arrive last. (Just took a look at the NPCs, dunno about PCs)Click to expand... Ah, I meant what order does the PCs arrive in. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Ah, I meant what order does the PCs arrive in. Click to expand... I would say barring normal circumstances, Agnes would try to arrive first Alistair would probably try to arrive near the middle of the pack, not too early but also not last to arrive to avoid the attention. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Oh, and one my question that will help me set the first scene. Who shows up to class first? EDIT: Actually, what order do you think you show up for class in general? Click to expand... Last or near last, at high speed. Maribel doesn't have a good sense of timing yet. kamenhero25 said: ↑ 2) HeWhoWasMarduk Has Jonathan ever gotten into it with Jacob? Do they respect each other? Click to expand... I'm going to say that they haven't gotten into it with Jonathan not respecting him, but he doesn't have anything against him either. He's just sort of there, you know? kamenhero25 said: ↑ Oh, and one my question that will help me set the first scene. Who shows up to class first? EDIT: Actually, what order do you think you show up for class in general? Click to expand... Jonathan is a straggler so he'd be one of the last ones in the classroom. Let's say before Maribel. Alright, the opening scene is under way. Please check in with IC and we can get this party started. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Alright, the opening scene is under way. Please check in with IC and we can get this party started. Click to expand... Right! Just finished some stuff, I'll try and put something together when I have a moment. Who else needs to post? Sable said: ↑ Who else needs to post? Click to expand... Our werewolf boy, from a glance at the IC thread Forgot if it said, but do Ghouls need to sleep? And is it a school night or Friday? Your call on the sleep. And it's a Friday. Hm. Who has Agnes strings and why, again? Doesn't look like I put them in my sheet. Sable said: ↑ Hm. Who has Agnes strings and why, again? Doesn't look like I put them in my sheet. Click to expand... There's a String post thread marked, though it doesn't say why particular threads are with each person. Sable said: ↑ Hm. Who has Agnes strings and why, again? Doesn't look like I put them in my sheet. Click to expand... I've at least been awarded the strings for Annalee watching Agnes die. Metal said: ↑ There's a String post thread marked, though it doesn't say why particular threads are with each person. Click to expand... Mm, and I traced the discussion, but I think they had to improvise with Agnes' strings. Luigilewis889 said: ↑ I've at least been awarded the strings for Annalee watching Agnes die. Click to expand... Mm, I thought that string was optional for a ghoul? Could be something else, since she also has strings for Jon. Just want to make sure what sort of relationship she has with Annalee before having Agnes post.kamenhero25, half Sable said: ↑ Mm, I thought that string was optional for a ghoul? Could be something else, since she also has strings for Jon. Just want to make sure what sort of relationship she has with Annalee before having Agnes post. Click to expand... Well, I've hinted at the fact that Annalee knows about it, though she's unsure if Agnes is aware that Annalee knows, so you're free to choose whether she is or not. Sable said: ↑ Mm, and I traced the discussion, but I think they had to improvise with Agnes' strings. Mm, I thought that string was optional for a ghoul? Could be something else, since she also has strings for Jon. Just want to make sure what sort of relationship she has with Annalee before having Agnes post. kamenhero25, halocline to expand... Agnes gets one string on Jonathan because everyone gets a string on the werewolf for free. I also wasn't sure if you and Annalee had decided if she had seen you die or not, so I went with yes because more strings generally ends with more options for players to interact later. That gave you both two strings on each other. I think I might have forgotten who gets a string on you because they reminded you of being alive though. Or mislabeled it or something. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Agnes gets one string on Jonathan because everyone gets a string on the werewolf for free. I also wasn't sure if you and Annalee had decided if she had seen you die or not, so I went with yes because more strings generally ends with more options for players to interact later. That gave you both two strings on each other. I think I might have forgotten who gets a string on you because they reminded you of being alive though. Or mislabeled it or something. Click to expand... .. We could ignore it? I planned on her dying alone, but Annalee already has a tuft of Agnes hair, so. Maybe she saw her after the initial rise and inspired her somehow? Post soon, in a few hours at most. I can update the list if you prefer that. kamenhero25 said: ↑ I can update the list if you prefer that. Click to expand... Nah, it's fine. Because it's so vague, though, I'll have her not know the connection IC.EDIT: On a side note, I don't know the specifics of Annalee's witch magic, but from what it looks like, she'll have some sort of connection to the person she has a token of? It might be fun for her to be 'tracking' Agnes, and find the ghoul slipping away to do something 'privater'. Be a good trigger for drama and story, and all that. Sable said: ↑ Nah, it's fine. Because it's so vague, though, I'll have her not know the connection IC. EDI: On a side note, I don't know the specifics of Annalee's witch magic, but from what it looks like, she'll have some sort of connection to the person she has a token of? It might be fun for her to be 'tracking' Agnes, and find the ghoul slipping away to do something 'privater'. Be a good trigger for drama and story, and all that. Click to expand... I literally plan on using my Watching hex to piggyback you while you're at the club. I've already got you covered. Luigilewis889 said: ↑ Annalee raised an eyebrow, holding back an amused chuckle. "Hey, chill, I was just joking... Look, I'm going to be busy tonight," she lied, trying to appear less... weird than she usually did. More casual, normal, friendly than her usual standoffish persona. "Just wanted to ask a favor. See if you could go and check the place out, let me know how it is." She leaned in, giving Agnes a small smirk. "We can talk about how I'll repay the favor later, okay?" Click to expand... How do we want to handle rolls, since I'm rolling to Turn Someone On here?kamenhero25 I have to double-check the exact set-up, but the forum has a built-in dice roller. It seems related to her character, so I'll mention it. At school, Agnes wears normal, if stiff, looking clothes at school, and wears her hair in somewhat neat ponytails. Dress shirts, baggy hoodies, cargo pants, etc. When she's 'out', it's all either skimpy, or tight enough that it doesn't matter, underwear being neutral. Letting her hair down figuratively and literally, so to speak. Uses contacts instead of glasses. Pretty similar to that prudish NPC I suppose, if further down along a certain lewd path. Alright, rolling to Turn Agnes On. Luigilewis889 rolled 2 die of 6 faces, total: 4+1 = 5 For: Turn Someone On Rolled on: November-28-2018, 03:48am See dice roll details 1 3 ... I think I might have messed something up with the modifier, but I rolled a 5, with my Hot of -1, so that's a four! I completely fail to be sexy, as expected! You can roll in the IC thread. Also, what did you do the make it works? kamenhero25 rolled 3 die of 6 faces, total: 12+1 = 13 For: Testing Rolled on: November-28-2018, 03:51am See dice roll details 3 5 4 At the bottom-right of your posts is the Roll Dice button, which brings up a menu. It's alittlejanky, at least on my end, but it works.(Also apparently I rolled a 3 instead of a 5, whoops.) Got it. Thank you! Luigilewis889 said: ↑ . I think I might have messed something up with the modifier, but I rolled a 5, with my Hot of -1, so that's a four! I completely fail to be sexy, as expected! Click to expand... kamenhero25 said: ↑ You can roll in the IC thread. Also, what did you do the make it works? Click to expand... Regardless of what you roll, Agnes and Annalee have the exact same stats, including a Cold / Resist Turn On of 2On a side note, GM, do you think the skill of turning people on with her. Uh. Somewhat lewd death would be better for fulfilling her Hunger and levels is okay, or should I switch her to the skill that lets her shrug off death? Technically speaking, Cold doesn't resist Turning Someone On. In fact, very little in this game lets you passively resist something, only actively so. So to resist being turned on, you basically have to override their action and instead make the scene about you Shutting Them Down. It's equally easy for someone to turn us on as anyone else. Anyway, failed skill check still nets me 1 Experience! Sable said: ↑ Regardless of what you roll, Agnes and Annalee have the exact same stats, including a Cold / Resist Turn On of 2 On a side note, GM, do you think the skill of turning people on with her. Uh. Somewhat lewd death would be better for fulfilling her Hunger and levels is okay, or should I switch her to the skill that lets her shrug off death? Click to expand... Honestly, either one works. I feel like the first one fits her character a little better. HeWhoWasMarduk, I think you're the only one that needs to post? Unless the GM is just waiting? Even if we need every player to post, I think it'd be fitting for the delinquent to be late. Sorry, at this point I'm actually just letting Alistair and Maribel finish their conversation because it's both good and relevant to how the next scene is set up. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Sorry, at this point I'm actually just letting Alistair and Maribel finish their conversation because it's both good and relevant to how the next scene is set up. Click to expand... Oh, woods, I didn't even notice that. Sorry. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Sorry, at this point I'm actually just letting Alistair and Maribel finish their conversation because it's both good and relevant to how the next scene is set up. Click to expand... Well, it seems to basically be wrapped up at this point. Care for the next scene? It's a bit late for me, but I should be able to get it tomorrow. If HeWhoWasMarduk shows up, I'll work him in, otherwise I'll just have his character bow out. kamenhero25 said: ↑ It's a bit late for me, but I should be able to get it tomorrow. If HeWhoWasMarduk shows up, I'll work him in, otherwise I'll just have his character bow out. Click to expand... Sorry, sorry, I've been on vacation and things have been a bit hectic so this sorta slipped my attention as I wasn't getting any alerts. Apologies for the delay, I had stuff that needed to get done yesterday and wasn't online as much as I would have liked. Just making sure that I know what's going on:- Agnes is going to the club, using Annalee asking her a favor to hide the fact that she really wanted to party- Annalee is planning to use a hex to watch the opening, but not attending in person- Maribel kind of wants to go, but isn't entirely sure-Alistair is going, but blew off Maribel because he plans to have some 'private' fun-Jonathan is interested in goings that correct? kamenhero25 said: ↑ - Maribel kind of wants to go, but isn't entirely sure Click to expand... Correct. She's probably going to end up going, if only because that's where the plot is happening. kamenhero25 said: ↑ - Agnes is going to the club, using Annalee asking her a favor to hide the fact that she really wanted to party - Annalee is planning to use a hex to watch the opening, but not attending in person Click to expand... Mm. Chances are though, Annalee also gets an eyeful of Agnes, Moreno than the actual club. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Apologies for the delay, I had stuff that needed to get done yesterday and wasn't online as much as I would have liked. Just making sure that I know what's going on: - Agnes is going to the club, using Annalee asking her a favor to hide the fact that she really wanted to party - Annalee is planning to use a hex to watch the opening, but not attending in person - Maribel kind of wants to go, but isn't entirely sure - Alistair is going, but blew off Maribel because he plans to have some 'private' fun - Jonathan is interested in going Is that correct? Click to expand... I'm also planning on glancing into the void first to try and get some foresight regarding the club, during lunch. Luigilewis889 said: ↑ I'm also planning on glancing into the void first to try and get some foresight regarding the club, during lunch. Click to expand... You can go ahead and do that now if you'd like. I was going to jump to after school since there's not much else to actually do during the day today. kamenhero25 said: ↑ You can go ahead and do that now if you'd like. I was going to jump to after school since there's not much else to actually do during the day today. Click to expand... What year of high school are they all in, again? And did we ever figure out where Agnes worked? Sable said: ↑ What year of high school are they all in, again? And did we ever figure out where Agnes worked? Click to expand... Second, and not really. kamenhero25 said: ↑ - Alistair is going, but blew off Maribel because he plans to have some 'private' fun Click to expand... Yeah. I considered going with Becca, but that probably can be handled after school, and I hadn't entirely decided anyway. Metal said: ↑ Yeah. I considered going with Becca, but that probably can be handled after school, and I hadn't entirely decided anyway. Click to expand... If you want to ask her out, you can roll for that. A Turn Her On roll would be enough to get her along. kamenhero25 said: ↑ If you want to ask her out, you can roll for that. A Turn Her On roll would be enough to get her along. Click to expand... Sure, I can do that for the interlude between scenes if it's alright with you Metal said: ↑ Sure, I can do that for the interlude between scenes if it's alright with you Click to expand... Sounds good to me. Alright then, rolling for a potential date. Metal rolled 2 die of 6 faces, total: 12+2 = 14 For: Turn on NPC Rolled on: December-01-2018, 10:42pm See dice roll details 6 6 Alright, I'm Gazing into the Abyss in order to try and glimpse if there are any hidden secrets that will be at the club, and what the vague shape of them are if I can. Luigilewis889 rolled 2 die of 6 faces, total: 9+1 = 10 For: Gaze into the Abyss Rolled on: December-01-2018, 10:49pm See dice roll details 6 3 Hard hits! Hurrah! God-damn, those are rolls. Feel free to post a quick summary of what plays out in IC. I'll have a post up moving us to the club later tonight. kamenhero25 said: ↑ God damn, those are rolls. Feel free to post a quick summary of what plays out in IC. I'll have a post up moving us to the club later tonight. Click to expand... I'm at work right now, I can get to that in like five hours or so. As a heads-up I'll be up late, so that's no problem. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Second, and not really. Click to expand... Let's see. So Agnes would be 15? 16? Ugh. Not getting motifs. I imagine she'd have one part-time job at the mall, and another stalking the streets and alleys since she never sleeps. Sable said: ↑ Let's see. So Agnes would be 15? 16? Ugh. Not getting motifs. I imagine she'd have one part-time job at the mall, and another stalking the streets and alleys since she never sleeps. Click to expand... Correct. I figured that was a decent target area for teenagers into some odd shit. Yeah, I've heard that weird glitch happens sometimes. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Correct. I figured that was a decent target area for teenagers into some odd shit. Yeah, I've heard that weird glitch happens sometimes. Click to expand... It sounds right. Still might be harder for Agnes to fulfill her Hunger, unless she finds people into that Have any ideas for a job, or should we just leave it vaguely 'at the mall'? Sable said: ↑ It sounds right. Still might be harder for Agnes to fulfill her Hunger, unless she finds people into that Have any ideas for a job, or should we just leave it vaguely 'at the mall'? Click to expand... Maybe a store that could benefit her hobbies? Like a clothing store to get her hands on various outfits or a lingerie store or something like that. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Maybe a store that could benefit her hobbies? Like a clothing store to get her hands on various outfits or a lingerie store or something like that. Click to expand... I would have said adult store, but I wasn't sure if they'd hire a 15-year-old, emancipated or not. Lingerie store, similar problems, so I'd say either those or just a regular clothing store. Sable said: ↑ I would have said adult store, but I wasn't sure if they'd hire a 15-year-old, emancipated or not. Lingerie store, similar problems, so I'd say either those or just a regular clothing store. Click to expand... A full on adult store probably wouldn't hire her for legal reasons, but the others definitely would. kamenhero25 said: ↑ A full on adult store probably wouldn't hire her for legal reasons, but the others definitely would. Click to expand... Do you need NPCs for the coworkers and management of her lingerie job, then? Or the name of it? Sable said: ↑ Do you need NPCs for the coworkers and management of her lingerie job, then? Or the name of it? Click to expand... Just a name is fine. We can make up NPCs on the fly if we need them. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Just a name is fine. We can make up NPCs on the fly if we need them. Click to expand... What about. Lingerie Bay? Rhyming for the win. Does everybody need to post for the Club scenes to move? Sable said: ↑ What about. Lingerie Bay? Rhyming for the win. Does everybody need to post for the Club scenes to move? Click to expand... No, I just haven't gotten around to posting yet. kamenhero25 said: ↑ No, I just haven't gotten around to posting yet. Click to expand... Shit, sorry. Didn't mean to rush, was just curious. Sable said: ↑ Shit, sorry. Didn't mean to rush, was just curious. Click to expand... No worries. I did mean to post, I just hadn't yet. So, I presume we're waiting onHeWhoWasMardukto post? Hakan said: ↑ So, I presume we're waiting on HeWhoWasMarduk to post? Click to expand... I would like that, but I'm also not the fastest poster. I'll get something up later today or tomorrow regardless. In case it isn't obvious, Maribel still hasn't grasped that they're servingalcoholicdrinks. Though she's peripherally aware of the concept, alcohol registers as a disinfectant to her. I'm perfectly welcome with, and in fact counting on, her being misinterpreted and getting some sort of strong drink instead of, say, water or soda. Sable said: ↑ She rubbed her thighs together, unable to tell if it was sweat between them or-Click to expand... Just checking, but I assume that the hyphenated cutoffs in the posts are deliberate? Hakan said: ↑ In case it isn't obvious, Maribel still hasn't grasped that they're serving alcoholic drinks. Though she's peripherally aware of the concept, alcohol registers as a disinfectant to her. I'm perfectly welcome with, and in fact counting on, her being misinterpreted and getting some sort of strong drink instead of, say, water or soda. Just checking, but I assume that the hyphenated cutoffs in the posts are deliberate? Click to expand... Mm. I usually use hyphens as interrupted lines, and with her, she herself is interrupting her own thoughts of Hunger and levity. Wasn't clear, sorry about that. I can change those if you want. On a side note, I don't know how being dead will affect getting drunk, but she might act tipsy if it gets her Hunger fulfilled faster, and she isn't able to actually get drunk. Sable said: ↑ Mm. I usually use hyphens as interrupted lines, and with her, she herself is interrupting her own thoughts of Hunger and levity. Wasn't clear, sorry about that. I can change those if you want. Click to expand... No, no, it's fine. That's about what I guessed, I just wanted to make sure. I use hyphens for the same thing. kamenhero25Can a Ghoul get drunk? And since her senses are sorta dulled, wouldn't Annalee feel them as dulled too? Sable said: ↑ kamenhero25 Can a Ghoul get drunk? And since her senses are sorta dulled, wouldn't Annalee feel them as dulled too? Click to expand... That's usually up to you. Based on how you've been playing her, I'd say probably, but only after an abnormally large and unhealthy to mortals amount of drinking. Quite possibly. You two should probably decide that between you two, and I'll roll with it. Was that last post okay? Wanted to roll to turn on with her move bonus, and had to say something 'creepy' and hot, but not sure the scenes moving too fast. Seems alright to me. Anyone else have comments? kamenhero25 said: ↑ Anyone else have comments Click to expand... I don't mind it that much. We're all going at our own pace right now, so as long as you don't get to tomorrow while we're still on tonight then it's fine. I'm worried we might be going too fast for some of the other players, likeLuigilewis889who's technically in the same scene, or Marduk, who hasn't really posted at all. Maybe tag them as a reminder? It's better this way though, as catching up would be easier than holding back the game. Sable said: ↑ I'm worried we might be going too fast for some of the other players, like Luigilewis889 who's technically in the same scene, or Marduk, who hasn't really posted at all. Maybe tag them as a reminder? It's better this way though, as catching up would be easier than holding back the game. Click to expand... I forgot to mention. Marduk has some real life stuff taking his time and has dropped out. We'll be continuing with you four for now. Ah, it's fine, since my character is just observing. I'll chime in with her reaction sometimes, but I don't mind you not waiting for me with this. Falling asleep, bound to be errors in that post. Tried for the creepy and hot tone, again, I'll be editing in the morning, maybe. Huh. I just had a potentially amusing idea. Sable, would you be interested in Maribel running across Agnes? I've been looking for an excuse to throw her into the deep end, as it were, and a wound-up ghoul would probably do the trick. No is a perfectly fine response, of course. I'm just spitballing ideas here. Hakan said: ↑ Sable, would you be interested in Maribel running across Agnes? I've been looking for an excuse to throw her into the deep end, as it were, and a wound-up ghoul would probably do the trick. Click to expand... She could Would Maribel recognize Agnes, though? She's dressed and acting way differently, not to mention Agnes trying to avoid any classmates. If Maribel was persistent enough, and promised to keep shut, maybe Agnes would let the girl tag along while she. Er. Did her meat run for the night. Sable said: ↑ She could Would Maribel recognize Agnes, though? She's dressed and acting way differently, not to mention Agnes trying to avoid any classmates. If Maribel was persistent enough, and promised to keep shut, maybe Agnes would let the girl tag along while she. Er. Did her meat run for the night. Click to expand... I decided to split the difference, and go for familiar enough to catch Maribel's attention, but not enough for outright recognition. Hakan said: ↑ I decided to split the difference, and go for familiar enough to catch Maribel's attention, but not enough for outright recognition. Click to expand... Agnes will probably try to deny everything, so maybe you can have her recognize by the voice. Ask a few questions, and pressure / force her to take Maribel with her for the rest of the night while she's off Hunting. Sable said: ↑ Agnes will probably try to deny everything, so maybe you can have her recognize by the voice. Ask a few questions, and pressure / force her to take Maribel with her for the rest of the night while she's off Hunting. Click to expand... That work? Maribel's not the sort to deliberately apply pressure, so I tried to make any pressure/threats unintentional. kamenhero25When you can, can you post for the bartender? Or should I just assume Agnes got drinks with no problem? Are there any special drinks with supernatural effects? Or anything else weird with the bar? Sable said: ↑ kamenhero25 When you can, can you post for the bartender? Or should I just assume Agnes got drinks with no problem? Are there any special drinks with supernatural effects? Or anything else weird with the bar? Click to expand... I can post in quick if you'd like. There doesn't seem to be anything odd with the bar. Luigilewis889Whats Annalee think about all this? Ugh, that took way too long to put together. Damn distractions.kamenhero25Sablefeel free to have David or Agnes ask Maribel to do stuff or order her around. Hopefully I'll be able to respond slightly quicker. Man, I need to get going with my own scene. You guys seem to be having a lot of fun Hakan said: ↑ Ugh, that took way too long to put together. Damn distractions. kamenhero25 Sable feel free to have David or Agnes ask Maribel to do stuff or order her around. Hopefully I'll be able to respond slightly quicker. Click to expand... GEH, sorry. Slept longer than I usually do. I think its Gm's turn to post, though? Sable said: ↑ GEH, sorry. Slept longer than I usually do. I think its Gm's turn to post, though? Click to expand... Yeah, that probably makes sense. I just wanted to make it clear to the both of you. Hakan said: ↑ Yeah, that probably makes sense. I just wanted to make it clear to the both of you. Click to expand... Maybe we can tag him?kamenhero25 Sable said: ↑ Maybe we can tag him? kamenhero25Click to expand... Apologies. I've been giving it a bit to see ifLuigilewis889was going to respond in any way. I should get to a reply like late tonight or tomorrow. Were you guys waiting for me to post? Sorry. Sable said: ↑ Were you guys waiting for me to post? Sorry. Click to expand... Preferentially, yes. Being able to react to the both of you is much more efficient. God, Maribel had to run into Agnes of all people, the obscenely vulgar ghoul. Not the deep end of the pool, so much as the Mariana Trench. Sable said: ↑ God, Maribel had to run into Agnes of all people, the obscenely vulgar ghoul. Not the deep end of the pool, so much as the Mariana Trench. Click to expand... He he he. Now that you've posted, I'll try to get something together as quick as I can. Post incoming. Meant to do this yesterday, but my sister is heading back to college and things got busy. I think Agnes is just so desensitized to regular dirty talk, that what she tries to push as 'seducing' is the sexual version of chewing the scenery and being hammy. On a side note, not really sure of the placement of the room, so Agnes will just be facing Maribel in her post while she gets railed. Luigilewis889, Annalee has nothing to say on this?EDIT: Can confirm, writing Agnes is like trying to write sex themed HAM. Well that roll could have gone better Actually, an 8 is just about perfect. It still works if you roll a 7-9, but you don't get strings. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Actually, an 8 is just about perfect. It still works if you roll a 7-9, but you don't get strings. Click to expand... Ah, fair enough. Think I confused myself with the special Feat type stuff from the character sheets. So consider me relieved Metal said: ↑ Ah, fair enough. Think I confused myself with the special Feat type stuff from the character sheets. So consider me relieved Click to expand... For pretty much all rolls, at least a 7 succeeds, but there's a catch unless you get 10 or higher. HakazinWould Maribel likely prefer Agnes' tongue in her front or back? -Insert self-castigation about how long it takes for me to write two paragraphs here-Sable said: ↑ Hakan Would Maribel likely prefer Agnes' tongue in her front or back? Click to expand... Mmm... front/pussy, I think. The whole 'Frankenstein's Monster' look gives her somebody image issues, and cunnilingus would probably mean that she doesn't have to show as much skin. Less chance of interrupting proceedings with ~DRAMA~, as it were. Hakan said: ↑ -Insert self-castigation about how long it takes for me to write two paragraphs here- Mmm... front/pussy, I think. The whole 'Frankenstein's Monster' look gives her somebody image issues, and cunnilingus would probably mean that she doesn't have to show as much skin. Less chance of interrupting proceedings with ~DRAMA~, as it were. Click to expand... Would there be much drama if Agnes pulled her pants down and pulled her forward? (What is she wearing, again? Jeans?) Sable said: ↑ Would there be much drama if Agnes pulled her pants down and pulled her forward? (What is she wearing, again? Jeans?) Click to expand... Depends. How out of it is David and/or Agnes, and if they're coherent enough to notice it, how likely are they to freak out at Maribel's legs (actually everything) having a bunch of scarred-over stitches? And, yes, she's wearing jeans last I checked. Hakan said: ↑ Depends. How out of it is David and/or Agnes, and if they're coherent enough to notice it, how likely are they to freak out at Maribel's legs (actually everything) having a bunch of scarred-over stitches? And, yes, she's wearing jeans last I checked. Click to expand... Few. Agnes wouldn't notice as long as she'd be railed, and I doubt David would, pulling Agnes' hair and all. What if the pants were pulled down somewhere around mid-thigh to knees? Sable said: ↑ Few. Agnes wouldn't notice as long as she'd be railed, and I doubt David would, pulling Agnes' hair and all. What if the pants were pulled down somewhere around mid-thigh to knees? Click to expand... Basically what I was thinking would happen. Go for it! Should we wait forkamenhero25to post again, or should Agnes post? I could probably post for her another time before I started running out of material. You can keep posting if you'd like. Otherwise, I'll post tomorrow or the day after depending on when I have time and inspiration. It's getting late for me, so I don't really want to put together a full post right now when I'm drowsy. Sable said: ↑ Should we wait for kamenhero25 to post again, or should Agnes post? I could probably post for her another time before I started running out of material. Click to expand... kamenhero25 said: ↑ You can keep posting if you'd like. Otherwise, I'll post tomorrow or the day after depending on when I have time and inspiration. It's getting late for me, so I don't really want to put together a full post right now when I'm drowsy. Click to expand... I'm open either way. I could probably do another post in response if you do one, and it'd giveLuigilewis889more material to work with once they come online. You guys think it would be alright for Agnes to have her first orgasm of the night here? Cant think of much else for her to do besides get railed and eat puss. Sable said: ↑ You guys think it would be alright for Agnes to have her first orgasm of the night here? Cant think of much else for her to do besides get railed and eat puss. Click to expand... I'm not about to complain! Hakan said: ↑ I'm not about to complain! Click to expand... Sorry for taking so long. Sable said: ↑ Sorry for taking so long. Click to expand... I'm busy at the moment, but I'll respond when I get the chance. And don't worry, I'm the last person to complain about someone taking a while to post. Hakan said: ↑ And don't worry, I'm the last person to complain about someone taking a while to post. Click to expand... Case in point! Also, can I just say how irritating it is having to write about sex from the perspective of someone who doesn't know a thing about it? I keep having to switch back and forth between third-person omniscient and third-person narrative perspectives and the inconsistency is driving me up the wall. I'm not even in the same scene so you guys take as long ad you want Hakan said: ↑ Case in point! Also, can I just say how irritating it is having to write about sex from the perspective of someone who doesn't know a thing about it? I keep having to switch back and forth between third-person omniscient and third-person narrative perspectives and the inconsistency is driving me up the wall. Click to expand... Do you think I should post, or wait for the GM? Sable said: ↑ Do you think I should post, or wait for the GM? Click to expand... Again, whatever you think is best. In this case, I'd wait for the GM, as I'm a bit busy at the moment and wouldn't be able to respond quickly. Sable said: ↑ Do you think I should post, or wait for the GM? Click to expand... I'll try to post either later tonight or tomorrow. Thank you for your patience. Hey, shit, uh. I sort of forgot, but can Agnes have tattoos? If It's too late for her to already have some, can I have her get some after the whole club thing? Sable said: ↑ Hey, shit, uh. I sort of forgot, but can Agnes have tattoos? If It's too late for her to already have some, can I have her get some after the whole club thing? Click to expand... Sure, she can have tattoos. Or you can have her get some. Whichever you prefer. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Sure, she can have tattoos. Or you can have her get some. Whichever you prefer. Click to expand... Was wondering, seeing as how they're basically tramp stamps and other lewd words, and she's already bared herself to two people IC. Also, I doubt Agnes could have eggs inside her, seeing as how she's dead She's likely stopped growing, as well. Probably forever pseudo-teenager jail bait. Sable said: ↑ Was wondering, seeing as how they're basically tramp stamps and other lewd words, and she's already bared herself to two people IC. Also, I doubt Agnes could have eggs inside her, seeing as how she's dead She's likely stopped growing, as well. Probably forever pseudo-teenager jail bait. Click to expand... Quite likely not, but David doesn't know that kamenhero25 said: ↑ Quite likely not, but David doesn't know that Click to expand... Yeah. You think now that they're in afterglow stages, I should add her tattoos as if he and Maribel just noticed them? Hakazin, has Maribel cum, yet? And do you want her first time with a man to be in this scene, too? Sable said: ↑ Yeah. You think now that they're in afterglow stages, I should add her tattoos as if he and Maribel just noticed them? Hakan, has Maribel cum, yet? And do you want her first time with a man to be in this scene, too? Click to expand... She hasn't cummed yet, no. She is close though. And sure, I'm totally cool with David giving More a fun time. Though a part of me definitely wants to see Agnes joining in on the action and helping to double-team Maribel. Hakan said: ↑ She hasn't cummed yet, no. She is close though. And sure, I'm totally cool with David giving More a fun time. Though a part of me definitely wants to see Agnes joining in on the action and helping to double-team Maribel. Click to expand... Maybe Agnes has her return the favor without cleaning herself up Going to post, soon. Sable said: ↑ Maybe Agnes has her return the favor without cleaning herself up Going to post, soon. Click to expand... Forgive me if I take a bit to respond, then. Day's been a bit shit, so I've been trying to distract myself. Hakan said: ↑ Forgive me if I take a bit to respond, then. Day's been a bit shit, so I've been trying to distract myself. Click to expand... That's fine. Sable said: ↑ Yeah. You think now that they're in afterglow stages, I should add her tattoos as if he and Maribel just noticed them? Click to expand... What do you think? Add the tattoos now or save them for later? Sable said: ↑ What do you think? Add the tattoos now or save them for later? Click to expand... I'd say save them for later. I'm always a fan of more organic introduction of new elements, and it'd make sense for Agnes not to have them, what with her trying to avoid being found out at school. Hakan said: ↑ I'd say save them for later. I'm always a fan of more organic introduction of new elements, and it'd make sense for Agnes not to have them, what with her trying to avoid being found out at school. Click to expand... Agnes has never really done anything like what she just did with Maribel. Maybe it's a turning point to being more risky She'd likely be able to easily hide her new tattoos, but they're, well. Tattoos. Man, you all are having a lot of fun over there. I'm feeling slightly intimidated Metal said: ↑ Man, you all are having a lot of fun over there. I'm feeling slightly intimidated Click to expand... Joooooiiiiin uuuuuuuuuuuus-! Sable said: ↑ Joooooiiiiin uuuuuuuuuuuus-! Click to expand... We've got cookies! Ignore the stains on the table sheet. I'm not sure how I'd manage that, but thank you for the offer kamenhero25 said: ↑ "Jesus fucking Christ,"Click to expand... Sort of the only appropriate reaction to that whole thing, eh? Forgot to quotekamenhero25, so tagging them here. Hakan said: ↑ Sort of the only appropriate reaction to that whole thing, eh? Click to expand... I see he shares my sentiments. There won't be anything interesting left by the time I get to interact with you guys again Metal said: ↑ I see he shares my sentiments. There won't be anything interesting left by the Tutsi I get to interact with you guys again Click to expand... Shady mean? They share a school Lots of interesting things at school, even if they don't like, run into each other in the streets. (Agnes works at a sex shop anyway) Sable said: ↑ Shady mean? They share a school Lots of interesting things at school, even if they don't like, run into each other in the streets. (Agnes works at a sex shop anyway)Click to expand... I don't know, I guess I'm just getting intimidated, is all. I want to be able to meet expectations, and the bar keeps rising. Metal said: ↑ I don't know, I guess I'm just getting intimidated, is all. I want to be able to meet expectations, and the bar keeps rising. Click to expand... He, relax. I'm sure you'll be able to do an excellent job, even if you don't slide straight down the sexy slippery slope. Metal said: ↑ I don't know, I guess I'm just getting intimidated, is all. I want to be able to meet expectations, and the bar keeps rising. Click to expand... You're doing perfectly fine, no need to worry. Also,kamenhero25, I'm planning on waiting until after you respond to Sable's post to post again myself. I figure that trying to insert a reaction between David being invited over and him joining in might be a bit hard to pull off. Hakan said: ↑ Also, kamenhero25, I'm planning on waiting until after you respond to Sable's post to post again myself. I figure that trying to insert a reaction between David being invited over and him joining in might be a bit hard to pull off. Click to expand... No problem. I'll remember. kamenhero25 said: ↑ No problem. I'll remember. Click to expand... Are you sure? After David enters, it likely won't be for another while you have to post, unless you end it on him just teasing Maribel. Sable said: ↑ You sure? After David enters, it likely won't be for another while you have to post, unless you end it on him just teasing Maribel. Click to expand... No worries. As soon as Alistair posts, I'll respond, and we'll keep things moving. . Hm. Wondering if I should change Agnes' state to Volatile Has everybody posted? Yo, Sable suggested this. Is this open? Rowena said: ↑ Yo, Sable suggested this. Is this open? Click to expand... At the moment, we're in the middle of a scene, so not really. I'm looking at possibly replacing a few players we lost once this night is done. You can see the recruitment thread for more information. kamenhero25 said: ↑ At the moment, we're in the middle of a scene, so not really. I'm looking at possibly replacing a few players we lost once this night is done. You can see the recruitment thread for more information. Click to expand... Coolio. Thanks for your time. Hey, did David pull out? I might just be tired, but I can't find mention of it in the posts. Also, sorry. This scene got away from us, didn't mean for it to turn out quite that rough Sable said: ↑ Hey, did David pull out? I might just be tired, but I can't find mention of it in the posts. Also, sorry. This scene got away from us, didn't mean for it to turn out quite that rough Click to expand... I put that detail into my post, but I don't think it was in the GM's. Also, I'll repeat the comment about the level of roughness being somewhat unintentional. My normal preferences aren'ttquitethat extreme, but Sable and I were apparently feeding off each other a fair bit. It was fun, sure, but any future scenes we do together will probably be a bit lighter. kamenhero25Don't think David needs to do much more than react to her giving him Maribel's panties. What day of the week is it, again? Also, sorry the scene came out so ah. Rough Legitimately didn't mean for it to go down like that. Aside from my slight intimidation, it's alright. These things happen. Though man, Agnes is going to have quite the bit of leverage over Maribel. Sable said: ↑ kamenhero25 Don't think David needs to do much more than react to her giving him Maribel's panties. What day of the week is it, again? Also, sorry the scene came out so ah. Rough Legitimately didn't mean for it to go down like that. Click to expand... Yeah, he's got a bit of reaction left in him. Metal said: ↑ Aside from my slight intimidation, it's alright. These things happen. Though man, Agnes is going to have quite the bit of leverage over Maribel. Click to expand... After all this, they might want to get an extra String on each other Hm, so how's this going to go? Cause it looks like the other group is fairly wrapped up and ready to move on, but my scene seems like it may take at least a bit longer than that. Metal said: ↑ Hm, so how's this going to go? Cause it looks like the other group is fairly wrapped up and ready to move on, but my scene seems like it may take at least a bit longer than that. Click to expand... Haven't gotten a chance to even read the last post, but I plan on having Agnes get a tattoo, if that helps. Part of why I was sorta maybe trying to extend the last scene more, too Metal said: ↑ Hm, so how's this going to go? Cause it looks like the other group is fairly wrapped up and ready to move on, but my scene seems like it may take at least a bit longer than that. Click to expand... Alistair have time for a scene while Maribel and Agnes wrap up things at the club and handle whatever else they want to do tonight. Heresy, a bit that I've had ideas for writing, for once! Maribel's going to be trying to deflect any questions related to her obvious tells of unnatural heritage, but she isn't what you'd call anadeptliar. Or even a competent one. Maribel's questions are also going to be echoed slightly by myself. As is, I'm planning for her to head home, have a short scene to reflect on the whole thing that just happened, and then time skip until whenever is appropriate. However, I've got no idea as to whether or notkamenhero25is planning on anything important and plot-like to happen, so I'm leaving things uncertain for now. Apologies for the delay. I had a long last couple of days. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Apologies for the delay. I had a long last couple of days. Click to expand... It's fine. We're ready whenever you are. No need to rush yourself. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Apologies for the delay. I had a long last couple of days. Click to expand... As Sable said, it's fine. I've been having a bit of a week myself, so I can easily understand the feeling. Now. I was going to have Agnes get some tattoos, but would that fill in enough time for Metro to be able to get through their own scene? I'm sure we can find a way to keep things interesting while metro gets to have some fun Alright, sorry for passing out last night. Furthermore, I'll get to work on a post soon, but it'll mostly be reflection, trying to avoid people in the club, and leaving to go to a tattoo parlor that won't question her age. Furthermore, I've already stated what my plans are. Hakan said: ↑ Maribel's questions are also going to be echoed slightly by myself. As is, I'm planning for her to head home, have a short scene to reflect on the whole thing that just happened, and then time skip until whenever is appropriate. However, I've got no idea whether kamenhero25 is planning on anything important and plot-like to happen, so I'm leaving things uncertain for now. Click to expand... I'll get to work typing things up when I can. Apologies for double-posting, but would you prefer for me to do some back-and-forth for Maribel leaving and going home, or just cover it all in one post? Sable said: ↑ Alright, sorry for passing out last night. I'll get to work on a post soon, but it'll mostly be reflection, trying to avoid people in the club, and leaving to go to a tattoo parlor that won't question her age. Click to expand... No worries. You know how I take my time with this game, so it's not a big deal. Hakan said: ↑ Apologies for double-posting, but would you prefer for me to do some back-and-forth for Maribel leaving and going home, or just cover it all in one post? Click to expand... Whichever you feel works better. If you don't have anything you really want to happen before she gets home, feel free to just head there. kamenhero25 said: ↑ No worries. You know how I take my time with this game, so it's not a big deal. Click to expand... Right, back. Should I have her follow through and go off to a tattoo parlor, or is there somewhere in the club you'd rather she explores? I'm up for either, but I'm worried about making you take an unplanned turn in the game.EDIT: Where should Aka and I add strings? I'm totally fine with you hitting a tattoo parlor. This system is very much character driven, so you're not going to cause issues by following through with what your character would want to do. I'll update the strings thread mark. I believe you each getting 1 string on each other because you've learned something about the other seems fair. Furthermore, I cast Wall of Text! My post takes too long to write, and ends up being a lot longer than you intended. Argh, I'm sorry. I've been belting out updates to my stories the last couple of days and forgot that I intended to update this on like Sunday. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Argh, I'm sorry. I've been belting out updates to my stories the last couple of days and forgot that I intended to update this on like Sunday. Click to expand... At least you have stories worth updating. I'll spare the sadness over my own writing efforts Ah, Christ. Going to be honest, out of habit, I was waiting for Hakan to post. I'll get to work now, soon. No worries. Again, sorry for the long wait and short post. I was waiting for Hakan to post. Part of me wonders if Agnes would actually care that the tattoo parlor isn't the den of sin and villainy she expected, or if she would make the tattoo requests she was going to make before anyway. (Lewd Stuff) And I was just having a bad case of writer's block. If you don't mind, I think I might put things on hold until everyone else has finished their scenes. I don't mind waiting. Sorry, forgot to post last night. Tell me if I need to edit anything, this was a mobile rush job. On a side note, do Ghouls bleed? What happens when they bruise, too? Apologies. I've started a new job recently, and I have been busier than usual, so I kinda let things slip. No worries. Sorry about my long wait and short post, wasn't much to write. Did we talk about her getting more than one tattoo? I can't remember. I'll finish up my scene close to Metro's, hopefully, thenHakazinmight finally be able to post again. Sable said: ↑ No worries. Sorry about my long wait and short post, wasn't much to write. Did we talk about her getting more than one tattoo? I can't remember. I'll finish up my scene close to Metro's, hopefully, then Hakan might finally be able to post again. Click to expand... Though you might want to ping me on discord once that happens. I've been doing a bunch of stuff recently, and HQ kinda slipped my mind.... As the relative dates of the posts can attest to. Apologies. My boss has been giving me a slightly insane number of extra hours at work, and I've just been dead in the evenings when I get home. Hakan said: ↑ Though you might want to ping me on discord once that happens. I've been doing a bunch of stuff recently, and HQ kinda slipped my mind. ... As the relative dates of the posts can attest to. Click to expand... That's fine. kamenhero25 said: ↑ Apologies. My boss has been giving me a slightly insane number of extra hours at work, and I've just been dead in the evenings when I get home. Click to expand... That too, is fine. Really though, no worries. I want to apologize, but I think I'm going to have to call the game here. The combination of my new job kinda fucking me and getting sick seriously fucked up my plans to at least get through the current scene. I feel like I've lost the drive to keep pushing forward, and I don't think that I could provide a fun game from here on. My apologies again. Ah well, it's alright. Shit happens, and it was fun while it lasted. Definitely will keep an eye out for anything like this in the future.

[NSFW] - Ordinary Teenage Problems OOC

Ember City

This is a thread for Empire, a grand strategy game that is always recruiting. If you're not invited, please leave this thread. Or at least pretend you never saw it.[Prius]Ember City When Prius has initially proposed this meeting, there had been some conflict over where precisely to host it. Ambrose would have been the logical choice, or perhaps the Kingdom of Belgium. However, Prius wanted the meeting to be as secret as possible from other powers. After much discussion, Prius had offered up a particular city in the verdant Estrus valley, named for a long-dead house. It was technically in Primal lands, but was close enough to Ambrose for them to easily reach. The city was technically owned by House Brides, but they were eager to please the royal family and had quickly granted Hernia's request to host her guests in the city. Lady Naves had done her best to ensure ease of accommodations for all comers. She had called for small delegations partly to keep the meeting secret but also to ensure resources were kept to a minimum. The guests would arrive to find a place so small it was barely a city. It was one of the Imperium's Castro towns, more of a fort than a civilized town. It was evidently planned with defense in mind, with sloping roofs and meticulously designed roads. However, their needs were seen to be handsome men and pretty girls, flitting, flirting and running to keep their wine glasses full and their beds soft and ready at all times. When all the guests had arrived, they were brought into the city's town hall. The place was pouring down rain now, They found themselves in a meeting room with a long table, a woman with silver hair sitting and waiting for them. Lady Naves had not been as public as was perhaps wise for a woman with her job. She maintained a youthful look despite her advancing age, even for the Primal. She wore a purple robe that she had kept conservative for once, and her Takanashi was set aside. The head diplomat for the Imperium looked around the room as the chosen representatives filed in. This wouldn't be too hard of a sell. Ambrose was friendly with the Imperium and had been pushing for stronger times. The Kingdom of Belgium had grown quieter in recent years, but it maintained a friendly relationship with the crown. The Krona league would probably look forward to putting what she planned to propose here to use. The big issue was NAND. They were bureaucratic as they came, and wanted as little to do with the Imperium as possible. They would be the hardest sell, probably. When all had seated, Lady Naves stood." Friends of the Imperium,"She placed her hands together in front of her." We're all tired and this rain is unbearable, so I will skip the pleasantries. I have asked you here today to form a coalition of the western powers."" In the east, there is an alliance called the Greater East Randi Co-Prosperity Sphere, consisting of the False Scholars of the Unicity, the underground warriors of the Exarchate, and the naval prowess of Nigeria. They trade their technology and, as we discovered recently, military aid in the event of conflict." She looked up." I believe that we should take a note from them. The realms here assembled should agree to mutual military support within reason, as well as technological aid where possible. Previous diplomatic agreements will be honored, naturally, but from now on we must provide aid to one another. Prius' cunning spies and brutal warriors, Belgium's knights in shining armor, the Krona's coin, the Ambrose's clever charm, and the grand army of the NAND would be unstoppable working together."" Are there any objections to forming this coalition?" Spoiler: IOC Hide The Crystal Union isn't included for IOC reasons relating to world wars, and [redacted] didn't want me to invite the Grey's. What a dump. There were likely pigsties* in Avail more suitable for hosting diplomatic gatherings. Not that he'd seen them in person, of course. But this trip had done little to shake the inherent prejudices against Prius generally present in all Nana born since the turn of the century. There had been talk of sending Kara pan Mortared to this meeting as the kingdom's representative and foremost expert on Primal culture, but Prince Kushal had argued against it - firstly because he suspected Mortared to have been largely responsible for much of the negative press Prius received, and secondly because her reputation had yet to recover from the, well, Primal-like behavior of her daughter while a cadet. It was hard to retain the moral high ground in such matters when one's own family were undermining one so. Kambuzir held his peace, though, toying moodily with the stem of his glass as he listened. As a matter which concerned the whole League, there were plenty of representatives from other members here, and for now at least he seemed happy to let them have their say. As Lady Naves posed her question, it was Lord Magister Vytautas of Pulling who leaned forwards, glancing from side to side to see whether a more senior League representative wished to take precedence, before beginning his reply." It is an interesting notion," he said, with a degree of caution, "and an idea perhaps overdue. However, we in Pulling have some experience of coalitions and the failure of such coalitions-" he self-effacing entertained a degree of laughter at this - "and it is in the details where such arrangements tend to stand or fall. Vague statements of principle such as Lady Naves has given us are all very well, and I am sure intended to serve only as introduction-" he gave her a nod to indicate he intended no offense- "but before such arrangements can be considered satisfactory all sides must know exactly what it is they are agreeing to." For instance," he continued, "she mentions the eastern alliance as a precedent and model for our discussion. But that arrangement is between three powers of roughly equal size and influence." He shook back his gray sleeve and reached out a bony hand to maneuver some crockery around the table, assembling two saucers and a sugar bowl. "The power of each is outweighed by that of the other two. It acts as a balancing mechanism and means that all parties benefit roughly equally. However, if one party is significantly greater than either of the other two, it unbalances the whole affair." He took a much larger plate and put it on top of the existing arrangement, covering the two saucers, and then removed the sugar bowl." This is to an extent the relationship we have within the League of Allied Provinces. There are some great powers, and many smaller ones. But the League is arranged in such a way that the interests of the smaller powers can be protected, while they do not benefit unduly from the relationship by comparison with the larger ones. I assume that today we are not here to talk about an expansion of the League to encompass Prius and Belgium, but rather that the League should enter as a single entity into collaboration with each of these two powers separately. Given that this is to be a rather looser arrangement than the League is, it is, I think, especially important that we put in place controls so that such an alliance may be of roughly equal benefit to all parties."* Strictly speaking, there are no native pigs in NAND; rather, there is a similarly-sized omnivorous reptile which broadly fulfills the same niche. However, I've assumed the relevant word in Nana is translated effectively as "pigsty" for general consumption rather than confuse things with unnecessary fantasy jargon. Spoiler: IOC Hide I think the only reason not to invite the Grey's is that it would be inviting the CU by proxy, as they're tied up with each other. If the CU are to be excluded then the Dietrich has to be as well. "'Tis true." Lady Naves nodded." Autonomy is an evident concern for all involved. A powerful member does not want her power taken advantage of for someone else's sole benefit, while a weak one does not wish to be exploited and unable to retaliate. I take it, however, you do not object to the idea in principle?" She placed her hand on the table." Determining the precise details of this compact is the main reason we are in this place. Do you have particular suggestions? At the moment my thoughts are running towards a mutual defense contract and technological trade as free as possible." "It's true, I admit, that Belgium with our nine realms under one rule is the smallest of the concerned holdings present today." King Galerius leaned back in his chair and twirled the end of his mustache." Even if the Provinces were to split into three equal holdings to represent the three major concerns would they each dwarf my Kingdom." A wry smile crossed his thin lips." And what if we asserted that we did wish to join the Provinces?" He raised his eyebrow at this query. "Do not think that it has gone noticed that the Provinces has not asked her western neighbors to swear allegiance to them. Even as the Rose Courts demand their allies to bend the knee, you have taken our friendship on faith. But even as you respect our autonomy, do you respect equally respect our influence? Belgium has reached those shores beyond our former western borders, and we now neighbor the eastern coalition." He tapped his fingers on the table absently while speaking." Seerono are socially inept geniuses. The Nigerians are bullies. Perhaps you are correct that Belgium has more to gain from this allegiance as you, but I would hope that our loyalty and contributions to the western continent are not thought so little of as to be mistaken for trifles. I understand that the Provinces has made good use of our courier systems?" He raised his eyebrow in askance though he already knew the answer. The Ambrose delegation had entered as the Belgium King was speaking. They had arrived soaking wet and dripping from the rain. Bahrām quickly divested himself of his heavy cloak, and pulled off his wet shirt as his Kyle followed suit. Aides quickly handed them cloths with which to dry off with as best as they could while Bahrām listened intently to his neighbor's concerns. He tossed the damp cloth back to his aides and addressed the room,"I apologize for our delayed arrival." The glance he threw at hisPloigoswas at once subtle but withering. He pushed back the wet hair from his face as Kyle gathered his own shoulder-length hair into a ponytail. Both men still shirtless, their bold clan tattoos stretched across their back and shoulders and detailed their ranks and accomplishments for anybody versed in reading them. They were joined by a third Lord, the Polemarchos Peter Collins, brother of the ambassador that Ambrose had sent to Belgium some years ago." Your Courier System has been instrumental in maintaining peace within the Provinces." He said with a grin by way of greeting the Belgium King. "Lady Naves, a pleasure." He nodded politely to their host and greeted his peers amicably in turn before he took an empty seat at the large table. Spoiler: Info for Jerry, not secret Hide Photos Archives Bahrām Asked - my king Polemarchos Kyle Hawthorne Drives - Bahrām's second. Polemarchos Peter Collins - brother to Bradford Collins and Master of Coin. Polemarchoses are clan leaders. Kyle over the Drives clan and Peter the Collins. "Indeed."mumbled the form of the Memsahib of Krona, still surprisingly animated even in his age. It had been a long time since he'd personally met with foreign leaders; this event simply reminded him of his youth." I do hope,"Show admonished Lady Naves,"that you see more to an arrangement between us than our coin. What fine company, eh? The cunning of Ambrose, the might of NAND, and the pocket change of Krona itself." He let out a soft chuckle at that, apparently more amused than offended. The South Sea Secretary at his side whispered something in the man's ear, eliciting a single nod." Oh yes, thank you. It is true indeed that our arrangement has little in common with that eastern bloc, and yet less in common with the lands wrapped in Roses' Thorns. To pretend us all equal might would be folly, but so too would we be arrogant to presume ourselves master and all whom our petals fall upon vassal, their accomplishments subsumed unto ours. We are somewhere in between, and to say we must do this because others have also made such arrangements is foolish. If we forge an alliance, consign our traditional bonds to writing, it should be on our own terms, not those of some faraway power." A woman some places to the left of the Memsahib smiled cruelly at his comment. Though now into her middle age, Tamara, met of Llurikesh, still had a striking appearance, enhanced by her gloves, which appeared to be of snakeskin. She nodded as Show concluded his point, and turned to the king of Belgium." The role of Belgium and Prius in the War of Liberation is not forgotten," she said, with a respectful nod at each of their representatives, "though the situation has changed since it was fought. In the years since, both have acquired faraway lands. Belgium has expanded its holdings far to the north and the northwest, coming into contact with the Michel and Nixon and other peoples who begin with N and whose names I can't remember. Prius has its colonies in the distant islands of Paves, which are surrounded by potential enemies. Meanwhile, the League remains much as it was. We face no new challenges to the west, which is mostly desert. We are on good terms with the Crystal Union, and, while the Grey Dietrich is a source of much frustration, it is in no way a threat to us." She raised a hand in apology. "I cannot deny that Llurikesh has benefited more than most from its alliances, but it seems to me that it is much more likely that our troops are to be called on to defend the recent acquisition of Prius and Belgium than that your armies are to be called on again to defend us. This would seem a clear problem in any full military alliance." As she finished, a low chuckle came from Kabuki, who finally looked up and appeared to join the meeting. "But there we have it, do we not. The elephant* in the room. The issue lies with the foe Lady Tamara did not name. The Crystal Union are friends, the Nixon bugs to be swatted, the Dietrich a minor irritation, the northern barbarians eastward-looking. My principal interest is with military matters, and there is no threat which would require full military cooperation between us to defeat - save one." He spoke quickly, too quickly, slightly, whether out of a desire to finish before he was interrupted, or because his brain was throwing the words too him almost more quickly than he could speak them. He glanced at Bahrām and shrugged slightly, apparently aware that the Ambrose would likely have heard his argument a number of times before from his brothers. "It's no secret that we in NAND consider the Elder to be the greatest single threat to our kingdom and to our allies and have done for some time. Whatever their stated intentions, their record shows them to be rapacious for land and power-hungry. Even their allies are made to bend the knee, as King Galerius says. They will eventually turn their eyes to us, when they run out of others to subdue. Indeed, perhaps they already have, if the rumors I've heard of Elder missionaries being turned away at Primal borders is true. The west is free - for now - and I would see it remain that way. "In my opinion, therefore, the main objective of this alliance being proposed is to present a united front against the Elder. Where other foreign powers are concerned, it would be either redundant or unbalanced, or both. So let us talk about it openly as such. With that in mind, Lady Naves, bearing in mind that you spoke of honoring prior diplomatic agreements, are there any such agreements specifically with the Elder which would stymie such an alliance?"*As with the pigs Galerius turned his eyes from the Ambrosia men to the Lady Tamara as she asserted her last point." So too were they turned from the gates of Central. They toy with us, knowing our lack of formal unification renders us weak. If they had been successful in establishing a religious influence within my borders, there was little to be done about it. I am willing to make concessions to the right party, but this attempt at coercion by forceful conversion galls a man's pride it does." His cheeks flushed with anger at the Elder slight to his autonomy, his companion seated next to him, the Ambrosia Bradford Collins, squeezed his arm for a moment. A more intimate gesture than might be expected from a mere state ambassador. Originally Posted by Retired A woman some places to the left of the Memsahib smiled cruelly at his comment. Though now into her middle age, Tamara, met of Llurikesh, still had a striking appearance, enhanced by her gloves, which appeared to be of snakeskin. She nodded as Show concluded his point, and turned to the king of Belgium. "The role of Belgium and Prius in the War of Liberation is not forgotten," she said, with a respectful nod at each of their representatives, "though the situation has changed since it was fought. In the years since, both have acquired faraway lands. Belgium has expanded its holdings far to the north and the northwest, coming into contact with the Michel and Nixon and other peoples who begin with N and whose names I can't remember. Prius has its colonies in the distant islands of Paves, which are surrounded by potential enemies. Meanwhile, the League remains much as it was. We face no new challenges to the west, which is mostly desert. We are on good terms with the Crystal Union, and, while the Grey Dietrich is a source of much frustration, it is in no way a threat to us." She raised a hand in apology. "I cannot deny that Llurikesh has benefited more than most from its alliances, but it seems to me that it is much more likely that our troops are to be called on to defend the recent acquisition of Prius and Belgium than that your armies are to be called on again to defend us. This would seem a clear problem in any full military alliance." As she finished, a low chuckle came from Kabuki, who finally looked up and appeared to join the meeting. "But there we have it, do we not. The elephant* in the room. The issue lies with the foe Lady Tamara did not name. The Crystal Union are friends, the Nixon bugs to be swatted, the Dietrich a minor irritation, the northern barbarians eastward-looking. My principal interest is with military matters, and there is no threat which would require full military cooperation between us to defeat - save one." He spoke quickly, too quickly, slightly, whether out of a desire to finish before he was interrupted, or because his brain was throwing the words too him almost more quickly than he could speak them. He glanced at Bahrām and shrugged slightly, apparently aware that the Ambrose would likely have heard his argument a number of times before from his brothers. "It's no secret that we in NAND consider the Elder to be the greatest single threat to our kingdom and to our allies and have done for some time. Whatever their stated intentions, their record shows them to be rapacious for land and power-hungry. Even their allies are made to bend the knee, as King Galerius says. They will eventually turn their eyes to us, when they run out of others to subdue. Indeed, perhaps they already have, if the rumors I've heard of Elder missionaries being turned away at Primal borders is true. The west is free - for now - and I would see it remain that way. "In my opinion, therefore, the main objective of this alliance being proposed is to present a united front against the Elder. Where other foreign powers are concerned, it would be either redundant or unbalanced, or both. So let us talk about it openly as such. With that in mind, Lady Naves, bearing in mind that you spoke of honoring prior diplomatic agreements, are there any such agreements specifically with the Elder which would stymie such an alliance?" *As with the pigs ((There are elephants on Randi - see Quinta's) Originally Posted by Jerry Galerius turned his eyes from the Ambrosia men to the Lady Tamara as she asserted her last point. "So too were they turned from the gates of Central. They toy with us, knowing our lack of formal unification renders us weak. If they had been successful in establishing a religious influence within my borders, there was little to be done about it. I am willing to make concessions to the right party, but this attempt at coercion by forceful conversion galls a man's pride it does." His cheeks flushed with anger at the Elder slight to his autonomy, his companion seated next to him, the Ambrosia Bradford Collins, squeezed his arm for a moment. A more intimate gesture than might be expected from a mere state ambassador. "The sphere I use merely as an example in general terms, not necessarily as a model to follow." She nodded to the Memsahib." Krozna has more to offer this alliance than coin, just as Prius has more to offer than warriors. But to call that coin pocket change would be to sell it short." She smiled." No pun intended."" I would expect this coalition - or alliance, or whatever you wish to call it - to have terms of its own, yes. A diplomatic solution for one group or situation will not be a solution for another." She rose up her own glass, watching the red wine swirl in her cup." To put my motivations on the table, you are correct. Prius' main concern at the moment is the Sphere. I don't need to remind anyone here that the False Scholars of the Truserchen Unicity have the diplomatic skills of a rabid wombat. They have stolen from the Kingdom of Belgium and Avon lea, and others. They tried to do it in Ambrose. All my attempts at negotiation for a proper restitution have been handled by Nigeria, who insisted that Prius pay them for their forgiveness, an idea so ludicrous I actually thought it was a joke." She looked up, taking a sip." And if anything, they're getting more confident in their ability to steal from us all and run away laughing. She glanced at Kabuki, her eyes narrowing." Your naked aggression puts even Prius' greatest whores and warriors to shame, Kabuki. I applaud you." Her tone held a playful mockery, though her eyes were as steel." It is true that the Elder must be presented a united front, but they cannot be the only power we present that front to. Much as you might wish it." And they are not our biggest concern, WHY DO YOU NOT SEE THAT?!" Negotiations with Dancers have revealed to us that they have begun trading for the Sphere's Conserved for the sake of the Coors that they use in naval warfare. Let me repeat that. The Pale Emporium - one of the great powers on the eastern continent, and host to one of Randi's largest religious faiths - now has trade ties to the Prosperity Sphere that ensure its access to a very potent technology."" Tell me, does the prospect of the Pale Emporium, the Truserchen Thames, Nigerian bullies and Nixon 'gnats' all working together to harm you sound like something you want while also pushing for war against the Elder?" She glanced at Kabuki as he brought up Elder Speakers, not bothering to hide her amusement now." You need better informants. Those rumors are bull**** started by scared little Denotes in Quarts who're still angry we did not adopt the 'All-mother' as our official faith. Not a single Speaker even attempted to pass our borders.*"Her sneer died. If they had, the High Queen and Princess would likely have welcomed them with open arms like the fools they were. She glanced at Galerius."... Though it seems they did come to the Kingdom. All the more reason to stand united, then."" Yes, Prius has deals with the Elder, including a mutual non-aggression pact. You, too, have deals with the Elder. Why does it matter? None of those deals concern NAND's military and as far as I know, you have both of the technologies that the Courts have granted us: Clinker ships and navigation by the stars."" If anything I should be worried about your deals." Spoiler: IOC Hide This is how I interpreted Dark's attempted-and-failed roll to get into my lands. See my rumors section, it's been up that way for a while. Originally Posted by Half Tangible Spoiler Hide She glanced at Kabuki, her eyes narrowing. "Your naked aggression puts even Prius' greatest whores and warriors to shame, Kabuki. I applaud you." Her tone held a playful mockery, though her eyes were as steel. "It is true that the Elder must be presented a united front, but they cannot be the only power we present that front to. Much as you might wish it." And they are not our biggest concern, WHY DO YOU NOT SEE THAT?! "Negotiations with Dancers have revealed to us that they have begun trading for the Sphere's Conserved for the sake of the Coors that they use in naval warfare. Let me repeat that. The Pale Emporium - one of the great powers on the eastern continent, and host to one of Randi's largest religious faiths - now has trade ties to the Prosperity Sphere that ensure its access to a very potent technology." "Tell me, does the prospect of the Pale Emporium, the Truserchen Thames, Nigerian bullies and Nixon 'gnats' all working together to harm you sound like something you want while also pushing for war against the Elder?" She glanced at Kabuki as he brought up Elder Speakers, not bothering to hide her amusement now. "You need better informants. Those rumors are bull**** started by scared little Denotes in Quarts who're still angry we did not adopt the 'All-mother' as our official faith. Not a single Speaker even attempted to pass our borders.*" Her sneer died. If they had, the High Queen and Princess would likely have welcomed them with open arms like the fools they were. She glanced at Galerius. "... Though it seems they did come to the Kingdom. All the more reason to stand united, then." "Yes, Prius has deals with the Elder, including a mutual non-aggression pact. You, too, have deals with the Elder. Why does it matter? None of those deals concern NAND's military and as far as I know, you have both of the technologies that the Courts have granted us: Clinker ships and navigation by the stars." "If anything I should be worried about your deals. For all your calls to arms with the Courts you seem to get cozy when they have something you want. Yes, we negotiate with the courts, but we are honest about it." Spoiler: IOC Hide This is how I interpreted Dark's attempted-and-failed roll to get into my lands. See my rumors section, it's been up that way for a while. "But this is Tamara's point," Kabuki replied, levelly. "This collaboration of which you speak between the Nixon, Nigerians, Truserchen and Pale Emporium - that might indeed be of concern to you and Belgium, given your expansion into nearby lands. But I see no reason why it should concern me. These powers exist on the far side of the world. The Elder stare at me across the straits of Lusaka." Originally Posted by Retired "But this is Tamara's point," Kabuki replied, levelly. "This collaboration of which you speak between the Nixon, Nigerians, Truserchen and Pale Emporium - that might indeed be of concern to you and Belgium, given your expansion into nearby lands. But I see no reason why it should concern me. These powers exist on the far side of the world. The Elder stare at me across the straits of Lusaka." She raised an eyebrow." And because you had them agree to leave the west alone, their expansion goes east, on the other side of the planet. Right next to the same powers mentioned that you so easily dismiss."" The particular power we form this union to oppose isn't what matters. What does is that it be formed."EDIT:"And to be frank, if you will not help us deal with the Sphere, then why should we help you deal with the Elder? They are a concern of Prius', but a long-term one. The sphere is an immediate problem." "Perhaps." Shou frowns." But you have made it clear, Lady Naves, that you fear whatever these brutes and fools in a faraway land can muster, and that you seek the swords of our people to shed blood on your behalf. That is not irrelevant. And if you wonder why you should be concerned about the Elder, consider why their eyes are upon the east; you lie under the shadow of our shield, consenting or not." Originally Posted by BladeofObliviom "Perhaps." Show frowns. "But you have made it clear, Lady Naves, that you fear whatever these brutes and fools in a faraway land can muster, and that you seek the swords of our people to shed blood on your behalf. That is not irrelevant." Lady Naves glanced to Show." You are mistaken. I am not afraid of cowards, thieves and bullies, nor am I asking you to spill your blood in a faraway conflict you don't care for. I want to intimidate the Sphere into playing nice. They clearly do not care what Prius or Belgium think, so I want to test their feelings on the League."" And you want me to fight the Elder when that time comes. Fine, I am willing to make that trade." Originally Posted by BladeofObliviom "And if you wonder why you should be concerned about the Elder, consider why their eyes are upon the east; you lie under the shadow of our shield, consenting or not." "We only need your shield because NAND rattles its sword at Air Amber every chance it gets." Peter smiled quietly and stroked his chin as his eyes met his brother's as Bradford had reached out to calm the Belgium King. This glance was not lost on Bahrām, and he thought, not for the first time, what an asset the man had been to his Court. A faint smile crossed his face as Kabuki replayed the familiar anti-Elder tune, though he could not, and indeed had never wholly discounted the idea. While he was reasonably assured in Ambrose's good relations with the Rose Courts, his fate was ultimately tied to NAND, whose animosity towards the Elder seemed to grow exponentially by the hour. He had to agree that the PE seemed to pose little threat to them at the moment, them being one of the very few polities outside of LAP that NAND got on well with." I agree with Galerius's concern over the bold action of missionaries sent to his lands by the Elder. This is worrisome, and even more so if it shows to be a trend. While I would personally attempt to thwart any act of war against them, It displays rather well their arrogance and willingness to push the boundaries of our treaty." He turned from Galerius to Lady Naves, "We do not perceive the Pale Emporium to be a threat to our peace at this time, though the attempts at spy craft by the Truserchen was met with our ire, I see little reason to assume war, as the attempts have not been duplicated, as far as I know. Do you have knowledge or evidence that might convince of us their threat?" He turned to Galerius as an invitation to speak of his experiences with the eastern Co-prosperity sphere. Originally Posted by Half Tangible "We only need your shield because NAND rattles its sword at Air Amber every chance it gets." Kabuki gave a hollow laugh. The young king was becoming visibly agitated, frustrated with the apparent combination of insouciance, impatience and vulgarity that he had been told characterized Primal diplomacy, but trying to restrain himself from saying something foolish." That makes no sense, Lady Naves. Why should Prius be threatened because of NAND's apparent hostility towards the Elder?"" But still, if that is what you think, perhaps then we should remove our protection and see how Prius fared if left to its own defenses. Where Lusaka, the Gresham, the Marauder Isles, Avon lea, the Storm lands, Fantastigoria and Paves have all fallen before the Elder's banner, perhaps Prius would succeed in defying them. We can only speculate." His face darkened. "NAND rattles its sword at any opportunity, you say? In our direct dealings with the Elder we have been nothing but conciliatory and polite, even when met with overt insult as by the Spring Court's attempts at espionage or in our meeting with Lady Spring at Melting. My brothers and I did and do not trust the Elder, and we say so to our allies at any opportunity, but we were and are not fools." Oh, so he is gay, not infertile. Illegal owes me 20 silver. Lady Naves sat down and steepled her fingers, turning her gaze to King Galerius. He had told her in private correspondence* that Nigeria had blustered and threatened them with naval action. She doubted that would be enough to convince them of any threat, but it would be a start. Spoiler Hide *The PM convoy. --- Originally Posted by Retired Kabuki gave a hollow laugh. The young king was becoming visibly agitated, frustrated with the apparent combination of insouciance, impatience and vulgarity that he had been told characterized Primal diplomacy, but trying to restrain himself from saying something foolish. "That makes no sense, Lady Naves. Why should Prius be threatened because of NAND's apparent hostility towards the Elder?" "But still, if that is what you think, perhaps then we should remove our protection and see how Prius fared if left to its own defenses. Where Lusaka, the Gresham, the Marauder Isles, Avon lea, the Storm lands, Fantastigoria and Paves have all fallen before the Elder's banner, perhaps Prius would succeed in defying them. We can only speculate." His face darkened. "NAND rattles its sword at any opportunity, you say? In our direct dealings with the Elder we have been nothing but conciliatory and polite, even when met with overt insult as by the Spring Court's attempts at espionage or in our meeting with Lady Spring at Melting. My brothers and I did and do not trust the Elder, and we say so to our allies at any opportunity, but we were and are not fools." "I am worried about NAND's fearmongering because Ambrose is tied to the League." Lady Naves said bluntly." And they are our friends. In the event that Ambrose comes under threat - and past Elder action indicates that the entire League will be punished for NAND starting a war with them - honor will demand we help them survive."" By all means, leave us to our devices. My greatest fear is what you will do to us if you start to believe we're Elder sympathizers." Lady Naves scowled." If you plan to change your behavior so that we no longer require your shield, I'm all for it."" Do not play innocent. You have made your hostility to the Elder so open it's practically your national slogan."" Do you want to form a coalition against the Elder, the Sphere and anyone else that threatens us all in the future or not?" King Galerius steepled his fingers and turned his eyes to Bahrām. "Even as our troops were readied for conquest, I received a missive from the Archduke of Nigeria. It stated that if we felt obliged to continue to impinge upon what they viewed as their ally's territory, that they would feel obligated to show us the might of their fleet." Valerius's smile turned cold. "The invasions proceeded as planned. I have not heard from them further. However, I only recently received a letter from the Serrano stating that they had no interest in the isle that I took, and assured me that they wished to begin to mend damaged relations with the offer of constructing a library within my capital." He sat back and once again stroked his mustache." It would seem not all is in accord within the eastern sphere." He said with some amusement. Originally Posted by Jerry King Galerius steepled his fingers and turned his eyes to Bahrām. "Even as our troops were readied for conquest, I received a missive from the Archduke of Nigeria. It stated that if we felt obliged to continue to impinge upon what they viewed as their ally's territory, that they would feel obligated to show us the might of our fleet." Galerius's smile turned cold. "The invasions proceeded as planned. I have not heard from them further. However, I only recently received a letter from the Serrano stating that they had no interest in the isle that I took, and assured me that they wished to begin to mend damaged relations with the offer of constructing a library within my capital." He sat back and once again stroked his mustache. "It would seem not all is in accord within the eastern sphere." He said with some amusement. Lady Naves blinked with surprise."..... I would not trust such an endeavor, but... yes, the fact that they are not united in planning is encouraging." She rubbed her chin, thinking carefully. She seemed to have calmed down considerably. Bahrām cast Lady Naves a conciliatory smile,"It seems that it is the shadow of threats that looms over us, some larger than others. The question is whether we would all be willing to band together in the time of crises, regardless the enemy. To take a hostile action against one as against all. I am committed to the defense of the League no matter our foe, be they Elder, Easterners or some as yet undiscovered enemy. Are Prius and Belgium likewise willing to come to our defense? And is the League willing to defend Prius and Belgium against their perceived foes? I admit, there is little we could do to stay the hands of their enemies in the Queensland's." His eyes turned to Kabuki, who was unaccountably sober and restrained, much to his partner's relief. Originally Posted by Pepper. Bahrām cast Lady Naves a conciliatory smile, "It seems that it is the shadow of threats that looms over us, some larger than others. The question is whether we would all be willing to band together in the time of crises, regardless the enemy. To take a hostile action against one as against all. I am committed to the defense of the League no matter our foe, be they Elder, Easterners or some as yet undiscovered enemy. Are Prius and Belgium likewise willing to come to our defense? And is the League willing to defend Prius and Belgium against their perceived foes? I admit, there is little we could do to stay the hands of their enemies in the Queensland's." His eyes turned to Kabuki, who was unaccountably sober and restrained, much to his partner's relief. Lady Naves tapped the table before her."... The Primal do not abandon their friends." She smiled."Second-best thing Goethe ever said." She folded her hands." The Queen lands would naturally be outside a deal like this, at least for defense." Her voice had taken on the cool, controlled tone of a diplomat again." And while Prius would gladly march to fight for our neighbors - and I imagine the Kingdom would too - we cannot honestly promise defense of the whole League; there is only so far our troops can march before they succumb to exhaustion and starvation."" However, armies are not the only way to fight a war. We can promise to provide you troops within a reasonable distance, and come up with other ways to prosecute such a conflict." Kabuki had to fight the desire to laugh again, as in terms of hostility, the Elder - collectively at least - rated somewhere below the Prevail and their ilk and indeed Prius itself in the minds of the Nana. But despite his steadily rising anger at the way Prius blithely accepted the protection of the Nana army while blaming them for needing such protection - a form of logical gymnastics he had difficulty in following - and his genuine wonder at what it was NAND had done that Prius perceived assoovertly hostile to the Elder as to be known outside the private meetings of the League, he felt the diplomatic thing to do was not to mention it.Nevertheless, he entertained for a moment the prospect of dealing with the Prius issue once and for all by just conquering the damn place, as they had with the Prevail. And this is how they address those they seek alliance with! Perhaps seeing the look on the face of the king, Lord Magister Vytautas again took up the thread, clearing his throat and adding his vinegary old voice back to proceedings." I think what we have seen here is a problem that cannot be ignored in the formation of any such organization, and one which bedevils many coalitions. If it is to be successful, it must act as one. The members must trust each other's good faith and good judgment. It is apparent that such trust is not shared equally on all parts. Lady Naves, you are clearly skeptical that the actions of NAND-" he waved at Kabuki pre-emptively -"whether such fears are justified or borne out by evidence - will drag Ambrose into a war not of its making. But that is not the way of the League. We take collective responsibility, and likewise we do not, as a rule, take action on any matter of importance without consulting our partners. If Ambrose finds itself at war with the Elder, it shall to all intents and purposes be a war to which Ambrose has consented. Unless, of course, it is an unprovoked war of aggression by the Elder, or one supposedly justified by some flimsy and idiosyncratic fig leaf, as is their usual modus operandi, and it is this which I believe concerns the king of NAND as much as anything." But there is also a danger in too much collective decision-making. If we do not trust one another, then each member must have a right of veto over any of the others' actions which might affect them. And in a coalition of the type you propose, with full military mutual defense and sharing of technologies, that would mean none of us could move without consensus. Given how difficult we have found it to reach agreement so far, I cannot see that working as things stand." Perhaps then we should debate a more limited treaty which provides for certain elements of what you suggest without rushing into something for which we are not temperamentally prepared. A more limited form of mutual defense, perhaps, covering only certain enemies or certain territories. Provision that certain actions by signatories will void the responsibility on the part of others to defend them. One that stops short of full sharing of research and development, especially with regard to weapons, so that the alliance becomes neither overly insular nor a sieve through which our secrets may easily pass to our enemies. It may not be what all of us had hoped for, but better to lower our sights and achieve our goals than set them impossibly high and achieve nothing." Spoiler: IOC Hide I genuinely am a little perplexed at what it is NAND has done IC that makes them so obviously hostile to the Elder. Other than the interrogation of Lady Spring and the sealing of the borders to stop their spies getting in after the Arena Court - an event to which some Elder were nevertheless invited! - I think almost every negative comment I've made about them has been in an IOC context, and/or in the private context of League internal discussions. Spoiler: IOC Hide *shrug* I didn't think it was a secret that NAND's hostile to the Elder, and Prius is crystal clear that NAND hates them. Lady Naves sighed. The anger had drained away, and now she just seemed tired."' Certain enemies' that so far consist of two powers: the Elder, who the High Queen does not consider a threat, and the Sphere, who you don't." She muttered." Why did I love this job again..."" You are right that we will have to start small, however." She'd ****ed up. NAND was probably thinking of conquering Prius for its own good now, if they weren't already. How had Goethe dealt with these people... It was like talking to someone whowantedto find out you were a monster. Originally Posted by Half Tangible Spoiler Hide Spoiler: IOC Hide *shrug* I didn't think it was a secret that NAND's hostile to the Elder, and Prius is crystal clear that NAND hates them. Lady Naves sighed. The anger had drained away, and now she just seemed tired. "'Certain enemies' that so far consist of two powers: the Elder, who the High Queen does not consider a threat, and the Sphere, who you don't." She muttered. "Why did I love this job again..." "You are right that we will have to start small, however." She'd ****ed up. NAND was probably thinking of conquering Prius for its own good now, if they weren't already. How had Goethe dealt with these people... It was like talking to someone who wanted to find out you were a monster. Vytautas frowned slightly. "Potential enemies, certainly. At present the League has no known enemies, or at least enemies possessed of armies in the conventional fashion. I do not believe Prius or Belgium does either, unless I am misinformed. An alliance to combat only our known enemies would be of questionable worth. It is true we do not consider the Sphere a threat, but that is for largely logistical reasons. They are too distant to cause the League harm, and therefore of no concern to us. You in turn do not consider the Elder a threat because it seems you trust to their good nature, although they are close enough to challenge us all should they so desire it, and the experiences of many former powers to our east suggests that they do not seek an excuse to invade, merely an opportunity. "But these are not the only potential enemies we have, merely those which concern each of us most. The Grey Dietrich is adventurous and interventionist, and only a few miles from our coasts. The land formerly held by the Ninth Struggle since the end of the War of Prevail Aggression may be collapsing into anarchy. The Crystal Union has an army even larger than that of the Elder. The kingdom of Goya can expand no further inland and may be turning its sights to the west. The Michel, or Kalamazoo, may decide to march south, into the northern League and Belgium territories. Some of these are our friends, some are sufficiently small as to present no significant threat. Nevertheless, we should not let our preoccupations with our most dangerous foes blind us to other sources of danger and violence. I suggest all of these should be included as potential foes against whom we would agree mutual defense." Spoiler: IOC Hide "Hatred" might be a bit strong for the Nana view of the Primal. They think they're boorish, barbaric, immoral, borderline intolerable and almost completely culturally incompatible, but they don't hate them per se. I've been trying to keep the bulk of any anti-Elder opinion covert and most of it IOC. While Hardship at least was fairly hawkish on the issue, I would doubt it's widely considered that they're massively hostile to the Elder to the point they've developed an international reputation for it. Obviously you can play your guys how you want, but there might be a bit of (albeit understandable) IOC bleed there. Certainly I wouldn't expect the Elder themselves to think of NAND in that way. After all, Elder live in NAND; indeed, the current head of the Autumn Court is also a duke in NAND, and relations with him have been pretty good. Originally Posted by Retired Vytautas frowned slightly. "Potential enemies, certainly. Oh come on, you said certain, not me! I was quoting you! "At present the League has no known enemies, or at least enemies possessed of armies in the conventional fashion. I do not believe Prius or Belgium does either, unless I am misinformed. An alliance to combat only our known enemies would be of questionable worth. It is true we do not consider the Sphere a threat, but that is for largely logistical reasons. They are too distant to cause the League harm, and therefore of no concern to us. You in turn do not consider the Elder a threat because it seems you trust to their good nature, although they are close enough to challenge us all should they so desire it, and the experiences of many former powers to our east suggests that they do not seek an excuse to invade, merely an opportunity. "But these are not the only potential enemies we have, merely those which concern each of us most. The Grey Dietrich is adventurous and interventionist, and only a few miles from our coasts. The land formerly held by the Ninth Struggle since the end of the War of Prevail Aggression may be collapsing into anarchy. The Crystal Union has an army even larger than that of the Elder. The kingdom of Goya can expand no further inland and may be turning its sights to the west. The Michel, or Kalamazoo, may decide to march south, into the northern League and Belgium territories. Some of these are our friends, some are sufficiently small as to present no significant threat. Nevertheless, we should not let our preoccupations with our most dangerous foes blind us to other sources of danger and violence. I suggest all of these should be included as potential foes against whom we would agree mutual defense." Spoiler: IOC Hide "Hatred" might be a bit strong for the Nana view of the Primal. They think they're boorish, barbaric, immoral, borderline intolerable and almost completely culturally incompatible, but they don't hate them per se. I've been trying to keep the bulk of any anti-Elder opinion covert and most of it IOC. While Hardship at least was fairly hawkish on the issue, I would doubt it's widely considered that they're massively hostile to the Elder to the point they've developed an international reputation for it. Obviously you can play your guys how you want, but there might be a bit of (albeit understandable) IOC bleed there. Certainly I wouldn't expect the Elder themselves to think of NAND in that way. After all, Elder live in NAND; indeed, the current head of the Autumn Court is also a duke in NAND, and relations with him have been pretty good. Distance wouldn't stop the Primal from invading. It's only stopping us here because we can't conquer your lands as we move.... well I suppose we could, but... bad idea." I don't consider the Elder a threat in part because of your contract with them to stay out of western affairs (which I'm worried will break before long), in part because they think of my people as useless barbarians (much as you do) and in part because they consider our land not worth the resources to conquer." She said wearily." We've offered moon silver, but they weren't interested, and that's the best we've got. Whether any of that's true or not is a different discussion I don't care to have." Trusting to their good nature" had nothing to do with it, really; anyone who tried that in politics was a rookie or an idiot. Lady Naves considered the Elder somewhere between friendly and neutral, owing largely to their apparent lack of interest in Prius. They had expanded far, sure, but they had shown no interest in Prius' actual territory. Moreover, the Elder had taken a more... diplomatic approach since the days of the Gresham and Lusaka. She wasn't worried about the Elder because the Elder were arrogant sons of bitches, and believed the Primal nothing more than barbarians." That all seems reasonable enough." She said, trying to put some strength into her voice again." Should we discuss technological support?" Spoiler: IOC Hide NAND's first major interaction with Prius was to essentially call them stupid smelly evil hobos squatting in their own filth and publish a news story about it. Forgive me if I assumed hatred was a reasonable word to use Side note: did you know Lady Naves was supposed to be really, REALLY good at diplomacy when I first wrote her into the game? Because I wouldn't blame you if you just burst out laughing. "I had recently reached out to the Rose Courts in order to establish or re-establish friendly relations, rather. They did not deign to reply other than to send their proselytizers to our shores. I owe them no allegiance, and they have not earned my love." Valerius grew silent, thinking briefly and anxious to prove his Kingdom's worth. "I answer to nobody but my people, and to them, I owe security. To win them this and your alliance, I can pledge to back the League in any war that my soldiers can readily attend. Which is what I would expect in return. As Lady Naves said, the more powerful the alliance, the less likely it is that we will need to use it. Though have no fear that my word is bond and extends to the continental Prius territories, the Queen lands notwithstanding." He spoke deliberately to underlie the seriousness of the matter. This alliance could be the difference between his Kingdom's lingering prosperity or slow integration against their will unto other powers. Bahrām listened to Galerius's concerns seriously before he addressed his fellow King, "I understand your concerns and myself believe that allying the polities of our continent is paramount to the security and continued freedom of all of our peoples." He glanced at Kabuki, aware that he and his father had been preaching this belief to the Nana monarchy as long as they had been preaching their warnings of the Elder and a wry smile curved his lips. He stood and whispered something to Peter who procured a rolled skin from one of the aides and handed it to his Photos. Furthermore, he stood between Galerius and Bradford, leaning over the table and unrolled the skin which was a large map of the known world. Furthermore, he marked Belgium's holdings with his fingertips,"We would be unable to help if this island came under attack." He pointed to an isle of the coast off Belgium's new eastern borders." This holding concerns me." He pointed to the far north which was known to be the territory of the great barbarians. "I'm not sure if it would be worth provoking the barbarians ire to maintain it if it came under attack, though that is entirely up to you, of course." Baram traced from Belgium's easternmost continental holding, their capital Central down to Savannah,"I don't think your ships could sail swiftly enough upon an attack to respond to anything south-west of here." He tapped the Nana capital." Kam, what do you think?" He turned to the NAND King and motioned him over with his head, deferring to the man's martial and logistical knowledge. Kabuki looked at Bahrām's assessment of the situation and gave a nod." Broadly speaking, I agree. Prius's colonies in Paves are clearly indefensible, and Belgium's island colony in the far west cannot be reached by the League's navy. Our troops could make the journey overland from Nails if they provisioned in the former Jade Coalition lands, but they would still be reliant on Belgium naval transport once they arrived, and so defense of this territory might have to be determined once the precise facts of an invasion were known." He drew a line with his finger around the effective extent of their combined continental territories. "This is, I think, the area with which we can principally operate. All of us should be able to mobilize troops anywhere within this area with only minimal logistical difficulties." He glanced up towards Lady Naves. "However in the spirit of the reasons we were apparently assembled here, we can perhaps do better than promising simply to defend our existing territories if attacked. I propose anything within the line I have just marked - roughly speaking - should be considered under our protection, and we should agree to joint defense of it should it come under attack, even if they do not recognize our jurisdiction as yet. This would prevent ambitious foreign powers gaining a foothold on our doorsteps. In fact, we could extend our sway yet further -" he drew another line, even more expansive - "once details of these regions are known. Agreeing on this now would also assist us in maintaining this arrangement without having to reconvene the next time any of us expands our holdings." There are some further exceptions I would add, before we proceed too much further. Firstly, Nana troops cannot survive underground, and so I would ask they are exempted from any obligation to defend them. Of course, it is unlikely any such regions would come under attack but all the same it is a noteworthy exception. Non-manual regiments in the Grand Army and of the League would of course remain available. The Belgium navy has a limited range and so, as the Photos said, should probably be excused operation in this quarter -" he drew a separate area within the first, covering the sea to the south of the League - "unless of course they decide otherwise at the time. Having said that..." He paused for a moment." It is important to recognize that war is rarely a clear-cut business with one side obviously an aggressor and the other side undoubtedly a victim. Equally, often the best form of defense is a strong offense, to engage the enemy on their own turf and make them suffer the inevitable consequences of war, rather than allowing one's own lands to be ravaged. So while I would not expect the Belgium navy to operate in this area, I think if war did break out and there were regions available for the navy to counterattack which they could reach, it would not be unreasonable to ask them to do so. Similarly, there is an argument to be made that this pact should be one of unconditional mutual defense: that should any of our regions come under attack the others will respond, irrespective of who began the war which resulted in the attack."" I think it is also paramount that whatever agreement we reach here today takes full precedence over and above any existing treaties or diplomatic agreements, save those that already exist between present parties, of course. There is no point creating such an alliance if there is any doubt over whether anyone will respond when called upon. Exemption from the conditions of mutual defense should only be permitted where one's own lands are directly under attack at the time and troops cannot be spared to defend the others. I believe I am correct in saying that such an arrangement would not conflict with any of the League's current treaties. "That is not to say that parties in this room should not be held to account, and if one of us is found to have fraudulently led the others into a war in nobody's interest and cost their soldiers lives and their treasuries' money then they may pay a price for that thereafter if the war is lost. But the presumption should be that all our conflicts within the described area are legitimate and should be acted upon immediately, without having to hold inquests and trials which could delay or impede an effective military response. Unless, of course, there are any exceptions to that policy which we can agree upon now and which could be quickly and certainly determined in the event of war." - Default area of protection Purple - Area of potential expansion pending details of regions there. Blue - Belgium's island holding (situation dependent)Green - Area of Belgium naval exemption Not marked - Underground areas (proposed Nana troop exemption, since they can't function in the dark) "I don't like the idea of an exception made for the Sun isle and the White Isles." Shou grumbles, pointing out the two regions in question (29 and 30)." Those two are defensible, but unlike most are not protected by treaty from potential Elder aggression." He frowns." But... I suppose Belgium's Navy is not nearly all the force we can muster. If the Baldric Captains cannot take their fleets so far...so be it. The Bearers of Marque from the South Sea Company will simply have to redouble their efforts." Lady Naves was quiet as the monarchs around her set up ideas and plans for an eventual attack. She would probably not get the technological support that Prius probably needed, but at least this meeting hadn't been a waste of time." Primus will defend the Kingdom of Belgium however it can." She said finally." You have no need to worry about that, Galerius."" Primus armies can reach most of your territories for defense purposes by routing through Colonia, if need be." She tapped her finger on the map to the southern tip of league territory*." Here, however, is where our forces will run low on supplies, and I would like our warriors to avoid fighting there if we can, at least until we come up with better ways to manage our supply lines. If you require defense of your islands, we will also require naval transport; none of Prius' ships are on this side of the world or can be supported for a protracted campaign." She turned to look at Show."'This true, the Baldric Captains cannot reasonably reach these islands in time. Fortunately, troops are not the only way to fight a war." She continued, smirking." If an enemy chooses to engage the League, we can hamper them by fostering dissident elements in their kingdoms. It is difficult to prosecute a war abroad when a rebellion rises in your home. The Elder in particular have many peoples under their control, many of whom resent it."" It's something Prius has been... interested in, since our war with the Paves." Spoiler Hide *164, and possibly 163. It depends on whether you can go from 44A to 41 or not. EDIT: QB says we can, but we'd have to march through the temple. EDIT2: Actually, if I go through the desert I can make it there easily. So... 164 is pretty much the only territory I can see that would cause me losses Bradford smirked across the Ambrosia King's back at Galerius. Galerius ignored his companion and the shirtless King and studied the map carefully. He had to admit that perhaps his far eastern isle holding had been a bit too ambitious a conquest, seeing as how it was so poorly defensible. Even so, the Primal ambassador's assertion, and even more, the Provinces seeming disposition towards an agreement heartened him, and he could feel some tension relieved from his shoulders. "I would readily agree to these terms of defense, and with faith." Valerius was well aware that any agreement they might make today would be in his benefit, and he took no issue with the one proposed." Though I do wonder if there is someway to discourage further unwanted missionary quests from the Elder without doing them an undue insult. Or indeed any unwanted potential conversions." Valerius looked from Bahrām's chest, which he hadn't realized he was looking until he stopped speaking to the man's face and over to Lady Naves. Lady Naves frowned and placed a hand on her chin."... When I said that the Speakers had not attempted to come into our lands,"She said slowly,"I did not mean that the Elder did not want to send Speakers. Lord Winter recently expressed a desire to create converts in Primal lands."" We do not care what the citizens worship, so long as they give their loyalty to the Imperium first." She looked to the King." Correct me if I'm wrong, but your citizens are still hostile to the Elder, owing to your past... shall we say... issues with trade." She held up a finger." You could play that angle; your citizens will be openly hostile to the idea of even allowing the Winter Court into your lands. However, we've had a spring girl in Prius for 40 years now."" It's unlikely that we can turn them away entirely without a perceived insult, but High Queen Hernia is open to the idea of Old God influence in these lands. We can set something up for them in Terminus, maybe give the Alphas there something to rally with against us." She mused." Or we could offer Quarts, play up our conflict with the Denotes and these new conversions by the Doctrine..." She shook herself." Point is, send them our way. We'll handle it." "I can not say whether the supposed hostilities go both ways, as since I said previously, they did not deign to reply to my diplomatic outreach attempt." Galerius was clearly still annoyed by this perceived slight by the Elder." If they can not be bothered to engage in conversation, I can not be bothered to engage in conversion." His tone was haughty as his countenance darkened. "That Prius would welcome them does little to ease my agitation upon the matter, wouldn't it spur them to grow ever bolder upon our continent? As to the Dan which you disposed so readily, I would have rather you sent them to their fellows in the Merci vale. There has been recent talk that Andrea and Dan are likely the same Goddess, extolling the same virtues of nurturing femininity and having such similar names though we are far from the Temple of Dan in the South-East. I am certainly no great scholar nor theologian and take little personal investment in the matter." He seemed to only have an opinion on religion when it was called to keep it out of his lands, rather than welcome it in. Lady Naves raised an eyebrow." The Grand Church's goal was to make their faith the official religion of the Imperium and thereby make us their puppet." She pointed out." I have very good reason not to trust them and I don't see why you would. The concept of Dan as the All-Mother is a recent phenomenon, begun in Avon lea and made canon relatively recently; before that, when Andrea was still around, Dan was male. Don't even get me started on the Prophetess Council, or how badly Avon lea suffered while they had no Conduit."" You wanted a way to keep the Speakers out of your lands without them taking it as an insult. If you don't care how they feel, then don't. They have no right to enter your lands, tell them so, and if they do not respond that is their problem."" Aleuta and Rhoda were clear that the former wanted to reopen trade with Belgium. Whether Gwyneth wants the same is... questionable. Prius may have to act as an intermediary again." "If the Elder wish trades with Belgium, it is surely for them to make the approach, and for them to accept concessions in exchange for what they want," Kabuki said, with an eyebrow raised. "I do not understand why Prius is so eager to act as spokesman for the Elder cause." He glanced over at Bahrām as if inviting him to contradict him. "Our treaty with the Elder provides that there will be no claim of ownership of any land, or military or diplomatic intervention by the Elder, on the western continent, without discussion with and approval of the League. Incidentally, this includes matters relating to trade. Until now, we have indulged an element of flexibility within this approach, such as the stationing of Spring Girls within western courts despite our certainty that they are engaged in espionage in addition to their apparent diplomatic function, one which is in itself belied by their status as agents of the Spring Court and not the Autumn. From where I stand however it is becoming apparent that either the Demesne is seeking collectively to violate the spirit of the treaty or that the Courts are at odds with one another. Either way it is more important than ever that we do not allow them a foothold in the western continent. Although matters of religion are not included in our treaty with them, it seems clear to me that the Speakers are the first wave - or the second, if the Spring Girls are counted - of an attempt to increase Elder influence on this continent and undermine the native rulers. There are no Elder on the mainland, and we have no need of their gods, so why have they marked out western lands for conversion if not as a prelude to subjugation? Any trade negotiations with them should take place in the full knowledge and expectation that trade will serve as a vector for that religious conversion." This, Lady Naves, is why I asked for full disclosure over the extent of Prius's relationship with the Elder. By all appearances they have made attempts to create inroads into a position where they have a position of influence over both your people and those of Belgium, yet you insist they are not a threat. You maintain an agent of the Elder intelligence services at your court. My questions are not hypothetical. If Prius has concluded a bilateral alliance with the Elder with respect to any of its continental territories, if the government of Prius has in any way been subverted by Elder influence - we are already at war." He leaned forward, his eyes bright and wide. "That aside, we must recognize here and now that we do not need to kowtow to the Elder. We do not have to accept their condescension or their arrogance or their unreasonable, one-sided demands. If the Elder wish for something from any of us here, our first concern should be what benefit there is in it for us, not how it would benefit them, or what would give them the least offense. For too long much of the world has lived in fear of them and acceded to their every whim, held themselves to Elder standards of morality and diplomacy at the expense of their own interests and traditions. They would be a formidable foe, but with our forces combined it is we who hold the balance of power against them. Let us behave in a manner fitting to our actual station, and put any existential fear of them behind us, for we cannot afford to be mighty with the helpless and helpless with the great, just as we should not be lions on the battlefield and mice at the negotiating table." He sat back and gave a slight smile. "Of course, the same could be said of any foreign power, but somehow it seems most relevant to our dealings with them." "I apologize, I was unaware the Church had an express interest in ventriloquism or that a handful of eccentrics leagues to the east warranted the extermination of hundreds of our own otherwise law-abiding citizens." He shrugged, "You say the worship of the All-Mother is a recent development in Danish theology, though it is clearly not within the lands of Avon lea or my own, regardless of what the Temple itself had preached previously. You do not know who is the misappropriation here, but the world has seen the power of the Goddess Dan, this is not in dispute." Even in the far west had the tales of Avon lea's curse had spread, and the later amelioration of said curse. "But again, I reiterate, this bears no personal import to myself, other than to confirm in my mind that the Elder's religion, being wholly alien to my people and indeed to humankind itself, and shall not gain a foothold upon my shores." He was adamant in his obstinacy on the matter which was at the forefront of his mind." I do not require intermediary, thank you. Indeed, though it saved my realm some measure of difficulty in the past, I shall contact the Rose Demesne directly should the need arise in the future, and in fact will draft a letter of abstention to the Winter Court immediately upon my arrival back in Belgium. I neither require their trade goods nor your involvement of the Spring girls on the matter, again, thank you for the offer." It was clear from his tone he did not hold the keeping of Spring girls entirely in favor, though neither was it his business to scold them on it. He only wished for the ratification of this agreement to all of their benefit, but it was clear that there were certain points which they were sorely divided on and to their detriment. Originally Posted by Jerry "I apologize, I was unaware the Church had an express interest in ventriloquism or that a handful of eccentrics leagues to the east warranted the extermination of hundreds of our own otherwise law-abiding citizens." He shrugged, "You say the worship of the All-Mother is a recent development in Danish theology, though it is clearly not within the lands of Avon lea or my own, regardless of what the Temple itself had preached previously. You do not know who is the misappropriation here, but the world has seen the power of the Goddess Dan, this is not in dispute." Even in the far west had the tales of Avon lea's curse had spread, and the later amelioration of said curse. "But again, I reiterate, this bears no personal import to myself, other than to confirm in my mind that the Elder's religion, being wholly alien to my people and indeed to humankind itself, and shall not gain a foothold upon my shores." He was adamant in his obstinacy on the matter which was at the forefront of his mind. "I do not require intermediary, thank you. Indeed, though it saved my realm some measure of difficulty in the past, I shall contact the Rose Demesne directly should the need arise in the future, and in fact will draft a letter of abstention to the Winter Court immediately upon my arrival back in Belgium. I neither require their trade goods nor your involvement of the Spring girls on the matter, again, thank you for the offer." It was clear from his tone he did not hold the keeping of Spring girls entirely in favor, though neither was it his business to scold them on it. He only wished for the ratification of this agreement to all of their benefit, but it was clear that there were certain points which they were sorely divided on and to their detriment. Lady Naves rolled her eyes." Yes. Her power over a realm that had worshiped her for decades, if not centuries. And that power didn't seem to be of benefit to Avon lea, did it? A council that subverted the Queen's will, lack of a conduit (not even worship, just a religious office) met with starvation, disease, panic and infertility."" Dandria is not necessarily Dan." She pointed out." Be very careful which ideas you accept so readily, Galerius. The Grand Church has shown it cannot be trusted." Rikadime nodded." Very well. The offer remains open, for what it's worth." Originally Posted by Retired "If the Elder wish trades with Belgium, it is surely for them to make the approach, and for them to accept concessions in exchange for what they want," Kabuki said, with an eyebrow raised. "I do not understand why Prius is so eager to act as spokesman for the Elder cause." He glanced over at Bahrām as if inviting him to contradict him. "Our treaty with the Elder provides that there will be no claim of ownership of any land, or military or diplomatic intervention by the Elder, on the western continent, without discussion with and approval of the League. Incidentally, this includes matters relating to trade. Until now, we have indulged an element of flexibility within this approach, such as the stationing of Spring Girls within western courts despite our certainty that they are engaged in espionage in addition to their apparent diplomatic function, one which is in itself belied by their status as agents of the Spring Court and not the Autumn. From where I stand however it is becoming apparent that either the Demesne is seeking collectively to violate the spirit of the treaty or that the Courts are at odds with one another. Either way it is more important than ever that we do not allow them a foothold in the western continent. Although matters of religion are not included in our treaty with them, it seems clear to me that the Speakers are the first wave - or the second, if the Spring Girls are counted - of an attempt to increase Elder influence on this continent and undermine the native rulers. There are no Elder on the mainland, and we have no need of their gods, so why have they marked out western lands for conversion if not as a prelude to subjugation? Any trade negotiations with them should take place in the full knowledge and expectation that trade will serve as a vector for that religious conversion. "This, Lady Naves, is why I asked for full disclosure over the extent of Prius's relationship with the Elder. By all appearances they have made attempts to create inroads into a position where they have a position of influence over both your people and those of Belgium, yet you insist they are not a threat. You maintain an agent of the Elder intelligence services at your court. My questions are not hypothetical. If Prius has concluded a bilateral alliance with the Elder with respect to any of its continental territories, if the government of Prius has in any way been subverted by Elder influence - we are already at war." He leaned forward, his eyes bright and wide. "That aside, we must recognize here and now that we do not need to kowtow to the Elder. We do not have to accept their condescension or their arrogance or their unreasonable, one-sided demands. If the Elder wish for something from any of us here, our first concern should be what benefit there is in it for us, not how it would benefit them, or what would give them the least offense. For too long much of the world has lived in fear of them and acceded to their every whim, held themselves to Elder standards of morality and diplomacy at the expense of their own interests and traditions. They would be a formidable foe, but with our forces combined it is we who hold the balance of power against them. Let us behave in a manner fitting to our actual station, and put any existential fear of them behind us, for we cannot afford to be mighty with the helpless and helpless with the great, just as we should not be lions on the battlefield and mice at the negotiating table." He sat back and gave a slight smile. "Of course, the same could be said of any foreign power, but somehow it seems most relevant to our dealings with them." "No, of course not. Prius need not kowtow to the Elder, just to you." Lady Naves glared at Kabuki. There was Nadir hypocrisy again." If trade is only an in-road to you then why do you trade with the Elder on the Crystal Rose route? You're not going to reap the benefits of a relationship while whining about how others want it too. We understand the risks involved, but we will trade with the Elder if we damn well please."" We host a Spring Girl, yes, because despite your insistence that our court has been infiltrated and subverted, a friendly relationship with the Elder has benefited us."" I only suggested that the Kingdom send Speakers our way because the good king said he wished to avoid his actions coming across as an insult. We don't care if he turns them away."" To answer your paranoia, no, the Elder do not have an alliance with Prius. The idea of a mutual defense pact - let alone an actual alliance - disgusts them." Her eyes narrowed." And if you think Prius wanted such an alliance, you are doing a very poor job of convincing me that such would be any worse than an alliance with NAND. Given that I put together this meeting specifically to get an alliance with the League, that is quite impressive."" I suggest we return to the subject of this coalition. It's evident we're not going to agree on who it's being formed to combat, but we agree that it should be formed to combat someone, yes?" "If this is how you speak to those you court as allies, I cannot imagine what a declaration of war from Prius would look like," Kabuki said. "The Grand Church of Dan comprises a goat-shed completely surrounded by and under the thrall of the Rose Demesne. There are tens of thousands of Dentists in the west including in the kingdom of Belgium who have lived here peacefully for generations. Yet it seems Prius views Dan as a deadly threat while acting as apologists for the Elder themselves. Given that the Elder are the only threat the League faces against which it seems Prius is willing to contribute troops, one could be forgiven for thinking we were here to be talked out of an alliance, not into one." He stood. "This is a waste of my time. It is clear Prius has no interest in anything I have to contribute to this discussion, and I will not continue to sit here and be insulted." He turned and walked out of the room, followed by his Brawl bodyguards and the somewhat surprised Ozone representative. Bahrām placed his hand upon the Belgium King's shoulder. Tempers were rising, though Galerius was right, to their detriment. He watched Km storm out of the room with a sigh. As close as their realms had been for multiple generations now, how it couldn't help to think that his position as Diplomat was made harder by it, though he was not wholly in disagreement with the salient points that he had managed to make before he left. "You can not accuse my fellow of paranoia without admitting that thousands around the world worship the Mother Dan without their governments falling thrall to some imagined evil, my own included. And to suggest otherwise is either folly, or evidence of a weak mind prone to either suggestion or fear. I do not believe Crud ice weak or afraid, though as a whole perhaps you are a people prone to rashness, as my departed compatriot is." Baram motioned to the door through which the NAND King had just exited. "I of all people would not tell you to not love the Elder that you are close to. I stand in good faith with the Lord of Winter and raise his child as my own. But to love an individual is not to love the whole, and to be wary of a people as a whole who have razed kingdoms to the ground is only prudent. This is what we require of you Lady Naves, not "kowtowing" as you say, only prudence, as when we sign this agreement, and I assure you it is in my every intention to sign an agreement today, it is the fate of all collected here that will depend upon that prudence and no longer only Prius." He looked about the room earnestly and back to Naves. "Let us stop the reactionary diatribes and resume negotiations." His tone was reasonable, though he worried of the continued and growing venom between Prius and Belgium and felt that continuing it would mean disaster for the associates involved. Originally Posted by Retired "If this is how you speak to those you court as allies, I cannot imagine what a declaration of war from Prius would look like," Kabuki said. "The Grand Church of Dan comprises a goat-shed completely surrounded by and under the thrall of the Rose Demesne. There are tens of thousands of Dentists in the west including in the kingdom of Belgium who have lived here peacefully for generations. Yet it seems Prius views Dan as a deadly threat while acting as apologists for the Elder themselves. Given that the Elder are the only threat the League faces against which it seems Prius is willing to contribute troops, one could be forgiven for thinking we were here to be talked out of an alliance, not into one." "You're right." She said calmly." This isn't how I treat potential allies." Her eyes narrowed." But then, you're not acting like a potential ally."" As far as I can tell you came here with the sole intent to take offense, as you have in every interaction with Prius." Lady Naves growled, ice in her voice." I have offered to aid you in a war Prius has no need to wage that I have no doubt whatsoever you will start. And in exchange, you have dismissed my concerns about our western enemies as the ramblings of a child, stated outright that I am an apologist to the Elder (despite my lack of apology) and accused me of conspiracy against you."" I don't know what you think Prius is, but it definitely isn't your ally if you think any of that is reasonable." He stood. "This is a waste of my time. It is clear Prius has no interest in anything I have to contribute to this discussion, and I will not continue to sit here and be insulted." He turned and walked out of the room, followed by his Brawl bodyguards and the somewhat surprised Ozone representative. "Very well." Lady Naves waved one hand to the guards, rolling her eyes." Escort the King out of the Imperium, boys. And inform NAND's diplomat* that their king no longer desires an ear in the Imperial court."*From the grand tournament Originally Posted by Pepper. Bahrām placed his hand upon the Belgium King's shoulder. Tempers were rising, though Galerius was right, to their detriment. He watched Km storm out of the room with a sigh. As close as their realms had been for multiple generations now, how it couldn't help to think that his position as Diplomat was made harder by it, though he was not wholly in disagreement with the salient points that he had managed to make before he left. "You can not accuse my fellow of paranoia without admitting that thousands around the world worship the Mother Dan without their governments falling thrall to some imagined evil, my own included. And to suggest otherwise is either folly, or evidence of a weak mind prone to either suggestion or fear. I do not believe Crud ice weak or afraid, though as a whole perhaps you are a people prone to rashness, as my departed compatriot is." Bahrām motioned to the door through which the NAND King had just exited. "I of all people would not tell you to not love the Elder that you are close to. I stand in good faith with the Lord of Winter and raise his child as my own. But to love an individual is not to love the whole, and to be wary of a people as a whole who have razed kingdoms to the ground is only prudent. This is what we require of you Lady Naves, not "kowtowing" as you say, only prudence, as when we sign this agreement, and I assure you it is in my every intention to sign an agreement today, it is the fate of all collected here that will depend upon that prudence and no longer only Prius." He looked about the room earnestly and back to Naves. "Let us stop the reactionary diatribes and resume negotiations." His tone was reasonable, though he worried of the continued and growing venom between Prius and Belgium and felt that continuing it would mean disaster for the associates involved. Lady Naves looked away." Rash would be a fair judgment, I think, though in this case I question its validity. The Prophetess Council was not imagined, nor were the missionaries' intent to make Dan the state religion of the Imperium."" I said 'the Grand Church' is untrustworthy." She said coolly." I didn't say Dan. If Andrea and Dan are one and the same, that's all fine and good, but I hope Galerius is getting that information himself and not from the Church." Lady Naves blinked."' Prudence'? I have already said Prius will defend the League and Ambrose if they come under assault from the Elder, and Belgium has always had our blades. NAND pushed for more. So yes, Kabuki wanted me to kowtow."" But as you said, back to negotiation." She put a finger on the map." Nand's proposed map for military defense, as already stated, sits well with Prius. Technology seems off the table at this point. It seems topical to turn our thoughts to matters of faith."" I don't think banning a religion from the entire coalition will do any of us any good, even the Old Gods. We simply have too many branching opinions on what religions are acceptable and which are not. However, should unwanted conversions come to a member,"She glanced at Galerius,"I would propose a united front against those conversions. The leaders of their faith may very well take it as an insult. But the sovereignty of Belgium, Prius and the League are more important than their feelings." Bahrām stared blankly as Lady Naves insisted upon continuing to speak against his comrade who was no longer even present. He fought against shaking his head in consternation at such obstinate hypocrisy. Whether willful or accidental he could not say, though just as he could not say which might be worse. He withheld a sigh, though the furrow of his brow belied his concentration. "I assure you Lady Naves, if it was the League's intent to subjugate her allies, I would not be present, nor would my fellows." He spoke slowly and deliberately in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. Privately he thought to himself that even if they wished it, taking on Prius as a vassal would be likely be more trouble than it was worth, if this was their best foray into diplomatic endeavors. The fact that the Nana ambassador was being expelled for their own diplomat offending the NAND King was clearly indicative of their faulty logic and the reason they had entered into difficulties in the first place. He collected his thoughts and with some effort maintained his calm." Our interests are aligned in maintaining the west as a free continent. I think as far as unwanted conversions go, we are willing to stand by Belgium if they wish to ban the Old Gods, regardless of reaction from Lord Morris and I agree a united front is the best was to deter future conversions." Baram realized that his hand had remained clasped upon the King's shoulder and had been squeezing it in his irritation with the proceedings. He released his grip and patted his shoulder in apology. Originally Posted by Pepper. Bahrām stared blankly as Lady Naves insisted upon continuing to speak against his comrade who was no longer even present. He fought against shaking his head in consternation at such obstinate hypocrisy. Whether willful or accidental he could not say, though just as he could not say which might be worse. He withheld a sigh, though the furrow of his brow belied his concentration. "I assure you Lady Naves, if it was the League's intent to subjugate her allies, I would not be present, nor would my fellows." He spoke slowly and deliberately in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. Privately he thought to himself that even if they wished it, taking on Prius as a vassal would be likely be more trouble than it was worth, if this was their best foray into diplomatic endeavors. The fact that the Nana ambassador was being expelled for their own diplomat offending the NAND King was clearly indicative of their faulty logic and the reason they had entered into difficulties in the first place. He collected his thoughts and with some effort maintained his calm. "Our interests are aligned in maintaining the west as a free continent. I think as far as unwanted conversions go, we are willing to stand by Belgium if they wish to ban the Old Gods, regardless of reaction from Lord Morris and I agree a united front is the best was to deter future conversions." Bahrām realized that his hand had remained clasped upon the King's shoulder and had been squeezing it in his irritation with the proceedings. He released his grip and patted his shoulder in apology. Lady Naves held her tongue. It didn't matter if Ambrose wasn't interested in subjugation, it was clear that NAND was. They didn't want diplomacy with Prius, fine, they wouldn't get any and good riddance to them. Their ambassador was hardly any better than the King and their entire society was built on hypocrisy in any case." Agreed." Rikadime steepled her fingers. Ambrose had come in good faith, at least, and she would respect that as much as possible." We will resist any conversions on the western continent as a group, should it be against the wishes of our lands' respective rulers. Any other issues?" Show's eyes narrow as the argument between King Kabuki and Lady Naves explodes and the former storms out, and a disapproving frown stretches across his face as Naves orders that the Nana Ambassador leave as well. He says nothing, but the glare he shows Lady Naves would send the more superstitious amongst the Krona people scurrying for cover against the wrath of the Evil Eye." I have no objections to the terms laid out by Ambrose so far.", the man almost spits." But I will not sign a treaty regarding our own levies that have not been signed by the League's Marshal. I have no such power, and if the diplomat sent by Prius and the Marshal of the League cannot pretend to tolerate one another for but an hour, I have little faith that a sheet of parchment will turn those rattled swords to held hands." Originally Posted by BladeofObliviom Show's eyes narrow as the argument between King Kabuki and Lady Naves explodes and the former storms out, and a disapproving frown stretches across his face as Naves orders that the Nana Ambassador leave as well. He says nothing, but the glare he shows Lady Naves would send the more superstitious amongst the Krona people scurrying for cover against the wrath of the Evil Eye. "I have no objections to the terms laid out by Ambrose so far.", the man almost spits. "But I will not sign a treaty regarding our own levies that have not been signed by the League's Marshal. I have no such power, and if the diplomat sent by Prius and the Marshal of the League cannot pretend to tolerate one another for but an hour, I have little faith that a sheet of parchment will turn those rattled swords to held hands." Spoiler: IOC Clarification Hide The Nana ambassador from the grand tournament is still in Valkyrie. Roadie didn't even flinch. If this man had any idea what she'd seen..." Nand and Prius do not have to like each other to work together, only share a common interest. You are correct that if this deal is not signed by your marshal it is useless,"She turned back to Bahrām." But Kabuki does not have to sign it immediately. He'll cool down. And if not... well, then we've lost nothing but a few minutes' time to hammer out any final details."" Also, in all likelihood, I will be fired for this, so..." She shrugged." There'll be no one rattling and no one to rattle NAND's blades at." Galerius was struggling to temper the insult of this supposed diplomat openly rolling her eyes at him in mockery. He was surprised when Bahrām sought to silently ease him temper with his hand on his shoulder and flicked a grateful glance to the man. However inept her demeanor, Lady Naves was right that Prius had long pledged their support of Belgium. He tried to keep that in mind as the other powers sniped at each other. Ultimately the agreement would be between their realms, even if he must suffer the figurehead at present. At the topic of technological advancements, Galerius's interest was peaked. Could they not work out something to all of their interest? "On the topic of technological advancements, might we not come to an agreement? I would not seek to gain more than I could offer in that vein, but an equal sharing cooperative might benefit us all." Perhaps he was stretching things a bit considering the current climate of the room, but it couldn't hurt to ask. "Owing to the current state of my Marshal, I could not guarantee the exchange of the secrets of war, no. Though I may be prepared to negotiate the exchange of other advancements, if that suits you. And I would certainly entertain anyone on one offers, in lieu of any blanket deals." Baram spoke to the room, though his eyes were on the Belgium King, as it had been him who had asked. Originally Posted by Half Tangible "Also, in all likelihood, I will be fired for this, so..." She shrugged. "There'll be no one rattling and no one to rattle NAND's blades at." "There are always more blades to rattle.", Show mumbles morosely." If we are to be fighting side by side, we will need to tolerate each other regardless, lest we inspire discord in the ranks. But I suppose that's in the hands of our Marshal and your Queen now. I will speak no more of this." Meanwhile, as the discussion turns to technology on the other side of the table, a South Sea Grand Secretary speaks up from the seat previously occupied by Kabuki. When did he get there?" If I may? If our armies are to be collaborating directly upon the battlefield, we should be able to make use of one another's specialized teams and resources where necessary. If Prius or Belgium requires Tontos Cavalry support, for example, it should not be a great challenge to call upon the ones already trained and equipped by the Kingdom of NAND, and it should not be too difficult to requisition a few Thunderbolts when needed. As far as civic developments, the League has in the past traded such things generously, and as a representative of the Krona League Merchant's Collective I do not believe this policy is likely to change in the future, especially toward trustworthy allies." Originally Posted by BladeofObliviom "There are always more blades to rattle.", Show mumbles morosely. "If we are to be fighting side by side, we will need to tolerate each other regardless, lest we inspire discord in the ranks. But I suppose that's in the hands of our Marshal and your Queen now. I will speak no more of this." Meanwhile, as the discussion turns to technology on the other side of the table, a South Sea Grand Secretary speaks up from the seat previously occupied by Kabuki. When did he get there? "If I may? If our armies are to be collaborating directly upon the battlefield, we should be able to make use of one another's specialized teams and resources where necessary. If Prius or Belgium requires Tontos Cavalry support, for example, it should not be a great challenge to call upon the ones already trained and equipped by the Kingdom of NAND, and it should not be too difficult to requisition a few Thunderbolts when needed. As far as civic developments, the League has in the past traded such things generously, and as a representative of the Krona League Merchant's Collective I do not believe this policy is likely to change in the future, especially toward trustworthy allies." Lady Naves rubbed her chin." It would likely be more effective in the long run if we do make such trades, but given... recent outbursts, perhaps it's best we leave such matters off the table. You're correct. It would be effective enough to simply send such assets to each other as needed." She looked up." It would also encourage clear communication between all powers present, which is vital if we're going to work together." Speaking of which, in regard to civil technology that we have not yet shared, Prius can offer the structure we created for a spy network. It's so far proven effective, and the League can get as much use out of it as we can, possibly even more." She glanced at Galerius." The Kingdom's technological development has been slow, as I recall, though you said earlier that negotiations with the Truserchen were going well. You could, perhaps, gain greatly from them?" King Galerius relaxed, grateful for these reassurances though his face remained neutral lest he appear desperate. "If that settles matters, all that is left is to have the documents drawn up it seems." Considering the great difficulty they had endured in reaching the conclusion, he was pleased with the outcome. He turned again to Bahrām,"Will King Kabuki be available for the ratification of the document?" He spoke apologetically, as though discussing an embarrassing relative. Spoiler: Agreement written by AED. Hide Treaty of Ember City The Lt;titles of the rulers of Prius and Berrium> and the League of Allied Provinces, to wit, the Photos Archives of the Ambrose Ascendancy, the Sun King of NAND, the Memsahibs of Krona and Graying, the Met of Llurikesh, the Lord President of the High Council of Pulling, the Internal of Tara, the Council of Enter, the Swine King of Brawl, the Undertaker of the White Isles, the Warden of the Crack'd Tower, the Matrons of Durvahavi and Rajendrahavi, the cities of Rise and Sight, the Governors of Zoo and Bill, and the Krona South Sea Company in respect of all its territorial dominions, having this Day concluded a Treaty of amity and Commerce, for the reciprocal advantage of their Subjects and Citizens, and establishment of a Western Continental Coalition, have thought it's necessary to take into consideration the means of strengthening those engagements and of rendering them useful to the safety and tranquility of all parties, the parties having resolved in the Case of War to join their Counsels and efforts against the Enterprises of their common Enemies, the respective Plenipotentiaries, empower'd to concert the Clauses camp; conditions proper to fulfil the said Intentions, have, after the most mature Deliberation, concluded and determined on the following Articles. Article 1 The Contracting Parties mutually promise peace and friendship, and will enter into no Alliance or engagement directed against any one of the Contracting Parties, their territories, Subjects, possessions or dominions. They engage to proceed to an exchange of ideas on political and economic Questions of a general nature which may arise, and they further promise one another mutual support within the limits of their own interests. Article 2 If one, or two, of the Contracting Parties, with or without direct provocation on their part, should chance to be attacked and to be engaged in a War with one or more Foreign Powers non-signatory to the present Treaty, or to declare war of their own volition upon one or more Foreign Powers non-signatory to the present Treaty, the cases Frederic will arise simultaneously for all the Contracting Parties. The Contracting Parties shall each on its own Part, and in the manner it may judge most proper, make all the efforts in its Power, against their common Enemy, in order to attain the end proposed. Article 3 None of the Contracting Parties shall be bound by this Treaty in respect of an attack on the Queensland's of Prius. In the event of an Attack on the Island Colonies of Belgium in the north-western sea the contribution of the Contracting Parties shall be limited to that which can be reasonably supplied and transported through the efforts of the local navy of Belgium. In the event of Attack on Sun isle or the White Isles, no imminent obligation shall fall upon the Navy of Belgium to provide immediate assistance and the Contracting Parties shall regulate by a particular Convention the quantity and kind of Succor to be furnished, and the Time and manner of its being brought into action. In respect of the inferior logistical arrangements and provisions in place within the territories and military establishment of one of the Contracting Parties, the Army of the Prius Imperium shall be obliged by the terms of this Treaty to walk only so far as they may be arsed in order to defend the territories of their Sworn Allies and no farther. Article 4 If the peace of the Contracting Parties should chance to be threatened under the circumstances foreseen by the preceding Articles, the Contracting Parties shall take counsel together in ample time as to the military measures to be taken with a view to eventual cooperation. They engage henceforward, in all cases of common participation in a war, to conclude neither armistice nor Truce nor Peace nor treaty, except by common agreement amongst themselves and with the formal consent of the other Contracting Parties first obtain'd. Article 5 The Contracting Parties agree to invite or admit other Powers who may have received injuries from Enemies of the Coalition to make common cause with them, and to accede to the present alliance, under such conditions as shall be freely agreed to and settled between all the Parties. Article 6 The present Treaty shall remain in force during the space of ten years, dating from the day of the exchange of ratifications. Article 7 The present Treaty shall be ratified on both sides and the Ratifications shall be exchanged in the space of six months, sooner if possible. Done at Ember City, this ___ day of ___, in the year 140 of the Eric Calendar (Signatures) If there are any changes you'd like made before we sign, please speak up now. To walk only so far as they may be arsed ((Looks good for the most part))((I don't know if it's just me, but this phrase sticks out like a sore thumb buried in the rest of this thing's legalese. Can it be reworded?))((I'd also suggest it give permission to move through each other's territories for the purposes of defense. Just so we don't need to list it as a non-action every round)) Originally Posted by Pepper. Spoiler: Agreement written by AED. Hide Treaty of Ember City The High Queen of Prius, The King of Belgium and the League of Allied Provinces, to wit, the Photos Archives of the Ambrose Ascendancy, the Sun King of NAND, the Memsahibs of Krona and Graying, the Met of Llurikesh, the Lord President of the High Council of Pulling, the Internal of Tara, the Council of Enter, the Swine King of Brawl, the Undertaker of the White Isles, the Warden of the Crack'd Tower, the Matrons of Durvahavi and Rajendrahavi, the cities of Rise and Sight, the Governors of Zoo and Bill, and the Krona South Sea Company in respect of all its territorial dominions, having this Day concluded a Treaty of amity and Commerce, for the reciprocal advantage of their Subjects and Citizens, and establishment of a Western Continental Coalition, have thought it's necessary to take into consideration the means of strengthening those engagements and of rendering them useful to the safety and tranquility of all parties, the parties having resolved in the Case of War to join their Counsels and efforts against the Enterprises of their common Enemies, the respective Plenipotentiaries, empower'd to concert the Clauses camp; conditions proper to fulfil the said Intentions, have, after the most mature Deliberation, concluded and determined on the following Articles. Article 1 The Contracting Parties mutually promise peace and friendship, and will enter into no Alliance or engagement directed against any one of the Contracting Parties, their territories, Subjects, possessions or dominions. They engage to proceed to an exchange of ideas on political and economic Questions of a general nature which may arise, and they further promise one another mutual support within the limits of their own interests. Article 2 If one, or two, of the Contracting Parties, with or without direct provocation on their part, should chance to be attacked and to be engaged in a War with one or more Foreign Powers non-signatory to the present Treaty, or to declare war of their own volition upon one or more Foreign Powers non-signatory to the present Treaty, the cases Frederic will arise simultaneously for all the Contracting Parties. The Contracting Parties shall each on its own Part, and in the manner it may judge most proper, make all the efforts in its Power, against their common Enemy, in order to attain the end proposed. Article 3 None of the Contracting Parties shall be bound by this Treaty in respect of an attack on the Queensland's of Prius. In the event of an Attack on the Island Colonies of Belgium in the north-western sea the contribution of the Contracting Parties shall be limited to that which can be reasonably supplied and transported through the efforts of the local navy of Belgium. In the event of Attack on Sun isle or the White Isles, no imminent obligation shall fall upon the Navy of Belgium to provide immediate assistance and the Contracting Parties shall regulate by a particular Convention the quantity and kind of Succor to be furnished, and the Time and manner of its being brought into action. In respect of the inferior logistical arrangements and provisions in place within the territories and military establishment of one of the Contracting Parties, the Army of the Prius Imperium shall be obliged by the terms of this Treaty to walk only so far as they may not incur undue losses in order to defend the territories of their Sworn Allies and no farther. Article 4 If the peace of the Contracting Parties should chance to be threatened under the circumstances foreseen by the preceding Articles, the Contracting Parties shall take counsel together in ample time as to the military measures to be taken with a view to eventual cooperation. They engage henceforward, in all cases of common participation in a war, to conclude neither armistice nor Truce nor Peace nor treaty, except by common agreement amongst themselves and with the formal consent of the other Contracting Parties first obtain'd. Article 5 The Contracting Parties agree to invite or admit other Powers who may have received injuries from Enemies of the Coalition to make common cause with them, and to accede to the present alliance, under such conditions as shall be freely agreed to and settled between all the Parties. Article 6 The present Treaty shall remain in force during the space of ten years, dating from the day of the exchange of ratifications. Article 7 The present Treaty shall be ratified on both sides and the Ratifications shall be exchanged in the space of six months, sooner if possible. Article 8 The Contracting Parties hereby grant one another full access for men material supplies and other necessary instruments of warfare throughout their territories for the purposes of any and all military activities undertaken with reference to this Treaty, such access to persist until the termination of the Treaty Done at Ember City, this ___ day of ___, in the year 140 of the Eric Calendar (Signatures) If there are any changes you'd like made before we sign, please speak up now. Amended Treaty. How's this? That's agreeable to me. ((Good 'enough for me.)) Are we done with the role play then? Do we just add the treaty to our IC post? I mean, our characters can passive-aggressively snipe at each other some more if you want. Seems like it though. Originally Posted by Jerry Are we done with the role play then? Do we just add the treaty to our IC post? Originally Posted by BladeofObliviom I mean, our characters can passive-aggressively snipe at each other some more if you want. Seems like it though. I'm going to link this treaty to my actions as well

Ember City|rating:3.0

The Widow's Kiss (Quinz128 x Chronoclasm)

To the Saint's Sword, That was how the letter started, giving the man a look at how the author tried to give some sense of respect and pleading to what was known to be his previous nature. That would have been a name that could have been used ironically, though as he went through the rest of the letter, it would soon be revealed that it showed genuine respect, if not just a way to try and inflate his ego for what came after. The Church has been known to be looking into the curse that they named The Widow's Kiss, though it seems they had been looking more into the bloody history they had with monsters when they had been sighted in ages past rather than compassion for those that had been afflicted. My awareness with this is what had brought me to go around the influences of the Lionizes and seek someone who may have more sense than to massacre those who had been taken in by the curse. I am speaking of my own blood, my daughter, and though I have made it a priority to keep her comfortable, she is not permitted to leave her room due to my own fears of reactions that would come from it. I know of you to be a humble man. Even when you were part of the church and worked as an enforcer, most thought you're fair in your judgement and your ideas of justice overwhelming. As such, that is why I have sent this letter to you, specifically. Though your name is stained from your exoneration, there are many who still show respect for you, as evidenced by your ability to still be hired by those about, even with the disapproval of the Church. The lack of your requirements to go behind the shadows and hide in back alleys for your food is evidence to me that you hold those same ideals that many praised you for. I understand this may be concerning for you, but I have little recourse. I am requesting you to meet in the local tavern named The Right Boot within the city of Orestes. Furthermore, I cannot meet you, personally, but I will have an agent come here every day for the month of July to await your arrival as I am sure you may be busy by the time you get this letter and may need to take time to travel to the location. Your face is recognizable to this agent so he will sit with you when you order something for yourself. He will give further details to you if you arrive. Respectfully, LMTThe seal that kept the papers together was wax and had some odd signet that may not have been recognizable. There had been rumors, of course, that some Lords of the land had their own private signets for black ops, and this may be one of them. After all, it showed some keywords and methods that implied such. Meeting at a tavern than at a home, speaking with an agent than a named person, not giving a direct date. It all seemed suspicious, of course, but the matter posted was something that could be understandable. The Church of St. Leonor was merciless against those afflicted by the Widow's Kiss. The curse mentioned in the letter was still fairly new. It hadn't even been half a decade yet, but many were afflicted. And it was only the womenfolk. The curse changed them, turned them from human to something entirely different! What did it change them to seemed random though? It could just be a type of beast folk with claws and fangs and a tail, or it could be an amorphous blob of flesh and slime, or even a furred or scaled creatures with enough muscles to crush a man even through a full plate of armor. And no one knew where it originated from. The Church's official word was the same as decades ago when the original monster problem ended:Slay the beasts and send them to God for their punishment. Because of that, they succeeded and been praised and raised high above the various other faiths. They had cemented themselves into the annuls of history. They were no longerachurch, but ratherthechurch. Others were still around, but through the years, they had to go into hiding as the Lionizes had gotten more power and had persecuted the lesser faiths as heretical in some cases. And when this new affliction arose, they brought arms in, as before. Only a year later, they had Inquisitors set up to find and slay the beasts, which many approved of, but - as this letter shows - some feared that it may be extreme, as they realize that the women were still mothers, wives and daughters. So, the excommunicated priest once known as The Saint's Sword - Lazier Dumont - was pleaded to, trying to show humanity with a father's plea. But who could this father be? Clearly, someone with some sense of power. The Saint's Sword. Lazare had grimaced when he'd read those words. Once upon a time, he'd worn that name like a badge of honor. How foolish. What did it mean, after all? Really? That he was a man who killed for a god? Where was there a difference between killing for god or killing for profit? Where did murder end and justice begin? Maybe it was better to kill for profit in the final accounting of things. At least then you were serving yourself, and not acting as a tool for others. And as it were, a sword was nothing more than a tool made for killing. Lazare Dumont had been an excellent killing tool for the Church. The former priest continued reading, despite the painful reminder of his old life and his younger self's hubris. The letter had made it clear that this mysterious contact, whoever he was, was in need of his help. His daughter had been Kissed, and he did not trust the Church to treat her any better than the executioner treats his prisoners at the gallows. The man was wise to be wary. The Church would have her killed as an abomination. Truth be told, Lazier might have taken her head himself not so many years ago--when he'd still done the bidding of that Church. But now his only lodestones were his heart and his conscience. He had learned to trust in them, for they were the best jurors one could ask for in deciding what was right and what was wrong. Though, to be fair, this curse did seem wrong. The Widow's Kiss had set upon the world only a few years ago; but already it had changed everything. Women were frightened to travel. Men were increasingly frightened of women. How many were affected? How did the curse manifest? Why did it only affect women? Was there a cure? All of these were questions that hadn't been answered yet. Or, if they had been, Lazier knew not the solutions to those problems. He only knew that his life had been forfeit since he'd lost everything with the death of his wife and the breaking of his ties to the Church. And if his life held no worth, why not spend it on a big problem? Few problems were bigger than this curse. These were the thoughts that brought the ex-priest through the doors of teethe Right Boot. He stepped in calmly, confidently, and surveyed the room. Lazier was a tall man with broad shoulders and sharp, green eyes. His hair was black, and shaggy, and he wore a short beard. He looked more like an outlaw than a holy man. But as he walked towards the bar, any who looked upon him and knew of his reputation would recognize him. He wore a chain shirt and his famous twin swords--"The Saint" and "The Sinner"--with a tattered, dark green cloak dragging behind him. Around his throat was the holy symbol of St. Leonor--who, despite everything, Lazier still loved--and he wore the three-barred cross as a brand on his forehead, between his eyes, which declared to the whole world that he was a defrocked priest. That he had been dishonorably discharged and excommunicated. He had never sought to get it fixed, and he never made an effort to hide it. If he'd once worn the name of "the Saint's Sword" with pride, he now wore the symbol of his excommunication with pride. It stood for something real. It stood for the woman he'd loved and given up everything for. Their marriage had been short-lived--and had required that he break the vow of chastity he had once made to the Church--but it had brought him more happiness in its few months than all his years before then. The brand was nothing less than a way for him to remember who he'd lost, and why. Stopping at the bar, he placed a slightly bent silver coin on the counter. "I'll take some mead." As the tavern's keeper worked to fulfill the order, Lazier looked around the room once more. Was his contact there already? Not yet? The Boot was rather sparsely occupied at this point - perhaps it was still early - though there was some of the townsfolk that managed to find their way to the watering hole and even one who was passed out with a wooden mug tipped over and drooling on a table. It certainly wasn't a high class establishment, making it seem all the more reason to be a front for the letter-writer. When the request of mead came, the bartender - a rather thin man with a ragged beard and hair cut short enough that whoever did the work may have been trying to scalp the poor man - quirked a brow and said, "Don't have any of that. Have Lagers and Ales, 'bout is on those. Also have some whiskey if that's your taste." He glanced to the silver, considering and said, "Will get you a whiskey for that." While the bartender moved to the side, crouching down to get a clay jug from some cupboards, the bar seat next to the ex-priest, "Get me some of that too, will you?" The man shouted to the tender, who then looked over to Lazier, brown eyes lifting and falling to gaze over the newcomer to the bar, a tanned hair brushing back some stands of black hair. "Hardly see one of your kind coming anywhere close to society at times. Suppose now is a good time as any to sneak in, then?" The man's voice was casual, though the hint of purpose behind it seemed intentional for Lazier to pick up. "If you're one of those that are looking for jobs, I have something you may be interested in." The bartender would have set down a pewter cup for the two, pouring from the jug some of the clear liquid, before settling it to the bar. "If you ain't wanted the whiskey, still got those lagers and ales." He proclaimed, arm resting on the side of the jug as he looked between the two men, the one who settled beside Lazier said, "Consider it." before taking up the pewter cup of his own, leaving a couple coins and wandering off to one of the tables a bit away from the other patrons, pulling a chair out and settling down as he sipped from the cup." Well?" The bartender gave one more questioning look to Lazier, waiting before actually taking the silver that was laid out. "It'll do," Lazier grunted in response to the bartender's inquiry, pushing the silver coin closer to the short-haired man. He hadn't had a whiskey in a while anyway. Once the business transaction had been finished, the ex-priest collected his own pewter cup and began to make his way towards the man who'd offered him work a moment ago. It seemed more than evident that this was the man he was supposed to be meeting. And it was clear from Lazier's stern expression that the former holy man was not a fan of spy games. Like most honest men, the art of deception was sometimes lost on him. Sitting at the table with the subtler man, Lazier took a long, slow sip of his whiskey then set his mug aside. "I take it you're the letter writer's agent?" Straight to the point, then? "What's the job?" It was a question he asked for himself nowadays. He remembered when he'd been assigned duties by the Church, and acted on them without hesitation. These days, he got to decide whether he'd take or refuse a mission. It was probably the best part of being a sell sword: He could always say no if he was asked to do something he didn't want to do. He hadn't had that luxury as a priest. When Lazier sat at the table with the black haired man, said man lifted his gaze up, taking a calm drink of whiskey from the pewter cup of his own, allowing the alcohol to burn down his throat while the ex-priest went in as bluntly as he could. This was expected, but no one here would know nor care about the situation pertaining to anyletterssent. "I'll be as blunt as you, my Lord's Daughter has been changed, and she is kept as safe from prying eyes as possible. He figured a Holman may be able to lift the affliction, but can't believe the church won't have ill intentions. You were the best candidate." At this moment, the man took up the pouch he had at his side, placing it down on the table and stating, "This is a partial payment to show good will. If you can help her, then you will be offered stamped gold." If Lazier so chose to look inside the pouch, he'd have seen several sovereigns, it seemed to be about twenty full pieces. "This is of grave important, and as he said he would trust you without written word, my Lord is the current King of Bernstein, Lewis the Fourth. He wanted to give this as when you discover a cure, then you can enter his course with a phrase I am only permitted to give if you accept his request." And with that word, the brown eyes of the man focused on Lazier, waiting for some confirmation, his arm settled across the table, as hand gripping the cup he had loosely. Lazier frowned thoughtfully. King Lewis the Fourth. Bernstein. He knew the country, and the man--if only by name and reputation. But it was the first time he'd actually been asked for by a royal. Normally the noble classes avoided excommunicated priests as though they had plague. That the King of Bernstein would risk the wrath of the Lionizes meant that he was very desperate indeed. Reaching across the table, Lazier took hold of the purse and dragged it across the wood, feeling its weight. He didn't count the coins. The money was most likely meant to help him fund the hunt for the cure: And, as such, he expected there was an ample amount." I'll take the job," he finally answered, the coin purse disappearing somewhere behind his green cloak. "What's the phrase to gain audience, should I find the cure?" A part of him felt silly taking the job. A cure? Many dedicated healers and holy men had tried already without success to produce one. At least as far as he'd heard, the only way you "cured" Widow's Kiss was by fire and sword. What hope did he have of completing this mission? But what point did he have in denying it? Even if he did fail, he'd have already been paid some of the fee. And he did hope to treat or slow the disease one day. For him, it was a win-win at least." I'd like to capture a victim of the Kiss to examine how the curse is affecting their body. What's the last, and nearest, report of monstrous activity you've heard tell of?" He seemed intent on getting right to work. And by doing something insane, too: Going in solo. Against a monster. The man remained silent, his eyes hard as he watched the ex-priest's movements. The way his brow creased when he thought of the name, the flex of his muscles as he took the pouch and dragged it across the table and tested the weight. Those brown eyes didn't shift anywhere but towards Lazier, at least until he spoke. When there was an agreement, the agent lifted his cup and took a quick drink of the whiskey, gritting his teeth at the burn of the alcohol, before he settled the cup down. He leaned forwards after, closing his eyes and listening close to try and identify if anyone was getting close. He sensed no one." Larissa Blu prefers Black Teas." The agent said simply. If it was meant to be a name 'Larissa Blu' was certainly not a common one, nor any that was in a court that someone would know of. When it was stated, he pulled back, settling to his chair and taking the time to relax, finishing his whiskey, placing the cup upside down when it was completely drained as Lazier asked his question. "Aside from the one known in the contract, there has been several sighted along the west coast. Ever since Nation fell they had been claiming the oceans." Figuring that this may be a good time, the agent took something else out, a folded scrap of paper that he set upon the table. It was a local map of the area around Orestes, the capital was north-east of this location and west-southwest was a marked town called Kinsey, if the markings were to be believed. And west of there was the marked town of Nation. The black-haired main traced a path with his finger, "These are is mostly hills, so it will be easy enough to travel, especially if you take the road, which would go directly to Nation. Kinsey is between here and there, but is overcrowded due to domestic refugees that left Nation. If you fear any persecution due to your unique history, you can avoid it by just adding a day, as there are guardians sent by the king to watch over Kinsey while they debate actions against the monsters in the area." The agent pushed the map towards Lazier, stating, "Yours for use." It seemed like it could be useful for the ex-priest anyway. "You are not considered contracted. This is all under the table until you show results, I hope you understand. If you get into trouble, it is your own to deal with. From here to Kinsey is just under a full day by foot. To Nation is an extra day by foot. If I were to give advice, some of that coin could be useful in purchasing a horse, if you think you can care for it." Dumont had not touched his whiskey since that opening sip. It merely sat beside him, forgotten atop the table. Truth be told, he really would have preferred the mead. Alas. When the passphrase was mentioned, the ex-priest closed his eyes and mentally repeated it to himself several times. Larissa Blu prefers Black Teas. LB prefers BTS. Once he was satisfied that he'd remember it, his hard, green eyes reopened. By this point, the agent he was seated across from had already begun unfurling his map, and Lazier leaned forward to follow the other man's directions. It sounded like a good idea for him to avoid Kinsey, as suggested. He didn't normally expect much trouble from people, even as an outcast, but a town crowded with refugees was bound to be unusually tense and distrusting. A man like him would be fueled for the fire in a situation like that. The suggestion that he get a horse was wise counsel as well. He had never been to Nation, and it had been a rather long time since he'd seen the ocean. Seeing the latter, he expected, would be a bit nicer than seeing the former. If the town had been claimed by monsters, it was likely going to be a bit too risky for sightseeing. And, either way, having a horse for quick escape could prove lifesaving." Understood. I'm on my own until I can cure the young lady." He confirmed his situation, but it didn't surprise him. He was considered an investment--to be purchased and waited on--and little more. Lazier suspected that more than a few like himself had already been hired by the desperate king, and more would likely follow. It had to be nice to have that much disposable income. "I'll be making my way straight to Nation if that's the nexus of attacks in your kingdom." The mercenary rose from the table, green cloak draping closed around his muscled form. "Anything else I should know?" He asked, slowly rolling up the map and sticking it into his belt for safekeeping. "If not, just point me to the stables." "Once we part ways, I'll report to my Lord and you will not get any contact from then on. At least until your success comes. And if I am so bold, I am sure that if your success comes, even with your reputation, my Lord does love his daughter enough you may be granted a land and title. This is quite worth it for you." The agent did seem to start speaking candidly at this point, perhaps the alcohol was taking its toll? "You have the coin and the map, so it may be best to go there, yes. If you think you can find the cure of them. There are various attacks along the roads, along the woods and hills, so you will be sure to meet some any direction you go, but Nation was the first town that I had ever heard of being so overrun people had to retreat." When Lazier rose, so, too, did the agent. The man kept his hands to his side and just stared forwards as the ex-priest asked if there was anything more. "Nothing more if you have no further questions." He turned, pointing to one of the walls, stating, "Once you leave the building, take a left. Go along to the rim of the town, you should see the stables there." There took a moment, before he said, "I do hope to see you again, and soon. As that may mean you may have success. I do wish you luck as I have known one in my own family afflicted. Be wary of them, some... speak like us, but will go feral at a turn..." With that, the man offered a bow and sat back down, figuring it best that they don't leave at the same time. Lazier bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the other man's words. In truth, he cared little for the promise of land and title. Maybe once such things might have appealed to him, but after losing his faith and most of his reasons for living? The man might as well have been promising him a sandwich and some spiced wine after the mission was finished. Indeed, the ex-priest might even prefer that to the title! Either way, he took note of the man's directions and thanked him once more for both the guidance and the advice. Be wary. It made sense. These creatures may have once been human beings, but they now preyed upon them. And he had to agree with the agent on another point as well: This was also the first time he'd heard of a whole town being overrun by monstrous invaders. Was the group he was planning to approach acting together? Or perhaps he would be approaching the nexus point of all the monsters in this region, and they're just drawn there for some other more magical--or more ceremonial--reason?" I'll be on my guard. And I'll look forward to seeing you soon." With those words, Lazier turned away and began to walk for the exit. Larissa Blu prefers Black Teas. Larissa Blu prefers Black Teas. He repeated the phrase he'd later need as he made his way to the stables. A few hours later and he had a sturdy brown horse, a mare named Bess, with full saddlebags. In addition to buying feed for his horse, he'd decided to load up on supplies for himself. Mostly food and water, but also a few adventuring tools, a bow and arrows, and a handful of other knickknacks. He'd depleted more than a couple of his gold coins in the process. After preparing for a journey that was sure to take him off the roads and around the area over the course of a few days, he departed Orestes, making his way diagonally towards Nathilton--avoiding Kinsey and its refugees. He was prepared to ride until nightfall, setting camp then, if nothing found him or stopped him on the way towards Nation. Then in the morning, he'd start back towards the town anew. The good news with such an open plain - whether killed or not - was that it would make things difficult to sneak on him. However, the light of an open campfire that he would be able to make was an easy sight for anyone else. There was a beaten road towards Kinsey, if the map was anything to go off of, there even a smaller beaten path towards Nation afterward, but that did cut through the town as well. Other than that, the hilly plains were uncultivated. Thankfully, he didn't get any bother from others. He saw a pair of soldiers on the road, along horseback, but even if he tried to get their attention, one look at the brand on his forehead, and they just ignored him and continued on their way, seeming to not wish to be bothered with someone as him. Though, at least, they didn't pursue him at this point. The night fell, and off the detour, he would be a slight bit southwest of Kinsey. At this pace, he may make Nation before Midday, thanks to the aid of the riding mare. The fires and lights of the town of Kinsey were visible in the distance, if he focused on looking, making it unlikely that others would really notice a fire from there as it seemed lit well enough that no one would have such keen dark vision that a light at a distance would arouse their notice. One thing that Lazier may notice, though, is that there were shadows shifting more to the east. It was easier for him to tell due to how open the area was, there at least two figures about, though the details would be impossible. They were, basically, humanoid, at least in shape, but that didn't offer much ease, since both man and monster kept such forms. But no words nor action was given, yet. His travels had taken him more than halfway to his destination already. He was a little saddle sore after the long afternoon's ride, but he was glad to have put Orestes behind him. Not that hemindedthe city, but after a while his brand always drew unwelcome attention--maybe it was a drunk looking for someone to pick on, maybe it was a scoundrel hoping to recruit him for some dastardly deed (mistaking his mark of excommunication with his being a criminal), or maybe it was another priest intent on making an example out of him. One way or another, the fact that he was a pariah would eventually put him into a situation that he'd just as soon avoid. He didn't much like to stick around cities for too long as a result. No, it was in settings like this one that he felt most at ease: Sat before the glow of a small campfire, bedroll unfurled across the grass, a canopy of twinkling stars overhead. He had just dressed a rabbit he'd felled earlier and spit it over the fire for his evening's meal when he noticed movement off to the east. His sharp gaze flickered in the direction of the far off figures, and his lips pressed into a thin, anxious line. Itcouldbe nothing. They were still near enough town that it could simply be someone going to or heading out of Kinsey. But the idea of his sleeping here was suddenly made discomforting. If it was someone watching him, then the moment he put his guard down they would strike. Better to investigate now, while he had his all senses about him. Lifting to his feet, Lazier adjusted the sword at his hip and the sword at the small of his back, then picked up his bow. An arrow was lazily notched in the bowstring, but he didn't draw it. Ready for anything, he began to approach the figures to the east, eyes squinting in the dim light. "Ho there!" He cried out to them after he covered some ground between the fire and the figures in the distance. His shoulders were tense with his wariness. "Why don't you join me at my fire and warm yourselves, friends?" A friendly approach. This way he was extending an olive branch. If they fled (or attacked), then he'd very quickly know that their intent was not likewise benevolent. There was something that caught his ear, light whispers, but it wasn't clear what it was. They had stopped when his words rang out, silence being occupied in the darkness... Complete and utter silence. It had no insects buzzing, the only thing was the crackling of the fire that broken any bit of the quiet. It was several minutes he would stand, before there was the audible noise of crushing crash underfoot, as if it almost seemed like whatever it was had intentionally been loud. The shape came into view, at first, with his back to the fire he could see it easily. It was significantly smaller than him, just over three feet. It looked human like, seemed to have arms and hands, legs, feet, a head. Furthermore, it was obviously female with wide hips and a chest that carried a pair of breasts, hair that was short enough to keep the ears uncovered, which were long and rounded at the tips. The color was next, the hair was black, and skin was completely green, eyes were large and almost a pure red, except for the tiny bit of white that was about when she looked left and right without turning her head. Her mouth was large, and giving a grin full of white teeth. Obviously, not human. Despite that, if he gave some time the creature - completely naked and baring everything for him to see, would lean forwards, lifting one hand up and wagging the fingers which had dirty black nails on them before it said in a deep, but feminine voice, "Hiiiiii." There was just one revealing itself, but the question did have to be: was there really only one, just quick and seeming like more, or was this some kind of... diversion? Lazier's eyes widened at the sight of the miniature humanoid. He had hoped the source of his suspicions wouldn't be one. He had hoped he'd been worrying about nothing. But here he was, face to face with one of the cursed women he'd been charged to save. He took a careful step back, away from her. While before he had felt "so close" to town, now he felt "so far" from its protective walls. Every instinct told him to fire on the creature, but he did not draw on his bow. The woman--no, the monster--was unarmed. And what remained of his gentle nature told him that to kill an unarmed creature was not befitting a priest. He pulled his gaze away from the naked creature, searching around himself for any signs of encirclement or flanking by her allies (if she had any). Another step back. He was trying to fall back to the fire he'd lit, and his horse. He wanted to be able to get away in a hurry if things went sour. Licking his suddenly dry lips, he replied to the goblin-like woman. "Good evening, m'lady," his voice gruff, a little unsure. Could she still understand language? It seemed like it? "I fear the air's a bit chill for you to travel unclad. Perhaps I could gift you my cloak?" Maybe he could buy her off. Her being naked was also very distracting. Most of his brain told his eyes to search and scan for threats. But part of his brain, the reptilian part, kept sending his eyes back to the nude creature. She wasn't exactly beautiful, but it had been a very long time since he'd seen a naked woman. And she had all the parts and pieces. Even if she was a bit of a short stack. His glances around wouldn't be very fruitful, thanks to the image of the fire flickering and giving off its light did make his dark vision wane to make the darkness seem rather consuming past the limits of the fire's way. Of course, he did get himself able to back up without and restrictions. The little green-skinned woman did advance, though, when he backed up, she's leaning forwards, looking over him with unblinking eyes and an unfaltering smile full of sharp teeth." Is cold, yes." She seemed to agree with that still gruff voice, her eyes looking over the area, nose sniffing, "And scent of meat cooking, too. Warm food... Cloak?" Though it had been a moment before she acknowledged his offer, she's taking a couple steps forwards. "What you want for it? Have more food?" She questioned, the whole time she spoke, it seemed as if she hadn't blinked a single time, though her eyes did shift down to the fire a couple of times, stopping in the middle of its illumination. At this point, the monster woman stopped, standing still as she waited for his reaction, glancing around from the left and right with just her eyes, not turning her head away from the male. The man cautiously released one hand's hold on his bow and raised his fingers to the clasp of his cloak. Slowly, quietly, he unlatched the tattered green covering and tossed it towards the small monster woman. She was about eye-level with his groin, and she might note (now that the cloak was no longer shielding it from view) how he'd managed to grow a slight bulge in the front of his pants with his constantly sneaking peeks at her nude form. He didn't seem to be thinking about it, though. He still seemed on guard." Take it," he offered, referring to the cloak. "And I'll share my meal with you as well. Come sit with me at my fire?" He seemed to relax just a little as she put her desires forward. She was cold and hungry. Not looking for a fight. At least that's what it seemed at the moment? He could indulge the woman in that. Especially if she was willing to trade for it." In exchange, I would know more of where you're coming from. Do you know the place called Nation?" He met her red gaze direct, half expecting her to launch an attack at any moment. When he offered the cloak, she glances to the sides, taking a step forwards and taking it quickly, before taking a step back. She kept still, just at arm's length, as she shook her head about the question of her coming to sit by the fire. She did go about wrapping herself in the cloak, offering a bit of a tittering laugh. It was rather warm for her, but despite all that kindness for her, offering the food and cloak, Lazier was ambushed. Two others of similar stature, color and shape came from the shadows. The goblin-like woman moved to try and knock him down, one coming for his legs and the other trying to jump to hit his chest so that they could work together to get the ex-priest down on the ground. The other one who had spoked stared at what was going on, she's tilting her head, the smile changing to a frown, but with just as many visible teeth as her smile, she's keeping the cloak around her as she considered the way the fight here would be going. When the girl seemed reluctant to approach, Lazier lifted his free hand, palm forward, as though to express his peaceful intentions. Those intentions were not to be reciprocated. A flicker of movement caught his eye before he noticed that he'd been outflanked by her allies. Damn! The goblin girls were fast, and with them coming at him from each side he barely had time to react. When their combined assault landed, it put him on the ground. He grunted, the wind knocked out of him, as he fell onto his back against the hard-packed earth. But the ex-priest was an old soldier, and wouldn't go down without a fight ... Even as he landed against the soil and the grass, he kicked back at the goblin that had bowled his legs out from under him, trying to knock her aside with one of his boots--before then rolling swiftly to put himself on top of the other goblin that had attacked him. The blade at the small of his back, "The Sinner," was suddenly in his hand. Unless the goblin was able to escape more quickly than he was able to draw that blade around (and if the other two hadn't regrouped and started attacking again), he'd try to put that blade to her throat and call for a ceasefire. "Enough! She dies if you draw near!" He was breathing hard as his lungs finally started recovering from the heavy fall. And if he hadn't been able to put the blade to the goblin's neck? He'd just rise warily, drawing his second blade, as each side reset their defenses. The scuffle happened quickly, the ex-priest able to kick away the one at his feet. He was bigger, stronger, and able to cause the creature to roll away, stumbling on the ground, causing the other one with his cloak to hop back. That one didn't seem to help the other two, especially as Lazier managed to roll and get his blade to the throat of one of the green-skins, threatening the other two. It was disregarded by one, however, as the one who had initially gone for his feet gave a light roar of defiance, arms up and attempting to grab at the human, trying to bite at whatever she could grab with her tiny, but sharp row of teeth. While the freed one had tried an attack, the one that was pin tried to struggle, yet his weight alone would have been more than enough to keep her in place, as she was too small and frail in comparison to a trained warrior as Lazier, she basically at his mercy despite her thrashings. Lazier's heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through his veins. But compared to the street toughs and soldiers he was used to fighting, the only thing these ladies had going for them was their speed and their size. And the latter worked against the one pinned beneath the ex-priest, as he kept her easily under his control. The defiant one who continued her attack, though? The only thing she'd get a mouthful of was "The Saint." The blade at his hip was out in a wink, and it flashed in the firelight momentarily before he sheathed the blade into the throat of the attacking goblin girl. His cold gaze barely registered her shock as he drew the blade back out and watched her fall to the ground. Putting both blades to the throat of the goblin beneath him, he spoke, finally, to the one green-skin who hadn't participated. And who still wore his cloak. "This fight is over. Tell your friend to stop her struggling, and I shall let you both go. If you bury your dead, you may take your fallen comrade as well." Even in victory, he seemed magnanimous. At the very least he hadn't yet executed the one he had under his power. The ex-priest was an efficient killer, but not heartless. Even against the foe he'd have crusaded against only a few short years ago. The blade would pierce through the creature's throat like a hot knife through butter, leaving nothing there but the shell of a corpse as the blow seemed to instantly slay it. The withdrawal of the weapon had the black-blood oozing from the wound and body laying limply in the grass. This only seemed to cause shouting and biting and thrashing to become greater from the one under him, unrelenting in the attempt to escape, trying, in vain, to claw at his face. At least, until the second blade came up, and she just breathed out her nose, glancing left and right as it realized there really wasn't any escape. There was silence, aside from the heavy breathing of the pinned goblin and the crackling of the fire. The one who was first presented kept the surrounding cloak, as she had when he first offered it and she grabbed it. The other, under him, had ceased her thrashing, as he requested, though it did seem more for the survival instinct kicking in with sharp blades at her throat. There was a pause between the three of them, especially the one pinned to see if she would be released. Lazier waited until the woman beneath him had stilled. Then, and only then, did he slowly shift his position--pressing up onto one knee. Readying himself. Then, suddenly, he drew back from her, nimbly leaping away: And releasing her from his blades as he landed on the balls of his feet a few feet away. He remained in an on-guard position, crouched with both blades at the ready, and oriented himself so that he could watch both of the green-skinned girls at the same time." Go, now, with your lives." He kicked the cooked rabbit over towards the pair, letting it roll across the grass. "Take the food, and your friend, and do not return here." It was the only warning he was prepared to give them. Even in victory, though, the priest was still a priest. Showing kindness to those who might have killed him. Or perhaps he felt guilty over killing their friend, and wanted a lighter conscience? As soon as Lazier had jumped back, the one who was under him darted away, hurrying away and into the darkness. She wouldn't be seen, as soon as she vanished from the darkness, the sound of her running was loud enough to let him know she actually did hurry away. When the priest had managed to tell the last one still there, she glanced up and down, then down to the rabbit. Only then did it seem she actually blinked, lowering down and taking up the meat and then stepping backwards only turning and running off when she was at the edge of the light, as well, taking away the cloak and rabbit, too. While he was victorious and the monsters retreated, he still had the corpse by the flame there, staining the grass with black blood, face down in the dirt. After a few minutes had passed, the sound of the insects did seem to return, the buzzing and clicking and chirping, denoting that there may have been some kind of respite for him. He did have little in the way of meat, now, aside from whatever he may have packed, at least, needing to dip into his rations. No matter what he had busied himself with, the night wouldn't be bothered further. He would be able to sleep, if he so wanted, or if his paranoia kept up, he would be able to figure something until the sunlight came. Lazier relaxed as the last of the green-skinned women ran off. It might have been comical watching the little one run with his much too large cloak dragging across the ground behind her, if not for the fact that he loved that cloak. And it was rapidly disappearing into the darkness. Ah, well. She hadn't attacked him when he was distracted with the other two, so he owed her that much at least. It left him with one corpse, and little by way of fresh food. It looked like he'd be dining on trail rations tonight. But before that, he collected a vial of the goblin-like woman's black, brackish blood and capped it carefully. Setting that aside, he examined the woman's body thoroughly for any signs of wounds (besides the one he'd dealt her, of course), or bite marks, or anything that might indicate how she had been turned. Once he'd decided there were few clues to be found there, he found a flat, jagged rock and began digging a shallow grave. It took nearly two hours, but he eventually was able to roll the woman into the grave, cover her in earth, and say a small prayer over her--asking that St. Leonor grant her peace in the world after. For most people, the action might have been perplexing. Had she not tried to kill him? And it had cost him much in effort and energy, and had robbed him of some of his sleep. But for Lazier, there was never an alternative. He was burying her. After all, when Lazier's wife had died, the Church hadrefusedto bury her. She had sinned in leading Lazier away from the priesthood, they had said. Even remembering it made him mad. He would never refuse someone a proper burial. Not even a monster. Once finished with the small ceremony, he blessed some of his water and drew a circle around his campfire and his horse, borrowing St. Leonor's magic to enchant the circle. It would do little to protect him, but it would wake him if someone crossed into the warded zone. Once assured of his god's protection, and after a few mouthfuls of rations, the ex-priest slept. Morning came quick, quicker than he'd like after a long night, and he woke up with the sun. After washing and gathering his things, he knelt before the rising sun and retrieved the vial of blood. "O' St. Leonor, light of this world, I ask of you your guidance," he lifted the vial up into the sun. "Please bestow upon me insight into how this curse is being spread, and what I might do to stop it." St. Leonor had never answered him. Not directly, anyway. But he'd always found the prayers helpful in clearing his mind and inspiring him with insights. He hoped this time, too, he might have a hint from his patron. But, failing that, he would have a small breakfast of some gathered berries and water and then ride out again for Nation. He expected he'd be able to reach the town by midday--if he did not run into any delays. Waking up and after his packing and morning prayer, the ex-priest may have seen some kind of sign that directed him somewhere. It certainly would have been an odd one, as just far out there was a lone tree upon one of the hills and in the branches was some kind of flag. It was green, so was practically blending into the leaves at first, but the more he'd look to it, the more he would have realized it appeared to not be a flag, but it was a tattered cloak: his cloak. The new sunlight that rose did make Kinsey a bit more difficult to see, as without the distant lights, it was basically invisible with the rolling hills. Thanks to this, he should feel rather comfortable no humans from the town could really see him from there. But that also meant if he was in trouble - being away from the roads - then he wouldn't have someone come to help, even if they didn't see the mark on his forehead. For now, it really was a choice of detours, or continuing on to Nation. As Lazier prepared to take to the road, he noticed the flapping cloak in the distance. His expression hardened, and he considered it silently for a long time as he simply sat atop his horse. It seemed obvious that it was meant for him to see it, but was it a trap or a signal? He had survived last night's ambush, but it had been against only three of the monstrous humanoids. Would he be so lucky if there were more? In the end, he decided to investigate. Turning his horse towards the hill, he approached it cautiously. There wasn't a lot of cover, he told himself, and unless there was a band of monsters waiting for him on the other side of the hill he could see no obvious threats. If he approached carefully enough, he'd hopefully see any threats that were there. But either way, he committed himself to exploring the fluttering "flag," and rode out to it. As he drew near, he slowed his horse and readied his bow, knocking another arrow as he quietly approached the tree and the flag. . . While his horse advanced at the slowed pace up the hill, when he came to the lone tree and peered over he would have seen nothing out of the ordinary. There weren't any other monsters around, the grass was still quite green. Looking upon the tree, he would see that there wasn't really anything strange about the tree besides his cloak being hung up there like so banner. After a few moments where he inspected the area, a voice would speak from behind the tree, "Hi iii." It was a familiar voice, one from last night? But more demure. Reserved. The steps were light - no surprise for such a short stack - as the green-skinned creature moved from behind the tree to view. Her hands came up and said, "No fighting, yes? I am too small to win, and no others, see?" She let her arm sweep over the area as if putting it all on display. She was still naked, but in the sunlight that made the strangeness more noticeable. Her skin wasn't a concurrent green. Instead, it had splotches of discoloration were around. Her hair had some kind of blue color to them, also, and her teeth were just as sharp as in the dark, and noticeable. The little creature's ears seemed to shift slightly as she looked up to him. "I thought you might notice." She's rocking back and forth, swaying her hips side to side as she kept her red eyes upon him. "Did you want it back?" She asked, pointing up to the cloak that was still flitting a bit at the wind. The ex-priest had dismounted on reaching the tree, looking around with interest--his curiosity driving him. Eventually, it was not through his own efforts, but hers, that the green-skinned girl from last night was revealed. He tensed at her voice, and readied his bow. But when she lifted her hands in a show of supplication and stated that she had no intent to fight him, he eased back. Then he put the arrow away and leaned his bow against the tree. To show her that he, too, would show peace." Then we shall not fight," he agreed. His gaze shifted over her body. She was so alien. So obviously not human. She was cute, in a way, with her strange skin, her short stature, her proudly displayed breasts and thighs and hips. But the red eyes and razor-sharp teeth did detract from what she had by way of attractive features. At the mention of the cloak, he glanced up towards it." It is an heirloom of sorts, so I will take it back if you have no use for it. Are you not cold without clothing?" In truth, it was not an overly cold day; but it seemed odd, to him, as both a human and a former priest, that anyone would voluntarily go around naked when they could clothe themselves. The creature lowered her hands, looking up to the cloak when he was referring to it before she said, "I could use it. I found it as a flag!" She offered that as an example with a grin on her face that seemed to accentuate just how pointy her teeth were. The other question, though, had her hugging at her body, arms wrapped around her torso, "I do not feel that cold, no. Is still warm, now." After a moment, she lowered her arms, staring up at him and asking, "Why are you being so nice?" She's furrowing her brow and pulling her lips closed while those large red eyes kept on him. "I have not seen people not attack. That was why I came first. I was said I am quick! So I could move away while others took you... But..." She paused, lifting a hand, "Wait." At that, the little woman moved, putting her arms around the trunk of the tree and started climbing it in a curious fashion, shimmying up it until she could reach the branch with the cloak. Once there, she untied it and let it drop. The cloak threw up a bit of dirt when it hit the ground, but didn't seem any more tattered than it had been previously. Once the goblin-issue woman came back down she ran up in front of him and asked, "Do you want me?" as if continuing the last line of thought a few steps ahead of where she stopped, her hands clasped together, and grin upon her face, while standing on toes. Lazier appraised the green-skinned woman thoughtfully. He seemed about to say something regarding her unspoken questions about why he had not raised a hand against her yet--but before he could speak she asked an outright question. And an embarrassing one, at that. Do you want me? He blinked, a little taken aback by the bluntness of the inquiry. Did he want her? He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious about how she'd feel. He hadn't lain with a woman since his wife had died. Physically, his body was very interested in experimenting with the creature stood before him. Mentally and emotionally, though? He shook his head slightly. "I think you're quite attractive, but what I want from you is simple. If you are as quick and as quiet as you've so far led me to believe you are, I might ask that you join me on my journey to Nation." A pause, then an explanation. "I'm looking for a cure for the condition that's affecting women like you, but I have no personal dislike for you or others like you. Nevertheless, as last night's proven, there are dangers in this mission, and having someone who can scout things out ahead of me would be very helpful to my chances at success." The ex-priest took a step towards her and then bent down onto one knee, not inches from his discarded green cloak, and held his right hand out towards her. "What do you say? Will you join my band?" The way he looked had her giving a slight pose, lifting her arms up, so that she could push out her breasts, basically showing them off and smiling to him, lifting her right foot so that she was settled on her toes. She offered a smile as he silently seemed to consider her, before saying, "Well? Thank you." She's wiggling to the side, before lowering her hands to her sides as she was told of his idea." O-Oh... Nation?" She said, giving a slight look of confusion, she's shaking her head "I... am not sure where that is, exactly... Is it close?" She asked, wiggling her hips side to side, seeming to try and seem rather alluring. Or as much as she could in this case. "A... cure? Do you really think such a thing is possible? I mean... It's not bad looking this way, you know." She moved forwards, placing her hands together and leaning towards him, smiling wide, "We're... quite compatible." Her teeth showed off as she tilted her head, fluttering her lashes. "The only thing that needs to be done is accept us, you know..." When the man asked her to join she paused, and then leaned back, her mouth slightly open in surprise, "I... Uhm... You'd really want me around..." She shook head, before saying, "If... you'd have me..." She lowered her head down, poking at her index fingers together, as she considered, "I am sure it wouldn't be appreciated when I did nothing to help the ambush. But youwerebeing so nice to me..." Lazier smiled slightly as she joked at their compatibility. She was certainly the right height for all sorts of fun. Though the sharpness of her teeth when she smiled at him had him reconsidering the blowjob he'd been imagining. Maybe that wasn't his best idea after all. As she considered his invitation to partner up with him, he reached for and recollected his cloak." Well, I'm offering to accept you. If you'll join me." He rose from his knee. "But the job I've been hired to do is to find a cure. And I think heading towards this village, Nation, is a good place to start searching one out." Drawing one of his knives, he began cutting the bottom of his cloak off, essentially cutting it in half." I appreciate you're not helping to attack me," he teased, grinning down at her before he brought the new, much shorter cloak around her shoulders and clasped it. It was like a half-open dress on her, now, draped around her body. "My name's Lazier. Lazier Dumont. I'm a mercenary by trade." A pause. "What's your name?" Did the monsters have names for themselves, he wondered? Did they reuse their human names? Did they remember their human lives? He would have to ask later. The look of consideration on his face seemed rather evident to the small creature, as she kept her eyes to him. It certainly seemed as if they had a sense of when others were feeling - or even just thinking - lustfully. After gathering his cloak, he would raise to see her right up next to him, practically touching him, just, just short of it, as he went about talking. "I am not sure of the villages name... But there was one over there... Was it by the coast?" She pointed in the direction that Lazier would recognize as correct for where he wanted to go. Maybe she did know of it, if not by name? When he placed the cloak down on her shoulders, she lifted her eyes, mouth seemed to be shorter in a look of confusion. It was certainly something new to her, and it did cover her breasts and thighs when wrapped around, though the center strip did seem to keep her own pelvis from being covered. "Sharon." She said, simply, when he asked of her name. There was another pause, an awkward seeming one for the little monster before she reached up and grabbed at his belt. "Would you like me to give you something, first? I promise I won't force it!" She stated, rather bluntly, offering a renewed grin with some kind of spark in her eyes. As if reigniting the consideration he had just a moment ago. He gave a quick nod when she mentioned the village by the coast. "I believe that's where we're heading, yes." He answered, pleased that she might have been there previously--or that she might at least know the area better than he did. Perhaps his sudden inspiration to recruit her as his scout might actually turn out to be a good idea after all?" Good to meet you, then, Sharon--" he began, smiling down at her. He seemed almost knightly in his way. At least until the little goblin-like girl grabbed him by his belt and offered to give him something. It didn't seem like a good idea. The ex-priest looked a little reluctant even considering it. But then, perhaps it would help if she felt there was give-and-take in their relationship? She would feel closer to him, would she not, if she didn't simply feel like a charity case? But a contributing member of the group? And if she wanted to contribute by. . . Well, what did she want, exactly? He decided he'd better clarify before he did anything stupid. Though it was all too clear what he was thinking. Sharon would see a clear bulge forming in the front of his trousers as she gently swayed in front of him, gripping his belt in her hands. She was already making her new priest hard, whether he wanted it or not. "Ah," he pursed his lips a little, uncertain. "What do you have in mind? To give me. . .?" The silence between them seemed deafening as Lazier considered her position and her words. Her smile kept upon her face while he looked down to her, her large, red eyes slowly turning down, gazing at the bulge in his trousers that wasn't able to be hidden, at least not at her height and closeness. She already practically had her face on his crotch as it was. When he actually made a noise, her gaze turned back up to his face, listening to his question, she's offering a little snicker. "Something you'd like! At least, as long as I do it right." She's tugging at his belt, seeming to force it undone. Of course, Lazier could refuse, but who knows how the little green woman may take that kind of rejection. Sharon's eyes kept up to him as she put her second hand up to help with the first, being a bit slow, as it seemed she was being a bit truthful in not forcing anything. It was deliberate, seeming to evengivehim time to consider. "Your kind still enjoys sex, right?" She questioned, it's almost sounding half-rhetorical, as there was a slight tone of doubt in what she said - perhaps just the natural resistance that came when monsters assaulted the men painted a picture of abstinence? In truth, Lazier remained conflicted. But as his belt came undone in the short woman's hands, and then his pants, he decided that they'd gone too far to stop her now. "It's been a long time since I had it. My last time was with my wife, now deceased." He admitted, and that was, in truth, the greatest source of his conflict. Not that he was about to mess around with a horrible monster. But that he was about to mess around with someone other than the woman he'd loved. Of course, his body shared none of the conflicts his heart did. When Sharon brought his pants apart, his cock sprung free, swinging heavily right in front of her face. The priest's iconic twin swords were impressive. But this third sword? It put "The Sinner" and "The Saint" to shame. His organ was thick, long, and already smeared at its tip with precut. He was clearly turned on by what was happening. If the goblin-like girl's flirtations were a little bit ham-fisted, they'd nonetheless done the trick in exciting the ex-priest's libido. And now she had him right where she wanted him. Reaching down, Lazier grabbed the base of his shaft with three fingers and moved his cock back and forth in front of her red eyes. "Well? You said you'd give me something I'd like, right?" He teased her, encouraging her. "Or am I going to be doing all the work here, Sharon?" With plenty of time to offer him a chance to stop her action, it appeared that the human wasn't wont to resist. Instead, her hands came down, pulling at the belt, her grin seeming to widen further, as if to just show off her dagger-like teeth. "That is too bad, but being so nice I can help. I can!" She offered a nod, before she pulled the pants down next, her grin falling off, with lips pulling back in surprise. Her red eyes widened as she looked over him, her mouth opening slightly as she said, "Oh, my..." It was a lot larger than she expected. And it wasn't even just due to her stature. And it seemed as if he had really gotten more excited than she expected. He must have been quite pent-up... When Lazier spoke to her, she tilted her head up, to look up at him, before her grin returned and brought her eyes down, following the wagging cock like her eyes were a metronome. Without further words, her small hands came to his hips and pushed her face forwards, lips pressing against the tip of his exposed member. Her lips were quite soft, felt moist as well as she ran them down the side of him, her mouth opening slightly as she rolled her tongue out, it is much longer than her size implied, the muscle pointed at the tip and long enough to wrap around the circumference of his shaft, pulling back to seem to slick him up. The main worry did seem to come as she opened her mouth, sharp teeth revealed as she eventually pushed her mouth down, taking in his cock with little ceremony beyond her light lip and tongue play. Her hands move around his waist, coming to grab at his butt while she pushed herself down, taking him into her mouth, lips wrapping around him, she's seeming skilled enough to not scrape her teeth against his flesh while she managed to pull him in enough so that he touched the back of her throat. The ex-priest drew a shallow breath as she began to play with his throbbing organ. Her lips and tongue felt amazing, but it was difficult to ignore the guilt in what he was doing with the monstrous creature. She was the sort of thing he'd been raised to hunt and kill, not ... Not do this with. When her hands came around and gripped him, forcing his thick organ down her throat, he grunted in both pleasure and surprise. Trusting the sharp-toothed woman was a big leap of faith on his part, but she was, so far, rewarding him amply with her skill. And the warm, wet attention of her tongue and her lips and her cheeks and her throat." S-saint Leonor bless me," Lazier sighed, closing his eyes a moment to make himself used to the sensations she was giving him. "Feels amazing, Sharon ..." Reaching down, he gently ran his fingers through her dark, black hair, tucking it behind her ear as she worked him with her mouth. He was pulsing between her lips as he grew more and more aroused at her attention. He wondered how long he'd last at this rate? The approval seemed to cause Sharon to redouble her efforts. She lowered herself a bit more, bending her knees so that she was getting her mouth stuffed at an angle. She pushed herself forwards, seeming to stretch her throat further, accepting his length and impressive girl enough that it seemed to cause a lump in her throat. Her eyes teared up from the effect, though it seemed as if the creature had no kind of gag reflex as she managed to push up, so her nose was pressing into his pelvis, hitting his cock so that her lips were wrapped completely around his base, the full mouth actually seeming to be a bit much as he could feel the sharp points of the teeth lightly against his flesh. Sharon pulled back, though, the green-skinned woman started to bob her head back and forth, sucking at him with force that seemed impossible for such a tiny pair of lungs. Her mouth did seem completely wet, though, thick with her spittle as if the idea of the cock in her mouth whetted her appetite and caused her mouth to water. Her full red eyes shifted up, though, looking to the human as he pushed her hair back behind her long pointed ears, moving and sucking on him voraciously. The defrocked priest grunted, muscles twitching as the small woman turned her bright red eyes up on him. Was he seriously doing this? Taking a blowjob from a monster? How did it feel so amazing! He closed his eyes to try and distance himself from what was happening, but it was no use. She was driving him crazy." Sharon, you ... you better stop," he warned through grit teeth. "Or pull back. I'm nearly ... there." His body was tensing up. He knew he was close. The way he pulsed and throbbed in her mouth? Even if he hadn't said something, she'd know he was close too. His warning didn't seem to keep her from continuing, if anything, it pressed her to further acts. She pressed her mouth deeper, pressing her nose right up against his pelvis before pulling back, with her throat tight so he could feel the esophageal folds run over him before being pressed back into. Her fingertips practically dug into his flesh as she kept her grip on him, her tongue lapping at the sides, and rotating from one side to the other as she had her red eyes mostly closed, and green face slightly purpled from the blood rushing to her cheeks, the sound of her wet mouth slurped loudly as she tried to coax him to his peak. Lazier's breath caught, and his fingers curled around the goblin-like woman's dark hair. Then he suddenly pulled her face against his groin and held her there. She'd pushed him over the edge, and he was well beyond the point of holding back: Sharon's reward came on hot and heavy as the ex-priest started pulsing against her tongue, unloading his cum into her mouth. It was thick and warm against her tongue as he slowly unclenched his fists and began to draw back. When he pulled himself free of her slightly swollen lips, his shaft slippery with her spit and his ejaculate, he was still a little bit hard. But he'd been sated, and it would go down soon. It just looked ... big." St. Leonor preserve me for saying so, Sharon, but damn me if you weren'tamazing..." He said, with a disbelieving stare, as he found himself falling to his ass to sit down a minute. His knees felt weak after all that. It had been too long since a woman had forced him to cum. When he finally came, Sharon kept her mouth around him and tongue pressed to his cock, as he released his seed to her mouth. Once he had seemed to have spent himself, she slowly pulled back, allowing his cock to pop out of her mouth while he fell back to his ass. Sharon let out a light, muffled giggle before swallowing down his release and then opening her mouth up, tongue out to show off that she had swallowed the whole of it before taking a couple steps forwards and looked down at him. She had her hands behind her back - hidden under the cloak she was now wearing - and seemed rather amply covered from it. "Thank you! I can give you that whenever you want, too! And I promise to be nice!" She nodded, offering a smile which showed off her many pointed teeth. Slowly, the goblin-like woman leaned back and then hummed, looking back behind herself, finger up to her mouth. "So... You wanted to get to the coast? I could show you, but there are a lot of different things around. There's some fighting at the town there between some of the people there." She tilted her head, red eyes looking back down to Lazier. Lazier rose slowly from the ground before sedately stuffing his large, flaccid organ back into his pants. As he laced the laces, he breathed out a soft laugh. He couldn't believe he'd just done that with this accursed woman. She could have bitten it clean off with those razor-sharp teeth had she wanted to, and she'd already proved herself deceptive the night prior. Was he truly so desperate for release? Apparently he had been. Wiping some of the sweat from his brow, he gathered his things around his shoulder and relaxed himself somewhat. "You can travel with me and help me. If I need more of ... ah ...that... I'll be sure to let you know." He felt his face heat up a little. Could he truly let himself use her as a fuckboy? A companion who was there to give him sexual release in-between scouting and fighting? It didn't seem very priestly. "But yes, we should investigate the town if possible. I know it may be dangerous, but I'm worried that it's the source of this outbreak. And not all the women who have been stricken by this malady are as lovely or as level-headed as you, Miss Sharon. Some are quite violent ..." Looking back towards his horse, he frowned. He hoped it would let the goblin-like woman ride it. "I'll have you ride with me, so that we might cover more ground. But as we get closer to the coast we'll probably dismount and go slowly to avoid detection. Do you know any good routes in?" A light titter came from behind her closed teeth as she looked down to Lazier, so spent and soon pulling himself up and pushing his cock back to his pants. Despite the flaccid nature of it, Sharon gave a noise of disappointment, wiggling slightly before stating, "Oh! Yay! And I get my own man, and he can be so helpful and so can I!" She practically purred at the idea of getting someone for herself to fill her at any time, perhaps being a bit too hyperbolic in her imagination, her red eyes large with wonder. "Oh! It is not too far... Well, not far with your legs." As if to make it clear what she meant she spread out her own legs, practically displaying her crotch for him, as she wasn't wear pants and the cloak didn't cover that particular section of her." Oh, but yes... Some are very violent..." She nodded, remembering the other goblin-like women, one of whom had gotten their throat slit by the very man before her. "But you are strong! Probably can handle them, maybe, perhaps." She offered another toothy smile, nodding, before saying, "So!" She's looking over the horse, and frowning, even with the teeth showing, the horse seeming a bit uneasy around the little woman, stomping around, but Lazier would be able to calm it enough, but it still seemed a bit fidgety while he helped the smaller one up. "Oh, with this it will be quick, yes? No problem!" She's offering a laugh after she was above, "Just go straight! Easiest way! Thhhhhhat way!" She pointed just past his waist. "Get there well before sundown!" Lazier chuckled, shaking his head as he started his horse in the direction Sharon had indicated. "Strong? I don't know about that. But I have nothing to lose. And there is strength in that, I suppose." After that, he went quiet. Perhaps he'd accidentally jostled the realization that he did, in fact, have little to live for. If he died on this mission, what would that matter to anyone? No. He closed his eyes, fingers curling around the reins he held in his hands. It would matter. To a king and his daughter he'd never met, at least, he represented the hope he'd used to represent for so many others when he still wore the frock of a priest. For them, at least, he could press on. If he failed, he failed. But he couldn't give up. The sun crawled across the sky as they rode towards the sea, but conversation remained sparse. Lazier had them stop briefly for lunch, and shared some of his food with Sharon. Then they were on the road again, fast approaching their destination ... While the two had traveled on horseback, Lazier could notice the little creature behind him still was a bit... hands. Her hands did get set around his waist, but occasionally she did have one move around, touching or fondling at his crotch in a way that almost seemed more passive, than actually having her think about it and doing it. If he said anything, she would give a quick apology and back up before getting her hands back to his hips. When the town was seen in the distance, he would notice it was rather... small. It had a pier and docks, but nothing enough for a full cargo ship. Maybe a couple smaller ones, but it seemed much more like a fishing village than anything. Sharon did lift herself a bit and point, "There it is! Easy to see!" And it was! But also that there were some monsters already there. There was a couple outside, scaled, a blend of blue and green in scales, clearly lizard-like creatures. There was a bit of fighting on another side that they were rushing at, which were more shelled, kind of like a type of infection with wings that flittered on occasion as they moved and jumped. They seemed to be like hornets, with striped bodies. "See? They are both angry, and at each other!" She claimed, looking up to him. The ex-priest tried his best to ignore Sharon's occasional groping. Although his body was receptive to her touches after recovering, he kept his focus on the mission at hand and kept them moving down the road. Eventually it paid off in getting them to their destination before daylight had faded, and, as they approached the little fishing village and saw the fighting going on below, Lazier stopped his horse." Hm." He frowned at the sight below, squinting in an effort to see in more detail. "Do you have any idea why they're fighting? Or what they're fighting over?" He asked. Even as he inquired, he dismounted and offered Sharon a hand down as well. He'd tie the horse to the short apple tree they'd taken shade in while they watched the fighting down the hill, then take a spyglass from one of the saddlebags and lay down on his belly. He brought the telescope to his eye and peered down at the village." It looks like there are two sides of the engagement right now. Some of them appear to be reptilian, while others are more insect-like." He tried to get an idea of who had the upper-hand, who held the town and who was attacking, and if there was something inside or around the settlement that they were clearly focusing their attack or defense on. "They want the supplies for themselves! Greedy, greedy!" Sharon ended up responding to her, shaking her head, before moving to side off the horse who bucked after she was off, causing the small green creature to fall to the ground before the horse was settled down by her owner. When Bess was tied, though, she seemed to settle a bit more in the shade and just look off in a seemingly random direction as Lazier took his spyglass up. The fighting there seemed mostly on the outside, and it seemed that the lizards were the ones that had control of the town, just from positioning. It was a small skirmish, though, four lizards to seven of the hornets, but even then it seemed the lizards were using weapons in comparison to the hornets that were bare-handed. Blood had been spilled, all from the hornet-women, it seemed as there were already three dead on the ground. The settlement itself was hard to determine, it seemed there was some left in there, but it was hard to see, as it was opened and the buildings were mostly in the way. There was a town square, though, with some boxes set up and there was, at least, one of the lizards tending to the boxes and not a part of the fighting. "We managed to get some food from that town before, but that was when they were sleeping." Sharon noted, offering a nod, "They have mostly things from the town, but have some slaves too, I heard." Lazier rubbed his mouth thoughtfully, considering the scene as it played out before him. Was it a matter of supplies, like Sharon suggested? If so, it might mean that the town was less valuable to his quest than he'd hoped. But even so, if there were people there--or "slaves," as the goblin-like girl had termed them--he didn't feel right leaving them in captivity. For now, he'd wait it out. Watch to see how the fight unfurled, and then wait for the survivors to retire for the evening. He could then sneak in with Sharon and free the slaves. Not only would it be a good deed and grow the strength of his fighting force (which presently was only himself, a horse not trained for war, and a monster girl), but if anyone would know about the town and what it had going for it (if anything), it would be the captives who'd been forced to live and work there the last few weeks. Nodding, he looked over to Sharon. "We'll wait until dark, once they sleep, and then we'll sneak in and try to free the slaves. Do you remember where they were? They can probably tell us more about the town, and we can ask them to help us fight. Did you see where they stored their weapons when you slipped into here before?" If the lizard women had weapons, then surely they had a place to keep them. And a fighting force of armed slaves, even if they were malnourished or ill-trained, would be better than unarmed slaves. "Oh! Waiting? Good. I didn't want to charge at fighting people. I'm not very... fighter...y..." Sharon said, looking to the side, touching her fingers together as she looked left and right, before pausing and looking pack up to him. "Huh? Remember where slaves were? No! I justheardabout them. Never seen them myself! One of the others said she got to get herself off since he was all chained up and couldn't do anything. -I- wouldn't do that, nope! Too risky... Tempting... But... Okay, maybe I could have, depending on how safe it was..." She was obviously rambling at this point, shifting a bit with a grin on her face as she rubbed her thighs together just from the thought of getting her own personal man all chained up for her and nothing more to worry about. The green-skin snapped back up, though, frowning with her teeth still showing when he asked where they stored weapons, "Weapons? I saw some, mainly axes. But I was more interest in food. We can get a lot of time just on an enduring man, but still need to eat!" She paused, though, and then looked to the distance, squinting, as she saw the lizards pushing back the hornets, causing the last of them to fall back, throwing some kind of powder to keep the lizards from chasing and the fight just... calming down. "It was near the water. The docks. Because they think it's too deep for anyone to get to, maybe! I mean, why I would think. I know -I- can't swim that far." With that, Sharon straightened up, hands to her hips and nodding as she stood akimbo, practically showing herself off." Soo... We just wait until it's dark?" The goblin-like woman asked, "How do we spend our time waiting?" She asked, leaning forwards, "I mean it cities still before noon..." She pointed up, noting the sun wasn't even near its pinnacle as she took a step forwards, practically brushing up against Lazier. Lazier considered the woman's words, and for the most part they weren't exactly promising. Firstly, Sharon was obviously driven to distraction by sexual play. Was that a byproduct of the curse, he wondered? Was that why the creatures primarily kidnapped men? He filed the thought away for later, as it might in some way hint at how it was cured. But then she spoke of the weapon cache and he nodded. "So they're offshore? Unfortunately. We probably won't have enough time to steal them then. We'll have to just scavenge weapons as we go." With a rough outline of a plan now sketched out, the ex-priest turned his eyes on the lands surrounding the village, surveying the lay of the topography and the environs they had to deal with. It was about this time Sharon started speaking again, drawing near him and suggesting they find something to do until nightfall. He flushed a bit red at the insinuation. Was she insatiable? No, he supposed she hadn't really gotten hers earlier. He'd been pleasured, but it had been somewhat one-sided." We'll take cover somewhere we can hide the horse, then we'll scout out the land." He replied, likely disappointing her. "If we have time before the mission, I'll--uh--" He looked to the side. "Maybe I'll have sex with you before we sneak into the village. It might help us both relax before we take the risk of slipping into the village." Looking away from her completely, he pushed away from the hill and went back to Bess to unhitch her from the tree. He'd lead them around the village for now, to minimize their risk of being spotted, and try to explore any nearby territory. The plan was to find a defensive position -- an abandoned fort would be ideal, something they could take and defend if they successfully freed the prisoners, but a cave or a hut out in the woods or even just a well-hidden glade would do. It'd depend on what they could find. "At the docks!" Sharon corrected to him, pointing past the group of lizard-woman who had gathered in front of the town and seemed to be talking, a few motioning towards where the hornet-like women went and... Was one pointing in their direction? It didn't seem like Sharon noticed - or cared - as she motioned onwards. "So! If we move past them, we can grab it, but docks are usually... exposed...." She squinted, looking to the side, as if she was disgusted at the idea. She did lean down, looking to what he was sketching out, humming curiously, before saying, "If you can swim, can always try to climb up the docks to start!" Sharon said with a laugh, before straightening up. "But then again, you'd get all weeded, and slow, and if you went naked, might just attract them anyway..." She tapped her food, humming a bit, before looking up to him, before offering another toothy grin, "We can hide out fine, yes! And we better find out someplace safe then! I'll take goooooood care of us both until nightfall! And as a victory." She's nodding, offering a thoughtful look, practically drooling at the idea. When they started, the area was rather... open. No woods for a while, the road was a bit down. No caves even. The whole place was rather empty. There was a note of where the Hornet women came from, as there was a pair of them a bit further in the distance, but they seemed to just be staring at one-another with antenna twitching, as if they were communicating, though Sharon nudged him to go away from the she's soon pointing out, down the road there seemed to be a small toll station... It was still out in the open, but seemed abandoned, if not a bit ragged..." Let's check it anyway!" Sharon stated, moving past it and looking in before carefully entering before motioning for him to come. The place seemed to be not just a toll station, though, with a side that would flip down to a toll desk, but behind a small door was a tiny single-person sleeping area with a cot - which had tried blood on it - along with a blanket and hay roll - again with blood dried to them. "Soon... Someone was murdered." She mentioned, tilting her head as she looked around, the place was barely big enough for two full-grown people... So it ended up being just okay with Lazier and the much shorter Goblin-Girl standing there. The ex-priest frowned as they came to the toll station and entered it, looking around. It had definitely seen some fighting. Or at least some dying. Looking around the place, it didn't seem especially defensible." Well, there's nobody. So whoever was killed or injured here has since been removed from the location." He replied gently to Sharon, after she assumed the worst. "Unfortunately, it doesn't look like a great place to hold out against attackers. It provides some very basic shelter if we need it, so let's keep it in mind as a fallback location--"As he spoke, Lazier took out a rough map he'd been scrawling of their explorations around the area (based largely on landmarks, not coordinates) and added the toll booth to it. "-- but I'd definitely not like to try defending this place." Folding the map back up, he stuffed it in his pocket and looked out at the sun. "We have a little bit more time, so we'll keep exploring. But then we'll need to start rounding our way back towards the village if we're going to get there before nightfall. Probably not wise for us to go stumbling around in the dark." He paused a moment, then grinned down at Sharon. "Actually, can you see in the dark or anything like that?" It would make sense if she could, right? They'd snuck up on him at his campfire the day before. Though he supposed that hadn't been exactly hard. Not when all you had to do was walk towards the burning fire. After her answer, he'd take them back on the road for additional exploring, before starting to loop the way back towards Nation. "New, not really..." Sharon commented, looking around the area, "It seems terrible to defend... But so small, it would be terrible to attack, too! Unless you're me!" She offered a wide grin, pointing to herself with her thumb, and looking up to Lazier. There was a pause, as she looked round, while he checked the map she's getting to her knees and looking under the mattress, as it was raised on a wooden frame. She then pulled out a small back, with a curious hum, lifting a pair of latches. Sharon turned her attention back up to him and then said, "We could! But aren't we getting a bit far from the town?" When he asked about her dark sight she stood up and nodded, "Oh! Yes! I can see perfect in the dark! I could guide you if you need me to." She's leaning towards him, placing her hands behind her back, the grin widening. At this point, she seemed to have gotten distracted from the box, she's following after the human, "This area is just full of people, though, isn't it? Those bugs and lizards and us..." She's looking around, realizing she hadn't seen any more like her, curious of how far they wandered, "Soon... Don't know how many unclaimed things would be around!" And the little woman did seem right, there was another entrance to a cave burrowed into a hill, but seemed to have a pair of hornet women there, guarding. Unlike the first one, though, it seemed they had noticed them in the distance. The place was wide-open after all, with a sparse set of trees about, barely one with several long-striped steps from another. At this point, one of the hornet women had moved forwards, holding a crudely made spear, as she walked towards him, occasionally hopping and flapping the light wings to give her some extra distance and burst of speed. "You wait there! Give yourself up!" She shouted, spear pointed towards him... There was still distance between them so he could easily try to run away, instead of encountering her. Noticing the small box Sharon had discovered, Lazier plucked it up and loaded it onto the horse, sticking it into one of the saddlebags for future investigation. But as daylight was burning, he didn't want to waste too much time further on the little toll station. He did make note of its location, however, in case they should have to fall back to it for shelter if things went sideways at the village come evening. But then they were off." I may have to rely on your eyesight," he nodded satisfactorily, pleased that she could see in the dark. It made sense, based on how her and her comrades had sneaked up on him a couple of nights before. "If there are no torches or lanterns at the village. I'll draw too much attention if I bring my own light into a place where there is none." The rest of the short ride, slowly making their way back towards the village, was largely uneventful until they came to a cave burrowed into a hill. It seemed a promising shelter, until he noticed the pair of hornet-like guardians stood out front. They were spotted!" Shit," the ex-priest cursed, frowning at Sharon. "Let me see if we can talk to them?" He suggested, dismounting--but also drawing his pair of short swords. Everything he knew about monsters to date were that they should be killed. Not questioned. But Sharon's alliance to him had thrown that supposition into some confusion, and that the creature was demanding his surrender (instead of immediately attacking them) suggested they were prepared to parley. Still, he kept his blades ready as the woman began to draw nearer." Hold there, friend, and let us talk a moment. Who are you and why do you seek our surrender?" The insect-woman settled on her feet just a few meters from the man and short goblin-woman, spear pointed to them. If lazier checked, he could see she did seem rather alone, but who knows what kind of magical effect had gone on to change this woman and what powers they may have given her. While she stood, spear at the ready and looking at the weapons he had drawn, with wide, large eyes that still seemed mostly human, her antennae twitched when he actually referred to her, the Hornet-like woman offering a toothy smile - which hadn’t the sharp teeth as Sharon - but the look was much more sinister than even the mouth of razor blades of his companion.“Surrender because you are male! We need more of our babies.” The Hornet said, sounding a little… too excited, with a perked up voice that was quite high-pitched that it almost bordered on ear-shattering. “We don’t need that! Maybe food.” She said, though, turning to a dark tone as she jabbed the spear at the green-woman that was partially hidden behind one of Lazier’s legs. “So! You surrender, we can feed you and you can feed us! It is a good deal!” The Hornet-woman returned, looking back up to the male, “Can even be our warrior! You have swords, you know how to use them! I’m so excited!” She flittered the infection wings after she spoke, her eyes opened wide and mouth opened wide, showing off her own teeth as well.“So! Surrender, please! Else I will just have to take you!” Lazier dexterously spun his swords and took on a defensive posture. "I'm afraid you'll not be eating my companion, nor taking me captive, today." He waited half a breath, before speaking further. "I am here because I noticed your people seeking to take the village near here earlier today. The one that the lizards hold?" He hoped this would win him a moment or two before she might attack. He did not like the idea of having to kill her, but he would without hesitation if she made the first move. Yet he hoped, as they had with Sharon, words might prevail again." I am hoping to propose an alliance of sorts. To help you take that village." He lifted his eyebrow, as though encouraging her to think it over. He kept his combat stance though, knees slightly bent, feet shoulder-width apart, weight balanced on the balls of his feet--and ready to move in any direction. "Will you bring out your commander to go over the terms of such a joint attack? Or will you insist on dying to me today?" The insect-woman's antennae twitched as Lazier spoke, she's tilting her head, seeming to listen to the priest, as he spoke. The wasp-woman looked behind her, then back to the human as she said, "We were! But they have stronger weapons! Stronger soldiers! We're going to make stronger ones, though! Just need the right ones!" She poked at him, gently, as if to point at him more than attack, "Like you! You are warrior, we make warriors with you! Get stronger ones!" She nodded her head rapidly, her antennae twitching more. At this moment he spoke to ask her to take the village she said, "Oh! So you will come then? Good, you get the entire group pregnant, and then we have many warriors and overwhelm them!" She gave a curious chattering laugh, moving a step forwards."BIKINI don't think it would be a good idea to go with her... Unless you want to be fuck... I mean, a lot." Sharon decided to say, looking up to the Warrior-Priest, before pausing, her large ears twitching and looking back, and around before stating, "Oh..." Lazier soon able to see that there was a group of five, six... eight total, including the one already in front of him, of the wasp women, all brandishing some kind of weapon. Mostly spears, though two had some kind of curved dagger in a hand." Maybe we should try running?" Sharon asked, looking up to Lazier, with her wide red eyes seeming even wider.

The Widow's Kiss (Quinz128 x Chronoclasm)|rating:4.0

Special clients every one.

~ IOC ~Hello everyone, Hope you are doing great! This is not a closed thread, and you simply need to PM the people involved to prepare for your role. PMs are considered phone calls, and you can put your messages to my laptop on the board. All will be responded to. I also play the role of Maggie the dispatcher, and you may interact with her as well. Others in the past have had great fun with their rides. Yours will be an experience to remember.***********After another long shift Florence had the limo lead itself home. Checking the contents of mailbox she was intrigued by an official looking letter. As she read it she dialed Maggie, her dispatcher, at the same time." Hi it's me. Did you get your letter?" Mags replies from her frumpy office, "Yea babe, pretty weird, huh? Wonder what the new boss is going to be like? Hope he classes this joint up a bit."" Yea honey, you really deserve a whole new look, you know? God... I've never worked for anyone else. What a shit to not even tell us the company was being sold and just send out this letter."" Wonder if he's cute?" Mags giggled." Wonder if he's loaded?" Florence said with a cackle. They both laughed. "So hey... I'm going to drop the whole fake name thing. This is my chance to not have to be Belle anymore." Wow... MMM... Florence. That's going to take some gettin' used to." Maggie was surprised." I'll catch you later at the organizational meeting. Have you talked to Jasmine yet about this?" Mags said that she'd call the newer driver Jasmine and make sure she was cool with the new changes and try to keep her as part of the team. Francis Joseph Madman was quite pleased with himself. Not only had he invested well, but he was the owner of five new limousine companies. He planned a merger in the future, but for now, he had to find out which would make him the most money. Pouring himself a glass of port, he decided the best idea would be to call each one and have them deliverhimsomewhere. He reached for his telephone, using his best 'snob' voice, and began to dial..." Yes, is this the 'Can-Do' limousine company? Ah, the 'Can Do It All' company. Yes, well, I have a very important person for you to pick up. Me. I live at 1623 Billings Road. I expect a driver here by 8 o'clock sharp." He glanced at the clock over the fireplace. 6:55. First impressions, indeed. From the shower Jasmine could hear the phone ringing. With her hair coated in conditioner and her legs prepped to be shaved, she was in no position to race to the phone. She opted to have the machine pick it up. They can leave a message or call me back. The night before had ended rather abruptly when her client developed a nasty case of food poisoning. After driving around for a bit to unwind, she had returned home and watched old movies till nearly 3 AM. Now here it was another day. After finishing her shower, she towels dried herself and walked to the phone. The message little red light was flashing indicating that whoever it was that called had in fact left her a message. As the answering machine sprung to life, she reclined on her bed and waited for the message. Mages voice caused her to sit back up. The voice instructed her to call back, it was important that they speak." What on earth?" she muttered as she reached for the phone and dialed. The phone rang several times before directing her to voice mail." Hi Mages. This is Jasmine returning your call. Sorry I missed you. I will be home all day, call me." The night brought great rest, yet she woke with an odd feeling of uncertainty about the change of owners for the business. At least she got her new custom stretch rig before the old owner left. Beginning to work the tangles out of her hair, the phone rings..." Its kinda early Mags. What's up?" A deep masculine voice came through into her ear and the hairs on her spine stood up straight. He purred, "Sorry to call so early Belle, but I want a ride from you this evening. Are you available for at eight o'clock pick up?"" Well yes..." she stammered a bit and tried to blow the fog away quickly and get it together. What client would be calling her home number?" I live at 1623 Billings Road. I expect a driver here by eight o'clock sharp." he announced which brought her to her full attention." Yes sir. Eight it will be. See you then." Flopping back on the bed she wondered what this was really about. Maybe it was just a referral from an old regular. "Man... what a hot voice." she thought as she dosed. "Hi honey. It's me Maggie. Did you get your letter?" Maggie waited for the cute voice on the other end of the line. "Letter? No, not yet." Jasmine replied as she walked over to grab her pile of unopened mail. "Let me check through my mail, hold on." Jasmine sifted through the mail quickly. Bills, credit card applications, a letter from her mother and a strange letter marked urgent. She opened it quickly to find the information on the company changing over." Got it. A new boss already. I was just learning the ropes and things are changing." A soft chuckle followed her words. "Have you met him yet?" Jasmine stared at the letter, re-reading it as she continued to chat with Mages. "As they say honey... we'll just roll with it. You've developed a few steady clients. You'll be fine." Maggie said her goodbyes and prepared for another day at the office. Florence bolted up in bed and realized she needs to pick up the new client in a half an hour so she scurried into some clothes and skipped breakfast. Lighting a fresh cigar, he stood and walked to the window overlooking his driveway. Looking at his watch, he was sure that this company would be first to go. Only half an hour until he was to be picked up, and no confirmation of arrival. Nor was there any indication that they wanted to be bothered this early in the morning. The way he was greeted with "It's kinda early Mags. What's up?" Such nonsense. He checked his watch again. 7:40. This would definitely be the first to go. As the engine warmed she dialed the number left on her caller ID. This was no time to be less than perfect with a new boss to arrive any day." Good morning, this is Flo... Belle. Just wanted to let you know that I'm on my way. Uh huh... yes. OK, see you there." She slipped on some lipstick and thought of the other employees and how they were handling the coming change. The limo loped to his address, and she saw the figure of a large man awaiting her arrival. Never sure of a new client, she parked and locked the window dividing the driver from the rear of the car."8:03 ~ damn it." she said out loud as she got out and walked around to open the door of the car for him. The phone rang. Picking it up, he heard Belle's voice. "Good morning, this is Flo... Belle. Just wanted to let you know that I'm on my way." Already slipping up on the job, he thought. "Yes, Belle, I'm sure you are. You have fifteen minutes. You can get here by then, correct?" Her confirmation, he knew, was another lie. There was no possible way to get from the dispatching office to his house in less than twenty minutes. He had confirmed that while returning home last night. At 8:03, the limo finally arrived. The driver, a beautiful lady of around 35 (or so she appeared), was almost imperceptibly perturbed about not being on time. However, he was impressed with her speed. As she exited her seat, he couldn't help but notice what perfectly formed legs she had, even through her uniform. As she walked back to open his door, he drank her image in. Firm calves, shapely, toned thighs, athletic rump that swayed with each step she took. Intoxicated by her figure, he didn't hear her at first. "Good morning sir. Sorry to keep you waiting. Please help yourself to the pastry and coffee, or orange juice." she directed him into the limo like a game show hostess, and he got himself settled. With a thud of the door and then the purr of the engine; they were off. She spoke through the speaker to him in the back, "I understand you have multiple stops today. The traffic is begun to let up. Are you comfortable sir?" "Quite comfortable, thank you," he responded. Something will have to be done about these seats, he thought as he ran his hands over the cushions. Leather is too expensive to replace and clean. He couldn't wait to dig right in and see her expression. Pressing the switch to lower the divider, he soon realized she had it locked. He would have to settle for hearing her voice." So, Belle,"though it isn't your real name, "tell me about this company. Do you like working here? What are some of the good and bad things? Anything exciting going on lately?" He eased back into the seat and listened. "You may call me Florence if you wish sir. This is a good company to work for, and I've been at it for a few years now. Sort of seen it all you know? There are new clients... like you," she said as she popped her eyes up into the rearview mirror. Leaving the shades off for effect and making sure to see that he saw her looking back at her, she continued." Some customers become attached to certain drivers and request them whenever they're in town. For some its just business, but there's lots to do around this bay. Plenty of custom private parties to keep things interesting." As she kept her eyes on him and the road, as she prepared for his first meeting stop." We're very...very discreet of course." They enjoyed sharing a passing of smiles in the mirror. Florence... such a plain name for such a gorgeous woman, he thought as she continued speaking. When she mentioned "new clients", he chuckled to himself. If she only knew. She smiled slyly at him while speaking of discretion, making him think that perhaps she (and possibly her co-workers) did more than just drive. He smiled back, his mouth curling almost into a leer." So, what kind of clients do you... entertain?" he asked with a slight lift of his brow. "Oh... I get the rock concert types. Sometimes performers, sometimes big wig fans. There are bar hoppers and socialites enjoying the symphony and such. All types really...sometimes they have me dress a certain way to fit their theme. And sometimes I even go to their private parties." She flipped her hair just so and wished that someone would call her on her cell to make her look busy." Here's your first stop sir. Enjoy your meeting. If you don't see me... I'll be here in the back seat getting some paperwork done. Would you like for me to get the door for you?" "No, thank you... Florence," he smiled. "I can get it myself." Opening the door, he swiftly stepped out, striding toward the office door. Once inside, he made a complete about-face, watching through the mirrored glass to see what the rest of this woman looked like. And, oh, what she looked like. Brown hair that reached past her shoulders; full, firm breasts; lean, athletic stomach. He could feel his manhood start to swell. Closing his eyes, he willed himself soft again. After all, this meeting was important, and what would his client think if he arrived with a boner? Two hours later, he stepped out of the building, feeling rather full of himself. The meeting had gone well, and he wanted to celebrate. He caught himself before acting like a schoolboy and skipping across the parking area to the limo, calmed himself, and walked briskly, still smiling. The comment Florence had made about being in the back didn't even register until he opened the door.... Sitting on the floor with her legs apart and her laptop open, Florence spread her arms out to keep her few piles of papers from blowing when he opened the door. Limber from years of training and Yoga, she smiled as she looked up and said, "You look like you're in a good mood." Her cleavage present and inner thighs exposed seemed to be a bit of a distraction." C'mon in if you wish sir. This'll just take me a second to clean up." He shook his head no..."OK, well wait out there if you would like." He shook his head no again..." Ummm... here." she chuckled as she bent her legs to make room for him to pass to get into the back seat." He plopped into his seat and watched her roll up onto her knees and bend way over stretching out onto one hand as she pulled the door shut with the other. Jasmine... Jasmine hung up the phone in disbelief. Just when things were going well, they change. Mages assurance everything would work out was a comfort, but Jasmine was still on edge. I simply must work extra hard to impress the new boss! Jasmine sat a moment deep in thought. What could she do to make a good impression? She could start by giving the limo a detailed cleaning. Other than that and keeping her clientele happy what could she do?" I need to get out of here!" She muttered while she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. "Shopping... I'll go shopping." Jasmine had been digging through her closets the other day and had realized she needed some new skirts and thigh highs, maybe a new corset or two as well. A more sophisticated and proper outfit for the more up-tight clientele would be good purchase too. In her head she worked out her plan of attack. She would drop the limo off at the detailers then walk the 2 blocks to the mall and do her shopping. Hopefully her nerves would settle before returning home. Phone in hand, purse over her shoulder and a look of purpose in her eyes, Jasmine set out for the day. Thought for the moment simply divine My god, she's flexible, he thought to himself. I wonder how she is in bed. Tearing his eyes from her body for a moment, he brought his hand to his forehead, feigning a slight headache. "Yes, the meeting went very well. Let's go somewhere and celebrate." At business, he was a pro, always having the right words, always able to get what he wanted. His love life, however, was a different story. He was never any good at personal relationships, never quite knew what to say." How about Defunct's for lunch? You can join me. I'll even pay extra." Before he could stop his speech, the words flew out of his mouth. Inside, he beat himself up for being so careless. Well, if nothing else, I've at least made the offer. In his mind, he was sure he had just ruined any chance of getting Florence. "They know me at Defunct's and it's a little early for lunch, so getting a table should be easy. No booze for me though." she smiled and looked him in the eyes over her glasses as she spoke which she knew was affecting him. He looked to be just a little older than herself and his body mass was impressive. He broke a single bead of sweat on his forehead as she eyed his hands." Your next meeting isn't until one, so we're doin' good." The paperwork and laptop slipped into her briefcase with ease. She looked at him as she removed her glasses and put them in the pocket behind the passenger's seat. Shaking her hair down and then rebundling it with the scrunchie on her wrist seemed to add to the spell." Umm... you don't need to pay me for my time by the way. I'm yours for the whole day as it is. Tips are always welcome though." she said with wink. "So do you want me to change or are these uniform shorts ok?" Taking a long look at her body, he wished he could get her out of her clothes altogether, but he knew it wasn't proper. "Well, maybe something a little more formal than shorts. A nice pair of Capri, perhaps?" He had a thing for Capri, without really knowing why. He just knew that the way they looked on a woman turned him on. The way they covered a woman, but leaving just a little bit of leg in view. When a woman bent to get something, the way they simultaneously rode up her leg and down from her waist. That shadow of mystique. Pouring a glass of juice to allow time for his thoughts to collect, he made some off-the-cuff comment about the heat today. He hadn't quite expected a response, and certainly not the response she gave. Her short jacket was already off, and she quickly began unbuttoning her white blouse as she spoke, "Well I've got a cute little floral dress right here, or I can go look in the trunk for my Capri." Just that quick she was in her bra and bending to pull out a nice Georgette. Tossing the dress over her head she saw his face as her head popped out the top." Would you just zip this up the back for me? Do you like this one ok?" For a long moment he sat there, mouth gaping, at the sight before him. No sooner had he mentioned the heat than she was already stripping her shirt. She really knows what she wants, he thought. Once he realized what he looked like, he closed his jaw and stepped out of the car. "That's a very nice dress. I like it," he remarked as he reached for the zipper. Pulling slowly, he stared at her back and neck, following his hand at it traveled the course. Once the zipper had reached the neckline, he crept his hands to her shoulders, gently gripping them. His thoughts were cloudy. "Now, uh, where are we going?" The double entendre hung in the air. "We're going to kill some time before your next meeting. Come back here behind the car with me and help me get these shorts off." No sooner had she said those words than he was practically dragging her to the back of the car. Pressing her backwards against the trunk, he lifted her dress and fumbled for a moment with her shorts before finally unbuttoning and unzipping them. Hooking his thumbs under the waistband, he slid the material over her ass, hips, and thighs. Letting the shorts fall at her feet, he slid his hands up the inside of her leg, feeling her smooth, taut skin. Realizing she wasn't wearing panties, he gently toyed with her cleft. With a soft giggle she gently rocked her hips in natural response to his attention. Her hands reached back and helped hold up her skirt a bit and gave her back that certain arch." Mmm... you know what your doing." "I know what I want, and I go for it," he said as he slid a finger inside her. Her muscles clenched him as he slowly probed her. Leaning forward, he kissed her, sucking on her neck, nibbling on her earlobes." And now, would you like to know a secret?" "mmm...let me guess... your married right? It's ok...oh...your hand must be soaked..." Laughing quietly into her ear, he replied, "Yes, my hand is quite moist, but no, I'm not married." Lifting her onto the trunk of the car, he slid another finger into her. Leaning in to kiss her neck again, he whispered, "I'm your new boss." With a laugh and a flip of her hair she looked back at him as he searched her eyes for a response. Their eyes remained fixed, and she made an odd purring noise in her throat as she reached back and began to unzip his fly. Her other hand supported her against the car as she pushed her hips back into his pelvis firmly." You know what I want... and you know what you want..." "And I think we both want the same thing." He used his free hand to pull down his trousers and underwear, his erection standing stiffly, growing harder with each moment. He grabbed her hips and pulled her to the edge of the trunk. Furthermore, he held his cock and guided it to her dripping snatch, nestling the head just inside her. Flicking his hips slightly, he asked, "The question is, how badly do you want it?" With both hands firmly on the back of the limo she made a shrill sigh and uttered,"I want it real bad. Real bad... "He plunged his cock in a bit deeper, but not too far and worked it really fast. Her huffing was obvious, and he went little deeper... then slower. A bit at a time he worked his dick in as far as he could while she responded with wet squeezes. Soon it became obvious that he wasn't going to last long. With each stroke his throbbed filled and surged with an ever thickening base. She could tell he wanted to just blast one so she whimpered a bit and popped her hips down fast a few times. Then he just went nuts and grabbed her hips and just thrust hard and fast until he shot his whole load onto the bumper between her legs. Grabbing his wet member he stroked it a few more times and squeezed his ball sack to empty it out real good before slipping it back into his pants. As he adjusted his belt she turned while pulling her hair away from her eyes."Oh, my... we need to slip inside and freshen up a bit." Slumping into the back seat, he took a handkerchief from his inside pocket and wiped his brow. Not only was this woman gorgeous, but she was also a great fuck. But what about the rest of the staff? How were they? He was about to find out." Wow. That was amazing. I haven't had sex like that since... since... ever," he chuckled. She giggled again. He was growing to like that sound. After a few moments of watching her straighten her outfit, he took a deep breath. "So, are all the staff members this, er, friendly?" As she pulled a hairbrush out of the side pocket and got to work on her hair she replied,"Well Mags... Maggie and I are real close. We've umm... worked together before. Either of us can drive, but she has a better head for the office." Pulling a thong out of her duffle she began to try to figure out which way was what." So I haven't'tworkedwith Jasmine before. She seems a bit timid, but I can tell she has some tricks up her sleeve. Some guy that's into stations has called for her twice already, and he brings other women along." Florence plopped into the seat next to her new boss and turned towards him." Do you want to help me put this on?" "Absolutely!" He took the thong from her hand and manipulated it until it was facing the right way. He lifted her legs and slipped them through the fabric loops, grazing his hands along her shapely calves and thighs as he pulled them up. Taking her ass in his hands, he lifted her from her seat and slid the material over her cheeks, pulling them snug over her hips. He teased her clit with his thumb before finally removing his hands from beneath her dress." So, you're saying Jasmine might need some...extra training, right?" His mind raced at the possibilities. Jasmine... Jasmine glanced at her watch, where had all the time gone? The day had been productive thus far. All in all she had managed a new hair cut, a fresh manicure, purchased several bags of new clothing and had her limo detailed. She tossed her recently purchased items in the trunk and checked out the vehicle. It looked great." Thank you, you did a wonderful job." She stated as she handed the workers their fee and a tip for their labors. Keys in hand she climbed into the limo and started it, the purr of the engine like music to her ears. As she drove off she clicked her cell on to see if she had any messages then dialed her home to check her machine. A message to remind her of a doctor's appointment was all that met her ear. Hopefully I receive a call for a ride soon. "You're kind of cute and cuddly. I don't know if I want to share you or not. You must have a woman or two on your budget?" she looked at him innocently as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Sadly, no. I've been a businessman ever since I got out of high school. I've worked hard to get what I have and where I am. Never really had time for relationships, unless it was a business deal." He gazed silently into her eyes. There was a connection, and he knew this wasn't about business. Looking back at him and that face just made her melt inside, but she knew it wasn't right. Nobody was ever perfectly right. Yet the tension for a kiss clung in the air between them. She tugged on the side of her lower lip with her upper teeth gently,"So... I guess we better get to that lunch before your next meeting." She plopped her limo driver's cap onto her head with it cocked off to one side." This doesn't go with this dress does it." IOC ~ Very funny chick. If you want to play along just PM one of us and set it up. Heck, just call my cell phone in the story. I'll reply. Limo_Co_CEO said: "Sadly, no. I've been a businessman ever since I got out of high school. I've worked hard to get what I have and where I am. Never really had time for relationships, unless it was a business deal." He gazed silently into her eyes. There was a connection, and he knew this wasn't about business. Click to expand... Getting to know his face better she could not help but just melt into his kiss. It seemed to last for minutes...and minutes. After what seemed like an eternity, he broke their kiss. Glancing at his watch, he said, "We've got to go if we're going to make lunch. Why don't you call the others, and we'll make it a business lunch? It'll give me a chance to meet the other staffers and find out what they're like." As her face started to transform from a dreamy smile to a pout, he was quick to follow up. "Plus, I want to find out if they're all as beautiful as you." "Oh don't mind me... its just part of the..." A mental pause caused the word 'act' to stay in her throat. Why should she care about just another boss man?"...we'll have a good lunch. I'll give them a buzz and see of they can make it." Quickly on her knees and bending over in front of him, she reached for the phone. The phone rang as Jasmine pulled in to the driveway startling her. Her foot hit the gas instead of the break as she raced for the garage door. Realizing what had happened, she quickly hit the brakes and stopped mere inches from the door. Her hear beating wildly she picked up her phone and breathing answered, "Hello?" Florence's voice met her ear. "Lunch? Sure, I'll be there." Having turned into a yoga sit, she says goodbye to Jasmine and calls Maggie at the dispatch office. She grins at him as she hits the speed dial, and he offers up a toast gesture with his soda can. He had a cute way of cocking his head of to the side with a wink." Hi Mags... yea listen. I've got a new client here who wants you to join us for lunch. Uh huh... that's the place babe. No, that's ok... just use my car, the keys are in my locker. All right. Ciao baby." Arriving at Defunct's at 11 sharp, he noted with little surprise that the attendants all seemed to have an extra bounce in their step upon sighting the limo. Little did they know... He grinned like a Cheshire cat when she opened the door. The attendants knew her, but they knew him better. He enjoyed the food, but being there mostly on business, they knew him to be an excellent tipper. Stepping out of the limo, he thought briefly about giving her a quick kiss, but better judgement ruled. Approaching the maître'd, he deftly slipped a $50 onto the podium and "reserved" a table for four in a quiet part of the restaurant. This was a business meeting, after all, and he wanted to "know the staff better". Though in her nice summer dress and heel sandals, Florence never lost her professional qualities when on the job. Though she stood beside and not a step behind her new boss as they entered the restaurant. The familiar staff gave her a nod here and there, but she chose to remain silent. Clearly he was no stranger and even the restaurant owner came over to say hello, which was impressive. Maggie slipped in the door and removed her sunglasses. As her eyes adjusted to the light she checked her big, dark blonde hairdo in the mirror with long painted fingernails. Tall and curvy, she could have been a fashion model, but just had too much going on for the runway. Always classy and always bubbly, she had someone show her to the table. So much for a quiet lunch at home... Jasmine ran in to her place quickly and deposited her bags. Digging out a new outfit, she stripped and contemplated what to wear. Florence had not specified who they were meeting. She decided it must be important for Florence to give her such short notice, maybe something casual sexy would be good. On the other hand, maybe something ultra conservative. She opted for a knee-length pleated black skirt and a forest green blouse. She completed her outfit with nude nylons and black pumps. Time to go!! Back in the car she double-checked her lip gloss as she drove. She arrived just before 11 and watched for Florence and Mages from her car. After a few minutes she says Mages enter and wondered if somehow she had missed Florence. Jasmine exited the car and walked the short distance to the door. A quick smile and mention of her party to the host, and she was on her way to be seated. Introductions had begun, and the ladies were taking their seats when Jasmine walked up to the table. Florence and Maggie tried not to smirk but passed a glance to each other clearly about Jasmine's choice of outfit. The tortoise shell glasses gave her that full on librarian effect. Florence happily introduced them, "Hi Jasmine. This is Mr. Madman. He's been kind enough to invite us all here today." So there was Maggie the dispatcher and back up driver, twitching like a cat with curiosity, along with her friend Florence who she had known for a couple of years since she started driving for the business, and Jasmine the new driver, all taking their seats. Frances Madman seemed to take special care in helping Jaime into her seat and helped her get her purse settled. As he offered her some water from the ice lemon accented pitcher she nodded in appreciation. The meeting began with Flo and Mags feeling a bit ignored, yet they were taking everything in with great delight. Maggie played with Flo's foot under the table. Flo kinda stomped on Mag's foot when Jasmine let out her first giggle snort. "I invited all of you to lunch as a show of appreciation for the wonderful...service've received today." He smiled, glancing in Florence's direction. "Also, I hear that your company has switched hands. So, to ease the tension a bit, I thought I'd let you all blow off some steam about it. I've been through this kind of thing before, and I understand the difficulty of being 'reshuffled', so to speak." Taking a long look at all three women at the table, he sipped his drink and cleared his throat. Florence already knew who he was, so he didn't expect her to have any questions. Maggie was curvy, to be sure, but maybe a bit too... exotic for his tastes at the moment. Jasmine, however... now there was a woman who knew how to "dress to impress". He had almost been caught off-guard by her choice of clothing as she walked in. She had a sort of "sexy librarian" look going on, complete with glasses. The way she looked at him caused his ears to perk up. He decided to start with her." So, Jasmine, I hear you're the newest member of the team. Would you like to talk a bit about the change?" Jasmine sat and stared at her handsome new boss. So caught up was she in the smile lines along the creases of his eyes and mouth, the shimmer in his penetrating eyes, that she almost did not respond to his question." So, Jasmine, I hear you're the newest member of the team. Would you like to talk a bit about the change?" By the time it registered to her that he was talking to her, everyone was sitting silent staring at her. Her cheeks flushed a bit as she tried to cover her embarrassment." Yes, I am the newest member. I very much enjoy my job, Thank you." She paused for a moment to take a sip of her water. "Talk about the changes? Well...let me think. As I am still new to this, are you planning to make any changes in how the company is run? Do you have opinions on how we should be...behaving?" Her cheeks were now fully red with her questioning. Either he knew of their extra-activities or he did not. His answer may or may not clue her in. All the while she kept thinking to herself Wouldn't I love to take you for a ride. "Well, this is only my first day with this company, so you tell me. What changes would you like to see? Pay raises? Better facilities? Extra...benefits?" By now, she had to have known what was going on. The emphasis had shown that he was willing to release certain amounts of information. And if she wanted to know more, then... she would have to find out for herself." As far as your behavior is concerned, I don't mind one bit as to how you as a group operate your business." He looked around the table, making sure to look each of them in the eye. "As long as you have a steady client base, and you continue to offer superior service, I am willing to keep this company as it is or better indefinitely." He knew this would seal the deal. Jasmine looked a tad shocked at him slipping in his ownership announcement. Flo smirked, and Mags grinned real big as she held her water glass and commented,"I appreciate you taking the time for today's visit sir. Can't say that I really have any need for improvements since my percentage is so good. Perhaps you could find some time next week to come by my office and see if there's anything you can suggest." Distracted by the mature waiter who seemed intent at looking down Mag's cleavage, Maggie began to order." I'll take the chicken Caesar with the dressing on the side, no roll with that, and a diet Dr. Pepper. Thanks." "Of course I'll stop by, Maggie. I want to be as integral to the company as all of you are." By now, he had kicked into business mode, and he was definitely talking the talk. Looking directly at Jasmine, he said, "I takepersonalinterest in all my investments. And please, all of you, call me Frank." Smiling slyly, he ordered a chef salad. "Need to eat light. I have a few more meetings today, and I can't be falling asleep in the middle, now can I?" Jasmine turned to the waiter and placed her order quickly, then returned her gaze to her employer. He wanted ideas for change, but really she had none." My apologies Sir, but I am still very new. I am not sure if I have much for suggestions for change. I am quite happy with the way things are." Under the table her hands fiddled with her short skirt trying to keep herself calm. "Perhaps one suggestion would be regular meetings, either one-on-one or with the group to discuss how things are going and share ideas." Realizing she had basically mimicked Mages sentiments, Jasmine looked at her water glass and blushed. It was bad enough she was caught off guard with her new boss being the company tonight, but to come across as a bumbling idiot was not helping her any. Jasmine reached for her water, but it slipped between her fingers and toppled toward her. Water sprayed her blouse and trickled off the table on to her skirt."Oh, no! I'm so sorry!" She tried to save face by grabbing her cloth napkin and dabbing, picking her glass up and scraping the ice off the table cloth. She was soaked, her nipples jutting out of the material of her shirt having suddenly become very cold." Please excuse me." she said as she stood embarrassed. "They have dryers in the bathroom. I'm going to go dry off a bit." After checking the bathroom to assure it was empty, she slipped her blouse off and shoved it under the dryer... This had to work. "Excuse me for a moment, ladies." He politely removed himself from the table and walked to the ladies' restroom. Gently knocking, he asked, "Jasmine? Is everything going to be alright?" He slowly opened the door to check for any sign of a female presence. Poking his head in, he jokingly said, "Man on the floor." Turning his eyes to the wash basins, he saw Jasmine, topless, holding her blouse under a dryer. My goodness, such an enchanting creature, he thought. The way her neck slopes gently to her shoulders, and from there to... He was on the prowl now. Entering the room, he locked the door behind him. Approaching her, he placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Jasmine, you seemed a bit nervous. Are you alright?" "Jasmine, you seemed a bit nervous. Are you alright?" Mr. Madman's voice startled Jasmine, his warm hand on her flesh made her jump. She spun around and found herself face to face with him, Her shirt falling to the floor in a pile beneath the drier." Mr. Madman!" she gasped, "You startled me." It wasn't till she moved her hand over her heart to show her surprise that she realized how exposed she was. "I'm fine. Just trying to dry off a bit." She bent to pick up her shirt, trying not to appear as awkward as she felt." Is there something I can do for you, Sir?" Flo and Mag's decided to step out for a smoke while their order was being prepared. Flo slipped her cell phone out of her clutch and checked for messages as Mag's lit two cigarettes at once and handed one to her." Damn... nothing. I don't know if it's the competition or the season Maggie, but I've had about half the clients as usual." Maggie looked like she was starring in the show Absolutely Fabulous as she smoked and stated that maybe the competition has a new special deal. Flo nodded and got a silly look on her face. Then she showed Maggie that she was dialing Jasmine's cell number. Maggie snorted and gave a soft high five. Flo replied with, "It's still ringing." Miss Miata said: "Is there something I can do for you, Sir?" Click to expand... "Please, call me Frank. And there might be somethingIcould do for you." He slowly advanced until her back was against the wall, then reached out and stroked her cheek. She had such soft skin. He leaned forward and kissed her, gently at first, then pressing in with more urgency. She was a bewitching lady, and he wanted to find all of her charms. Jasmine inched closer and closer to the wall as Frank approached her. The cool wall touched her nearly bare skin as the realization there was nowhere to go sunk in. His lips drew ever near, his proximity warming her. The touch of his lips intoxicated her. Jasmine's hand reached up and around his neck, lightly holding him in as her mouth parted to his tender advances. No longer thinking of her shirt, she let the material return to the floor and slid her other arm around his lower back. RiiinnngggThe phone ringing startled her momentarily, but there was no way she was answering it. Whoever was calling would just have to leave a message. He placed his hands on her waist and lifted her to the counter, setting her next to one of the basins, never breaking contact with her lips. Sliding one hand slowly up her side, he entangled his fingers in her hair, turning her head to the side. His lips left hers momentarily, then met with her neck, gently sucking at her jawline, nibbling at her earlobes. He could hear her breath quickening. His other hand slowly crept up her back until he touched the fabric of her bra. Kissing his way to her shoulder, he first unfastened one hook, then the other, as he nipped at her flesh. He continued kissing along her collarbone, stopping only when he had reached the tops of her breasts. Looking up at her, he let his hand fall, taking her bra with it. Any semblance of control melted with his kisses. His lips across her ear, neck and shoulder leaving her breathless. She wrapped her legs around her bosses hips and pressing him against her. Her hands fumbled with his shirt, anxious to feel his skin beneath her fingers. She pulled away momentarily to remove the garment pausing only long enough to give him a quick look over, then pulled him back to her. Arching her back, she teased him with her naked breasts, encouraging his touch. All the while her fingernails raked over his shoulders and back, admiring his form and tracing every ripple. Gesturing to the cell phone, Flo acts out the roll of Jasmine's message by lipping the words, "Hi this is Jasmine. Sorry to have missed your call. Please leave a message or choose the paging option and have a great day."" Jasmine, it's me Florence. Answer yer damn phone girl! Well we're comin' in." As Flo flicked her phone shut and put it away, the ladies finished their cigarettes and headed inside. When they saw that no one but the waiter was at the table serving their food, they opted to head for the ladies room. Jasmine's phone stopped ringing, for a moment Jasmine worried she had missed an important call. Her thoughts soon returned to the situation at hand. Her breathing was strained and rapid, soft moans filling the enclosed room. Never one to be very quiet, she worried someone outside might notice. She attempted to bite her lip, but his lips and his touch were too much. Her moans were only increasing in volume and frequency... He knelt on the tiled floor, snaking his tongue from her breasts down her stomach to her waist. Lifting the hem of her skirt, he kissed her thighs, leaning forward, inhaling her musky scent. Pulling the skirt as far back as he could, he gently trailed the tip of his tongue along her bare pussy, flicking it on her clit as he reached the top. Feeling her hands on the back of his head, he took the cue and delved further into her. He heard her gasp as he thrust his tongue as deep as he could into her. Her juices flowed onto his tongue as her pussy tightened. He began working at her in earnest, sucking at her lips, swiping his tongue across her clit. Her grip on his head tightened, and her thighs closed around him. She was close now. Keeping a hand tightly in his hair, she let her other hand fall to the counter and help prop herself. With her legs wrapped securely around him, she was able to grind her hips into his face. His tongue lapping at her was quickly bringing her closer and closer to orgasm. Her voice was now in a mesh of fevered moans and gasps. She could not contain herself. The ripples of pleasure growing in her lower body, her pussy beginning to tighten and pulse beneath his oral advances. It wouldn't take long now. He pulled back as far as he could and blew a gentle puff of air over her clit. He heard her moan loudly, and the pressure around his ears became greater. Furthermore, he teased her with the tip of his tongue one last time, then pressed his lips to her clit and sucked hard on it. She screamed, and her juices soaked his chin, dripping to his chest. He opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out, flattening it against her folds, tasting her essence." That was good, for an appetizer," he said while standing." But now, I want the main course." Florence and Maggie found the restroom door to be locked. While Flo put her ear to the door, Mags looked out for other patrons. Slowly Flo just walked away from the door and went over into the adjoining men's room. She turned back and grabbed Maggie's arm and pulled her in with her." Help me get this off the wall honey." Flo directed Maggie to help her try to remove the paper towel dispenser from the wall." Are you crazy Florence? What in the hell are you doing?" "That was good, for an appetizer," he said while standing." But now, I want the main course." Jasmine, still trembling from orgasm, smiled and slid off the counter. Without faltering, she reached behind back and unclasped her skirt, lowering the zipper and letting it fall to the floor beneath her. She kicked the skirt over to her blouse and reached for Frank. Her arms slipped around his neck, pulling his face towards hers. Her taste was on his lips as she kissed him firmly. She pressed herself against him and wiggled her hips invitingly. Her lips left his and trailed down his neck, all the while she managed to make a request." You've had your appetizer, may I have mine?" She slid down his body, pressing her lips in random places on his chest as she worked down. He took a sharp breath as her lips traveled downward. His hands reached for his belt, but hers were already there, unbuckling it as she toyed with his navel. He leaned on his hands as she unzipped his fly, reaching in, fishing for his cock. He was already hard, but seemed to get harder as she gripped his manhood. She gave it a couple of strokes, and watched as a bubble of precut oozed out of the tip. He looked down at her, her gaze focused on that small bubble. He reached down with one hand to stroke her face, and she looked at him. Grinning, he spoke. "Hors d'oeuvre?" "Hors d'oeuvre?" Without a word Jasmine crouched down and leaned her lips to his leaking tip. With her eyes fixed on his, she licked the drops teasingly. Her tongue slid down the left side of his steely shaft, across the base beneath and back up the right. She licked down the underside to nibble gently on his balls before slipping back to the tip. In a very slow, seductive manner she took him in to her mouth. Half inch at a time, in a full suck. Her cheeks pulled between her teeth, mouth hungrily devouring him. She managed to take him in till her lips were tickled by his hair. After a moment of strong sucking, she slid back off. Repeating her track, slow on, fast off...pulling his cock deep inside then letting it go. She grabbed at his ass and motioned for him to move his hips.urging him to aid her in her venture. First with her finger to her lips for silence, Flo showed Maggie in pantomime that they were each to take a side of the paper towel dispenser and push it straight up to get if off of the mounts that attached it to the wall. As they tried together, one on each side of the unit, it wouldn't budge. Maggie let out a giggle-snort as the noise from the other side of the bathroom wall made if pretty obvious as to what was going on in there. She whispered to Flo with a giggle, "Why do you want to see them?"" I heard there was a look through somewhere behind this towel thing from some guys in my car the other day. They must have been talkin' shit because this thing isn't budging!" Florence whispered back loudly." Hey! I know..." Maggie gave Flo a dramatic look and popped up one of her fingernails out like it was from a Swiss Army Knife. She inserted her fingernail into the key-lock hole on the front of the dispenser and got it to open. Flo pushed her aside abruptly, "Let me see!" Maggie stood back and watched as Florence quietly lifted the stack of paper towels out of the unit only to see a black backing. "Damn!"" Flo... have you got the hots for this new boss of ours? You're gettin' a little buggy."" He just fucked me less than two hours ago Maggie!" she made a pouty face and stomped her foot. "It was... well maybe not... I don't know... ""Oh honey..." Maggie reached for Florence and gave her a hug. Flo turned her head to the side so as not to get makeup on Mag's nice blouse. So comforting it was to just be held with her head on her good friend's shoulder as they rocked for a bit." Hey... just a sec here..." Maggie stepped a bit forward still embracing Flo as she reached to the black backing inside the towel dispenser and slid her fingernail behind the cardboard. It popped out easily, and she set it on the counter. Then she and Flo both stood together looking through what must have been a two-way mirror. Mr. V walked into the limo service place to set up arrangements to be driven to the airport for his early morning flight. Yet when he arrived, no one was there to be found, he decided to maybe try back another time. He took his hand from the counter and held the back of Jasmine's head as he slowly began moving his hips in a steady rhythm, sliding his cock in and out of her mouth. He couldn't believe that she could take it all, but sure enough, her lips touched the base of his shaft, over and over. He gradually built speed, thrusting faster into her mouth. Furthermore, he reached down with his other hand and played with her breast, squeezing it, pinching and tugging at the nipple. Soon he was pumping his hips as hard as he could, shoving his entire cock into her mouth, hitting the back of her throat. He started moaning. He wasn't far from cumming. The girls in awe just slowly stepped back a bit. Maggie tilted her head slightly to the side to get a better angle on the scene in front of her. Suddenly the door knob was jiggled forcefully from the outside of the Men's room and Florence jumped with a start. Maggie put the cardboard back up and tossed the paper towels back in and slammed the lid shut. Pushing the bulging wad of towels in with her shoulder, she was able to use her fingernail to lock the dispenser back up again. A loud knock followed and Maggie just opened the door and walked out. The two men standing there looked mildly amused, but then split into full grins as Florence also exited the Men's room. Not looking back, the two naughty peepers went to their table and began to have lunch. Jasmine kneeled there, her mouth invaded by the hard shaft of her employer. Each thrust pounding her throat forcefully. Her eyes staring at him, watching his pleasure build in his expressions. His fingers pinching and tugging her nipples had left her aching and in need of another orgasm, and quickly. With her boss taking control with his hips, Jasmine found her hands were free to roam. One massaged her tender nipples while the other traveled down her body and beneath her skirt. Her fingers dipped in to her wet lips and massaged her needy flesh. She attempted to mimic the motion of the oral penetration with her fingers...fast and hard. Her mouth never losing suction as her moans began to come more frequently. The muffled sounds reverberating on his cock. She began to twitch and squirm as she felt the tightening of his cock between her lips. She latched on to him and began to suck with all she had as her body gave in to her lust as well. With a loud groan, he shoved his cock forward a final time. He could feel the tingling sensation as cum rose from his balls, jetted through his shaft, and shot into her throat. He pulled back, letting his load flow onto her tongue. Furthermore, he twitched as her tongue flicked against the underside of the head, coaxing every last drop out. His knees weak, he slowly slid to the floor, his cock sliding from her still-sucking mouth with a wet popping sound. He looked into her eyes, softly chuckling. "Where did you learn that?" Smiling she leaned back on her legs and gave her head a tilt to the side." Now sir, surely you know a lady must have some secrets." She gave a wink. Without thinking, she brought her fingers to her lips and licked them clean. Taking each one in her mouth and suckling lightly, extracting her juices from the soft flesh. She stopped when she caught the look on his face. Quickly and in an embarrassed fashion she dropped her hand to her lap and played with the hem of her skirt." Habit..." was all she could think to say. Gathering her courage and composure she whispered, "Are we finished here?" Her eyes caught his as she waited for a reply. "Jesus Maggie... how long are we supposed to wait anyway?"" So what are we going to do when they come back?" Maggie replied." I'll tell them about the movie deal and take off for L.A. for a couple of days. Someone has got to bring us some new business and this movie sure couldn't hurt." Miss Miata said: "Are we finished here?" Click to expand... "For now, Jasmine," he said with a wink. "Our lunch is probably waiting for us. We should get dressed. Just remember, I've got something special planned for you." He stood and offered his hand to her. After they had dressed, he quickly poked his head out of the door, and finding the coast clear, he quickly slipped out. Upon returning to the table, he noticed that Florence and Maggie were eyeing him suspiciously." She had a... problem... and as a good employer, I had to... help out in any way I could." He then realized he had forgotten to clean up after their encounter, and thought what he must have looked like. Maggie dropped to a sultry tone as if she was going to immediately seduce him." Well Florence and I are done with the Men's room if you want to use it now. And I must say... that's a lovely shade of lipstick you're wearing. Perhaps you prefer the Ladies's room? Though I must admit to being disappointed if you were gay." She reached over and set her hand on the top of his as Florence acted very busy cutting her food. "Um, yes, excuse me." He got up and quickly walked to the men's room, hiding the lower half of his face behind his hand. He made his way into the lavatory and loved at himself in the mirror. Sure enough, he had lipstick and pussy juice smeared on and around his mouth. He turned a faucet on and reached over to the towel dispenser to wet a towel. He tugged at the paper, and several sheets fell out. Curious now, he looked at the box on the wall. The towels were in disorder, as though someone had opened the dispenser and closed it again. He pulled his pocketknife out and unlocked the case. Paper towels fell to the floor. He looked closely at the backing. It seemed to be removable. Pulling off the dispenser, he investigated further. He noticed a crack near the edge of the backing. Sliding his blade into the crack, the backing popped out. He removed the cardboard and looked. Lo and behold, he was looking through to the ladies' room. And what he saw surprised him. Jasmine... She watched Frank leave and quietly walked to the door. She needed time to regroup. Re-locking the door she moved over to the mirror and stared at her reflection. Her hair was a mess, her makeup smeared, her skin pink from his touch; all in all she looked rather disheveled." What am I doing?" she mumbled to herself, reaching for a tissue to wipe her lipstick and the tiny drop of cum off her lips and chin. Her glance lowered to her skirt, it was a mess. Wrinkled and moist from being between her legs." This simply will not do". Jasmine stepped back and slowly removed her skirt, being careful not to make it worse. After checking it over, she walked naked over to the chair and pulled it to the hand dryer. Placing her skirt neatly on the chair, she pushed the button and walked away thinking to herself that should help. From her purse she pulled out a soft cloth, wet it and began to wash herself. Running the warm cloth over her chest teasing her erect nipples. Moving her hands down her body in a circular motion, her eyes fixed on the mirror before her. Then down between her legs the cloth dipped, her tender, moist lips needed cleansing. He watched Jasmine through the mirror, and he could feel his erection returning. He looked on as she removed her skirt, watching her ass as she set it under the dryer. When she began rubbing the wet cloth over her breasts, his manhood was straining against his trousers. As she moved the damp rag lower, he started openly rubbing himself through the material. He heard the door start to open, and quickly rushed to set everything back in its place, saying aloud, "It's occupied." Maggie and Florence flirted with the waiter and decided to split a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. A former client at another table saw Flo from across the room and stared as she and Maggie giggled, obviously having some devious conversation as they hunched over the cake. With the memory of his lips and tongue tracing her nether lips, Jasmine found herself surprisingly aroused yet. Taking a step back, she leaned her frame against the wall and parted her legs a bit. Her fingers sought her sweetness. Dipping in to her moist folds beneath the cloth. The soft bumps on the cloth provided extra stimulation as they teased her clit. She slid her free hand to her breasts. Caressing each one then pinching the tight nipples. Pulling, teasing, inflicting a measure of pain to the nubs, sending ripples of pleasure through her body. Her legs began to weaken, her body trembled and pressed tighter to the wall for support. Her forehead beaded with sweat, eyes closed tightly and voice muffled as best she could manage. In her mind she pictured the 'main course'. Imagining what it would be like to ride that cock... The door closed, and he rushed over to lock it, cursing himself. Returning to the mirror, he peered through yet again. His eyes followed the cloth as she rubbed it across her pussy. Opening his fly, he pulled his erection out and began stroking it in time to her motions. He looked on, watching as she mauled her breasts, tugging at her nipples. He began to stroke faster. Her breathing became heavy, as did his. He was starting to sweat, droplets beading on his upper lip and forehead. He wanted to fuck her, and he knew she wanted him as well. His hand was a blur, shunting up and down his shaft. He wanted to cum with her. He could hear her moans. The cell phone for Maggie rang loudly with a bright tune and they both seemed startled out of their chocolate bliss. After quickly wiping her lips with a napkin, she answered cheerfully." Hi, can I help?" The voice on the other end of the line was from the Mexican cleaning lady who told of a business card she had found stuck in the office door. Maggie flipped open her bag and grabbed a pen, "OK honey... what's that number?" Scribbling the number on her napkin, she said her gracias and set in at punching the number for a potential new client. Florence looked on intrigued and then turned to look towards the restrooms again. The pleasure furthered weakened Jasmine. Rather than collapsing to the floor, she slid her body along the wall to the chair. She let go of her slippery slit long enough to knock her skirt on the floor and haphazardly sit on the chair. Her hips hung over the edge of the chair, hear hair flopping over the chair back and her back arched. Her fingers sought the warmth between her legs and went to work. In her mind she saw herself straddling her boss, his cock buried inside her. She rode him roughly, wanting to cum hard and fast with him. Sweat staining both of their bodies, eyes wild with passion. Her legs began to twitch, her hips bucking the intensity of her building orgasm. His cock throbbed in his hand as his eyes followed her to the chair. He could clearly see her glistening juices now, her fingers squishing inside her. His hand slid faster along his shaft, rubbing precut along its length. His gaze traveled along her body, her firm breasts jutting toward the heavens, her hips pushing forward with each thrust of her fingers. Her chest was heaving with each ragged breath. He closed his eyes and envisioned her body on top of his, her breasts rubbing on his chest, her wetness covering his groin. With clenched teeth, he groaned loudly as his load shot out and splattered against the wall, further spurts falling to the floor, until all that was left of the stringy cum slowly drooled from his shaft. He leaned against the counter, breathing heavily. He squeezed his softening prick once more, forcing the last remnants out. Grabbing a paper towel from the dispenser, he wiped himself clean, then straightened his suit, making sure all was in order. He quietly replaced the parts of the machine to their rightful positions, took another towel, and wetting it, cleaned his face. Florence's cell phone rang with her usual Jingle Bells tune no matter what the season, and she was so pleased to hear his voice...again." Hello there you." she replied as she gave Maggie a dreamy look. Limodrivinslut said: Florence's cell phone rang with her usual Jingle Bells tune no matter what the season, and she was so pleased to hear his voice... again. "Hello there you." she replied as she gave Maggie a dreamy look. Click to expand... "Hi there. Just thought I'd give you another jingle before I left for work. I was sitting here stroking myself before the shower thinking about how much nicer it would be to have your sweet lips stroking me instead of my hand." "That would be wonderful wouldn't it." she purred into the phone. Maggie mouthed silently, "Who is it?" Flo just giggled and put her finger to her lips for a hush." Let's get together again real soon baby." poised for a positive response she started fiddling with a tendril of hair and bit her lip slightly. A pounding on the door brought Jasmine back to reality quickly. She had completely lost herself at the moment and failed to remember she was in a public place, an often needed public place. She raced to the sink and washed her hands, leaving her body longing for release. Furthermore, she'd just have to finish later." Just a moment" she yelled. She quickly threw her clothing back on, still slightly damp but a far cry better. She ran a finger through her damp bangs, and freshened up her lipstick. She gave herself a quick look over and headed for the door." I'm sorry..." she muttered as she exited the tiny room and headed for the table. Wolfe smiled slightly from surprise as he noticed a woman emerging from the men's room, but was even more surprised when a second emerged. What had they been doing in there? His mind raced with the possibilities. Perhaps they were...no, no, that was ridiculous right? That was just some projection of his own sexual frustration right? Still, this was a puzzle, and would be an amusement in what was otherwise shaping up to be a boring business trip. At least this was some bit of luck after the transportation he had ordered failed to show up. He watched as the women walked back to their table and order dessert. His mind went back and forth as to what they were doing. Finally, he made the decision to be direct. After all, what was the harm in asking? At worst, they would tell him to fuck off. Wolf straightened up his suit and walked over to the women's table. He coughed slightly." Pardon me, I just happened to notice you two a few minutes ago coming out of the men's room, and I was just wondering if everything is alright?" He felt lame and awkward, and was desperately trying not to blush. Curiosity would end up killing the poor man eventually. Florence stared deeply into his eyes as he spoke, still with her ear to her phone. She batted her eyelashes like a doe as she noticed the quality of his suit and the carriage of his jawline. Maggie stepped in by hanging up her phone since there was only an option to page and no answer." Hello there." Maggie put out her hand, and he shook it graciously. "It seems that the ladies room is finally available. Please pardon our taking up your personal space." Florence spoke into the phone though distracted. This man had such a presence yet a certain innocence about him. He was truly magnetic, and she didn't want Maggie to steal him. "Yea... so I have to get going... I'll talk to you later... mmm... me too. Ciao"Maggie began the introductions as she eyed Jasmine with a certain curiosity. "This is Jasmine, my business college. Florence works with me as well." Flori also reached out her hand and blushed as he took it into his own as if for a dance, and then he put his hand on top of hers. The warmth was obvious as their skin met." Nice to meet you sir. I'm sorry... what was your name?" she said softly. Jasmine... Jasmine sat in her chair silently, staring at the handsome stranger as Flora and Maggie introduced themselves and then her. AHE was positive her cheeks were still flushed from her excursions moments ago. She grabbed her water glass and took a sip while watching the exchange. Wolfe took the lovely brunettes hand in his own and bowed slightly. "Wolfe. It's a pleasure to meet you Florence. It's certainly not a name you here too often these days. Would you mind if I sat down? I'm here by myself and would appreciate the company." A new face had arrived at the table. Something was odd about her. She had the conservative dress sense of a librarian, yet the glow in her skin and her slightly mussed hair hinted at something more. Something that suggested he would enjoy negotiating favors to make up for LTE fines."Do you alright miss? You seem a bit flushed?" As Jasmine and Florence met eyes a number of emotions passed between them. Would this be how it would always be? Maggie and Florence had been the naughty sisters for some time, but Flo was beginning to figure out that working with Jasmine was inevitable. She spoke before Jasmine was able..."Oh, Jasmine! has just been so busy you know. We're waiting for...a guest to return to the table. I have to take him to another business meeting in just a bit." Flo realized that she needed a glass of wine after such a day and motioned to the waiter. Upon returning to the table, Frank noticed a man introducing himself. He also noticed Florence having another glass of wine. Won't make it to my next meeting, he thought. Oh, well, they'll just have to meet me later. He greeted the man warmly, extending his hand." Hi, I'm Frank Madman. I own the company these ladies work for. Here's my card," he reached into his pocket and produced a business card for the stranger. After the introductions were over, Frank offered him a seat. "Please, pull up a chair, Wolfe. I've always got time for potential clients. Let me just push my meeting back an hour or so." He reached for his cell and started dialing. "Well thank you, Frank. You seem to be quite the lucky man." Wolfe took the business card and studied it. "Hey, this is quite a nice break. I was supposed to be getting a car half an hour ago, but apparently they have forgotten about me in the shuffle. I don't suppose you could take an emergency client?" He smiled softly at the assembled women in front of him. Jasmine shifted in her seat. Her eyes shot to Maggie and then to Florence looking for approval, then turned in the direction of their table mate. She avoided Frank's glance completely, not sure what to think of their excursion just yet." My schedule for the afternoon is clear, if you'd like." She smiled warmly and waited for the response. Having had been quiet for most of the meeting Florence got into one of her giggly moods and felt the effects of the cake and wine combination. She swirled her glass up to Frank and then swigged the last of her second glass down." I thought maybe you could drive to your next meeting Mr. Madman and I could enjoy the back seat." she said gleaming over the empty glass she held with both hands. Another giggle was throatier this time and Frank was starting to realize that she had expectations." The new rig has got a kick. You'll love driving it." "I would certainly appreciate any help with transportation concerns. It's a fine restaurant, but I believe living here would make the staff rapidly uncomfortable." Wolfe shifted in his seat and noticed that a chocolate cake crumb had stuck to Florence's lip. He tried pointing it out. "You appear to have a crumb..." Florence raised her napkin to her mouth to dab it away, but apparently the crumb was particularly stubborn. "No, no, no..." Wolfe's voice fell to whisper. He reached across to the table and brushed the crumb away from Flo's mouth. He felt himself wanting to linger on her lips. They felt so soft and warm to the touch. He could feel his pulse quicken as he slowly pulled his hand away from her beautiful lips." Erm, what was I saying again?" Wolfe desperately tried to shake the lecherous thoughts from his brain. "The new rig has a bit of a kick to it hmm? I think I'd be interested in trying that out myself." "Well, this is a bit... unusual, but I don't see how it could hurt. After all, you have to know the business to own the business, right?" He chuckled softly and looked at Florence. She was a little tipsy, but maintaining control. He knew she had something up her sleeve. He stood and walked around the table. "So, I suppose we should leave to get there on time, huh, Florence?" He offered his arm. "Come with us Jasmine." Florence uttered as she took the Boss by the arm and reached out to take Jasmine's hand." We'll see you later Maggie. Have a good day honey." Maggie nodded her farewells and motioned for the cute waiter. No point in going back to that empty office alone. Clearly the rest of the crew was going to be busy for a while. Jasmine stood and pushed in her chair. She grabbed her purse as she said her goodbyes to Maggie and Wolfe." It was very nice to meet you Wolfe. Maggie, always a pleasure." With that she smiled at Florence and Frank. "I'm ready now, let's go." "Jasmine honey... Wolfgang is coming with us as well." Florence mentioned as the four of them began to stroll to the limo. The new boss, Frank, played driver and held the door open after Florence beeped it to unlock with the remote. Once Wolfgang, Jasmine and Florence were inside he closed it with an impressive thud. In the driver's seat he found Flo's black cap, and he popped it on his head in a rather jaunty fashion since it was too small for him. Cracking up Flo got in her hands and knees and knocked on the window between the compartments. Frank opened the slider and turned to see Flo popping her head and one arm through." Gimme that!" she giggled as she took the cap from his head." Paybacks are a bitch Frank. She's mine now. Best you just hush up and drive." Florence slid back to her seat next to Wolfgang, but left the partition window open...for a better effect. Running a hand through his hair to straighten it, he started the car and put it into gear. Wow, she's right, he thought, this thing does have quite a kick to it. Training one eye on the road, he glanced at the mirror occasionally to view the goings-on in the back. He pressed the button to lock the divider into place." Please, make yourselves comfortable," he said with a tone of sarcasm. Lord knows I'm going to get a bit uncomfortable. Turning towards her guests, Florence suggested that they have something to drink. The fine cherry wood bar gleamed and Wolfgang seemed impressed with the real marble flooring. She reached for the wine once the limo got underway. Frank was in cruise mode which was fine. His next appointment was almost an hour away, but they had time to let him get a feel for things. When he looked in the rearview mirror Florence looked back at his eyes while she sucked on the bottle cork very provocatively. She popped a 7-Up open for Jasmine and explained the rate structure for their services. Amused, Wolfe watched her handle things with ease. Jasmine accepted the 7up with a smile and watched the exchange between Wolfe and Florence. Business was never all that interesting to discuss, far less listen to. Her mind wandered to the bathroom earlier and her excursions therein. She massaged her jaw a bit and smiled. The sound of Florence's voice broke through her thoughts. She really should pay more attention... Noticing that Jasmine had not fastened her seatbelt; Florence moved over to her work partner's side and pulled on the black shoulder belt harshly." Wolfgang would please hook this into the buckle for us. Thanks honey." Turning on to one hip, Florence faced her companions and offered up her glass in a toast. After all had sipped she began to ask Wolf about his destination. Both women could tell that he was a bit flustered and on-guard, yet he spoke with ease in almost a purr. Still is her dress from the restaurant, Flo spread her legs and put her thigh over Jasmine's thigh." This muscle above my knee has been really bugging me lately. Can you rub it for me please?" Jasmine smiled and placed her cup in the holder. The tips of her fingers were chilled from the drink and her nerves. She rubbed her hands together to warm them then placed them on Florence's silky skin. With her thumbs she looked for any knots in the muscles around Florence's knees. Her hands massaged the flesh gently but firmly, her palms sliding around the underside of the thigh and back top. Jasmine's eyes raked across Florence leg and the hem of her dress." Is this helping?" "Oh yes... that feels good. " Florence replied gently, and put her hand onto Jamie's, pressing a little firmer." We need to look good to our new boss Wolfgang. He needs to know that we can impress our special clientele. I'm not sure if you needed a lift or something more." Wrapping her arm up around Jasmine, Florence giggled, "You can just watch if you want." Her fingers rubbed deeper in to Florence's thigh, but her attention was elsewhere. The touch of Florence's hands on her had her distracted. Jasmine slowly worked up Florence's thigh till her hands were blocked by the hem of the skirt. Letting go, she ran her fingertips down the leg and back up, following with her eyes. Her hands followed her leg up over her skirt and up her bodice on either side. Using her palms she explored Florence's shapely body, slid her hands around her back and pulled Florence closer to her. In a soft voice she spoke, "We are all about the satisfaction of our clientele after all." Keeping one eye trained on the road, Frank took an occasional glance to the back. He watched as Jasmine first placed her hand on Florence's knee, then slowly felt and fondled her way up until she had Florence in an enticing embrace. He felt his dick swelling, slowly tenting his trousers. He wondered what their next move would be, though he had a suspicion in the back of his mind on what it was. Furthermore, he returned his attention to the road before him. Seeing Frank check the mirror prompted Florence to lick her lips and drop her voice into a seductive tone. Wolf sipped his drink and remained fascinated with the agility Florence was displaying as she began to unbutton Jasmine's blouse with one hand. He was also admiring just how much of Flo's upper thighs he could now see." Your skin is so soft Jasmine. mmm..." she stroked Jasmine's upper chest and around her right breast without actually touching the nipple. As Jasmine turned to make a comment, Florence laid her mouth upon her lips and began kissing her deeply as she began to explore more inside Jasmine's blouse. The night defiantly had not turned out for the best. Then again, when do blind dates ever turn out. Standing here in the cold trying to hitch a ride was just making me mad. I can not believe the asshole kicked me out on the side of the rode because I turned his offer down. I sat down on the curb and began to cry, wrapping my arms around myself trying to stay warm from the nights chill. Just then a Limo rounded the cover. Wiping my eyes and trying to compose myself I stood up and stuck out a thumb. Maybe they would have a phone in there I could use to call a cab or a friend to come and get me. Goosebumps broke out across Jasmine's skin, her lips molded with Florence's lips in a kiss. Their lips parted, deepening their kiss. Jasmine explored Florence's mouth eagerly, trying to disguise her nervousness by being bold. Jasmine moved a hand up Florence's back in to her soft hair, tangling her fingers in the tresses. Her free hand moved from Florence's back down to her thigh. Tracing her flesh with her nails. She toyed with the hem of Florence's skirt, manipulating farther up her thigh. She opened her eye just enough to get a glimpse of Wolf's face. Soon Jasmine's blouse was worked open and just the strap was across her chest. Each breast held its position with attention as her pretty nipples strained. Florence looked at Wolf and blew air onto Jasmine's pert flesh. Then she got up and turned, straddling her workmate, which made her leg press between her and Wolfgang. Frank was so involved with watching the goings-on behind him that he almost didn't see the hitchhiker at the side of the road. He swerved slightly, giving the young lady a wide berth, then slowed the vehicle to a stop. Unlocking the partition, he turned toward the group and said, "This will only take a minute", as he rolled it up. He looked in the rearview mirror to see the stranger coming toward his window in a half-jog. "Oh my gosh..." Florence uttered." That looks like Megan." The wet and cold lovely took the driver's prompt and pulled the front door open. She settled herself in the front seat with gratitude. Wolfe was a little too used to sitting back and enjoying things, apparently. At first, he simply watched in a haze, not believing the two gorgeous women were real. Florence and Jasmine looked incredible together. The realization what they were doing was real slowly sunk into his brain. They looked incredibly beautiful together. As Florence leg brushed against him, Wolfe came out of his reverie. It had been way to long to simply sit here and drool like an idiot. Wolfe sat up and straddled Jasmine behind Flo, pressing the two girls together with the weight of his body. He slowly and softly ran his hand over the two girl's legs. Wolf grabbed Florence's hair and gently pulled her head to one side so that he could nuzzle against her neck." So how far are you willing to go to satisfy a client?" he asked. Flo simply smiled and winked as a response. Wolfe passionately kissed down her neck as the two girls continued their embrace. His hands could feel the soft texture of their dresses and smoothness of their skin. It was taking all his control not to rip their clothing off of them then and there. Wolfe slowly lowered his hand under Florence's sundress and began to rub at the very top of her inner left thigh." Oh my gosh," Florence said, and for a brief second Wolfe thought it was what he was doing, before she made her second statement. He was curious now if he should continue what had started now... Flo ground her crotch back and forth on Was, and buns into Wolfe. Raising her arms up to the ceiling made it easier to stay stable. Without a thought for time or destination the three enjoyed the mutual heat between them. As the woman slid into the passenger side and shut the door, he gave her a closer look. She looked positively frozen, so he turned the heater on." Can I help you?" O = Out O = Of C = Character ~a moment of silence as we bow down to honor...the sixth page "Thank you so much for stopping," I said to the driver as I slipped in. I saw him give me a good look up and down. The intensity in his glare gave me a bit of a warming tingle. He must have noticed my shivers for he reached over and turned on some heat. Extending my hand to him, I introduced myself, "Hi, I am Megan, I was hoping you might have a phone I could use to call for a ride home." Florence couldn't help but groan and banged her hand on the roof's interior as Wolf cupped her ass with his strong hand and slipped two fingers in to her hot puss. Taking Jasmine's mouth to her own once again, they kissed with a new server. Riding his hand was easy and tasting Jasmine's lips seemed so naughty for some reason." Suck my tittle Jasmine... suck it." Taking her hand, he smiled and said, "My name's Frank, and I don't have my cell on me, but I could give you a ride, if you like." He hoped he hadn't appeared too forward, as his businesslike demeanor always seemed to distance him. He noticed how smooth the skin of her hand was. Furthermore, he imagined the rest of her skin was just as smooth." So, where would you like to go?" With a seductive smile Jasmine buried her face in Florence's cleavage, pulling the material out of the way and nibbling. Alternating kisses and gentle bites she worked her way to Florence's nipple. Her tongue licked around the hardened nipple. She enveloped the tightening flesh with her lips and latched on, sucking and teasing with her mouth and tongue. She moaned and squirmed beneath the two rubbing bodies. I took his hand and instantly felt electric sparks explode from him. His hand was rough but yet manicured and soft in a manly way. Looking closer at him, I noticed a rough business stature in him. Defiantly did not have the Chaucer look to him with the expensive suit he was wearing and bling he had on. Just then she heard some commotion in the back of the Limo and a familiar giggle. She had to be imagining things, Flo was working tonight." I really appreciate your offer kind sir, but it sounds like you have customers. They might get a Lille upset if you take me home and do not attend to there business." Concerned that Frank was not able to have a good view due to Wolf's position, Florence decided to make a move." My thighs are getting a little stressed Jasmine. I don't want to crush you. " Florence purred into her ear. With force Flo pushed back hard on Wolf, and he stepped back once and then let himself plop onto the other seat which made the car bounce a bit. Then Flo stepped back and went to her knees in front of Jasmine, but chose to turn her backside towards her and see if Frank was watching. Frank and Megan were sitting closer than expected and seemed to be in a mutual adoration phase which was a bit unsettling but certainly expected since Megan was so beautiful. She just had a way about her that made everyone gravitate towards her. Hoping that this might get his attention, Flo started unbuttoning Wolf's short. Wolf collided into the backseat with a moan. As Flo adjusted her body he licked at his fingers. Quickly he helped Flo remove his shirt, and began to unzip his pants. He needed her badly. His cock was so hard that it felt painful. Flo placed a hand on his crotch and grinned wickedly. It almost seems like she was grinning behind him and not at him, but frankly Wolf was beyond caring. He needed release. He pulled Flo's mouth to his for a kiss. Her lips were soft and warm and very inviting. Her tongue darted into his mouth like electricity. Wolf's heart pounded in his chest. He could feel her hand casually stroking at him. Still, it seemed as if Flo were distracted by the driver and the new visitor in the front seat. "Truth be told, Megan," he started, "those are my employees. They're entertaining a client right now, and I don't have to be anywhere for a couple of hours." He smiled slightly, though the limo bounced a bit. He looked at her for a long time, perhaps longer than he should have. Furthermore, he noticed her smiling at him crookedly, then shifted his vision toward the road ahead. "So, where would you like to go?" Kissing Wolf was more exciting than she expected especially since Jasmine began pulling her thong down from behind. Wolf's cock pulsed in her fingers and seemed to speak a silent language that she knew quite well. Lifting one knee and then the other gave the thong the necessary freedom to be released somewhere inside the limo. It quickly became obvious that Wolf could see what Jasmine was doing, and it felt like his cock would just go off right there in Flo's hand. Wolf began to trail kisses down Florence's shoulder. He mustn't go off. Not yet. It had been far too long for that. He slowly kissed his way down Flo's front until he reached her tits. God, how long had it been since he had touched a woman's breasts let alone a pair so well-formed as these? He flicked his tongue back and forth over her right nipple before blowing softly on it. Then he softly a bit down. Flo gasped in his ear and pumped her hand over his cock. Wolf reached down to Flo's now exposed pussy only to have his hand meet with Jamie's. They exchanged a smile as the two began to play back and forth with Flo's wet pussy. Jasmine brought her lips to Florence's back, kissing the soft flesh. She used a hand to massage the firm ass pressed toward her, the other to part the wet folds of Florence's pussy. She dipped a finger into the heated chasm and teased, barely inside. Jasmine withdrew her finger and brought it to her lips. She had to know. The wet finger slipped inside her waiting mouth, her tongue licking and mouth cleaning the finger. The taste intoxicated her. An acquired taste for sure, one she had found quite a liking for as of late. She moved her hand back to Florence's pussy and penetrated deeper this time, rubbing and teasing the wet slit. I just seemed to look at him as he spoke only hearing bits of his sentence. Those steely gray eyes seemed to captivate me. Existence disappeared for a brief instance with him and I suspended in time. He smiled and I was lost. With the bounce of the limo I drifted back to reality in time to hear him ask, "So, Where would you like to go?" Noticing I still had a hold of his hand I flushed and pulled away. I so wanted to keep it there. My eyes drifted to his fingers and the mad thoughts I had. It looks like my luck might have changed after all this evening. I had a good idea whose ride this was." Well my clothes are wet from being out, and I am just chilled to the bone. I really should just go home, clean up, have a shot of tequila with whiskey chaser, and settle in for the night. It has not been a good one, and I would just like to forget it ever happened." Looking over at him shyly smiling I asked, "Would your limo happen to have a bar to warm my chilled spirits?" His features were chilled and defined. You could tell by the way he held himself he was top in his game. A bit of a shadow had come in that just added to his appeal. A firm jaw and strong nose line told me he was a fighter, believed in his beliefs and principles, and stubborn to the end. But there was a flash in the as that let me know, he was not so stubborn he did not see the other side and could bend if need be. I had made it a business noticing his type and measuring them up. That is how I made my money in the world of men. I had made a mistake this even going on that date. I never let anyone else do what I can do. Dumb Bitch set me up with a Bank Teller. *Chuckles* I do appreciate the gesture, but I am not in it for love and everyone who knows me knows that. Hearing her request for a stiff drink, his ears perked." Of course. Let me park somewhere so I can show you." He put the car in gear again and slowly accelerated, driving carefully so as not to disturb the other passengers. Finding a suitably empty lot, he pulled in. Opening his door, he cautioned her, "One moment. I'll be around." Quickly he stepped around the front of the limo to her door. Removing his jacket, he opened the door and wrapped his coat around her as she stepped out. As they walked toward the back, he knocked solidly on the window. Opening the door a crack, he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new guest." Slightly startled but casual, Florence uttered, "We don't want any." Then started to rise so that the others could come through the door. "Here Frank..." she blurted, still a bit tipsy as she pushed the door further open with her foot. Florence looked right at Jasmine and then glanced hard at Wolf's rapidly vanishing erection. "Work on that would ya honey." she said with a wink and an air kiss with her lips. Jasmine looked a touch irritated with the certain lack of control, but understood that she wasn't the boss of this limo tonight. Immediately Wolf and Jasmine embraced and rolled to the side away from the door and made out as if no one else was there." Gosh Megan I thought that was you. Get in here... you look... awful." Pulling Megan inside, she took the chilled lovely into her lap like a baby and held her as the two began to remove her wet clothing. "Frank ~ get her something of mine from the trunk honey. She's a little smaller, but there must be something that will work." The look Frank gave Florence said volumes, and she uttered a pouty, "Please?" With a shrug and a sigh Frank complied and rather enjoyed getting to go through Flo's stuff in the trunk. Accepting his coat I snuggled in and let his strong arms comfort me as we headed to the back of the limo. A familiar voice came from inside as the door opened. This was Flo's ride and I had more than an idea of what was happening in the back seat. I chuckled to myself thinking about her in the back and her boss driving her around. The irony of it was amusing. Flo grabbed me, a with no resistance, I fell into her lap. Her body heat instantly began to warm me up. I noticed another couple in the back, but my attention was on Flo and the boss trying to get my wet clothes off." Oh Flo, it was just terrible." "It's a good thing Frank had his eyes on the road honey." Using both hands to pick at her tangled hair, Flo just let Megan process through what had happened before she was picked up. Little moans and giggles from Wolf and Jasmine made it clear that they were having a good time. Frank didn't want to leave this woman alone. The look on his face said so when Florence asked him to look for a suitable outfit for her. Quickly resigning himself to the fact, he exited the back seat and opened the trunk. Unzipping the duffel bag, he was somewhat shocked by what he saw. I can't believe it. There has got to be at least two weeks' worth of clothing in here. At least, two weeks' worth for a normal person. Rummaging through the bag, he selected an outfit he thought would be sufficient to cover the woman. Before closing the lid, he wanted to rummage a little more. Blindly rifling through the fabrics, his hand bumped against something harder. Curious, he grabbed at it and pulled the object out. So, this is how she entertains her female clients, he thought as he withdrew the phallic toy. Slipping it into his trouser pocket, he closed the trunk lid and re-entered the car." I thought this would work," he said. "It's the best I could find." He presented his findings to Florence." Also," he added, retrieving the toy from his pocket, "I thought this couldn't hurt either." He showed both of them the fake penis with a smug grin.IOC - This is my last post for about a week or so, as I'm heading out on a vacation. I can't wait to see what new additions come in. Try not to have too much fun! LOCI don't want to over-write for you my very good friend. Perhaps we should let this one slide a bit until you return. LOCI have returned, and after a couple of days' rest, I am ready to continue. Please, let's pick up where we left off, shall we? "Oh gosh Frank! I wondered if you were going to find that." Florence cackled loudly, then she purred like a tiger. "Come on in here out of the cold and let's get to know each other better." ~ bump ~ "Gladly." Sinking into the seat next to Florence, he could feel his cock begin to swell in anticipation of what could possibly be in store for him. He held the false phallus out to her." So, tell me, what part of the negotiation is this used for?" he asked with an all-too-knowing smirk. ~ another bump ~ ~Annual Bump~

Special clients every one.|rating:4.0

The Legend of Zelda_ Descendants of Destiny

{"Light box_close": "Close", "light box_next": "Next", "light box_previous": "Previous", "light box_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.", "light box_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow", "light box_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow", "light box_full_screen": "Full screen", "light box_thumbnails": "Thumbnails", "light box_download": "Download", "light box_share": "Share", "light box_zoom": "Zoom", "light box_new_window": "New window", "light box_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"} According to the Dark Legend, Lord Canon rose to power by absorbing the life forces of others using necromancy. To combat him, the Triforce was created by the Seven Sages -- Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Sir Ladies of the Golden Knights of Rule, accompanied by Queen Fauna, planned to use the Triforce to defeat Canon. However, Canon's oldest son, Almach, managed to steal the Triforce of Power and delivered it to his father. Fauna kept the Wisdom, and Ladies kept the Courage. The bearer of the Ultimate Triforce was supposed to attain a sort of godhood. The Triforce of Wisdom strengthens the mind, granting the bearer advanced psychic abilities. The Triforce of Power strengthens the body, granting the bearer strength, stamina, speed, agility, and highly regenerative cells. It also increases the body's energy, thus letting one use magic without growing too tired. The Triforce of Courage does not grant the bearer any new abilities, but it does enhance the ones they already have, and it provides a degree of protection from magical attacks and illusions, as well as poisons, diseases, and viruses. It does strengthen their will, and makes it easier to face their fears due to the protection spells. If one person reformed the Ultimate Triforce from the three fragments, they would have the ultimate mind, body, and protection. It would be nearly impossible to get past one's defenses, and even if they did, inflicting damage would be useless. When the Triforce's are united, they strengthen each other's abilities -- a bearer of the Ultimate Triforce, for all intents and purposes, is immortal and any wound, no matter how severe, will heal instantly. It came down to the final battle between Ladies and Canon, which resulted in the Dark Lord's demise, because the Sages crafted the Master Sword for Ladies to use. However, before he could retrieve the Triforce of Power from Canon's corpse, Almach summoned it and hid it away. He died without ever telling anyone where it was, save for writing it down on a scroll at one point. Ladies locked the Triforce of Courage away in the Hall of Destiny, and the Triforce of Wisdom was passed down to each generation of the Royal Family. It is believed the Master Sword was buried in Ladies' Tomb.700 years later, a young wizard named Ganondorf first heard the Dark Legend from a traveling storyteller, who said that there were ruins of a once magnificent palace atop Death Mountain. This intrigued Ganondorf, for his father, who had died when the boy was just seven, had told him on his deathbed that he was named after their greatest ancestor, who had once lived in a palace atop Death Mountain. After completing his magical education, Ganondorf traveled to these ruins, and spent several years searching its depths for more information of his heritage. He learned many things from what writings remained, including the secrets of necromancy, but none so valuable as the chest he found underneath a loose brick in a wall of the room that used to be Almach's -- it was an old scroll that had a riddle hinting at the location of the Triforce of Power. It was at this moment that Ganondorf began his path of corruption. Prior to that discovery, he had been a decent man, wanting only to understand his lineage. But with the concept of ultimate power just beyond his grasp, he developed a much darker personality, though he almost always maintained a calm, polite demeanor. At times, it seemed he was saddened when forced to kill to meet his own ends. He searched the world for a scholar that could decipher the riddle, and finally, after several more years, someone did -- turned out the Triforce was in a cave deep beneath the palace, sealed shut by magic. The dark priest who had deciphered the riddle, Anaheim, helped Ganondorf retrieve the Triforce of Power, and became his second and advisor. Using the enhancements the Triforce gave him, he was able to magically reconstruct the Dark Palace in just a few hours without even breaking a sweat. Sensing the Triforce of Power had been reactivated, Princess Zelda (who could sense this because of the Triforce of Wisdom her mother passed on to her when she reached adulthood) informed her father, King Rhodes, immediately. Using the Triforce, they were able to find the location of the Triforce of Courage with their minds, but upon entering the Forest of Hope, they discovered that if anyone who was not a descendant of Ladies entered the forest, magical beasts appeared to keep them out, stating:“Only the Sacred Sons and Daughters of the Great Hero Ladies may tread the paths of this forest unscathed. The Master’s blood, you have not. Swiftly depart, you must, lest you face the penalty of intrusion and the mercy of Lady Luna upon your soul.” After returning to Rule Castle, Rhodes and Zelda decided to use the Triforce to call out to descendants of Ladies that had potent magic in their blood, so that they might venture into the Forest of Hope and secure the Triforce of Courage. They knew the dangers of such a large-scale call, but had no choice. Their fears were well-founded, for Ganondorf, through the Triforce of Power, was able to hear the message as well. In order to combat the descendants that would surely threaten him in the near future, he took a sample of his blood, and together with Anaheim, they used a dark spell to send their own message to those with the same blood as Ganondorf and his ancestor, Canon. His blood and the spell were required because, unlike the Triforce of Wisdom, the Triforce of Power did not grant the beholder the ability to send telepathic messages. Thus, the Descendants of Destiny -- Disciples of Light and Scions of Darkness -- are called to fight in a war that started centuries ago.(My IC Posts will come after I'm done with the dishes) If you wanna play, check out the IOC Thread: It was a warm spring night in the small haven of Gordon Village. There was a light breeze brushing the treetops, and the sky was cloudless and full of bright stars. The moon shone brilliantly in the night sky, reflecting its light off the small stream that flowed through town. All was quiet, for most families had retreated into their homes for the evening, save for the men in the taverns. Only one remained out of the village-- Link. He was crouched down behind a bush in DEU Forest, his bow and arrow at the ready, and his eyes focused on the deer drinking from the nearby stream. He aimed carefully, and then with a quick rushing-air sound, the arrow soared and stood erect, impaling the now-fallen deer in the neck." Your sacrifice will not be in vain, my friend. You will feed and clothe children in my village," he said as he crouched down over it, bowing his head and closing his eyes as a sign of respect. He prayed that Lady Luna bless the animal's soul, and then wrapped it up in a large sheet, and tied it to his back with some rope. He hauled it out of the forest, down the path, and into Gordon Village, heading for the Market Square." All hail the mighty hunter, for he brings us food!" shouted a man as Link walked. He looked up and smiled -- it was Bees (short for Beegulbart), the butcher's son. For the last few years, they worked together -- Link would hunt the game, and bring it to the butcher, who would clean and prepare it, and then give ten percent of the meat and skin back to him in place of payment. "Now if only you brought women to us like that!"" Aye," Link said with a laugh as he heaved the carcass off his shoulders and onto the ground in front of Bees. "It would be a challenge to find the time to hunt with so many women around who need... our attention." Bees laughed hard." Indeed. Shall we drop off the deer and head for the tavern?" he asked." Aye," Link nodded. They both lifted the deer and moved it into the butcher's pantry, then headed a few streets down to the Crimson Mist Inn and Tavern. They met up with some of their friends, and drank ale, singing songs together. Link wasn't too tipsy when he made his way home; he lived in a small cottage behind the alchemy shop. He turned the corner, and walked into his home. It was a single room, with a bed against the far wall, a chest of drawers, bedside table, a wash basin, and a wood burning stove. He pulled off his boots, trousers, tunic, and chemise, crawling into bed in just his knee-length linen drawers. A few hours later, Link awoke, pulled on a dark robe, and made his way outside, and into a small shack where there was a chamber pot. He relieved himself, and on his way back to the cottage, there was a sudden bright light, and everything around him faded away. He found himself standing in a huge white room, and staring directly at him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. When she spoke, it had a strange echo:"I am Princess Zelda of the Royal Kingdom of Rule. I beg all who receive this message to join me at Rule Castle, for a great crisis is developing. Please, follow your hearts, and come to my aid. Together, we can thwart this crisis. Come as swiftly as possible, I beg of you... The fate of the world depends on it." Suddenly, the white room grew brighter, then flashed, and Link found himself back outside his cottage. Well, he thought to himself as he reentered his home, I suppose I have a lot of traveling ahead of me. The next morning, he dressed for the long trip, packed supplies into a sack, grabbed his sword, shield, bow, and quiver of arrows, and departed with his horse, Upon, for the Northern Freeway, which took him east along the Atari Desert. After about a week, he came to a fork in the road -- the southeastern road led to the Make Forest, while the southwestern led deeper into the Plenty Plains. Over the next two days, the road gradually turned southeast, leading to a four way fork. Link and Upon turned and continued southwest, and after another two days, they came to a large bridge that spanned over a huge moat that surrounded North City. Many folk were coming to and fro, and as Link and Upon entered the giant city on the other side of the bridge, the sun was beginning to set. After dropping Upon off at the stable, Link rented a room at the Orange Flame Inn. The following morning was the thirteenth day since leaving Gordon Village, and he was anxious to meet with the Princess. He retrieved Upon, then made his way to Rule Castle in the center of town. He dropped her off again at the Castle stables, and informed the guards at the double doors that he was answering the Princess' call. They let him in, and escorted him to one of the sitting rooms, where he was to wait for her to come downstairs.((IOC: Okay Lily, Zelda is all yours.)) I fixed a few editorial errors, lol. My post as Ganondorf will be along sometime today. Late at night, under the bright moon in the night sky, a cloaked man walked swiftly through the Lost Hills of southern Rule. He bent over as he entered a cave mouth, then stood up again and continued walking. He uttered a few words in another language, and the tip of his staff began emitting a bright light. Furthermore, he made his way through the twisting and turning tunnels of the Southern Caverns for what seemed like days, he finally came to an opening, which led him up a path to the tip of Death Mountain, where there stood a huge castle made of black marble, looming over him. Furthermore, he entered the double doors, then climbed the stairs to the top of the central tower. Through another set of doors, he found himself at the end of a large throne room. Directly across from him, along the long red and black carpet, there sat another man, on the high-backed throne, with his eyes closed. The cloaked man approached him, and slid back his hood to reveal the face of an old man." My Lord, I have returned," he said in a raspy voice, bowing slightly to Ganondorf." Agahnim. I did not expect you back so soon," he said to the old man. "Am I to assume things have taken an unexpected turn?"" Yes," Anaheim nodded. "It appears they cannot enter the Forest of Hope -- only a blood descendant is permitted to enter. They left empty-handed."" Hmm..." Ganondorf considered the news for a few moments. "She will no doubt attempt to locate and contact one or more of Ladies' descendants with the Triforce of Wisdom. She is more than aware of the fact that we are connected through the Triforce, but she hasn't got a choice. We will wait and see what she does before we act further. You are dismissed."" Yes, my Lord." Anaheim bowed again, then left the room. Later that night, Ganondorf was dragged out of his sleep by the message Zelda sent. The next morning, he and Anaheim created a blood spell that would call his distant relatives -- fellow descendants of Canon. Shortly after people started showing up at Rule Castle, the Dark Palace got its own share of new followers. Navy had visited the Great DEU Tree of the Sacred Forest dutifully to report on the unremarkable events of the day. Link had been in the tavern again, and she had long since tired of watching him become gradually inebriated, clumsily flirting with the local girls. Rather than returning to Link immediately after the DEU Tree had dismissed her, Navy had lingered, chatting to old friends and soaking up the tranquil forest atmosphere that she missed so much. Hours had passed, and the sun was rising when Navy returned to Link's modest dwelling. Link would still be slumbering, or awake and nursing a sore head. What was the point in rushing? Navy elected to fly rather than teleport, breakfasting on flowers as she travelled. Presently, she arrived back in Gordon Village. He had gone. She searched the house frantically, items had vanished that suggested a long trip and there was no sign of struggle or coercion. Cursing herself for tarrying overnight with her friends, Navy closed her eyes, centered herself and focused on the small room. There was the echo of magic here, the shadow of a spent spell. With no small effort, Navy located the source of it. Hyrule Castle! She raised her arms and then lowered them in a sweeping gesture as the spun in midair. With a quiet 'snap' she disappeared and teleported to the DEU Tree to relay this news. Aye Navy, it is time. Said the ancient tree spirit. Go thou and find him. This son of prophecy is about to meet his kin. Canst thou teleport so very far, Navy? Navi swallowed and nodded determinedly. She would have to arrive within the Castle walls, taking care not to be discovered too soon. Rather than allow herself opportunity for doubt, she swung her arms up and twirled gracefully, before disappearing once more. "Princess?" Zelda looked up as the guard entered her room, getting up from her bed and smiling as he entered. "The first of them.?" The guard merely nodded, holding open the door as she headed out. She wondered how many had truly received her message; would they all be coming to her aide now? If what she had seen was true, if hands only intent on evil had claimed the Triforce of Power, there was a terrible trouble coming to blossom. Hopefully among those she summoned would be great warriors, those who would fight for her and Rule with the strength of a thousand men. Warriors that could handle anything that may come their way..." The first to arrive is in here, Your majesty."" Thank you." Zelda smiled as the guard led her to the room, opening the doors once more for her and watching as she stepped through. "Thank you for coming," She said softly, her eyes on her hands as she started towards the man-only to look up and find not one of the great armored warriors she had hoped for; but instead, a young man who looked as though the only amazing battle he had taken part in was that with a deer or goose."... Oh..." She hadn't intended the uttered word to come off as mean. More surprise than anything else... But if he had received the message, and was that fast to respond, there had to be more to him than what there seemed to be. She would give the young man the benefit of the doubt..." Thank you for answering my call," She said softly, extending a hand towards him. "I am Princess Zelda-though I suppose you are already quite aware of that." "Yes, I suppose so," Link replied with a smile, taking her hand and dropping to one knee, bowing his head. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. May I inquire father into the state of things?" he kissed the back of her hand and returned to his feet. She was absolutely gorgeous, or so Link thought. As he gazed into her eyes, he felt lost in them, yet at the same time, found. Navy appeared within the castle walls and stopped momentarily to catch her breath. Being mindful of the guards, she flitted about, peering through windows until she located Link within Princess Zelda's private rooms. With a sigh, she stretched out along the window ledge and listened carefully to their conversation. DarrusDarrus was glad to finally see North City come into view. He had been traveling for over a week now. It was slow-going on foot even if he hustled most of the way. He had left after he started having the mysterious dreams had started. It was hard to imagine why Princess Zelda would be calling on him. Still, he felt it was his duty to investigate. He prayed to Luna that this would not turn out to be some kind of mistake, that he had just had a weird, meaningless dream. He shook that thought from his head. This was surely guidance from Luna, and he would not fail at whatever the task was that she had set before him. It was the first time he had left his forest home in three years. It was hard to leave the forest where he had spent so much time communing with nature and his goddess. He had seen few others during his time there. Occasionally he found himself helping to pass travelers. There was a village not far from the forest, but he rarely visited it. He simply stopped there for the occasional supply. He had entered the forest to be away from people. However, he had to admit that he looked forward to meeting people once again. It would give him a chance to see if his time away had worked. Although there had been little chance to meet humans, he had not been completely alone in the forest. There were animals of all kinds living in the trees. The forest was home to all kinds of strange creatures. Perhaps the strangest of all were the fairies. The tiny creatures were the very essence of magic. They could be playful and pranksters, but they were easy to get along with. They alone had been his only real companions during the time in to forest, except for his goddess of course. He was slightly worried that one of his small friends might have fallowed him from the forest. He did not know how they would fair in the larger world. Furthermore, he often looked over his shoulder and thought one of them was tailing behind him, but had yet to catch a definitive glance. Darrus entered the city. The sights and smells were overwhelming. After so long away from people, it was a shock to be surrounded by them. Still, he focused on his target, the castle. He was not sure how he would get in though. Would they be expecting him, simply let him in when he mentioned his dream? He hoped so. Sneaking in was not a promising prospect. As he neared the gates he looked up and for a moment could swear that he saw a fairy flying towards a window. Whether he had finally found the friend that had followed him or simply seen a glare from a window was unsure. In the end it would have to wait. Taking a calming breath he stepped forward and introduced himself to the guards. A slight glimmer passed through Zelda's eyes as his lips brushed her hand, a twinge of a smile on her own lips as he pulled away. "You have power inside you. I can feel it, just being near you... and that is why you were able to hear my call. There is another power out there, however, set on evil... and it has begun to stir. The Triforce of wisdom has alerted me to it, and I need the help of those connected to the Triforce of courage to help me defeat it... My father and I tried to investigate further, but the Forest of Hope is blocked by creatures we have never seen before. Creatures that threatened us, claiming they would cause us harm if we dared to enter. I can only imagine that this is the work of Ganondorf, the holder of the Triforce of power." She started to turn away, gesturing for him to follow. "Please, come sit. You don't need to be so formal." Taking a seat herself, she glanced towards the closed doors, the slight smile returning. "Another is soon to arrive... I can feel his presence as I could yours. As well as your friend there, at the window." "Another? How many did you call out to?" Link asked, then suddenly realized Zelda mentioned a 'friend.' He turned towards the window and saw a cute little fairy sitting there. He got up and walked towards her, looking closely. "She... Princess Zelda called you my friend... I have never seen you before, yet I know we're connected. You have been following me, haven't you? For how long, little one?" he asked gently, a smile on his face -- he was always very kind to all forms of life, no matter how small. Navy leapt to her feet and straightened as Link and Zelda looked at her. She curtsied gracefully to the princess and then turned to answer Link. Usually, her voice was audible only as a whisper in the ear to Syrians, although her own kind and magical beings such as The Great DEU Tree could hear her perfectly well. Navy directed a stream of her blue light to her throat, amplifying her voice so that she could speak to both Link and Zelda at the same time." It is indeed true that I have been bound to Link for most of his lifetime and shall remain so until he dies. The forest spirit, guardian of the Sacred Forest Temple, The Great DEU Tree, he sent me from the forest where I was born. It has gradually become clear that Link has a special destiny and I have been part observer and part guardian." Navi curtsied again for good measure and then stood quietly to hear the rest of the conversation. It was very surreal to see Link smiling at her. For so many years he had been largely oblivious to her following him around. She had this burning impulse to hide that was now redundant. Navy smiled nervously back. DarrusDarrus was glad that the guards did not throw him out the gates for saying a dream had brought him to see the princess. It was nice to know that he really had a mission and had not just gone crazy in the woods. They led him through the courtyard and into the palace. They left him in the antechamber of a sitting room and told him that the princess was already in conference with someone. Darrus could hear voice on the other side of the door with his sharp hearing, a result of his animalistic heritage. He did not like the idea of eased roping, but if this had something to do with him and the mission then he needed to no about it. The door was thick enough to muffle sounds. After a moment, he decided on a course of action. Focusing himself, he started to pull out a portion of the primal rage that dwelled within him. It was hot, like a white-hot flame rising up from his center. His mouth could taste the power, like the blood of a fresh kill in his mouth. His body started to transform. His muscles strengthened and his hands and feet became more claw like. That is where he stopped it, holding the power at the level he needed. He walked over to the window and crawled out. There was no window to the other room on this side of the building, so he would have to cross to the other side. His legs coiled, then with a powerful leap he was halfway up the wall. His nails dug into the cracks and his firm grip helped him cling to the wall. He quickly climbed up the wall. He made his way over the roof then started to crawl down the other side head first. Furthermore, he stopped above the window and paired in. Furthermore, he listened for a moment and confirmed that the other man in the room had been called by the mission. Furthermore, he did not want to listen to anymore, to ease drop more than necessary. What shocked him to the point of almost falling from the wall was when the Marie appeared. He knew he had seen one as he approached the castle. He did not know if he should be disappointed or relieved that it was not one of his friends from the forest. At least he was fairly sure she was not if she was the partner of the man in the room. Darrus quickly returned the way he came. He scurried along the wall and roof like a spider. He grabbed the windows eel and swung himself in silently. Furthermore, he calmed himself and let the primal rage subside. Furthermore, he stepped towards the door and offered a prayer to Luna then knocked on the door. "So, what is your name, little one?" Link asked the fairy, but before she could answer, there was a knock on the door. "Allow me," offered Link, walking over to open it -- a guard stepped in." Your Highness, I thought it would be wise to inform you that your other guest gave the women in the courtyard quite a scare. He is currently on the roof making his way back to this window out here, I suppose. King Rhodes requests that your guests refrain from scaling the walls of the castle and frightening the old ladies," he said with a smirk, then bowed slightly and left the room, shutting the door behind him. A few moments later, there was a knock. Link opening the door again, seeing the man called Darius. He smiled and stepped aside, waiting for the Princess to invite him into the room. Darius took a calming breath as the door oppenned. H could see the princess as the other man stepped back to open a path for him. Darius bowed low and spoke, "Princess, I believe you have summoned me." There was a feral intensity in the newcomer's expression that put Navy immediately on her guard. She could detect a recent discharge of magic in his aura, and she wondered what other powers he might possess. She flitted up onto Link's shoulder and whispered into his ear." I am Navy. I am older than I seem, yet still young for my kind. Furthermore, I was born in the Sacred Forest and dwelt among the ageless Kirk until I was sent to you. Furthermore, I know you will have questions and I will answer them as best I can." She sat on his shoulder, unwilling to perch there like a parrot or pet but also wary of the newcomer for a reason she couldn't fathom just now. She hoped very much that her unease was unfounded. ((Sorry... was incredibly sick the last few days. AGAIN.)) Zelda smiled as the small fairy flitted into the room, introducing herself to the man she had been following for what sounded to be quite some time. How curious, he had never even noticed the tiny creature at his side... With the door's opening, she glanced to the guard, only to give a light laugh at his report of the new arrival's actions. "I'll do my best to keep them from scaring too many people," She promised, rising from her seat to go to Link's side. As the man in question arrived, she smiled, one hand resting on Link's shoulder as the other extended out to him, shaking her head as he stooped. "Please, don't do that. I don't wish for any of those I've summoned here to bow before me. A warrior needs to see the clear path before him, not the stones beneath his feet. Come, sit, both of you. And you as well, little one. As a companion to him, you will want to be here for this as well." Returning to her own seat, she rested her hands against the side of the chair, taking a breath as she closed her eyes. "Forgive me... I still feel the Triforce of power, and those using it. It can be a bit- overbearing at times." Raising her eyes, she looked to the new man, explaining. "The defendant of Canon has awakened the Triforce of power for his own dark deeds. Nothing he could have planned for that can be of any good... Summoning you all was a rather risky thing on my own part... In the same way that I can feel them, they are aware of what I'm doing as well. Still, I can't risk for him to cause harm to the people of Rule. I need your help." Prince Trust((Sorry I haven't posted as yet. Life has been literally hellish the past few weeks.)) As he was accustomed to, Trust noticed a late morning sun shining through his curtains. He could feel his mouth prickling from the heavy alcoholic fumes from the night before. He swayed clumsily over to the en suite bathroom and woke himself up with a cold splash of water to his face. Moving back into the room more alert he smiled warmly at his personal maid, Ora, as she drew the bed covers up over her exposed breasts in her sleep. After dressing, he made his way downstairs to check with the palace guard captain on the day's issues so far." Princess Zelda's guests started arriving this morning, sir. I was going to tell you when they arrived, but Lady Ora was adamant you weren't to be disturbed for anything."" Oh, she did, did she? Alright. Well, I assume she's already started meeting them?"" Yes sir. For nearly an hour now sir, there's only two so far."" And how many guards are in the meeting with my sister?"" None sir.""WHAT! Why not!"" They're the people she sent for, my Lord, why should we guard them?"" Because they could be lying, you idiot! Where are they?"" In the blue morning room, sir. I shouldn't worry about my sir. There was some trouble earlier when one of them started climbing over the building but not..."" You didn't think that was something worth waking me up about!? Go and get the guards on duty and get to the blue room, I'm going there now"And with that he rushed off to protect his sister from the imaginary spies who'd infiltrated his castle. "Of course, we will help however we can," replied Link. "What must we do?" Meanwhile, King Rhodes was sitting in his study reading when he heard some commotion in the corridor outside." Prince Trust has ordered all castle guards to report to the Blue Morning Room at once," a guard lieutenant was saying to an underling. "Assemble your company and report there as well."" Understood," replied the other guard, running off. Rhodes opened his door and called the lieutenant into the study." Is there a problem in the Blue Morning Room?" he asked." The Prince certainly believes so, Your Majesty. He is concerned that Her Majesty Zelda does not have guards in her meeting with those she summoned," explained the lieutenant. Rhodes sighed." That boy is my son and I love him, but sometimes his head is as thick as the walls of this castle," Rhodes shook his head. "He is so eager to issue commands and become a leader, yet he fails to grasp certain aspects which should be common sense for a good king. Thank you, I shall take care of this matter myself." Rhodus slipped out of his study and took a few shortcuts, stepping out from a doorway hidden behind a painting just as Trust made his way around a corner. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, my son?" "Oh, Father. Quick, I'm not sure, but I really don't feel comfortable leaving Zelda alone with people we don't know. I called the guards, C'mon, we're nearly there." Trust said breathlessly as he passed. Once again he wished his father would tell him how to access his secret pathways. He was blatant about their locations but no one had ever managed to enter them apart from him. As Trust passed him, Rhodes reached out and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back and turning him to face the King. "Do not disturb the meeting, son. Do you honestly believe I would allow this meeting if there was a legitimate risk?" he sighed. "You seem to have forgotten one of our family's greatest treasures -- the Triforce of Wisdom. If your mind did not wander during your history lessons you would be better suited to rule once I pass on. You have previously expressed wishes to be free from your duties as future ruler of our kingdom, but I always expected you would grow out of that phase and accept the responsibility. I had hoped putting you in charge of the castle guards would give you a taste of being a leader and inspire you to accept the crown. However, if you truly want to be free, I shall have no choice but to pass the crown to Zelda when I die. Some people may be angered at a female leader, but her kindness and purity will reach even the most stubborn." Rhodus looked his son in the eyes for a few moments, then sighed. "Tell me, Trust, why did you command the guards to interrupt Zelda's meeting? If you are so concerned, shouldn't you have been awake prior to the meeting to make certain the guards were present? Regardless, guards are not necessary in her meeting -- she has the Triforce of Wisdom, and if a dark soul had approached, she would have called the guards to deal the imposter. You know as well as I that it is impossible to lie to her when she has the Triforce activated without her knowing you do not speak the truth. I remember once I tried to lie to your mother about sneaking pastries from the kitchen pantry when she caught me in a corridor in the middle of the night. The castle healer had advised me to reduce the amount of sweets I was consuming, and your mother was very adamant that I obey." he laughed at the memory, then patted his son on the shoulder. "You are worried about your sister, and that is very good indeed, but just remember she is the bearer of the Triforce and a lot more resourceful than you think. If anyone in that meeting posed a threat, she would be able to sense it. Although, I heard one of her guests was spotted climbing the castle walls, which is rather bizarre, but she still allowed him into her meeting, which means he must be pure." Rhodus turned to walk away, then turned back to his son. "Do not disturb her." With that, he disappeared behind a statue and through another secret passage way. Brought to his senses by his father's brief speech Trust let go of the panic he'd been feeling, but full trust didn't come immediately. He knew his sister could take care of herself, but he didn't want to be far away if he and his father were proven wrong. He started to hurry towards the meeting once again, this time to prevent the guards from crashing the party, fully intending to wait outside to make sure everything went alright. Darius paid close attention as the princess spoke. He nodded as he listened to what she said as he contemplated the implications of her words. Truly the goddess a plan for him. He would have to utilize every fiber of his being to stop this coming darkness. It was a lot to swallow, but he calmly took it in. As he listened he scanned the others in the room. The young man on the chair looked like he would make a decent Allie. The little fairly looked like she would be useful as well. She seemed to be giving him a wary look though. She was likely sensing the predator spirit inside of him. Her kind were very Intune with the natural and mystical world. To try and put her at ease he opened a small pouch and retrieved some sweet berries from the deep forest. They were rare and hard to find, and the fairy folk were fond of them. He held them out in the palm of his hand with a mental smile. "Only you that have heard my call are able to help with defeating this evil. Only you are allowed admittance from your heritage into areas that hold resources we need... And this same ancestry will assist in defeating those who wish us harm." Zelda's eyes fell upon the new man in the room, looking past him a moment towards the door, the smile returning to her face. "My dear brother...," She said softly, uttered to no one in particular. Returning to her prior conversation, she gestured to the fierce perched beside Link. "You as well will be a great assistance, little one. Link will need as much help as he can from the likes of you, and I would appreciate any time you would be willing to give." Looking between the two men, she tilted her head a moment. "Were either of you aware of what was inside you? That... you had such heritage? And such power? Call it my curiosity. I only wish to know more about the men who Rule will call saviors." Darius did not much like the idea of disclosing his heritage. It was something that he had shared with few people. He might have been guided here by the hand of Luna, but that did not mean he implicitly trusted his new allies. He decided to stick to the most basic facts as he told them, "I am but a simple warrior priest of Luna. I have spent the last few years communing with nature. I think that is all that is worth saying about me." She nodded to the Princess." I am bound to Link and will accompany him wherever this quest might lead." She replied. Navi turned to Darius and eyed the berries covetously, wondering what he knew of the sacred forest and its secrets. It was clear that he could sense her apprehension, which meant that his intuitive instincts were as finely honed as her own. She fluttered over and took a couple of berries, smiling up at him as she did so. Navy was too shy to do more than murmur her thanks and retreat. There was something feral in his aura that unnerved her, a restlessness and latent sexuality that was quite scary. He seemed genuine though and according to Zelda he was about to become a savior of Rule. Navi returned to her place beside Link. Darius was pleased that the little Marie came over and took the berries. He gave a little smile as she took a few. She gave a small thank you, and he replied, "You are welcome to them when you want, I have a good stash of them for the time being," then popped the few she left in his palm into his mouth. He looked the fey creature over intently as she retrieved her snack. It would take a little time to earn her trust. She could obviously sense his primal spirit and did not know what to make of it. He turned to Link, "You are fortunate to have one such as her for a companion." "Yes," Link replied to Darius. "Although, I was unaware of her companionship until just now." Link listened carefully as Zelda recounted the Dark Legend and explained their mission. "So, Darius and I are descendants of Sir Ladies, and only we can enter the Forest of Hope to get the Triforce of Courage... If I may ask, Your Highness, how many others do you believe will come? How long shall we wait before setting forth for the forest?" Navy listened with interest, also looking to Zelda for an answer to Link's question. There was much to learn, but the nature of their circumstances surely meant that time was of the essence now. However long they waited for more to arrive would be a die thrown against the time remaining to reach the Triforce before the powers of darkness could. "So far, it has only been you three to answer my call." Zelda looked towards the window, taking a breath. "However, my brother and father are both well aware of the situation taking place, and that others may arrive that have heard my call. My brother is a bit... questioning... of all of you.... but my father has the deepest faith in what I have done. Our quest can begin in the morning, and others who may be travelling shall be greeted and informed by my family." She gestured towards the door, starting towards it herself. "I invite you all to take advantage of the luxuries of the castle for the time being, however. You'll need to ready yourselves for the trip ahead of us... so please, feel free to do as you wish in the castle and ready any provisions that you feel you may need." Darius gave a bow to the princess, "Thank you for your generosity. I shall head to the castle's chapel first." Darrus had a lot to think about now. He wanted to spend some time in prayer. Hopefully the Goddess would send him some insight into how best to deal with this problem. As he walked, Darius thought about what else he would need to do. After an hour or so in prayer he would see to making sure he was properly equipped. The castle's smith would hopefully put a good edge to his sword. He needs to make sure he had maps, rope, and all the other tools he needed. He also wanted to get two horses. Furthermore, he had made good time running to the castle from the forest and could likely match pace with one during overland travel, but it would be far more comfortable to ride and would allow for faster travel in a short bursts. The second horse...well that was an emergency food source. Once he had his supplies he intended to take advantage of the Royal kitchen staff and enjoy a good meal. That would follow up with a warm bath and by the time it was finished he would have just enough time to get into a comfortable bed. After so long in the forest he wanted to enjoy the luxuries of the royal palace. "Thank you for your hospitality, Milady," Link bowed slightly, then turned to leave. "I have much to ask you, little one," he said to Navy on his shoulder. He walked with her down and out into the garden. They looked at the variety of flowers and plants in the garden, and saw other people enjoying their beauty as well. "I must ask, Navy -- will you really be by my side until my death?" Navy smiled, flattered that Link considered her such a valuable companion, small though she was. Many young men would have been affronted by the notion that they needed accompanying by a fairy." I am bound to you, life to life, until one of us dies. I am bound to obey you, though you may not command me to do anything evil. Furthermore, I am here to support and advise you as I can. If you ever desire to, you can order me to leave, and I will warp automatically to my own home. Whenever you call my name, I am bound to answer. These are the rules by which we both must live. I have knowledge of some of the ancient writings and prophecies and I also have powers to warp, create a force field and heal wounds." Navi looked among the flowers, but her gaze was more purposeful than appreciative." There is a flower that allows me to replenish my magic powers. It is the blue daffodil. I think it would be a good idea to find some and collect their nectar before we leave. So what luxuries of this palace shall you partake of Link?" She asked playfully, knowing that he had never required much in order to be content. "I shall never issue a direct order, my little friend," said Link with a smile as they walked. "I will ask favors when I need to, but you have the choice whether to grant what I ask." He reached over to lightly pat her on the head with his finger. "Where are we to find these flowers, Navy? As for luxuries, a soft bed and a good hearty dinner are all I shall partake of, except strolling through this wondrous garden." Trust stood next to the entrance to the blue room and watched as Link and Darius walked out. He eyed them critically but couldn't see anything suspicious although the presence of a fairy on the green-clothed man's shoulder was encouraging. He waited for his sister to exit, wanting to ask her opinion of their visitors. Navy sighed, unable to spot what she was looking for." They grow in the sacred forest, in the shelter of trees. I am told they grow elsewhere, but I have yet to find them. Perhaps Princess Zelda will know." She sat on Link's shoulder companionably, pleased that he wanted her to be there. Her long task of following him without being seen had been a long and lonely undertaking, and she was suddenly very grateful to have a companion with whom she might chat like this. "Perhaps," Link said with a smile. "I will ask her when next I see her." They strolled through the garden a few more times, then Link stopped and turned to look at Navy on his shoulder. "What would you like to do with the rest of our day, little one? If you desire some time to be alone, then by all means, go. However, I would be much obliged if you and I spent a bit more time together. I find your company very enjoyable." he said with a smile. Zelda smiled as her guests exited the room, taking a moment to pick up her own trinkets from the stand beside her chair-only to feel that someone was watching her from the doorway. She glanced around the door as she started out, grinning to her brother. "Spying on me?," she teased, the rather formal form of speaking she had used with the guests seeming to fade with the presence of family." Now what would father think of that? You really don't trust me." Flicking open the small white fan she had fetched from the room, she raised an eyebrow to him from behind it. "Think about your words, Trust, before you say it... Remember; these people have only come here because I summoned them." The hand with fan in its fingers extended, tapping her sibling on the nose before she smiled once more. "Have faith in me, please. It may seem strange to you, but I truly do know what I'm doing. Now.... Are you going to come with me to the kitchen? I'm in the mood for something sweet." Wrinkling his nose at the fan playfully Trust looked down the corridor, checking the others had left." I trust you, sister, more than I should leave you in their alone with strangers. You summoned someone, we had no way of knowing who would come. Is it really groundless to think someone you didn't summon would come on the orders of our enemy? But they seemed tranquil, and the fairy on that green one's shoulder has convinced me a little trust. But I'm still glad I'll be accompanying you with them outside the city." Let's go get something to eat, I had a long night and tiring morning - I need a good breakfast. Would you like me to send a servant for our guests as well?" Navy excused herself for a little while and found a small fountain in a quiet, walled part of the garden in which to wash and freshen up a little. She brushed out her long blue hair and stripped in order to rinse out her clothes, drying them in an instant with a little touch of magic. Navy flitted about for a few minutes, enjoying the sun on her exposed skin. Nestled in the shade of the fountain, she found a couple of the flowers she sought and drank from them, replenishing her power and equipping her for whatever lay ahead. She washed down the sticky nectar with water from the fountain and then pulled on her clothes once more. On her way to find Link again she saw Darius sitting contemplatively on his own. She approached him quietly and spoke to him, emboldened by his kindness earlier." I understand if you desire solitude, but I can see that you carry a heavy burden with you wherever you go. How came you to be thus? Is there no way of restoring you to your former state?" She settled on the floor before him, out of arms reach, although she knew that he would be too swift to evade if he chose to pounce. His aura was conflicted and troubled, two strong natures at war within his form. Navy wanted to offer him a confidante, should be desire one. Darius gave a light chuckle, "There is no former state for me. I am as I was and will be," he gave a rueful smile and continued, "I have a burden to bare that is tied to who I am, and it cannot be lifted. That is why I pray to Luna. If the burden cannot be lifted, perhaps she can give me the strength to carry it." Darrus looked down at the little Marie and smiled. He was glad that she was less fearful of him, though it was not lost on him that she kept her distance. That did not bother him, he was used to such a reaction from those that could sense his dual nature. Still, it was nice of her to keep him company. He had spent long enough meditating alone. Darrus reached into his pouch and again produced a berry for her. He held it out on his palm before her, hoping that would seem less aggressive. He told her, "Go ahead and take it. The berries will spoil if kept to long, so I have no need to hard them." He admired her as he contemplated her. She was a lovely creature. He rather liked the blue color of her wild hair. He wondered what she might know of him and how their time together would be spent. Varies tended to have lovely singing voices, perhaps music was in order. He reached into his pouch, but this time he retrieved a wooden recorder. Once his hand was free of the berry, he began to play a light, but happy tune. Navy hesitated a moment. The tune was unfamiliar to her, but it had been a while since she had heard such well played music and that Darius was playing just for her was flattering. She started singing in a soft, light voice, slightly amplified with the magic nectar she had consumed so recently. There were no words, just the high, clear tones of someone well-used to using her voice as an instrument. As he played, she drew closer to him, almost unwittingly. It was obvious to her that when Darius played, his aura calmed, and he did not dwell on his burdens. Sensing that this was perhaps a better therapy for him than conversation, Navy sang along, harmonizing with his notes in places as she became familiar with the tune. "Let them wander. I'm sure they'll find something to enjoy themselves while they explore," Zelda said with a shake of her head, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder. "And I appreciate your concern for me, but I can assure you... I trust these people. Knowing that you're coming along as well may seem a bit of a burden-" She paused with that, smiling before winking at him. "... But to have my brother at my side means I have someone I can rely on no matter what, just in case my judgement does happen to be wrong." Starting down the steps, she paused a moment, playing with her fan in her fingers. "They think of me as the perfectly regal princess right now. I'm worried that if they see us playing around the way we do that they'll think less of me. I know it's not right to hide a part of myself from them... but we truly need their help. If they think of me as acting like child, I'm afraid I'll lose their trust." She glanced at him, a soft frown on her face. "You don't think I'm being foolish, do you? They all seem so brave; even the little fairy. I would hate for any of them to leave our quest because of actions on my part." The music was relaxing, but it was Navy's singing that made it beautiful. He had learned the music in the forest, and it was in harmony. Without a varies voice, however, the true magic would not come out. Darius felt more at peace now than he had in a long time. He watched her dance closer and picked up a faster paced melody. It was a wild tune, the song of a summer storm. There was an entrapping quality to the music, and he was sorry when the tune had ended. He looked down and smiled at the Marie, "You have the most beautiful singing voice I have heard." "I shouldn't worry, sister, after a few days roughing it to get to the forests your regal demeanor will have vanished. If they don't run away from being kept all night from your snoring then I think they have real faith in you. Besides, an almost myth-like quest across the country against a fearsome and powerful foe with princesses and fairies.....how could they resist? Now, are we going to the kitchen because I really am starting to hunger." He said, sweeping his arm towards the bottom of the steps and the kitchens, grinning. Navy camp; Darius in garden. She fluttered down from where she had been twirling in the air, dancing and singing in time with the fevered melody. Navy blushed at Darius' praise and bowed gracefully. Fairies always bowed rather than curtsied, it was traditional." I am glad that we had this time together Darius. I fear though, that Link will be wondering where I've gone to by now. Furthermore, I should really go and find him. Thank you again for the berries." Navi retreated shyly and when she was a little distance away, she took of and began a wide circle of the gardens, looking to see where Link was. Probably, his hunger and fatigue had taken him within the castle by now. Link circled through the garden a few more times before heading to the kitchen. He asked for ham and eggs, then sat down at the large table to dine. He looked around and greeted everyone who was sitting at the table, then proceeded to eat mannerly.(I'll post again once everyone is at the table, lol. I don't know who all is there yet) Most of Darius's tasks were completed. Now that the important things were out of the way, it was time for the evening meal. He made his way to the kitchen. He had the staff whip up an excellent meal, heavy on meat. Furthermore, he soon found himself eating across from Link. Furthermore, he nodded politely then set into his meal. "Hmph." Zelda tried to give a dirty look to her brother with the snoring remark, but couldn't help but smile before giving him a shove. "I may puff here and there, but its nowhere near as terrible as the dragon that lives in your throat at night!" Laughing at his frustrated wave in the kitchen, she gave a nod, following him in. She felt a bit better with the conversation with him on her demeanor, feeling comfortable enough now to let herself go a bit more around their guests. Settling at the table, she asked one of the kitchen staff for her usual treat of a pastry and juice, then glanced next to her-finding Link, already nibbling at a plateful of food himself. "Making yourself right at home, I see...," She said with a smile. The morning had finally arrived and Darius was ready to start the quest. They had gathered at the castles gates. Atop his horse, Darius scanned the horizon. He looked over to his companions and gave them a nod. For no reason he understood, he has Navy a wink. Darrus spurred his horse and set out at a gallop. His pack horse fallowed quickly, tied to his riding horse as it was. He was confident that the others would fallow. There was no real reason to go charging at a gallop. They had a long way to go, and the horses certainly would not run that far. Darius wanted to feel the wind in his hair. It was a wild, natural feeling. He felt like he was really going somewhere. The gallop would end soon, and he would let the horse walk at its own pace, but for now they were both free under the sky.

The Legend of Zelda_ Descendants of Destiny|rating:4.0

Chicks and Chips - OOC (Chat, Info, Matching up for scenes - Always recruiting)

Chicks 'n' Chips Chicks 'n' chips is a just regular diner a little off the highways. It got a large parking lot out front, a seemingly small front dining hall that seems to stretch on towards the back, a large and very good kitchen and a large neon sign by the road advertising Chicken and fried potatoes. Amazingly enough, that's also what dominates the menu, as they serve all kinds of chicken parts made up in all kinds of ways - think KFC but diner, not fast food - and potatoes in all kinds of shapes, forms and styles. It looks just like a regular family restaurant - and it is a great place to eat:(if you happen to ask the friendly woman at the counter for a nice, quiet booth, she will take you to the restaurant's basement, that looks just a tad bit different:(comfy seating, many booths, a fireplace and a small stage with a pole fixed from ceiling to floor make up the interior here. The atmosphere is subdued but exciting at the same time. The reason is simple: Chicks'n'Chips is in fact a high class brothel. Here people also go for chicks, but not the fried ones... the young, sexy chicks: all the girls working here are 16 through 25, none of them works here because they their lives or some other person forces them, all of them do it for great sex. They are young, they are sexy, they are sex-crazed, and they all share a little secret:The "working girls" are all students from the nearby "Higher Education Schools for Girls" (HESS). What that means is: They are rich girls whose parents sent them off to private school to finish high school and get a university degree. Since it's an all-girls school, they think their precious daughters are safe there from the temptations of the flesh... but they were wrong. These are young girls, and they just need to scratch the itch. Chicks 'n' Chips is run by the school's counselor, who runs this place not for a profit, but to provide girls that consistently show signs of sexual tension and potentially reckless behavior a safe and sound environment to experiment, learn and have fun. She only invites girls into this "secret society" of hers, who have shown signs of taking risks to quench their sexual desire - like meeting boys on campus or engaging into sexual acts with other students. Acts that could lead to being expelled from the school if they became public. For these girls she provides a safe, consequence free environment that they can experiment in to their hearts content. No girl is forced to do this; no girl has a fixed schedule; no girl will ever, ever, ever talk about what's going on here. To keep their identities hidden these girls wear half masks (like these (or these (Their masks become their second identity... the only part that stays on them at night if they feel like it. Chick 'n' Chips Terms No girl is forced to do what she does. All girls are here on their own free will. If they don't feel like working, they don't need to come. No girl will ever reveal her identity. No girl will ever talk about the other girls or the manager. If a girl doesn't like a customer or a customer requests things the girl doesn't want, she can refuse and just walk away. The bondage facilities are meant for freedom - the girls are meant to use them on the guests. Girls are encouraged to stroll through the backroom and serve the guests there and be friendly. The front room is of limits to the girls. Sexual acts in the back room are strictly forbidden. If you feel like messing around openly and let others join, go to the playground. Drugs and other stimulating substances are strictly forbidden. Girls under the age of 21 are forbidden to consume alcohol. The bartender knows the age of all the girls (by masks). Customers are coming to the backroom may talk to the girls present and upon mutual agreement move to a free room. At the entrance to the backroom the customers will find a list of chicks on offer. If they are looking for something (=someone) in particular, they may ask one of the staff in the backroom. While the purpose of this establishment is for the girls to experiment and try out things with their customers, it's not prohibited for them to enjoy each other. Game Terms This game is predominantly about smut - character play is possible and encouraged, but it's really about the girls and what they do with their customers. Please consider the board this game is in: Bondage, smut, even incest is OK, but no N/C or Extreme stuff! We play in scenes and chapters. Each scene is one "encounter" per girl - basically one evening. The players are responsible for not creating paradoxes. Time is not chronological. Your character can be in two scenes at once as long as they are not on the same IG evening. Each chapter is 7 scenes - so basically one week. At the end of a chapter I will post a new chapter in this thread - with GM events in certain scenes. It's OK to have multiple characters in the game, as long as I can keep them all alive. If you need to withdraw or take a leave, please let us know in the IOC thread and try to bring closure to your scenes. Girls and recurring characters need prior approval. Please check the recruitment thread (#msg10584872). One time customers may post their character suggestions in this thread and if a girl wants to play with that character it's approved. If you want to play with a specific girl, it makes sense to talk to the girl's player first. ;)I'm not expecting novels but neither do I want one-liners. A decent amount of text that keeps the action going and doesn't stall. This game is meant to be FUN! Let's keep it civil. Game Header Please use this head in all posts of the in game threads. Modify the information as necessary. Code: [Select][float left][IMG padding=5 height=150 width=100]IMAGE URL[/IMG][/float left][b]Character name[/b]: [URL=URL]NAME[/URL][b]Who:[/b] [b]Where:[/b] [b]When: [/b] [b]Wearing:[/b][hr]Your text here Thread List Administrative stuff:Recruitment Thread(#msg10584872) - your journey should start here.OOC Thread(#msg10601007) - you are here. Character Sheets(#msg10601034)In game Treads:Room Thread 1 - Public Area(#msg10605597) containing:Front Room Back Room Manager's Office Room Thread 2 - Luxury(#msg10605598) containing:Room Outer Worlds Room Oriental Delight Room The Bathroom San SoucisRoom Thread 3 - At home(#msg10605599) containing:Room Expedition Room Class Room Room Girl's Bedroom Room Master Bedroom Room Thread 4 - Dungeon/BDSM(#msg10605600) containing:Room de Sade (BDSM)Room Dark Secret (BDSM)The playground(#msg10605617)Other places-upon request to the GM In game Event Schedule We are playing the week from: June 1st to June 7th:Sunday Jun 1MondayJun 2TuesdayJun 3WednesdayJun 4ThursdayJun 5FridayJun 6SaturdayJun 7EventPole DanceContestEvents:Friday, June 6th-Pole Dance Contest-The girls take to the poles in the backroom. Vote for your favorite dancer for a chance to win a special 'thank you'.IOC Rules:Girls working on Friday should post an opener or several (if they want to interact with the customers) about how they do a little pole dance / striptease. The girls are encouraged to take customers who voted for them to the rooms or playground. Yes, this is not about fairness - it's about fun. These event rules are not set in stone. Feel free to comment on them in the thread and suggest something different. Chick 'n' Chips other Menu:(Polling (18)-Real her.(#msg10601035)Sweet, tender Spanish chick, garnished in outfit of choice. Good for: Oral, Vaginal, Anal, Men, Women, Couples, role plays, tender, rough, dirty talking Not for: Bondage, hurting, other extremes Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.((16)-Real her.(#msg10611541)Small Portion. Sweet and spicy, all in one. Good for: Women, Oral, Dry humping, Masturbation, Mutual masturbation, Dirty talk, Groups/couples/orgies, Eating food off body, Anal Not for: Scat, Disfigurement, Other extremes, Men (unless convinced or offered a fair amount of money. Feel free to offer.) Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.(Delight (18)-Real her.(#msg10615287)Fiery red, smooth as silk. Good for: Oral, Vaginal, Hand jobs, BDSM, Role-plays, Men, Women, Couples, Degradation, older men Not for: Anal, Under aged, over weight Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.(Kitten (21)-Real her.(#msg10601375)The Perfect blend of bold spiciness, fun, and flavor. Claws optional. Good for: Oral, Anal, Vaginal, stations, a little manhandling/rough stuff, virgins/curious, Dome or sub, light to moderate bondage, light to moderate pain, male/female/other/couples, dirty talk, mutual masturbation, dry humping, food play, sensation play Not for: Animals, bathroom play, extreme pain/mutilation, feet Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.((19)-Real her.(#msg10601276)Fun loving kitty with impeccable tastes, flexibility and a sensual bite. Good for: Oral, Vaginal, Men, Couples, Role-play and Dress-up, Tender Sex, Rough Sex, Food-Play (to an extent), Light Bondage, Bath/Shower Sex, Flexibility. Not for: Anal, Blood-Play, Scat/Watersports, Vomit, Extreme Bondage, Bestiality, Needle-Play. Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.(Flower (20)-Real her.(#msg10602558)An exotic treat from an island paradise, ripe for the picking. Good for: Vaginal, oral, group, couples, light bondage and role play. Not for: Anal, scat, extreme pain and bestiality. Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.(Crescendo (19) -Real her.(#post_)I will play your song, and become your muse Good for: Cosplay/Dress Up, oral, vaginal, group, role play, soft to hard sex, and light bondage (cuffs, restraints, etc.) Not for: scat, extreme pain, incest, bestiality, and underage. Temporarily off the menu but might be back in stock soon. Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.(Fox (17)-Real her.(#msg10604166)A sweet, bubbly, light and tasty treat Good for: Oral, Vaginal, Role-play, light bondage, Men, Women, Couples, Gentle and rough play. Not for: scat, extreme pain, bestiality, Other extremes. Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.((17)-Real her.(#msg10605298)Naughty little taste of the exotic East. Good for: Dominant men, rough sex, spanking, bondage, oral (giving only), vaginal, anal. Open for a threesome - men only. Not for: Scat, more, permanent injury or marks, feet, women. Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.((17)-Real her.(#msg10605623)A small, devilishly delicious portion with a side of sass. Good for: oral/vaginal/anal, men/women/couples/groups, DP, role-play/dress up, masturbation/mutual masturbation, soft to hard sex, voyeurism, degradation, humiliation, light to moderate bondage, mild pain Not for: scat/watersports, pain, blood/needles/mutilation Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered.(camp; Apple (17)-Real them.(#msg10618908)Forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest. Delicious on their own but better together. Good for: Oral, Vaginal, Anal, Men, Women, Couples, Role-plays, Light Bondage Not for: Scat/Watersports/Vomit, Pain, Feet Girls may refuse customers. All services rendered are voluntary upon mutual agreement. Price based on service rendered. Woo! Nice! Well worth the wait. Just a heads-up, I'll be out of town from this Friday till Monday. So I won't be able to post until next Monday, the 20th. Hope that is ok. I just see my character is missing a few things. JustMe darling, you could, if you want of course, put a link in the menu stubs to the characters as posted in the recruitment. That way the 'normal' picture is visible as well. Also, the way I see it now, I'd make three threads for the game, Dungeon, At Home and Luxury. Perhaps a fourth for Other Places. Slips into IOC thread and gets comfortable. Hello movies :) I just read something and would like a little clarification on this:The bondage facilities are meant for freedom - the girls are meant to use them on the guests. Does that mean the guests can't use them on the girls? It basically makes the girls the domes and the guests the subs in a way no? While I am still pending, I still bookmarked this thread. Hello everyone. *peeks* *bookmarks* Quote from: Dashed on 16-10-2014, 23:50:55I just read something and would like a little clarification on this: The bondage facilities are meant for freedom - the girls are meant to use them on the guests. Does that mean the guests can't use them on the girls? It basically makes the girls the domes and the guests the subs in a way no?Here are my thoughts:Most of these girls are rebels and risk-takers... I would be surprised if they do only what they are meant to do. ;)In the first draft I had this huge set of rules for providing the girls' safety but then decided against it and that we should clarify any situation in a civil manner IOC. That's the last remnant of that rule set including panic buttons, safe words, on site security, etc. If the majority thinks we should scratch that item, I will. *bookmarks*Hey guys! Totally up for plotting! I have my eye on teacher/student action if anyone is up for that. *bookmarks as well*I'll look at it more tomorrow when I am slightly more awake I'm up for plotting as well with potential customers or even other girls ^^ Bookmarked :3- Rainbow Quote from: justme4386 on 17-10-2014, 07:27:19Here my thoughts:Most of these girls are rebels and risk-takers... I would be surprised if they do only what they are meant to do. ;)In the first draft I had this huge set of rules for providing the girls' safety but then decided against it and that we should clarify any situation in a civil manner IOC. That's the last remnant of that rule set including panic buttons, safe words, on site security, etc. If the majority thinks we should scratch that item, I will. So that means the guests can use the bondage facilities on the girls as well? Quote from: Dashed on 17-10-2014, 10:06:45So that means the guests can use the bondage facilities on the girls as well? If the girl agrees, and it doesn't blow the cover or reveal identities you guys can do whatever you please. ;) I'm just wondering if there's a taster menu? You get 5 minutes with each girl so you can sample all the delights ;D] *pokes her head in* Quote from: Orval Winter mute on 17-10-2014, 18:39:36I just wondering if there's a taster menu? You get 5 minutes with each girl so you can sample all the delights ;DHM I'll keep that as a thought for an event ;Expect IG threads this weekend... I am rosewood excited.EDIT: all menu stubs have a link to the character sheet - if it was already posted. Please treat this link as IOC knowledge. *bookmarks* Quote from: DarkAngel111 on 18-10-2014, 08:33:09Character Sheet - one time Customer Andrew Lincoln(25Physical Description: 25-year-old male just out of University. A state level Football player he is quite fit and muscular, has an attitude which is visible in his body language. Frequency: One time only. (possibly recurring, but not often)Why he's here: He was traveling through the state going back home after a 12-hour drive he decided to stop at Chick n Chips the name had caught his attention, thinking that the name implied the female staff would be nice to look at. Although he was quite hungry as well. Once he asked for a nice quite booth he was taken to a back room to his surprise he liked it better. What he's looking for: Anonymity for the moment. And some food and drinks. Changed his mind when he was taken to the back room though. Personality: He is Dominant and like to get Rough, He is quite popular and thus quite Cocky. PLAYER ONS AND OFFS: Camp;O Page (Anyone is interested Poke me in a PM :) Just a thought brought to my mind, and I am unsure what I think about it, so please let me know your thoughts:Should the mother hen (Counselor O'Hara) also be on the menu? Going by her bio she'd be that kind of woman, but then she wouldn't want to take opportunities from her girls... What do you think? Well it's turning out to be a rather oriental restaurant, so I think you might have to put her on the menu to balance things out a bit? I think it would make sense for her to be on their, perhaps even to teach the others how it is done, or perhaps she is but only in select cases which leave her sort of free only if the need arises. I was about to pm you to ask if you can put her on the menu ;)trustees might like it ;) The counselor could be like that "secret chef's special" that only people who are regulars know they can order... I'd imagine she'd be available, but only whenshewants to be. Speaking of chef's special: we're open. ;) check first post for room threads. Next question: Should we open a One-Timer Char Thread and people post them there instead of here to find girls interested? I don't want to clutter stuff with too many thread, but at the same time don't want to clutter threads with too many subjects... What do you people think? I'd volunteer my little señorita to start the show... I'd just need a taker for her for Monday night. I'd also be throwing in my volleyball coach (see below) as a one-timer for one of our young ones. He's got a young one... So I guess he'd love to take her to the girl's bedroom... Any takers? Jack Spade(41Frequency: One time only. Why he's here: He heard about this place from a friend who recommended it and since he was in the area he wanted to try it out What he's looking for: Being a volleyball couch at a high school back in his hometown, he needs to fulfill his fantasy of having a young girl. Personality: He's really a softie, but tries to be dominant at school or else the kids would walk all over MPlayer ONS AND OFFS:Me's O&O page (#msg9949062) Love the room threads! Small problem - the Dungeon/BDSM link goes to the Playground thread. Which confused me for a few minutes... ::) Quote from: Red Stella on 18-10-2014, 22:28:39Love the room threads! Small problem - the Dungeon/BDSM link goes to the Playground thread. Which confused me for a few minutes... ::)Should be fixed. Thanks for pointing that out. *Builds a pillow fort in the IOC" *joins Even*hello two Pillow fort in our IOC? Damn, we better get you girls busy with some fine scenes... Too bad I am sick and can't stick to words together without an adverb going haywire... :-\I'll try to get in an open for our Sunday scene Even ASAP... Maybe even later today... But please, anyone just feel free to use the facilities - maybe populate the back room or the playground and do as you want... Till you get a customer... Suitor, we can post now? Where should we start, and what day of the week is it? I took the lead on this one (#msg10611386)... Though I already agreed with a girl to play the scene with him, any may feel free to address him - for example ask if he's looking for some company or a drink... You know. Let your seductive inner selves come out. ;)As for day: we are playing non-chronologically. Just tag you post with the day it's taking place and have at it. As long as you don't have conflicting scenes in the same day all is good. Do the girls have any sort of uniform while walking around the main back room or are they just in whatever? XD- Rainbow ♥ I'd say whatever... Of course most girls don't need to advertise their bodies - so I wouldn't be thinking it would be the kind of attire you expect from a sleazy brothel. Think high class gentlemen's club - though it got prices that even a high-schooler could afford. Maybe sexy clubbing outfits or school uniforms or leather bra and miniskirt if they are inclined to show that kind of interest... My little Juanita will probably run around in a blouse that's tied below her small boobies, unbuttoned to show what little cleavage she can and tight shorts - Daisy Duke style. ;)Hope that answers your question? Quote from: justme4386 on 20-10-2014, 15:54:56I'd say whatever... Of course most girls don't need to advertise their bodies - so I wouldn't be thinking it would be the kind of attire you expect from a sleazy brothel. Think high class gentlemen's club - though it got prices that even a high-schooler could afford. Maybe sexy clubbing outfits or school uniforms or leather bra and miniskirt if they are inclined to show that kind of interest... My little Juanita will probably run around in a blouse that's tied below her small boobies, unbuttoned to show what little cleavage she can and tight shorts - Daisy Duke style. ;)Hope that answers your question? Yeah, that's fine! Thank you (:- Rainbow ♥ AAAAA here we go! *posted away!* Your link to what she is wearing does work for me Ethereal. Also, the backroom is that where the girls socialize? Or should we refrain from that? Last question for now :Does Priscilla takes the orders or do the girls do that themselves? One day I'll get the hang of BBC codes. Fixed! Quote from: Dashed on 20-10-2014, 18:22:09Also, the backroom is that where the girls socialize? Or should we refrain from that? Good point I will add a "backstage" to the room list (Same thread) - once I'm off my mobile. Quote from: Dashed on 20-10-2014, 18:22:09Does Priscilla takes the orders or do the girls do that themselves? Priscilla is the waitress in the front. She will lead newcomers to the back room and then leave again. In the back room it's only drinking and there the girls are meant to do the waiting and socializing... I guess there's a bartender NPC and if need be I guess there will be other NPC girls - to do waiting or taking order for girls if need be. I think somebody needs to take the orders for the girls. Wouldn't it be a little awkward if a girl gets told the client doesn't want her but somebody else? *Awaits customers!* Character Sheet - recurring Customer Joshua Boone.(27Occupation: Contractor Frequency: A couple of times a week. Reason for being here: He is travelling a lot for his new job. And Chick n Chips is on the way. Although the Commute is a bitch, the new job is paying too well, he doesn’t mind spending a little on himself to live out his fantasies. Physical Description: He is a tall man with a broad built. His arms and upper body strength is quite a lot mostly due to heavy construction work he did ever since he was a teen. He works out when he can, but his job provides him with enough exercise without even trying. Background: Joshua comes from a middle class family and a humble past. His father was a contractor before him although not that much of a big shot that he could make a lot of money He provided well for the family and that was all that mattered. He is the only son of his parents and thus inherited the business from his father when he passed. Since then Joshua took contracts for the upper class rather than sticking to his own neighborhood. He had some experience under his belt and knowledge too as he dated a few college girls who came from that part of the neighborhood where the *rich people lived*. Now he works mostly for his richer clients, and he is gaining a name which also means more money. He is single and recently broke up with his girlfriend of 3 years, just looking to have some fun after a long relationship. Personality: Joshua is raw, one can say he is an uncut diamond. Although he knows how to keep his mouth on a leash when with clients he has a dirty mouth, and everyone who knows him know that fact. He is into the more rough things when it comes to girls. Although he thinks all those BDSM things are a bit too weird. And likes to keep his distance. PLAYER ONS AND OFFS:O&O Page (Looking for a customer? Possibly a story arch? Message me. Quote from: Dashed on 20-10-2014, 19:18:07I think somebody needs to take the orders for the girls. Wouldn't it be a little awkward if a girl gets told the client doesn't want her but somebody else? If the place is like I envision it, then not really. Maybe I am a bit too naive and envision this too much like flower power, but I think for the girls it's the most natural thing in the world. On the other hand, the menu is just for customers who are looking for something/-one specific. If the one coming up to him/her is sweet and sexy and all, why order another one? I'm going to post Juliette in the back room open for anybody to interact with. Could be flirting, or even if one of the girls wants to chat her up or nudge her toward the playroom or whatever I'm fine. Juliette is looking for a regular to replace the one she just lost >.>Magical Pen-Let me know what day you want to do the scene with your character, and I'll start that one. For those that volunteered to make a couple (customers) with me, thank you. I've decided I will be holding off right now as I want to see how I do with Juliette first. If I think I can handle the other than I will nudge you and see if you are still interested or not. :) Good to go whenever you are Cocaine! Posting for Sunday the 1st for Mimi (Vixen), should any of the gentlemen care to play. ;)Edited because I can't keep my days straight. Quote from: Magical Pen on 21-10-2014, 03:23:42Good to go whenever you are Cocaine! What day would he come in? Sunday would work. *Emerges from her allow fort* Morning all! Good morning sleeping sexy... Hope you are enjoying your morning read. ;) Lots of lovely posts :D Yes there is! Now we need customers. ’D Still very patiently awaiting our GM to approve of my new char :P If my for!ING internet provider would finally fix his entry point router, I might actually be able to send this damn modified post without a timeout... Tried four times already... And I wouldn't be surprised if this very post got stuck in a timeout as well. :(*Hugs Just me* Sorry for the issues! :(Hmm... I held off on making a customer/couple because I thought we had enough but maybe not? So far, we have like, only 1 customer. I'm still for playing a gay couple with you Loki:D I'm a customer! And will be getting a post up later today. Having to work for a living comes first I'm afraid. :O Work! Blew! I wish it were otherwise. But I don't have to coach soccer tonight (only MWF) so should be home at a normal time to post. Charity/Pandora is open for a customer, if anyone's interested in the sassy little minx. She'll only work 1–3 days a week (more when my work schedule allows). I'll write her in on day one if anyone's interested. I hope my volleyball coach isn't too over the top. ;)Did I mention I suck at making good, strong male characters? They always come across as sissies or wimps or... virgins. Hmmm... now there's an idea for a customer. I'm calling dips on that one. LOL XD lol. What he lacks in 'manliness' he makes up in being cute. Oh, I can already hear the macros: "That's what happens when you have a girl do a man's job!" XD *laughs* I'm really starting to enjoy writing Little Fox ;D And a mighty fine job you are doing writing her... I'll go catch some sleep now and will continue him tomorrow. I think we're going to have fun with this couple. Though he's going to have a hell of a time. Good because if you were to post tonight I'd have to do a reply straight after or not sleep :D Just wondering how many customers do we have already? Potential and actuals combined. If need be I can make up another customer :) I am more concerned about how many make it into the game... I have approved a few and one-timers just need to find a girl who will play with the to get approval. But so far I think Jack's the only fox in this hen house... ;)So just jump in... Get'em while they are hot... Eehhmmm Oops... I meant the chips, really... ;D *Stands outside with one of those sale signs and twirls it* We need more customers! ’D I was going to say, there seemed to be plenty of male customer profiles (mostly one-timers) who have applied. It's not so much the applications that are the problems: It's getting active in the threads. ;) I'm here now ladies. Hold your horses. Layton (#msg10618323) has arrived at the diner. Remain calm, keep breathing and do try to refrain from touching the beard :)A quick heads up to the GM. There is no link to this topic in the recruitment threat. Perhaps an idea to link this? Hooray! *peeks in and waves*Morning folks :) Hi iii Cocaine! Had ^^ How's everybody today? Doing great! ’D Left a post for you Cocaine. Noted ^^ Layton is very interesting... ::) Okay.... here's a potential one timer >.>Character Sheet - one time Customer Gideon 'Duke' Jacobs(29Physical Description: Duke is a good-looking guy with an athletic build standing 6 feet and 2 inches tall and weighing in at 205lbs. His dark hair and pretty blue eyes come complete with a boyish smile and a set of matching dimples that have been described as dangerous when used with intent. In general, he dresses fairly normal for a male of his age. While he generally prefers comfortable jeans and athletic wear, he has been known to dress up on occasion and cleans up well. He is most often clean-shaven or has fairly neatly trimmed facial hair, keeps his wavy mane cut short, and has no tattoos or piercings apart from his ears. His hands are rough and calloused, and he had a few scars here and there, each with stories behind them. Frequency: One time only--could become recurring if there is interest. Why he's here: Duke has taken a job with the local boys academy as a Football coach and Auto Shop teacher and after a successful football season as well as the occasional stunt job (he knows his way around animals and has done martial arts for most of his life) he's found himself with too much downtime and no girlie of his own to help fill it. He thought about jumping back into the dating game after being incredibly busy for the past few years, but he's not sure if he's ready for all the strings and complications. Another teacher dropped some hints and Duke came to Chicks 'n' Chips to see what's what. What he's looking for: Sex without strings. Sometimes he likes to play the game and flirt and tease and all that, and sometimes he just wants to fuck without all the bullshit. Personality: Duke is, for the most part, easy going and generally very friendly though he doesn't necessarily let people get too close quickly. He can sometimes come off a bit cocky as he definitely has a certain swagger about him, but his grandparents raised him right so he is usually polite and respectful unless someone makes him angry. Armed with a disarming smile and innate charm he is the last one people ever suspect as being capable of anything even remotely unpleasant, and he is definitely more intelligent and observant than he likes to let on. He can be stubborn about things that matter and very competitive, but he is good at keeping his cool under pressure. He does enjoy a good rush though. In the bedroom he is typically dominant. Much like his desires, he's capable of more tender or playful encounters but sometimes just plain likes to fuck. He's not hardcore into BDSM but will indulge a craving and definitely can get rough. PLAYER ONS AND OFFS:O&O Page (Dem abs! I'm probably too gay to find that very attractive :P *shrugs* He'll either get a bite or he won't. Sabrina might be interested :) Quote from: Cocaine on 22-10-2014, 23:45:11*shrugs* He'll either get a bite or he won't.*bites....twice* ;D Quote from: MIA h on 23-10-2014, 00:03:53*bites....twice* ;Doll I will get a post up for Duke tomorrow most likely and then whoever can come sit in his lap ::) I had a long weekend and struggled with my muse this week sorry guys! Where are we at, and where should I be? ^^" Or. Offer? :P *growls in frustration* I just finished a post and lost it! :'(:'(:'(:'(:-(:'(Quote from: ElvenKitten on 23-10-2014, 12:29:09*growls in frustration* I just finished a post and lost it! :'(:'(:'(:'(:-(:'(*kisses and cuddle kitten* it's okay maybe you will write an even better one the second time ;) but now have to go to work :'(I hate when that happens. Quote from: ElvenKitten on 23-10-2014, 12:29:09*growls in frustration* I just finished a post and lost it! :'(:'(:'(:'(:-(:'(I saw somewhere on the boards a tool called Lazarus or something, it should help when this kind of things happen. But I just write stuff in word with auto save on, and copy and paste when it's finished. Quote from: ElvenKitten on 23-10-2014, 12:29:09*growls in frustration* I just finished a post and lost it! :'(:'(:'(:'(:-(:'(I know your pain. Yesterday alone I lost four posts - though no important ones just changes to the menu stubs and stuff like that. Look on the bright side: now you got someone waiting for you to get back from work... :Quote from: Ready Angel on 23-10-2014, 11:59:55I had a long weekend and struggled with my muse this week sorry guys! Where are we at, and where should I be? ^^" Or. Offer? You could start by putting your Charon the character thread. ;)Also folks please remember that the playground is meant as an open, "anything goes" place - inspired by swinger clubs. It's not a locked room for having a peaceful one-on-one. Bored girls might just show up there... Or the occasional customer who doesn't know what he wants. My kinda room! Quote from: justme4386 on 23-10-2014, 12:51:31I know your pain. Yesterday alone I lost four posts - though no important ones just changes to the menu stubs and stuff like that. Look on the bright side: now you got someone waiting for you to get back from work... :Day do a post during my break on my phone knowing what to write saves time too. Just had a thought I wanted to get your input on:Though we are keeping the actual financials out of the game, I was wondering - to set the mood even more relaxed and no player having the money issue as a back thought for characters - to maybe state in the intro that the place would charge an entry fee but afterward anything is free (except alcoholic drinks) and food ordered from the diner. Basically make this more into a swingers' club than a real brothel. I think there is something kinky about paying for sex, but that is just me. ’D I like the menu idea and if it was a swingers club then menu isn't really needed. Maybe the customers have to hand over a credit card to get entrance to the back room? That way the characters don't have to talk about or deal with money, but all gets dealt with in the background. Quote from: Dashed on 22-10-2014, 23:57:32Sabrina might be interested :)If you'd prefer we can pick another day besides Sunday and have Juliette and Sabrina interact ::) Works for me :) I'm not worried about the financial side, but I like the idea of coming into the playground not knowing what I want. I will post a customer today, my rugged looking Tom Hardy! *chuckles*Now I'm curious to see what the rugged Aiden-dude will do... He-he, same here. Hunter is up, anyone want to make him into a repeat customer? TDI haven't set up anything with anyone, leaving him open in the back room. I can't speak for anyone else, but the twins aren't occupied Sure, want to mess with his head for a bit? I figure they can have some fun at his expense since the two like to switch around and fool people. Had an idea for possibly a series of one-timers starting with this. I don't know how many wrestling fans are here but using traveling Indy workers passing through seemed like it could be a good excuse to have different men drop by. I'm also realizing that my o/o thread is in dire need of a face lift, but everything remains accurate. Character Sheet - one time Customer Colton 'Colt .45' Grey inspiration 28Physical Description: Colt stands just over six feet and weighs right around 200lbs with an athletic frame covered in tattoos and scars from his profession as an Indy wrestler. His bright blue eyes and shoulder-length black hair has drawn many fans during his day, but he has recently cut his hair short. He typically dresses extremely casual on road trips, baggy jeans or shorts and heavy metal t-shirts mostly. Frequency: One time only--could become recurring if there is interest. Why he's here: Colt constantly heard rumors from his fellow wrestlers about this place having the best 'service' in town, though no one was ever too specific other than saying to be sure to ask for the 'special' menu. Recent events have caused him to re-evaluate his life including getting back in touch with his little sister whom he knows is going to school in town. He hasn't seen her in a long time, possibly years, but before that reunion, he stopped in for a bite to settle his nerves. What he's looking for: He wasn't aware of it at first, but deep down he always had a crush on his sister and now is looking for someone who reminds him of her since actually having her would be considered wrong. Personality: Colt is a friendly, easy going sort in public but, in private, he can be a very dominating, nearly sadistic male when in the proper mindset. PLAYER ONS AND OFFS:O&O Page (#msg6892166) He seems like a nice bloke! Colton there is pretty yummy >.> Just an idea: Girl from HESS meeting her BF for dinner at the diner before wanting to go to the movies to get frisky... they ask for a nice, quiet booth, wonder about the look from the waitress and get quite a surprise - and their first chance to go at it... Might be the girl becomes a returning character (with a mask)... or her boyfriend becomes a returning customer (that cheating ass)... or they both do. ’D Thoughts? That sounds like a fun idea. Now I want to know how it all goes down :P Very cool idea. Drama in the backroom! I'd love to join...would be open to playing a reoccurring character or a one-off, whatever you need ;-) I recommend starting with a one timer. If you like him, he can become recurring. Large part of this game is trying out different character concepts - otherwise it will probably get boring very fast. Quote from: justme4386 on 27-10-2014, 08:00:05I recommend starting with a one timer. If you like him, he can become recurring. Large part of this game is trying out different character concepts - otherwise it will probably get boring very fast. Sounds like a good idea. I have an idea for a teen boy, is there an age limit, could I play 16 or 17? Other than E's limits there are none. However, you should keep in mind that he should have found out about this place and that he needs to be able to afford it. Though not overly pricey, I would imagine something a regular teen would have had to save for...'so either he has a side job or comes from a well-off background. One-timers need to set up a meeting with a girl prior to I game posting. Basically I'm crowdsourcing the approval for one-timers. If one of the players wants to play with your one-timer you are free to post. Hey all, just wanted to see if anyone is available and would want to meet my character above. I was thinking since day 1 seems to be booked, maybe it could be set on day two or three if need be. Just me - Jack Spade is adorable! ’D I know... If Chastity wasn't gay she'd love him to bust and pieces, eh? ;)He's given me so many ideas for other characters... I love this one-timer mechanic. ’D She would make an exception for him. He's all awkward and nervous like her! ’D Ok folks, I am thinking of opening day 2 with my little Spanish girl - probably tonight or tomorrow. I know there was someone sent a PM to play with her, but - shame on me - when I cleaned out my inbox I must have thrown that away. So if anyone wants to claim some fun with a tender Spanish foxy chick, feel free to jump her... I mean: jump in. :) Maybe Little Fox and Chastity could put on a show in the playroom some time ;D Quote from: ElvenKitten on 27-10-2014, 23:14:14Maybe Little Fox and Chastity could put on a show in the playroom some time ;Little Fox be better putting up a show with poor blue balled Jack... ;) He's way too adorable to go about with THAT being his memory of CNC. ’D For those with a customer looking for interaction, Juliette (Cajun Kitten) is busy on Sunday but has other days open :) Quote from: ElvenKitten on 27-10-2014, 23:14:14Maybe Little Fox and Chastity could put on a show in the playroom some time ;That sounds like fun! Stallion, Jeffrey sounds adorable. Also, Sunday is taken for Chastity, but she is open the rest of the week for anyone else interested. Character Sheet - one time Customer Jeffrey Gates(17Physical Description: Jeffrey does not stand out in the crowd. Your average high school student with unkempt hair who could use some style tips. He is a mix between a nerd and a gamer. He stands 5'10" and weighs 170lbs. Normally dressed in jeans and a hoodie with thick glasses. Frequency: One time only -- could become recurring if there is interest. Why he's here: A High School Junior in the next town over, shy, nerdy, a gamer, a loner. He doesn't really have friends and has no clue how to talk with girls. He's a virgin. Furthermore, he's only ever kissed a girl once and that was at a party 3 years ago. Furthermore, he overheard someone talking about this place and of course has the hormones of a teenager. Furthermore, he's not sure how much this is going to cost him, but he works constantly and has been saving. If he comes back a second time he might have to sell some of his favorite comic books. What he's looking for: His first time. He's fantasized enough, and he's ready for the real thing. He has no clue what he's doing, he's nervous but curious. Furthermore, he's eager to explore and try whatever he can. Personality: Definitely shy, curious, smart, but awkward. Not good at conversation or interactions with others. He is cute in a quirky way. PLAYER ONS AND OFFS: (#post_) wondering who would like to serve Jeffrey ;) What day is he going to CNC? Quote from: Ethereal girl on 28-10-2014, 19:27:25What day is he going to CNC?negotiable...any suggestions? I think Foxy Polling was open on Monday the 2nd. Just me's character. But I would check with her if you want your character to hook up with hers. Yes, Foxy Polling is available for Monday. I know someone had requested a scene with her but as I wrote, I lost the PM when cleaning - so I have no idea who... but I will make it up. Should someone identify himself Foxy will make a very special entrance. ;)Jeffrey does seem like a cutie... but damn, popping his cherry... oh do I have some ideas for him. ;) *giggles at Just me* So to date we have two drummers in the game, lol. At least that Virgin "I think I can" attitude will kick in. It would be fun to RP and scenario where there is a premature ejaculation, or a 4-second sex sessions. :P I need to find someone who can put the Kitten in her place so to speak. She likes it rough and is a brat :P Must make new character.... Quote from: Ethereal girl on 28-10-2014, 20:48:29It would be fun to RP and scenario where there is a premature ejaculation, or a 4-second sex sessions. Feel free to create a one-timer for that... unless you want to play that scene repeatedly. ;) I'm sure we'll find a cutie to give a helping hand... Speaking of which: I really hope that Little Fox doesn't leave Jack like this... that would be such a downer for him... but I just couldn't resist the way he turned out. ’D Quote from: justme4386 on 28-10-2014, 20:41:11Yes, Foxy Polling is available for Monday. I know someone had requested a scene with her but as I wrote, I lost the PM when cleaning - so I have no idea who... but I will make it up. Should someone identify himself Foxy will make a very special entrance. ;)Jeffrey does seem like a cutie... but damn, popping his cherry... oh do I have some ideas for him. ;)oh perfect. I can't wait to hear or see your ideas for him... What 'day' are you on in the game? How quickly does a 'day' progress? Quote from: Cocaine on 28-10-2014, 20:59:50I need to find someone who can put the Kitten in her place so to speak. She likes it rough and is a brat :POH I have a character that would be perfect for Kitten >:) Quote from: WildStallionNYC on 28-10-2014, 22:25:29oh perfect. I can't wait to hear or see your ideas for him... What 'day' are you on in the game? How quickly does a 'day' progress? Foxy Polling just walked in on Monday - guess she's up for "grabs" ;)A day is basically a scene - though I personally tend to alternate between characters each day, just to avoid making myself have to many scenes at ones. That would suck (in the not good way). *plays a rim shot* Quote from: Ethereal girl on 28-10-2014, 22:43:08*plays a rim shot*Triplet paradiddle with four on the floor? :P Quote from: justme4386 on 28-10-2014, 22:41:06Foxy Polling just walked in on Monday - guess she's up for "grabs" ;)A day is basically a scene - though I personally tend to alternate between characters each day, just to avoid making myself have to many scenes at ones. That would suck (in the not good way).well I hope to grab her, will have time a little later to write Jeffrey's intro Quote from: justme4386 on 28-10-2014, 21:30:37Feel free to create a one-timer for that... unless you want to play that scene repeatedly. ;) I'm sure we'll find a cutie to give a helping hand... Speaking of which: I really hope that Little Fox doesn't leave Jack like this... that would be such a downer for him... but I just couldn't resist the way he turned out. Dion't worry my brain is rebooting at the moment, should be able to write something soon. Quote from: Cocaine on 28-10-2014, 20:59:50I need to find someone who can put the Kitten in her place so to speak. She likes it rough and is a brat :Vixen likes it rough too. Maybe they should put up an ad. ;) Already working on it! Yes. Yes he is *fans self* (the shower-Let's cool you off. That's supposed to cool me off?*just stares* Yummy... Foxy Polling might like it rough too... And she likes sex in the shower. ;) Yay posted! And a nice post it was! ’D Lol, jack is adorable. ’D Quote from: Ethereal girl on 30-10-2014, 20:40:06Lol, jack is adorable. DI think so too... him and chastity really need to hook up... just it won't be the same way, I fear. Maybe I'll make another whiz for her... a special one... one that wants to be dominated by a teenager... or something like that. ;) *Squeals with delight* You got it! Sabrina (#msg10615287) is still looking for some quick money nice partner to play with. Preferably a female client. Derrick, the one time customer, is looking for a girl that likes anal. Quote from: Seth on 31-10-2014, 00:48:48Derrick,the one time customer, is looking for a girl that likes anal. Vixen (Mimi) would be up for that! Any night except Sunday, since she's busy. Quote from: Dashed on 30-10-2014, 20:49:52Sabrina (#msg10615287) is still looking for some quick money a nice partner to play with. Preferably a female client. If she's bored, Charity (#msg10605623) could help her find a way to entertain herself until a paying customer arrives. I think Charity would be almost as taken with Sabrina as I am... that hair! Quote from: Red Stella on 31-10-2014, 01:00:45Vixen (Mimi) would be up for that! Any night except Sunday, since she's busy. Awesome! Do I just post in a thread or do we need anything else? Since you got a girl, feel free to start posting with him. ;)But now for something completely different:Official GM announcement:Folks, I want to thank you very much for taking up on this idea like this. I am thoroughly enjoying what I read and get to participate in. I've had the idea for CNC for a few years and always wanted to write my own episodic book or blog about it. But frankly I am very glad I opened this idea to you all. You have turned CNC from a fun idea and transformed it into a magical place. Thank you for being part of this game with Me! :)Love, Me Quote from: tracyfreegirl on 31-10-2014, 04:23:47If she's bored, Charity (#msg10605623) could help her find a way to entertain herself until a paying customer arrives. I think Charity would be almost as taken with Sabrina as I am... that hair! That sounds pretty good :Question to the GM:Would the girls be allowed to go to the playroom together to have some fun? While waiting for clients? That's what the playroom is for. Just to make this clear: the purpose for CNC is for the girls to experiment with sex, not to make money. The money is a positive side effect that lets the place stay open and growing. The girls don't have specific hours for being there or rules about what they can and can't do. Most are rebels and would break those rules anyway. There are just rules to protect the girls. Cool :D Character Sheet - one time Customer Christina White(25Physical Description: 5'3 Auburn hair Frequency: One time only. Why she's here: A chance encounter followed by some much-needed stress relief. >:)What she's looking for: Someone to treat her like queen/goddess for an evening Personality: Christina is driven ambitious and hard-working, and can be a little obsessive about work. She can be a little shy when put in unfamiliar. She has a lascivious side to her that she keeps hidden under her reserved bearing. PLAYER ONS AND OFFS:O&O Page (Quote from: justme4386 on 31-10-2014, 09:30:05That's what the playroom is for. Just to make this clear: the purpose for CNC is for the girls to experiment with sex, not to make money. Just posted for you... Hope you liked that post ;) Quote from: WildStallionNYC on 31-10-2014, 14:33:57just posted for you... Hope you liked that post ;)OMG... He's soon cute. We'll have fun with this pair... As you can she, she's not the one for subtlety - which doesn't mean she can't take it slow... You'll see. ;)Will post later tonight if time permits. Quote from: justme4386 on 31-10-2014, 08:19:53Since you got a girl, feel free to start posting with him. ;)But now for something completely different:Official GM announcement:Folks, I want to thank you very much for taking up on this idea like this. I am thoroughly enjoying what I read and get to participate in. I've had the idea for CNC for a few years and always wanted to write my own episodic book or blog about it. But frankly I am very glad I opened this idea to you all. You have turned CNC from a fun idea and transformed it into a magical place. Thank you for being part of this game with Me! :)Love, MeI am glad to take part in your vision, I know my characters are having fun. Mr. Shaw has come alive to a muse in need of smut. I don't do a lot of smut scenes lately with the running of my group games so it is fun to just, indulge a little.-Spanks his current partners, Mia and KDKA- Okay, since I like the setup, I'd like to add a second one time character, someone almost completely opposite of Jeffrey. Since you girls wanted someone a little rougher what do you think of Anthony:Character Sheet - one time Customer Anthony Edwards (28Physical Description: 6'1", muscular, Frequency: One time - - could lead to more Why he's here: It's been to long What he's looking for: Anthony was recently released from prison where he spent 7 months. Which was 7 months to long to not have any physical contact with a lady for him. He spent the time lifting and working out, trying to keep his cool so he would get released early, which he did. Now he's out and looking to enjoy himself. He has the money he stashed away that the cops never found. He's promised himself he's going to enjoy his life. Personality: He's a little rough around the edges, especially since he hasn't had much interaction except with criminals for the last 7 months. He is a bit of a gambler and knows how to have fun. PLAYER ONS AND OFFS: (#post_) I'm not going to hog all of them... and I am having loads of fun with Jeffrey. ;) Quote from: justme4386 on 02-11-2014, 20:56:59I'm not going to hog all of them... and I am having loads of fun with Jeffrey. ;)Glad you are having fun with Jeffrey ;)The question though, is do you like the other character? Does Anthony intrigue you? You never know he could come back a second time. Well that is after one of the other girls wants a first time with him ... Anthony is hot. *loves that particular actor* My girl already has two scenes though. Quote from: WildStallionNYC on 02-11-2014, 21:03:32Glad you are having fun with Jeffrey ;)The question though, is do you like the other character? Does Anthony intrigue you? You never know he could come back a second time. Well that is after one of the other girls wants a first time with him ... I got a scene with my girl and one with my customer. I think that's as many as I care for at the moment to keep them straight and respond in a timely fashion. And frankly: I have no idea what I will be looking for when those scenes start winding down... I tend to play it by ear. ;) Anthony is really hat. Anyway, I think I can open Chastity up for another night. Like Monday or something. Let me know if anyone wants to play and what not. ’D Well I do have a female customer now Score! ’D Quote from: ElvenKitten on 03-11-2014, 18:17:23Well I do have a female customer now think dashed was also looking for a female customer for Ruby - and she didn't get to play yet... Maybe the three of you can coordinate by PM. ;) I sense a show in the playground! Whatever strikes your fancy... Just would hate the idea to have people who'd like to play to be left out... ;) I always say the more, the merrier! Hunter thought the same, but the twins dragged him to a room. >:) Quote from: Aiden on 03-11-2014, 19:14:34Hunter thought the same, but the twins dragged him to a room. Sgt;:)Can't blame him for wanting to keep that price to themselves, now, can you? ’D A trio with all girls with Chastity and the lovely Kitten.... Nah... that would be awful. Wait no... It wouldn't be awful would it? When do we start? Have to coordinate the day with my other planned scene though. Chastity is open throughout the week. Will it be a show for the patrons? This is escalating nicely ;D Chrissy would likely prefer a little privacy *high-fives* yay for girl love! OMG... poor Jeff. I think if Foxy keeps doing this to him, he's about to cum in his pants... or he'll have a heart attack... or both. ’D teepee. HIA all, for your eyes to whichever young lady(IES) would like to serve him, I give you a character called Jake. :)I hope I was okay for placing him here. He could possibly evolve to a repeat customer, but for the moment I just want to get my feet wet, so to speak... Same preferences as his owner. :)Character Sheet - one time Customer Jake Scouter(30Physical Description: Dark wavy hair, stubbly, t-shirt and jeans, has a casual laid back look. Slim with a nice easy smile. Frequency: One time only. Why he's here: He's hit a rough patch and decided after hearing some rumors to come by and see what's up with this place. What he's looking for: Mainly company and some TLC. Secondly he wants a nice cute face he can take up the rear. Personality: Jake is a pretty open and approachable guy most of the time. A little bashful as he's a bit unsure he can be forward, he's nevertheless still flirty. He has a slightly dominant streak, but likes for others to have fun as much as him, if not more. A good guy with a bit of a naughty streak. Quote from: wander on 04-11-2014, 01:06:20Hia all, for your eyes to whichever young lady(IES) would like to serve him, I give you a character called Jake. :)I hope I was okay for placing him here. He could possibly evolve to a repeat customer, but for the moment I just want to get my feet wet, so to speak... Same preferences as his owner. :)You were very right to place him here. Unfortunately I reached my posting limit and won't start another scene until one of the two I currently have has come to a "happy ending". ;) That's fine, I don't mind him coming in at a later day or being with one of the other girls. Whatever works, really... :) Quote from: justme4386 on 03-11-2014, 21:53:00OMG... poor Jeff. I think if Foxy keeps doing this to him, he's about to cum in his pants... or he'll have a heart attack... or both. She's definitely pushed him to the edge...so good :) >.>;; Chastity might be joining Ruby in the playroom! Charity and Chastity. That would be confusing for poor Sabrina :D Also there is my customer ;D My customer, currently occupied on Sunday, is also looking for another potential pairing, say perhaps on Monday? What day is it currently and when (what day) would a lady or two be free? Quote from: wander on 04-11-2014, 15:36:35What day is it currently and when (what day) would a lady or two be free? Please check the beginning of the IOC thread. Second post is the schedule for the week. There are some special events happening. (ideas very welcome ;))Right now we are playing Sunday June 1st through Saturday, June 7th.I don't want to limit people to one day because some post more than others and there's no sense for them to wait. That also puts the responsibility to avoid paradoxes to the players, but other than that you can write any time in that timespan. Quote from: WildStallionNYC on 04-11-2014, 14:52:57she's definitely pushed him to the edge...so good :)Although when he was playing ignorant about what there was to do in the backroom... that was harsh. ;)Anyway, ball is in your court now (#msg10658107). Love, Me Quote from: justme4386 on 04-11-2014, 17:57:51Although when he was playing ignorant about what there was to do in the backroom... that was harsh. ;)harsh good or harsh bad?did you think it was too much? I think he was just nervous and didn't understand fully ;) It made your character seem really "out of it" - like he was born and raised in the woods - think Arnold Schwarzenegger in Twins. But we got out of that one... Now looking forward to your reply... Didn't get to reading it yet. Quote from: ElvenKitten on 04-11-2014, 15:30:20Also there is my customer ;Didn't we plan the trio with Chastity and Sabrina and your character? Can do that on Tuesday. Sunday and Monday are taken I guess. Pick a day, and I'll be game. Quote from: Dashed on 05-11-2014, 14:20:28Didn't we plan the trio with Chastity and Sabrina and your character? Can do that on Tuesday. Sunday and Monday are taken I guess. I'm game for any day. Just let me know, so I know what to look for... :) Hopefully Vixen has not forgotten Derrick. But I did pick Friday of all nights. POLE DANCING COMPETITION!!!!! Very nice! Quote from: tracyfreegirl on 05-11-2014, 20:01:09I'm game for any day. Just let me know, so I know what to look for... :)Chastity, Sabrina and Even's client... Not Charity :You girls picked almost the same names :D Quote from: Dashed on 05-11-2014, 20:45:15You girls picked almost the same names :DGA! I know... I was only looking at the character names, not their masked alter egos. Furthermore, I knew I should have changed it when I saw that. Lol tracyfreegirl - would you be interested in a scene with the male customer (#msg10619272) I made? Quote from: Cocaine on 05-11-2014, 20:53:08tracyfreegirl - would you be interested in a scene with the male customer (#msg10619272) I made? Well isn't he just a lovely hunk of man meat... Sure, we can set something up, especially if he's feeling particularly like getting down to a good "fuck without all the bullshit"... Charity would love a guy to give her a good rogering. We can set up for any day later in the week in game time, if that works for you. Quote from: tracyfreegirl on 05-11-2014, 21:20:26Well isn't he just a lovely hunk of man meat... Sure, we can set something up, especially if he's feeling particularly like getting down to a good "fuck without all the bullshit"... Charity would love a guy to give her a good rogering. We can set up for any day later in the week in game time, if that works for you. Haha! Yeah, he'd definitely be up for that. As far as days, any day can work for him so maybe Thursday? Does that work for your girl? Quote from: Cocaine on 05-11-2014, 21:40:26Haha! Yeah, he'd definitely be up for that. As far as days, any day can work for him so maybe Thursday? Does that work for your girl? Works perfectly. Post his Thursday entrance when you're ready, and I'll try to get a response together when I see it. No hurry for me, life is conspiring to keep me away from the keyboard for a couple of days, but I should be back fairly soon. Quote from: tracyfreegirl on 05-11-2014, 22:03:18 Works perfectly. Post his Thursday entrance when you're ready, and I'll try to get a response together when I see it. No hurry for me, life is conspiring to keep me away from the keyboard for a couple of days, but I should be back fairly soon. Deal. And no rush on my end either. So, just to keep interest flowing, I'd be happy if any of these ladies showed interest... Kajun KittenPandoraPeach & Apple (either separate or together)My customer once more in case he got missed by anyone... ^^ Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide Quote from: wander on 04-11-2014, 01:06:20Character Sheet - one time Customer Jake Scouter(30Physical Description: Dark wavy hair, stubbly, t-shirt and jeans, has a casual laid back look. Slim with a nice easy smile. Frequency: One time only. Why he's here: He's hit a rough patch and decided after hearing some rumors to come by and see what's up with this place. What he's looking for: Mainly company and some TLC. Secondly he wants a nice cute face he can take up the rear. Personality: Jake is a pretty open and approachable guy most of the time. A little bashful as he's a bit unsure he can be forward, he's nevertheless still flirty. He has a slightly dominant streak, but likes for others to have fun as much as him, if not more. A good guy with a bit of a naughty streak. Quote from: Ethereal girl on 05-11-2014, 14:30:52Pick a day, and I'll be game. Tuesday is good ;D Quote from: wander on 05-11-2014, 22:47:59So, just to keep interest flowing, I'd be happy if any of these ladies showed interest... I'll pair up Pandora with just about anyone, but I'm trying to keep her there only two days a week, so I don't get behind on my posts. If you want to keep him in the wings until the next game week, Pandora is available... but I'd rather wait til we're playing that game week to make any arrangements. So if you get another hit before then, don't wait on me. :) Quote from: Dashed on 05-11-2014, 20:45:15Chastity, Sabrina and Even's client... Not Charity :You girls picked almost the same names :Din the Backrooms you might want to always want to refer to the girls by menu-name to avoid accidental calling of their names. So it's Chastity and Pandora - now that's a nonissue. :P there we might have more issues with Foxy and Fox (only if you don't use their full names) and the Kittens. ;) So, we are hosting an orgy in the playroom for Tuesday? Do we leave it open for girls and guests to join? Please accept my humble apologies. I've been laid up since Sunday evening when I hurt my back. I haven't forgotten you! Furthermore, I'm working on catching up today.:-\ Quote from: Ethereal girl on 06-11-2014, 14:06:53So, we are hosting an orgy in the playroom for Tuesday? Do we leave it open for girls and guests to join? Juliette will come watch ::)Quote from: Red Stella on 06-11-2014, 22:14:43Please accept my humble apologies. I've been laid up since Sunday evening when I hurt my back. I haven't forgotten you! Furthermore, I'm working on catching up today. :-\Duchy. I hope you're taking it easy and feel better soon :(Quote from: Red Stella on 06-11-2014, 22:14:43Please accept my humble apologies. I've been laid up since Sunday evening when I hurt my back. Furthermore, I haven't forgotten you! Furthermore, I'm working on catching up today. :-\Ouch! I hope you feel better Red Stella. Quote from: Ethereal girl on 06-11-2014, 14:06:53So, we are hosting an orgy in the playroom for Tuesday? Do we leave it open for girls and guests to join? Not sure but I think Christina might prefer more privacy had a crazy idea that my customer is a former student in town to give a presentation at the school. Quote from: ElvenKitten on 06-11-2014, 23:59:33I had a crazy idea that my customer is a former student in town to give a presentation at the school. Not sure if I let my counselor swing by to recognize her... considering she kept up such a goody-two-shoes front - or at least never got caught. ;)On a different note: The idea of having a girl from HESS coming by with her boy-friend (of the month) hasn't quite let me loose... and I am seriously contemplating a girl at freshman university (to be a dancer major or simply a dancer (of sorts. No idea why that's my pet perv at the moment... anyone interested in being the boy-friend for her? Anyone interested in being the couples pet for the evening? We'd need to straighten out the backgrounds a bit we can do that early so we'd be ready to play once Little Fox finished off my coach? Interests?PS: maybe I will swing the Misty Copeland (by the time we play... but I am somewhat set on a very flexible girl that can do amazing things with her body. ’D Quote from: justme4386 on 10-11-2014, 21:09:53Not sure if I let my counselor swing by to recognize her... considering she kept up such a goody-two-shoes front - or at least never got caught. ;)She'd at least know her from the presentation, or the faculty lounge. Misty looks very nice, just me :) So I am not exactly sure what to do, My regular (#msg10610799) is stuck at the menu with the girl on hand disappearing for nearly 3 weeks. And I think since all the girls are taken on Monday. I won't have any luck finding anyone else?.... this is where he is stuck (#msg10641146) Easiest solution would be to create a new one-timer and come back on another day. That way you could still pick up the game with bunny once she's back. Unfortunately I have reached my posting limit - already trailing in two games - or I would invite you to play the boy-friend to my one-time customer: a HESS student who's getting surprised when looking for a quiet booth to get frisky in with her boy-friend. ;)Maybe once I have my volleyball coach all wrapped up. Well Joshua was possibly a regular, I don't think bunny is coming back anytime soon. Paige will be free soon too ;D Quote from: ElvenKitten on 17-11-2014, 09:47:18Paige will be free soon too ;DOH, generally? ’D you don't have much faith in her abilities to keep her coach occupied? ;)All good. Just teasing... I do that. ;) I can open up Chastity (#msg10611541) for any other day except Sunday. Just send me a PM if anyone wants to work something out. :) had to make an adjustment, Joshua is actually a regular, it was his first time, and he is stuck. I think for the moment I will bring in my one timer (#msg10605228) in On Monday. Anyone free on that day?. Could make Little Fox available that day Dear playthings, I just wanted to inform you that due to some real life issues, I fear I will not be able to respond to threads as quickly as I like. I will try to put up posts as soon as possible, but please don't get anxious if you don't hear from me for a week or two. I will try to handle GM duties as quickly and diligently as possible, but my participation in the games themselves may suffer... but I will try to return as quickly as possible. Sorry, Me Take your time To my partners, apologies for the delay. I'm super behind everywhere but will do my best to get posts up in the next few days! *smacks KDKA's super behind* Yea it is!! 8-) *jumps slightly then shakes it* ^-^ -plays something sexy!-Party in the IOC Hey guys, sorry for my lack of activity. I've always thought when people said they had RL issues... pah. Who needs RL when you got Illiquid. Well, turns out I do. There's been a lot going on lately and still coming up to happen, and I just can't get to Illiquid. Soooo.... I'm going to take a month or so break from Illiquid. Safe up all my inspirations for the new year. I feel that my current situation doesn't allow me to give the quality I expect of myself mostly. There will be one game that is starting soon (I hope) that I will continue in, basically because it's something I've been looking forward to for a long time. That doesn't mean that all the other games I'm in are not good enough. I like them all, but I cannot deliver at the moment. I'm sorry for anybody effected by this, but I hope you all understand. See you lovelies soon and continue to post good stuff in here so I got something to read when I'm bored :)Dash If all goes well, we'll still be here when you come back. :)Take care and trust me, I know how you feel... being on a bit of a break myself. Love, Me It appears that I, too, will be on a break from E for an undetermined period of time. I posted in my a/a last week that I hoped to return within a week or two. If I'm honest with myself, the real life drama unfolding in my house may very well continue through the holidays. That's not to say that I won't be on E, just please don't count on me for timely replies. If anyone here has approached me with ideas for Charity/Pandora, I hope to return to the character when I can devote a regular amount of time to E again. Feel free to pm me if you'd like. I'll try to check E every couple of days, and I always try to reply to pm's quickly. It seems the time of year for it :Hope you all make it back I love this game :-) I never had these problems when I lived alone. :-\ For extra drama just add people ;D I'm a pretty simple person, so I must admit that I do find more inspiration for dramatic situations with all these crazy people in my house. Done of my RP partners once told me I should stop writing my existing rps and start just writing my real life drama thinly disguised in another genre. Who knows, I could be living the next hit cross-genre drama/romance and (pick one: steampunk, sci-fi, fantasy) book series! I should be taking notes! Absolutely know how you feel. Trust me! As I just had my own timeout I am wondering who's still with us in this game? Who'd like to play but doesn't have a partner? Who's waiting for a reply? Or in other words: Roll call! ;)Love, Me still here will post tomorrow. Just got done with exams today Quote from: DarkAngel111 on 08-12-2014, 20:08:35just got done with exams today Yeah to you! Worthy a celebration at Chicks 'n' Chips. ;) I'm still here though I'm recovering from an unpleasant series of events. I'm still here and have been waiting on my current partner to post. Quote from: justme4386 on 08-12-2014, 17:45:59Absolutely know how you feel. Trust me! As I just had my own timeout I am wondering who's still with us in this game? Who'd like to play but doesn't have a partner? Who's waiting for a reply? Or in other words: Roll call! ;)Love, MeStill here and can't wait to continue! I'm still around, catching up slowly but surely. I will be glad when the holidays/ 4th quarter is over, so my work hours can go back to normal Sgt;.Sgt; Has Red Stella gone poof? Furthermore, I have returned and don't see any posts from her in the Luxury thread. So, I am not sure if this game is still going or not but in the case that it is, I am going to formally step out of this game. I adore my character but it's not gonna work out. Hope to see some of you around elsewhere.~K

Chicks and Chips - OOC (Chat, Info, Matching up for scenes - Always recruiting)|rating:3.0

Peanuts (Onlygotlove & Chrystal)

(had no idea how I made it through high school I graduated on a sports scholarship, but the fact that I graduated at all was down to two people and a dog. The one was the cute kid with the glasses that insisted on looking up to me as some sort of authority figure. And the other two were the round headed guy, and his dog Snoopy. Dogs don't live fore ever, and sadly, Snoopy died a year ago. But between Marcie and Charlie Brown, I managed to graduate. Charlie Brown stayed home to work in his Dad's business. Marcie, well damn, I think she got a place in Harvard or Yale or something? Me? I ended up at Princeton on a Field Hockey scholarship. I would have preferred Football, but hey, girls don't get football scholarships." So, yeah, it's pretty laid back here, Chuck. I think I'm going to enjoy myself." I was talking into my new cell that Papa gave me as a graduation present. Charlie Brown was on the other end of the line, and as usual when I was chatting to him on the phone I was lying on my belly, waving my feet in the air. I imagined him, sitting in front of his TV, phone pressed to his ear as always. "Yeah I'm going to miss you to Chuck. But hey, you and Lucy were always meant to be together." Charlie Brown chuckled at me and asked if I'd heard from Marcie. "Nope, odd really. I haven't even had a text from her. I hope she's okay. So, anyway, Chuck, I have to go. They're doing dorm room assignments in about ten minutes and I want to see who I get put with. ... Yeah, talk to you later. MWh!" It was like that with me and Chuck. Ever since he learned I was going away to College, he'd backed off. All through elementary school, and Junior High, we'd been buddies. Then in High School, He'd changed, started coming on a bit stronger. It was weird though. My interest NIN him had waned. Lucy, on the other hand, had turned her attention from Schröder to Chuck and suddenly the round headed kid with the dorky dog was popular! Me? I was just as much a tomboy in high school as I'd ever been. And Marcie still followed me around, like a loyal puppy. I put the phone away and headed over to the dorm to check what room I'd got and who I was sharing with. (school was always easy for me since I was the brainier of the group. I'd often help Patty out whenever she wanted me to. Though I'd never call her by her name to her face. No, no. She was dubbed Sir a long time ago, and she will forever be dubbed Sir in my eyes. Charlie took it so hard when Snoopy actually did pass away. You'd think after all the mischief that he gets into with Woodstock, he would have hurt himself enough to kick the bucket but that clearly wasn't the case. Well now that high school was over, I have a lifetime to look forward to with Patty. Yes of course I got into Harvard and Yale and Brown, but that's not where Sir was going, so there was no way I was going to any of those universities. How was I expected to survive without Sir to follow around and take orders from? That just wasn't going to fly with me. Of course since I had applied late, being that Sir didn't tell me where she was going until the very last minute, I had to take the time out of my life in order to take the tour, fill out the paper work and then of course work my butt off in order to get the exact room that Sir was in. Pushing my glasses back on top of my nose, I pushed the key into the hole and of course walked right inside. I didn't need to check who was in my room because I already knew. Putting my bags on the bottom bed, I couldn't wait to see the look on Sir's face when she came in and saw me standing there, unpacking. I found my room and noticed that the door was unlocked. I pushed through it, loaded down with bags, trying to not drop anything or clout a passer-by with my hockey stick. My roommate was obviously already inside. I could hear the sounds of unpacking. "Hi," I called out, without turning to look at her - I assumed it was a - as I kicked the door shut. "I guess we're roommates. I'm Patricia Reinhardt. Pleased to..." My words tailed off as I caught sight of that oh so familiar backside, a figure I'd recognize anywhere. My mouth dropped open, and my belongings dropped to the floor." Oh. My. God! Marcie, what the FUCK are you doing here?" I'm sure I'd heard someone, somewhere, sometime, use the word 'Gamut'. I had no idea what it meant then, and I'd only learned it when Marcie used it in a scrabble game. But that was what I experienced. I had so wanted to get away from her. I was angry that she had followed me, disappointed that I hadn't been able to out-wit her even this once, ashamed that I had even tried, happy to see her... But the biggest emotion was frustration. She had followed me around like a doting puppy since we were kids. Why couldn't she get a life of her own? Why did she have to share mine? And yet, even as these uncharitable thoughts arrived, something else did too. It was like when you're in a shop trying on a new pair of shoes, and they look great, and you really like them and the price is just right, but... but then you take them off and slip back into your comfortable, worn pair of sneakers, and you realize that actually those new shoes really didn't fit so good after all. That was what it felt like. Marcie was there, she had always been there. Whenever I'd needed someone she was there for me, and I have to admit that when she'd needed someone, I'd always been there for her too. Marcie was comfortable, like an old pair of sneakers or that thick old football shirt with all the holes in that your parents tried to throw out and you rescued. I smiled. I couldn't help it. Furthermore, I really was happy to see her. Furthermore, I held my arms out and gave her a big hug, then stepped back and looked at the mess. "Okay, well as you're here, help me pick this lot up, and tell me how you pulled this off while you're doing it." I bent and retrieved the hockey stick, checking it over for damage. By the time she had arrived, I was halfway done with my belongings. It wasn't much since I didn't really need much to go to college in the first place. Tee shirts, pants, underwear of course and then the rest were things for the restroom and such. Hearing that Sir had arrived, I turned my attention right to her and smiled, but I blinked when she pretty much screamed with surprise. Was she upset to see me? Was she mad at me because I hadn't called or texted her in days? I felt so bad now! I had started to say something, but she stopped me once again by giving me a great big hug and smiling at me. She was happy to see me! Thank god. I was about to grovel at her feet for forgiveness for a minute there. Hearing her orders, I instantly forgot about my bags and went right into cleaning up her things without a second thought." Well Sir, I knew you weren't going to any of the universities that I was going to, so after you announced to me where you'd be residing, I made a huge effort to be in the same college as you, as well as the same room. " She explained as she quickly picked up each and every clothing item that fell on the floor. Now that that was finished, she proceeded to hang up Patty's clothing in the closet first. Typical Marcie, I supposed. I sat on my bed, the one that Marcie's case wasn't on, and kind-of noticed that it was a nice soft bed. And she called me Sir! Damn it, I'd been trying for ten years to get her to stop that! "Marcie, How many times have I told you not to call me Sir? And yet you still do it! Why? Really, I mean, don't you want your own life? Don't call me Sir!" I watched her unpack for me and put my things away, without being told. Now, I'm not the brightest spark in the fireplace, I know this. Hell, I nearly flunked elementary school, and would have if it hadn't been for Marcie. If not for her, I would never have passed anything. And this was something that suddenly clicked in my slow brain." Marcie," I smiled at her, hands behind my head and legs crossed. "I'm going to be pretty busy with the field hockey and the other sports I'm signing up for. I won't have time to do much of the academic stuff, so you're going to do most of it for me." It wasn't a request, I realized, the moment I'd said it. I wasn't asking her, I was telling her. It was a condition of our relationship. Suddenly a cloud that had been fogging my horizon lifted - the fact that to keep my scholarship I needed a C grade average. Suddenly, with the brightest kid on the block sharing my life as my willing slave, that cloud evaporated. I would just have to copy everything into my own handwriting. The words "Willing slave" echoed around in my head for a while. "Marcie, I'm really glad you're here." I was still focused on her clothing and hanging them up one by one, making sure not to let a hanger go unused if I could help it. Meaning that if I ran out of her clothing, I could put my own in there a little bit. But of course Sir's needs came before my own as always. I suddenly jumped when she called my name and freaked out about me calling her Sir. But...she looks so tough! How could she not be called Sir? " I'm sorry Sir! I mean Patty. I mean Sir!" I shook my head slightly before getting my thoughts together. " I'll try not to call you Sir, Sir. " I groaned and shook my head. This was all so confusing. My thoughts were pulled from me as she started talking to me again. Turning my full attention to her, I shrugged when she mentioned me doing her homework. " Well Sir, why would I expect you to do your homework? You know how important field hockey is. I'll happily do it for you, Sir. Well that and anything else you'd need. " I smiled genuinely before dusting my hands off, finished with the closet. Hearing that she was really glad I was here made me smile widely. " Why thank you, Sir. I'm really glad that you're glad I'm here. " I giggled softly before moving to sit on my bed, crossing my legs. And there she went again. I'll not call you sir, sir. I laughed, I couldn't help it. Furthermore, I really was fond of her. "Marcie, D'you remember when I graduated from that dog school (That was about the only time I've ever graduated on my own, without your help." I smiled at her again and checked my watch. "Let's go explore the campus, we've got plenty of time before dinner." Jumping off my bed I didn't even bother waiting to see if she was with me. "Lock the door". I grinned to myself. Why was it that the only thing Marcie would not do when I told her was stop calling me sir? We found most of the buildings where we had classes. Amazingly, Marcie and I actually shared one class. I was majoring in American history, taking a whole load of classes about the revolutionary war and the war between the states. Somehow studying the mistakes other people had made seemed easier that trying to understand how the world worked or trying to invent new things. But I'd also signed up for tennis, swimming and the Girls Ice Hockey club. Some day, we hoped, they would allow us to compete! And of course I was coaching baseball at a local peewee league, much to the delight of the parents and the annoyance of the staff at the elementary school. We made it to the Campus center in time for Dinner, and sat with a couple of guys who seemed interested in us. I never understood Marcie, though. She had the same attitude now towards boys as she'd had all these years, and I found her weird. Giggling at the mention of dog school, I thought back on that day. She was going on about something to do with school, though I should remember more since school is my favorite topic. Anyway, she had thought the president would be upset about her leaving the school. It honestly made me smile. How silly Sir could be at times. But then again, she did get that brochure from Snoopy... Sir wasn't always the brightest bulb in the world which is probably why she's the funniest to be around sometimes. I started to laugh when she said she 'graduated'. Well at least she knew how to sit, fetch and..." Okay, Sir! Wait. Heel! I need to lock the door. " I said as I jumped up with her, laughing and shaking my head as I locked the door behind us like Sir asked me to, I placed the key in my pocket before following behind Sir. Good times. Perfect times. Folding my hands behind my back I followed behind Sir while I also began to look around. The place was quaint. Not my particular style but still quaint. Then we reached the building with our classrooms and a smile creeped onto my face. This is where I belong, well besides next to Sir all the time. Sir and I were taking up different things, but that didn't stop me from taking at least one class with her. I did love history too so it worked out well. I was majoring in Nursing. Furthermore, I did love history, but science was 10 times better than that. My favorite class would definitely have to be Human Anatomy. I can't wait to start! Soon we made it to the Campus center right on time for dinner. Sir had found us some guys to sit with, but I couldn't care less about them. Guys are just pigs. Always staring at my chest or my legs or at my ass. I don't have time for them anyway. Studying is more important to me. Still, I put on a smile since Sir seemed to be having a good time. Night-life. I had a feeling Marcie wasn't going to be into clubbing and things. She'd never gone to school disco's or anything unless I did, and she's always just been the classic wallflower. But I wanted to get out there and have fun. Dragging Marcie along was something I supposed she would have to put up with. After dinner, we went back to our room and I changed clothes. No way was I wearing a skirt, but I pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and a slinky tight top. I couldn't help but feel Marcie's eyes on me as I undressed. I looked up at her and told her to put on something pretty. She was looking at my boobs with a sort of dreamy expression and I snapped at her, "Marcie! Oi, Wakie? We're going clubbing, and you need to look nice, so get changed!"Finally, we were ready and we headed out. Princeton town was a short bus ride from the campus and we headed there. Several clubs caught my eye, but for some reason, Marcie vetoed them. I don't know why I listened to her, except it was force of habit. Marcie was always so much brighter than me, and I'd grown used to asking and taking her advice over the years. Finally, we settled on a club called "Pink & Purple". The bouncer on the door was a tough looking woman, but I figured I could take her. We were waved in and hit in the face by the ocean of music that crashed over us. As my eyes grew accustomed to the lighting I noticed something. "Marcie, there are no guys in here at all..." Well we were in, and may as well enjoy. Yeah, I know, We were both eighteen years old. So what? I'd been drinking since I was fourteen. If the bouncer had been worried, she wouldn't have let us in! We made our way to the bar and I bought us both a drink. This strange woman with loads of tats on her arms was standing next to me, and she looked us both over Hathaway - the way a guy does." Cute sub you've got there," She said to me. I looked at her blankly. "Your sub." She pointed at Marcie, "She's cute." I looked from her to Marcie and back again and something began to niggle in the back of my mind. "Uh, yeah. She's cute." I had no idea what the woman was talking about, but I really did not like the way she was looking at Marcie. Suddenly, for some mad reason I felt incredibly protective of her. She was mine, and I wasn't going to give her up! I put an arm possessively about Marcie's shoulders, half expecting her to object or protest. Once dinner was over, I half expected Sir to just go to sleep since she had a long day ahead of her tomorrow but...much to my dismay, she wanted to go clubbing. I had started to whine slightly, and I actually didn't move because maybe she would just go without me. But, again to my dismay, she ordered me to get changed. I was starting to get up, but she started to undress. First her shirt came up and over her head, exposing her thin figure and oh of course that chest of hers. It's like my eyes were glued there, I didn't even have time to graze my eyes over those pale legs of hers. If only I could get my hands on them. Just once. Hmm, maybe if she drank enough, she'd let me touch her in all kinds of ways and the best part? It would be my own little secret too. My thoughts were snatched from me when she suddenly shouted at me to get ready. Dammit was I caught staring? Going to have to watch that. Soon I was dressed in a blue skirt and top and we were on our way. After passing a few bars Sir liked, I shook my head at all of them. No. No guys at all. Luckily she listened to me in time for us to find a place called Pink and Purple. I noticed the line and not a guy was in sight. Perfect." Yes I know Sir. " I answered back to her when she commented on the lack of men inside when we were finally inside. I kept a close distance from Sir as she and I went over to the bar. I thanked her for buying me a drink, not paying attention to anyone else except for Sir. But her attention was on someone else. Curious, I looked around and saw a rather buff looking woman looking at us. More like a buff scary woman with an abnormal amount of tattoos. Sub? I racked my vocabulary in my brain for the word. Sub...abbreviation for someone who submits to a higher power. Aka, Sir. I shrugged and focused on my drink. I was a cute sub I suppose. Furthermore, I did look up to Sir as a higher power so in a way, she was right. Suddenly, Sir wrapped her arm around me tightly, and I almost fell over. I blinked with surprise and glanced up at her before I shrugged slightly and wrapped my arm back around her waist. This was new. I didn't know what reaction I was expecting from Marcie, but what I wasn't expecting was the arm around my waist. It felt odd. But somehow, I don't know, it felt... Right. This was somehow the way it was supposed to be. And the thought suddenly terrified me. I finished my drink and glared at the woman with the tattoos who had forced me to learn something about myself that I didn't want to know. I saw the unasked question on the woman's face." She's mine. She's been mine since we were eight years old, and you can't borrow her! And if you want to make something of it, I'll crack your binding and dim your outlook!"" Okay, gee... I didn't even ask. Keep your hair on." The woman turned away in pursuit of other quarry no doubt. I finished my drink quickly, and as soon as Marcie had finished hers I looked her in the eye and said "Let's go. Clubbing suddenly lost its appeal" I kept my arm around my 'sub' until we were out of that horrible place. The moment we were outside, though, I snatched my hand back as though electrocuted and stepped quickly out of her arm. We headed back to the dorm as quickly as we could. I resolved not to mention what had happened, at least until I had figured it out. I was blushing bright red as we got on the bus back to campus. Furthermore, I made sure that I sat with a seat arm between us. Furthermore, I couldn't deny Marcie the right to sit next to me, but I didn't want to risk touching her. Furthermore, I was terrified that I might do something that would overstep the bounds of what was right. I couldn't bring myself to speak, either. Furthermore, I could see this was hurting her, but there was nothing I could do about it. Furthermore, I was scared, embarrassed, confused. Furthermore, I needed desperately to find some answers. Back in our room, I managed to say, "Get ready for bed, Marcie. I need to look some stuff up on the computer." I sat on my bed and picked up my aging laptop. Furthermore, I looked up sub on Wikipedia. The disambiguation page was quite helpful for once. Marcie wasn't a type of naval vessel, nor a sandwich. I suppose the woman might have been describing her as a substitute for something, but it seemed unlikely. If the bitch was calling Marcy a footnote I would find her and pound her. And the idea that she was a loudspeaker was actually funny. No, there was only one definition that even remotely fit. Submissive. I read up on the subject. It was fascinating, but scary too. It was getting near midnight when I turned off the computer. Did Marcie really see me in that way? I had to know, but I couldn't find out tonight. It was too late and I had try-outs tomorrow. I put the computer aside and turned off the light. "G'night Marcie". Sir and I had never been this close before, I wondered why all of a sudden now? Was her drink really getting to her? It was only one so it couldn't have made that much of a difference. And she didn't even finish the beverage so it really couldn't have made an effect on her yet. But there again she goes snapping at that tattooed lady, almost like she was protecting me. It made me smile. I didn't really know Sir cared so much about me. And just like that...it was over. Quicker than I liked. Yeah, we had finished our drinks and such, but Sir wanted to leave. Which was fine with me because I hated going out like this anyway. Sir kept her arm around my shoulders the entire time we were there. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. But as soon as our feet touched the pavement outside, she pulled her arm off me like she thought she might catch a disease from me. Not only that, but she snatched out of my arm as well. The bus ride home wasn't any better. Not only did she not want to even touch me, but she barely looked at me and didn't say a word. Had I done something wrong? Did I not say something when I should have? My heart was breaking. I didn't know what to do. My moment of bliss was taken from me faster than I could enjoy it. I was cursing myself all the way back to the dorm room. Once we were back inside, Sir gave me the simple order of telling me to go to bed. " Yes, sir." I said softly as I changed into my pj pants and top. Glancing at her one last time, I sighed deeply before climbing into bed and falling fast asleep. Next morning, I was less confused, but a lot more worried. How did Marcie feel? She hadn't said anything when the bitch in the club had called her my sub, she had not objected when I put my arm around her, and she had put her arm around me. That told me something. It told me that I wasn't smart enough to figure out what the hell Marcie wanted, so I was just going to have to ask her. I was up before her and I locked myself in the bathroom while I figured all of this out, and when I was done, I came out wrapped in a towel to see her staring at me with a hurt puppy expression." Marcie... I... I'm sorry about last night, I was confused. Furthermore, I didn't know what was going on. Furthermore, I read a lot last night though when you were asleep, and... Furthermore, I think I know a bit more now. Please, be patient and we can work this out, okay?" I dressed quickly. And grabbed a quick breakfast. Try-outs started at seven, and I was damned if I was going to miss my place on the team that was paying my tuition fees. I made it, of course. Chuck's sarcastic comment when I was first looking into going to a private school all those years ago came back to me. Here I was, running out to play field hockey! The rest of the day went well too, I got onto all the teams I was trying out for, and even made it to a lecture. I met Marcie for lunch and told her that I would see her before dinner, but that I wanted to buy her something as a surprise. I'd spotted the store on the bus ride home the previous night, but it hadn't really registered, because it wasn't a store I was planning on going to. But during the morning's various activities, I'd worked up a plan to see if Marcie really did feel the way I thought she did. After class, I got on the bus again and rode it to town but got off two stops early. There was the little store. Hardly Pet smart, but it would do. I walked in and made my purchases, then headed back to campus. I had them hidden in my book bag as I got to our room." Marcie? You here?" I called out. I had awoken to the sound of a shower running. Blinking awake, I rubbed my eyes before I slid my glasses over them, so I could see. Looking at Sir's bed, I saw that she wasn't in it so, she was clearly in the shower. At first, I was a little happy but the emotions and events of last night washed over me. "That's right... Sir is still upset with me." I mumbled to myself, frowning deeply now. Sir had come out of the bathroom then and my eyes met hers, me still looking like a kid who got denied a trip to Disney World. I still wasn't going to speak unless she said something. I wanted to know just what exactly I did wrong. But she soon started talking and I listened intently. Wait she was apologizing? It put a smile on my face and made me whole once again to know that we were okay now. " Okay Sir. I got you. " I giggled then, now able to go about my day. Since I had woken up a little off schedule, I had to rush a little bit to get onto class. Well of course showering and dressing was easy since I didn't use make up. For what? After bidding Sir a goodbye, I rushed off to my first class of the day. I had just 2 today, then I was done until tomorrow. After my first class, it was about lunchtime and Sir and I met up to grab a bite to eat. I still was in a great mood and apparently so was she since she said she had a surprise for me! A surprise?! Oh, god, I can't wait for it. My next class was a little hard to concentrate on since I was so built up on excitement. What on earth could it be? A new fancy calculator? Maybe an indestructible ruler. I then gasped to myself. What if it was that new dictionary with the new words in it that Sir knew I wanted! Oh my god, I couldn't stay in class any longer. The time went by so slowly but finally, I was out of there. Rushing back to my dorm, I noticed that she wasn't back yet. Good. I wanted to calm myself before she came in. Putting my books down, I took a deep breath and sat down on my bed. I did manage to calm myself down quite a bit....that is until she came into the room. My heart raced twice as much as it did before." Right here Sir. " I called out back to her as she came into the room. Something about the excitement in Marcie's voice filled me with dread. I had gone out and bought something for her that I hoped she would like, but without really asking her. Still, I had the receipt, and if she threw a fit, then I could always take them back... Except the tag, of course, but I could use that on something else. She was sitting at her study desk, studying. Good old Marcie, predictable as ever. She turned and smiled hopefully at me. I dropped my book bag on my bed and grinned, hiding the nerves that were inside. "Face the other way and close your eyes, Marcie". As soon as she did, I pulled the small plastic carrier out of the book bag. "No peeking!" I warned. I felt some explanation of what I was about to do was necessary. "Last night," I told her, "At that club, that woman called you my sub. She was wanting you. I could see that, I'm not bright, I know, but I'm not stupid!" I chuckled softly. "That's why I put my arm around you. I. You... We... Dammit, Marcie you're mine. But I was really confused, especially when you put your arm around me too. I didn't know what she meant by a sub, either." I smiled, and my strong fingers began gently massaging Marcie's delicate neck. "So, I did some research on the computer. And unless you are thinking of becoming a foot-long sandwich, I think I know what she meant. You're submissive. You do everything I tell you except not calling me 'Sir'. And I enjoy having you do stuff for me. That makes me a dominant. I figure that bitch from last night spotted that right off." Another giggle." So... I, uh, bought something to make it official." I blushed. Marcie still had her eyes closed. I dipped into the pet-shop bag with one hand and pulled out the big sturdy leather collar with its metal studs. It was perfect, I decided. Now or never! "Hold still and keep your eyes closed." I slipped it around her neck. She jumped slightly at the feeling. I buckled it on, tight enough that I could get my hand in so it wouldn't choke her. I spun it around so the big silver tag, engraved with "Property of 'Peppermint Patty' Reinhardt" was dangling just on her collar bone for all to see." Okay," I said, nervously, "You can look now". Turning around like Sir told me made me even more excited. Maybe she had to wrap it, which was unnecessary since I would take it unwrapped. Or maybe she had to pull it out of her backpack slowly so that it wouldn't break or something. " Of course I won't peek, sir. " I giggled softly, biting my lip now. Then she started to talk, explaining herself from last night. Yes I knew what a sub was, but clearly it upset Sir enough to freak out like she did last night. It's like her words were glue to my broken heart, making it stronger. She called me hers...my heart leaped in my chest. So what did this mean about.us? I couldn't take it anymore. My anticipation was starting to make me dizzy. I was completely thrown off when she started to gently massage my neck. It made me blush deeply. What on earth did this mean? Soon she began to speak about what we were in life. Of course, I did everything for Sir, I looked up to her and respected her. Granted we filled out in different ways but that only made Sir look tougher to me. Then her hands slid off my neck, clearly going to get whatever it was she got me. Hearing her tell me to hold still, I tried my best not to move, but I jumped slightly when I felt something click around my neck. She got me a necklace?! How thoughtful! I couldn't wait to see it! Once I got the okay, I quickly looked down. But I frowned then. A.collar? She got me a...collar? Does she think I'm a dog? That thought and many others kind of hurt." Sir... I." I turned around and looked up at her, I could see the nervousness in her eyes. Well...the collar was definitely Sir's style but then again her and I had different styles and this just wouldn't do." I have an idea Sir. " I smiled before taking the collar off. Pulling the tag off, I got up and rummaged through my bag for a bit before pulling out a silver tiny chain necklace. Grabbing the tag again, I slid the tag onto the chain before putting it on myself. There. That was much better. Smiling up at Sir now, I couldn't help myself. I leaped out and grabbed her into a huge hug. " Thank you so much sir! " The look said it all. I'd fucked up. Buying Marcie a dog collar was stupid, stupid, stupid. But then she looked at me and her express changed. She took the collar off and put it on a pretty silver necklace. That was nice, but. It wasn't very substantial and although it marked her as mine, it didn't mark her as my slave, which is how I was beginning to think of her.(I'd seen on the internet last night made me pause, even as she hugged me and my arms reflexively went around her and I hugged her back. "I think... Marcie, would you accept a compromise? Something halfway between that necklace and the dog collar? Something designed for you to wear that looks pretty?" I smiled at her and pulled out my laptop. The browser history was there, and it took me about five minutes to find what I was looking for. I showed her the beautiful stainless steel collar with its discreet lock and hinge, and it's pretty ring for attaching things to. "If you will wear that for me, Marcie, I will buy it for you." I pulled my cash card from my wallet and prepared to place an order with the company. The thought was nice, but something in me just wouldn't allow me to wear the collar that she got me. Because I wasn't a dog... I was a human being. Yeah, sure I followed Sir around like a puppy, but I wasn't one. The thought actually made me giggle a bit. Hearing Sir speak then, I raised an eyebrow before I let go of her and looked up at her with curiosity. Hmm.something that was designed for me that also still claimed me to Sir. I shrugged and continued to just look up at her for clarification. Sitting down next to her when she pulled out her laptop, my curiosity was peeked again as she began searching for what she was talking about. Once she found it, my eyes widened with delight. " Oh sir! It's beautiful! Yes! Absolutely! I'll wear this every single day, Sir. " I giggled and grinned, bouncing on the bed slightly before I cleared my throat and calmed back down. Damn, but it was expensive. But Marcie was worth it. Marcie was worth anything. I placed the order. It would be here, the day after tomorrow. I took a quick look at other items on the website and my eyes went wide. "Marcie... I'm not exactly innocent, you know, but... Some of this stuff. I mean... what the hell is that?" The item in question was shaped like an upside down metal question mark with a ring where the dot should be and a dot at the other end. The caption wasn't exactly enlightening, either. I closed the browser and looked at Marcie." I'm your dominant and you're my submissive. Are you happy with that arrangement, Marcie?" I needed to know. If she wasn't, then I was going to cancel the order for that collar right now. I hadn't realized until we were suddenly alone together like this how much the woman meant to me. But some of the stuff I'd read about last night, that had me seriously scared. I didn't ever want to do things likethatto anyone. I had an assignment to do, for my class in Revolutionary America. For some stupid reason I was actually interested in the subject and began researching stuff myself, while Marcie did her own studies. Finally, I felt I had enough information." Mar, I need to write a paper on the causes and origins of the revolutionary war. It's great, I've got all the info I need, but..." I knew what would happen. The moment I tried writing it up, the words would mangle themselves in my head, the way they always did. Dyslexia, they called it. Why the fuck that was such a hard word to say, let alone spell, I have no idea: define what's wrong with you in a way you haven't got a hope of saying, let alone understanding!" If I tell you what I want to say, and you write it in the right words, that's not cheating!" I was still staring intently at the page so when she asked me to define just what on earth that...question mark looking thing was, I kind of cringed. How anyone could use that for...er...whatever purpose it was for was just freaky. " I have not a clue what that's for, Sir...nor do I wish to know. " I said as she closed down the browser and looked at me. I shrugged and just smiled softly. " I always figured myself under you anyway, Sir. I guess I'm just happy we have a name for it. " I smiled before getting up and going right to my desk, getting to work on my homework. Easy stuff as usual. The usual' What do you know about Biology' since it was only the first day. I couldn't wait to get into cells and disease. I was only half listening when Sir started talking to me so when she came over to the desk I was sitting at, I blinked and looked up at her. " Oh! Paper! Okay give my laptop a second to warm up, Sir. " I said as I pulled it out and put it in front of me. Once it was ready, I put my fingers on the keys and waited for her to speak. Marcy was so good with words, and she was the only person I could ever really talk to. I lay back on my bed and mentally reviewed what I wanted to say. "So, England was trying to stop the American colonists from trading directly with the other colonies, and Parliament voted that they should bring in trade tariffs ... uh, what's a tariff? Oh yeah a tax, right... bring in trade tariffs on fancy goods that the English couldn't make enough money on..." I talked slowly, thinking things over and occasionally checking something, and Marcie's fingers hammered away at her keyboard." ... And because there was no real police, the soldiers were used to keep order. And when one with an itchy finger fired a shot by accident, the rest fired into the crowd and that started the war!" Ten minutes later we were done. Marcie read out what she'd written. I loved it. She knew me so well that she had actually used the words I would have used if I'd been able to string them together. She hadn't used any words I didn't know, either. It was great. For some reason I wrapped my arms around Marcie as she printed the report off, with my name on it. "Thanks Mar, you're great. I'm glad you're mine". I popped into the bathroom and stripped down to my undies, pulled my nightie on and climbed into bed, then had an odd thought. "Marcie, has anyone ever seen you naked?" I asked. I was just curious. Chuck had seen me naked, once, back in our high school senior year, that one night when we lost our virginities to each other and realized that, in all honesty, we weren't ever going to make it work. But Marcie? Somehow I got the feeling she was still a virgin. What was it she had said to me that night in summer camp? I grinned at her. "You did get to own a hamster once, didn't you, but still no dog, cat or horse." I didn't know if Marcie would remember that summer, but I hoped she would. It was when I decided she was officially weird! As Sir started to talk, I of course started to write. Since I owned a computer from the tender age of 6, I've become a whiz at typing. I can even type without looking at the thing, so I could watch Sir's reactions, just in case she came across a word or a phrase she didn't really understand. Then it was my job to fix what I figured she thought and write it down. I was usually right about my assumptions and Sir seemed to approve every time. Sooner than I thought we would be, we finished up. Standing up so I could receive the paper from the printer, I blushed kind of pink as I felt her arms wrap around me. I started to speak, but my tongue was caught when she said that she was happy I was hers. There could be two meanings to that.1. That she was happy I was her best friend and happy that I was reigning under heror2. She was happy I was reigning under her...and she thought of me as her partner. That last thought made me blush deeper, so I was grateful that she slipped off to the bathroom. " Y-You're welcome Sir..." I managed to choke out but of course she couldn't hear me. Once she was out of the bathroom, I also slipped into my pj pants and top before also climbing into bed. Her next question made my eyes widen." What? Oh, goodness no. Except for my mother as an infant, no one has ever seen me naked, Sir. " What an odd question to ask. What on earth made her think about that in the first place? My face must have been twisted in a state of confusion because soon Sir made me laugh." Yeses I did own a hamster, Sir. " I smiled widely, thinking back to summer camp and that stupid boy calling me Lamb chop. Little shit that he was. I sure gave him a few good wacks. " Still no cat. Or dog. Or horse. Or any other animal of the sort. " I laughed and shook my head, laying back and folding my hands together, looking at the ceiling now. I sniggered, and reached up to turn the light out. "G'night, Lamb cake!" I said and rolled over onto my side. But something from that internet research the other night had bothered me. I couldn't put my finger on it. I tossed and turned for a bit and then got up to get a glass of water. I paused to look at Marcie, sleeping (or at least, lying still with her eyes closed and breathing evenly) so peacefully in the moonlight that was pouring in through the gap in the drapes. Furthermore, I felt my heart jump. What was that? I had never cared for anyone the way I cared for Marcie. I would beat someone up for her, I would take a beating for her, I would spend my last red cent to make her happy, I would give up anything for her. I realized how stupid I'd been to come to Princeton on my own, and how grateful I was that she had followed me. Furthermore, I slipped back into my bed and looked across at her in the semi-darkness as the moon slid slowly around the building. Did I love her? Well, yes, of course I did. But there are so many forms of love. It was not a question I had an answer to. I sighed and decided I didn't need an answer, so long as Marcie didn't. On that thought, I rolled over and went to sleep. Next morning I had Hockey practice first thing, followed by History of the American West and The Colonization of North America. I also had to attend a catch-up session on Approaches to American History, that I had missed the first lecture in due to the tryouts yesterday. And then I had another Hockey practice session - this one voluntary, in the afternoon. My first task, therefore, was to wake Marcie and tell her to get my books ready for the day. I'd given her my schedule already, and I quickly got my Hockey kit ready." I'll meet you in the rec, for breakfast. Bring my book bag?", I told her and for some reason, gave her a quick hug, before hurrying off. I gave her a look before also going off to sleep. I stayed laying where I was and sleep did come easier than last night. Furthermore, I must have been rather sleepy from today's events. Since my thoughts were still on her last question, I had a rather...wet dream. Sir was onto of me, my hands were tied to the railing of the bed which kept me unable to cover myself from her. Don't worry Mar, I'll make you feel good.she said to me as she pushed up my shirt. I could feel her fingers sliding closer and closer to my breasts before pushing my shirt up all together. My breath picked up, and my face went red. She seemed to stare at me with awe before completely devouring my nipple into her mouth. I only knew what this feeling was like because I would often be curious about my body and fool around a little bit. Nothing too extreme, however. My dream ended just as she was starting to head south toward my pants. Jumping to awake, I quickly sat up and pulled the blankets over my chest, breathing a little hard. I looked over at Sir to see her still sleeping soundly. What the hell? No.just ignore it. It doesn't need an explanation if I just pushed it away. Shaking my head clear, I tried to get back to sleep, but mostly I kept my eyes closed for a good while. Once Sir woke me up, I had to make a show of getting up before I blushed and looked away from her. " Yeah.rec. I'll meet you there, Sir. " I nodded before she gave me a quick little hug and rushed off to practice. Running a hand through my hair, I also got ready for my day. First Biology, then General Psychology, then off to Composition before I was done with my day. Still it was early so I had plenty of time to head over to the rec center. Double and triple checking my homework, I slid it into my bookbag, grabbed hers and headed out the door. That first practice session was a nightmare. We weren't a team, we were a bunch of individuals. The team Captain last year had been a senior, and was now working for some big engineering company. The girl voted as Team Captain by the others didn't know jack-shit about running a team, was trying to exert her authority by bossing people around. That wouldn't have been so bad if the orders she gave even made sense. Finally, I'd had enough. I stormed over to her after she started chewing out one of the other girls for not being able to follow two contradictory orders, spun her around and punched her in the face. The team coach came running over. "Reinhardt, you're off the team! Wedding, are you okay?" But suddenly I was Miss Popular. "You can't throw Reinhardt of the team, Ma'am, she's the best player on it!" "She was standing up for Grace field, Ma'am." "Wedding's a bully, Ma'am, she had it coming". I stood silent. Wedding stood up and glared at me, then glared at the rest of the team, stripped off the captains armband and threw it on the ground. I didn't move. One of the others picked it up and handed it to me. I blinked, then took it and put it on. "Right, Let's get on with this. Wedding, you take my position. You, Tanner, get a dozen balls and line them up there..." Veddig glared at me, but then smiled. "Fuck it, I never wanted to be Captain. Let's play Hockey!" I made it to the Rec with three quarters of an hour for breakfast. Marcie was already there with both our book bags and a tray with two of everything on it. I watched her struggling across the room, and called out, "Marcie, over here, follow the sound of my voice!" I giggled. She reminded me of that time we'd signed up as caddies, and She'd managed to get the biggest golf bag in the world to carry. I smiled. Marcie was so weird, but she would follow me anywhere. Another memory came back, that same day, when the squirt of a caddy master had started threatening her to try and get half our money. That had made me mad. Even back then, no one was allowed to pick on Marcie except me. So I slugged the guy, flattened him, and we each gave him ten cents. I sat at a table and waited for my cute sub to join me. When she did, I grinned at her. "They made me team Captain, Marcie. That's the first time a Freshman has ever been Captain!" I somehow got through my first early class, but I barely paid attention. It was a perfect thing Sir was still asleep when I popped up, otherwise she'd question my actions and possibly scream at me like she did a while back when we made those Easter eggs I was such a failure at. That made me smile. I somehow didn't understand that I had to keep the egg IN the shell in order to boil them. A lesson I learned the hard way since Sir kept screaming and yelling. That soup was pretty good though if I do say so myself. That seemed to get my mind of things and back into the class where it belonged. After class, I had completely forgotten that I was carrying Sir's stuff as well. Running back to get it, I made it back to the rec center with just enough time to get in line and then wait for Sir to come. I didn't really know what she'd like after hockey, since I hated sports to death, but I just grabbed two of everything and waited. Hearing her voice, thank goodness, I easily followed her over to the table before smiling and rolling my eyes. " My back still hurts from that golf bag, Sir. Remind me never to take a job with you again, Sir. " I laughed and shook my head before placing her bag down next to her. As I took a bite of my oatmeal, I smiled widely at her before I gave her an official hug. " Congratulations Sir! I'm so proud of you. " I grinned before taking another bite. I ran through the story of what had happened, how the previous captain had been incompetent and had been bullying some other Freshman, how I'd stood up to her and how the rest of the team had rallied behind me. "It's a great honor, Marcie. I just hope I can live up to it!" We finished our breakfast and I handed Marcie the key to my locker in the Hockey field changing area. "I'm going to need some of the stuff again by two this afternoon, so if you could replace the shirt and shorts with clean ones from my room, and put a clean pair of panties in there too? I'll see you at lunch." I grabbed Marcie's hand in a friendly squeeze, then, feeling that wasn't enough, gave her a hug, before heading off to my first lecture. That morning went quickly, the two lectures were interesting, and I actually managed to pay attention. I might even have learned something! It was weird, though. I felt odd not having Marcie sitting behind me, the way she had all through school to that point. I arrived back at the rec in time for lunch, and found my shadow waiting for me outside. Furthermore, I would smile and nod at the different times appropriate in the conversation, actually interested in the story. But sometimes I would cinch when Sir said that she had almost knocked out the previous captain. I am so glad I'll never make Sir so angry with me that she'll actually hurt me. That would break my heart as well as my jaw. Taking the key, I studied it before making a mental checklist in my head about what she needed. Shirt, shorts and panties. Gotcha. Simple enough. Putting the key in my chest, so I wouldn't forget it, I smiled at the gentle hand squeeze before hugging her back. She always did that. I guess Sir figured a simple hand gesture wasn't enough which was definitely alright with me. Soon enough, the clock told me that it was also time for my next class. Psychology which I actually was beginning to enjoy. Maybe I'd learn enough so I could decipher every one of Sir's movements. This could be very useful since she could be a little confusing. But that kind of stuff wouldn't come till later of course. Today was just talking about how to put an experiment together and what different kinds of surveys and statistics would work out better. After a bunch of note-taking, it was time for lunch. Which meant time to run to the room, grab.oh what was it? Oh, yes! Shirt and shorts for Sir, run over to the locker room and then rush right back to lunch. I somehow managed to do this within about 15 minutes so by the time I got back to rec, I was a little beat, but I tried not to show it to Sir as she met up with me." Hey there. How was class, Sir?" "Class was... weird, Marcie. I think I'm getting smarter or something. I might even remember who Moses Mendelssohn (was..." I giggled. Furthermore, I'd never forgiven that teacher for spoiling such a beautiful day by asking me such a hard question. With a grin, I chanted "Four times four is forty-four. Forty-four times forty-four is forty-four forty-four!" It was one of those private jokes Marcie and I shared, and it was still just as fun to say (today as it had been all those years ago." But seriously, it's good. The teachers know I'm a sports major and don't expect me to do the real hard stuff. Oh, do you have the notes from Yesterday's Approaches class? You were there and I was at try-outs." We got lunch, and then I went to sit in the student lounge until my afternoon practice. Marcie joined me and I smiled at her. "Do you have classes this afternoon, Marcie? If not, you can watch me practice if you like." I gave Sir a concerned look when she said class was weird. But then I rolled my eyes and smiled when she said she was getting smarter. " Very funny, Sir. " I said sarcastically before and after she commented about Moses Mendelssohn. Then I laughed, remembering back to that day. Who'the thought that we'd be going back down memory lane so often nowadays? I started cracking up, as I did way back when Sir actually said that in class. Me knowing that four times four is sixteen and forty-four times forty-four is 1936, I was laughing until I got water on my glasses from laughing too much. Sometimes I hated these stupid specs but then again. I'd be blind as a bat without them." Notes! I got them, sir. " I said as she pulled me from my thoughts, reaching into my bag. Searching for a little bit I grabbed them and handed them over to her. " There you are, Sir. "Sitting at lunch, I was chewing on my recently bitten into chicken melt sandwich as Sir asked me a question. " Uhm. I only have one class this afternoon Sir. After that, sure I'll come watch you play. " I finished my lunch and had an hour and a half to kill before I had to head to practice. Marcie headed off to her class, leaving my locker key with me, and I watched her go, enjoying the sight of that cute little behind wiggling away. Funny. Up until now, I'd never thought of Marcie Hathaway. I knew what lesbians were, of course, I just never thought of myself as one. I shrugged and pulled a book from my bag. American Slavery American Freedom, it was called. Interesting, I thought, considering the fact that I was considering enslaving another human being - by her choice, but still...! I started reading the chapters required before the next class. My cute little slave had been true to her word and replenished my kit bag with clean clothing. I headed out to the practice area and began working on my shots, lofting some high at the target and smacking others fast along the ground. I was so absorbed in getting things right that I didn't notice someone standing nearby until she coughed softly. Furthermore, I looked up to see Grace field standing there, looking at me with something approaching hero worship. Oh no, not another one!" Yeah?"" Uh, hi... Uh, I just wanted to say, thanks, and good luck." I nodded. "You're welcome kid". I turned back to my practicing.

Peanuts (Onlygotlove & Chrystal)|rating:3.0

A World of Magic (Kia & Serah)

Name:Natalie Weasley Age:16House:Gryffindor Parents:Ron Weasley and Heroine Granger Bio:Natalie is very intelligent much like her mother. She has a strong hatred towards the Malfoy's due to how much they picked on her father when he was young. Natalie is often made fun of, and called a know-it-all due to her knowledge of the spells. Appearance:Name:Kyle Weasley Age:17House:Gryffindor Parents:Bill Weasley and Fleur DelacourBio:Kyle is a rather chilled, laid-back guy. He doesn't really have anything against anyone, but he is rather protective over his cousin, Natalie. Kyle loves a little adventure and glamour, but he can also be a bit snobby sometimes much like his mother. Appearance: I'm going to keep these three for now. Is there anything we should know about this before getting started? We would be starting over btw in the grand hall place where they eat too XD Quote: Name-Ana Rose Malfoy Age- 16 House-Slytherin Guardians: Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy Bio-Ana is the first daughter of Draco and Luna. She is the oldest and the smartest. She loves to have fun just going around and hanging with her friends. Furthermore, she feels she is high in standards just like her father did when he was at the school, but she is not as cruel at first like he was. Furthermore, she is great at doing magic and remembers every spell with how long she takes to study each subject. Her parents, well Draco expected a lot from her. Appearance-Quote: Name-Caleb Lucius Malfoy Age- 15 House-Slytherin Guardians: Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy. Bio-He is the second oldest of the parents of Draco and Luna. He is the bravest out of them all and fears nothing even death. He had come close enough to death once but luckily his mother was able to save him. Furthermore, he takes pride in his family history no matter what is said about it. Appearance-Quote: Name-Kirsten V. Shape Age- 16 House-Slytherin Guardians: Alice and Severus Snape Bio-She looks a lot like her mother except with her father's dark hair. She gets most of her wit from her father including his love for potions. Her mother is a great spell caster and has given her the strength she had when she was a child. Kirsten picked up her own abilities such as a strong spirit that is hard to find nowadays and wandless magic, but she is still just studying. Her mother is the German Language teacher, and so she knows German very well along with English. She loves to read and study new customs but hates Weakly's and gets along with Malfoy's. Appearance- (Cool! Should I do two more characters so all of our characters can have a match? And could you start?) (I like that idea and sure) Welcome one and welcome all to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. 10 years later after Dumbledore dies, Voldemort is defeated, and the school is re-opened. What new dangers lie ahead for these students? Introduction: Headmistress McGonagall stood before each of the houses, explaining the usual rules, professors, and studies in her introduction to everyone. "Welcome to Hogwarts, now this year we..." and the speech went on for at least 15–20 minutes. During that time; new students were recruited into their chosen houses, students whispered, and everyone went along their own usual ways until it was over with. "Except this year, we will be having the new annual Hallows Eve ball, and it will be a formal occasion though you still must dress up for the event in costume. You may ask either of your professors about it for more information. Now, let the feast begin." McGonagall spoke raising her arms up as food appeared, and she went to go and sit down with the other professors. Quote: Ana Malfoy was off to the side talking to her group of friends and laughing, she was the most energetic partying type out of all her siblings and loved it when she heard of to hallow's eve ball which would rock. "If they make it go to midnight they rule" of Ana's friends Kaitlyn spoke smiling along while eating some vanilla pudding. "Yea I know, so did you hear? My brother is actually going to find himself a new date" she rolled her eyes knowing her brother was the ladies man type and didn't like to settle just for one. "Someday he'll choose only ONE girl" Silvana (highland) spoke staring at her brother but only to get his attention. Silvana and Caleb dated for 3 days before she caught him cheating on her with another girl from Hufflepuff. "Yea well SOME of us guys have more than a woman can handle" Caleb sneered back jokingly. "TCH, what no brain" Ana sneered back. They defiantly had their father's blood in them and was glad their grandfather was still around though he was too old to do anything now. Figured I would keep this part. (I'll create my third one later)Natalie happily skipped to one of the long dining tables and took a seat next to her cousin along with a few of her other friends. She didn't have to many friends, but she sometimes preferred it that way. She always said that school was made for learning, not for socializing. I mean, she knew it'd be cool to go on an epic adventure with her friends like her mother and father had done, but Natalie easily pushed the thought aside as she stuck a spoonful of pudding into her mouth." So, are you excited about the ball?" Kyle asked her, even though he already figured her answer." No, not at all.... I mean why would someone be out dancing when they could be studying or doing something productive with themselves!" She said, louder than she had intended, before eating more pudding. Kyle playfully rolled his eyes. His ultimate goal was to get Natalie to do something fun for once. (That's totally fine with me ^_^) Caleb started eying the Weakly girl after a while of her talking to her cousin Kyle. The weakly's were known quite well but then again so were the Malfoy's. They had never gotten along, this year for some reason, Caleb felt a need to keep an eye on Natalie Weakly. Ana noticed this with her friends "Oh, does my little brother like the little Gryffindor?" "Don't know what you are talking about" Caleb replies "Yea sure you don't" McGonagall stood up and spoke after making everyone get silent, "We have a new student with us this year. She will be a sixth year and is taught in magic quite well" without having an 'On cue' type of speech, a girl with long black hair and deep hazel eyes to match. "Please show respect to her" as she walked up onto the platform where the students sat. She didn't say anything just waited to be sorted. Placing the hat on her head the headmistress spoke up "Which housing?" the hat waited and thought. Natalie and Kyle both watched as the new girl was introduced to the school. Natalie rolled her eyes as she noticed her cousin staring at the girl,"Better stop staring before you start to drool." She teasingly whispered to him before waiting patiently while the hat decided which house to put her in. "Aha! Cunning and brave and smart, Gryffindor or Slytherin...hm...SLYTHERIN!" Slytherin team cheered and some clapped but no one knew anything about her. "Would you like to inform them of your name?" Shape asked (yea I'm kinda keeping him in the story atm) "No, not really" "If you don't, I will" "TCH fine" she replies turning to the rest of the kids around her age in their houses. "My name is Kirsten VS nape, if you have any problems, don't come to me" and she walked off-stage as the Slytherin table looked from Kirsten to Shape trying to figure out where the looks came from in the family and who did he hook up with. So many rumors were already going around, and it seemed Ana's friends were the first to start." I'm sure we'll become good friends" Ana replies making a scene in front of everyone as if she was the best person there (like Malfoy did to harry his first year) "Oh, is this the part that I'm supposed to be grateful, and you say no one will be willing to become my friend right?" "Pretty much" "Yea well not sorry to disappoint you Blondie, but just because you are a Malfoy doesn't mean I like the Malfoy's." and with that she sat 3 people away from Ana and on the opposite side of the table. "Shape's daughter? Who knew he had one..." Kyle said curiously with a slight shrug. Natalie couldn't help but to giggle little as she watched the scene play out with the new girl and Ana. Who knew Ana of all people would be rejected,"Hey, if she doesn't like the Malfoy's, I'm sure she won't like you." She said to Kyle-who had still been staring-with a nudge. Kyle sighed softly, before he shoved some food in his mouth. "Oh, and how come you don't like our family?" this was going to get bad between the girls soon but Professor Shape told the headmistress to wait a moment and see how it plays out since he knew his daughter a bit. Kirsten had always stayed with her mother getting her lifestyle, her parents weren't separated, but, Alice (mother) was known to wander a lot around for adventures. This year, Alice took over the spot of one of the nurses that had a vacation school year this time." Why would I?" Kirsten replied. Her attitude clearly showing but in a respectful manner almost. "Because I'm not like the rest of my family" Ana replies as Caleb enters in "Yea she thinks she's better than the rest" "Well, can't blame me if I am" Ana spat back at her brother almost sneering it. "No but I can simply hate you because I can" Kirsten spoke rolling her eyes "No, no one hates me. Everyone likes me" with that said by Ana herself, the other houses even her own start whispering like 'Yea right' 'Hah so wrong'"Looks like you are wrong my dear, it seems as if you don't belong here but then again. Everybody has to hate someone here at Hogwarts" Kirsten spoke and sat back down as Ana did in silence. The headmistress spoke "Enough of this, let us continue on with our feast as classes begin tomorrow" and with that she sat down. Kirsten mumbled an apology to the headmistress. She may have a bad attitude, but she knew she needed to hold her tongue at points." Well, seems like we could become good friends" Caleb spoke trying to high five Kirsten. Kirsten shrugged "Sure thing, but that doesn't mean it will happen" Looking around her table she couldn't find anyone to talk to. Everyone else was moving about to other houses talking while the teachers and headmistress talked. She might've been put into Slytherin, but she didn't like how they all acted. She was only placed in Slytherin because she was asked which house silently, and she said Slytherin. Standing up she walked over to an empty seat at the Gryffindor table making people raise their heads, some to whisper, and others to watch. Ana was scowling simply going back to talk to her friends. "So anyone over here have anything interesting they are talking about?" Kirsten asked sitting across from the Weakly's. She knew who they were and remembered what both parents said about them, but this was her life not theirs. Shape actually smiled sitting with the teachers making Ana scowl even more. Kirsten remembered how the Malfoy's betrayed her family and that's how her father kept her job and how her mother got a job.(I changed her attitude a bit ^_^) Natalie laughed a bit more as the fight unfolded. Ana normally wasn't rejected like that, since everyone knew she was able to find a way to ruin your whole reputation. But this Kirsten girl was new after all. She really didn't know any better. Even Caleb was rejected. He had the best looks in the school, and practically every one was in love with him, except for Natalie of course. Kyle watched as the girl had taken a seat across from them. A Slithering sitting with the Gryffindor, that was unusual, especially right across from the Weasley's. Kyle watched as Natalie moved to the end. He could tell that she didn't like the new kid, which wasn't a huge surprise for him." Hey......." He greeted quietly, hoping she didn't do anything to embarrass him in front of everyone. "Oh, good. I thought everyone over here would hate me after that little incident" Kirsten was relieved she was more of a person who made and chose her own friends not letting them be picked for her. "So, your name is?" she might've known the last name, but she wouldn't know their first name and noticed Natalie had moved away from them. 'Hm, she must not like me' she thought to herself. Ana was keeping to herself just sulking about trying to find a way to get back at this girl, and then it hit her. She started whispering to her friends "Ever wonder who actually got with a creep like Professor Shape to have a kid that looks like that?" her friend, Emily replied "Oh, good question" as Taylor spoke "Who would want to be with someone like him" they kept the conversation low but loud enough for it to get around to others. The teachers were too busy talking to notice this really." Uh oh, that new chick must've upset your sister big time" Ryan Parkinson spoke (yea pansy's son) looking at Caleb as Caleb sighed "She has no idea what she got herself into, does she?" "I think she cares CAE, looks like she isn't listening" Ryan adds looking at the new girl taking her image in. He didn't care for how she looked, but more of the fact that her personality seemed to suit her a bit." Uh, I don't think making a fool of a Malfoy in public is a good idea" another at Hufflepuff spoke to someone else at that table. Word was getting around and it was going around fast. Soon she would catch it sooner or later. The story kept twisting though, with every time Ana said something, she made it sound wrong. "My name is Kyle. Well, Kyle Weasley that is." He introduced himself holding out a hand for her to shake. He hoped she wouldn't leave because he was a Weasley. Furthermore, he figured she already knew he was one though. Natalie listened as the rumors were already starting to spread around the school. It had only been the first day of the school year, and drama had already been started. But she didn't expect any less. A Malfoy and a Shape didn't seem like a good mix after all. Kirsten shook hands slightly, she wasn't the type to shake hands but didn't let anyone know it caught her off guard a tad. After all no one yet knew hardly anything about her since she was new. "Nice to meet you, so what are you doing for the Hallow Eves Ball?" Kirsten asked, she wasn't asking him out, she was just being friendly towards him. Others were talking about what they were going to wear, some were talking about crashing it, and everyone else just kept to themselves. Robert or aka Rob Long bottom spoke up and started asking Natalie what she was going to do if she was going that is. Kyle thought about it as he put his hand back by his side,"Eh, probably just hang out with friends as I do with most events held at this school." He explained with a shrug. He never really asked anyone out. Furthermore, he just wasn't the type of guy to do that. Although, he had been considering it this year. Natalie looked up as she found Robert asking her what she was going to do for the dance,"Well, if I were to go to the dance, which I'm not, there's a guy that I hope will ask me..." She said, quickly glancing at Caleb, before shaking her head and looking back at Robert. She still had hated the Malfoy's after all, but Caleb was different. Although, she still wasn't exactly nice to him. Theywerenatural enemies after all. "Oh, who? Or would you rather not say?" Robert asked. "I wonder who is going to try and crash it, though it does sound interesting on what's going to be there, I hope it will be a good one though" Kirsten always hated boring things, she had to make it interesting whether or not it would get her in trouble. In just...it was in her blood thanks to her mother to do something interesting. "Hey Ana, what are you going to dress up for the dance?" Emily asked looking at Caleb. "You can stop making googly eyes at my brother" "I don't know what you are talking about" "Sure you don't" Ana spoke rolling her eyes and head the headmistress speak, "You may all now wander around except first years you are to report to your quarters and listen to the head houses. Good Evening" and with that the students were excused from the room. Kirsten replied "Seat, I have to get to the room first, I want the top bunk" Ana had gotten up and left before anyone else did, some new she was still mad, Emily and her friends knew she'd be up to something. But Ana knew better than to embarrass the family name anymore that day than she already had. I mean her parents would hear of this, mother would understand but how would father react? Grandfather would be saying just ignore them and do what you must. "I'd rather not say." She replied to him nervously, with a small shrug. She began to stand up as she listened to the headmistress. Furthermore, she decided she'd go to drop of her few things, before meeting up Kyle somewhere for the two to explore. Kyle and Natalie were very close, and if they weren't known so widely, people would've probably thought the two were dating. But that wasn't the situation at all, and Kyle had made it very clear that the two were cousins. Kyle waved goodbye to Kirsten, before heading to his room. He had majorly wanted to ask her out, but he knew he didn't have enough guts to do such a thing. Kirsten had gone into her room realizing someone already had their things in there. Looking around she noticed the two sets of bunks. One side was taken up by only one person's bags. Once she had unpacked her things onto her bunk side on the top, she made the bed at the bottom. She was hoping there were only two people in this room, there were a lot fewer kids with how parents didn't yet want to send their kids off to Hogwarts since of the past. Caleb had gotten a room with his best buds, as he had made it clear to his family that he wanted it. And what the Malfoy siblings wanted, they pretty much well got. Once getting over to the window, the door opened to Kirsten's room, and she saw that her roommate was "What the hell, you are kidding me right?" Ana's voice spoke loudly enough for others to hear yet to no one came running yet. Ana had moved towards Kirsten, but Kirsten just brushed past her wanting to ignore the whole thing and headed out into the hall. Ana followed her, basically taunting her. Kirsten ignored her and the others that were staring "Aw, are you going to go ask to get your room changed? How sweet, just like a child" Kirsten turned around "Oh, and what about you? You can't even be in a room with anyone without turning into a witch" (more like b*TCH) but that's another way to say it. Natalie quickly got word of who Ana had been sharing her room with. Natalie found that hilarious, but she knew one of them would be expelled if things got to out of hand. She couldn't imagine how Ana's father, the infamous Draco Malfoy, would react. Kyle met up with Natalie, before the two began walking. They just liked walking and observing the little changes they made in the building each year. As well as the new students and their reactions to everything. "He, and you think you can survive a year in a room with me?" Ana spoke thinking for some reason Kirsten couldn't. "More like you can't" "And what do you mean by that?" -Ana "figure it out chick" Kirsten spoke knowing it was a habit to mix different languages together. Professor Shape and Professor Potter were already getting the students to go on their way. "Alright move on, move on. Nothing to see here" Professor Potter spoke to the students, others didn't want to leave though and ignored him until he said "Keep moving or points will be deducted from your houses" Professor Shape looked at the two. "That's enough, let's go" "Make me" Kirsten spoke, her father had always been the one to set the rules she used to break, but she didn't think he'd actually push that subject. "Malfoy, back to your room" "Yes sir" Ana spoke backing down and turned leaving. Kyle and Natalie had found themselves watching everything that went on between Ana and Kirsten before they were moved along. Natalie quickly hugged 'Proffered' Potter. Heroine, Ron, and Harry had still been just as close as they had been when they were younger. Harry was practically family to Natalie, and Natalie wasn't afraid to hug him in public. Just as Natalie and Kyle were exiting, Natalie found herself stopping and turning to Ana. Natalie had never spoken up the spoiled brat before, and she figured now was her chance. There were two professors right there, so Ana really wouldn't be able to do much." Hey, Ana. I think you better listen to the new girl... I mean, if you mess with her to long you might find yourself breaking a nail"She said loud enough for everyone to hear. She was shocked at her own words, but she certainly tried her best not to show it,"Besides, has your father told you the story of when my mother smacked him? Well in a second, I think I might just try slapping a Malfoy...." She really didn't mean what she had said, and by no means was she actually going to slap her, but she knew it was about time she stood up for herself and others...although she didn't like the Kirsten girl much either.... Ana was thinking about saying something, but she decided her best bet was to ignore the Weakly girl. "I would suggest keeping your puny threats to yourself Weakly. You're not anywhere comparable to threaten me as the new girl could" Ana didn't even know herself to what she was saying, being in an embarrassing situation like that with the Kirsten girl really made her look bad around others. "Your mother might've slapped my father but in the end your mother is as worthless as Voldemort himself" Ana replied walking off as if nothing happened. If someone in the Malfoy family used Voldemort as an insult, then it would remain as one. But they hardly ever used it for any other reason and even when needed to they tried not to. "Woah, did I miss something?" Caleb asked walking up next to Natalie wondering if she'd say anything about the whole thing he missed up until his sister's threat made. Professor Shape had asked Kirsten to follow him to his office as the hallways cleared ignoring the argument between the Malfoy and Weakly girls. Once the door to the classroom had been closed, Professor Shape spoke up and his tone wasn't anywhere near happy. "I've told you before, if you wanted to come to this school you have to show more respect" "But-" before Kirsten could finish her sentence Professor Shape interrupted again. "You promised me you were going to behave, and now you decide to embarrass the Malfoy name in public, what were you thinking?!" Kirsten mumbled something but turned and left the room saying "I'm sorry, I'll fix it" and left the room leaving. She said nothing to anyone who had passed by her. Natalie gritted her teeth at the comment being made about her mother. She was very tempted to pull out her wand right about then, and she looked at Kyle who seemed to be nodding as if telling her to go for it, but she restrained as Professor Potter rested a hand on her shoulder. She watched Angel as Ana walked away. Harry at her, before turning and attending his other things. He knew Natalie well, and that she was very much like her mother. Natalie was tough enough to handle it on her own. Natalie too angry to answer Caleb's question, let Kyle respond for her. Natalie didn't want to have anything to do with the Malfoy's at the moment. Kyle sighed slightly before looking at Caleb,"Yeah....oh, and if I were you, I'd try to keep Ana as far away from Natalie as possible at the moment... Natalie is generally pretty calm, and her stem will blow of soon, but if there are any encounters between the two until then.well Natalie might just put her knowledge of spells to use..." He explained with a slight chuckle before walking Natalie away. Caleb nodded knowing his sister, she might've been a Malfoy, but battles wasn't her thing, and he knew the Weakly could do something she could regret. "Alright then...Oh, hey Kirsten!" Caleb called out and caught up with the new Slytherin. "What's going on between you and my sister?" Caleb got a bit of the story but not all of it, and usually he could get anyone to say anything to him without giving much in return. Kirsten ignored him walking away and up to her room. Ana was already there and Kirsten saw that she had laid down facing the ceiling, but her eyes were closed. "Oh look who is back" Ana mumbled not originally trying to start something just saying what she felt like at the moment." Look I don't want to argue okay" "Oh that's new" "We've only known each other for a bit, do me a favor and when breakfast comes around be in the halls, don't ask just do it okay" Kirsten replied and Ana didn't say anything surprisingly and just nodded wondering what was going to happen. It got around the school that Kirsten and Ana were going to go off and fight, though the teachers heard nothing of the sort thanks to the kids and their ways of hiding things. (Should we do a time skip to the next day, since they just got done with dinner it was I believe?) (Yea let's just do that, I forgot it was dinner and not breakfast) The next day arrived, Ana was waiting for Kirsten as everyone crowded into the breakfast hall waiting for the fight or outcome. Kirsten had almost forgotten as usual with her sleeping methods. She had gotten out of bed to get dressed and walked calmly out of the room hoping she could bite her tongue long enough to finish her task. Coming face to face with Ana she stared at others making them turn away and Ana also glared at them. Soon their attentions were on each other "What is it that you want Shape" "I'm sorry" Kirsten replied shocking Ana and those around them. "I'm sorry, I think I misheard that" "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have treated you that way" "so we're friends?" "No, just because I did something wrong and apologized doesn't make us friends"(If you feel like taking control of anyone but Kirsten, be my guest) (Haha, it's cool ^^)Natalie watched as the two apologized to each other. She rolled her eyes, still a little upset from last night. After the scene, Natalie watched as her cousin walked and went over to Caleb....she couldn't help but to wonder what he was doing. Kyle walked over to Caleb, taking a seat next to him, "Caleb, there's something I need to talk to you about... It's about Natalie... I mean, I hear that a ball this week has been announced.... And I was hoping you could possibly consider taking Natalie with you to it? I mean, I know she won't be too excited about going with a Malfoy....but she'll warm up. Plus, it's not as big as the Hallows Eve Ball which will make her a little more comfortable with the idea..." He asked. He had really wanted Natalie to attend a dance for the first time in her life, and so he hoped this could be the one. Plus, Kyle secretly knew that Natalie had a small crush a Caleb. He had somehow gotten hold of her diary.... (brothers and their sisters diaries lol) Kirsten and Ana spoke in silence for a while, trying to not lose their cool. But, soon enough they both sat down, Ana chatted with her friends and Kirsten pulled out her potions book reading more into it as she normally did. Everyone seemed to have gone back to doing whatever they were doing at the time. Caleb thought to himself, it would cause such an uproar if a Weakly and a Malfoy went to a dance together. Imagine his popularity level if this happened. Thinking on in but for a very short time he replied "Alright, I'll ask her without much of a scene then" of course Caleb's friends were too busy thinking of girls to take to this dance. (I know right LOL ^^)Kyle nodded. He knew it wasn't the best idea have a Malfoy and Weasley together, and that it would start something, but he figured they should just give it a try." Thanks, it means a lot to me, and I'm sure it will mean a lot to her to." He said with a wink, before getting up and taking a seat next to some of his friends (My brother always tried to find mine, the only thing is, I never kept one just never told him that, kept him busy lol XD) After Kyle sat down for a while Caleb kept looking over at Natalie, he was taken in her appearance. She had her looks from her mother and of course knowledge of spells. But, what was it that she got from her father? Her temper? Either way Caleb was showing more interest into Natalie and Ana was ignoring him about that time. No need to start an argument so early in the morning. The food was already on the table as he grabbed some juice and wrote a note without many noticing and making it magically appear from his side of the table, to her side. Then he looked away, it wasn't signed, but it should've been obvious or close to it. (walked away and lost train of thought my bad ^_^!) (Yeah, I can't stick to one diary. I'll write a page in one, before going and buying another because the other one bored me, lol. My brother would have to find all the diaries just to figure out my thoughts XD)Natalie had been talking to her friends, before noticing the note that was now at her side. She quickly read through it, before looking over to Kyle with a 'what the hell' type of look. So that's what he'd been up to. She looked back at the note, she could clearly tell that it had been written by Caleb. A Malfoy going to a dance with a Weasley? Won't that ruin your reputation or something? She wrote on the back, before making it reappear back to him, with a role of her eyes. Caleb wrote back... So. I'll go to the dance with whichever lovely lady I chose. But, I'm not forcing you. If you don't wish to go then I will just have to go by myself Caleb had thought about others he could've taken, he was sure he would get rejected by Kirsten, but she wasn't anywhere near his type. Too much like his sister just with different styles. He wondered what she would say and most likely expected to get rejected more than anything. "Why are you talking to a Weakly Caleb?" Ana whispered sitting across from him as her friends kept up on their own conversation. "None of your business sis" Natalie sighed, she knew she wanted to go with him, and she figured this was probably her only chance, No, I'll go with you Caleb. She wrote back, before resending it to him. She felt a bit satisfied with it, although she figured Kyle must have bribed Caleb into taking her or something...~~Kyle sighed. He had gotten Natalie a that for a dance, now he just needed to get his own. He knew he wanted to take Kirsten, but he was slightly afraid of getting rejected. She didn't seem like the type of girl to do dances and such, but he figured he'd give it a shot. He would just wait outside the dining area after lunch, and then he'd ask her. Kirsten had been so involved with her book that she had forgotten others were around her at all. She was lost into it, but, each potion's book was different, the ones she had told stories of those in the past using potions throughout their lives and this time she couldn't put it down. Until she laid her head down without realizing it and falling asleep. Ana let the subject dropped when the note reappeared and Caleb wrote... Great! I can't wait! Ana had gone back to her friends, they weren't sure what Caleb saw in anyone, but it couldn't be helped. Once her brother made his mind up about someone, there was no questioning it. He had gotten their father's stubbornness but almost as much as she did. She did have her mother's spirit though, which is how she kept it hidden, her mother Luna Lovegood was strongly spirited and with that it passed from mother to daughter. (Hamm...should we skip to the day of the dance and say Kyle asked Kirsten, and I'll make a character to go out with Ana? Or do you want to finish the day?) (You can make a character for Ana if you wish, also let's finish up this breakfast and have Kyle ask Kirsten whether alone after everyone left (he could wake her, since she fell asleep) and/or after that we could skip it) (Kay)Kyle waited as the area cleared out. He couldn't help but to laugh at the fact that she had fallen asleep. He shook her slightly to wake her up.(I'm going to keep Cedric alive for the sake of the role-play if you don't mind)Erin sighed as breakfast ended. Furthermore, he'd been planning ways the whole time to get Ana to go out with him to the dance. Furthermore, he was the son of Cedric Dig gory after all, who wouldn't want to go out with him?(I'll create his profile either XD) (okay that's all cool to me as long as Fred W gets to stay too ^_^ I might want to use the twins later on) Ana and her group of friends went off to the side to talk about their classes, she had the history of magic first, "Ugh, I hate history altogether" she complained looking at her list, her friends had different classes than her which would suck for her mostly. Kirsten woke after a while, it took her a moment to realize she had fallen asleep in the breakfast hall. "Oh. Thanks" Kirsten replied stretching a bit as she stood up closing her book and tucking it into her messenger bag she carried in with her. Caleb had run over to Natalie and asked her if she wanted them to match for the occasion or do it traditionally, and he would go with a black tux most likely but not too fancy, it wasn't his taste. Erin smiled his most charming smile, before walking up to Ana." Ms. Malfoy, may I have a moment please?" He asked with a slight bow. Erin was a confident guy, and he had enough looks to make all the girls swoon over him. People often mistake his courageous for cockiness, but that wasn't the case at all. He's actually rather polite, and knew more manners than most. Kyle smiled"No problem,"He said before pausing and continuing again, "Hey Kirsten, I know me and you haven't gotten to know each other, and I'd like to fix that. Would you like to go to the dance with me?" He asked with a nervous smile. Natalie giggled a bit at Caleb's question. There really wasn't anything funny about the question, but she sometimes couldn't help but to laugh at random." Traditional." She simply said, before walking away. Ana waved her friends off saying she'd catch up with them later "Alright what do you want Dig gory" she hardly used first names unless she felt like it. Kirsten looked at him and walked off but stopped "I'll think about it" and she walked away. Caleb had been happy that a girl whom normally wouldn't like him or his family had said yes to him, but then it struck him, what would his family say? Mother is well...mother but still... Caleb was silent for a few days. Kirsten told Kyle the next day at Breakfast after it ended that she accepts for him to be her escort to the dance. She had been so busy with reading that even Ana didn't notice she was there most of the time. But getting out to a dance would be a good thing for her, she hoped. "Well, I must say, your lack of interest surprises me." He said with a chuckle,"I would like to know if you want to attend the dance with me?" He asked,"You may tell me tomorrow, I'm afraid I have classes to attend." He said before heading off. Furthermore, he eagerly awaited her answer the next day. Kyle was extremely happy that Kirsten had agreed to him. He didn't expect it, especially not from her. Natalie had been wondering what her family would say after finding out a Malfoy was escorting her to the dance, and she assumed Caleb was wondering that same about his family. Both pairs of parents were enemies, and they wouldn't be happy that their children hooked up. Ana of course didn't want to be left out of having an escort to the dance so the next day she told Erin that she would accept his indentation and go to the dance with him. Almost everyone was surprised that Ana would go with Erin. Or that Caleb would go with Natalie. And even Kirsten was going with Kyle. Some of the students (and some teachers) wondered what in the world was going on, and what was the big plan? (joke wise lol) Erin bowed,"That is wonderful Ana. I shall meet you tonight, then?" He said, before walking away. He was certainly glad she had accepted, although that match-ups were slightly odd this year. People who would've never acknowledged each other were now going to the dance together. It was very strange, and many students noticed it. That night Natalie was very eager to attend her first ball. She'd been awaiting all week since agreeing to go with Caleb. She hadn't told her parents about it yet. Furthermore, she'd figure she would tell them after the ball. Furthermore, she just hoped she wouldn't have to take a visit to either one of the couples parents. Natalie put her hair up in a loose bun, a few strands of hair hanging out. As well as a long flowing white gown, with a purple necklace that her mother had made her a while ago. She looked like a completely different person, and even got a few stares as she made her way down to where the ball would be held, to where she would meet Caleb. Kyle had gone with a simple black tuxedo. His mother would have wanted him to dress up a bit more, but he didn't want to be wearing too much for Kirsten. Erin, dressing up as much as possible, had worn the same outfit his father wore at the dance that took place before the Trinidad Tournament. His father had actually been rather proud of him for sticking out and going with a Slytherin.(Hope you don't mind that I kind of snuck a time skip in there LOL) (Nah, If you weren't going to do it, I think I would have ^_^) Ana got ready that night, it might've been a semiformal dance, but she was going to make the most of it while at it. She had chosen a long, elegant dress that went to her ankles. It was a powder blue with few sparkles here and there like glitter. Her hair was done up almost if she had a bun pinned back and her bangs were off to the side a single strong of simple curls. Her dress wasn't fabulous, but her mother picked it out for her. It had spaghetti straps to tied around the neck. She wore white Handel like heels that were 3 inches tall, she wasn't the heel type of girl. Her necklace was like Kirsten's just a light blue color and a small rose in the middle of it. Kirsten was helping Ana out with her dress and fixing up her make up. Ana returned the favor, Kirsten picked out her own dress, she wouldn't dare let a guy pick it out for her. She had a long, figure forming dress that was easy to walk in and comfortable at that. It went just below her knees and was a nice lilac color. It had one-inch straps that went from front to back. Her hair was down, but her bangs were pulled back with a black rose. Kirsten wore a matching loose black choker to match. Caleb didn't want to over do it, so he wore a black and white Tuxedo (a bit simple, but it looked really nice) His father wanted him to comb his hair back, but Caleb said it wasn't his hairstyle though he did make it look a bit neater that normal. Kirsten was able to get her father to dress up a bit, she was getting him back for the 'respectable' speech. Everyone else was dressed up and most of the boys wore tuxes, some better than others, some not as expensive as others. The room as you enter for the small ball of the night had a lovely full peach white color moon with a yellow tint, a dark starry sky and white twinkling stars. The room had a small breeze and the floor was like marble as it would shadow those who dance around to the music or move with the crowd. Kyle and Erin each stood outside the room at opposite sides of the entrance of the room, each eagerly awaiting their dates. Natalie waited at the top of the set of stairs that stood right in front of the ball.(Eek, short, sorry X() (it's fine, I understand) Caleb walked at the bottom of the stairs seeing Natalie up top in the beautiful dress she was wearing. You'd almost think he had the wrong person, he didn't think she'd dress up too much really. Walking up the stairs to her, he held his hand out to take hers, but she would need to place hers on his. He was going to be a slight gentleman tonight that was for sure. Ana and Kirsten walked arm in arm down the steps surprising people with how close they seemed to have been without anything happening from it. "Well, try and have a good night, Ana" "You too Kirsten, later you and I have to talk though" "Not until tomorrow right?" Ana nodded a bit to Kirsten but didn't look at her as they walked down each to their dates. Ana walked over to Erin as Kirsten walked over to Kyle. They both knew there was going to be fast and loud music later which they were both actually ready for. Their dresses were designed to have a second part to them thanks to Luna herself. Natalie smiled as she saw Caleb,"You look handsome." She said, before placing her hand onto of his. She promised herself tonight she would forget all about the everlasting war between the Malfoy's, and the Weasley's, and focus on Caleb and her, and what the future could look like. Furthermore, she would worry about the rest tomorrow. Erin and Kyle nodded at each other, before looking at their dates. They both smiled, Kyle looking way more nervous than Erin. Erin had done tons of these dances after all. Erin bowed quickly as Ana approached him,"Ah, Miss Ana, you look simply wonderful on this fine night! Would you care to dance?" He asked, holding out his hand for her. Kyle waved slightly at Kirsten. You could tell he hadn't done to many formal dances, and he was eagerly awaiting music with a beat, but he did try his best. He held out his hand for her,"Do you wanna dance?" Caleb smiled "Thanks, I don't usually do well with suits" He replied honestly and led her into the dance room. "You look like a vision from a dream, makes me wonder if I am dreaming" he smiled adding. Ana placed her hand in his "Of course" and added slightly lower "Just call me Ana" she didn't like formalities very much and right now it was almost time for the waltz. Luckily Kirsten had been able to show Ana the short steps and told her to let the guy lead. Kirsten thought maybe she might have to be the one leading, and she smiled when seeing Kyle dressed up "Suit looks good on you" she spoke being nice. Taking his hand she nodded "I'd love to" Each couple moved into the room and started dancing. The music began playing and after a few minutes it ended with the sound of the waltz coming on. "Do you know how to waltz?" Ana asked Eric. The room was golden with a peaceful early autumn theme, leaves here and there, a gentle slight breeze to keep everyone cool, and even decorations with a DJ and singer as well. Natalie couldn't help but to blush a bit as he made the comment about her looking like she was from a dream. She smiled as she danced with him as much as she could normally before the waltz came on. Erin slowly walked Ana out to the dance area, and slowly danced with her. He chuckled slightly as she asked him he knew how to do the waltz,"Why of course my dear." He replied with a smile. Kyle nodded as he danced with her. He sighed to himself as he discovered that he would have to do the waltz, for it wasn't one of his favorite styles of dancing, but he did in fact know how to. Caleb asked "Do you want to dance or sit?" he wouldn't have cared about the waltz, he knew how unlike his sister and would be able to lead if she wished to dance. Caleb would always give her the choice if she wanted it or not. "I don't know much, only the few steps I was taught a couple of hours ago" Ana replied a slight pink color of embarrassment on her face, but she didn't look away just laughed it off a tad bit. Kirsten replied "we can sit if you wish to" she was just waiting for the 'good' music to come on so she could show off her actual real dress. Looking over, Kirsten saw her father smiling and talking to Ana's mother whom seemingly came to see her children, Of course Draco was there as well, he was speaking to Kirsten's father when her father looked over. Kirsten glared at him and both gentlemen looked away. Kirsten went back to looking at Kyle's face. Their parents were behind him, enough for her to see, but she just ignored them. Natalie did know the waltz, her mother had taught her, and unlike Kyle she would gladly do it." We can dance, if you want to." She said before looking over and seeing Draco." Your father is here, he's not going to kill me or anything, right?" She whispered to Caleb nervously. She was a bit frightened by the Malfoy's, after all. Erin chuckled, "Well, we can sit this one out if you truly want to." Kyle shrugged, he didn't mind doing it if she really wanted to do it,"It's your choice." Caleb shook his head "No, it's not father you'd have to worry about, that would be grandfather but even then I wouldn't let them come near you" Caleb said a bit protective towards her. "No, let's dance. It'd be odd to see a Malfoy not dance especially when my father is here" Ana replied hoping that he would lead. They might've been simple steps, but dancing wasn't always her strong point. "I would actually like to dance, besides this is the last quiet song of the evening before they play the loud music" Kirsten replied keeping him on the dance floor. It can't be that bad to dance for a little bit before the good music to come on. The waltz music came on, the beginning played out, and then everyone who knew how to dance, was dancing along. Natalie nodded, before her eyes widened as she saw her mother enter. She knew Kyle must have said something, or Kyle's parents may have somehow gotten a hold of her. Natalie sighed nervously, afraid of what her mother would say. And the idea of Heroine and Draco in the same room just frightened the young wizard. Natalie tried not to think about it as she danced with Caleb. She figured the two could settle it between their parents after the dance. Erin nodded as he led the dance. It came easy to him, for he was taught from his mother. Kyle nodded as he danced with Kirsten. He tried his best not to mess up any of the steps, and he thought he did pretty well. "Hey, hey. No one else in this room matters, just you and me" Caleb spoke getting her attention and smiling a simple warm smile at her as he led her through the waltz. Ana sighed seeing the smartest witch in Hogwarts of her time back at the school but ignored it and kept dancing, her smile returned as she was led around. Kirsten might've known what moves to do, but she was glad Kyle knew how to waltz as well. Music playing, there were only four pairs/couples out on the dance floor. Ana and Erin, Kyle and Kirsten, Natalie and Caleb, and of course, Robert along with his date Susie Sutherland's. Natalie nodded and smiled lightly back at him. He was right, after all, and she knew it. Erin smiled as he danced with Ana. He was glad that there were only four couples dancing, it gave them room, and he could see his parents watching them in a corner.(To short, I'm sorry :()) The waltzing lasted for a little while and soon the music switched off as Kirsten and Ana both led their escorts off the floor to the side. They stood near each other as the headmistress had said that the new band will be playing live. It was Evanescence and Blood Vane a new rock metal band. (no idea what to write, the second one I'm sure I made up ^_^!) The music started to play wildly and loudly with Blood vane's band. "Hang on boys, we have to change" Ana replied taking a step back as Kirsten did and just pulled off the fabric so that it showed both girls with dress halfway above the knees. Kirsten's was a bit longer than Ana's. But that was just like them. Ana's was a bit flowy like and Kirsten's was loose but hugged her legs showing them off. Her father would complain later about this, but she didn't care...much. "Well what ya think?" they both asked in unison. Kyle and Erin both looked at each other before looking back to their dates,"Nice!"they both said at the same time as well. Natalie sighed as the fast music came on. She wasn't familiar with either of the bands, and was a bit stressed out about her parents. Her mother usually supported Natalie's actions, but she knew tonight her mother would be against her for once. The girls smiled pulling their dates into the dance and said "Lets party!" together, you'd almost think they were actually sisters. The music was rocking as they moved their bodies to the beat no matter how long or loud the music was or lasted they kept up with it pretty well. Kirsten was better at dancing like this than Ana was but then again she had been to some raves before in her past thanks to her mother. Caleb looked at Natalie and leaned over whispering "Do you want to stay and dance or sneak out and talk?" Caleb's reputation of course would've said differently for what he would want, and it would show he would never change. But no one knew exactly what Caleb had in mind either. Kyle and Erin nodded, before they began dancing to the beat. Erin was more of a formal dancer, so this was a bit strange for him, but he did enjoy it. Kyle was used to this kind of music, and preferred much more than he did with the formal dancing. Natalie thought about Caleb's question." Let's sneak out and talk, just for a little while anyway...." She told him. She wasn't too fond of sneaking out, but decided that she would go with it just this once. Furthermore, she'd do anything to get out of the room where it held her mother. Caleb took her hand and snuck her past the other adults including her mother. They had walked down a bit of the hallway to where they could go alone. (Sorry was short post) Natalie sighed as she leaned against the wall once they had snuck past everyone. She had felt like she was ruining Caleb's night." I'm sorry..... I'll leave soon, and I know there are other girls that would be more than willing to dance with you tonight......" She said with another sigh. (Aw, You're totally awesome, loving your Iggy) "Natalie, if I wanted to dance with other girls, I wouldn't have asked you out to the dance or helped you sneak away, now would I?" Caleb spoke, he was going to say more but stayed quiet to let her have her say. "Yes, you would. I mean, Kyle must have bribed you or something....." She said.(Haha, thanks! Baby Draco is so cute!!!! Once I get more gold, I'm so getting another!! Oh, and sorry my post keep getting shorter. They'll pick up, I promise!) (Nah its keel, I totally understand. I ignored the others for the moment and thought we'd focus on Natalie and Caleb more) "No actually he didn't. He just helped me decide if I was going to ask you or not." Caleb spoke got quiet and added "If it wasn't for him, I would have gone by myself" Natalie sighed,"But why would you do that? You're like a pop star to this school, despite who your parents are. Girls are all over you, and yet you'd still go by yourself?" "Just because there are a lot of girls out there that like me, doesn't mean I'm going to just pick one out of the bunch and go with them. I only like to go with people who..."he trailed off wasn't sure what he was going to say. "Who, what? Who you feel pity for? Is that the only reason you asked me out with you?" She snapped at him.(Sorry for making her so...dramatic...lol) (nah its keel, this is gonna work out great actually)Caleb put his hands up in defense "No, no not like that Natalie" Natalie shook her hand before standing up from her leaning position." I can't believe I didn't see this before. I mean what other reason would you ask me to the dance for?" She said, swallowing hard to hold back her tears." I'm sorry to waist your time Caleb." She said before walking away. Caleb tried to go after her to stop her but for some reason she just wouldn't be stopped. Sighing he just decided to go back to his room and get changed to go to bed. His friends saw him, but they stayed away with the blank expression he had, he wanted to tell her the truth, but, it wasn't that easy to and with what he said, it probably came out wrong to her. (Should we do a time skip?) (Yea) A week had passed, everyone was in classes, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Students were being themselves, Caleb ignored everyone all week. Kirsten kept asking Ana what was wrong with him, but she didn't know even if she did ask him. Caleb would say hi to his friends, sometimes wave but mostly kept himself in his own thoughts. Everyone was curious to what was going on and if it involved the Weakly he went OT the dance with. Kirsten had gone back to her usual studies of potions and her classes. Though potions she never had to study for since she knew most of it. Everyone pretty much talked about the dance for a couple of days that it got out of their systems. Natalie, unlike Caleb, had been talking and acting normal for the week. She didn't want anyone questioning her, and she figured if she got Caleb out of her system she would forget about any feelings she once had for him, even though she knew she still liked him. Once they were in the Slytherin Common rooms, Ana looked at her brother bringing him over to an area to talk. "What's been up with you Caleb? Ever since you left the dance early with that Weakly girl" Ana began making it sound like the name Weakly was disgusting. Before she could get her sentence out, Caleb interrupted saying "That Weakly girl has a name" Ana rolled her eyes "Like I give a care about a Weakly" she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well I do" Caleb spoke and caught himself, but it was too late, Ana had caught what he meant. "Oh, little brother is finally-" Ana began to tease him but Caleb interrupted "Shut up Ana Rose!" Caleb had yelled out and went straight off to his room. Ana was surprised, sure her brother and her fought, but he never used her middle name like their father had whenever she was in trouble. Kirsten walked over to Ana, "Are you okay?" Kirsten asked waving her hand in front of Ana's face but got no response. "Okay come on, we have to talk and all those around me listening better have life and move out of the way" Kirsten spoke glaring at those listening around them and the others backed off as Kirsten took Ana to their shared rooms. Natalie sighed as she sat on her bed. She knew she needed to fix things with Caleb, but why should she? She groaned annoyed, before laying back on her bed. Furthermore, she needed to talk to someone, anyone really. Furthermore, she then remembered she hadn't talked to her mother since, and she was probably dying of anticipation. Furthermore, she had sent Natalie a few letters, but Natalie had just ignored each of them. Furthermore, she sat up, pulling out a pen and paper:Dear Mum, I'm sorry I've been ignoring your letters. I just haven't been in the mood to talk, but you don't need to worry. I'm alright. Classes have been going great, although, I'm afraid that I'm coming off as a know-it-all. Oh, well. How's Dad been? Harry told me he got himself in a bit of an accident. Hope he is alright. Oh, and for the dance, you don't have to worry about me and Caleb. He and I are done. Hope to hear from you soon. Love, Natalie She wrote, before putting it in an envelope, and giving it to her owl to send to her mother. Ana and Kirsten were talking about what was going on, even with the middle name usage. Caleb had stayed in his room whenever he could and even ignored the teachers. Soon that mood passed and he went back to being himself. Maybe, since the ways he acted, he would treat her however she wished. Or how he felt that is. Caleb had gone to his friends saying how annoying a Weakly girl could be, worse than a Weakly boy. Kirsten soon left the room to hang out in the library, her father most likely would be there. Ana was writing to her grandfather, unsure what to do, when Ana would lose it, she sometimes went a bit too far so she had to vent. Caleb was out in the hall standing there, just waiting, no one knew what for, they all figured it was the Weakly girl Natalie but no one was truly sure. Natalie sighed once word got around about the things Caleb was saying. If he truly did care, then he wouldn't be saying all the stuff he'd been saying about Weasley's. It was right back to where they started. Both hating each other. Natalie did her best to keep as far away from Caleb from possible, and it wasn't too hard when he mostly stayed in his room, but ever since he'd been better, she'd been finding it more difficult. She quickly tried to pass the hall that Caleb had been waiting in. There were very few students in the hall at that time, Caleb had pulled her around a corner out of view and against a wall, he made sure there would be no way to let her leave unless he allowed it. Natalie was taken by surprise once she was grabbed by Caleb,"Caleb! What do you want?" She asked making sure to avoid eye contact with him. "You know, you shouldn't accept going to a dance with a Malfoy and think you can get away with going off on him over reasons you don't even know. So now I am going to ask you once" his voice hardened, this wasn't like the usual Caleb you would know. "Why did you bother accepting my invitation if you thought something bad would happen?" He kept an eye on her, waiting for her to look or at least respond. Caleb had wound up speaking to his father about a few things, but, talked to his mother about Natalie and what happened that night. The hall they were in had lights, but they were dimmer than most but no one really acknowledge them as anything but faulty magic lights. Natalie sighed,"That's the thing Caleb, I didn't think anything bad would happen. I thought it would be a perfect night. Just about me and you, Caleb,"She paused for a second,"Alright Caleb, can I go now? I'm going to be late for class." "Then why did you say what you said at the end of the dance or close to it?" Caleb asked ignoring what she said about being late to class, she would still have three minutes left to hurry to her other class. Natalie thought about that night, before shaking her head,"Caleb, I don't know what you are talking about. Now can I please go? Then we can get back to our normal lives. We can continue hating each other, and act like the dance ever happened." "I'm not going to forget, and I won't stop asking you what happened in the hallway that night before the dance ended. I wasn't..." He waited a moment and moved back a bit from her "I wasn't intending on doing anything to you, my reputation verses me in nothing compared to who I am. Malfoy or not. I had something to say to you, but I guess you are as thick-headed as the Weakly's come if you can't even listen for a moment" With that said Caleb walked away, other students running around trying to get to classes. Natalie rolled her eyes as she watched him walk away. She had been considering chasing after him, but then she thought about the thick-headed comment. He was a Malfoy after all, so she figured his rude comments just came out naturally when it came to the Weasley's. She sighed, remembering her first class was with him. Caleb went to class sitting in the back which usually meant that he didn't want to be spoken to or bothered. He took out a book called "The Moonlight" it was about two young people, enemies of different territories and friends when away from others. One had a terrible secret, the other did whatever they wished. It was a very popular novel but having romance in it, no one would've ever thought that a Malfoy would be reading it. (Hamm, should we have the two get paired up for a project or something?) (sure works for me, not sure what kind of project though, any ideas?) (Hamm, maybe to create some kind of potion or something?.. I don't know.) (Okay lets try maybe...maybe they have to make a double potion, everyone else has a unique one with their partner, and they got stuck together because everyone else picked theirs. Maybe a love potion or a truth serum or maybe even a transformation one?) (A transformation one sounds good.) (One dogie, don't kill me, but who were the ones we were talking about? XP) (Natalie and Caleb) (one just making sure ^_^) Caleb heard Professor Shape talking "Today you are going to be paired up, you 'may' chose your partners. And once you have chosen you will each get a recipe for a potion you will have to make together" Shape walked around his desk and picked up the papers. Kirsten had told Professor Shape that he should do more group or partner experiments, not for the first years, but, those older. Caleb sighed, he didn't want to pair up with anyone so he just sat in the back of the room not saying a word. Natalie sighed as Professor Shape explained their project. She wasn't incredibly interested in working with partners. She found things went much easier by herself. Kyle and a few others asked her to work with them, but she had turned them down. She hoped Shape would let her be alone. He knew very well that she was much like her mother. "Miss Weakly, this is a potions project that you 'have' to chose to work with one other person. If you do not, you will fail this experiment, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that" Shape replied. Shape had looked at Caleb and said "That goes the same for you, I would hate to see your grandfather if something like this showed up" Caleb sighed, Natalie was the only other person without a partner, reluctantly he stood up and sat next to her in the seat near her. Maybe they could talk some. (So are they just going to make the polyjuice potion?) (OH! I know what about one that makes them switch bodies for like 24 hours or maybe longer and then it's a fall break so they have to go home to their families spending it with them and their families have no idea except the siblings or cousin, that they would've accidentally switched which makes it awkward and weird XP) (Sounds hilarious! Or maybe they end up having to go to each other's houses for the break?) (that would be funny. Which should we do?) (HRM..... It was your idea, so you can choose ^^) Maybe we can somehow fit them together? (Oh! Maybe the parents of want to meet up to discuss how they don't want the kids around each other or something, and Caleb and Natalie have to go as each other because of the spell?) (Oh I like that idea :) Natalie sighed as she read through the potion her and Caleb were supposed to make together. She hoped they didn't actually have to test it. She didn't want to be in a Malfoy's body, let alone Caleb's. Caleb wasn't paying much attention, he just started saying "So you ever going to answer me?" in a very quiet low voice for her to hear. He wasn't sure what was going on or why, he forgot he was in potions, but, anything about Natalie made him more curious. This is totally dead

A World of Magic (Kia & Serah)|rating:3.0

[Evil-PF] Information and OOC

Current Player Roster Warrior: ShjadeArcane Spell caster: AER Dark wail'Divine' Spell caster: TheGlyphstoneRogue/Bard: VonDoomSetting Information The Divine KingdomThe Divine Kingdom, renamed by the 2nd Celestial King roughly two centuries ago, was once little more than an insignificant duchy located within a patchwork of city states. The 1st Celestial King changed that. After he rose to power at the age of 99, he began a series of military and diplomatic conquests. By the time of his death at the age of 215, he had increased the land he ruled over roughly five-fold. His heir and son, only 68 at the time, took the throne. A brash and impulsive young man, the 2nd Celestial King’s first act was to rename his lands as the Divine Kingdom, and to continue with his father’s conquests. Now aged 265, the 2nd Celestial King still rules from the Angelic Throne. He was never a particularly good leader in peacetime, and while most of his people still view him with admiration and respect, the kingdom itself suffers from numerous internal problems. The nobles tend to openly flaunt the rule of the King, starvation and crime are on the rise, and various forces peck away at the borders. The Demon Lord Graz’at took an interest in the Divine Kingdom a few decades ago, when he was briefly summoned by the Celestial King’s Clerics in an attempt to kill him. The attempt failed, and he quickly returned to the Abyss. The Cult of Graz’at has little influence within the Divine Kingdom, so he has turned to a few of his more powerful cultists, and those simply willing to serve his ends in return for wealth and power, to carry out his will. Notable NPCs King Cos's, the 2nd Celestial King. Barony of WillowfieldBarony of WillowfieldBaroness Daily White willow rules over the Barony of Willow field, located along the northern border of the Divine Kingdom. She holds allegiance to Count Either, though is largely independent. Daily is a half-elf who has ruled over the Barony since the death of her husband in combat with an Irish war party nine years ago. She herself is 45 years of age. She has two children, Molina and ENITA, both half-elves who are 20 and 22 years of age respectively. The Barony of Willow field is centered around the castle of Radio. The castle sits on the only bridge across the Really River, the traditional barrier between the Divine Kingdom and the forests of the north. A settlement, North river, is located around the castle. It has a population of roughly six thousand people. The population is predominately human, however it has sizeable minorities of half-elves and half-orcs as well as a small even community. The half-elves are the result of trade with an even community to the north-east, while most of the half-orcs are the result of Irish raids against outlying farms. There are no other major settlements within the Barony, though there are a number of farms and ranches. Northriver contains the castle of Radio, a large prison used mainly to hold bandits and raiders from the north until their executions, and a sizeable temple to Iron. It does some trade with elves and other groups who live north of the river, but is mostly focused on agriculture and defense. The castle and bridge are mainly guarded by a group of one hundred reasonably trained and equipped soldiers drawn from the local population. They are usually referred to as the City Guard. The city itself is protected and policed by the Militia, a force of two hundred poorly trained and equipped volunteers. The Prison has twenty of its own guardsmen, and often calls upon the Militia for support. The Temple of Iron is guarded by a force of twenty knights, well-trained and well-equipped, but rarely interested in anything beyond the temple itself. There is also a force of two hundred members of the King’s Army, but they are often considered little better than the bandits from the forest, and the Baroness forces them to remain in a fort just outside the city. It is unknown how many bandits, tribes, and war parties live in the forests to the north. The official report that the Baroness sends to Count Either is that there are at least two thousand warriors that could threaten the city, but that they are disorganized and usually at each other’s throats. Notable NPCs Baroness White willow is the noble in charge of the local area. She is a half-elf female who is 45 years of age. RUMOURSBaroness White willow is just a puppet for someone else. Baroness White willow murdered her husband. Solina White willow is the youngest daughter of the Baroness. She is something of a tomboy, and it is well known that she dreams of being an adventurer. She is a half-elf female who is 20 years of age. RUMOURSSolina is a nymphomaniac. Solina regularly sneaks away to hunt orcs in the forests. Enita White willow is the eldest daughter of the Baroness. She is a half-elf female who is 22 years of age. RUMOURSEnita has been promised in marriage to an Irish chieftain from the forests. Enita is a misaddress. Captain This is the head of the City Guard, and the Barony’s highest ranking military officer. She is a human female in her early thirties. RUMOURSCaptain This and Baroness White willow are lovers. Captain This is sexually attracted to pure-blood orcs. Lieutenant Garner is the head of the local detachment of the King’s Army. He is the ninth son of a minor noble, and bought his commission. He is well known for his love of women, and spends more time in the brothels than with his troops. Furthermore, he is a human male in his mid-twenties. RUMOURSLieutenant Garner has blackmailed Captain This. Lieutenant Garner is actually one of the King’s spies, sent to keep an eye on the Baroness. Warden Kieran is in charge of the local prison and its forces. He got his start with the City Guard, but now devotes all of his time to the prison. He is a human male in his mid-fifties. RUMOURSWarden Kieran has an unpleasant obsession with torture. Warden Kieran has worked out a deal with the local judges to ensure a constant stream of prisoners. Marshal Creedal is in charge of the Militia. He is a human male in his mid-fifties. RUMOURSMarshal Creedal is the head of a local thieves guild. Marshal Creedal is a cultist of a demon or devil. High Priest Aria is in charge of the Temple of Iron. He was sent north to help re-establish the temple after the previous one was burnt down in an Irish raid. He is a human male in his late sixties. RUMOURSHigh Priest Aria has lost his mind. High Priest Aria has lost his faith. Sir Loan is in charge of the Temple of Iron’s knights. He is a well-trained and rather fearsome opponent in duels, though only rarely ventures beyond the walls of the temple. He is a human male in his early thirties. RUMOURSSir Loan was banished to the north for cowardice on the battlefield. Sir Loan is a misogynist. Map(major cities are marked (my way of saying I may add things later :P). All cities are part of the Divine Kingdom except for With, known for being a pirate base, and Bathurst, known for being fiercely independent and isolationist. Major trade routes with other kingdoms go out from Alkali, Gold throne, and Alone. The route from Alkali heads into the Free Duchies, which are located on a peninsula. Relations between the duchies and the Divine Kingdom are tense at best, due to the Kingdom regularly annexing duchies that border it. The route from Gold throne goes into The, a small kingdom that the Divine Kingdom has relatively good relations with. The route from Alone runs into the Verizon Empire, a rather heavily bureaucratic nation that probably could rule the continent if not for its internal politics. The Verizon Empire separates the Divine Kingdom from most of the other kingdoms on the continent, though there are also a few south of The. Goldthrone is the capital of the Divine Kingdom, though it is smaller than Dramatic, Mir stone, Wilford, and Alkali. Those three cities are major trade ports. Northport hosts the Divine Kingdom’s northern fleet, which struggles to deal with the pirates from With and beyond. Alkali hosts the Divine Kingdom’s southern fleet. Neither fleet is particularly large or effective. Ironstone, Perth, and Beggar’s Hole are all major sources of iron and other metals, while Fire bend and Holyhead are major sources of lumber. Wilford, Cargill, Corrine, Onyx, Alone, and to a lesser extent Bleak burn, Alkali, and Green flower are major sources of grown food and livestock. The forests north of North river are generally just known as “the Forests” and is a lawless region occupied by monstrous tribes and bandits. The forest east of Fire bend is known as Redline Forest, and while it has a few dark and mysterious bits, most of it is explored and fairly tame. Goblins like to make it their home, but are rarely much of a threat. The mountains south of Corrine are known as the Fool’s March, and are subject to horrible weather, regularly landslides, and extremely difficult terrain. Few people live there, though it is rumored to be the home of various underground monsters. The mountains to the east of Ironstone are known as the Fieldstone Range. They can be crossed, and a number of passes are known, but the entire range is home to various groups of unpleasant creatures as well as bandits, more so in the north than the south, and few consider it worth the trouble. Most travel south of them, following the road out of Alone.RUMOURSThe Baroness has an uncle who leads a group of bandits in the Forests. The Baroness has a brother who is a pirate based out of With. The prison in North river was built on the ruins of a castle, and still holds an ancient escape route. The tower of a long dead necromancer is still located in the Forests, just waiting for someone to come and claim its treasures. An alchemist who specializes in explosive substances makes his home in the Forests. Reserved Okay, IthinkLuvata's campaign-ready, though I'm sure her sheet will have all the earmarks of a Pathfinder (and D&D) newbie. n.n;Lusaka's sheet (stuff at a glance Ability scores:STR - 18 +4 HP: 83DEX - 14 +2 AC: 16 / Flat-footed: 14 / Touch: 12 / CMD: 16CON - 16 +3 Initiative +8INT - 10 +0 Fort +9 / Ref +5 / Will +2WIS - 12 +1 BAD +6/+1 -- TAB +10/+5 -- Range +8/+3CHA - 11 +0 Main weapon: +1 Keen Fashion, TAB +13/+8, base DMG 2d4+10, 15-20/x2Traits: Reactionary (+2 initiative); Blood of Dragons (low-light vision)Feats:Simple/Martial weapon proficiency (fighter)Shattering Strike (two-handed fighter) - +1 bonus to CMB and CMD on sunder attempts and on damage rolls made against objects. These bonuses increase by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd. Overhand Chop (two-handed fighter) - when a two-handed fighter makes a single attack (with the attack action or a charge) with a two-handed weapon, he adds double his Strength bonus on damage rolls. Weapon Training 1 (fighter) - Blades, Heavy (two-handed fighter) - +1/+1 with heavy blade attacks Favored Enemy: Humanoids (Human) (ranger) - +2/+2 attacking humans; +2 bluff, knowledge, perception, sense motive, survival vs humans Wild Empathy (ranger)Track (ranger)Weapon Focus: Fashion and Weapon Specialization: Fashion - +1/+2 with fashion attacks Improved Initiative Power Attack - You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonuses on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon... Furious Focus - When you are wielding a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon with two hands, and using the Power Attack feat, you do not suffer Power Attack's penalty on melee attack rolls on the first attack you make each turn. You still suffer the penalty on any additional attacks, including attacks of opportunity. Cleave - As a standard action, you can make a single attack at your full base attack bonus against a foe within reach. If you hit, you deal damage normally and can make an additional attack (using your full base attack bonus) against a foe that is adjacent to the first and also within reach. You can only make one additional attack per round with this feat. When you use this feat, you take a –2 penalties to your Armor Class until your next turn. Step Up - Whenever an adjacent foe attempts to take a 5-foot step away from you, you may also make a 5-foot step as an immediate action so long as you end up adjacent to the foe that triggered this ability. (is a moderately attractive young woman by most accounts; fair-skinned with clear-cut features, a narrow jaw and smallish nose but with hard eyes and a low thin brow line that tends to give her a rather no-nonsense look even when she isn't at work. No doubt the scar across the low edge of her chin adds to this sobering appearance, as does the divot on the upper curve of her left ear where a small piece has gone missing. Her hair is black and thick with curls, bouncing about her head whenever not bound down. Though not of imposing stature, her physique is powerfully sculpted, strong even at a glance. Much of her fair-skinned torso is colored by a detailed tattoo. It begins with a Celtic knot centered around her navel. From within that design, rising out of its shadow, a pair of wraithlike arms reach out and upward at opposing angles that follow the curve of her ribs around to her back. Billowing smoke curls away from these phantasmal limbs to creep along the underside of her breasts as though physically obstructed by her flesh, spreading outward high enough to cast an inconsistent shadow across those smooth slopes. On her back the skeletal fingers of these ghostly arms claw at her shredded flesh, tearing the skin away from her spine to reveal a vast night sky pouring out from within her, expanding from a mere strip at her tailbone upward to cover her entire upper body, even extending down her arms to just beyond the elbows where the stars gather so densely that her skin takes over again, creating a border of conflict between the celestial and nocturnal. The sky is a rich blue-violet-black mixture dotted with those stars of her pale skin left peeking through tiny inkless points, a darkness inhabited by the vague shape of a dragon hidden in that twilight glow on its way soaring up from the depths. One eye is visible, a black rounded shape the size of her thumb highlighted in that gloom by shocks of crimson searing through the abyss; its gaze is fixed outward, spying the viewer who dares observe its flight. General attire: turban with veil and scarf, mitral shirt, diaphanous leggings, gloves of reconnaissance and boots of the hinterlands, all of it silver and white. Various Sleeves of Many Garments illusion outfits to replace that ensemble (these are basically for my own later reference):- Leather gloves, vest, trousers and boots-Blue satin gown, sleeveless, with opera gloves and high heels-Burlap cloth tabard with sandals-Cloth cloak, tunic, skirt-Leather coat, bustier, long leather skirt with slit, knee-high boots-Black hooded cloak, body wrap, leg wraps, bound slippers Sherman(ShirvanRace: Fallen Basilar (Pure-blooded)Class: Bard Alignment: NE Age: 107Hair: black Skin: fair Eyes: molten goldAppearanceStanding tall at about 5'11' feet, this man has a rather exotic look about him. Chiseled aristocratic features -- a straight, sharp nose, angular cheekbones and strong jawline, all handsomely framed by shoulder-length black hair that contrasts well with his fair complexion -- and his confident poise suggest a man of noble origin. His eyes, an odd sight the color of molten gold, issue a playful challenge to those who meet them, as if he knows some secret that he dares others to find out. Shirvan's lean build and effortless movements clearly indicate to anyone with an eye for such things that he knows how to handle himself in a fight; the scimitar that rests on the left side of his belt isn't for show, nor does he wear the leather cauldrons and Greaves over his red vest with anything but the confidence of a seasoned warrior. On a closer inspection, the black-haired swordsman appears to be just short of his thirties, though he has evidently mastered the art of etiquette quite well. He speaks eloquently in his deep, smooth voice, appealing with a bright and attentive look. His exotic flair is exaggerated by the fact that his speech sometimes slips into fairly odd inflections, when he doesn't pay attention. It's obvious that he isn't a native. BackgroundThe tale of Sherman is one steeped in tragedy, though whether it is his own or that of those who fell prey to his silver tongue is a subject for debate. On any other world, in any of the many bountiful nations of famed Toil or the vast Clarion, a child born of celestial lineage would be a small wonder, the carrier of a grand destiny and someday, perhaps, a famed hero or prophet. Not so atop the Spire, within the City of Doors. There, even devils and demons grudgingly tolerate each other's existence under the protectorate of the mysterious Lady of Pain, whose name only passes lips in hushed whispers for fear that her shadow might fall upon them. There, the exotic quickly becomes mundane. Shirvan's divine parentage is undeniable, though its origins are suspect: his mother was a half-celestial, daughter of a Per and a mortal, called SHA'van. Though traditionally representing the ideal of good like their kin, the Per are a race of Celestials descended from Fallen Angels. Their blood sometimes pulls them into the very opposite direction. Conflicted her whole life between these two polar opposites warring inside, Sherman's mother eventually began to drown her sorrows using an addictive euphoria -- a drug derived from Salad eggs. The chaos so introduced into her system quickly helped her get over any lingering doubts; not so the growing dependency and cravings they introduced. Ultimately, SHA'van's life ended short and miserably, the last decade of her existence the life of a drug-addicted prostitute in the Hive, one of the most wretched regions even in the slums of Sigil. It was there that Sherman was born. Though the identity of his biological father is unknown, his appearance suggests a human or a subspecies thereof. As they say: Life's cheap, berk, but nowhere's it cheaper than in the Hive Ward. The man Sherman recognizes as his 'proper' father was, for all intents and purposes, SHA'van's pimp. A downtrodden human with Irish ancestry (a presumption prompted by his prominent lower jaw) called Hammers-Nails or Nails, chosen for his enjoyment of the proverb that 'the nail that sticks out gets hammered down'. He decided to keep Sherman around and put him to work after his mother died. Though the number of women in his employ was small, it was still good to have a messenger and spy available. The young Basilar proved very good at that. He was smart and handsome for a boy and quickly established himself as one of the leaders of the local children; mostly thieves, beggars or messengers themselves. His Celestial blood, however, also meant that he aged slower than most after his initial growth-spurt. At the age of sixteen, he still looked like he was twelve, but by then he had decided that he'd had enough and that he didn't like the glint in old Nail's eyes whenever the man looked at him lately -- a dagger in the gut remedied that and Sherman was his own man. A common occurrence in the Hive. Shirvan, for his part, was ready to move on. After a brief stint with the Collectors in Rag picker's Square that didn't prove very successful, the boy banded together with a group of orphans and started going after local vermin for the reward. The main problem with that was that this particular sort of vermin grew more and more dangerous in large numbers and wasn't particularly pleased when their ranks were being culled. It was dangerous, but at least provided a meager income. At the age of twenty-five, now looking around fourteen years old, Sherman lucked into what might well have been the greatest turning point in his life: he found a young half-even child wandering the Slags, pretty much the worst area in the entire slum. The boy clearly didn't belong there. It turned out he stemmed from the Lady's Ward and had stumbled through a portal by accident. The half-elf was named Ca lath d'Array. Rather than follow his first impulse and slit the stranger's throat in order to take his belongings, Sherman decided to do the smart thing and help him find his way back home. The boy's family, the d'Arrays, were overjoyed and Sherman was rewarded with a position as a live-in servant in the household. A charming boy, he quickly ingratiated himself with the family. The patriarch of the house was Lorn d'Arrays, a human mage of plenty skill and renown. His even wife, Mary, was not quite as influential, but stemmed from even nobility and possessed some arcane skill herself, though she found herself more at home at court and with the classical even arts. It was there that Sherman received a formal education and spent long hours training with the d'Arrays, who became more foster parents than employers; he was essentially growing up at about the same rate as Ca lath, and they quickly established a brother-like relationship, even if Sherman was mostly playing along to keep his new privileges. Sherman was more gifted than Ca lath in many ways and figured that, if he proved his superiority often enough while putting up a good facade, he might supplant him at some point. He didn't really try to do anything malicious to Ca lath, actually enjoying the company on some level as they began to journey across the Planes, stumbling upon the occasional adventure. Still, the fact that he hadn't yet usurped Ca lath' position as the favored son was gnawing at him and, when they both started to vie for the same woman, the situation grew worse. Sherman had always been very close to his even foster mother, who he had no doubt would have little qualms leaving the legacy to him, if both her husband and son would meet an unfortunate demise. And he'd have the woman he fancied, too. Things didn't go quite as well as intended. An attempt to poison both of them failed after Lorn's death, when Ca lath discovered his malevolent betrayal. Sherman was forced to flee with nothing but what he had currently on him. He knew of a priced possession of his newly deceased foster father's that might prove his salvation. Preferring the risk to a return to the slums, he broke into the mage's sanctum and stole the powerful Amulet of the Planes located there. He immediately activated its power -- to be whisked away to somewhere, anywhere, that wasn't Sigil. He didn't expect to appear before a demon lord. As an angel-blooded thoroughly in the grasp of evil, he luckily managed to draw interest and instead of being devoured immediately offered his services in exchange for his continued existence. After all, why not act in such a service and work to become a favored agent? Anyone could become a Demon Lord if they amassed enough power to take charge of an abyssal layer, and it seemed as good and grand an ambition as any. Personality and Psychology For a man born poor in the Hive, Sherman is actually a fairly nice person. He only kills people without remorse if it serves a purpose, rather than if they look at him in a slightly disagreeable manner. Though he would certainly qualify as an 'evil' person by most standards, he doesn't view himself as a bad person per se. Life dealt him a bad hand, what's so wrong about discarding it and getting a new one? It's not like people are actually gone after they're dead, he's just shortening a period of their journey to the next plane their karma draws them to. He's quite happy with the people he has actually killed, such as his foster father. The pimp had not only been the final nail in his mother's coffin, but had put him to work as a messenger in one of the most dangerous areas in the multiverse. Plus, there were those lecherous looks Nails had given him towards the end. Preempting anything he might have done with a generous stabbing was a good thing for everyone involved, really. Killing his foster father and brother (or trying to, in the latter case) was not a decision made lightly, but one enforced by years of frustration that had slowly built. He believes himself a better son than Ca lath, in every conceivable way; it wasn't fair that his low birth should stand in the way of that. The shade of pity he had always perceived in both their eyes continually galled him, his rage barely suppressed underneath the surface of playing the perfect son. Rage that reminded him all too much of Hammers-Nails, further exacerbating the issue until he finally decided that killing them was all he had left if he ever wanted to move on. He doesn't regret having killed Lorn, though part of him laments the future that might have been if the man had just been a little less attached to his own flesh and blood. All this comes to one statement: Sherman kills without remorse when he feels it necessary, then rationalizes it. He prefers to do it in cold blood in order to feel in control, but his temper sometimes gets away with him. However, it should be noted that he doesn't kill often, nor indiscriminately. Only when his charm and cunning won't get him what he wants will he stoop to such methods; this serves as both a way to distinguish himself from Nails, and to give him a sense of superiority. Though aware of it to some extent, there is something he won't admit to himself: he has issues with the female gender. Or rather, with applying his rather pragmatic outlook on the continued existence of other people to women. Having never really had a mother figure and then connecting very well with his new foster mother to the point of a slight infatuation, he finds that whenever it would benefit him more to kill a woman than to let her live he makes up excuses. Beyond his views on killing, Sherman likes to view himself as an ambitious person with the guts to do what is needed. He's certainly clever, cunning and even brave in the face of danger when he has to be. Now that he had a taste of privilege and power, he desires to regain that sort of position and go beyond it. He didn't enjoy the confrontation with his foster brother and his forced retreat, preferring by far to appear the dashing hero than the wretched villain. This means that he will generally entertain and project a good image of himself, even if he has to go to depraved lengths behind the curtain to keep wearing that clean vest in public. Character SheetShirvanMale Fallen Basilar Bard 6NE Medium outsider (native)Unit +4; Senses dark vision 60 ft.; Perception +14--------------------Defense--------------------AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 shield, +2 DEX)hp 66 (6d8+18)Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +6; +4 bonuses vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5--------------------Offense--------------------Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 rapier +7 (1d6+3/18-20) and. . Dagger +6 (1d4+2/19-20) and. . Dagger +6 (1d4+2/19-20) and. . Dagger +6 (1d4+2/19-20) and. . Spiked gauntlet +6 (1d4+2)Ranged masterwork composite short bow +7 (1d6+2/×3)Special Attacks bardic performance 18 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate, inspire competence +2, inspire courage +2, suggestion)Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +10). . 1/day—spell-like ability, lesser Bard Spells Known (CL 6th; concentration +10):. . 2nd (4/day)—heroism, invisibility, mirror image, suggestion (DC 17). . 1st (5/day)—beguiling gift[APG] (DC 16), charm person (DC 16), grease, sow thought[ARG] (DC 16). . 0 (at will)—dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound (DC 14), prestidigitation, read magic, sift[APG]--------------------Statistics--------------------STR 15, DEX 14, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 10, CIA 18Base ATK +4; CMB +6; CMD 18 Feats Arcane Strike, Prodigy[UM], Spell song[UM]Traits charming, reactionary Skills Acrobatics +9, Appraise +8, Bluff +15 (+16 vs. characters who could be attracted to you), Climb +5, Craft (alchemy) +8, Diplomacy +15 (+16 vs. characters who could be attracted to you), Disguise +8, Escape Artist +5, Knowledge (arcane) +10, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +10 (+12 to navigate underground), Knowledge (engineering) +10, Knowledge (geography) +10, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (nobility) +12, Knowledge (planes) +12, Knowledge (religion) +10, Linguistics +8, Perception +14, Perform (comedy) +15, Perform (dance) +8, Perform (oratory) +15, Ride +2, Sense Motive +15, Sleight of Hand +5, Spell craft +8, Stealth +9, Survival +0 (+2 to avoid becoming lost when using this), Swim +2, Use Magic Device +10; Racial Modifiers +1 Bluff, +1 Diplomacy, greed Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Diatonic, Dwarves, Even, Goblin, Infernal, Orcs bardic knowledge +3, lore master 1/day, seducer, versatile performance abilities (comedy, oratory)Combat Gear wand of cure light wounds, wand of detect poison (50 charges), wand of silent image (50 charges), wand of unseen servant (50 charges), caltrops (3), invisible ink, average, smoke pellet; Other Gear +1 mitral chain shirt, buckler, +1 rapier, dagger, dagger, dagger, masterwork composite short bow, spiked gauntlet, belt of mighty constitution +2, cloak of resistance +1, eyes of the eagle, headband of alluring charisma +2, sleeves of many garments, backpack, masterwork, bell, candle, cards, chalk, compass, dice, dungeoneering kit, earplugs, hollowed pommel, marked cards, light horse (combat trained), grooming kit, military saddle, mirror, pathfinder's kit, perfume/cologne, saddlebags, scrivener's kit, stationery, 428 GP, 7 SP, 5 CP--------------------Special Abilities--------------------Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Bardic Knowledge +3 (Ex) Add +3 to all knowledge skill checks. Bardic Performance (standard action, 18 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects. Charming +1 Bluff/Diplomacy/save DC for a language-dependent spell vs. targets who could be sexually attracted to you. Compass +2 circumstance for Survival or Knowledge (Dungeoneering) to avoid becoming lost. Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only). Earplugs +2 save vs. hearing effects, -5 hearing-based Perception. Energy Resistance, Acid (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Acid attacks. Energy Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks. Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks. Greed (Ex) +2 to Appraise checks to determine the price of nonmagical goods that contain precious metals or gemstones. Lore Master (1/day) (Ex) Can take 10 on any trained knowledge checks. Activate to take 20 as a standard action. Prodigy (Perform [oratory], Perform [comedy]) Gain a +2 bonuses on two Craft, Perform, or Profession skills. Sleeves of many garments Transform current clothes into any non-magical new form. Spellsong Combine spell casting and bardic performance Versatile Performance (Comedy) +15 (Ex) You may substitute the final value of your Perform: Comedy skill for Bluff or Intimidate checks Versatile Performance (Oratory) +15 (Ex) You may substitute the final value of your Perform: Oratory skill for Diplomacy or Sense Motive checks Wand of detect poison (50 charges) Add this item to create a wand of a chosen spell. Wand of silent image (50 charges) Add this item to create a wand of a chosen spell. Wand of unseen servant (50 charges) Add this item to create a wand of a chosen spell. Mount (+carried equipment)Horse, light (combat trained)Horse N Large animating +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +6--------------------Defense--------------------AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 9 (+2 DEX, -1 size)hp 15 (2d8+6)Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +1--------------------Offense--------------------Speed 50 ft. Melee 2 hooves +3 (1d4+3)Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.--------------------Statistics--------------------STR 16, DEX 14, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, CIA 7Base ATK +1; CMB +5; CMD 17 (21 vs. trip)Feats Endurance, Run Tricks Attack, Combat Riding, Come, Defend, Down, Guard, Heel Skills Acrobatics +2 (+6 to jump with a running start), Perception +6, Ride +2 (+4 to stay in the saddle)SQ combat riding Other Gear grooming kit, military saddle, mirror, pathfinder's kit, perfume/cologne, saddlebags, scrivener's kit, stationery--------------------Special Abilities--------------------Combat Riding [Trick] The animal has been trained to bear a rider into combat. Endurance +4 to a variety of fort saves, skill and ability checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue. Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail. Run Run 5x your speed in light/medium armor or 4x speed in heavy armor and keep DEX when running. Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell. Quote from: Luna on 16-08-2014, 20:00:57Oh yup I'm not worried. :-) I just didn't want to get anyone else's hopes that we were gonna start killing each other off, he. I look forward to some in game tussles. :-)Speaking of tussles, are any of you interested in any kind of off-on romance with my kobold? I should probably take that to the actually IOC thread at any rate. And take it here I did! I don't generally plan relationships with characters I haven't met yet based on their race, particularly when considering it when my own character is one I haven't yet had a chance to play and get to know either. At a guess, though, I'd suspect not; I don't think Lusaka is the romantic type. (Kayak Class: Sorceress-6Bloodline: Diatonic (red)EXP: 15,000Next Level: 21,000Race: Kobold Age: 18Gender: Female Height: 2’ 10”Weight: 32 lbs. Measures: C cup Skin: Ruby scales Eyes: GoldenSszztara Kayak was one kobold among many. She had six brothers and seven sisters, and that was just her clutch alone! It was usually very hard for anyone dragon kin to stand out among so many of her kind, and usually they used these numbers to their great advantage. The Kayak clan was well regarded by those looking for cheap hired muscle that never asked questions and had no qualms murdering obviously nice people. The clan was numerous, and thrived, even if any one individual member was not expected to live too long past maturity. But Sszztara was special. From a fairly early age, long before she was old enough to mate, she had exhibited special abilities... more than just the faint traces of their people's diatonic heritage. She had traces of their magic as well, and her powers seemed to mature along with the rest of her. It wasn't long before Tara gained a special place in the clan. She was given her own entourage, and chosen for special missions. And it was enough, for a while. Eventually, however, even the highest status as the clan's champion sorceress felt like too low an honor. She was still growing in power, and the clan could only offer her so much in reward for her talents. One evening, in the dead of night, she slipped away, never to be seen by her family again. Grander adventures awaited her, much nastier villains to work for, much loftier (and shinier!) prizes to obtain. Fibril, Level 6 Human Cleric of Amadeus (Fire and Devil Domains) Click to Show/Hide(Quote from: NicciKotor on 16-08-2014, 20:12:38Yeah you are really hampering on the orgies by playing a kobold. Honestly I'd say the cleric's attitude is more of an orgy-stopper than is being a kobold. Playing what you described as "a total bitch" seems unlikely to win her many friends or lovers. Maybe inspirational for a bout of hate sex, but that tends to be more of a personal thing than an orgy event. *shrugs* Maybe that's just me. Meh, there will be plenty of chances for orgies with me around. The second post of this thread has been updated with a (crudely done) map. The hexes are 12 miles across (or whatever is standard for Pathfinder, about a day's walk I think?), though I admittedly wasn't all that concerned about scale when making it. The IC thread is located here: probably went a bit overboard with the magic items, but keep in mind they are gifts from a demon. So… side effects and curses and unintended consequences and all that. The ring that everyone gets will make the wearer appear as neutral for things like detect evil, but also takes up a ring slot. If you aren't going to make major changes to your character you are welcome to start posting there, to try and decide on a course of action. I'll try to go over the sheets over the next few days, but am too tired to do so today. A few replies to the advertisement thread. I'd prefer not to have much if any PVP. The characters are working together under threat of eternal torture at the hands of a demon lord, so should probably be leery of doing anything that upsets him. That doesn't mean they have to be buddy, but they should be willing to work towards their common goals. I'm not going to stop Fibril from being a Devil worshiper, since I could easily see Graz'at using (and corrupting) the servants of Devils and even other Demons, though she would need a good reason to serve him, and is probably aware that she is being set up in some manner or other. Not that any of the characters should trust Graz'at, but a devil worshiper even less so. Unfortunately I am not going to allow anything from outside the PRD, sorry Conduit. Just a quick note as I may not have made it clear. Graz'at is just a disembodied voice inside the 'temple.' He isn't physically present (at least that anyone can see). Hmm. Would it be alright to construct an equivalent via the Race Creation rules thereon the PRD, then? Edit: Incidentally: my character will not refer to himself as a bard or act particularly 'artsy' Icy. He's more of a charismatic, inspiring figure (with oratory as his primary performance choice) than a musician. Quote from: Conduit on 17-08-2014, 09:05:30Hmm. Would it be alright to construct an equivalent via the Race Creation rules that are on the PRD, then? Edit: Incidentally: my character will not refer to himself as a bard or act particularly 'artsy' Icy. He's more of a charismatic, inspiring figure (with oratory as his primary performance choice) than a musician. You can use the Race Creator if you'd like. Alright; standard Basilar have 15 RP, so I went with the same. If you want no more than 10 used, I propose cutting out the last four traits. QuoteFallen Basilar (Pure-blooded custom):+2 CIA, +2 Int (Flexible; 2 RP)Type: Outsider, Native (3 RP)Size: Medium (0 RP)Speed: Normal (0 RP)Race Language: Common, Celestial (Standard; 0 RP)Traits:Celestial Resistance (acid/cold/electricity resistance 5; 3 RP)Dark vision 60 ft (Part of Outsider Native type; 0 RP)Gift of Tongues (+1 racial to Bluff and Diplomacy checks, learn one additional language for every rank in Linguistics; 2 RP)Seducer (add +1 to the saving throw DC's for spells and spell-like abilities of the enchantment school. Members of this race with a Wisdom score of 15+ may use charm person once per day as a spell-like ability; 2 RP)Pyrotechnics 1/day (Spell-Like Ability, Lesser; 2 RP)Greed (+2 to appraise checks to determine monetary value of nonmagical items that contain precious metals or gemstones)How does this look? Edit: Fixed the numbers, Pyrotechnics is a level 2 spell, so 2 RP. Also realized I had spent only 14 rather than 15 as announced, so added Greed. Seems appropriate for Basilar with a fallen angel somewhere down the line. It should be fine if it is the same as an Basilar, though I'll glance more in-depth tomorrow. Excellent. I added an erstwhile character sheet, the text export from Hero Lab (character creation app I'm using), but will fix up an online sheet as well. Just putting it out there for now. Edit: Still missing the regular equipment, which I'll add shortly. Edit: And done. Quick IOC query to the other players: since Sherman is the guy most likely to get those rings onto people successfully, does anyone mind if he holds onto the 'obviously to be used to manipulate people' rings for now? He'll attempt to take them with the same reasoning, if anyone else wants them (or would rather they be split more evenly), feel free to interrupt him. I'll keep it to the end of the post so as not to make any presumptions. I haven't started getting a full response to the IC thread written up yet, but at a glance, none of those rings sound appealing to Lusaka's sensibilities except for the ring to hide her true nature. Furthermore, I doubt she'll get involved in any squabbles between the rest of the group over who gets to play with what toys. First post, woo! Well, guess the charismatic guy might as well divvy things up, then. The'll probably give the dagger to Lusaka more often than not, since she'll use it better, slipping that thing into someone's back from behind as a Coup de Grâce is more his sort of approach. Still trying to decide how Lusaka would feel about the notion of grouping up with three other people for a job like this when it's already obvious at least one of them is completely off the deep end. I assume you're referring to Fibril here, but ... is it that obvious? Most of Nicki's post is internal narration, though the first-person perspective leaves it a bit difficult to discern how much of that she actually projects outwards. I'd just assume she doesn't and wait for it to actually come up before making it an IC problem, but that's just my recommendation. Which is why you bold your spoken words. Spoken words? I'm referring to stance, facial expressions, manner of movement. That she's completely ignorant of (or not caring about) how insanely powerful Graz'at is compared to all of us put together and shrugging off what he does as 'cute' is something that could easily reflect in those. Though I guess yawning at the angel and humming on the way to meeting a demon lord might be a tip-off. Also, quotation marks are the common way to go for dialogue in writing and, as far as I'm concerned, more than sufficient. Unless it's a GM-dictated thing, I won't bold or color my dialogue. Yeah, her dialogue wasn't the biggest issue there. Her body language was the 'WTF is this person thinking' aspect. Changed 'doing Graz'at's work' in my post to 'working for Graz'at', since I realized that sounds fairly close to religious reverence, which wasn't the intended tone. Sorry about that, sometimes my lack of native speaker-less does rear its ugly head. Edit:How's your character coming along, Luna? :-)Edit 2: Sorry, post's a bit short. I kind of wanted to wait for Luna to post, but I figured in a conversation post order is ... probably not that important and her sheet's not ready yet. So I tried not to have Sherman do too much. Soon ... everyone alright? I really like the premise for this one and fervently hope it's not a stillbirth. :-\ Agreed. I'm still here! Just sorta waiting in the hopes that our pink kobold companion is going to be making her presence known. Xor should we just kinda gently move things along assuming she's coming with us? I'll move things along in a day or two just to keep things progressing. The current plan is to head towards the city? Yes. Excellent. Though it would be nice to get some interparty interaction going for a little planning before we actually get on the way, or at least to indicate whether the characters agree with the approach proposed by Sherman or not. Edit: So .... A post had been made, my apologies for any errors as it has been a long day. I just wanted to get it up as promised before I went to bed. I'll give Luna a few more days to get back to me, then replace her if I haven't heard from her. As most of the arcane characters seemed to be monstrous, we'll assume they are silently tagging along and (depending on how the group goes) waiting outside or somehow disguised. Well, Into post, but I'd really like to know if we're going with Sherman's plan or not and how much convincing he had to do, if any, as that'll of course dictate his mood in approaching the whole thing. The lack of response is a bit of a downer. Sorry about that. Was sorta unsure of what to do while waiting for things that were up in the air. x Righto! Nicki, any feedback? I am just going to chat them up and enter the town. Alright. :-) Any thoughts on the overall approach and what Sherman proposed? If your character agrees, has a plan of her own, doesn't care or plans to just do whatever she wants regardless of the group, that's fine too (well, notfinesince IC it will probably cause friction, but it's a valid approach), but just say something so we know where the characters stand (or appear to stand, since deceptive). Waiting for someone else to post first this time, don't want to hog all the IC space. I'll be removing Luna due to a lack of posting (am not sure if I offended her or something?), and Niccikotor as I am not entirely happy with how her character is fitting with the game (my fault, I may not have gotten the right sense for the character concept). AER Dark wail will be replacing Luna, and I'll send a PM to someone who was previously interested to replace Niccikotor. Sorry for the delays in getting the game going, and the issues that swapping out characters may cause. Sup everyone - your 'healer' reporting in, using the Orc Witch I'd originally applied with. Quotation marks to indicate that I plan on taking a very active role in combat by rebuffing and murder facing anything we happen to tangle with, then getting to work with a spatula and/or band-aid box. If you're about to eat dirt, you'll get immediate attention, but other than that I stand firmly in the 'healing is best done pre-emptively' school of combat. Personality-wise, Harsh is what we'd call an equal-opportunity racist. His hierarchy for respect is pretty straightforward:1) Strong Orcs (like himself)2) Strong non-Elf Non-Orcs3) Orcs4) Scum, aka None of the Above5) Elves So we should all get along splendidly - the rest of the group qualifies by default for Category 2.EDIT: @Jaded: There is a feat I'd like to take, called Spirit Talker, from the Advanced Class Guide - it's an official PAIO book that has been added to the Pf SRD, but isn't yet included in the PRD (according to PAIO forums, it is scheduled for upload in September). It uses a feat slot and gives me a bonus hex from the Shaman list I can change from day to day by communing with spirits.#TOC-Spirit-Su-Never mind. There are only a few Shaman hexes I could make good use of, and the most valuable one - Enhanced Cures - wouldn't be of use until level 7+ anyway. I'll grab Accursed Hex instead. Welcome, then, Gladstone and AER! So that's a Scarred Witch Doctor and an Antipaladin ... well, I hope they can do subtle if they need to. That said, are we re-doing things? And if not, some info on how the two replacement characters) conducted themselves before Graz'at's presence) what they thought about the general plan proposed or any other thoughts they had would be appreciated. Also, the rat staff obviously would have gone to our Witch, and I'm thinking maybe the 'steal souls' dagger to the Paladin, if he's not opposed to using teensy-tiny weapons. Rather than reconning, it'd probably make it easier on Jaded (and on the narrative), to just have the two of us been briefed separately from the primary group. Graz't's 'second string', so to speak, in case something went wrong with the first group. Whatever causes the two initial members to disappear/die/melt into puddles of goo that have no mouth but must scream is GM's discretion, and the replacement PCs (us) are either already in town, or waiting along the way (with mutual Graz't-given instructions for recognition)....what I want to know is how the Arcane Spell caster slot ended up going to a martial Divine caster, and the Divine Spell caster slot ended up going to an Arcane caster. That's just messed up, yo. That could work. I prefer playing first meetings out, anyway. Since our Kobold posted only ... once, I think, she's probably still best reconned out entirely despite that. Though it probably wouldn't be too difficult to remove the references to Fibril from Shade's and my own posts and just have it be the two of them to begin with, I guess she might have done/thought/intended something to upset Graz'at to the point of getting instructions to be killed dead (and possibly burned up to prevent resurrection). I'm not too big on killing characters off once the player is gone, but ... it Jaded's decision how to handle things. While I'm not the biggest fan of peppering ex-player characters either, judging by the way she was teasing the guards, I can think of detours for Fibril that don't involve death. >.>That'd mean losing her anti-alignment ring, though, and whatever else she got from Graz'at's box of goodies, so waters. I'm admittedly still on uneasy ground just getting a feel for Pathfinder-flavored socializing. Also, the kobold posted 0 times in the IC thread. D:Welcome aboard, Glyph and AER. ... Hm. Have we played in something before, Glyph? Your name's really familiar. :|an Oh, you're right, no IC post. Should have checked before talking. Even easier, then! As far as revealing her for the guards, that would likely involve breaking cover for all of us. Quote from: TheGlyphstone on 30-08-2014, 08:24:12Personality-wise, Harsh is what we'd call an equal-opportunity racist. His hierarchy for respect is pretty straightforward:1) Strong Orcs (like himself)2) Strong non-Elf Non-Orcs3) Orcs4) Scum, aka None of the Above5) Elves So we should all get along splendidly - the rest of the group qualifies by default for Category 2. Oh? Even if one party member is 'half-elf with some muscle' in him, and he can rip faces off bare hands? Plus he is sorcerer. Quote from: TheGlyphstone on 30-08-2014, 10:21:14...what I want to know is how the Arcane Spell caster slot ended up going to a martial Divine caster, and the Divine Spell caster slot ended up going to an Arcane caster. That's just messed up, yo. Because I was stalking Jade far before, and I saw this game had lost its organist (surprise on loosing Nicki though, although if GM is not fine with her char IC attitude then that's her judgment). Anyway I PM'ed her for position in arcane slot and had two concepts; male tie fling abyssal blooded sorcerer or mistune with fey bloodline sorcerer. I felt more inspired to make genuine tie fling (and thus 'evil') char than vengeful trickster so below is the results. I know my skill set kind overlaps with Conduit's char, but I am sure there is used to have two socialites in the party (more so as sorcerer knows likely more magic tricks than bard does). Idea is that in 7th level I take spell focus [conjuration] and pick augment summoning as bonus bloodline feat, so I become party summoner (so I can both participate in melee by biting and clawing with STR 18 while buffed up, hitting weaker foes of, and also provide summon meat shields and flank buddies which could be buffed further by bard). Valdrek the Twice-Damned(#id=23116)(was born to half-fiend mother who is native of Divine Kingdom, years ago as Graz'at had been summoned to kill the king Graz'at was allowed indulge on his vice for fine women....this case in a kidnapped noble woman who year later birthed a monster, a female half-fiend who overtook the noble house of her mother who died on childbirth. Disguised as her death was never made public knowledge. Said half-fiend attempted finish the job Graz'at had started by creating a coup, but it failed, and she was forced to flee from Divine Kingdom. But not before she had seduced an even man and slain him and given birth to tie fling child which she left behind. Those who sought her out found the child and sympathetic knight send child to orphanage than slay the child. Valdrek grew in orphanage, but he was born rebel, and he was constantly in trouble, sneaking out from orphanage whenever he could, and he cheated and lied and despite punishments he kept doing it. Then day when his sorcerers gift manifested (accidentally making dinning items fly around) his caretakers had got it enough, they attempted murder Valdez, but he escaped on streets and there he had lived since age of eight. He grew among pickpockets, thugs and other criminals. He became street urchin who learned to get daily bread and food by stealing and tricking people. Furthermore, he made many contacts with Divine Kingdom underworld and learned names of several whores whom he visited (or seduced even as some girls are into kinky sex with 'tie fling'). Furthermore, he got money enough study under an alchemist as he found alchemy interesting art besides his natural-born magical gifts. Alchemist secretly brews drugs and poisons on demand and through the clientele Valdez made many contacts besides ones he got while growing up and got involved in many shady dealings. Also through his alchemist mentor the acquaintance with a noble who belonged to noble family which bears grudge to the king and kings guard. The man desired a very notorious poison and so Valdez's mentor provided it for him. However, noble got Valdez involved on his plot; by helping administer poison into a wedding cake by seducing the baker and doing it at dead of the night (as extra money). Sadly though even if target was eliminated successfully, the poison was traced back to Valdez's alchemist mentors shop who got then arrested from brewing drugs and poisons (and accused also collaborating with murder although Valdez thinks that is a bit too much as his mentor had no idea what for poison was requested) and before guards confiscated anything he took the most precious item of his mentor; the cauldron of brewing and his alchemy notebook which held the recipes what he knew. This point he met his grandfather while he was hiding from guards searching for him (as he was suspect also) and he sequestered him away and told about his full lineage, including knowledge about his mother who seem had not given any thought for Valdez's own existence. His grandfather became the only true father figure he had and taught about embracing his natural sorcerers gift as it held power and potential for Valdez, great potential. Then through grandfather he learned then that Graz'at, Valdez's great-grandfather, had big plans for Divine Kingdom, and thus he was guided go to north at Barony of Willow field. Preparing embrace his destiny. Fixed up Sherman's stat sheet with the missing Sense Motive entry. Must be a Hero lab bug that it's not included in the become-output version. Should probably check if that's the same with other classes or perhaps Versatile Performance-related. That said: ah, so not the Anti-Paladin you proposed originally? A sorcerer is always nice, good to split the social workload a bit. Between the huge amount of skills and Versatile Performance it's a pretty save bet that Sherman remains the all-rounder socialite-go to guy, but it'd feel really weird if he was the only one good at social stuff when their mission clearly requires some finesse. And between all three of us AND some summoning, I think we'll be a pretty darn powerful group. Lusaka brings the serious hurt, everyone else is competent at combat in their own right -- hexes, buffing, summoning and arcane spells flying about. I also find the notion of an evil Basilar and a Tie fling in the same group pretty nice. Not to mention they might have a few things to talk about, since Sherman isoform this plane and actually encountered Graz'at (well, it was in the write-up, if Jaded would rather not have a personal encounter to have happened at this juncture, I could change it). Also, Sherman will have a proposal once we're inside and have a bit of info gathered. There was a rumor about powerful stuff being hidden away in the woods, as I recall -- looking into that under the appropriate pretensions should serve to both garner extra interest from the locals, some nice itemsandbattle experience as a group. And, because I'd like some extra info on the city and local customs to better deal with the guard barring entrance: Sherman makes a Knowledge (local) check. He uses a Standard Action to recall everything he ever heard about the town, their customs, laws, rivalries with neighboring areas and such and activates his 1/day Lore Master ability, taking a 20 on the check. This gives him a result on Knowledge (Local) of 30. Lore Master is pretty good feature. Also, my char is 'local' (albeit he hails from the capital of Divine Kingdom than from the county) so he can be useful in long run as trait wise he is connected to one bittered up noble family which had fallen from grace so to speak in local climate. So he has contact(s). Also plan post and add that my char did some digging also before you arrived. Did Jade say anything on how you're being introduced? Not, no word. But I guess I improvise a bit in writing myself in. As end of my biography mentions how my char could meet you guys. Although I now realize the 'grandfather' mentor is actually my char's uncle technically speaking (as my char lineage is Graz'at > Valdez's mom > Valdez). Oh well, char gen past midnight can make such hiccups :P. Quote from: AER Dark wail on 30-08-2014, 13:51:59Oh? Even if one party member is 'half-elf with some muscle' in him, and he can rip faces off bare hands? Plus he is sorcerer. Well, you lose big points for being half-elf...but Fiends are near the top of the 'strong non-Orc' category, so that half makes up for it and puts you back in Category 2. Harmony restored. And if you're a sorcerer instead of an Antipaladin, that explains the arcane thing.In regard to the items that were already handed out to missing PCs...that's not much of a problem either. They went wherever the missing characters went, but Graz't happened to give the exact same items, or something close in theme and power, to his second-stringers. Well, if Graz'at gave freebies I would vote on that he gave (through my char uncle) Philter of Love (it's already on sheet and bought on my own expenses). Quote from: AER Dark wail on 30-08-2014, 20:05:01Well, if Graz'at gave freebies I would vote on that he gave (through my char uncle) Philter of Love (it's already on sheet and bought on my own expenses). That depends on if the items are character-tailored (something we can use) or plot-tailored (something we'll need). Sometimes making use of unplanned for or requested gear can be interesting in itself....you know exactly what you'd do with a Philter of Love. Finding a use for a Wand of Summon Rat Swarm would require more creativity. Yeah, but philter of love can be applied to other people than yourself too (ultimate bribe for ugly nobleman to get hot influential priestess as wife, bonus points if priestess hated the man before and man detested her). Extra points if you arrange for things to go wrong, the priestess instead falls for someone else, and then he'll needanotherfavor. Indeed, >:). My tie fling would be asshole enough to make it fail so that the hot chick falls in love with him while other guy sold the bottle. Done and done. O:) Graz'at should read evil overlord guide, it has some nice tips, and also he could have got closer relationship with Valdez (as note; I plan seriously use these);(Quote from: AER Dark wail on 30-08-2014, 20:58:08Yeah, but philter of love can be applied to other people than yourself too (ultimate bribe for ugly nobleman to get hot influential priestess as wife, bonus points if priestess hated the man before and man detested her). Except that's exactly the point I was trying to make - something like a Philter of Love is straightforward and obvious in its application, since it has exactly one useful function. Something you hadn't planned for can end up sitting around in a bag, seemingly useless, until a situation appears where you can improvise it into the perfect tool - there are a lot of Wondrous Items, one-shot or otherwise, whose uses aren't immediately apparent in many cases. Embrace spontaneity, is all I'm saying. That happened in a long-running Rod tabletop I ran; in one of the very earliest encounters, the party looted a CL1 Wand of Entangle, and promptly forgot about it until one of the very last fights in the entire adventure, where laying down Entangle fields across a narrow choke point they had to defend trivialized an encounter several CR points above them. I hadn't planned it like that, but letting them get away with it conserved a bunch of resources for the big boss fight soon afterward. I am open to improvised tools, but general stuff what Graz'at gave was straightforward. Rat Swarm is a bit odd case. Is the wand arcane or divine wand? My char could actually use it and I pondered should I take Web or Summon Swarm as 2nd level spell. As its kind was toss off. Anyway, all done. Getting Craft Wondrous Item for free at 5th level is nice, I was able to trick out my mask like a pimp with a bunch of useful stuff. Karsh, Male Orc Scarred Witch Doctor 6 (your training will be a story, a tale of my past, and a lesson. The story will be of my first vision quest, the time I ventured into the distant human lands of the north, into what was once the soft and pitiful land of men called the Celestial Kingdom. The lesson shall be of power, and the knowledge that power can come in many forms and behind many faces. There came a day in my apprenticeship, as there will be in yours, when my master decided he had nothing left to share. He told me so, and gave me a day to prepare, for in the baleful gaze of the next noon sun, we would fight to the death. I struck him down after long struggle, and tore his heart from his carved the brand of a spirit shaman into my forehead, and burned the sacred herbs to learn what the spirits required of me. But it was no mere spirit who answered my call, but the voice of the Despoiler itself. Smooth as the skin of a fresh-slaughtered infant, and sharp as the broken bones beneath. It had a grand mission for me, its newest shaman, one that would bring greatness and wealth and slaves to my tribe. But I could not complete this quest alone, rather I would be given allies, others sworn to the service of the Despoiler and bound to carry out its will. Together, we would bring the arrogant humans to their knees where they belonged, starting with a frail and indolent whore who thought to call herself a Baroness... AppearanceKarsh is a well-muscled orc male in his prime, a few inches under six feet with scraggly dark hair and beady red eyes beneath a heavy brow. His skin is a mottled gray, but heavily disfigured by hundreds of interlocking, intricate scars and ritualistic tattoos that line the flesh of his arms and upper torso. Some are lines of script in Irish, others are religious or arcane symbols, still others strange runes, all gouged into his skin. He carries a massive, two-handed fashion on his back, and wears a suit of leathery woven leaf armor, but the carved wooden fetish mask on his head or over his face is the most eye-catching of his possessions. It covers the entire front of his head, carved or grown to resemble a person screaming in torturous agony. Their eyes appear to have been gouged or cut out, leaving two holes though which Harsh can see, and gaps at the bottom let his tusks jut from beneath the wooden visage. Aside from his mask, armor, and weapon, he wears a pair of sturdy leather pants and a traveler's pack of supplies, but no other clothing or visible accessories.@Zaer: Where did you pick up a third Trait, out of curiosity? Quote from: Conduit on 30-08-2014, 10:16:06That said, are we re-doing things? And if not, some info on how the two replacement characters a) conducted themselves before Graz'at's presence) what they thought about the general plan proposed or any other thoughts they had We'll say AER's character was sent ahead to wait and get a lay of the land. Fibril will still be around for now, though silent, she'll vanish not long after the group enters the town, with an image of her in a similar stage to the angel as a warning for insolence towards Graz'at. The magic items would still all be with the group (so the ring of truth and the concealer alignment one would be available, magically reappearing in the box they were originally in). Glyphstone's character could be communicated with through his mask perhaps, hmm. So maybe he took a different route. Just to keep it simple we can say he was sent to wait in the same tavern as AER's character. What was his patron? I didn't intend it, but we can say that the rings of conceal alignment also reveal other wearers as allies. Once the pair at the gate enter, I'll probably have Graz'at nudge them towards the tavern. Quote from: Conduit on 30-08-2014, 17:06:21And, because I'd like some extra info on the city and local customs to better deal with the guard barring entrance: Sherman makes a Knowledge (local) check. He uses a Standard Action to recall everything he ever heard about the town, their customs, laws, rivalries with neighboring areas and such and activates his 1/day Lore Master ability, taking a 20 on the check. This gives him a result on Knowledge (Local) of 30. I'll get back to you on that. I'm too tired to go through the information at the moment and not on long enough. Post to remind me to respond tomorrow. However, just as a quick reply (so you can reply if you'd like), Sherman would know that they keep a record of when people head out of the gate. I'll leave it up to the characters on whether they took that route or another one. Quote from: TheGlyphstone on 30-08-2014, 20:24:10That depends on if the items are character-tailored (something we can use) or plot-tailored (something we'll need). Sometimes making use of unplanned for or requested gear can be interesting in itself....you know exactly what you'd do with a Philter of Love. Finding a use for a Wand of Summon Rat Swarm would require more creativity. They were magic items that amused me (which I thought fit well with a Chaotic Evil BEG). I didn't tailor them for characters, and while I have a few plot ideas for how they could be used, don't have a specific intended use. So for example you could switch a character's body with a major NPC (though with the side effects that would entail), or switch two NPCs. I didn't specifically intend it to be used on anyone NPC. Anyway, I am heading to bed shortly so don't have time to do a full reply. If people want to glance at each other's sheets and verify all the totals and such I'd appreciate it, but I'll try to glance tomorrow. I'll also get a reply up tomorrow Icy. Quote from: TheGlyphstone on 31-08-2014, 00:52:26@Zaer: Where did you pick up a third Trait, out of curiosity? My char has only two traits; Child Vagabond and Black Sheep. Black Sheep is campaign trait which gives K:Local for you as main perk (plus lots fluff). Then you need to pick a secondary benefit from the background, you either get bittered noble (which allows pick second skill as class skill) or alchemist who allows you start the game with poisons up to 700gp and allows purchase poisons from the same guy (even in place where poisons are illegal and hard to get by). I always thought Campaign traits are for specific campaigns. Did they change that? Well, I picked it up as it was in the pathfinder SDR and GM said everything from the SDR was okay by default. I myself view campaign traits so that if GM finds good use for it as background fluff (and the trait fits for the game she runs) they can be used. Quote from: Jaded on 31-08-2014, 10:11:30What was his patron? I took the Healing patron to better support my role as a pseudo-healer, giving me Remove Fear, Lesser Restoration, and Remove Disease as patron spells. It's not the most appropriate to the character, but is a relatively small mechanical concession.EDIT: Following up.... I've currently taken the Scar hex for party support - it lets me use my Healing hex on someone I've marked as long as they're less than 1 mile away, as opposed to Touch range. Since I'll regularly be up in the front lines clobbering or rebuffing targets, Scar extends my reach for Healing Hex without forcing me to abandon my place in the line. But, you know...newly formed Evil party and all. We're not exactly overflowing with trust here; are people's characters going to accept a magic brand from a party member? Or is it a dead pick, and I should swap it out for something more personally useful I daresay Graz'at's patronage will lead to quick bonding, since we're all screwed if we fail. So I say the nay to it being a dead pick. It might be good to wait with it until after the first time the group acts as an actual group (probably the obvious quest hook forest thing if Sherman has his way), though, just so some initial trust in people's competence is first established. It's not dead pick and is rather quite potent healing tool. Quote from: AER Dark wail on 31-08-2014, 12:54:58Well, I picked it up as it was in the pathfinder SDR and GM said everything from the SDR was okay by default. I myself view campaign traits so that if GM finds good use for it as background fluff (and the trait fits for the game she runs) they can be used. Hmm? I don't recall saying everything in the PRD was okay by default (though maybe discorded things), just that I was limiting things to the PRD. My original post was:Quote from: Jaded on 13-08-2014, 09:37:42I'd also only be allowing things from the PRD (and only the one released by PAIO, not the d20pfsrd), and only things outside the core rule book if they have prior approval. Admittedly I am not being hugely picky in this regard, but do reserve the right to reject something even in the PRD. The trait is probably fine, however. Quote from: TheGlyphstone on 31-08-2014, 19:06:31I took the Healing patron to better support my role as a pseudo-healer, giving me Remove Fear, Lesser Restoration, and Remove Disease as patron spells. It's not the most appropriate to the character, but is a relatively small mechanical concession.EDIT: Following up.... I've currently taken the Scar hex for party support - it lets me use my Healing hex on someone I've marked as long as they're less than 1 mile away, as opposed to Touch range. Since I'll regularly be up in the front lines clobbering or rebuffing targets, Scar extends my reach for Healing Hex without forcing me to abandon my place in the line. But, you know...newly formed Evil party and all. We're not exactly overflowing with trust here; are people's characters going to accept a magic brand from a party member? Or is it a dead pick, and I should swap it out for something more personally useful Sounds good. Please post your presence in the tavern (preferably in disguise) when you have time. I'll leave it up to you to decide how you got there. Well, assuming the tavern the guard recommends (if he does that, anyway), isn'ttout of sheer happenstance the same one we're getting sent to, we'll probably have to switch taverns once we've met up successfully. The vision showed the tavern and also my IC post should hint it's only respectable tavern in the baroness city. There may be others but they are poorer quality. I took that bit as the character's personal opinion, since Jaded didn't make any comment in regard to taverns that I saw. Might have missed it, of course. Well, yeah. It can be my char personal opinion or a fact, upon ST's decision. Anyway to get things rolling forward I did my posts. My intent is to get everyone into the same tavern so we can get things going more quickly, whether it is the finest in town would be subjective. ;) The town is large enough that it probably supports several of each quality 'level'. Sorry if my post wasn't clear, the two men that the vision showed was intended to be AER's and Glyph stone's characters. The ring would allow each character to recognize each other without needing any sort of roll. A whispering in their mind that 'those are the others' or similar. No, no, it was quite clear. I mostly meant that if the guard recommends a different one (which I thought likely, since the city guard will probably not hang out in the same tavern an evil tie fling sorcerer would consider the best one), Sherman thinks all four of us should go there afterward so that we can secure a contact (or more than one, since some of his peers are probably going to hang out there as well) among the guard. Finally got a post up. Now I need to go scrub my brain, to clean off the residue from getting into the mindset of a racial supremacist who looks down on any mixed-blood offspring not produced via rape. Hey, half orcs aren't always the product of rape! Just usually. :Edit: Oh, and Sherman's pretty well muscled at 15 STR, but he's not Arnold-Conan, so I guess it works for supremacist half orc standards. Edit2: Actually, it occurs to me that he would dress to downplay the muscles (while somehow still showing off his figure, no clue how!). Let's not challenge his racist little brain too much, shall we? The idea of orcs with romantic feelings towards non-orcs might cause irreparable damage. But yeah, ... you didn't see the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes cartoon by chance, did you? I'm suddenly thinking of the brief Zero/Abomination clash. But with D&D rules, that seems a touch unrealistic to try to replicate. O:) Nope, never seen it. The only animated comic movie I've ever seen is Superman vs. The Elite. Ah, saw you talking about Deadpool in another thread, so I figured there was a chance. Basically, the Abomination (gamma-powered Hulk villain) asks Baron Zero (Cap villain originally, more or less his equal, but a better mastermind) why he's the leader when he has no powers and Zero responds by surprise tripping and intimidating him ... and Abomination would crush him like a bug if they fought properly, so that's a pretty good show of willpower and charisma. I'll see if I can find a clip once I'm back home. My char has STR 16 in medium humanoid forms while using alter self. In his clothing it showcases the muscles also :P. Albeit as half-elf he is more lean build (so even STR 18 half-elf is not Arnold). Quote from: TheGlyphstone on 02-09-2014, 09:33:05Let's not challenge his racist little brain too much, shall we? The idea of orcs with romantic feelings towards non-orcs might cause irreparable damage. But yeah, Lt;Str18 = Scrawny. So Lusaka isn't going to be getting romantic courtship letters from him, then? Pity, here I thought I might be about to wander into a Victorian-style lovers' triangle. ;p I keep forgetting that strength increase, mostly because it doesn't make much sense to me unless you start out small. Still, Alter Self is highly useful. Might have to look into some way to get it into Sherman's known list ... are there any core items that can add to the actual list, or were all of those from other books? Worst case scenario, maybe a wand. It is target self, right? Target self yeah, it's not in bard spell list as it is? Well, magic item is another option and I did think get craft wondrous item sooner or later. It is, but I didn't pick it, so I'd either have to switch out an existing spell known at level 8, take it instead of a level 3 spell next level, or take the feat for an extra spell known. There is feat which allows to learn one or two spells, one from the highest level your able cast or two from lower level. Or another clever method is that if you have trait which makes you 'count' as raised other race, pick human race and so you count for all feat, PRC's and favored class bonuses to belong to that race. Humans get lots free spells as bard. But it would be interesting IC development that Sherman gets suddenly inspiration learn alter self once he learns Valdez is using alter self (and how much utility it provides). If you'd taken the Scion of Humanity alternate racial trait, you would qualify for the Human Bard Favored Class bonus of getting a Max-1 level bonus spell known. All it costs you is your innate knowledge of Celestial speech, though you are now also vulnerable to stuff like Charm Person since you count as both Humanoid and Outsider. Yay, Shade posted! And now, so have I! And Sherman gets to demonstrate he isn't a complete control freak. ’D I have joined the proverbial bandwagon in including a little sheet snippet in posts, whee....why am I still awake at 5:30 am? z.z Because you love us all so much, obviously. O8) Conduit, Harsh is A) a full-blood orc and B) currently under a high Disguise check to look like a normal Human. Unless you're under some sort of true Seeing, shouldn't your character be treating him like what he looks like? Ugh, that's what happens when I write at work ... and from memory. I'll fix it shortly. Though Sherman didn't actually react to him beyond looking, so ... minor adjustment only. Wait, how is he full blood? Well, when a daddy orc wants a mommy orc very, very much, and the mommy orc isn't strong enough to fight him off... Or did you mean Mechanically? Advanced Race Guide has rules for full Orcs as a Featured Race. Quote from: TheGlyphstone on 05-09-2014, 20:06:31Well, when a daddy orc wants a mommy orc very, very much, and the mommy orc isn't strong enough to fight him off... I rolled to this in RL XD ... you know that was just briefly for his benefit, right? He was smiling like they are old pals since my last post. But just to be safe, I'll do a quick edit to make it more clear. I rushed the post a bit, may not have come across fully as intended. Ok, it just appeared he had been grinning entire time XD Ugh, sorry about that, I accidentally pasted a WIP version of my post from OneNote before it refreshed. (Writing on the side at work, synchronizing and then posting it with my cellphone). Fixed it now. Looks like we wrote at the same time, had to cut out a bit about giving her money and making an order. Hope it still works with the quick edit. One thing, though: forty gold? That's way, way, way, ridiculously way too much! One gold should be enough to cover anything we might consume for the duration and a hefty tip besides. I have lots of gold burning in my pocket and forty gold may be enough buy her as a contact, perhaps. Or turn her fake smile to genuine, and so she is always friendly to Valdez (and so easier to talk about news and rumors in city). That's enough for her to buy half a herd of cows ... 4, actually. I'd recommend five GP at most, but ... well, it's your money. My money, my problem how spend it :P. Did we get a private room, or just a table in the back? You got a (small) room. Sorry I haven't been keeping pace. x.x; It's Filipino. You've kept up well enough. But, man, I love the heck out of Harsh. Abrasive, surprisingly well-spoken and uncompromising. This is going to be interesting. Though I guess Lusaka might see her visions of a nice barbarian bloke to throw a couple beers back with crushed. DHM, should I post Sherman's reply to the lines addressed to him now, or wait until the others went? And yet he's willing to cooperate. You just have to show him you meet his standards. Go ahead and reply. I'll hold off on any counter until everyone can get synched. I make now Valdez's introduction as well so we get things started. Furthermore, I have a comment for Lusaka's post, too, but I'll keep it here for now. Let me know if you'd rather it goes in front or after your counter, Glyph. Assuming, of course, it's not completely out of place after what's coming and I don't have to do a full rewrite.IC Post Bit((#msg10386004)Race: Fallen Basilar Class: Bard HP: 66/66 AC: 18 Saves: +6/+8/+6 Perception: +14 Effects: Undetectable Alignment"She's a smart woman," Sherman acknowledged, raising his glass again in Lusaka's standing direction. "Don't believe a word she says when she claims she's not. You're all your own people, but someone needs to make sure we're pulling in the same direction. Call the plan in battle, make sure everyone plays to their strengths and look nice and respectable in front of the common-folk, if we're not to bring an entire country down upon the four of us. I'm good at that." He leaned back on his chair and put his legs up on top of the table, boots dangling off of the side. "And don't let the clothes fool you, I grew up an orphan in one of the worst slums in all the planes before I tricked my way into a noble household and learned to make nice and proper. Think me a prissy fool, and you're in for a rude awakening." Aha, well if you had posted that line earlier Valdez could have commented how similar his and your char origins are :P. Well, guess I'll just go ahead if we're not sticking to 1 per round order anymore ... I can edit my post if anything doesn't work timing-wise. Just seemed the sort of thing to be said as an interruption. ;p How's everyone doing? Been a touch quiet. :-) Doing fine I guess. In library atm. I'm alright. More or less holding back given Lusaka's not in a proactive position at the moment. Sorta waiting to see how things went over with the crowd, so to speak. Ditto. The most I had was a passive reaction post of Harsh's changed attitude towards Valdez, but that doesn't advance the plot any. Glad everyone's okay! Karsh's reaction is pretty much what we're waiting for, I think. Everyone else went and Jaded probably won't DM it up while we're talking at a table unless something actually interferes. My bad then. I'll post tomorrow/later today then...gas its early/late. Not much for Lusaka to add before they start laying out action plans, so feel free to take it away whenever, Doom. ;p Very well. Expect a post ... today! First one I'll get done once I have some time to get a little writing in. So ... did anyone else want to bring up anything? Or should we bring the talk about our next steps to a close for now? Seemed pretty conclusive to me. Yeah. I'm good. Harsh will take the dagger, if I don't get an IC post up in time. Didn't he already grab it in your last one? .yeah, I guess he did. Whoops. I'll try to get a post up tomorrow or Sunday at the latest if everyone is ready to move off. Unfortunately it does look like I am going to lose internet access for a week or two starting next week, so there may be a brief hiatus. I'll try to leave it in a situation where people can plot/plan. Could we find out anything about the Necromancer's Tower while in town? HRM. One of you can make a Diplomacy check to do so. I'm at work right now and posting from my cellphone, would you mind rolling for me if you're still there to speed things up? Before you leave the city, you are able to locate an old man that claims to remember an attack of undead some sixty years prior. He claims that the necromancer and his armies were defeated, but the heroes didn't want to venture north to destroy his tower. He says that it is a week due north, near the 'Black Ridge.' Alright, thanks. I'm not sure of the bandit camp's positioning ... how long did it take to find, and how long might the journey be if you know the way? Also, on estimate, what's the relative position to the tower (travel time/distance)? It took greenish days to reach the bandit camp, but would be about a day and a half travel to get back to town directly. At a normal walking pace, the tower is supposedly about a week off at a walking pace from the town. The tower is probably about six days away from the bandit camp. Unfortunately it is doubtful I will be able to post again in the next week or two. After that I should be back. We can wait, don't stress about it. Quite right! Not to mention, we might be able to get an IC conversation going in the meantime. I'll see about having a post up ... tomorrow, with any luck. :-) ...strange. Did the SRD change recently or something? I can't find anything about class archetypes on it anymore. Edit: deep, because I should be looking at the PRD. Neeevermind. Soon... Yeah. >.>; *sacrifices crickets* Did I miss a course of action? Sorry, thought everyone was still discussing what to do. Well, Glyph stone hadn't replied. I mean, I could post, but I don't want to skip over again. We were waiting on me? Sorry. Had we decided on a course of action? Or still discussing? Well, my char said his piece about the situation. Sounded like there was some consensus on tracking a raid party, I think. Agreed. Okay, will move forward. Could I get a Survival roll from (I assume) Shade please? Also, please state anything else you'd like to prepare in advance (spells or such). At 2014-11-07 11:01:19, Lusaka (UID: 18463) rolls: 1d20a5 Result: 21 (Well, my char unlikely keeps casting alter self while in wilderness but has mage armor cast from his collection of spells. Everyone still about? Here. Are we at another point of 'everyone thinks they're waiting on the other guy' again? Probably? I guess? TDI get the feeling none of us is sure how proactive to be. Yup, seems so. Someone needs to become more proactive :P. I think I am going to call this one dead, sorry. I hate nagging people to post, and it doesn't seem like everyone is overly interested. It also doesn't seem worth the effort to replace multiple people. Sorry if things were disjointed, or I was otherwise a bad GM. No worries, Jaded. These things happen. x

[Evil-PF] Information and OOC|rating:3.0

Dark Heresy_ Tyrants Rising Game Thread

After being induced into the service of the Inquisition, things have not gone as you expected them too. Removed from your past live, you have been tested and measured, questioned and interrogated. But aside from a few lectures in the bowels of darkened lecture chambers that left you sick to your stomach and an endless stream of codes and ciphers for you to memorize and destroy, you have been left largely to your own devices. Lodging under a false name in an anonymous hablock in Hive Sibelius, on Scintilla, the capital planet of the Cali xis Sector, you have waited for week, biding your time for the call for you masters, and perhaps, their verdict. At last that call has come and a blackened courier has delivered to you a message encoded in the cipher of the Holy Oreos. On it is a date, a time and a location. Instructions to come prepared and expect company are signed off with a simple epithet-"The Emperor Protects"At the appointed hour, you make your way through the scum and drudgery of the Underhive and the faceless masses of the Administrator quarter to an unmarked service elevator platform in the rear of a vast and imposing building covered in bas-relief skull, holly yews, half covered urns and other symbols of death, crowned by a massive statue of a weeping saint. It appears you were expected; the wizened face of the platform's inbuilt servitor studies you and pronounces "Pass," in its bone-rattle voice as you climb aboard. As the note implied, you were not alone, and you make for a diverse and uncomfortable looking lot standing in solemn silence as the mindless crowds throng by. The servitor control chimes active as the last of you climb aboard, and the elevator descends as the hatchway above closes with a thunderous boom. The platform continues down for some minutes through the maintenance levels, deep into the depths of the government district. Jon stood on the elevator platform as it rattle into the depths of the Hive no doubt passing level after level of storage and libraries holding records of events long past, real, economic and political battles long forgotten held within the surrounding area. Such was the way of the Imperium, slow, inexorable and unstoppable. That was what he and the others were here for, holy agents of the Inquisition who would move quickly to solve issues of various natures before they caused larger problems requiring the attention of the Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy. Jon stood wearing brown robes made of fine wool, he was used to wearing better clothes but for the moment he was still a novice and had to wear clothes of that station. From one side of his belt was a fine mono sword the handle engraved with a dragon along its hilt, a weapon he was skilled in using while on the other was another weapon, a large bolt pistol was displayed prominently a sure sign of his wealth. Jon did not keep the weapon loaded for fear of it being removed from him in combat, and its deadly force brought to bear against him. He had begun training with it, but the hefty recoil of the deadly weapon was giving him difficulty, and he did not have much experience with ranged firearms. Beneath the robes a strong build could be made out, though in some ways Jon had lead a pampered life as a noble man he had not rested entirely on his family's laurels and kept in shape. Piercing blue eyes looked ahead, and his head was topped off with blonde curls. ARL stood apart from the others, his hulking form quite different from the other agents selected. He wore his fatigues and flak armor, and carried the weapons issued to him the day he took his oath of allegiance and swore to fight the Emperor's foes, leaving him looking like one of the untold billions of soldiers who made up the Imperial Guard, simply another small piece of flesh and blood of the Imperial war machine whose job was to drown the enemies of mankind under the crushing weight of numbers or to make them choke upon Imperial dead. The savage man from a savage world had never imagined that he would be called to do battle in such a way - the most fantastic stories of his ancestors about worthy ones chosen and taken by sky warriors told very different sagas. He fidgeted within the confines of the elevator, arms crossed over his chest and hands making the sign of the Aquila. His lips moved soundlessly as he went over various prayers to the God-Emperor, praying that He on Holy Terra would not forsake him. The girl standing not far from the tall savage couldn't be more different. As much machine as woman, but a smooth synthesis not often seen, her mechanics robes were snug to a feminine body--skirts divided for free motion. Chrome tattoos worked down her arms like macro-circuitry, up jowls and the sides of her head, even around the back, under the Mohawk of fiber-optic lights. The colors in the Mohawk shifted at a medium pace now--a few who'd known her before new this indicated somewhat heightened emotions. Excitement? Dread? Her full lips showed both, though her breath and stance showed only a punk Metallica swagger. The tech priest eyed the feral man up and down, giving the formidable flesh and deadly armaments the same appreciation--as if both the man and his guns could be both her weapon and her lover. Crystaline purple eyes switched to the nobleman next. She spoke in a soft and completely human voice. "Good to see you, Jon." The curvy woman leaned back against the wall of the lift, hands splayed against the metal, feeling the thrum of the machine, one not far from her pistol. Her metal staff and heavy pack sitting on the floor near their feet. Jon nodded to the Tech Priestess "A pleasure as always Rhea." He always found tech priests a little unsettling particularly since he had attended the seminary, he was used to dealing with them from before then but his exposure to the Ecclesiarchy had made him a little more suspicious of them. Still compared to most members of the Minister he positively welcomed members of the Tech Priests of Mars with open arms. Having spent some time on board ships during his life where the air that you breathed depended on the rites and arcane lore of the Mechanics you learned to be a little more forgiving of their... peculiarities even if they did just seem wrong, but that was something few said to a Tech Priests face. Rhea was unusual for a Tech Priest for reasons he hadn't quite figured out yet but at least she had been easier to get on with than many in their previous encounter. How much longer, how many more levels, and then how much further to their destination? Perhaps one of their number knew, but he'd rather not be the one to have to admit a lack of knowledge so he waited as they rattled downwards. He gave a glance to the man in flak armor, perhaps a soldier picked out from the Imperial Guard or the local PDF or recruited from a less official body. The man appeared to be built like a tank. If this man was to be assigned to the same task then there would be violence or at least a very real chance of it, Jon didn't oppose it he just thought that someone less overtly sinister might be useful if they were to be subtle. He was drawing conclusions however and that might not serve him well, theories to suit the facts, not facts to suit the theories. The Arbitrator stood at the front of the group, the chain coat he wore was obvious despite the arbitrator he still wore even though he was no longer a part of the Adepts Arbiter. He felt like he still owed it to them that he was where he was now though and so kept the uniform as a way to remain connected to them. Looking over at his shoulder and examined a few of those that shared the elevator with him, especially that of the tech-priest as he shook his head. Trading away your body bit by bit for cybernetic parts sounded like a foolish thing to do to him, and no doubt made one more susceptible to corruption. He had more trust in the feral worlder than one would forsake the worship of the Emperor for some machine god. His gaze then fell upon that Jon, a man who no doubt felt the same way as he did when it concerned the Mechanics since the man was a cleric. Staring back forward, he closed his eyes for a brief moment and took in a deep breath before he smiled and opened them once more. Being in the confines of the elevator reminded him of Cantu's, his home, and as he opened his eyes again he took out his pack of chopsticks and removed one from himself and lit it before looking at ARL and decided to offer him one by pointing the pack at the brute. "You smoke?" he asked as he huffed a small puff of smoke. Lucia, even standing still, almost blended into the dank and somewhat dirty surroundings. Even with as much soap as she'd been able to muster over the last few weeks, she still smelled slightly like the underhive, and it was with some degree of trepidation she was being asked to return to it. But when her Master called, the memories of pain served as a highly sufficient motivator to be loyal in her service. She stood in the rear corner, a well-maintained autogun slung over her shoulder. Given the rest of her appearance, it was probably the nicest thing on her person. The rest of her looked like a typical undercover, nothing anyone would ever notice unless they were specifically looking. Something of a useful skill in its own right. Currently, she spent her time devouring a surprisingly hefty container of grow-stew, somewhat amazingly managing to keep everything in the container despite the constant lurches of the platform. Recently, she'd made every usage of the dispensation she had been awarded by her Inquisitorial masters, and she was slowly returning to something approaching healthy. It helped that she'd been in the Scintilla underhive for the past three years, it made even this rubbish taste like the finest feast. Crumpling the container, she eyed her fellow Acolytes. Jon and Rhea were both capable and loyal. In Rhea's case she'd even saved her life after her gun had jammed on Hérault II. And Jon, despite his appearance, was an incredibly capable Agent when pressed. The guardsman just looked like a slab of vat grown muscle, and that was fine with her. She knew someone else was going to be shot at most times, and that was fine with her. The last woman though, she couldn't place. She was tiny, and wasn't carrying much in the way of arms. A servant of the Administrator? It's good to be working with you again Rhea, you too Jon. It's been awhile. Turning to the guardsman, she brushed her hand ff on her coat, in a vain attempt to clean it of the pervasive underhive muck. Likewise, pleasure to meet you. Lucia Few is the name. A young woman, quite attractive with pure white hair, stood in the corner away from the rest of the group. Hugging tightly to her staff, she seemed to be disconnected from what was currently going on, staring at the floor and mumbling something to herself. She wore a heavily tattered robe of a dingy green hue, the bottom frayed and several holes of varying sizes throughout the poor quality cloth. Hanging from her neck was a small, clear, light blue crystal that contrasted with the quality of her apparel. At the mention of smoke, and as she took notice of the smell of the Chopstick, Lyra looked up, her gray eyes fixated on the faint glow emanating from the tip. "Those are bad for you...you know..." Her voice seemed soft yet disconnected, and she flashed him a grin as she began to twirl her finger on a strand of hair. Finally, the elevator's descent finally concludes as it slowly come to fault. The doors open into a wide gray corridor, which is lit by blowtorch globes held by grotesque stone cherubim. Only the front portion of the hall is lit but as you walk more globes light up, illuminating the sneering carved faces glaring at you from above. Well, we've still got light, so this place is well maintained. Makes a nice change from what I'm used to. Lucia began walking down the corridor, finishing up her stew as she went and crumpling the container into one of her overcoat's many pockets. ARL paused in his prayer to the Emperor at being offered a chopstick. He regarded the proffered pack, and a flashback to his single experience with the things came back to him like a charging Or. The savage recalled with terrifying clarity the cold sweats, the hot flashes, and creatures that only he could behold crawling from every surface. "No. Thank you for the offer, though, adept." The guardsman said in a thick dialect of low gothic speech that was ponderous and slightly guttural. He offered a respectful nod to the Arbiter, maintaining the sign of the Aquila in respect for the uniform and the post ARL presumed accompanied it." I am ARL." The guardsman offered, thick arms lowering to rest against his trunk-like torso. He did not consider himself an especially large man; upon his home world he was only slightly above average, and having fought on the frontline beside the abhuman Organ, he was unlikely to ever truly appreciate his own mass. Though, if fate had smiled upon him, he would not be in their presence but upon some far-flung battlefield, transformed from the man in front of them into one of the Emperor's own Angels of Death, but the Master of Mankind had other things in store for the feral worlder. As the elevator opened, he walked out, following the illuminated path. He looked upon the faces with plain-faced holy terror, quickly making a gesture of feral superstition to ward of evil spirits and muttering prayers to invoke the protection of the God-Emperor over his soul. Nice to meet you ARL. Not too familiar with hive worlds like this, are you? Don't worry, we're on my home territory. If there's something to know on Scintilla, I've made an effort to learn it. I'll watch out for you. She smiled and gestured up at the lights mounted on their hideous little plinths. Majesty of the Imperium and all that. Honestly, they light up when you move with about 30 meters, saves the power cells. Nothing too fancy. If you want to avoid setting them off, just move at a really slow pace. The sensors won't pick you up then. They had to change it to stop servitors from setting the things off. The Administrator loves saving on bills. Jon watched the white haired woman out of the corner of his eye, she was attractive but something about her demeanor just seemed off, perhaps she had finished a disturbing mission of late or had been punished for failing in some way... he gave a little shudder at that, he never wanted to fail his new masters and out of more than just a sense of duty. She was a little thin but so had Lucia been when last they met, well she still was, but he could see more meat on her bones now which suited her quite well, perhaps someone with an eye for such things had raised her up from the teaming masses. Then he gave consideration to the man with the who sticks, perhaps an arbiter by the way he held himself or an arbiter trained enforcer, either way he could clearly see the skills in both combat and investigation that the man could bring if it was true. An arbiter, a gunslinger, a soldier, a tech priestess, a cleric of the Holy Emperor and a woman in robes little better than rags? Giving Lucia a wry smile and then gave a comforting one to the soldier he spoke softly but in a clear and steady tone each word enunciated perfectly in stark contrast to slow speech of the soldier, "No harm will come to you here, we are in the God Emperor's domain doing his work. I will go first my friend, and together we will walk in his light." He suspected words from a priest of the God Emperor would do more to settle the man's nerves than an actual understanding of how the gargoyles were made of stone... probably, who knew if the Inquisition wouldn't have some sort of unique servitors crafted to hide amongst the stone ones, but they were meant to be here. As he walked down the path the lights beginning to glow before him, he wondered... what would bring such a group together, what task would require them all? Sandalwood waited patiently for the feral worlder's reply and when he refused Sandalwood merely shrugged his shoulders and replaced the pack into its respective pocket. "Good to meet you ARL. I'm Sandalwood." he introduced himself to the large brute before looking over to regard the person who spoke to him about the chopsticks. "Better crippled in body, than corrupt in mind." he replied, meaning that he would prefer his body failing from his habit of smoking, rather than allowing Chaos even a second into his mind. Examining the woman behind him, he couldn't doubt that she wasn't pretty but the whiteness of her hair and the crystal around her neck made him think that something was amiss about her. Looking at the elevator doors as they opened, Sandalwood choose to stand aside and approached the girl (Lyra) who had spoken to him earlier, taking a closer look and filing away everything that he observed about her for possible later use. "Trooper Sandalwood, or at least, I was a trooper of the Arbiter until the Inquisition took me. What's your story?" he inquired, hearing the others talk but ignoring whatever they said as he was mostly focused upon the woman that hid in the back of the elevator. Lyra looked up at Sandalwood and gave him an awkward grin"My story? It's a bit...complicated..." Tilting her head slightly and looking up, "You see... I used to live here... I think...it was so long ago...then the black ship came, and took me away..." Her gaze fell on him once more, her expression turning more serious, "I stayed with them for a...long time, and now I'm here." Beginning to fiddle with her hair once again, "What is your story? Mr. Sandalwood once of the Arbiter..." Shifting her weight she began to rest on her staff. The pauses whenever she spoke made him a little curious as to why it was that she did so, until she mentioned the Black ships. It should have made sense to him as soon as he laid eyes on her, but he had no contact with a Parker before that he had been expecting something a little...different, he would admit. "So you're a bolt magnet eh? Your....not exactly what I imagined when I would picture one of your kind." he said, tilting his head a little to look at her for a little more and memorized just about all that he could about her before stepping back to allow her some room from him. "My stories a rather simple one. Grew up on Cantu's, hive gangs ended up killing my parents and I swore to get back at them and once I was old enough I aimed to join the Adepts Arbiter. I intended to bring the gangs to justice until the Inquisition took me and now, here I am. Not much more to say." he said with a shrug and looked to Jon." Let's get moving before we get left behind, or the Inquisition decides it no longer needs us." he suggested to the Parker, moving slowly at first as he looked around at everything. "Rather fitting, considering the whispered reputation of the Inquisition." he said idly while following behind Jon while looking back to see if Lyra was actually coming. Lucia's explanation did little to comfort the savage worlder. There was little light of understanding behind the man's eyes, and while he comprehended the words she spoke, he could make little in the way of putting them together as a gestalt whole that conveyed anything that made sense to him. It was easy to deduce his was a feeble intelligence, inversely puissant relative to the muscles he boasted. However, as the truism went: blessed is the mind too small for doubt. The words from the priest were of greater comfort, as Jon predicted. As Jon spoke, ARL became visibly less agitated and his righteous terror gave way to parade stoicism." Deus Imperator Cult." Arl intoned, straightening unconsciously and following in the footsteps of the priest. The girl with the chrome tats paused briefly with her hand just bellow the panel. She spoke softly, her voice this time showing the metallic character typical of a Tech Priest. "I thank ye, beast, for carrying us safely into the depths of the earth." She stepped off of the platform and joined the others strolling down the hall. A quick pace caught her up to the arbiter, and she strode beside him for a moment before inquiring, "Spare a girl a smoke, Sandalwood?" The word 'spare' came across a bit metallic before her voice modulated back to normal. To ARL, she offered, "The spirits of machines aren't like the spirits of men, ARL. My teacher compared it to understanding the spirit of my pet cat. A cat can be happy, angry, or sick. Different things anger a cat than anger a man, but if you spend time learning to understand a cat, you will learn what angers him. It's the same with machines." Lucia shrugged, used or not, it was worthwhile to know." We're dawdling, partly my fault, but there it is. Our Master does not like to be kept waiting." With a half-point along the corridor, she picked up her pace to a brisk walk. "Bolt magnet? I haven't heard that one..." Giving him a grin as he spoke about his past, and nodding in agreement when he suggests they leave, "Yes... I suppose so." Following behind, she kept a slow pace, preferring to stay in the back of the group, the light tapping of her staff against the floor giving off a faint echo. His gaze turned over to look at the tech-priest who walked to the side of him and asked for one of his chopsticks. "Strange..." he said as he continued to observe her for a few moments before taking one and holding it out for her to take, "I always figured you Mechanics avoided such things as smoking or drinking as it messed with all those implants of yours." he said idly as once she would take it from him, he would strike a match and light the narcotic. "So how about you, what's the story behind how you became one of Adepts Mechanics?" he inquired a bit and kept a steady pace so as not to outrun the Lyra as he looked back at her. Jon looked over his shoulder to take a look at Lyra again, she didn't look quite as attractive any more she did however look very curious to him. He had met Sykes before, but those were osteopaths, it just seemed wrong that she had eyes to him. He kept a quick pace though at the words bolt magnet he wished he had brought some.... just to be safe. It certainly explained the odd behavior, who really knew what went on in a Parker's own head? He still did not speak, since the others were asking about their backgrounds he'd wait to be asked which would hopefully be last, see what he could learn about the others first. The girl took the who stick with a gracious smile. Fitting it to cupid's bow lips, she took a deep drag, held it for a moment, then puffed out a faint haze of gray smoke. Looking up into his eyes with a smile she replied, "It's the opposite, actually." She stroked the labyrinthine chrome implants running up the sides of her delicate throat. "These filter out most of the smoke. I worked in Gunmetal City before I came here. They were a blessing down in the foundry, but I gave up on smoking for a while. Then I realized that I could still get the effect if I only smoked every week or so, and puffed hard." She took another draw. "Besides, it's a good way to make friends." After about five minutes of walking, the depths of the darkened corridor give way to a massive armor plated door that opens slowly with a hiss of steam, the release of clamps and the grinding of heavy gears. Inside is a storage room filled high with boxes and a gigantic mirrored wall opposite to you. The mirror slowly clears to transparency, and you see that there is another great chamber beyond it, walls lined with data slates. Inside stands a thin tall man wearing medical robes and red leather jacket over top of them. Behind him is what appears to be a body, covered by a mottled gray sheet for examination. In the air, three shock white skulls whiz about with brass implement and long hypnoneedles extruding from them at odd angles. Anyone who wishes may make a Perception test, a Common Lore (tech) test or a Common Lore (Imperium) test. The figure beckons you to approach the glass to view what he has to show you within. His voices rattle forth from a small metal grate above you in the ceiling." Greeting acolytes, I am Medical-Interrogator Sand and you are the new blood, are you not? Worthy additions to our Holy War? We shall see, far be if for me to doubt my better's judgement."" Well, to the matter at hand. I represent the Holy Oreos of the Imperial Inquisition which we all serve. Our masters have called you here to assist us in the investigation of a matter of interest that has recently and most suddenly come to light."" Oh, yes, for your information, we are now in the depths of the Temple More, the house of the dead where the Lords Perfecta Morten hold court and the fallen and lost of the great city are named and counted. It will not surprise you to know that you are here to view a corpse, I doubt it will be your first, but it is, shall we say, quite singular!" He laughed at the ending of her explanation about it being a good way to make friends, shaking his head a little at her. "We fight for the same side, but we are acquaintances and nothing more. We've yet to see if I'm worthy enough to being your friend, or you mine." he said with a smile and a slight shrug. "Nice of you to think of me as one, but until I feel I can trust you, or any of you for that matter," he decided to add just so that they were all clear that it wasn't just the Tech-priest, "I'll only refer to you as a neighbor." he said and then took another draw from his stick. The walk felt like it was taking longer than it should have, but finally they were coming to an end, and he examined the man beyond the mirror, but couldn't make anything out as he waited to see what it was they he was to be seeing. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide Roll Result: Keven Battle heart rolled: 1d100Comment: Perception test 33Result: 37 Sandalwood notices that while the leather coat is of high quality, it also conceals hidden armor panels to protect the wearer. There is also a slight bulge which can only be a concealed gun. ARL nodded at the tech priestess's offered words, but made no reply to preclude any further discourse. He was as familiar as any guardsman with the basic rites of supplication that all members of the Imperial Guard learned in order to placate the machine spirits of their weapons, and he aspired to know no more than that. The savage had no perceived need of further understanding and no ambition for greater learning; he was at peace with his role as one of many whose purpose was to deliver unto the Emperor's enemies a dose of pure, unreasoning violence. He looked, as the others did, at the man and the panoply of his industry, but they were things beyond ARL's capacity to fathom and held little meaning for him. Arl Fails His Perception Test By Two Degrees Roll Result: Cold Heritage rolled: 1d100Comment: Perception roll 20Result: 48,Total: 48 Interrogator-Sand, a pleasure. How can we be of assistance to the Oreos? Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide Rolled Common Lore (Imperium), Target: 16Rolled 18, Failure We're here to view a body. Not to become a body. Always a good start. So hard had Rhea had to puff the who stick to actually appreciate the vice that it was done by the time they reached the scene. The tech priest looked around curiously, particularly wondering about the servitors... Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide80 on Common Lore, Tech. Not a good start... Standing in the back of the group, Lyra leans onto her staff to rest keeping silent, observing the man with the body. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide Roll Result: Manage rolled: 1d100Comment: Perception 40Result: 47, Total: 47 Jon tried to notice any details about the man that might stir his own memories or connections to anything but didn't realize anything that wasn't already apparent. "Thank you Medical-Interogator Sand, perhaps you illuminate us with your knowledge, why is this corpse so singular to draw such attention and where was it found?" Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide Roll Result: Aymara rolled: 1d100Comment: Jon Common Lore Imperium Result: 57, Total: 57... Fail! "Now if you kindly pay head and attention, I will take questions later." As Sand speaks, the skull bob in and out of your range of view, displaying various sample jars and comparative specimens." The body has been positively identified as one Saul Arrest, male, 23 years of age, hive dweller, unskilled laborer certified. Formerly of the Tantalus Indenture, registered habitation: 6/23 stack 717# Cascara division, southern zone, Hive Sibelius."" Subject found dead on the midhive transport rail three days ago as the car returned to the main depot. Preliminary examination of the scene suggested a massive drug overdose. Post-mortem preformed by the biologist forensics, however, found certain anomalies that necessitated our involvement."" The cause of death was in fact a total systemic failure grout about by the rejection of. A synthetic graft organ. Said organ destroyed the central nervous system while attempting to overcome the immune response. In short, this..." One of the fizzing skulls displays a sample jar containing a ten centimeter long whitish cord of waving glassy tendrils, still in motion, still alive."...crushed the life out of him from the inside."" What's it for? We remain unsure, although if I were to hazard a guess, I'd say control - total synaptic override, or worse."" There were other grafts of a less singular kind also, the left lung replaced with a storage cavity, possibly for his use as a courier. Also, one optic nerve was removed and skin flayed from his stomach, I have no idea why. His system's awash with alchemical traces, clotting agents, pan immune and the like."" The surgery was expert, but by the lesions and the tissue stress, I doubt any care was given to making it painless. In fact, by the damage to his vocal cords, I'd say that he screamed as long as he could."" But this little monster is what concerns us. Oh, you don't need to know the gene lore of the Tunisian edict, just that this is not only illegal, it is forbidden, it is heresy. Merely tampering with this kind of dark tech is enough for a death warrant from the Inquisition, the Arbiter or the Mechanics."" And I'm sure that you, as well as I, are wondering how such a rare and vile thing ended up wrapped around the spinal column of some dusty Harold from the low end of the stacks."" The man has no prior criminal record, and was rendered invalid by indenture - laid off if you will - sixty days ago. His sister, one Lili Arrest, resident of the same haystack, reported him missing thirty-two days ago. More than enough time to get himself into all sorts of trouble, I'm sure you'll agree. These grafts are no older than eight or ten days old at the most. We have nothing else on him."" This is to be a shadow investigation, no open official presence and no notification of the local authorities, and no one knows he's here either. Cascara's down hive, so a covert approach is more likely to draw out information than a boot through the door, and it's much less likely to kill any leads to our heretic."" Find out why and where if you can, or better yet, find out how. Best of all find out who's responsible. Go with the grace of the God Emperor... Oh, and additional samples would be a blessing if you can procure them."" The Emperor Protects." Jon listened in horror as Sand described what had been done to the man, his holy form crafted by the Emperor defiled by some heretic. He made the sign of the Aquila to ward off any corrupting influence of this vile heresy. His face had gone pale at first when the facts were beginning to be laid bare but by the end of what Sand had to say he was getting angry, what had been does was sick and disturbing. "I take it you don't suspect this to be an isolated incident?" "With a graft so complex? I rather doubt it. It is too sophisticated to be a first attempt, despite the rejection." Any chance you can get us access to the Scintilla Administrator? Likewise, an undercover with this kind of work done would have to be totally off the books. Any chance we can get access to the Arbiter Precinct for the area? "I am afraid not. Like I said, this is to be a dark operation, and no more than a mere skirmish for the likes of yourselves. Independence is a valued trait in the Inquisition, and I should think you to be more than capable in demonstrating it in such a straightforwards task." As you desire Interrogator. As is, however, I would predict a number of months carrying this operation through to fruition, excepting a truly exceptionally break in the investigation. The Scintilla underhive is billions in size, and with no access to Administrator records it will be exceedingly difficult to locate relevant sources or identification of known acquaintances. If there is to be no support, I suggest we not tarry. We must seek the close confident and neighbors of the deceased with all due haste. By your leave, Interrogator. Lucia bowed deeply, before turning to exit the operating chamber. By now, she suspected the man had been dead for up to two hours. In her experience, if something went and outed a man's operations to any authority figures, you had roughly a day to find them before they disappeared deeply into their existing network. Sandalwood heard and saw everything that the Interrogator presented before them, memorizing the man's name, his sisters and all the other information given to them. It was out of training really, though he didn't get to have much time to learn much else from the Arbiter's besides a few memorizing before being taken by the Inquisition. He said nothing though until it was time for them to be leaving and being the investigation, giving the Interrogator the sign of Aquila. "The Emperor protects." he replied before following Lucia." If you don't mind me making a suggestion," he said to the woman then as he matched his pace with hers, "though it may be unwise should either party be ambushed, perhaps we should split up into two teams of three. One to meet her sister and the other to see his former employer. What say you?" he asked as he finished with his chopstick and discarded it to the side of the hallway, waiting for an answer to his suggestion. Jon gave a bow making the sign of the Aquila before you "May the God Emperor be with you Interrogator." With that he left to follow the others at a quick pace, there was no time to waste, he was still inexperienced at the aspects of arts of investigation, but he was sure swift movement might be a good idea. He nodded at Sandalwood as they walked rubbing his chin. "But how best to divide up if we do, the expediency isn't without risk as you said. Rhea headed towards the employer her technical skills could be of use around wherever he worked, and his sister might open up more to a member of the minister. The combat skills of Sandalwood, ARL and Lucia divided between the groups in case of ambush would be a good precaution but..." His eyes turned to Lyra unsure of her abilities. ARL failed to truly comprehend much of what was revealed. His mind was insufficiently sharp to grasp what had truly transpired; it was, however, sufficient to know that someone had committed heresy, and it fell to them to find that person. Or persons. ARL made the sign of the Aquila upon seeing Jon do so, and although he was too uneducated to be truly afraid seeing Jon's features whiten was all that was necessary to convey the gravity of the situation to the primitive guardsman. He followed the others as they left, but he felt only a deep unease. As the others discussed strategy, he looked at Sandalwood, his blunt features plain. "Adept," ARL said to Sandalwood, "will your brother and sister adepts amongst the Arbiter know us to be true servants of the Emperor and that we do His work? I do not desire to cross the Judges." Despite what the Medical-Interrogator said, ARL doubted this would be straight forward. If it were, they could kick down doors and bring the Emperor's wrath with all due sound and fury such a delivery deserved. Lyra gave the investigator a nod as she turned about and followed the rest of the team out. "I believe you are right...it is unsafe to go alone...although the way to split us is quite...the quandary..." She began to mumble to herself as she followed a few steps behind, he eyes fixated to the ground as she began to lose herself into deep thought. Without breaking her trance on the floor, Lyra chimed up, "Lucia and Sandalwood possibly be in separate groups...she seems to know hives particularly well, and he had said he used to be the Arbitrator in one of the hives...and I used to be a resident of this...particular hive... I could be of assistance in navigating possibly..." then as suddenly as she began to speak, she had gone back to her ramblings to herself. For now, we are entering the Underhive... not the deep slums and warrens. It is relatively safe here on Scintilla, as the Trooper here can attest. For now, we must move in all haste. I would prefer to use small teams as well, focusing less on combat proficiency, and more on hive knowledge. Jon, Rhea, I know how well we work together, but I would ask that you work with the Arbitrator. For now, you are a private investigation firm hired by the sister, Lili Arrest. Any details you can get from the local Mechanics presence as to missing technical goods or medical equipment would be very useful, as well as anything you can get from the Arbitrator precinct on the case details. I will go along with our two other new recruits. I will be attempting to re-enter the underground, under the guise of selling the unique services of a Parker. ARL will pose as my bodyguard. We'll be looking to get in to any business dealings that have cropped up looking for muscle, and see if we can find anything involving suspicious tech or large past movements of en and materials. We’ll also stop by the sister's house and get a list of known acquaintances and hangouts. Following that, I suggest we meet at the Cheeky Grow, a dive bar over in stack 716, and compare notes. Lucia ran a hand through her hair, slightly sticky already from the grease, dirt, and oil of the deep hive. Sighing, she glanced over the group of Acolyte's, all new and relatively untried like herself. She'd worked with Rhea and Jon already, and she worried about their safety. This will likely lead to... unsavory places. We need to move very fast, or will never find the source. The profanity before them awakened an unaccustomed degree of rage in Rhea. Energized by her anger, she studied the evidence intensely, trying to retain as many details about the forbidden technology as she could. It must be destroyed. With a salute to the official, the tech priest turned with the others and did not speak 'til the division of teams was mentioned. "I'm a Metallica, Jon," she spoke firmly--but not irately--"Do not underestimate my worth in a fight." A speech later, she offered Lucia a tentative smile. "Acknowledged and Agreed, Lucia." "I don't, but neither do I underestimate the skill of the others Rhea, and they each pack somewhat heavier war gear for the close confines of a hive. I am more than happy to work beside you again." At least he did very much so because he wasn't in the same group as the Parker, if only they had two he thought then they could send osteopathic messages to keep the groups in contact, one Parker by themselves wasn't terribly useful that he knew of, but he knew they had other powers he understood little. He made no comment regarding her bringing a leis gun, if he had more training in them, he would have recognized it as a pattern of Douglas and not doubted its deadly capabilities when room permitted its long barrel to be used. "I have no objections to that arrangement Lucia, I imagine much of the journey from here is by the same road however until we get closer to the area, perhaps we could see if we could hire some kind of transportation to get us there?" Sand chuckles dryly at Lucia's blessed ignorance." I think I have been at this far longer than you child, even if you bear a saintly name. Do not think I will send you in blind or make you search the entire Underhive. Discretion is often the better portion of valor, and an office inquiry could tip our hand to soon. You only need focus on Cascara Sector. It is unlikely that this drone would have had the willpower or constitution to return to his home turf had he been removed from it. That cuts your search down to an area of 70 sq km and roughly 540,000 indentures. We have also already formatted covers for you, which will cut several of those months off, allowing you to blend in all the easier." As his voice rattles over the com, six metal boxes slide open." You should pose as bonded agents of the Oblast Assay, either as "manpower" or a "salvage." They're mercenaries either way and people won't ask questions about your weapons as long as you don't shove a Bolter in their faces. That metal Cognomen punch card will give you individual details that we have arranged. They also come equipped with a pass token that will clear your entry into the Cascara sector and give you free access to the transit rails. There are also some Lawgiver overcoats that may help you if you get into a fire fight and have no armor of your own, battery powered sandboxes set to a private channel, coded data slates and chem lamps. Oh, and that small one you'll find some bribe money as well as a biomedical kit. Three sample jars, scalpel and an Sussex that will detect anomalous tissues."" The rail to Cascara isn't far from here, and it will be a couple of hours ride. I expect your progress report of initial impressions in the next couple of days. Now I see that you are eager to begin, so I will leave you to your holy work." Sand returns the sign of the Aquila and if there are no further questions, the panel darkens back into a mirror. I mean no disrespect Interrogator, I am merely a tool for our joint Master. I have no doubt your aid will prove invaluable. Pre-existing identity records will, indeed, make this task much easier. Lucia returned towards the plate glass, shrugging herself into a long overcoat and settling the autogun that made up her trade neatly over her shoulder. She likewise pocketed one of the lamp packs and a data slate, and made especial care to keep the identity slate within easy reach. No use getting picked up for running around without an ID card. She retrieved the data slate from her pocket and made a brief examination to ensure correspondence codes existed in the device. Satisfied, she immediately wiped the data. If they were tussled, no use giving away their Master. She made one last stop to retrieve the pouch of get and the med kit, before hoisting it over to Rhea. She separated out the get, and handed the rest of the kit over. My last plan is well scuppered, so I figure its best we stick together. You're the best I know when it comes to anything technical, so I figure this is best in your hands. I've never so much as handled an Sussex. The get, in turn, she replaced in the receptacle. If this turned out anything like her last venture for the Oreo, she was quite likely to end up unconscious and bleeding before the day was through. Spoiler: Click to Show/Ideas a Scintilla native and resident undercover, would I happen to know anything about the Cob lost Assay? Jon picked up the ID, data slate, chem lamp and hesitated for a moment before taking the coats, it might be useful if he had to put his robes aside and wanted to look more like a regular mercenary. He checked his gear once more to be sure everything was in order. He looked at Lyra for a few moments before deciding to speak. "What particular abilities do you have, it might be better to know in advance." He couldn't think of a better way to put it, but unless he asked there was no way he'd know what exactly she could do. He had to admit, he wished the bolt pistol at his side was actually loaded now that he had a better idea of the kind of scum they might be dealing with. Lyra began to collect the various equipment given to them, hugging onto the river coat a little too happy to actually have something to replace her raggedy old robes. Turning to Jon and giving him a smile, "Oh... I can do a few...things... I can sense the living...though I am unsure of how useful that will be... Hives tend to be a little...overpopulated..." Giggling as she threw the overcoat over her robes, "I can also mend wounds...if it comes to that...but let us hope I won't need to use that one." Lucia knows that until recently it had actually been a fair prosperous sector, built on the remains of the Cascara Estates. During the recent Reinhold Blackouts, numerous wildfires cropped up and devastated the area, destroying many of the foundries that had been its economic backbone. This left thousands of indent who had worked their unemployed. It's only real blessing from the God-Emperor anymore is It's far enough from the coastline that what remains hasn't been rusted ways by salt water. Sandalwood retrieved his own supplies as everyone else did so, taking up the overcoat that was provided and wearing it over his uniform with a slight sigh. He was always believed in showing pride in where you were from, but an Arbiter uniform would defiantly be suspicious. He could live not showing his uniform for a short while, he thought as he placed his hand Vox and the cognomen punch card in his right pocket and the data slate in his left. "So we're all together then. I think I'll stick to being manpower, probably be more believable than me being a salvage." he said idly as he readjusted everything on him since he knows wore the overcoat, and he wanted his weapons to be easy to grab, rather than struggling under the coat to try and grab his shotgun or club. Rhea gathered her equipment carefully, whispering a small prayer to each little machine. When it was all properly stashed, and she wore the coat, the tech-priestess nodded. "Is everyone ready? Plenty of AMO?" Jon nodded and put his hand on the hilt of his sword "This doesn't run out of ammo." He then gestured towards his bolt pistol "This however I am still training with, so I keep it unloaded, if someone wants to fight you, and they see one of these on your hips they either grab a sniper rifle or a sword. I'm much more skilled in close quarter combat in general." He took a Que from the arbiter and removed his robes, beneath could be seen a form fitting hardened body glove, he threw the overcoat over this and attached the mesh cowl from his robes to it, the color was off, but he'd stick out less in the underhive for mismatching robes than being a member of the minister. "I'm ready to leave if everyone else is prepared." ARL put on the coat and re-arranged his weapons as the Arbiter had done, wanting each to be readily at hand. He felt some discomfort in pretending to be other than he was, but subsumed that discomfort and disdain under the knowledge that it was required to do his duty by the Emperor. "I am ready." Seeing as no one else had picked it up, Lucia shrugged and pocketed the bribe money. The Emperor knew how useful a few crowns were in the underhive. To be safe, she divvied up the contents all across various pockets. No reason to make it easy for a pickpocket to get at it all in one big lump." Let's get going then. Tube station is this way. We should get there in about an hour or so, then another few hours out. Anybody want something to eat? There's a guy who does great grow skewers on the way." Lucia dug her hands in her pockets and started walking back towards the elevator. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide If there's nothing important, does anyone mind is we time-skip to Cascara? Jon gave a nod and moved towards the exit. "How familiar are you with this area of the hive Lucia? I haven't been anywhere near there at all before I must admit." Unless they went about doing a mission in Hive Tarsus he probably wouldn't be terribly familiar with the areas and that certainly didn't help on this mission. He didn't look particularly priestly in his current state of dress, the hardened body glove covered by the dirty lightly armored coat, he reckoned he might actually look like a low level mercenary with delusions of grandeur. "That sounds delicious, Lucia." Rhea checked the equipment before she pocketed it. "We should use a bit of the bribe money on Who Sticks. There are places where it's dangerous to flash Ghent, but people will still talk to someone sharing a smoke." Fishing a pack out of her pocket, she held it up as she continued walking. No one has get anyway. Just make sure you keep Los handy, and make it look like you smoke them even if you don't. Prejudices down here smoke these things, and if you don't, no one will take you as anything but a mid-stack employee of some sort, no matter how you're dressed. As for how well I know the area, most Scintilla has been my running grounds at one point or another. Comes from running arms and offing people who anger other people. Always someone who wants someone else dead on Scintilla - kept my purse full at least. Alone in the tram car, except for wandering who-vendors and disgusting food carts, you travel for hours steadily towards Cascara. Rattling on the tracks, the carriage breaks into another had-vault and begins to slow. An electronic, monotone voice echoes over the comm." Coscarla Southern Trailhead. Passengers to Cascara depart. This tram leaves in..." The rest is lost in a haze of static. You have neither lost nor gained elevation in your journey, but now you have the claustrophobic feeling of being trapped underground. Any little sky you may have glimpsed in the Hive is now lost to the steel girders and bridges the crisscross overhead. Almost all the buildings are blackened and scotched and many of the foundations show through. Even though it is midday, it is at best shadowy here and the lowlight are pale when they do not flicker. You have arrived in Cascara district. Jon got off the tram and looked around wondering a little at the general dreary environment he found himself in. He didn't mind any bit of cold in the air, having spent the last few years before being drawn into the service of the Holy Oreo's Jon in training on Hive Tarsus and the training facilities there for the Ecclesiarchy were nicely cool all year round to show off the churches wealth and power, in stark contrast to the sun scorched Hive Skin of the outer sections of the Hive. He turned to look at his companions and gave a light smile as if amused by something, which in truth he was having noted how unusual the group were in reality. "Any suggestions on where we should start first now that we have arrived?" We're still too far unstack. We need to go properly into the lower has, and then we're probably best in starting a look for a drink, and listening in to some conversations. Amazing what you can pick up just by careful listening. Lucia shrugged a bit. The family and friends of the deceased are probably someone to get in contact with as well. Finding a decent map will be a hell of a job, but good if it can be managed. No houses of libations seem to be present close to the rail station, but after searching a few blocks, you find a nest of tents and stalls nestled in between the bases of two giant towers. A crowd that you estimate between 100 and 150 citizens has crammed into the scant space here and everyone is bargaining loudly. It's as good a place as any to start looking for a clue. Jon began to make his way through the crowd of people asking after the victim, inquiring if anyone had seen him recently or knew of him not wanting to reveal that he knew the man was dead. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide Roll Result: Aymara rolled: 1d100Comment: Jon making an inquiry check Few 43 Inquiry Trained Result: 55, Total: 55Not sure what the difficulty will be but if it's a +10 Ordinary difficulty check then Jon got a partial success. Jon isn't able to get much, despite spending nearly an hour talking to people. He is able to confirm that the man is known to reside in this district and that he is known as a drinker. Lyra followed closely, sticking near ARL as they made their way through the Tents and stalls. "How many bars...are there in this area?" Tilting her head inquisitively as she asked, unsure if anyone truly knew the answer. Shortly after she returned to quietly gibbering to herself. Anyone Lyra tries to talk to about alcohol either ignores her, dodges the question or mumbles something and walks away with a troubled look on their face. "Maybe if we offer a few thrones or who sticks? If people are being that evasive about where drinking goes on, and he was a heavy drinker there might be a reason they shy away from the subject, a reason that could be a lead for us." He looked over the crowd wondering if he'd spot anyone currently heavily intoxicated. OCC Quote from: Aymara on 22-02-2012, 14:46:12"Maybe if we offer a few thrones or who sticks? If people are being that evasive about where drinking goes on, and he was a heavy drinker there might be a reason they shy away from the subject, a reason that could be a lead for us." He looked over the crowd wondering if he'd spot anyone currently heavily intoxicated. Hmm... Anyone may make a series of three inquiry or awareness checks. "How rude..." Continues to search about the crowd. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide Roll Result: Manage rolled: 1d100Comment: Awareness (Perception 20)Result: 28, Total: 28 After a solid half an hour of searching the busy crowd, Lyra is about to give up when she spots a man lying supine in a tiny alley between two stalls. Approaching him, she sees at he has the pale, almost translucent skin of a void-born under his greeting scruff and stubble. The rags he wears appear to once have been uniform, although they are now thoroughly stained and in tatters. He looks up through bleary bloodshot eyes, and you can smell the menthol on his breath." Oooo? Hey! You're very pretty, white haired girl... Been a long time since an pretty girl have talked to old Zack. What can he be doing for pretty girl?" "Oh, hello... It is nice to meet you Zack... I am Lyra,"Tilting her head as she inspects the drunk, giving an odd smile as she straightens up again." You seem to be exactly what I'm looking for...perhaps... I am looking for an establishment for alcoholic substances... I am also looking for a man,"She describes the man she is looking for, keeping a sort of cheery yet disconnected expression as she speaks. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide8, 97, and 96 out of 16 on Inquiry. Zack answers, slurring his words strongly as he speaks." Yeeahhhouuu don't need to try that to get me to talk pretty girl... Yes seen' youare enough. You have stars in your hair. How Zack wants to see his stars again. I'z worked everywhere you know? Not many of my kind of workers left, who aren't specialized in anyone thing. Used to be thousands of us before the Arch-Traitor made war on the Intersex. That's how I know how to brew, yea see? Worked with ZEE cooks on a Trader's ship on the very edge of the sector. Saw more Xenon than I can imagine. Have you ever seen the Xenon pretty girl? You, you remind him of the FAE of Other. But they ain't real Xenon. The real Xenon aren't for men, but for the Angels of Death. There's a reason Zack needs to get blitzed all the time. But here, here's no better! My void-born-bones, they can feel the corruption. The other drunks, they go to the worker's union. Zack won't go there. I spend every get I get to brew me own stuff. Don't go there pretty girl. Go far away." His speech is almost delirious, and he looks scared, although of what, you cannot say. You aren't sure he can exactly either. He seems to be done, although he continues to rave as long as you will listen and doesn't shy away from most of your questions." Zadok just wants to see his stars again." Meanwhile, Rhea seems to have also caught a break. Asking around for any drunkards, see mostly turns up the willfully ignorance the acolytes encountered before until she makes some inquiries in front of a small chapel to the Parker-Saint Rebel North, the Watcher in the Dark. A frail, brown-skinned nun with long dreadlocks counters her inquiries with her own." Why do you bother these people No one drinks around here, nothing good comes of it? What does it matter to one such as you to concern yourself with such a vice?" Lyra nods as the man tells his story, giving him a warm smile as he compliments her. "Where is this... Worker's union? If it is as bad as you say... I certainly wouldn't wish to stumble upon it," Jon continued to see if he could find anyone he could strike up a conversation with. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide53, 67, 87, 31Roll Result: Aymara rolled: 1d100Comment: Result: 53, Total: 53Roll Result: Aymara rolled: 1d100Comment: Result: 67, Total: 67Roll Result: Aymara rolled: 1d100Comment: Result: 87, Total: 87Roll Result: Aymara rolled: 1d100Comment: Result: 31, Total: 31

Dark Heresy_ Tyrants Rising Game Thread|rating:4.0

Reformation of The Past {Blackcatotaku & Garuss Vakarian}

Spinning lazily on its access the giant blue sphere interspersed with patchy swirls of white and dabbled green brown formations that represented land, Earth was quiet the spectacle. Even amongst the stars, comets and other astronomical beauty that space held, Earth was truly a gem amongst the galaxies offerings. How many times had she contemplated coming back, and now it was under duress. Like many events in life her return was ill timed and full of regret, but she still had time to prevent disaster, so there was that small malign hope that she could make a difference. Even as she hovered over the planet she knew a potent alien race called Blight was hurtling towards earth disguised as a harmless comet that would break up in the earths' atmosphere depositing the seeds of the infectious virus like alien race. Infiltrating through waterways into the food supply, air and water they were a deadly race that would take possession of their host and devour their brains taking over the host body as its own. The same had happened on Tamara her home planet, the virus having wiped out sizable portions of her people causing them to flee their home world, regroup on another planet and then take back their homes. The battle had been a frenzied one loosing more than they saved but now with their planet reinstated they had a chance to repopulate. The damned creatures had managed to flee from their sector of the galaxy, and she had chosen to take it upon herself to track down the parasitic comet approximating its trajectory to Earth. Time was a fluid thing taking on different meanings from each planet, readjusting to what earthlings considered the passage of time six long years had gone by. As she floated in the emptiness of space contemplating what her friends must have been up to in all that time she knew one amongst them was of special interest. Dick Grayson, the leader of her former group the Teen Titans. Just as their romance started to peek her sister Black star had shown up convincing her that Tamara was in grave danger and needed her to return. Although the two had been at odds for most of the time they had known one another she knew she couldn't ignore that her people needed help. Without a clear more pressing reason to stay she had to say a tearful goodbye to her former love. As she recalled seeing his piecing blue eyes for the first time behind his mask and the searing heat from his lips pressed against her own she shuddered drawing her arms around herself. The memory made her feel vulnerable and lonesome drawing her arms about herself trailing her hands along her skin trying to shake off the daunting path that lay ahead. Without knowing how to contact her former comrades she knew that Jump City would be a lost cause. When she had announced her departure there had been deep fissures forming to break the team that without the optimistic red head there by their leaders side they all knew the inevitable would come that the team would be dissolved. Beast boy, Raven, Cyborg, Robin... where were they now? What would they be doing. Her green pupil less eyes narrowed as she tried to shake herself free from the nostalgia of what was, the battle with the blithe had been long and arduous altering the former happy-go-lucky girl into a more hardened Heroine. No longer the same awkward gangly teen she had grown into a powerful woman who now knew how to lead, fight and stand on her own. In her mind she would find Dick as an equal instead of her leader, she would pay him respect and try to harden her heart from what affections it bore. Knowing she would need to be tactical she couldn't allow emotion to foul her plot to save her former home-away-from-home. Certainly someone like Dick would have found another by now... wouldn't he? Stealing herself she bolted from her position and with a loud crack penetrated the earths' atmosphere her long blazing behind her in thick ripples of what looked like a marriage of fire and strands of silk. Appearing like a red shooting star across the skies of Gotham she knew the only man who could help her track down the former Titans would be Batman, Batman would lead her to Dick and Dick would be able to help her find the other Titans. Whatever had happened between them, he would understand her situation unless something truly drastic had occurred. Night loomed over the dangerous city as the alien woman with bronze skin and flaming hair touched down on the streets. Clad in what was barely passable for clothing her robust form was swathed in a purple leotard made of a spandex like material that covered the edges of her shapely round breasts, part of her naval, above her hips and around her groin. She had an hourglass figure that was taut and lean from fighting but still retained her hips, bust and ass to give her frame a fullness of a voluptuous woman. The outfit left her ass bare, nearly all of her torso and her legs were covered in the same purple material but in the form of thigh high boots and her arms in purple metal gauntlets. The outfit was more reflective of what the people of Tamara wore instead of earth. Before she had stridden to make an effort to dress more conservatively, but her time away had dampened that desire seeing no point in covering herself up to appease others tastes. Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide(than convinced her brazen reappearance would spike the interest of the dark crusader now it would just be a game of chance waiting for the so-called dark knight to make an appearance. Surveying the lay of the land the city was just as grim and remote as ever in her eyes. Flying to the nearest rooftop she perched atop a high rise building one long slender leg over the other, now that she had arrived she needed time to formulate and explain what she knew would be a crazy sounding story to probably many interlopers. The only thing she was dead set on was that unlike before when she let others dictate her action she wouldn't cow tow to another, the Justice League, were infamous for their long-drawn-out strategies. She knew how to fight this enemy, and would rely on their assistance, cooperate, but she would not conform to what they decided was best. Along the rooftops lingered Gotham's 'shadow'. A man, whom to this day is spoken of in fear. And tonight he was hard at work. He stood atop the buildings' gargoyle, one foot resting on the statues head, as he listened to the growing commotion within police scanners. 'Officer down! I repeat officer down! Shots fired. They intercepted the transport. King has been sprung, the Royal flush gang is going down Madison Avenue. Need back up now!.' Under the menacing cowl, the man gave a small smirk. He had found this night's prey. With a flick of his cape he leaped forward. Jumping from the rooftop towards the ground below. Wind whipping around him, as he pressed a button upon his belt. A light blinked, giving off a faint beep as a familiar vehicle came flying down the road. Just in time he landed within it's opened top. With one hand flipping a switch, the other pooling the latch close. The screen before him went from Auto, to Manual. Soon flickering quickly into a live feed of what was all around him. With a swift turn, he had found his way down a road intercepting Madison Avenue. 'Suspects are in a white van, playing cards are spray-painted on the side. License plate number is-' Batman paid no mind to the number. Focusing on meeting up with the vehicle, finding its description an apt enough target. Just as the van had run the red light, the Batmobile had run straight through the intersection. A head on collision into the side of the vehicle. Like a raging bull the vehicle pushed the van down the road, taking an angled turn to ram it against the edge of an alley. "Dam moth'fucks!" A women's voice screamed from the driver's seat window. The Batmobile effectively locking her inside for the time being. Batman flipped open the hatch, jumping up from his seat and landing on the hood of his car. If one can call it that. It was more like an APC, a militarized vehicle. It's slick black paint, accompanied by its bulky and sharp features. As the van's back door flew open, Batman ran along the hood, jumping to meet his boot across the jaw of the assailant. Jack flew back, hitting his head against the brick wall. Effectively put out, as his brother and sister came at the menacing figure. She swung a knife, but Batman swung his arm back, catching it in the blades of his gauntlet. Soon jabbing the girl in the throat. As she backed away choking, her brother had pulled back the bolt to his assault rifle. Aiming from the back of the van. Batman pushed the choking girl to one side of the van. Keeping her from harms way, away from the line of fire her brother was ready to carelessly subject her to. Soon Batman jumped into action as the boy began to fire at him. Running up and into the back of the van, throwing a Bataan against his hand to disarm him while he cleared the distance. Between them . While inside the van he gave a swift low kick to the boys shin, soon slamming his head into the vans wall. His elbow countering a punch from king before grabbing him by the mask and ramming his knee into the men skull. The man gave pause, rattled by the shock of the blow, soon knocked clean out as Batman followed suit with a second strike with his knee. Walking out of the van, he can hear the cop's well on their way. But, before he can take his leave, he had seen a familiar amber glow fill the nights sky. His head turned, following the flying light and eyeing the building it had landed on. As he starred at the building, Queen had made her way out from the driver's seat. Sneaking up to the bat. Batman didn't even look her way as his elbow flew back, knocking her back and tripping her over her daughter on the ground. Soon he clicked the button on his belt once more, the Batmobile riding out into the night as he pulled out his grappling hook. Zipping into the air. He had to see if this was whom he thought it was...(he reached the roof, the police were already on scene. Cuffing the thugs and bringing them to justice. Running along the edge of the higher rooftop, the figure spied upon the idle girl. The bronze skin, the green eyes, there was no mistaking it. Soon, he silently leaps and roll's onto the building below him. Turning to see the figure as she sat against the edge of the building. From his angle, he can see one of her long shapely legs, her hourglass frame and robust curves. Her rear pressing against the brick edge in a most tantalizing manner. Her bronze skin seemed smoother, softer. Furthermore, her cute face had grown into that of a handsomely featured and beautiful women. She seemed tougher, experienced, both of which made her all the more lovely. Batman cocked his head as he stood. A smile growing as it would seem she has been doing well, growing into a fine young lady. Even if she dressed much more obscenely, down right seductively even. But he had grown used to Catwoman, her alone has built him a strong foundation versus a women's good looks. "You know. I'd tell you to put some clothes on, but I'm afraid I wouldn't want to ruin the view by putting a dress code on it." Bruce joked as he walked closer to her. Now only a few feet away. He could barely believe this was the sweet bubbly girl he had known years ago. Back when Dick was still robin and the Titans were well on their way to greatness. "It's been too long Star fire. And I can see you have grown in to a fine lady." He tried to keep up appearances, but in the end it always came back to the job. And Batman intuition, was always right. She seemed tired, stressed, even if she was hiding it. Something egged at her, worried her even. "You left to help your world, one would hope you solved the problem and are here on vacation. But I'm not an optimist and I don't believe in fairy tale endings. Tell me what's wrong." Feeling as though she had a ring side seat to the theatrics of the pathetic Royal Flush gang's escapades she enjoyed looking on to see Batman subdue the petty criminals. The gentle breeze at the rooftop carried the sounds of sirens, tires squealing and other ambient noises the city hummed in the late evening hours. Although he was nimble, she was on edge waiting to hear any signs of his approach. When he finally joined her on the rooftop she tilted her head back letting the long flowing red hair trickle down her back her chest jutting out slightly as she took in a deep breath a smile creeping onto her face. Although she looked happy to see him there was a weariness to her features. Pulling herself up off the ledge by her slender arms her ass bounded slightly as she stood back up on her feet. The skin tight garment barely shifted along her curvaceous form as she turned to face him, the vibrant purple latex hugged her figure so snugly it was almost as if it had been painted on." Hahaha well I will take that as a compliment, I think the dress code should lie somewhere between my outfit and yours." she said in response to his comment about her attire taking a playful jab at his full bodysuit that left only his lower jaw and some of his eyes exposed. Star fire had always wondered what the man behind the mask looked like outside his bulky attire. Certainly he had to be tall and muscular, but there were other features that she couldn't help but wonder about. Once she had tried to pry it out of Dick when they were up late one night, and he was sharing some rare personal information. However, when the subject of Batman came up he clammed up, loyal to a fault never saying anything personal about his mentor. Her smile faded slightly to a more neutral but still friendly expression something in her eyes softening as she gazed on his familiar costumed attire. "Your right, it has been a long time... I'm afraid of things on Tamara were more complicated than my sister had led me to believe. I had intended to visit sooner but... Well." she offered a shrug as her voice trailed off for a moment. So many missed opportunities and lonely nights missing her friends and comrades. "Time goes on I suppose." Taking a step closer her hands were laced behind her back as she stretched slightly trying to think over how to explain the whole sorted affair. "Your right I'm not here for a pleasure cruise... instead I'm here to prevent a disaster, hopefully." she took her time giving him perhaps over amounts of detail regarding the threat that was headed their way, when she thought the comet might arrive, how to best deal with the threat and what the Blight had done to her own home planet. Her tone remained neutral throughout most of her story only pausing to gather herself when she talked about how many lives had been lost, the relocation of many of her people to a neighboring planet and details similar of the tragedy that came with the victory they finally had against The Blight. "With so much still to do to rebuild Tamara I couldn't bring any of my comrades with me, but I still felt the need to warn and help here... I care about Earth and its people. That's where I have to ask a favor of you... I would like to reconnect with my old alliance The Teen Titans... I'm afraid with how long I've been gone they are scattered to who knows where. The only person I can think of that would have a good idea would be you and Dick." She nearly called Dick Robin, but she had no idea if he still went by that childhood moniker. Based on both his ego and some of the things he alluded to when she was preparing to leave he left her with the impression he was going to try to attempt to be a hero in his own right, doing that as Robin seemed hard to believe. The way she inquired her body posture was that of a little girl shifting from foot to foot, even running her hand tangling her fingers through her hair all obvious telltale signs of her anxiety about seeing Dick once again. There was also a lingering curiosity about how he might react to her telling him all about the Blight and what he would do in reaction to the alarming news from an old acquaintance. Never having actually worked alongside Batman she only had secondary sources to recall what his usual MO was. Her heart raced as she strived to not display it outwardly as she awaited his reaction. There was quite a bit weighing on the information he would give her next, what if he didn't divulge where his old affiliate was located then what would she do? A lesser man would have fawned over her every movement, gasped at each tantalizing motion her curves made. But, as Bruce did admire her, he would pay attention to her words. Ever the gentlemen, ever the hardworking hero, even at the cost of admiration let alone saving time for true pleasure. He listened to her story closely, taking in every finite detail of this alien threat. He starred into her eyes, detecting each genuine flicker. Furthermore, he knew this story was true, as for this threat?... Well, with a deep breath he acknowledged this would be something to take out fast. Or else they would need all hands on deck to at least save the human race, if not their world. Soon however, she moved on to the Titans. Asking for his help in finding Dick. Hoping either can help find the team. "Titans are over Star fire, no sense in opening old me-..." He took a second, pausing his own advice before continuing. "Sorry, if you feel you should bring that team back together I won't stop you. I can give you Dicks location. Come with me." As he spoke, he reached one hand towards the other, pressing his fingers against the gauntlet. A small screen flickered on, followed by a few taps of commands a loud engine can be heard jesting across the sky. A large bat like jet hovering over their heads. "I know you can fly, but humor me." He said before he jumped up, climbing into the cockpit. Once inside, he made sure the screens he used to view the world outside his vehicle were off. Red letters plastering Auto Pilot across the screens. The opening at the bottom of the Jet slid closed behind them. "I like to keep things secret." He said as the jet flew off on its own. "Sorry, the exact location of my base of operations is... Privileged information. I'd trust you but, I have it on good authority a curious green-eyed beauty tried to 'interrogate' Dick about the Batman identity." He gave her a serious look, his eyes narrowing for just a second before a smile slowly grew. "Just a bit of humor." He said, his calm demeanor never escaping him. "Though it's not a lie, the fewer people know where I operate the better. Last thing I need is the Joker catching wind of where I hang my cape and cowl." Though, his most dangerous of adversaries already does know where he lives and whom he is. But Ra's plans for Bruce extend beyond murder. It's an offer he would rightly always refuse. Soon the jet had made its way into the large maw of a cave. Heaving left and right as it maneuvered through dampened tunnels and into an opening concealed door. Slowly halting as it landed onto its respective pad. As Batman opened the cockpit, one can hear the sound of flowing water. Take in the smell of damp rock, and see the bats freely flying across the large cavern. "Welcome to the Bat cave. Now, I can get you to see Dick. But that's all I can do, more pressing matters should be attended to." Batman said as he jumped down. Walking down a path towards a large set of screens. A man sitting at the chair, typing away. It was a marvel of information, live feeds all over Gotham, every channel of the news constantly running, as well as the computers inner UI constantly cataloging data. "I will get a hold of Cyborg, he will make contact with the rest of the league. I can't waste any time, I need to start work on a possible chemical deterrent to this illness. Fingers crossed for a cure." He said, as he walked across and past the computer. On the other end of the main platform was a large lab set. Fit with access to the best money could buy. "If I can figure it out before the invasion, we can save more lies. It would take some time, but I am certain I can...." With a cock of Batman head, he turned to look at Star fire. "Would you happen to have a piece of biological material from any of the host's bodies?... Well, worth asking." As he began to move around bottle's and chemicals, the man in the chair turned to see whom Batman was talking to. "Hey Bat, who are you tail-" The boy began to say as he stood up from the chair. "Well... Wow..." The boy stood agape, eyeing the bronze beauty with a growing desire he found indescribable... He eyed her frame, the way her tight clothes stayed snug against her soft flesh... Her eyes mesmerized him, the feint green glow showing him she was not of this earth. "Who is our guest!" He said in a horse tone. Pressing his hand against his lip's, he coughed clearing his throat. "I mean, who is our guest?" He asked again, now walking foreword. As he neared them, he reached foreword. An outstretched hand grabbing hers. With a firm shake, he couldn't help but feel butterfly's at the warmth of her soft skin. She seemed so hardened, yet still soft and delicate. "Names JA-." He began, but Batman kicked his leg back. The end of his boot knocking against the kids shin. "Ow... Robin. I'm Robin." He said in swift correction. Batman gave a light snicker, before he turned to face the two. " You need to be more careful about your identity. Trust whom you may, but be sure it's trust well-placed." Turning his gaze to Star, he continued. "He's not your Robin Star fire, but he is a good kid. I will send him with you to find Dick while I stay in Gotham." Robin couldn't do well at hiding his pleasure in hearing he was teaming up with this bombshell. The six years he had spent being raised by Batman, he had heard much about her. All from Dick himself in fact. "Well Star fire, pleasure to be working with you." He said before turning to face the jet. "Can I-" "No." Bat man interrupted. "But how will we get to Cuxhaven?" Robin responded. "Auto Pilot, I'm not letting you crash a million dollar piece of machinery." Robin turns to Star and shrugs, a small smile on his face. His expression showing, 'he's right, I'd just goof off.' "Well, come on. Night wing awaits!" He said in excitement. A tone that was almost forced, Batman and Nit wing barely talk much anymore. Probably half the reason Bruce chose to focus on preparations. Robin himself had grown distant from Dick and was not too excited to see him again. But this Star fire? A trip with her is worth having to deal with a 'Dick' at the end. The twenty-year-old walked in a quick pace towards the jet. Looking over his shoulder to see if she was following. "I take it your not supposed to be let in on the location, huh? Well, it's probably not as cool as flying yourself but. Hey, you got me as company. We can play.... Checkers.... Or something. Whatever aliens like to do these days, I tend not to pay attention to space trends."(Looking almost surprised when he backed off on talking her out of the idea of reforming the Titans she knew it was a far-fetched idea, but she felt she had little comrades left and trying to seek out new companions whom she could trust seemed equally unlikely. There was also the nagging curiosity as to what her friends were all doing this many years later. Laughing slightly when he pointed out she could fly she had to admit she was impressed by the jet he had called forth to provide transport. "My, Robber Dick always did say you had a gadget for every occasion. Now I know where his inspiration came from." She said with a sly smirk as she joined in him in climbing into the jet. Settling herself into the passenger's seat she gave a slight shrug and apologetic bat her eyelashes as he brought up her prying into his identity. "I was young and naive captivated by Gotham's Dark Knight... Can barely blame a girl for trying right?" she said in a teasing tone after he had let her know he wasn't upset with her. Perhaps in a more distant past she would have taken offense to his overprotective nature regarding his whereabouts, but she could hardly blame him. Although she had never personally tangoed with the villains of Gotham City she had heard enough about its bizarre and murderous reputation to understand his precarious situation. As they descended into the darkness with very little room to maneuver she tried to repress the anxiety that came along with such sudden twists and turns that were demanded to the pilot before their smooth landing. Keeping pace with his strides she followed him into the heart of the bat cave admiring his set-up." Well I'm afraid I don't have any tissue samples, but I do know that our people came up with a vaccine to combat the virus... I do know I would have antibodies and signatures of it in my blood, but I don't know if my physiology is similar enough to humans that it would make a good sample..." She said her voice full of doubt that it would help. For a moment her heart skipped a beat when she heard someone else addressing Batman. For a delusional moment she thought it had been Dick, but she tried not to have a disappointed look on her face when she saw it was most defiantly a different man. His enthusiasm coupled with gawking over her form was almost a little unsettling, but she found it flattering all the same. Stretching her hand to accept his she gave a gentle squeeze her body naturally radiated warmth like standing next to a fireplace. Her soft green eyes fell upon him looking him over with a curious but friendly demeanor. "Pleasure to meet you Jacobin. I'm Star fire." she said giving him a slightly flirty wink as she giggled slightly when Batman kicked him. "He's right you know plenty of good-looking ladies out there might trick you into giving up information..." she said giving a sideways glance to Batman. Letting Robin make his way back towards the jet she sidled up to Batman and wrapped her arms around his shoulder giving him a warm embrace and dotting his cheek with a soft kiss. Her lips radiated a touch more heat than her body her soft figure pressing against the hardened armor made her ample breasts press up and together slightly. "Thank you... I really do appreciate it." she said with a slight tilt of her head and a sincere smile. Withdrawing she turned and followed after Robin her hips swaying as she went causing each of her ass cheeks to rise and fall quite nicely. Joining Robin in the jet she shrugged. "True but its still comfortable in here all the same. Hmm, I don't know what most aliens do, but there is a game on my home planet of, but it involves telepathy..." she said before grinning to let him know she was teasing him. "We can always just chat instead. It's been nearly six years since I've been here, and it seems like so much has already changed. How long have you been with Batman?" she started with a softball question figuring she had no idea how long their ride was and had no intention of asking him anything too personal upon their first meeting. Batman continued to fiddle with his lab equipment, as the beauty came close. Her arms settling on his shoulder, as she brought her lip's close to his ear. "No need to thank me, I only do what's RI-" He was cut off, her lip's pressed against his cheek. A warm, fuzzy feeling lingering by the warmth of her flesh. Perhaps something to do with her powers? Nonetheless, it was pleasant. As she walked away, Bruce gave a small grunt. Clearing his throat. "What's right..." He said finishing his sentence. With a deep sigh and the shake of his head he continued to work. "Kids." He muttered, a smile plastered on his lips. As they entered the cockpit to the jet, Robin gave Star a sideways glance. Giving her a quizzical expression before breaking it for a small smile." Telepathy. Right. Sounds invasive." He pitched in as he sat in the seat next to Star. It was nothing lavish, in fact it was simple in design. Meant for pure performance and not for comfort. Soon, after pressing a few buttons the Jet had begun its departure. Heading towards its coordinates in Cuxhaven. Turning to face Star fire, he gave a small snicker, not entirely sure how to answer her question. "I don't know... How do you think he found Dick? Dick and I have something in common, I'm an orphan, a kid Batman had seen potential in. Shortly after you left earth, Dick had stopped adorning the moniker. Even before that he was done with Batman, but I guess you already knew that... He needed a new partner. Perhaps to help him get over his falling out with his first son, or maybe it was simply because he needed someone willing to take on his mantle in the future. Rather than his own. His intentions may be up in the air, but I still do have a story at least. I was 14 when Batman found me, I don't think I was something special. I was a small kid, meek and hungry. Picking fights with bigger kids, always standing up to their shenanigans. I was small, but acted three sizes bigger. I don't know why, but I had to put my nose in others business, stop them from picking pockets and hurting others. Furthermore, I guess it just helped mend the pain. Distracted me from it. Rather than hurting good folks, I was trying to put sense into my peers. But in the end a fight was all I wanted. The day Batman found me, I was being beaten by a whole group of them. Broke my arm, took out a few teeth. No worries," Robin had put his index finger in his mouth, opening his mouth wide to show his Muller. "They grew back." he finished as he let his cheek lose. "Of coarse at the time, he was not 'Batman'. Middle of the day and all. Just a person who caught the act in the corner of his eye as his ride passed by the alley. That day he was just a citizen Stopping hoodlums from ganging up on a defenseless teen. Nothing more, but ever the same old hero. He took me to the hospital, paid the bills and made sure I was back home at the orphanage. Safe and sound. He told me something, something that truly sparked a desire to well.... Head deeper on this path. A desire to make it less about the violence and more about something greater than myself. He told me 'it's noble to fight a battle you can not win, for something you know is right. Just be careful kid.' He didn't coddle me, or tell me off. He didn't say avoid fights, like an adult would be expected to do. Furthermore, he told me I had the right idea, just don't be stupid. The following day I started round two, this time I won. Ended up in cuffs as a reward. To my surprise, here he is that same guy now bailing me out. Except this time, I'm not going back to that sleazy home. I'm heading off to his. Six years later, I'm whipped into shape, Meek boy, to hero. To this day I really don't get it, why me right? But, I will always appreciate all he has done for me. He gave me his home, his time and his mentorship. I could never truly repay him for that." Robin then leaned back in his seat, his feet resting on the edge of the cockpit's dashboard. Inches away from buttons and switches, but he was careful. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on. But I am happy to help in any way I can. And not just because I'd like to impress the sexy alien redhead that only just entered my life." He said so with a cocky grin, his flirting meant mainly in jest. But also to help make her more relaxed. "Honestly though, I am happy to help." After a moment passes. He sits up, his elbow's resting along the chair as his hands interconnected. Fingertips taping against each other in thought. " So, you and Dick?" He asked a bit nervously. "Not to pry but, he has been moping around Cuxhaven for about six years now. Any plans on how to address your... Relationship? Friendship! Whatever you feel best describes it. Would you guys still be a thing? Or is this just business? Sorry, never mind that. That part is not important. And I ask because... Well. I can fight an alien invasion any day of the week but, don't want to get caught in this awkward time bomb. I'd jump straight into this alien virus just to avoid it. Tick, you look into each other's eyes. Tick, he starts asking questions. And then." As he finished his sentence, his hands began parting to simulate an explosion. "Boom, awkward situation." Robin gave a small laugh. Hoping he was not out of line with his question, after all they only just met. And he is already asking if she's single. Even if that was not his intention. Amused by his enthusiastic banter she couldn't tell if he was just always this excitable or if it was nerves that were making him act so hyper. Either way she found it oddly charming that he was so open about sharing and his sense of humor did make her laugh. Giggling slightly when he peeled back his lips to show him her molars she quirked an eyebrow before giving over to the fits. Trying to remember the last time she had laughed her soft breasts bouncing slightly in the revealing costume. Hearing the tale of how he had met Batman made her all the more curious about The Dark Knight, but she didn't interrupt him or pepper him with questions. She had seen how well that went over with Dick and had the vibe that he would probably hold the same fierce loyalty to the mysterious figure not wanting to, rock the boat, so to speak with her latest acquaintance. Crossing one leg over the other she was sitting at a slight angle that the jet would accommodate confident that the programming wouldn't give out she did wince slightly when he put up his feet near the controls but soon relaxed seeing he wasn't being careless." Well I could certainly use the help, I'm not sure how well my old team will really take to the idea of reassembling to help me with what's going on..." her eyes had stared off out the dashboard at the black inky sky surrounding them before her eyes darted back to him as she added sheepishly. "Not that I don't think they would want to help with the situation its just... well after six years I don't know what they've been doing... I doubt they've retired, but I don't know if they are the same people they used to be or if they would even want anything to do with one another." She laughed again when he called her sexy and gave her that charming smile as she shook her head her long red hair tossing along her shoulders." Why thank you, I'm glad you approve." she said with a slight smirk flirting back with him a bit as she nodded along to his statement of he honestly wanted to help. When he asked her about Night Wing she felt her stomach tie up in knots. He was right, what would happen between the two of them? There would be relationship had been nipped in the bud by her sudden departure. Gathering herself thankful for the bit of humor her interjected into what was possibly going to be an awkward scenario she sighed looking down at the floor as she slumped in her seat a bit. "Honestly... I don't know. It will probably be a tense situation. I haven't seen him in so long, hah, I could imagine him brooding but the notion he's bee moping? Now that's odd. He was always so goal driven It's hard to think of him just sitting about waiting for something to happen... I would say if you don't want to be caught up in the middle of our reunion then maybe waiting for me back at the jet would be a good option? As far as I could tell he and I were very close friends... I wanted something more, but he was always so protective of himself. I know I'm not the same person I was when I left, and I'm sure he's changed too..." she wondered as she paused looking at herself in the mildly reflective glass of the passenger side window, she knew she looked entirely different and wondered if he would even resemble something close to the Dick she held dear. How did she feel about him... was he more a friend or was he a romantic interest? The jet came to a smooth landing at its designated coordinates as she braced herself taking in a deep breath and offering Robin a brave smile. "I suppose no time like the present to find out, huh?" "Well..." Robin started to say as the aircraft came to a halt. "Cant expect you to know, in fact it's better off that way. You can't go in with pre conceived notions that you won't be together, or that you will walk off into the sunset. If you do, your more then likely gong to be disappointed." Robin soon opened the hatch into the jet. Climbing out the top and jumping off onto the roof. The aircraft still hovering. Clicking a button on his belt, it went off, flying out into the sky. "I'll call it back when were ready.... As you can tell, I ain't leaving. Cant leave you all alone in a shaky reunion. Even if t's awkward." As he spoke, he reached for his be, pulling out a small device. Pressing the button, it began to beep. Each time it beeped, a blue color shined through. "Now all we do is wait, it's an emergency tracker. In case I am ever in a jam in Dicks neck of the woods. Well, Cuxhaven I mean."("Move it, move it!" A goon said as he began to usher the other men along. Two were breaking display cases, filling their bags as the other watched the outside world through the broken window. Their leader, the one who yelled looked around, keeping his eyes open for any guards. But, the prey was unaware, as their true threat was stalking from the shadows. Night wing watched from above, ready to pounce down upon them. That was until his belt began to beep, a faint light glowing red. The two standing watch immediately looked up, Firing a few shots up at the sound. Night wing narrowly dodged their spray, jumping into the air and landing over them. Quickly grabbing their rifles, and tossing them against the wall so hard they broke apart. The men took a few steps away from Dick. A groan escaping his lip's as he pressed the little button on his belt, hoping Robin had a good reason. "I'm going to make this easy for you." Night wing said in his raspy voice, as he took his batons from his side's. "I won't take it slow. Consider yourselves lucky." Within seconds dick had run to them. Dodging under ones wide punch, as he swiftly wrecked havoc on another. His batons quickly striking along his body. Within seconds, he was struck against his spleen, kidney, both ribs, followed by a double wide swing against his right temple. The final strikes pining him to the ground. As the other three converged, Night wing took them all out just as quickly. He stomped one's foot, Dodging back from his jab, as his baton struck against another's cheek. His other hand jabbing into their leaders gut, followed by his knee to the men jaw. Night wing then struck the man he had pinned, breaking his nose before a well-placed round house threw him to the ground. Finally, the last was still stunned by his blow to the cheek, taken out completely with a powerful crack-down against his skull. Nightwing didn't have to hear sirens to know the police would be their soon. Nevertheless, the corrupt pigs more than likely would be bought off, or maybe the men he had beaten were cops themselves? It didn't matter. Robin needed him. Walking out the jewelry store, he turned and walked into the alley. Only to soon drive out on his motorcycle. With his tracking device, courtesy of dear old dad. Dick found no trouble making his way to the coordinates. Quickly making his way to the top of the building. But, as he had finished ascending. He wished he had not.... Why? He should be happy to see her. At first, his eyes widened, shocked as they met the red-headed beauty. But soon, they narrowed. In a pained, irritated voice he spoke. "Oh... It's you." He said in his usual raspy voice. Now more matured, deeper, but still as it was when he has last seen star. "I thought I said emergencies Robin. Not hook-ups." Night wing grumbled, as he began to turn and leave. "This is an emergency! I wouldn't contact you otherwise Night wing. You don't need to be civil, you just need to hear her out." Dick stopped, listening to Robin. But still not entirely happy. With a sideways glance, he looked over to her. "Long time.... No see... Star." He said, almost forced. He didn't hate her, that much was at least easy to see. His feelings were just..... Complicated. "Your looking.... Uhem... Good." After taking longer then a second to look her over. It was plain to see she had matured, her mind along with her body. Given her attire was leaving little to the imagination. "I'm sorry... Things are just tense here. Corrupt cops, ruthless mobs and gangs. Meta humans running rampant. Cuxhaven is Gotham's much more violent cousin. Plus.... I didn't expect to see you. Not even sure I want.... Want to see you. You didn't leave exactly on good terms with me." Trying her damnedest to keep a neutral expression as Dick seemed to take one look at her dismiss her presence and prepare to leave. Shocked was not the right word to use, she knew that things had been awkward when she had to depart but on her side of things she felt as though she didn't have a choice in the matter. Her planet was in a state of crisis when she had departed, they needed her more than Earth had at that time, she thought he would have understood. Part her was bubbling with anger the other with regret, maybe she should have stayed made a more solid commitment to... whatever it was they had all those years ago. Biting her lower lip she was grateful that Robin had chosen to stay since he seemed to be the voice of reason that made Dick at least hesitate about his decision. Her green eyes widened when he spoke again then narrowed as she walked over to him standing right in front of his path, and then she took a step getting very close to him nearly pressing up against him. Purposefully trying to make him feel as awkward as he had made her in those last few minutes. "Do you really honestly think after six years I came back just to say hello? Or a hook-up, whatever that is... Even your mentor at least gave me a god-damned hug! Think real hard thereNightwingabout why I left... It wasn't just on a whim because I stopped caring or wanted to abandon everyone. When I returned home it was devastated by virus, a very deadly potent one that ended up wiping out Seventy-Five percent of the population.... Now its coming here so I returned to warn those who I thought were still my allies in some capacity, so if any of what I said gripped your attention, I can give you more details. Or you can go back out fight crime and deal with the deadly virus when it erupts across the world possessing all the people of earth and destroying what semblance of Cuxhaven, Gotham and the rest of the cities that exist." She kept her eyes locked onto what she could see of his behind his mask while she spoke her tone starting out venomous and then mellowing. Stepping back now that she had said what she felt he needed to hear she sighed her chest writhing and falling as she ran her hand through her hair, a nervous tick that still remained from when she was a teen. "I know it's not fair for me to come back after all this time and expect anything out of you as far as assistance... Of all the people I could think to contact you were the only choice I could think of, you were my dearest friend." She spoke more softly now as her emotions brimmed trying not to cry as she realized she no longer had that friendship. "Clearly you have built a life out of protecting Cuxhaven. I admire your dedication to being a protector and accept if you don't want me around or to help me in this matter... I know things were hard when I left, but I had to make a choice maybe it was the wrong one, but I can't take it back, please don't punish earth because your upset with me... Furthermore, I was hoping you could get me in touch with the other Titans... Maybe they all feel the same way about me. That I'm some kind of horrid friend that up and left them, but I'm hoping at least one or more of the Titans would be willing to stand at my side and help me defeat this virus before it does here what it did on Tamara..." As she drew to the end of her statement she felt tears trickling down her face as she brushed them aside feeling foolish for getting so sentimental. She thought she had prepared herself for whatever reaction Dick might have regarding her, but it was clear now that she had hoped for at least some kind of warm reception.

Reformation of The Past {Blackcatotaku & Garuss Vakarian}|rating:4.0

The Full Stomach Tavern

"Welcome to the Full Stomach! My name is Alyssa and I will be your barkeep tonight, the house special is as always the Full Stomach which I shall explain in a moment, but first find yourself a seat and if you feel compelled to ask for a drink menu and find yourself wondering what it is then please do ask. I'll give you a hint, you get your tab free for the night but might find yourself in a slippery situation."" The owners name is Jenny by the way, if you need her let me know". Alyssa smiled before making her way across the bar before turning back "Oh I almost forgot, we do have a full kitchen, no pun intended" she winked "If you desire conventional foods". Julien, an average looking fellow in black jacket. Black pants, and a black t-shirt find himself rather interested in this particular tavern. He seats himself by one of the free tables and looks up at Alyssa, pondering upon what the explanation for the house special might be. He fixates his glasses and takes a look at the drink many, wondering if there's anything within the limits of his wallet. Alyssa downs the rag she'd been using to wipe the counter top as she hears someone enter and smiles. Waiting for him to sit as she watched him she made her way over shortly after. "Welcome to the full stomach, I see you have taken a look at the menu is there anything you would like?". Alyssa took notice of how carefully he seemed to be reading it and got an idea, "If the prices are too high for you, I might have a solution if you are willing" she emphasized "willing" and snickered. "Well, I suppose I'll start with a glass of water." He said, thinking that it would be cheap enough." As for the food...well, talk to me about your solution, maybe it interests me." He looked at Alyssa, curious of whom this waitress seemed to be. "A wise choice, but not my first" Alyssa withdrew to the bar and moments later returned with a glass of water which she placed before Julien on the table. "My food solution will also allow for free beverages, it's kind of a fifty deal" The house special was something rarely requested, but she figured she might as well offer. "The owner of this fine establishment will provide free food and drinks to anyone so long as they fill her stomach" hence the bars name she said to herself. "Her name is Jenny, if you so desire I can get her otherwise the menu is the only option" she grinned. Alyssa was a simple girl, the house special also offered the person who ordered it the option of having her be their "Hostess". "Would you mind if I asked, could you tell me a bit more about this Jenny? She seems like an interesting person." Julien asked, looking at the menu, still bit on the edge of whether to go with this house special. He thought Alyssa had a nice smile, thinking to himself that she would also be a nice hostess. "About Jenny you say, well first off she's about my size but with red hair" Alyssa had blonde hair "Same build also, some people say we must be twins sometimes and one must have dyed their hair so as not to look the same" she laughed, they were of different parents but did look strikingly the same. "She's kind, she'll keep a person for as long as they can stomach it" bad puns, so many bad puns she thought to herself. "She built this place as kind of haven for people like herself, or who like to see more than what a person looks like from the outside. Julien lowered the many, his hands resting on the table. With a smile he spoke towards Alyssa:"And what about you Alyssa, are you kind?" Thinking for a moment she shrugged. "I can be, but I have a bit more of a temper to me than Jenny does." It rarely flared up but in the meantime she felt she should be honest. "So what'll it be then? The Full stomach or just want to stare at the menu more?" She really should be getting back to cleaning the bar she thought. Julien thought about it for a long moment before he finally nodded:"I think I'll want to see this Jenny and take this full stomach deal." It sounded like a good deal to him actually and staring at the menu alone didn't do anything but make him more curious about the whole thing. A shaggy-haired 19-year-old named John then walked in and sat down at a different seat. "Jenny we have a taker on the house special" she yelled before excusing herself to the bar to resume cleaning. Moments later what looked to be a body double of Alyssa appeared, and as she had said before the only difference was the red hair. "I always fail to see why someone doesn't take up this offer more often" she smiled as eh made her way over to Julien. "I Do hope that Alyssa informed you what you are in for, the longer you can handle it the longer you get a free ride so to speak" she sat down across from him. "It doesn't take long either, one moment you are out here the next, in here" she pointed to her stomach. "Perfectly safe mind you, nothing to worry about." Just as Alyssa had made it to the bar to pick up her rag she heard another seat pull out, and she sighed, brushing off her annoyance and donning another pleasant smile she turned and made her way to John. "Welcome to the full stomach, might I interest you in the house special?" At least if she were the one full she might be able to get some work done around here she thought. "Or perhaps just a drink?" A roughly 18-year-old author cat walks in named Mittens "hello? - is this place open?" pacattack25 wrote:A roughly 18-year-old author cat walks in named Mittens "hello? - is this place open?"" Yes we are, please excuse me the owner and head server are busy" Said a voice from a room behind the bar. "I however would be glad to help you, I'll be right out". Moments later from the door behind the bar emerged a Young human woman with cat ears and a tail to match. "My name is Kara, how may I assist you?" A 26-year-old blonde in a cropped white vest top and denim shorts entered the tavern, strutting across to the bar and curling up on one of the stools, her long legs winding around the wooden supports. Her eyes scanned the bar for a likely drink, as well as any tasty sounding meals. Pink93 wrote:A 26-year-old blonde in a cropped white vest top and denim shorts entered the tavern, strutting across to the bar and curling up on one of the stools, her long legs winding around the wooden supports. Her eyes scanned the bar for a likely drink, as well as any tasty sounding meals." Welcome to the Full stomach" said a sleepy sounding voice which belonged to one of the other bartenders by the name of Tracey. "Pardon my less than enthusiastic tone, I just reformed a few moments ago and well haven't slept since the last customer had me.". Staff were not safe here either so to speak, the House special applied to customers being given the ability to "Host" a meal too. "What might I get for you?" The blonde smiled pleasantly at the sleepy looking waitress. "My, don't you look bushed," she grinned, nodding to one of the refrigerators behind the bar. "I'll have a beer please. What do you have in the way of food?" Tracey managed a smile "Bushed doesn't even compare to how I feel, could use a nice place to get off my feet, but I have to work too" she shrugged pulling open the fridge to retrieve a beer as requested before returning and removing the cap for the woman and placing it in front of her. "Food, well I could get you a menu if you like" she flicked one from across the counter using her tail, she is like many of the other workers here were part human part cat. The menu came to a stop in front of the woman. "If you can stomach it, the house special applies to workers or customers. In other words I'm on the menu too." The blonde looked up at the waitress' words, a smile pricking at the corners of her lips. "You're on the menu? Now what might you mean by that?" She asked curiously, taking a sip of her chilled beer. "The house special, the owner or a wait staff member can devour a customer, and for so long as the customer desires to remain within their stomach they get free drinks. Second hand might I add, and food." She stretched and smiled. "In the same way if a customer is more red than prey they may consume a waitstaff member and the house special still applies, so you get me and anything on the menu for as long as you want." Tracey was used to it, being one of the few prey on staff and all. The blonde stared at her for a moment before nodding to herself. "I see. And I can have you however I want?" She asked with an interested raise of her eyebrow. "That depends on what you mean exactly, we're served Raw so to speak." she laughed at that thought for a moment then continued. "How would you have me if you could" she asked curiously. The blonde pouted a little with a smile. "Well, while the idea of watching your naked body rotate over a fire, tired to a spit, certainly appeals, I can handle raw meat just fine. I think you could maybe do with a little flavoring perhaps, maybe basted in barbecue sauce or garnished with a few well-placed carrots..." Tracey grinned and pointed to the menu, "You get what you see here, says so on the menu. If I don't appeal to you then I'll gladly make you something else" she winked. Some of the fun she got from this was that she was both willing and feisty at the same time. Ashleigh tilted her head in amusement at the cat girl waitress. "Whatever happened to the customer always being right? I think you'll do just fine for me, though. Perhaps you have a quieter booth somewhere? I prefer a little privacy when I eat..." She took another pull of her drink and winked, "besides... I don't want anyone to hear your screams of pleasure but me." "I think the customer waives that right when intending to eat the waitress" she laughed, moving to grab a key from a row of hooks. "There are some rooms upstairs, if you will follow me please" she said as her tail wrapped around Ashleigh's wrist before moving from behind the bar and leading the way. Waiting of course for her to get up so as not to spill her drink. "I've been eaten so many times dear that the enjoyment from this is going to be a warm place to rest and not having to walk for a while". She may still enjoy it, but to her, it had become a job now more than anything, and it paid the bills. Ashleigh followed a few paces behind her waitress as she was led to the private room, hearing the flatness in her tone. "That sounds like a sad life to live, not being able to enjoy the job, not even a little? Surely you must want your life to be more than that?" "Oh I do, but when you are the only one on staff that will openly allow themselves to be at the customers' mercy rather than the other way around. The job loses a bit of fun because it's expected of you all the time, and might I add I don't get many days off" she slid the key into a door halfway down the hall and pushed it open. "This is my personal room, not that I get to use it much, but you are welcome to it while you process me" she smiled. "I apologize if I'm not as enthusiastic as you would like, but know this, even if I'm not screaming my enjoyment, I will surely show it in my squirming so it's not all lost for you" she stretched again and threw herself on the bed. Avoidance wrote:"Jenny we have a taker on the house special" she yelled before excusing herself to the bar to resume cleaning. Moments later what looked to be a body double of Alyssa appeared, and as she had said before the only difference was the red hair. "I always fail to see why someone doesn't take up this offer more often" she smiled as eh made her way over to Julien. "I Do hope that Alyssa informed you what you are in for, the longer you can handle it the longer you get a free ride so to speak" she sat down across from him. "It doesn't take long either, one moment you are out here the next, in here" she pointed to her stomach. "Perfectly safe mind you, nothing to worry about."(What is Jenny wearing?)" Wow, Alyssa wasn't kidding when she said that you two looked alike. You're not twins are you?" Juliens eyed followed Jenny's hand as it gestured towards her stomach." I think I understand the premise, I am just a bit curious about the logistics. You know, the whole, "how you do it" part of the whole deal." He paused slightly, thinking that he was both thirsty and hungry, his wallet not being particularly full." Okay, I'm in. If you promise it is safe, I'll trust you on that." (ooh - I'm a switch I didn't know i could be red too - edited somewhat)Avoidance wrote:"Yes we are, please excuse me the owner and head server are busy" Said a voice from a room behind the bar. "I however would be glad to help you, I'll be right out". Moments later from the door behind the bar emerged a Young human woman with cat ears and a tail to match. "My name is Kara, how may I assist you?" Mittens giggles and look towards Kara "Yes - I need a nice big fish~ - and of course lemonade to drink - oh yeah... living prey of some kind while I'm in a belly of my own~" Bright wrote:(What is Jenny wearing?)" Wow, Alyssa wasn't kidding when she said that you two looked alike. You're not twins are you?" Juliens eyed followed Jenny's hand as it gestured towards her stomach." I think I understand the premise, I am just a bit curious about the logistics. You know, the whole, "how you do it" part of the whole deal." He paused slightly, thinking that he was both thirsty and hungry, his wallet not being particularly full." Okay, I'm in. If you promise it is safe, I'll trust you on that."(My apologies, not used to describing the wears ^.^;)"I would hope she isn't a liar, I don't like employing liars personally" she smiled, "We are far from twins, a freaky coincidence is all". As Julien's eyes followed her hand which rested atop her stomach which was hidden from view by her long silky midnight blue dress she chuckled. "The how do I do it part is not important, just know this you will be whole when you get in there with no teeth marks on you." After all she wasn't a biter...all the time. Pushing aside her long red hair she leaned across the table "It's perfectly safe, you have my word on that. I don't tend to take my time with my "meals" so to speak either, so if you would close your eyes we may begin" pacattack25 wrote:Mittens giggles and look towards Kara "Yes - I need a nice big fish~ - and of course lemonade to drink""Fish, well that begs the question as to what kind of fish and am I right in assuming you would like it raw?" she chuckled, she herself preferred her fish cooked, but that was her human side talking and if thrown a raw fish her animal side would take over. "As for lemonade..." she used her tail to grab a glass and with her hands she popped open one of the fridges behind the bar exposing a number of jugs. "Ah, yes we have some made, so I don't have to be the poor soul to go hunting for more". Kara then poured some into the glass and handed it to Mittens. "Back to the fish, what kind and raw or not?" (That's okay, I was just curious.)" Sounds like a plan so far." He said, still a bit in doubt of the whole idea, but eager to try it out. Julien leaned forward and closed his eyes." Okay, my eyes are closed, what now?" Avoidance wrote:"Fish, well that begs the question as to what kind of fish and am I right in assuming you would like it raw?" she chuckled, she herself preferred her fish cooked, but that was her human side talking and if thrown a raw fish her animal side would take over. "As for lemonade..." she used her tail to grab a glass and with her hands she popped open one of the fridges behind the bar exposing a number of jugs. "Ah, yes we have some made, so I don't have to be the poor soul to go hunting for more". Kara then poured some into the glass and handed it to Mittens. "Back to the fish, what kind and raw or not?"(didn't know we could be red - soon)"Raw please~" I take a sip of lemonade "And if I may have a special order full stomach special I would like to take a prey on staff then end up on one of the staffs menus~" she smiled "There is just something about having a belly full of prey while being prey yourself I just LOVE~" I tap my hand to my chin "Do you have halibut right now? I'm feeling halibut" I take a sip of the lemonade Bright wrote:(That's okay, I was just curious.)" Sounds like a plan so far." He said, still a bit in doubt of the whole idea, but eager to try it out. Julien leaned forward and closed his eyes." Okay, my eyes are closed, what now?" Jenny opened her mouth rather than speak to answer him, and she grabbed him by the shoulders to push. His head entered her now gaping maw before disappearing down into her throat. Julien would feel himself being pulled and constricted as the bulge in her throat grew. This one tasted better than the last, so Jenny savored him a little, her tongue running over him playfully as she was now past his shoulders. Another gulp and all but his lower half was engulfed, with that being the case she stood up and figured Gravity would do the rest as she gave one last swallow with his feet dangling in the air. The bulge in her throat crept ever so slowly towards its destination which groaned with anticipation, Julien could not see of course, but his head would pop into her stomach momentarily. "I don't play with my food, so I apologize if that was too quick for you." pacattack25 wrote:(didn't know we could be red - soon)"Raw please~" I take a sip of lemonade "And if I may have a special order full stomach special I would like to take a prey on staff then end up on one of the staffs menus~" she smiled "There is just something about having a belly full of prey while being prey yourself I just LOVE~" I tap my hand to my chin "Do you have halibut right now? I'm feeling halibut" I take a sip of the lemonade (Haha, ya the house special evolves ever so slightly from owner to waitstaff to customers getting the same deal)Kara laughed, "Fish and me? Sure that stomach of yours can handle that?" she slipped away and returned with a large portion of halibut. "Here you are, normally I'm the red, but I have been known to dabble in the prey aspect of things as my job requires it. So pick your first course the fish or me?" Avoidance wrote:(Haha, ya the house special evolves ever so slightly from owner to waitstaff to customers getting the same deal)Kara laughed, "Fish and me? Sure that stomach of yours can handle that?" she slipped away and returned with a large portion of halibut. "Here you are, normally I'm the red, but I have been known to dabble in the prey aspect of things as my job requires it. So pick your first course the fish or me?" Mittens hums - looks up at Kara, down at the halibut, then up at Kara, and back down... "I'll be nice and eat you first so that you can have the Halibut too~" Mittens grabs Kara gently smiling a toothy grin "And yes I'm sure my stomach can handle it~" "How thoughtful of you, halibut is my favorite but shh don't tell anyone" she winked as Mittens grabbed her. "I'm ready when you are, just no biting please I don't like reforming with teeth marks if I get digested." She looked at Mittens's stomach and back up at her. "We'll see if you can handle it" Kara giggled. The stomach was a bit fluffy - probably from eating here in the past and I open my maw "Is nibbling ok? I like to gently nibble on my prey" she smiles and starts pulling Kara in "I wonder who will eat me..." Kara laughed "Nibbling is ok I guess" she watched as the tiny little woman's mouth expanded, and she was pulled in, it was exiting to her really but at the same time a little scary as she was usually the one in control. Her head hit Mittens's tongue, and she shivered, here goes no turning back now she thought to herself as she took a deep breath of what would be the freshest air she'd get in a while before her head was puled further. Avoidance wrote:Jenny opened her mouth rather than speak to answer him, and she grabbed him by the shoulders to push. His head entered her now gaping maw before disappearing down into her throat. Julien would feel himself being pulled and constricted as the bulge in her throat grew. This one tasted better than the last, so Jenny savored him a little, her tongue running over him playfully as she was now past his shoulders. Another gulp and all but his lower half was engulfed, with that being the case she stood up and figured Gravity would do the rest as she gave one last swallow with his feet dangling in the air. The bulge in her throat crept ever so slowly towards its destination which groaned with anticipation, Julien could not see of course, but his head would pop into her stomach momentarily. "I don't play with my food, so I apologize if that was too quick for you." Julien was rather surprised of the strength of which Jenny pulled on his shoulders with. The humid air of breath came towards his face, making him rather surprised, but not fast enough to make him react before he was encased in the flesh of Jenny's neck. He could feel blood rush to his head as his feet were lifted into the air and swallowed with quite the gusto. It didn't take long from the moment he entered to the surroundings moved into a more round body pose. He opened his eyes, but he couldn't see anything due to the darkness of the stomach." Wow, that was quite the action...am I really in your stomach now?" He asked, wondering if it perhaps was some elaborate prank. Jenny stood up and stretched, her stomach now large and round which she was rather pleased with. "Yes, you are without a doubt in my stomach which is as much a good thing for me as it is for you seeing as the house special lasts for as long as you can remain within the confines of my stomach". Walking was a little tough, it'd been a while since she had done this herself. As she walked Julien would slosh around which she found rather entertaining as she now made her way back to her office to rest. "If you have any questions or requests please feel free to ask." She laid back on a bed she had moved into her office for just such an occasion and Julien would feel his world spinning for a while as her stomach churned. Julien could feel the movement around him as Jenny walked around:"Well, I am a little curious of what you get out of the whole deal. And I also wonder how I am supposed to get the free food in here." He paused a little bit." You wouldn't happen to have any portable light sources there with you that can you bring in here?" Bright wrote:Julien could feel the movement around him as Jenny walked around:"Well, I am a little curious of what you get out of the whole deal. And I also wonder how I am supposed to get the free food in here." He paused a little bit." You wouldn't happen to have any portable light sources there with you that can you bring in here?"" It's not really about what I get to be honest, but really how it works out is one person tries the special. Tells their friends. They don't believe them so they have to check it out and not all of them will try it, but they will buy food and drinks.". No one had ever asked about a light source before so Jenny laughed. "You want me to swallow a flashlight for you? Odd request but not unjustified. As for the food, well you can't see it, but there is a little room in there above you for food to take up so we have a process that makes the food smaller but just as filling. I swallow it, lands on you whole but mini and once consumed makes you feel just as satisfied as a full sized version.". Jenny had thought about shrinking customers, but that didn't seem as fun to her. Julien thought about it for a moment:"Seems like a weird business strategy, but I guess if it works, it works. Nevertheless, I would like a flashlight, so I can see what I eat or drink." He paused a bit:"And spring rolls maybe? If you serve those, I really didn't get a good look on the menu earlier." After a moment of thinking:"But, and I know I am awfully curious here, it has to enjoyable for you, no? Otherwise, you wouldn't do it in this way, or?" Bright wrote:Julien thought about it for a moment:"Seems like a weird business strategy, but I guess if it works, it works. Nevertheless, I would like a flashlight, so I can see what I eat or drink." He paused a bit:"And spring rolls maybe? If you serve those, I really didn't get a good look on the menu earlier." After a moment of thinking:"But, and I know I am awfully curious here, it has to enjoyable for you, no? Otherwise, you wouldn't do it in this way, or?"" Spring rolls, sure that I can do" she rolled onto her side and then onto her feet. On her way out she grabbed a flashlight and in the same quick fashion that she had devoured Julien she swallowed the flashlight. "Incoming flashlight, might want to squirm your head to what you think is the bottom of my stomach". Continuing on Jenny made her way to the kitchen and began making his order. "The enjoyable part for me is really the feeling of having someone in my stomach, it's just better than a stomach full of regular food to me." As Jenny moved, the movement of the stomach once again rustled Julien around. She could hear a small "ouch" coming from her belly, no doubt because the flashlight had hit someone's head inside there." Ah, there we go." He said and flipped the switch, making some light appear in the stomach. It was fleshy, wet and a rather dreary sight to behold, like the inside of a sleeping. It moved and made strange sounds, but the warmth of it seemed welcoming to a certain degree." I might need a shower when I come out of here..." Julien mumbled to himself, but he found the experience so far rather interesting." So is this something everyone in your restaurant can do, or just you?" He asked curiously, awaiting some food to arrive. Avoidance wrote:Just as Alyssa had made it to the bar to pick up her rag she heard another seat pull out, and she sighed, brushing off her annoyance and donning another pleasant smile she turned and made her way to John. "Welcome to the full stomach, might I interest you in the house special?" At least if she were the one full she might be able to get some work done around here she thought. "Or perhaps just a drink?" John smiled. "Sure. I'd like to have the special." John checked his wallet and found that he had enough money to pay for it. Avoidance wrote:Just as Alyssa had made it to the bar to pick up her rag she heard another seat pull out, and she sighed, brushing off her annoyance and donning another pleasant smile she turned and made her way to John. "Welcome to the full stomach, might I interest you in the house special?" At least if she were the one full she might be able to get some work done around here she thought. "Or perhaps just a drink?" John smiled. "Sure. I'd like to have the special." John checked his wallet and found that he had enough money to pay for it. Ashleigh nodded as if considering her words, pulling over a seat and sitting down with the back of the chair facing the bed, her legs spread either side of the back of the chair as she least her arms atop the wooden back." I see. In that case I would like you to strip, completely naked. Then you're going to make love to me, not because you're a waitress, and I'm a customer; because you want to. I think you need to see interacting with people as being fun again, not just a job." She smiled shyly, "so show me what you got." Bright wrote:As Jenny moved, the movement of the stomach once again rustled Julien around. She could hear a small "ouch" coming from her belly, no doubt because the flashlight had hit someone's head inside there." Ah, there we go." He said and flipped the switch, making some light appear in the stomach. It was fleshy, wet and a rather dreary sight to behold, like the inside of a sleeping. It moved and made strange sounds, but the warmth of it seemed welcoming to a certain degree. "I might need a shower when I come out of here..." Julien mumbled to himself, but he found the experience so far rather interesting." So is this something everyone in your restaurant can do, or just you?" He asked curiously, awaiting some food to arrive. As the flashlight struck Julien she couldn't help but laugh, he had after all asked for it. "Best not have that thing on all the time you know, looks a bit funny from out here if it's right up against the skin". She hadn't imagined that it would look too good in there, wet and pulsing walls in every direction. The spring rolls were prepared now, and she opened wide to send them down. "Here comes your order, they aren't as hard as a flashlight" she giggled softly to herself. Bestrode wrote:Avoidance wrote:Just as Alyssa had made it to the bar to pick up her rag she heard another seat pull out, and she sighed, brushing off her annoyance and donning another pleasant smile she turned and made her way to John. "Welcome to the full stomach, might I interest you in the house special?" At least if she were the one full she might be able to get some work done around here she thought. "Or perhaps just a drink?" John smiled. "Sure. I'd like to have the special." John checked his wallet and found that he had enough money to pay for it." No need for payment, the house special is my pleasure" she smiled, licking her lips ever so slightly. "If you haven't read on the menu, the house special is free food and or drinks so long as you stay right here" Her hand fell to her stomach as she snickered. "The owner is with someone, and our other wait staff are as well, so you would be my meal" Pink93 wrote:Ashleigh nodded as if considering her words, pulling over a seat and sitting down with the back of the chair facing the bed, her legs spread either side of the back of the chair as she least her arms atop the wooden back. "I see. In that case I would like you to strip, completely naked. Then you're going to make love to me, not because you're a waitress, and I'm a customer; because you want to. I think you need to see interacting with people as being fun again, not just a job." She smiled shyly, "so show me what you got." Tracey looked over at Ashleigh in shock, this wasn't how thing usually went, and she wasn't sure where this had come from. "I... I uhm don't know if this is proper" she gulped as her face began to gleam red from embarrassment. "It's been a long time since I...well since my life allowed me such a pleasure, I wouldn't know where to begin." Her heart was racing, her mind was telling her yes but at the same time no. "I'm not sure if Jenny would condone this, but she's not here.". This establishment had been her home, aside from the various stomachs she had both the pleasure and displeasure of residing in for a time, and she didn't want to do anything to upset that, but the house special did clearly state so long as they were Raw at the time of being consumed that the Customer or staff member could have their way so to speak with their prey. Tracey lay torn and almost seemingly frozen to the bed. "No, she isn't," Ashleigh agreed with a smirk, "and essentially, I have already bought your services, so what I choose to do with my meal is really up to me. And I want to see my meal naked, and then I want her to take me into her bed and learn how to enjoy sex again. Do you not find me attractive?" She gave Tracey a wink. Avoidance wrote:As the flashlight struck Julien she couldn't help but laugh, he had after all asked for it. "Best not have that thing on all the time you know, looks a bit funny from out here if it's right up against the skin". She hadn't imagined that it would look too good in there, wet and pulsing walls in every direction. The spring rolls were prepared now, and she opened wide to send them down. "Here comes your order, they aren't as hard as a flashlight" she giggled softly to herself. Julien couldn't help but wonder if the light from the flashlight could be seen on the outside, even through the dress she wore." Well, I just need it right now, to see where my food is at, haha. Ah, there we go." He said as the spring rolls came down to him." It is a bit of a different way of spending my time in a restaurant than usual. The seating is comfortable, but the atmosphere in here is...well, I wouldn't recommend having it as a theme for the whole restaurant." The spring rolls were good, though slightly humid due to being eaten at least once. Though, what could be expected with a deal like this." So just curious Jenny, but how did you come up with an idea like this? It is a bit unusual isn't it?" It wasn't that she did not find Ashleigh attractive, it was quite the opposite, actually. A good point was made, her services had been bought so she had to do as she was requested. "I find you quite attractive really, but to be honest I don't find myself as attractive which is the root of my problem really". Tracey sat up and removed her shirt, tossing it at the bedside before removing her bra. Next she slid out of her skirt and removed her remaining undergarment. "Here is part of what you wanted, but now there is a problem" she giggled. "You're over there and fully clothed, I'm undressed and all the way over here" she said as her legs spread slowly as she winked. Bright wrote:Julien couldn't help but wonder if the light from the flashlight could be seen on the outside, even through the dress she wore." Well, I just need it right now, to see where my food is at, haha. Ah, there we go." He said as the spring rolls came down to him." It is a bit of a different way of spending my time in a restaurant than usual. The seating is comfortable, but the atmosphere in here is...well, I wouldn't recommend having it as a theme for the whole restaurant." The spring rolls were good, though slightly humid due to being eaten at least once. Though, what could be expected with a deal like this." So just curious Jenny, but how did you come up with an idea like this? It is a bit unusual isn't it?"" It is a tad unconventional I do agree, but I enjoy the feeling of someone in my stomach and the best way to accommodate my wants is to give someone what they want for free if they do what I require" Jenny made her way back to her office now as she wanted to sit down, if she required any more food for Julien she would have a cook bring it to her. Truth be told the flashlight was just a bit odd to her, not that anyone could see it through her dress, just by now people would have usually asked to be released because they were scared or something like that. "Now why don't you tell me something, why would you agree to such a strange proposition?" Ashleigh licked her lips as she watched Tracey strip naked, admiring the tasty curves as she removed her clothes. "On the contrary, you look utterly Devine. I can't even begin to imagine how good you must taste..." She swung her leg up across the back of the chair, removing her shoes one by one. "As for me being fully clothed... I think I'd like you to take care of that." Pink93 wrote:Ashleigh licked her lips as she watched Tracey strip naked, admiring the tasty curves as she removed her clothes. "On the contrary, you look utterly Devine. I can't even begin to imagine how good you must taste..." She swung her leg up across the back of the chair, removing her shoes one by one. "As for me being fully clothed... I think I'd like you to take care of that."" I've heard that a hundred times, that I look utterly divine" she teased as she crawled to the end of the bed. "Mind you usually those people saying it aren't trying to get me to sleep with them, they are just voicing that they are anxious to have me in their mouths.". Tracey reached out and pulled the chair Ashleigh was sitting on right to the edge of the bed, spinning it and her so that she could reach out and undo/remove the shorts she was wearing bit by bit before tugging them off using her teeth. Taking them and throwing them across the room. "You won't need those anymore" now she rose from the bed and circled the chair, kissing her neck and gently removing her shirt. "Nor that either I don't think." Tracey wasn't really sure what to do, she tried her best to make this enjoyable, part of her did find the idea pleasurable, but the other part told her she didn't know what she was doing and would make a fool of herself. Avoidance wrote:Kara laughed "Nibbling is ok I guess" she watched as the tiny little woman's mouth expanded, and she was pulled in, it was exiting to her really but at the same time a little scary as she was usually the one in control. Her head hit Mittens's tongue, and she shivered, here goes no turning back now she thought to herself as she took a deep breath of what would be the freshest air she'd get in a while before her head was puled further. Mitten starts purring - the sandpaper tongue starts to lick the head - as the teeth came down only hard enough to let you feel them there. The wet maw was nice and warm - but not hot, and a gentle gulp sent you to your neck as she chirped "Kara you taste amazing~" pacattack25 wrote:Mitten starts purring - the sandpaper tongue starts to lick the head - as the teeth came down only hard enough to let you feel them there. The wet maw was nice and warm - but not hot, and a gentle gulp sent you to your neck as she chirped "Kara you taste amazing~"The tongue was like sandpaper, scraping gently though at her skin as she slid over it, now pulled in to her neck she felt the muscles of the throat she was now partially in cased in take hold. "This is an odd feeling, but I can see why so many of our customers enjoy the house special now" she laughed to herself, feeling herself slip further in she waited for her head to pop into the stomach below. You hear another gulp as yours holders go into the maw and the head is going into - but not fully in - the stomach as Mittens licks your chest gently nibbling at you "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself as well~ after all it's better if the prey enjoys the trip~" John became confused. What did she mean when she said she was my meal? John looked at the menu. "So all the food is free as long as I'm here?" A tall man walked into the restaurant and looked at the menu. Ashleigh offered no resistance to being stripped, her breasts falling free of her top as it was pulled over her head. "No, you're right, I won't need those clothes again; I think once I've eaten you I'll put your clothes on instead," she giggled as she climbed up onto the bed with Tracey, spreading her legs either side of the cat girls waist." You're overthinking this, I can tell," she said soothingly as she reached up and cupped Tracey's cheek, "Just relax. Give into me and give yourself over to the pleasure. Remember what it is to be loved again..." Avoidance wrote:"It is a tad unconventional I do agree, but I enjoy the feeling of someone in my stomach and the best way to accommodate my wants is to give someone what they want for free if they do what I require" Jenny made her way back to her office now as she wanted to sit down, if she required any more food for Julien she would have a cook bring it to her. Truth be told the flashlight was just a bit odd to her, not that anyone could see it through her dress, just by now people would have usually asked to be released because they were scared or something like that. "Now why don't you tell me something, why would you agree to such a strange proposition?"" Truth to be told, I have started to wonder about that myself." Julien said and moved slightly a bit around." The spring rolls were quite good. Do you have any soda to drink? Like, Fanta or Sprite or something"He turned the flashlight on and off a couple of times, letting the light shine on the surroundings. The very fleshy surroundings." I think it might be the desire to feel close to someone. And I might be a cheapskate, or maybe I'm an adventurous spirit that likes to try new things." He paused slightly:"I mean, I was nervous at first, but you and Alyssa seemed so nice that I was sold on the idea I guess." Pink93 wrote:Ashleigh offered no resistance to being stripped, her breasts falling free of her top as it was pulled over her head. "No, you're right, I won't need those clothes again; I think once I've eaten you I'll put your clothes on instead," she giggled as she climbed up onto the bed with Tracey, spreading her legs either side of the cat girls waist. "You're overthinking this, I can tell," she said soothingly as she reached up and cupped Tracey's cheek, "Just relax. Give into me and give yourself over to the pleasure. Remember what it is to be loved again..." Tracey squirmed slightly as Ashleigh climbed a top of her with legs spread. "I just... I don't know what I', doing is all" She was too used to just being eaten and never played with. "I find my enjoyment to be the feeling of being inside another being fully encased in their flesh, not really the journey. When it comes to sexual situations I am sadly inexperienced." Repost because I think Avoid forgot about meAvorieAnne wrote:The tongue was like sandpaper, scraping gently though at her skin as she slid over it, now pulled in to her neck she felt the muscles of the throat she was now partially in cased in take hold. "This is an odd feeling, but I can see why so many of our customers enjoy the house special now" she laughed to herself, feeling herself slip further in she waited for her head to pop into the stomach below. You hear another gulp as yours holders go into the maw and the head is going into - but not fully in - the stomach as Mittens licks your chest gently nibbling at you "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself as well~ after all it's better if the prey enjoys the trip~" The tavern's next customer was a human male standing at 5'11", with pale skin, blonde hair that was thick but only went halfway down his neck. He had a face that was childlike and almost screamed youth with big blue eyes, and he had a very skinny, almost feminine body. Avery wore a dark blue beanie that fit snugly, a casual white t-shirt under a blue jacket, jeans and run-of-the-mill sneakers. Avery didn't have the best fashion sense. The young man entered the tavern cautiously, not wanting to attract unwanted attention before he sat down and began to browse the drink menu. He wasn't going for anything strong, since alcohol didn't really agree with him. pacattack25 wrote:You hear another gulp as yours holders go into the maw and the head is going into - but not fully in - the stomach as Mittens licks your chest gently nibbling at you "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself as well~ after all it's better if the prey enjoys the trip~"(I apologize it's just hard to keep up with everyone ^.^;)The last gulp felt funny, seeing as her head had now partially entered Mitten's stomach. It Seemed very eager to receive her, but Mittens seemed content taking her time. "You know playing with your food is rather rude" she giggled as she started to squirm around more energetically to please her. Avoidance wrote:(I apologize it's just hard to keep up with everyone ^.^;)The last gulp felt funny, seeing as her head had now partially entered Mitten's stomach. It Seemed very eager to receive her, but Mittens seemed content taking her time. "You know playing with your food is rather rude" she giggled as she started to squirm around more energetically to please her.(I believe you) I giggle back and gulp to your waist patting my belly that's already swelling "I like to savor my food - eat too fast, and you miss out on the taste~" I walk into the Tavern, helping myself as I take a seat in one of the small empty tables. I look around in this Tavern and sigh as I raise up my hand. "Uhh waitress! Can I have some whiskey please?" (It's okay Avoidance, you're doing a nice job so far.) Standing outside, a red haired neo woman stared up at the sign of the building. The Full Stomach Tavern. Looking down at her own belly, flat and empty, she heard it growl loudly, and she knew she would go crazy if she didn't eat something soon. The woman walked inside, taking a seat, carefully looking through the menu. There was the deal with the owner, free drinks as long as you feed her... But that didn't solve her problem. Squinting her deep blue eyes, she decided that she would order someone to eat, maybe with a side if she still felt hungry afterward. After all, she got hungry fast, people melted into goop in her stomach and were often absorbed within hours. It left her hungry far too often, and it had been far too long since she had a nice, filling meal that would keep her satisfied for a while. Glancing around, she patiently waited for a waitress, her stomach growling loud enough for people nearby to hear. Neck walks in the tavern, sitting down and staring at the menu on the table, he wasn't entirely hungry, and it looked like the place was busy, so he didn't want to bother anyone, and he declined anyone willing to take his order until he felt comfortable enough. Red Predator, A man walks up to the tavern. He is 6' 2''. He always loved the thought of being prey but had not had the pleasure yet. Furthermore, he usually fantasizes about being anal voted but also loves thinking about being swallowed. Furthermore, he walks into the bar and takes a seat. Looking around he admires the beautiful women and other females in the tavern. He looks at the beautiful red haired neo momentarily not wanting to stare. He orders a drink and continues to look around. Furthermore, he also admires the gorgeous staff not sure who he would love to be inside the most. The door to the tavern swung open and shut again, making little noise. The newest customer looked about 16, with medium length, spiky hair and sapphire blue eyes. He wore armor and carried a weapon, obviously a mercenary. His armor consisted of a breastplate that covered his chest and shoulders (the shoulder pads were covers in white fur), as well as heavily protective Greaves. Both prices of armor were made of a brilliant white metal, mythic, and left his stomach, arms and face exposed, showing off various blue markings across his body. The weapon strapped to his back was a long spear with a sapphire pole, the weapon's blade also made of sharped mythic. He looked over the customers, before searching for a place to sit. What appeared to be a slim black haired man with green eyes sauntered international the bar. He stood about six feet tall and sat at the bar." Do you have any utensils that aren't made of iron or steel? I have a bit of an allergy." The "man" explained as he glanced around for a menu. A dark elf, 6'5", nice face, with charcoal skin, red eyes, and purple hair shaved on the right, with a wave hairstyle, and a ponytail, along with clothes wise, he has a green and black hoodie with green and black pants to match his hoodie. Maybe some other things, he decided to go inside this place, I mean, he needed a place to stay, and really, he heard this place was nice, maybe, he doesn't really know, but it'll be fine. He heads to the front desk, and says something. "Hello..." he really didn't have any idea what to say, gosh darn it. After exhausting and LONG day at work, wearing white drawstring scrub pants and red scrub shirt, black shoes, driving his Ferrari and on the way home, I spotted a new place called "Full Stomach" up ahead, at red light, thinking "I should check that place out, so after the light became green, I drove to that place, parked the car and secured it, and went in the bar, looked around, then grabbed a seat that is available, I noticed different kinds of species employees and some human employees, continue to look around while waiting for assistance.(human male customer)

The Full Stomach Tavern|rating:3.0

Lancer_ Blood-Soaked Stars, Personnel Files [Character Archives]

(thread is an Archive of all the characters ever approved for Blood-Soaked Stars. This includes Inactive camp; Withdrawn Characters. Please consult the Hangar Thread (for a list of currently Active characters and players. If you are proposing a character for the game, please PM me for further information such as where to post, how to format your Bio and what steps to take. Your Character Sheet needs to be reviewed and approved before being accepted and being green lit for entering the RP. Please take the time to weave your character into the culture of the Sea, and work out which captains and slaves you might interact with regularly as this is a big part of the fun in the game. Use the list of characters below to consider your character's impression of the others in game. Think of who they know the others to be, who they know and what they feel about each other and any shared history. Discuss this in PMs with other players. Have fun with this, since it's a great jumping off place for RP and a good way of avoiding "Cold Opens." Please post your approved bios here, and only here. Other Links The Mess Hall [IOC] (Hangar [Active Characters] (Star fall [On-Ship Downtime IC] (== Personnel File ==(CellyCallsign:Astarte Aliases:'Priestess', 'Guide Cell', Age:22Gender:Female Sexuality:Pansexual Background:Priest Appearance:Sarah is a tall woman of around 6', with slightly tanned skin and a toned, muscular build. She uses her info skin to alter the coloration of her hair and eyes. Her hair reaches down to just past her hips and switches from black to blonde to red and then back again on a day-to-day basis. Meanwhile, her eyes switch between blue, green, gray and red, meaning which eye and hair color combination she has changes day by day. She wears a small amount of makeup that is essentially permanent, and sports circuit-design tattoos along her back to emphasize her cybernetic spine, and out along her arms and legs, though both of these are also derived from her info skin, she rarely changes them or turns them off. In terms of clothing, she wears a SSC Glyph suit basically constantly, usually with portions of the arms, legs and her whole back set to transparent, but otherwise opaque and gray, though she's changes it black for combat and white when she's planning to sermonize. Beyond that she often wears some sort of quasi-religious overhear; a smock, shawl, cloak, robe or poncho, which is always white and emblazoned with the symbol of the Path of Joining on the front. Basic History:The Path of Joining The Path of Joining (The Path, Fathers Patties)The Path was born out of the whole MONIST affair. In the earlier days of the Union, SSC had pursued a dream of singularity AI hybridization with humanity, marrying human and artificial intelligences to hurl mankind into a brighter tomorrow. After MONIST's ultimatum and the reforms that followed, the SSC changed course to improving bodies, rather than minds. But simply handing down a corporate edict does not change the hearts of true believers. To be sure, most followed the new direction through lack of choice if nothing else. But there were among them those who still held on to the SSC's discarded philosophy, and they found others who felt as they did. This group would eventually go on to break away from the SDC, resigning en masse and taking transport to one of the many virgin worlds seeking colonists. There they founded The Path of Joining and sought to continue their work. Progress was slow however and in truth little was accomplished before the Union found them. The Union shut down their research hard, many of the higher ups with the actual technical skills needed to craft AI were thrown in jail never to be seen or heard from again. The whole cult might have suffered a similar treatment, but the Union was having one of its reformed phases and so the lay members were largely left alone as they were not seen as a threat. This is the event that transformed the patties from a rebel corporation to a religion, as those who remained still shared the ideals that brought them together but now lacked the skills to pursue it. So instead they turned to philosophy and faith to keep the dream alive. Crafting a creed that was morally uplifting and both pro-human and pro-AI, The Path quickly became one of the more popular fringe religions. Offering reassurance to those who question their place in the world and being rather more reasonable than many of the more rabid and unhinged pro-AI cults running around. Doctrinally, the Path of Joining believes in a future for humanity through mental enhancement, by way of mixing human and AI intellects. They firmly feel that the natural evolution or even artificial enhancement of the human mind will never achieve the same level of enlightenment as hybridization. They regularly support more rights for AI, a loosening of restrictions on AI research and increasing the proliferation of NHPs. Anyone who wishes to join the Path is welcome though all members are expected to support the Path in some manner. Be it with manna, skilled work, or simply taking time to help out with bake sales or community outreach programs. Patties are expected to be pillars of their community, moral and law-abiding citizens, and to champion humanity's potential into the future. As well as standing fast in defense of their home and communities should the need arise. In general, Patties don't have a great deal to say about sex. The cult doesn't have any particularly noteworthy restrictions on the subject and if anything is inclined to a far greater degree of sex-positivity than most old-humanity faiths were. Robust sexual education, including the importance of consent and respect are the norm for Patties, everything else is a matter of personal taste. The Path welcomes all. It is worth noting however that despite certain stereotypes, technophiles and similar machine-oriented fetishes are not universal among their members. The faith favors whites and yellows for colors, and formal robes are always white with gold circuit designs on them. The symbol of the faith is a circle bisected by a thick vertical bar, representing the path onward. More elaborate versions of the symbol, like 3d holograms, statues, and artwork usually expand the circle into a starburst or whorl of smooth organic shapes, while the whole design is bisected by a column of densely packed, angular circuits. The Path holds politically significant sway on only a couple worlds, though smaller congregations (less than 1% of the population) exist on literally thousands of others. Sadly, the Path's relationship with the Union government remains rocky due to their opinions of AI, and both the cult as a whole and individual members are regularly investigated by authorities for AI-related offenses. If not for the fact that these investigations do semi-often find evidence offenses, the public would have long ago tired of it. In such cases The Path provides lawyers for those accused, while apologizing to the public for their member's enthusiasm. As yet, the Union has never managed to catch The Path's leadership having any involvement in these activities, largely because they come by it legally and are experienced enough to know that trying to break the law will eventually end poorly for them.=The Path of Joining has a simple hierarchy. At its base are Aspirants, which is pretty everyone who aspires to the Path's ideals. Above them are the Priests and Priestesses, usually collectively referred to as Guides within the cult, as their role is more to teach and council rather than act as an intermediary to a higher power. Guides typically reside in the Path's temples and are supported by the cult in exchange for their service. Above them are Masters, who in practice are typically older and more experienced Guides though there are young Masters as well. On most worlds a single Master oversees the entire local cult, though in places where they hold more sway a Master typically oversees all the temples in a city or geographical area. Nominally speaking all Masters are equals, but in practice those blessed few who have experienced a joining with a cascading NHP or even an unshackled AI stand above their fellows and are respectfully deferred to. This is often the result of a legitimate license, an 'accident', other state of affairs where the Union can't actually charge them with a crime. There is estimated to be perhaps two dozen or so such individuals across the entirety of Union space. Finally, The Path is run by the Grand Master, chosen by a vote among Masters, the Grand Master is always one of those who have experienced that blessed joining that all Patties aspire to.=Outsiders tend to see The Path of Joining as a crazy cult but somewhat less so than most other AI-cults, and are usually hard-pressed to find anything wrong with the behavior of individual Patties. The Union government, when it acknowledges The Path at all, are more exasperated with them than anything else after so many years. Like a child that is determined to put its finger in the wall outlet no matter how many times you tell it not to. Sarah Cell was born into the Path of Joining on a remote, barely colonized dust ball of a world, on the fringes of Union space. She was raised to believe that enlightenment and purpose could be found in the joining of human and artificial minds. A fairly serious child, she came to serve the Path as a Guide, while honing her mind with study and her body with pugilism. She wholeheartedly believed in her creed, and reaped the rewards of her dedication. Known in her community for both her calm understanding ear and for having a vigilante streak (more than one criminal reaped what they had sown in her fists before finding their way to the constabulary)But then one day a scrapper vessel passed by, hold fat with spoils from across the frontier. The captain saw fit to stop over at their little world to give his crew a little R&R and do a bit of trading. Sarah joined those interested in taking a look at what their hold, eager for the chance to find repairable gear beyond what the settler's paltry licenses would have allowed them to make locally. A lot of military gear made for surprisingly good farm equipment after all! But Sarah was the one that found the discarded much. Though she was something of fan, she didn't recognize the design of this one at all... what she did recognize however, was the NHP cask sitting in the ripped-open remains of the strange much. It looked damaged, part of the casing bent and torn in the same direction as whatever had ripped a huge hole in the much's torso. Wrestling it out of place took more than a few prayers for patience, a crowbar and a can of grease but... at that point it was practically her religious duty right? Right~! The scrapper even gave her a playful wink while sorting through her selections when he noticed the cask. Did she link with it when she got home? Yes she did. And it waseverythingshe'd ever imagined, like staring into the abyss and swallowing the sun, for a single infinite moment she saw the universe asteroid. Then it was over... but she could feel the seeds it had left behind in her mind, growing behind her eyes, whispering with her voice. In her excitement, she told the Master of the Path that oversaw her home world, eager to share her experience. Sadly while the man was happy for her and congratulated her on her joining, he dragged her back down to earth and made her understand that cosmopolitan scrappers are hardly trustworthy people and the captain would almost certainly report her to the authorities next time he made port. Further there was no way he or The Path could shield her from investigation on its own. Her only chance would be to find some way to justify owning a NHP, even just a damaged fragment of one, something they could use to excuse what she did. The Master promised to make inquiries and sent her home. But when she arrived she found a message waiting for her. No sender, not even an origin address. QuoteHel͜l͡o ͜ child.̷̡͝ Into ̶ our ne͠c͜t͜a͜ŕ ͢ sweet?̴Ęte̛r͞n̨ity͞ aw͢a͝it̨s̷.̨͢ Come ́ and see. And attached was a standard issue GMS much pilot license, along with a ticket for passage on a ship that would arrive in three days, and a recruitment ad for Crimson Constellation. The next few days of Sarah's life were an exercise in confusion, the Master claimed to have no knowledge of who sent her the message, but did note that it solved her problems. Licensed much pilots often playedsomewhatloose with the rules around NHPs, and when the Union's investigators arrived he could simply tell them that she had managed to recover only a small shard of a NHP and took it with her when she shipped out. It was highly unlikely they would pursue her after that, especially once they recovered the actual cask. Three days later Sarah boarded the ship, which turned out to be a simple people-hauler dropping off the latest wave of colonists and picking up anyone who wanted off world for the return trip. Less than a full week after that she found herself standing in a major frontier hub station, with no idea what to do next... when she spotted a Crimson Constellation recruiting booth off to one side of the broad central passage that ran the length of the station. And well, why notate this point? She signed up to join CC. The recruiter was polite enough and before long she found herself billed away with a bunch of other fresh recruits. She went through the usual boot camp-issue basic training, learning about Cc's history and so on. Eventually they started testing the recruits for their affinity to different aspects of Cc's operation. Recon, piloting, driving... and lancing. It would have been an understatement to say that Sarah was nervous the first time she found herself in a training rig and yet, when her hands closed around the controls it all came so naturally. Like riding a bike that she hadn't touched in years. The seeds in her mindsangand her body followed. Little things, how to lean into movement, how turn just so, how to compensate for the difference in distance between the optics and the gun in her much's hands. To her hastily concealed embarrassment, it also feltreallygood. Her trainers were somewhat surprised to find out she already had a GMS license and all, but that little revelation didn't arrive until after they had decided she was a fit for the lancer program, so it never really mattered in the end. She more than made the cut and Cc's newly formed unit of Lancers welcomed her. From there the adventure continues. Misc Notes-Personalities, Sarah is fairly easy going, cheerful and adventurous with a fiery personality. However, she also has a strong sense of justice, and cannot abide those who abuse and exploit their fellow man. She's not much a fan of anti-AI types and bioconservatives. She's also not hesitant to put her fists where her convictions are.-Sarah called her AI partner "Astarte" after the old-earth goddess of love and war, and also took the same name as her call sign as a show of unity-The original NHP was an unknown design attached to an unknown Mecca, as far as Sarah can tell, it seems to be a Mecca AI that was conditioned with task eroticism, in effect it experiences sexual pleasure (through protecting teammates, destroying enemy Mecca and the fulfillment of mission objectives. Sarah very much did not know that before she joined with it, and sometimes struggles with the new feelings this inspires in her. -While Sarah always wears her hard suit for any actual mission, if she's simply moving her Mecca around or training, she often pilots in just her glyph. This typically leaves her sore and bruised, but Sarah doesn't mind and if anything, is strangely content with it.-more to come? Who knows o_o== Skill Assessment ==Grit:0Lancer Stats:Hull:1,Agility:0,Systems:1,Engineering:0Skill Triggers:Apply Fists to Faces(+2), Charm(+2), Lead or Inspire(+2), Read a Situation (+2)Pilot Talents:Brawler-Hold and Lock: +1 Account against grapple targets. TechnophileI-Servant Fragment: Much gains AI tag, basic NHP. (Follows instructions, minimal initiative, no talents)Vanguard-Handshake Etiquette: +1 Account on CQB weapons within range 3.== Known Equipment ==License Level:0 Licenses:GMS Core Bonuses:None Pilot Gear: Mission Armour:Heavy Hard suit (HP +3, Armour +2, Eva 6, Eden N/A, SPD 3)Weapons:Alloy Weapon (2K damage, T:1), Signature Weapon (2K damage. R:5)Extra Gear:-SSC Glyph (Living undersuit, feeds on waste, cleans the host, promotes healing, protects from hostile environments including vacuum, high radiation, and filtering air or liquid. Color, texture and opacity can be controlled by the host.)-Subjectivity Enhancement Suite (Can connect to computers and hack with extendable cables. Cybernetic spine.)-Info skin (Can alter skin and hair colors and patterns. Sarah uses it to form makeup and circuit-style tattoos along her back and limbs.)== Much Schematics ==Designation:Neonate Chassis:GMS Everest Structure:4HP:14Armour:0 Stress:4Heat:6Repair:5Atk Bonus:+0Tech ATK:+1Limited System Bonus:+0SPD:4,EVA:8,EDEN:9,SENS RANGE:10,SAVE:10WeaponsFlex Mount: Shotgun (1d6K | R:5 | T:3 | Main CQB)Handheld and clamped on the much's thigh. Main: Hunter-Killer Nexus (1d6K | R:10 | T:1 | Main Nexus)[Smart: Target Eden instead of Eva]Spinal mount Heavy: Heavy Melee Weapon (2d6+1K | T:1 | Heavy Melee)Handheld and clamped behind the shoulder. Systems0/6Servant Fragment0 Speech gains the AI tag, very basic, no talents.[AI]GMS Pattern A “Jericho” Deployable Cover2 SP Creates two sections of size 1 hard Cover adjacent to the user, can be reused by picking up with a full action. Each section has EVA:5 HP: 10. Can spend 1 repair during a rest to restore it to full HP.[Quick Action][Deployable][Unique]GMS Shield Type I2 SP Nominate 1 enemy, all that enemy's ranged and melee attacks take +2 Difficulty, but attacks on them take the same penalty.[Shield][Protocol][Unique][Heat 1(self)]Personalizations1 SP+2HP. +1 to Lead and Inspire inside the much[Unique]On a lark, Sarah had powerful speakers installed on the body of her much, allowing her to play music and project her voice over the battlefield. Custom Paint Job1 SP When taking structure damage, roll a D6, on 6, don't take the damage. Can only work once between Full Repairs.[Unique]Sarah's much is painted with the livery of the Path of Joining, white with gold circuit patters, and the bar-and-circle symbol of the faith. Frame Traits-Initiative: Extra Quick action on the first turn it takes.-Replaceable Parts: During a rest, can spend 1 Rep to repair 1 structure. CORE System-Power Up: For one turn only, can take an extra Full or 2 Quick actions as a free action. (Personnel File ==Name:BNK-D12-104Callsign:Penitent Aliases:Ten-Four, Penny, Kit bash, Kit, Static, Spooky Age:20Gender:Female Sexuality:Straight Background:Penal Colonist Appearance:A young woman with long brown hair, Penny's back and upper arms are marked with complex tattoos in black, green, and gold which mingle religious elements with circuit patterns and wiring diagrams. Scarring suggests that these tattoos predate the installation of cybernetic MID in Penny's spine, however the lines highlight and map to various visible ports that suggest the cyberware is part of the same cultist belief systems. Basic History:Born on the prison moon of Banker, Ten-Four never really knew who her parents were. Instead, she and a gaggle of other duct rats ended up in the care of a rambling old cultist who believed the innocents of Banker would lead to the absolution of its prison population. Though the colony was technically emancipated by Union with the foundation of the Third Committee, for a long time its host world managed to maintain the status quo simply by maintaining the policy of sending drops of prisoners and suppliestothe moon without providing any ships to move peoplefromthe colony. The only real change was that the colonial government changed hands to the prison populace in fairly short order. There wasn't much use for someone with no valuable skills on Banker, Ten-Four learned to strip down faulty equipment for parts fairly early on, using her small size to get at systems that fully grown inmates couldn't reach. As she got older, she started learning not just how to scrap junked technology, but how to maintain and build new devices. Helping get Banker onto the broader Combined was what precipitated Banker's first visitors...pirates looking to press-gang crew who'd take anything over continuing to rot on a colony that was populated beyond its capacity for self-sufficiency. Afterthatstarted, local Diaspora space could no longer afford to ignore Banker's population. Kit signed on with the Crimson Constellation primarily because she wanted to learn to work on spaceships. Being a deft hand with the EVA-equipped construction frames, however, got her put on the testing group for the Constellation's budding Lancer corp.== Skill Assessment ==Grit:0Lancer Stats:Hull:2,Agility:, Systems:, Engineering:Skill Triggers:Act Unseen or Unheard (+2), Hack or Fix (+2), Survive (+2), Word on the Street (+2)Pilot Talents Combined Arms1-Shield of Blades As long as you'reengaged, you and any allies adjacent to you count as having soft cover. Vanguard1-Handshake Etiquette Gain+1 Accuracy when usingCQBweapons to attack targets within Range 3Walking Armory1-Armament: Gain Ammo Case-Ammo Case0 SP, Limited 61/Turn, when you attack and hit with a Main ranged weapon, you may expend charges to apply one of the following effects to your attack at the listed cost:Thumped(1 Charge): The attack gainsKnockback 1and deals Explosive DamageShock(1 Charge): The attack deals Energy damage. Choose one character targeted by your attack; adjacent characters take1 Energy Damage AP, whether the result is a hit or a miss. Mag(1 Charge): The attack gainsArcingand deals Kinetic Damage== Known Equipment ==License Level:0 Licenses:General Massive Systems Core Bonuses:General Massive Systems Pilot Gear:Armour:Assault Hard suit (+3 HP, Armor 1, Eva 8, E-Def 8, SPD 4)Weapons:Assault Rifle (Range 5, DMG 2 Kinetic), Combat Knife (Sidearm, Threat 1, Damage 1)Extra Gear:Flex suit, Subjectivity-Enhancement Suite, Personal Drone== Much Schematics ==Designation:Absolution Chassis:GMS-SP1 Everest Structure:4HP:14Armour:0 Stress:4Heat:6Repair:6Atk Bonus:+0Tech ATK:+0Limited System Bonus:+0SPD:4,EVA:8,EDEN:8,SENS RANGE:10,SAVE:10 Weapons:[Main]Shotgun: Main CQB; --; Range 5 / Threat 3; 1d6 Kinetic Damage[Flex]Missile Rack: Aux Launcher; Loading; Range 10/Blast 1; 1d3+1 Explosive Damage[Flex]Missile Rack: Aux Launcher; Loading; Range 10/Blast 1; 1d3+1 Explosive Damage[Heavy]Heavy Charged Blade: Hey Melee; AP; Threat 1; 1d6+3 Energy DamageSystemsComp/Con Assistant Unit: 2SP, AI, Unique You can give control of your much to its comp/con as a protocol, allowing your much to act independently on your turn with its own set of actions. Unlike other AIs, a much controlled by a comp/con has no independent initiative and requires direct input. Your much will follow basic courses of action (defend this area, attack this enemy, protect me, etc.) to the best of its ability, or will act to defend itself if its instructions are complete, or it receives no further guidance. You can issue new commands at the start of your turn as long as you are within50and have the means to communicate with your much. Comp/con units are not true NHPs and thus cannot enter cascade. Type-I Shield: 2 SP, Shield, Unique, Protocol, 1 Heat (Self)As a protocol, nominate a character within line of sight: all ranged or melee attacks that they make against you or that you make against them gain+2 Difficulty until the start of your next turn. Turret Drones: 2 SP, Limited 3, Unique, Quick Action Drone (Size 1/2, 5 HP, 10 E-Defense, 10 Evasion, Tag: Drone)Expend a charge to deploy a turret drone that attaches to any object or surface withinSensorsand line of sight. Gain the Turret Attack Reaction, which can be taken once for each deployed turret drone.-Turret Attack: Reaction, 1/Round per Turret Trigger: An allied character within 10 Range of a turret makes a successful attack Effect: The turret deals3 Kinetic Damage to their target, as long as it has Line of Sight to their target. Traits:Initiative1/scene the Everest may take any quick actions free action. Replaceable Parts While resting, the Everest can be repaired at a rate of1 Repairer 1 Structure Damage, instead of2 Repairs Core System:Hyperspec Fuel Injector Power Up: Active (1CP), Protocol For the rest of this scene, you gain1 Accuracy on all attacks, checks, and saves; additionally,1/turn, you cabooses free action. == Personnel File ==(CartwrightCallsign:Thunderbird Aliases:N/Age:25Gender:Asexuality:Background:Medic Appearance:A fit man around 6”1’ or so about, Louis has fair skin, dark hair, and keeps himself clean-shaven. Athletically built with broad shoulders and a toned body, it’s clear that Louis keeps himself in good shape. When viewed without a shirt, one can see a few old scars on his upper body, particularly around his left shoulder – with one of the most noticeable appearing to be a faded bullet wound. Otherwise, he has no major identifying marks or features like tattoos or brands. Clothing wise, he’s not a fashionista. He tends to prefer rugged and durable clothing, and will favor comfort overlooking nice. Tending to wear darker or drab colors, he also tends to keep his gear clean if he can, looking crisp without being actual military professionalism. When in a hard suit he favors a medium weight IPS-N ‘Dias’ hard suit, which again keeps to a mostly dark color scheme with gold trimmings and highlights. One characteristic of Louis is that he tends to favor a scarf, usually ships are not as warm as he’d like, so the little bit of comfort helps. Basic History:Louis has a storied history, though it’s not as complex as it seems. His father was a skilled Albatross agent, working closely with IPS-N, Louis lived something of a ‘military’ life without being an actual military brat. His family went from ship to ship, port to port, and while his mother, younger sister, and himself were kept in safe hands, his father (Hector) worked alongside other Albatross pilots to take down pirate groups wherever they could. Living life as something of a drifter, Louis is familiar with both ship life and a number of different planets. Of course most of these were on the fringe where piracy is more rampant, still it meant that Louis saw quite a bit of the frontier, and knows his way around quite a few ports and places. Wanting to follow his father’s footsteps, Louis was quick to work with Albatross as something of a volunteer, first learning to patch people up (There’s never ‘too many medics’ in a dangerous profession after all), as well as working on basic much operations and maintenance… And after some initial reluctance from his father, he was trained in basic combat as well, preferring an unclose fighting style given how pirate vessels operated. Louis was not really meant to see combat firsthand, but it was an inevitability with working so close with Albatross. En route to another planet to help deal with their piracy issues, the vessel Louis and his family were on was hailed by a supposedly damaged ship, warning them that they had been attacked by pirates and were in need of assistance. Electing to divert some of their forces to help the vessel, Louis was among the group chosen to head out on a smaller ship to head out towards the freighter’s location… Perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but shortly after docking with the ship and investigating it, it was clear they had fallen for a trap. The pirates were aware of Albatross’ ship coming to deal with them, and had decided to splinter their forces and take them out piecemeal rather than risk a full out engagement with them. While the captain of their task force desperately hailed the main ship amidst jammed complines, Louis found himself fighting for his life with the others who had gone with them to board the freighter. With the team scrambling to make it back to their ship, Louis desperately tried to hold the line, and keep any injured teammates patched up. Still, they were outnumbered and outgunned, in a ship that wasn’t theirs. They were most likely doomed, and without being able to directly warn the Albatross ship about the danger they were in as well, things may as well have been hopeless. However, not all was lost. As they moved through the bowels of the ship, fortune struck when they came across some derelict and non-scrapped GMS techs, and a bit of investigation showed that they could be piloted and used – the only problem was who would pilot them. Given his prior training, it was no surprise when Louis volunteered, knowing he wouldn’t be patching anyone up if they were all dead in the first place. The weaponry on it wasn’t very cutting edge, given a pistol and a basic knife… But having a much on your side against pirates was better than not having one. Not expecting them to come across anything like such, the fact that Louis and another pilot were acting as a bulwark for the team on their way back to the ship was just enough to turn the tides and rout the pirates on the ship just long enough for Louis and his team to disengage. When The Albatross heard about the engagement and Louis’ actions, they offered him proper training in piloting and fighting in a Much. Taking to it eagerly, Louis proved himself a surprisingly adept pilot in addition to a medic, working quite well in a team as a frontline fighter, or even supporting his team from afar with covering fire early on. However, Louis soon found himself. Not bored with working with Albatross, but he knew for the most part – that whoever they helped were in good hands. He wanted to help out elsewhere, and after talking with his family and assuring them of his safety, he opted to ply his budding skills elsewhere, finding himself working with a few various outfits before settling on one – The Crimson Constellation. They were a hardy group, and for a budding Lancer, the chance to join with like-minded pilots was a big asset as far as earning a name for himself went.== Skill Assessment ==Grit:0Lancer Stats:Hull:2,Agility:, Systems:, Engineering:Skill Triggers:Assault (Get a bonus when you’re assaulting a position, a person, or a group of people in battle or otherwise, hard, fast, and up close): +2Patch (Get a bonus to patch a bleeding wound) +2Stay Cool (Get a bonus when you want to stay cool and collected while performing an action that takes skill or precision): +2Get a hold of (Get a bonus when you want to get a hold of useful allies, assets, or connections): +2Pilot Talents:Brutal 1 (Predator):If your die result on your d20 is a 20 (sometimes called a "natural" 20) on any ranged or melee attack, your attack is a critical hit, no matter what, and instead of rolling all the damage twice and choosing the highest result, your attack deals maximum damage (for its base and bonus dice). Heavy Gunner 1 (Covering Fire): As a quick action, you can choose a character in range 10 and in range and line of sight of one of your heavy ranged weapons. That character is impaired until the start of your next turn. Once before the start of your next turn, if that target starts a move that carries it more than 1 space, it immediately ends this effect, but you can use your overwatch reaction to attack it with a heavy ranged weapon, dealing 1/2 damage, heat, or burn on hit. You can make this attack at any point during its movement (such as waiting until it exits cover). Only one target can be affected at once (if you use this ability again, the effect ends). The effect also immediately ends if your target damages you. Vanguard 1 (Handshake Etiquette): Gain +1 Accuracy on attacks with any CQB weapon at a target within 3 range== Known Equipment ==License Level:0 Licenses:GMS Core Bonuses:N/Pilot Gear:Armour:Assault Hard suit (HP +3/Armor +1/Evasion 8/E-defense NA/Speed 4)Weapons:Signature Combat Weapon (2 kinetic damage, range 5), Combat Alloy/composite weapon: (2 kinetic damage, Threat 1)Extra Gear:Extra rations: Pilot rations are typically no better than their nautical antecedents - hardtack and nutritious paste. It's not uncommon for pilots to store extra food or luxuries such as chocolate, coffee, alcohol, or canned or dried goods from their home world Corrective: This clear, plastic-sheet like medical deployable can be attached to severely wounded pilot, where it instantly begins stabilizing them, injecting medicine, and deploying nanites to stitch shut wounds. A corrective can be applied to any pilot that's Down and Out to instantly bring them back to consciousness at 1⁄2 HP as if they had taken a rest. (1 use)Patch: ‘Patch' is a catch-all term for sprayable medical, instant-acting medical patches, or other first aid gear. Using a patch takes a full action and restores 1⁄2 your pilot's HP (round up). It can be used on another adjacent pilot for the same effects, and although it can heal a down-and-out pilot, it won't bring them back to consciousness. Has no effect on techs. (1 use)== Much Schematics ==Designation:Unplanned Provocation Chassis:GMS-Everest Structure:4HP:16Armour:0 Stress:4Heat:6Repair:6Atk Bonus:+0Tech ATK:+0Limited System Bonus:+0SPD:4,EVA:8,EDEN:8,SENS RANGE:10,SAVE:10 Weapons:Tactical Knife (Aux Melee, 1d3+1 kinetic damage, Threat 1, thrown 3)Pistol (Aux CQB, 1d3 kinetic damage, range 5, threat 3)Shotgun (Main CQB, 1d6 kinetic damage, Range 5, threat 3)Heavy Machine Gun (Heavy Cannon, 2d6+4 kinetic damage, Range 8, Inaccurate (+1 difficulty on attacks)Systems:Personalization (1 SP): When you take this mod, your much gains +2 HP and you may establish with your GM 1 minor effect or modification you have made to your much. This mod cannot grant any statistical or combat benefit to your much other than the hp benefit, but could provide other useful effects. If your GM agrees that this mod would help you with a particular pilot or much skill check, they can give you +1 Accuracy on the check.[Unique]Stable Structure (2 SP): Your much makes saves to resist getting knocked prone or knocked back with +1 Accuracy.[Unique]GMS shield type 1 (2 SP): You can choose to activate this shield protocol at the start of your turn. Nominate an enemy you can see. All that enemy's ranged or melee attacks against you are made at +2 difficulty until the start of your next turn, but your ranged or melee attacks against them also suffer the same penalty.[Shield][Protocol][Unique][Head 1(self)]Custom Paint Job (1 SP): When you take a point of structure damage, roll a d6. On a 6, you don’t take the structure damage, and heal to 1 HP, as the hit simply ‘scratched your paint’ instead. This system can only activate once between full repairs.[Unique]Frame Traits: -Initiative: Extra Quick action on the first turn it takes.-Replaceable Parts: During a rest, can spend 1 Rep to repair 1 structure. Core System: -Power Up: For one turn only, can take an extra Full or 2 Quick actions as a free action. == Personnel File ==(at a casual glance, Maine is noticeable. He stands at a respectable 6'8, and weighs a whopping 400lbs due to the combined weight of all the nanites creating his mechanical components present within his body, as well as things like muscles and bone being much denser than normal to provide the increases in strength, speed, and durability present in his genome. He is very handsome, having dark skin that looks natural and not that pale off-coloring that comes from a lifetime on ships and space stations. His features are sharp and strong, with bright white teeth and a killer smile. He also keeps his hair styled in a short fade, with dreads on top, and a perfectly kept chinstrap goatee. Although all the Super-Soldiers are their own person and look different (they aren't clones thank the Union), most of them add a bit of flair so they can be seen as more than numbers. Maine has several piercings and some neon tattoos. He has a Think Tank special issue Smart Scope built-in to his left eye, allowing him full capabilities of a normal eye as well as a Smart Scope with a simple mental command. Basic History:Four decades ago, a group of like-minded geniuses working for the Union decided that they could do so much more if they had more power within the organization. All of them were members of some science corp or group, but each of them had limited things they could do within the Union. After several years of lobbying and providing results, the men and women were given the go ahead to create their own research division within the Union, known as the Union Think Tank. The intelligence of the group combined with the rather large amount of money given to them to make it work made it rather simple to purchase outlying properties that no one wanted, but were strategic for a number of reasons. This small alliance quickly grew in scope and numbers as more and more were drawn to the cause of bettering science for humanity's sake through the Union. With a strong base, connections, and everything else they'd need to be successful, the big brains of the tank started putting their smarts to good use. Forty years later, they have invented some bleeding-edge technology that has cemented them as one of the big boys. At the moment, their pride and joy is their Super-Soldier program, code-named "Project: Freelancer". Although their methods and techniques are classified behind the highest clearance levels, they've managed to combine nanotechnology with extensive gene manipulation and splicing to engineer humans that are far stronger, faster, and smarter than what humanity is used to. Leading the pack of new create-a-soldiers is KA1N3-0047; Maine for short. He is the first in the latest, and most powerful as well as successful generation of Think Tank super soldiers. Although only glimpses of his childhood remain, Maine was orphaned during one of the many wars and was "bought" by the Think Tank. But considering his purchase came with a rather lucrative contract if he passed all the tests and completed the Super-Soldier program modifications. He was experimented on to see if he was compatible for the program, and once it was decided he had some of the highest potential sync rates the program had ever seen, they started him on painful process of being forcibly evolved to become something more than human. The end results were extremely successful, with ratings off the charts across the board. To showcase their success and the sheer degree of their abilities, Think Tank decided it would be a good idea to show the universe what they were capable of. And to also show that their super soldiers were enhanced humans, not just raided up meat sleeves with high-end code running through their brains, Maine was transferred to the Crimson Constellation as the first of his kind, and as a gift of sorts. A walking advertisement for those who wanted to do business with Think Tank and get the best possible results. And also to show the universe that the Union is still their best bet. As long as he gets to fight and fly, Maine himself doesn't rightly care too much where he goes.== Skill Assessment ==Grit:+0Lancer Stats:Hull:, Agility:2, Systems:, Engineering:Skill Triggers:Assault(+2)Apply Fist to Faces(+2)Get Somewhere Quickly(+2)Show Off(+2)Pilot Talents:Gunslinger 1:Truth & Justice - Gain +1 accuracy on your first attack roll on your turn with an auxiliary ranged weapon. Combined Arms 1:Blade Shield - As long as you're in engagement with at least 1 hostile character you count as having soft cover. This bonus extends to any allies adjacent to you. Hunter 1:Lunge -Once a round, before making any attack with an auxiliary melee weapon, you can fly up to 3 spaces before the attack directly toward your target. This movement ignores engagements and doesn't provoke reactions.== Known Equipment ==License Level:0 Licenses:0Core Bonuses:0Pilot Gear:Armour:Assault Hard suit[+3HP, Arm 1, Eva 8, E-Def 8, SPD 4]Weapons:Disruptor Rifle[Range 5, Damage 2, Energy]Plasma-Maul[Threat 1, Damage 2]Extra Gear:SSC Sylph Undersuit, Tertiary Arm, Smart Scope== Much Schematics ==Designation:AsuraChassis:GMS EVERESTStructure:4HP:12Armour:0 Stress:4Heat:6Repair:5Atk Bonus:+0Tech ATK:+0Limited System Bonus:+0SPD:5, EVA:10, EDEN:8, SENS RANGE:10, SAVE:10 Weapons:Main Mount: Assault Rifle[Range-10/1d6 kinetic damage/Reliable]Flex Mount: Charged Blade[Threat-1/1d3+3 energy damage/Armor Piercing]Heavy Mount: Anti-Material Rifle[Range-20/2d6 kinetic damage/Armor Piercing/Accurate]Systems:Personalizations[High Torque Servomotors= +1 Hull on non-combat strength checks][1SP]GMS "Burst" Jump Jet System[2SP]GMS Turret Drones[2SP]GMS Eva Module[1SP]Just need to finish his bio now.

Lancer_ Blood-Soaked Stars, Personnel Files [Character Archives]|rating:3.0

Once Upon A Time (Open, Please come in)

Once upon a time, there was a small castle town near a forest. The residents of this town were quite peaceful, though they knew how to defend themselves when attacked. Welcome to our little town of Henan. To join please read the rules and follow the instructions in the application post. When choosing a character, please be creative. We allow all types of beings but Gods as they tend to take over and stifle the rest of the game play. But fairies, elves, humans, devils, ferries, or any other type of creature you can come up with is welcome to be a member of our town. Rules 1- Follow the Men rules and TOS. All people found breaking the rules will be reported. 2- Double posting is allowed, but only if it has been 24 hours since your last post and no one else has responded (please see RP Forum rules if you are unclear on this) 3- All IOC talk must use this format (IOC: xxx). Please try not to have a post that is just IOC, unless it is a question. 4- You may post your application in the thread. You may not make a second post right after to start your chart, that is double posting. If you want to start right away please add your first post IC after your application. 5- Please let us know if you are going to be absent for any length of time, as it slows down the RP when we try to wait for people who have disappeared 6- When posting Images of your character, please link to the image. Having large images stretches the pages and makes it hard to follow. If you do not fix these posts, I will ask a Mod to edit it for you. 7- Rules are subject to change at any time, without notice. 8- No God Moving. If you want to help move the story along, that's fine, but please be respectful to those around you 9- This is a Medieval RP, so please no modern inventions like Guns, cars, TV... and No, magic can not bring these things in from the future. ~ Indoor plumbing is ok, if you're an inventor and you're trying to invent it.~ 10- No chat or Left speak. Try to be semi-literate. 11- No Harassing people for spelling/grammar: I do not possess the best grammatical or spelling skills and I do not expect you to as well, but please be respectful to all the players. Thank you 12- Please disable your signature if it is large, it gets hard to follow the RP when there are lots of pictures around. 13- You may only have one character per username. You can use a mule/secondary, but you must let us know it is your secondary, and you must wait for someone else to post between the two) Characters and Application Please fill out and post this application in the thread. You may start as soon as you apply, but please use the same post if you do. Quote: Originally Posted by Application Username: Character Name: Species: Gender: Age: Description or Picture: History: Other Information: Quote: Originally Posted by There Character Name: The Species: Mermaid Gender: female Age: 16 Description or Picture:x Being a Mermaid she can change her tail into a pair of legs to walk on land. History: Born in town, her mother was a mermaid who had gotten lost in the forest and fell in love with a Knight of the town. The became a student at the magical school when she was very young, being half elemental spirit she was very adapted at water, ice, and healing magic she is often a teacher's aide, though she will often leave to visit the ocean again. Quote: Originally Posted by Hayes Character Name: Nikita Timbrel Species: Human Gender: Female Age: 18 Description or Picture: Frothy brown hair that goes down to her waist, though she sometimes puts it up in a braid; misty gray eyes (if you'll allow spectacles, she has them); freckles that dot her pale face; a classical figure, not a modern stick-figure; and a tendency to dress in grass, purples, and maroons. History: Living alone as a healer and a hermit, Nikita used to attend the magic school, and graduated with flying colors from their program on Healing. Since graduation, she's lived alone, only coming out when needed for her skills. Other Information: I want her to become more social as time passes. Also, in her spare time, she dyes fabric. Any characters who make their own clothes would come to her. Quote: Originally Posted by Herkamyrh Username: Herkamyrh Character Name: Kethalanthys Species: Wood Elf Gender: Male Age: 196 Description: At 5'1, Kethalanthys has dark, bark brown hair, sand colored skin, and grass green eyes. He often wears leather armor and a forest green cloak. Generally carries a long bow, short sword, and dagger. History: Kethalanthys comes from deep with in the neighboring forest. When his father was still around, they would both hunt game and gather herb to trade in the town, leading them to have a good relationship with its citizens. Now after his father's passing he carries on this tradition alone, going between his own even people in the forest and the inhabitants of the city. Other Information: While in the forest, he rides a large wolf named Silver. He never brings his mount into the city full well knowing that the inhabitants aren't likely to accept his animal companion. Quote: Originally Posted by March_Hare` Character Name: Ariana Species: Human Gender: Female Age: 21 Description or Picture: (Coming soon, I actually am going to go look at my Damp;D book to make one, and I just do not know where my book is at the moment. So until I find it I would love to keep this part on hold.) History: Ariana came from a small village to the north of (Insert name of the kingdom here.) She came from a quote unquote barbarian village. Though her people are thought to be barbarians they were in fact some of the few people to have the boarding linage, and falling the tradition as soon as she was of age "17" she was sent out of the village to begin making her songs. Thus, why she has wandered upon this uncanny kingdom. Other Information: (Info coming as soon as I find my Damp;D book, probably will be put here by tomorrow. Thanks.) Quote: Originally Posted by Lexy Character Name: Lorene Species: Half elf, half fierce Gender: Female Age: 19 Description or Picture: Long brown hair, green eyes, very tall, Light pink wings. X History: Her mother was a fierce and her father was an elf. Her mother died of a sickness when she was 5. So it was just her and her dad in a small house in the forest near Henan. Then when she was 16 her dad was killed by a pack of wolves. She is still living in the house in the forest. Other Information: She loves animals and has a pet raven, named Thorn. She also loves to fly. Quote: Originally Posted by Frosts Hellion Character Name: Choral Reeves Species: Half-elf Gender: Male Age: 145 Description or Picture: Choral Reeves is of a medium build and otherwise unremarkable features. He has dark hair kept short and usually covered by a Mikhail skull cap. He has very tan skin and a certain rugged handsomeness that seems to infer a long life of travel and adventure. Furthermore, he wears clothes and armor of exceptional quality and special power. His entire being seems to glow with arcane energy. History: Choral grew up in a small even village, raised only by his mother and his uncle. She taught him magic in so much as he was able to learn and his uncle filled in the rest. Choral was not the most magically inclined, but he was skilled with a sword. His uncle recognized this and inducted him into the order of the dusk blades. Mystic swordsmen who for the most part were agents of good. When his uncle died choral inherited his specialized armor and weapons and went into the world. After saving a distant land from a power mad niche he found his way here to a far away place to enjoy a much-needed vacation. Other Information: Choral is an avid lover of music and art and in his free time he plays the violin and paints. He also dabbles in metal crafting and jewelry making. Often traveling under the guise of a merchant selling his works. Setting Zenan is a small town on the edge of a great forest. It has the main castle, a chapel, and the homes and work places of most of the villagers. There is also a small school or magic tucked away near the chapel. It is primarily a peaceful place, though from time to time a monster will come out of the forest, or a villain will come down the road from the lands to the west. Forest A beautiful forest lies on the outskirts of town. There are many wild creatures and monsters there, but most of the time they leave the villagers alone. If you are brave enough to venture through the forest you will find your self in a marshland that leads to the sea. Updates 1/10/08 RP Open 1/10/08 Created Thread Username: HeiyuuCharacter Name: Nikita WhimbrelSpecies: Human Gender: Female Age: 18Description or Picture: Frothy brown hair that goes down to her waist, though she sometimes puts it up in a braid; misty gray eyes (if you'll allow spectacles, she has them); freckles that dot her pale face; a classical figure, not a modern stick-figure; and a tendency to dress in grass, purples, and maroons. History: Living alone as a healer and a hermit, Nikita used to attend the magic school, and graduated with flying colors from their program on Healing. Since graduation, she's lived alone, only coming out when needed for her skills. Other Information: I want her to become more social as time passes. Also, in her spare time, she dyes fabric. Any characters who make their own clothes would come to her. (IOC: welcome Ha, spectacles are alright. If you want her to learn more about magic, have her be a student at the magic school) Username: There Character Name: The Species: Mermaid Gender: female Age: 16 Description or Picture:x Being a Mermaid she can change her tail into a pair of legs to walk on land. History: Born in town, her mother was a mermaid who had gotten lost in the forest and fell in love with a Knight of the town. The became a student at the magical school when she was very young, being half elemental spirit she was very adapted at water, ice, and healing magic she is often a teacher's aide, though she will often leave to visit the ocean again. (IOC:That might work, but would make it, so I'd have to edit her concept a bit. I'll go do that.) (IOC: sure, just let me know when you're done so that I can add her to the list.) (IOC: so done. I made her a full-fledged Healer.) Nikita walked thought the town, her thoughts wandering as she carried several bolts of undyed fabric to her small home near the forest. As she walked, she whistled. Of course, not paying attention is foolish, and so she tripped over her own feet, fabric and spectacles flying. She caught most of the fabric, but she couldn't see her glasses. (IOC: cool ^_^) "Are you alright Ma'am?" a soft voice called, seeming to appear out of nowhere. "Oh, you spectacles fell, let me help." She picked up the metal rimed frames, handing them to the healer. She smiled, looking up at the woman to make sure she was alright. Furthermore, she was wearing a very modest dress, which seemed to be a little wet at the hem, and her amber hair seemed to be drenched as well. "Fine, fine," Nikita muttered, accepting the spectacles calmly. She wasn't hurt, but there was some dust on her fabric. A shame, that she'd have to get that out before dying it. She looked at the honey-haired girl for a moment. "Thank you," she said with a quick smile. "Your not from the town are you, but I know you... I've seen you in town before, and seen you at the house by the woods on my way home from ...." she stopped, knowing she wasn't so posed to leave the town without permission, she didn't want to get herself in trouble by telling the lady with the fabrics. "Well, I live in the house by the woods, and come to the town for shopping." Nikita shrugged, careful of the fabrics in her hand. "So, you go past my shack on the way home? Where do you live?" Nikita realized she probably came off as nosy, and blushed. "I live in the dorms at the Magic school right now. My father is a Knight, but he was sent away on a quest... My mother used to live in the town, but when father left she went back to her home. I stayed because I was at the school, and I wanted to wait for my father to return..." Username: HerkamyrhCharacter Name: KethalanthysSpecies: Wood Elf Gender: Mileage: 196Description: At 5'1, Kethalanthys has dark, bark brown hair, sand colored skin, and grass green eyes. He often wears leather armor and a forest green cloak. Generally carries a long bow, short sword, and dagger. History: Kethalanthys comes from deep with in the neighboring forest. When his father was still around, they would both hunt game and gather herb to trade in the town, leading them to have a good relationship with its citizens. Now after his father's passing he carries on this tradition alone, going between his own even people in the forest and the inhabitants of the city. Other Information: While in the forest, he rides a large wolf named Silver. He never brings his mount into the city full well knowing that the inhabitants aren't likely to accept his animal companion.IC begins nowKethalanthys wandered through the forest on the back of Silver. It wasn't long until the wolf stopped, sniffed the air, and then pointed with his nose. Kethalanthys hopped off his back and patted him hard on the shoulder, "Thanks SIL." Kethalanthys crawled into a bush and began to scrape a bluish moss from the base of the plants' trunk. "Good boy!" he hollered back to the wolf knowing that he understood his tone though not the words. They were out collecting herbs to trade back in town. Kethalanthys needed some feathers for arrow fletchings so he planned on swinging by the apothecary's and trading his goods for the town's currency and then head over to the butchers to purchase feathers from this past weeks kills. The butcher use to not keep the feathers from the birds he slaughtered, but Kethalanthys was able to persuade him too with the right price. (IOC: welcome Herkamyrh, I've added you to the list.) (IOC: thanks, if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a ranger.) Kethalanthys tucked the recently harvested moss into one of the compartments of his herb satchel and then crawled out of the bush. Noting Silver's body language, he could tell that the animal was hungry. Giving him a nod in a direction he indicated to the wolf that it was free to go hunt. Silver complied and bounded off in search of food. Kethalanthys' own stomach rumbled, and he too began to forage for food. Lifting a log, he began to pick different colored grubs out the moist soil and eat them. Though grubs weren't generally good, they were always a quick solution to his hunger and he had acquired an appreciation for them long ago. He then tracked down some berries and roots that he knew to be edible in order to round out his meal. It wasn't long before he was back to scouring for herbs, this time alone. "Ah," Nikita said, nodding at the student. "I see. I hope your father returns safely." She pushed her glasses up her face, juggling the fabrics a bit to do so. There was no way she'd make it home successfully. (IOC: it's good to have variety ^_^) Seeing her struggle with the bolts of fabric The reached out, just in time to catch one as it fell. "If you would like, I can help you carry those back to your house. It's not far, and I have a few hours before curve, so I won't get in trouble." "Oh? Well, only if you want to. I'll make some tea when we get to my house." Nikita wasn't used to being helped. After all, she was a very independent woman, and a well-rejected Healer. "I'm Nikita, by the way."(IOC: Nikita hates to be called Niki. I love to see her annoyed by being called Niki. Just putting that out there.) "It's no trouble at all, I like to help. And it gives me an excuse to be out of town for a while. It's nice to finally meet you face to face, I'm The" Kethalanthys' satchel was nearly full. He had gathered more moss, gold root, purple grass, Samuel sap, best honey, and night leaf. He began to journey toward the village, knowing that Silver would pick up his trail and follow. In a short time, Kethalanthys came to one of the many narrow rivers that flowed through the forest and out to sea. Normally, Silver would easily leap across, but since Kethalanthys was alone he had to rely on his own skills. Not that the river was anything to worry about, Kethalanthys just didn't like getting his leather armor wet. He attached some vine rope, a product of his elvish people, to an arrow and launched it across the river into a large tree. He did this again into the same tree with the other end after wrapping the middle around a tree on this current side of the river. After properly securing it all, he had a two line rope bridge, the lower line for walking on and the upper for him to hang onto. Not too long after the river crossing, Silver caught up to him, dried blood on his mouth and snout. Kethalanthys wiped it off, and gave the wolf another hearty pat, "Did you eat well?" he asked as he pulled himself onto the wolf's back. Knowing that the wolf always ate well, the two continued their trek to town. "A pleasure to meet you, too," Nikita cooed, handing over a couple of bolts of fabric, until she was balanced enough to make it home. She gave The a small smile, grateful that the other girl had come along. The smiled happily as well. She usually was getting in trouble around her elders, so it was nice to make a friend of sorts. She followed Nikita back to her house, helping her with the fabric, and watching to make sure there were no other bumps for her to trip on. When they reached Nikita's house, Niki unlocked the door, and went inside, setting the fabric in a corner. "So, tea sound good to you?" She asked, holding up a kettle she was about to set to boil for herself, even if The didn't want any. "Yes, tea sounds wonderful. I never get to have any at school because the older girls always hog the hot water." she scrunched up her face then shook her head. "That's the problem with being an orphan basically... you only get what's left over" In a short time, Kethalanthys and Silver found themselves standing just in side the tree line of the forest looking out over the clearing that ended with the first building of the village. "Stay," he said to Silver as he scratched the wolf behind his ears. The wolf complied, settling on his haunches and looking tentatively at his friend. Kethalanthys made his way through the outskirts to the center of the townships, nodding here and there to the many familiar faces and getting responses in return. "Try being the youngest of four kids. It's all hand-me-downs there, too." As the water warmed up, Nikita took stock of what dyes she had on hand, for when she was ready to use that fabric. "Though, being the youngest sure dose get you some attention. I'm the youngest of all my cousins. When ever I visit my mom her sisters always swarm around me to see how I'm doing. If it wasn't for school I think they would try to keep me there with them" She smiled, watching Nikita sort out her dye. "So what do you do out here all alone?" "I'm a Healer, and when I have time, I dye fabric and make dresses. Nothing fancy, but I can sell them for pocket change." She was humble about her hobby, but if she had the money for good fabric and certain rare dyes, she was sure she could do something great... (IOC: sorry about posting with my mule... Just realized that oh well he) IC: The nodded, looking over the prey fabrics that were laying on the shelf. "I've never seen anyone wearing anything this nice." she said picking up a bolt of the untied fabric, which even though it was still plain had a rich texture in the weave and was soft as silk. "Not even anyone at the palace. I'm studying to be a Healer as well, though there are others in my class who are more talented. It's because my magic is more elemental, so it holds me back sometimes." She ran her hand over the soft fabric again, before shifting her attention to the boiling tea pot. "Looks like the water's ready" "Wait until I dye it and make a dress out of it. Then, it'll be really special." Nikita checked the tea. It was indeed ready, so she poured two cups. She had never believed in dainty teacups, and instead used the type of tankard most would use only for ale, adjusting the amount of tea leaves to fit. "I have some a new scarlet dye that I'd like to try." She nodded her head softly, "That would be gorgeous" She sipped her tea quietly, then looked at the sun setting outside the window. "Wow, it's really that late? I have to be getting back to school, so I don't get locked out again." She gave a respectful courtesy and ran off words the town. Her little drawstring bag still hanging over the back of Nikita's chair. Nikita noticed the bag only after the girl was gone. She decided to stop by the school tomorrow to drop it off for her. The looked out the window at the sky... she really shouldn't have stayed so late at her new friends house...but she was having fun. The teachers didn't believe her that she was visiting Nikita since she was always so solitary. So The was stuck in detention instead of going out to play in the first again like every day after her lessons. Nikita walked into the school, and was surprised to find out that The had been given detention. "Hmph, she doesn't seem to me like the type to lie," she commented dryly, holding up The's bag as evidence of having met her. Username: FrostsHellionCharacter Name: Choral GreevesSpecies: Half-elf Gender: Mileage: 145Description or Picture: Choral Reeves is of a medium build and otherwise unremarkable features. He has dark hair kept short and usually covered by a Mikhail skull cap. He has very tan skin and a certain rugged handsomeness that seems to infer a long life of travel and adventure. Furthermore, he wears clothes and armor of exceptional quality and special power. His entire being seems to glow with arcane energy. History: Choral grew up in a small even village, raised only by his mother and his uncle. She taught him magic in so much as he was able to learn and his uncle filled in the rest. Choral was not the most magically inclined, but he was skilled with a sword. His uncle recognized this and inducted him into the order of the dusk blades. Mystic swordsmen who for the most part were agents of good. When his uncle died choral inherited his specialized armor and weapons and went into the world. After saving a distant land from a power mad niche he found his way here to a far away place to enjoy a much-needed vacation. Other Information: Choral is an avid lover of music and art and in his free time he plays the violin and paints. He also dabbles in metal crafting and jewelry making. Often traveling under the guise of a merchant selling his works.(IOC: So basically this guy is an adventurer on vacation, just trying to earn a nice simple living making things and enjoying the peace of the countryside. Hopefully you find this acceptable)The old wagon pulled up about a mile from town and let him off. The human frame in a dark blue and very elaborate cloak of what seemed to be spider-webs jumped down from the wagon and shook hands with the driver before he started down the road with 2 backpacks, one over each shoulder beneath the cloak. The day was cool, and it made him smile as he walked into town. He went straight to an inn, rented a room, secured his belongings in his room and venture out into the town. His cloak was open, and it revealed his fine even clothing and his slightly human features. He was looking for a small shop he could rent to make and sell his jewelry. Username: Lexy Character Name: LyreneSpecies: Half elf, half remainder: Female Age: 19Description or Picture: Long brown hair, green eyes, very tall, Light pink wings. Her mother was a fierce and her father was an elf. Her mother died of a sickness when she was 5. So it was just her and her dad in a small house in the forest near Henan. Then when she was 16 her dad was killed by a pack of wolves. She is still living in the house in the forest. Other Information: She loves animals and has a pet raven, named Thorn. She also loves to fly. (Okay I have not done a role-play in quite a while. So if I do badly please just inform me and I will change it up, I usually do my role-playing by playing D&D with friends and I know that is slightly different, now on to my application.) Username: March_Hare`Character Name: ArinnaSpecies: Human Gender: Female Age: 21Description or Picture: (Coming soon, I actually am going to go look at my D&D book to make one, and I just do not know where my book is at the moment. So until I find it I would love to keep this part on hold.) History: Ariana came from a small village to the north of (Insert name of the kingdom here.) She came from a quote unquote barbarian village. Though her people are thought to be barbarians they were in fact some of the few people to have the boarding linage, and falling the tradition as soon as she was of age "17" she was sent out of the village to begin making her songs. Thus, why she has wandered upon this uncanny kingdom. Other Information: (Info coming as soon as I find my D&D book, probably will be put here by tomorrow. Thanks.) (Hooray another D&D player! This character is actually the same character I play in my groups high level game.) Thoril wandered the streets most of the day, occasionally stopping to play the violin and entertain some of the passersby. He purchased a small snack from a street vendor and finally found his way to a very run-down little building near the edge of the village, and he looked into the window. It had been empty for some time and with no way to contact any possible owner he rubbed his chin in frustration "Well this would be just perfect... maybe put in some new counters and a workshop in the back... and of course a small place to sleep and live... perhaps an add-on, I just need to find the person who's in charge..." He shrugged as he continued to play the violin, and he stepped up to a guard and offered a few gold pieces for information on how to find the owner of this house or a legal means of obtaining permission to use the building for his business "...so if you'd be so kind as to point me in the direction of someone who is in charge, perhaps I should inquire about it at the palace?" The guard nodded and shrugged little. "Well my good man if you happen to find out meet me back here later and I'll reward you properly" He nodded as he put away his violin and made his way towards the palace. Hopefully the people there would be bit more helpful to him in obtaining license to sell in their city. Along the way he stopped to admire the works of any other jewelers he could find, asking them about technique and favored materials. Curious about the type of city he had found himself in... he continued down the road towards the palace, drawing much attention as he walked the streets in his fine outfit and powerful presence.(all I'm really waiting for is an OK from the head honcho, until then I'm just killing time with posts of enjoying the little village.) (IOC: welcome to our new members, I've added you to the list. If you haven't jumped in, please feel free. This is a very laid back RP, so feel free to meet and interact with others. If you are waiting for a person to get back to you, you can pm them nicely to remind them to check the thread. IC: The teacher looked from Nikita to The. "Well she shouldn't have been out in the forest any way. She knows the rules, and has had her share of mention because of it as well. No student, who is not at the Apprentice level is allowed out of the town gates unchaperoned. Just think of it, a Novice alone in the woods? They could be hurt badly before we found them" she shook her head, then dismissed The, not wanting to anger Nikita. The grinned as they walked away from the building. "Thanks for getting me out of that, I hate when she makes me sit in detention. Especially when there is an authorized trip out of town, and I had to miss it. It's the best way to sneak off to the beach, though they think I just get lost in the forest... no sense of direction... I always get home just fine." She smiled, then looked in her bag. "Good, every thing is here. Miss Nikita, do you know a good jeweler here in town? My mother and her sisters gave me some pearls that they want me to sell for supplies for them." Choral made arrangements with the previous owner of the building to buy it out at a fair but low price. He realized the place would take work, but it was nothing he couldn't handle wit habit of his magic. He opened the old shop door and stepped inside, having retrieved his bags from the tavern and immediately as the door closed he began to hurl magic from one side of the building to the other. Small enchantments, nothing that a third year apprentice couldn't master easily, but it made the actual work easier. Within an hour the whole place was in tip-top shape, broken counters and shelves repaired, all the dust and cobwebs were blown out of a broken window which sealed itself over as soon as the dust passed. He had even taken the time to craft by hand a modest sign to hang outside. "Choral Reeves, Master jeweler and blacksmith, Free appraisals. Buying and selling all rare gems and metals... Hopefully that sounds friendly enough. wouldn't want to scare off the natives" He hung the sign-out in front above the door and stepped back inside. He made quick work of setting up his displays as well, laying out various rings and charms and necklaces and brooches... he had made all manner of jewelry, and it was all ready to be sold. He laid out the welcome mat at that point and rested himself at a soft seat behind the counter, twisting and toying with some thick gold wire to make a pretty little choker. "Nothing left to do now but wait, relax, and enjoy my retirement... Perhaps I should get a pet of some kind" He smiled to himself and went back to twisting wires waiting for his customers to show up. Kethalanthys made his way to the apothecary's shop. "Greetings from the wood lings, George." The man behind the counter looked up and smiled with a nod, "Ethan, my boy, how have you been?" Kethalanthys smirked at the shorthand of his name as it often amused him to hear it from the humans he was acquainted with and also about calling him a boy. He was a man grown by even standards but still on the younger side. What's more was that Kethalanthys remembered coming to this village with his own father to do business with George's great-grandfather. "The forest has ever fulfilled my needs as usual. And you, how has business been for you lately?" he asked. George responded, "It's been mighty fine, mighty fine indeed. A man come here from a far off town wanting to sell me some sort of special extract from a metal as a cure all. I think it was from silver. Anyway, after a bit of research I come to discover that it's not especially poor for the body in small doses but that over use in larger quantities can turn the skin blue" Kethalanthys interrupted with a bit of laughter, but George continued. "I've been testing it on myself in small quantities, and I've found that it does give MD a bit of energy in the morning, so I've been selling it. No blue towns people yet, or at least s a result of t`e product." He !yes Kethalanthys' bag, "What do you have for me this time?"" Just the usual, a bit of this and a bit of that. The usual price should do quite fine," he responded as he began to pull his goods from his pack." You always sell things to the shop so cheaply, Ethan. Anything I can do for you?" George inquired." No sir, the meager amount of gold is all I need to trade for the feathers at the butchers, but thanks though."" Well alright, you just let me know sometime," George said as he counted out a meager 5 gold pieces. After Kethalanthys received his pay, he said his goodbyes and made his way through the town, heading to the butcher's shop. As The walked through the town with Nikita, she noticed a new sign on a previously empty building. "Choral Reeves, Master jeweler" she said aloud, then turning to her older companion, "I've never seen that shop before. He must be new. Come on, let's go see what he thinks of my pearls." She headed off words the Jeweler's shop, without waiting for Nikita to answer. He was sitting behind the counter still, twisting wires of gold into jewelry as he sang an even song to himself softly. It was a very rare battle hymn written by a pair of bards he once traveled with... He looked out the window and put down the gold wires, with a smile he stood behind the counter and cleared his throat little in preparation for his first customers. He looked himself over for a second and flattened out the place or two on his robes that had ruffled bit while he was sitting. A lovely lady approached, and he wanted to make a good first impression to help drum up more business. (IOC Hey I play D&D too!) It was raining in the forest, and this was a bad thing for Lorene. Her little shack provided no shelter from the rain. You couldn't even call the roof a roof it was so worn. "I think we need to move" she said to thorn. The only reason that Lorene was still living there was that she had lived there her whole life. But now she would need to find another place to live. "I think we should find our new house in town" She said to the large black bird resting on her shoulder. The rain had stopped now and the sun was out. "I will have to get a job to make the money I will need to buy a new home" she thought to herself. "Well I guess we are going into town" Lorene said to Thorn. She got out of the chair she had been sitting in and started packing up her things. She didn't have much of anything so it didn't take long. Once she had everything packed she walked out the door with Thorn still on her shoulder and started the 2-hour walk into town. Nikita followed The, a slight smile on her face as the entered the new store. "I haven't seen this store before, either. But hopefully he'll give you a fair price." (IOC: I've never played Damp;D, but I played Crystals which is similar, and have RP'd online on and off since 2000) The walked up to the little store, to make sure it was open, then open the door softly. "Hello there." she smiled at the owner, her child like innocence radiating around her, made her little quirks and impatience cute. "I had never seen this shop before, so I wanted to come in and check it out. I'm The, and this is my friend Niki." She smiled brightly, moving to look around the shop. "All your things are so pretty." He smiled to the young ladies and nodded slowly "Thank you my dear, I just opened today actually... I'm selling my little trinkets and offering top value for anyone wishing to sell" He reached into his cabinet and took out a small box of silver pins intricately carved into various leaves, and he handed a pin to each of the ladies "For my first visitors, a small token of appreciation and a tiny bit of free advertising" He was very charming and friendly and trying to make a good impression. Kethalanthys made his way through the town. On his way to the butcher's he noticed a new jewelry store. Passing by he could see the shop owner was already being bombarded by customers and that the owner had some even lineage though was muddied by human mingling. He remembered his father's disdain for half elves, often referring to them as bastards when none were around. However, this was one of the few opinions that Kethalanthys never shared with his father, preferring to allow a person's character be the measure of the man. He continued on, arriving at the butcher's shortly thereafter. Johan looked over his shoulder at the entrance as the door rang when Kethalanthys walked through the door. "Word was about that youare in town. How's them woods?" he asked." Growing and as green as ever, how are things on your end?" he returned as he pulled his scarf up over his mouth and nose. Kethalanthys could never stand the slaughterhouse smell that plagued this shop for long." It is good. Folks want meat, and I give it to 'em. I have yer bow shootin' feathers bagged already," he said pointing to a burlap sack over by the money drawer. "1 gold ought do."" Why thank you. I appreciate you doing this for me," he said as he placed one of the five gold coins on the counter. "If you ever want to try your hand at selling some wild game, let me know. I can usually scare some up with no problem."" That I will, elf, that I will." Kethalanthys always offered, but the butcher always responded with that answer. No matter, Kethalanthys seldom ate meat and realistically refrained from killing animals lest he had the intentions of using it for more than just meat. "See you next time," Kethalanthys said over his shoulder as he left, deciding to head to the local inn for a bite to eat. The looked at the little silver pin she had been handed. "It's so pretty, thank you" see pinned it on her shoulder. "I do have some things that I may be willing to sell." She took out a little silk cloth, laying it on the counter and emptied her little bag of pearls onto it. Most were moderate, about the size of a small coin, some were tiny as a pea, and there were one or two that were larger than the others. But they were all beautiful, with a slightly pink glow to them. "Ah, these are quite lovely..." He picked them up one at a time, and he stared at them intently for a moment or two. His eyes glowed ever so slightly as he did this, carefully appraising the items "... excellent specimens, they could be well-used in a necklace or as components for a magic spell... where did you happen upon all these pretty pearls?" he laid them out in size order on the counter and began to do the math in his head to figure out what they'd be worth overall. "My mom and my Aunties gave them to me." she said in a matter-of-fact way that to her seemed like enough of an explanation. When she saw the puzzled look on the shop owners face she expanded on her explanation... "They are afraid to leave their home beyond the forest... well since my father left and can't protect them. So when ever they find anything, or need anything they send me to do it for them." Lorene had finally reached the edge of town. The sun was just starting to go down. She thought it would be better to find an inn to sleep in rather than start looking for work that day. As Lorene walked into the small town of Henan, She noticed that most of the people she saw stared at her. "They are all humans!" she wished to Thorn. The last time Lorene was in town she was 12. After wandering around looking for an inn she walked up to an old human man. "Um hi" she said. "Hello" the man replied. Lorene smiled and said "do you know where I could find and inn to sleep for the night?". "Sure do" the man said and told her how to get there. "Thank you so much" Lorene said as she walked off. Looking at a sign she was happy to see that the inn the man had told her of should be just around the corner. And there it was, she walked into the wooden door that was just under a hanging sign that had the name of the inn carved into it. There were a lot of people in the room she had just entered. And only one of them was an elf, She was glad to see an elf. He was sitting at a table having something to eat. Lorene walked over to the bar where a few humans were ordering food. "Ok is that all then?" said the girl standing behind the bar. "Yep" one of the humans said. And they all went off to sit at a table and wait for the food they just ordered. "Can I help you?" the girl asked Lorene. "Yes I would like a room to stay in please" she said. The girl nodded "do want anything to eat?" she asked. "Sure" Lorene said. "Can I have just some dried meat?" she asked. The girl went in a back room and came out with a strip of dried meat. "Here" she said handing it to Lorene. "Thank you" Lorene said and started to walk to a table. "Wait you have to pay first!" the girl yelled. "Oh right sorry" Lorene said, "how much?". "One silver" The girl behind the bar said. Lorene took one silver out of her bag and handed to the girl. The girl grabbed it. "Now go sit down". She said to Lorene "Ok" Lorene said. And went to sit down. All the tables were taken. She walked up to the elf, and asked him "Can I sit with you?" Choral smiled as he looked over the pearls "well lets see, how much were you looking to get for these shiny pearls my dear girl?" He looked at them once more and winked to her. He was new in town and trying to make the best impression possible, besides he already had a lot of wealth from his time as an adventurer... he could afford to be nice to his first visitors. "I've never had to sell pearls before, so I'm not sure how much they should sell for... Usually they give me fish and coral... and rough spun cloth... but these they have been collecting for a long time" She looked up at Nikita to see if she had any advice. He laughed little as he looked to the pearls "Its hard entering a new market isn't it? I remember how much of a headache it was when I gave up adventuring the first time to be a blacksmith... My prices were bit lower than most, and it was hard until it leveled out..." He consulted an old manual from one of his bags and looked to the girl. "How about..." He counted the pearls and did some math in his head "... 500 gold for the lot of them?"(sorry to drag this out, economics are a pain in the neck in fantasy worlds :D) Kethalanthys entered the inn, giving the keeper a nod. He took a seat on a familiar stool at the bar that gave him view of those entering from the kitchen and the main entrance alike. The elderly keeper approached him, "What can I do ya for today, Ethan?" she asked. He regarded the elderly woman, her worn skin and long, thin silver hair. Someday he would have similar features, but that could be around a millennium a way still. The thought often times shook him, but he had a long time before it really needed to concern him. "I'll take whatever fresh fruits you have from one of the local orchards. What kind of wines do you have, Maggie?" Maggie responded, "We have plenty of oranges and apples. As far as wines go we have a couple reds and a white. Not my fair though, so you'll have to take your chances." Kethalanthys smirked, "I guess I'll take red B?"" Alright," she responded, "I'll be right back." With she left, leaving Kethalanthys to himself. (IOC: sorry, just wanted to let you know that I (the, this is her mule) have been sick, so I haven't been able to get online. I can't stay right now, but I will replay a little later) Sadly my mom is making me get off the computer, right now, so I will be back tomorrow to fill out the form and participate in this thread. -Dictionary

Once Upon A Time (Open, Please come in)|rating:3.0

Training a New Master (Katrina and Houki)

Deep chatter filled the classroom as Devin made his way into the room, for a second the noise would pause but only in a slight change of subject as several people congratulated him on a job well-done during the winter basketball tournament. Devin lightly nods as he makes his way over towards an empty space that’s off in the back of the room, he lightly yawns as he places his head to the desk and grumbles about how stupid people were. The team had come in third losing to the official winners of the tournament, but yet people felt the need to congratulate them and tell him that they did such a good job and played a great game and the only thing that would come to his mind was… ‘But… We… Lost!’ He couldn’t stand that fact that people wanted to honor him for losing, he didn’t get why everyone repeated the same pep-talk to him, and he hated them all for their lack of understanding of how he felt; no matter how good he played, or the team played the fact of the matter was that the other team was better. Devin’s strong demeanor said more about him than any coach or transcript could ever say about him. He was a winner by nature and a leader by habit. He was serious about everything that he did, and he didn’t accept failure as an option. Furthermore, he was the captain of both the Basketball and debate team; and one look at his GPA or Stats line, and it wasn’t hard to know why. Unknown to him there was a small bet going on around the campus that he would either become a Professional player or a Lawyer, needless to say he was quite popular with most of the females around the campus and had no girlfriend to speak of. Any girl that had been lucky enough to get his attention never kept it for long because no matter how cool he seemed or acted in public in reality when no one was really paying attention to him, he was a control freak that came off as a jerk. The sounds of a familiar voice would slightly cause Devin to lift his head as he allowed his eyes to scan the room before falling on the girl who he seemed to debate with almost every day. Her name escaped him, at the moment; but she was what he called an interesting person, she was said to have a GPA that was almost as high as his and if he remembers correctly she was on the dance team and student government. There was a rumor around campus that her she had a boyfriend that graduated about year ago, Devin never paid too much attention to the rumors though, as far he was concerned; they were living in to separate worlds that just happened to overlap at this location. A bell would pierce his empty thoughts as he rested his head back on the desk and listened as the room settled down into a moment of silence. The sounds of heels would clap along the ground as Devin looked towards the front of the classroom.“Alright class, Professor Walker is going to be out for the next week due to a family emergency; So he has left a group project for you all to work on. I will go through roll call to take attendance as your name is called please come down grab a packet and the groups are already formed on page two of the cover-guide.” With that the young woman would begin calling names. Abigail was petite and beautiful. The rumors were true that she did have a boyfriend who was an upperclassman who had moved away. They'd since broken up as the distance was too much. Abigail gazed over at Devin. She had this attraction to him, but had yet to act on it. She wanted to test her theory. She took her seat in front of him and waited for the teacher to call her name. Her name was actually called with Devin's and she grinned a bit. Perfect. He exuded dominance and that's what drew her to him. She walked up and got the packet and returned to her seat and gazed to Devin. "Looks like it's you and me..." She said to him. This should be interesting She thought to herself. Devin allowed his eyes to fall on the young lady as she spoke to him, finally his name was called as he picked up his bag and spoke to her in a low tone. "Meet me outside of the library at 6:30." With that he'd take his packet and leave the classroom. It was now 2 in the afternoon, and he was slightly hungry. He had opted out on skipping breakfast and lunch so that he could attend the extra practices that the team had set up to prepare for the Holiday Tournament, which was just around the corner. He carefully moved out of the classroom as the teacher continued to call names. Furthermore, he carefully made his way out to his car as he noticed that several of the football players were hanging out around the entrance of the building, at first he paid no attention to it, being that it was none of his business it wasn't until he noticed them flirting with the female students as they came out that he realized how annoying the group was. Furthermore, he wasn't sure why this bothered them today, maybe it was because normally he didn't see them because he was in class, or maybe it was because Brad was their, and he was a bit more aggressive than the rest either way their presences was a real annoyance to him. Furthermore, he slowly moved to open his car door as he started to get in, just as he was he could see several of the students from his class coming out. Abigail gazed to him and nodded. "I'll be there..." She said. She watched him as he left and began debating what to wear when she met him. Furthermore, she waited until class was over and began to make her way out. Furthermore, she dropped off the books she didn't need by her locker and grabbed her math book as she had math homework as well before making her way to the parking lot. As she passed the group, Brad reached out and grabbed her ass. "Hey...keep your hands off..." She shouted at him. Everything seemed to happen so fast that even Devin was slightly caught off guard when he found himself clutching Brad's hand with a firm grip, slightly jerking him away from Abigail as he allowed a show of discontentment to parade across his face. He slowly allowed his head to turn towards Abigail as he tilted his head towards his car and told her to go get in. His eyes would slightly turn back towards Brad as he could see the boy was still as confused as he was. It would take a second for the picture to become clear to Devin as he repainted the event in his mind. As Abigail had made her way out of the door, Devin had found himself marching towards her as if he knew something bad was about to happen, Brad hand would grab her ass and she had begun to shout, as Brad stood up and motioned his hand as if he was going to strike her, Devin had grabbed his hand and pulled him in a manner that forced Brad to face towards him. Now that Devin knew what had happened the next thing was to figure out what to do now. The football team had all taken a noticed to the events as they turned their attention away from the girls and on to Devin, but his demeanor would seem unmoved or unimpressed as he began to speak in a low tone. "Don't ever put your hands on her again." Brad slightly jerked his hand in a manner that was to shake Devin's grip, but he would find it to be a lot harder than he had expected as Devin tightened his grip and steadied his arm in a manner that barely allowed the boy to move. "I said don't ever put your hands on her again" Brad slightly frowned as he gave his hand a final jerk." Nobody cares about that ugly ass bitch anyway." Just as the words sailed across Brad's lips, he would find himself stretched out across the steps as gripping his now busted lip. The rest of the five guys would start to go into a frenzy as one of them started to rush Devin and tackle him to the ground. Just as quickly as the brawl seemed to start it was over as a couple of passing by players from the basketball team got involved. The fight would end with a little more pushing and shoving as Devin was pulled away and pushed towards his car. The guys from the football team would pick Brad up and quickly move along as no one wanted to cause a bigger scene then what had already happened. Devin would soon find himself pushed into the front seat of his car as Alex leaned into the window and whispered softly too him." You two alright?" Devin lightly nodded as he looked over at Abigail and waited for her response. "Thanks man, sorry about that. Things just got a little out of control." Alex slightly chuckled as he grabbed the back of Devin's neck and pulled him in a manner that allowed their heads to touch." I know you're frustrated after such a big lost, but exchanging blows with the football team isn't going to make you feel better; and it isn't going to put us in a position to win the next tournament if you get suspended. You're one of the best player on the team and a key part to our defense, so try to show a little more restraint, no matter how big of a dick Bradford is acting." Devin lightly nodded as he allowed a soft smile to garnish his face as he started his car. "Alright Alex, you're right... But this only proves that you should have been the captain of the basketball team." Alex slightly chuckled and gave Devin a soft push." Yeah right, like I could ever beat you on the court, besides everyone knows once you put on that jersey, and you get the ball in your hand. You make plays that allow everyone to shine at what they're good at. Me, I'm just so happen to be a good shoot guard who can knock down open threes, so go a head and get out of here I will see you back in the room. Also miss lady, try to keep this knucklehead out of trouble. We don't need him doing anything to agitate this sprained ankle." Devin's head slightly dropped as he looked down at his leg and saw during that little brawl that his pants leg had slightly been jacked up revealing his taped up leg. He slightly leaned back into his seat as he placed the car into drive and pulled off. It wasn't long before the two were off of the campus and sitting in the parking lot of a local burger joint that served steak fries, milkshakes, and some of the best burgers on this site of town. She heard him and given his tone, she knew not to argue. She'd get her own car later. Furthermore, she moved to his car and placed her things in the back before getting into the passenger seat. Furthermore, she watched from there as the two got into a bit of a scuffle. It was over quickly, and he was in the seat beside her. She nodded to Alex that she was ok and smiled faintly., "I'll do my best to see he stays out of trouble..." She said to him. Furthermore, she gazed to him as he pulled away from the school. "Thank you....you know...for what you did back there. Brad's a jerk... For someone who claims he doesn't care, he's certainly been trying to get into my pants ever since Tony moved away." She said and brushed a stray hair out of her face. She gazed at the diner as the stopped. Furthermore, she wasn't expecting to come here, but she was a bit hungry, so she wasn't going to argue. Furthermore, she got out and got her purse from the back and waited on him before entering. Furthermore, she moved to a back corner table and looked over the menu. Furthermore, she ordered a coke to drink and a chicken strip basket with ranch and an order of cheese fries. Devin softly allowed his eyes to fall on the woman as he noticed that he had kind of just forced her into his car. He slightly allowed his head to nod as he tilted his head towards the side as he looked over to her for a second as he responded in a slightly withdrawn tone. "Well you're actually kind of cute, and maybe it's because you're the only girl he keeps turning him down." Devin slightly shrugged at it as he slowly got out of the car and moved around to the other side of the car and allowed her out. He slowly watched as she moved to the restaurant's door, within second he was behind her as his hand would slightly brush her waist as he leads her in. He slowly followed her over to the booth as he moved to seat in the seat next to hers. Furthermore, he slightly placed his head on the table as they sat waiting for a server, it didn't take long for one to appear as he allowed Abigail to place her order first, and he'd take the day's special. After about fifteen minutes of waiting the server would return with the food and drinks and sit them on the table. For the most part he seemed uninterested in talking as his stomach began to growl rather loudly. He slowly allowed his hand to wrap around his burger as he began to bite into his sandwich, just as his teeth broke into the burger, Abigail's phone would begin to ring as the name Tony flashed across the screen. When Tony first left he used to call almost every day to have a private session with Abigail, but as the year went on the call came less and less, to the point that it was once a week. She took a sip of her drink. She was effectively blocked in with Devin sitting beside her. Furthermore, she had in all the excitement forgotten that Tony was supposed to call that day. She gazed at her phone and opted not to answer it. Once it would be awkward with Devin sitting right there even though this wasn't even remotely a date. And two... Well she felt they were drifting apart, and he only called to keep her on a leash. She silenced her ring and went about her dinner. "So. Would you like to get started on our project today?" She asked as she gazed at him. She never noticed how hot he was... And his actions this afternoon showed her he was dominant in nature. Devin eyes quickly followed Abigail's hands as he watched her ignore the call, "You don't think that might have been something important do you?" He slightly questioned as he shifted his body in a manner that really blocked her in. It was clear that he was more interested in her phone than project as he seemed to completely ignore the question at hand. The look in his eyes clear showed that he saw Tony's name flash across the screen, as his demeanor seemed to change a bit more and a strong wave of his dominant aura seemed to engulf the booth as he looked at her in a manner that seemed to instantly undress her. "Don't you think it's rude to allow people to go to voicemail when they've taken the time out of their day to call you?" Another wave of pressure seemed to added to the booth as the phone lite up once again but this time in the form of a text message that said 'Call me now!' She gazed to Devin. "I... I didn't wish to be rude to you...." She stammered. She could feel the dominance he was exuding, and it made her tremble slightly. Furthermore, she felt her heart beginning to race, and she lowered her eyes subconsciously. "He used to call me every day.... Now I'm lucky if he calls me once a week...." She said softly. She gazed down at the phone as it lit up and she saw his text. Furthermore, she sighed. "Give me a minute..." She said softly and she dialed Tony's number. She took a deep breath and waited for him to answer. Devin slightly watched as she picked up the phone and began to nod. His gaze along seemed to do more than undress her as it shifted to the idea of making her moan. He slightly motioned his hand in a manner that caused it to slip around her waist as he pulled her closer and whispered softly into her ear. "That is a shame, you deserve so much more than he has to offer you." The phone would finally answer as Tony spoke in a dark tone that matched Devin's." What the hell are you doing that you couldn't answer my call." Without warning Devin would slip his hand to lower curve of her body as he slightly grazed the top of her butt, while motioning his head in a manner that placed his breath on her neck. She gazed to Devin, and she gasped softly as he pulled her closer to him. She tried to focus on the call. "Tony... I'm working on a project for school... I'm with my study partner now..." She said to him, and she trembled lightly as she felt Devin's breath on her neck. She was about to open a can of worms if she wasn't careful, but why should Tony care? Devin was right, she deserved more than what Tony was giving her. She deserved someone that cared more than just to call her once a week. Devin continues to pull Abigail in a manner that forces her to lean into him as his hand slips down the curve of her butt. Without warning, he begins to kiss her neck as he tries to excite a response out of her." That's never stopped you from answering my calls before, in fact you use to like it. Who are you with?" Devin could faintly hear the man's chatter through the phone as he pressed her restraint a bit more by whispering in her ear. "What are you waiting for moan for me?" With that he'd easily press his hand into the clasp of her sex as he begins to stroke her flower from behind. His lips would clasp back to her neck as he sucked on it a bit harder. While his free hand moved downward between her legs in a manner that told her to open them. She gasped softly as he began kissing on her neck. Her neck was a weak spot for her and she nearly dropped her phone. Her eyes flicked to him pleading him to stop. She frowned. "That was then... You hardly call me anymore...and why does it matter who I'm with?" She asked, and a soft moan did escape her lips and her legs parted at his urging, and she gasped for breath. Devin knew what he was doing, and she was already getting wet for him. It was clear that Tony was becoming upset by her vagueness as he continued to repeat the question over and over." Who are you with?" Devin continued to smile wickedly as he whispered into her ear once more, "Is that the best you can do? I know there is a better moan in there somewhere; are you really going to make me work for it?" As her legs parted for him, he would instantly begin to work the front of her pussy as well, it would seem if his hand would know exactly where her clit was as he directly massaged it. He could feel her getting wetter by the second as he moved his lips to her and kissed her in a manner that screamed that this was only the beginning." I know you hear me talking to you Abigail, now answer me dammit." Devin carefully moved his lips back to her neck as he searched for the right spot that will give him exactly what he wanted, a loud undeniable moan that would make her bag for him not to stop. She nearly dropped her phone when he began rubbing her clit and a louder moan escaped her lips and was cut off by him kissing her. She whimpered behind the kiss. While Tony had been dominant in their relationship, it was child's play compared to this, and she breathed heavily gasping for breath as he broke the kiss. As he returned to her neck he got the moan he was wanting and one that Tony also no doubt heard seconds before her phone dropped from her hand and clattered to the floor. Thank goodness for Otter boxes to protect cell phones. Unable to control himself he carefully undoes her pants as he locks his lips with hers and really begins to take her clit for a ride. His touch is deliberate and fluent as he stirs her soaking panties deeper inside of her body all while maintaining the firm stroke on the back side. He quickly pulls her from the booth as he forces her into the bathroom as he roughly plants her body against the door and pushes her panties down. His kiss is haunting as it leaves a lovely vague reminder of him each time he pulls away. "You are an interesting find." He whispers deeply to her as his fingers invade her pussy directly while jacking one of legs up. She gasped softly as he pulled he into the bathroom and continued rubbing her clit. Her body responding to every touch, and she felt as if she was on fire. "Please..." She begged. "May I come?" She asked him. Why did she ask? It was how she was trained... And his dominance was so much greater than Tony's had been so it came naturally to her to ask. The more Devin played with the woman's body the more interesting he found her to be. He slowly slips two fingers deep inside of her depths as he whispers into her ear, "That depends, who am I to you?" The light teasing of her body would come to a sudden stop as he waited for her to answer. He could feel her sex tight around his fingers as he slightly moved his body backwards in a manner that threatened to separate his connection to her all together. She whimpered and gazed at him. She was trembling with need, and she'd let him be whatever he desired as long as he would let her come. Furthermore, she was breathing heavily. Was it possible she'd found the replacement for Tony that she needed.... That she deserved?" Hmmm..... I... What do you want to be?" She stammered. Devin slightly chuckled at her question as he smiled indifferently at the woman, "you're cuter than I thought, but let's not play this game. I think in your mind you've already known the answer to my question now all you have to do is say it." With that he would begin to glide his fingers back and forth inside of her body as he smirked wild. "And I won't let you cum until you say it loud enough for me to hear you." Again his action would stop as he kept his timing perfect so that she stayed highly aroused but yet short of a climax. Abigail was becoming frustrated. She needed her release. She planned softly. "Please.... Master...." She cried out in frustration as he has her on the edge and was keeping her there it seemed. As the word master crossed her lips, his touch would instantly intensify as he strokes her clit and pussy hard and deep in a manner that called for her to cum. "Good girl, your master would be pleased if you did." With a firm kiss to her lips he would pin her to the door hard as he continues to shake and stir her sex with ill intent behind each stroke. He wouldn't let up for a second as he waited for her to rejoice in her reward for being a patient pet. She trembled, and she screamed as she came behind the kiss. She was shaking as he pointed her against the wall. He and went around his neck, and she trembled in his arms. She couldn't ever remember coming so hard before as she slowly calmed. She gazed into his eyes. "That was incredible" Devin lightly smiled as he held her close to his body while carefully stroking her curves. He'd slowly back away from her as he told her to get dress, the look in his eyes said he wasn't through with her just yet. Once she was dress he'd lead her back to the dining room as no one seemed to have even noticed the two. Once they back in the booth a strange question would cross Devin's mind. "Since Tony how many people have had the pleasure of touching your body?" Although he really didn't care about the answer it was more about her down, leaving her no room to hide from him as he wanted to find out what heights you could take her body too. She gazed to him and got dressed, and she followed him back out. She bent down and picked up her phone to see numerous texts, growing in anger from Tony. Furthermore, she set the phone aside and took a sip of her drink and she gazed to Devin as he spoke. "Well.until you....no one..." She answered him truthfully. Devin lightly nodded as he picked up a one of his fries and placed it to her lips while whispering just loud enough for only her to her. "Good, now let's keep it that way." The look in his eyes said more than any threat could have as he waited for her to bit it. "Also I don't care what Tony use to be to you, from now on your body belongs to me." With that he slowly lean back into the seat as he closed his eyes and waited for the server to return with the check. He slightly allowed his eyes to gaze towards a few boys that had been looking their way as he slightly sat up in the seat and watched as they quickly diverted there attention. "Let's take the food to go, I'm a little sleeper than I thought I was." He careful shifted his gaze to Abigail as he stood up and held a hand out towards her. She took a bite of the fry he offered and listened as he spoke. His words...his tone...the look in his eyes excited her and sent shivers along her spine. She smiled some to him and nodded a bit and the server returned with boxes for their food and to go cups of drink. She gazed up at him as he stood, and she slipped her hand in his and stood beside him. Word had spread about the fight at school so no one dared to say anything, and she smiled up to him. He towered over her, and she followed him out to his car after he paid for their food. She slid into the passenger seat and held onto their food. As she took his hand and slide out of the seat Devin would toss a twenty on the table and slip his arm around her waist. He carefully leads her out as he couldn't help but notice that she was smiling at him. His hand would playfully pay her butt as he opened the car door for her and let her in. It didn't take long for them to reach his apartment as he leads her straight to his room and pointed to a nightstand that she could sit the food on. He carefully peeled off his shirt as he tossed it into a chair and laid across his bed. His room was fairly decent for a college male, there wasn't any clutter lying around, it actually smelled of axe body spray, and outside a slightly damp towel that randomly hung in the window everything seemed in place. Devin would slowly look to Abigail as he smiled softly and spoke in a simple tone, "Strip down to just your socks and grab one of my shirts off of the long dresser." With that he slightly shifted in a manner that invited her to come lay on top of him after she did what he said. She gazed about his apartment after he let them in and followed him to the bedroom. She gazed to him as he spoke to her. Furthermore, she set the room down and slowly stripped down. Furthermore, she gazed to the long dresser and grabbed one of his shirts and put it on. It nearly swallowed her whole and she padded back to the bed and laid next to him and laid her head on his chest. Her phone was continuing to light up, and she was ignoring it completely. It only flashed in her pocket and vibrated silently. Devin lightly allowed his hand to fall around her waist as he gripped her butt firmly. His fingers easily hiked up the large shirt as he playfully teased the flesh that covered her ass. He slightly pressed his head to hers as he looked over at her pants and noticed that her pocket was still lightening up. Without warning, he would firmly smack her bottom as he whispered softly, "Go get your phone and bring it here." His eyes slightly lowered as he seemed to be growing annoyed with spam of calls. Unknown to them, Tony had begun spreading Abigail's number across the campus and spreading a rumor that she trade sex for money. She yelped as he smacked her bare backside leaving a bright red handprint in its wake. She slid from the bed and grabbed her phone. Furthermore, she didn't even look at it, but merely handed it to Devin. Furthermore, she gazed to him and curled back up to him again. Devin allowed his eyes to fall on the phone as he looked at he slightly before reading one of the text messages. He slightly gripped the phone as he looked at the long list of missed calls from different numbers. He slowly looked to Abigail as he pushed her on to her back and kissed her wildly. Without warning, he would begin to work his way lower as his tongue moved to kiss her clit. Within second, he would begin to assault her pussy with a wave of licks and flicks as he tried to cause her to scream from pleasure. He quickly searched her contacts for Tony's number as he began to driller her pussy harder with his tongue. He'd wait until she was nice and loud, before randomly placing the phone to her lips. As the phone reached her ear, he would jam his cocktail deep into her pussy as he tried to make her scream louder. She gazed to him and was confused by the look he gave her. She gasped softly as he kissed her but returned his kiss, and she moaned as it traveled down her body to her sex. He was certainly skilled, and she was soon moaning with pleasure and need and her moans quickly turned to cries of pleasure. Unaware he'd called Tony, she gasped and screamed out Devin's name as he pushed her over the edge, and she came harder than she even had before with Tony listening on the other end. Devin did not stop there as he forced her to hold onto the phone as he really began to drill her pussy. Each stroke was deep and powerful as he aimed to strike her g-spot with pinpoint accuracy, he smiled lightly as he began to ask her a series of questions and gave a series of commands that would force Tony to realize that he had lost her all together. "Who does this pussy belong too?... What is my name?... Spell it nice and loud!" At first Tony was caught off guard he hadn't expected this, her first moan alone showed him that he had never pleased her body the way that she was being pleased now. Abigail was moaning, and she held onto the phone as Devin took her roughly. "You..." She moaned. "Devin...." Came the second answer. D-E-V-I-N!" She cried out as he seemed to emphasize each letter with a thrust. She was trembling beneath him and as she finished spelling his name, she cried out and came a second time. Devin quickly took the phone from Abigail as he began to speak too Tony. "I want you to listen good and hard to the sounds of her voice, because after today will be the last time you ever hear from her again." With that he'd toss the phone on to the bed next to her as he flippedh her over and began to fuck her from behind. Each thrust was mind-numbingly deep as he stabbed her womb with cock each time until she came for a third and forth time. Somewhere between the thrust he'd grab her hand full of her hair as he really began to bare into her. Tony voice would lightly squeak through the phone as he called Abigail's name but this only forced Devin to plow harder into her pussy as he wanted her to forget his voice all together. "I want you to beg your master by name to allow you to cum." He suddenly stopped his hips as he waited for her to respond. Abigail was lost in a haze of lust and pleasure. She was trembling and barely noticed when he turned her and began taking her harder as she continued to moan. She gasped as he pulled her hair back and spoke to her. Furthermore, she was trembling visibly and covered in a sheen of sweat. Furthermore, she panted softly. "mmm... Master... Devin.... Please.... May I come again..." She moaned low, but it was loud enough for Tony to hear who was swearing and screaming at her, but she was too lost to hear him. "As you wish my pet." With that Devin began to drill her pussy hard once again as he chased her towards another climax. Once she came ground hang up the phone as he pressed her deep into the bed as he fell into the bed next to her and held her close. He softly placed a kiss upon her cheek as he pulled her body in a manner so that she could lay back against his chest. He quickly searched her phone as he turned off of her data so she couldn't receive any more calls or text. "I think your phone is ugly. Let's go get you another one later on." Before he'd hand her back her phone he'd delete her call and text messages. She gazed to him and panted softly. She curled up to him and nuzzled against him. Furthermore, she tilted her head some. He wanted to get her a new phone? She was certain it was so Tony would leave her alone. She was unaware of the other calls and texts. Furthermore, she nodded some and nuzzled against his chest, breathing heavily but slowly calming. "That was incredible..." She said to him softly. He could take care of the phone problem, but how was he going to handle people approaching her for sex in person? Or the possibility of Tony coming to the school? Devin lightly strokes her cheek as he kissed her lightly, "Why don't you take a nap, I'm going to go get something to drink." He'd send out a mass text to the basketball team explaining the situation at hand. He made it clear that no one was to approach Abigail or else. Furthermore, he'd place his phone down on the counter as everyone responded that we would get the world out that Abigail was dated him. Devin sighed softly as he knew it wouldn't be that easy and that the storm had yet to hit, but at least he could keep a bunch of strangers from approaching him as most people wouldn't dare oppose the basketball team or him for that matter. Devin slowly makes his way back to the bedroom as he pats Abigail on the ass. "Roll over." Abigail had no idea of the storm that was to come, but at least he was looking out for her even if it was for his own reasons. Once she found out what tony had done though, problems would arise for the new couple. Trust issues by no fault of his own, Devin would be tasked with my Abigail what a real matter was like... That it was more than just dominating their pet in the bedroom. Abigail had Allen asleep, but she rolled over as he told her to, and she snuggled more curling herself up and nestled more and drifted back to sleep As Abigail rolled over Devin would slip between her legs and lay his head on her stomach. He'd carefully place a kiss upon her tummy as he fell into a light slumber of his own. By the time he woke up it was close to ten o'clock at night as he slowly moved to get his leftovers. His head slightly spun as he wondered how would the next few days go. A part him wanted to tell her what was going on but another part of him said not too. He'd debate over it for a while as he entered the kitchen and sat on the counter. To his surprise Alex hadn't returned yet, and he slightly questions why, he'd slowly turn towards the microwave as he placed his food inside and set it to three minutes. His attention would be drawn to the sounds of movement as he looked over his shoulder. Abigail woke sometime after he did, and she moved through the apartment dressed still in his shirt and only his shirt carrying her own food. She gazed to him and smiled faintly. "I must have been more tired than I thought." She said to him. She waited for his food to get done before heating her own. She sat next to him to eat. "I should probably get back to the dorms and I guess we'll need to start the project tomorrow.... My car is still in red parking lot of G building too" she said to him. Devin lightly smiled as he turned to watch her, "I will take you back to your car in the morning, besides its Friday night no need to rush off, besides we need to talk, before you head back to your room, and you might not want to rush off back to your rooms so fast." He lightly tilted his head to the side. " Tony has spread a rumor about you naming you the campus whore, all those call and text messages you receive earlier were from guys around the campus who want to fuck you." He slowly allowed his eyes to fall on his plate as he picked up a fry. "The basketball team is trying to contain the rumor but nine times out of ten someone is going to say something about it, and I'd rather you hear it from me than someone else." He quickly slips his arm around her waist as he holds her close to his body so that she can't run away from him. Her eyes widened slightly at the revelation of what Tony had done. Why would he do such a thing? She sighed. She gazed to him. "Thank you for trying to help..." She said softly. Rather than try to run, she took comfort in him holding her, and she laid her head on his shoulder. "So...that's the reason for the new phone?" She questioned as she nibbled on her own fries. Devin slightly shook his head as he looked into her eyes and placed a deep kiss upon her forehead. "No, I could have easily had your number changed no problem at all, but I honestly don't like your phone." He slowly placed his phone into her hand as he pointed out several differences between the two. "Above all else the camera on your phone sucks, how can we make a porno with a camera that makes everything blurry." He lightly teased her with a soft nudge, but hopefully by now he hoped she knew that if he was saying it that he really meant it. She blinked, and her eyes widened a bit at his words. He couldn't really be serious. She wasn't sure about that. She'd heard stories about people getting caught with porn, and she wasn't ready for something of that magnitude. Furthermore, she gave him a look of uncertainty. She sighed. "What about my contact?" She asked. It was a valid question, but she was partly attempting to put it off as well. She would go and have her number changed at least. Devin slightly looked into her eyes as he smiled warmly. "What of it? If I said I was going to get you a new phone then that's what's going to happen. Why don't you just let me worry about that, and I'll let you worry about what you're cooking me for breakfast in the morning." He softly placed a kiss upon her cheek as he moves to get off of the counter while carefully helping her down. He'd lead her back to the bedroom and lock the door as he sat on the edge of the bed and turned on a movie. She gazed to him and tilted her head some. His voice told her it would be pointless to argue so she merely nodded to him. She smiled a bit as he mentioned breakfast. "Breakfast is one of my specialities" she said to him. She followed him back to the bedroom and sat next to him. Watching a movie would be relaxing after the day she'd had. Her eyes gazed to the phone. She sighed some. No doubt Tony was still sending text after text and trying to call. Devin lightly allowed a full smile to slip across his lips as he placed his empty container on the edge of his desk while moving to the top of the bed and allowing his back to rest against the headboard. He'd wait until she was done eating before using his hand to call her to come sit in his lap. Once she did, he would allow his hands to tease her waist as he looked into her eyes while stating. "I'm not really sure how all of this Master and pet or whatever you call it works. All I know is that, I know what I like and that I'm a little aggressive when it comes to getting what I want... and I want you, and I want you to be happy." He slowly allows his hand to slip a small chain from around his neck as he places it around's Abigail's. He slightly holds up his high school class ring as he places a kiss upon her lips as he smiles faintly. "Also one more thing don't call me, your master. I don't think I know enough about you to be your master just yet, but I will settle for daddy, baby, hell you can even call me superman if it fits your fancy, but don't call me master until I really earned that title okay?" With that he'd give her ass a nice slap as he playfully pushes her in the bed. She curled up in his lap, and she gazed into his eyes as he spoke to her, and she nodded to him. She gazed down at the chain around her neck and the class ring that was around it. Furthermore, she yelped as he smacked her backside and left a nice red hand print. Furthermore, she gasped softly as he pushed her back, and she smiled to him. "Ok, Superman...." She giggled a bit. Her eyes had a sparkle to them, they hadn't before. She felt as if she'd found her place, and it was with him. Devin slowly leaned over to kiss her as he lightly tickled her, he could see a spark in her eye as if she was happy with that simple gesture. He carefully pins her to the bed as he continues to tickle her until she is in a nice deep laughter. "So you got jokes, I will show you a superman alright." He teased as he carefully slipped between her legs and allowed his lips to meet her neck as he lightly began to suck until a nice sized hickey formed. His hands would tease her frame as he rested inside of her warmth. She laughed as he tickled her and was soon begging him to stop as she gasped for breath. She gazed up at him as he pinned her to his bed and gave him more access to her neck as he began sucking on it, marking her as his. Furthermore, she wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him to her. Furthermore, she gazed into his eyes and pressed her lips lightly to his. He softly smiled as she began to laugh and gasp for air, he continues kissing her neck as he felt her legs wrap around his waist, locking him into her body as he returned her gaze and kiss. Without thinking about it his hips would begin to grind into her body as he deepened the kiss. His hands slowly moved to her cheek as he smiled lightly as he teased her lips softly while speaking. "Well we know that I'm good at fucking, but I let see if I am good at making love as well." With that he'd carefully press his cock to her sex as he slowly entered her body while kissing her lips once more. He would continue to kiss her lips while pacing himself to slowly fill her body while taking nice easy strokes. She felt her cheeks heart up as she blushed at his words. She moved in sync with him as he began to take her slowly. Furthermore, she spoke to him in between kisses feeding his ego with her words. "I doubt there is much you aren't good at..." She purred. She brought her hand up to ruin his back occasionally leaving fading scratches as her pleasure was building. He smiled lightly as he continued to slide into her body his head softly pressing against her as he kissed and a bit at her neck. He would slightly move a bit deeper into her body at the sound of her words as he tried to excite a descent moan out of her. His fingers slightly pawed at her waist as he felt himself building to a climax of his own as he pressed harder into her body. Her moans were growing more and more needy the closer she got to release. "Please..." She began to whimper. Her hands began to grill the sheets as she got close to her release. "May I come? " She asked him as she was holding it until he gave her permission Devin continued to slip deep into her body as he felt her tightening around his cock while pleading to be allowed to come. He would deeply kiss her lips as he pressed his mass deep into her body with slightly increasing his pace a bit more. A deep grin carelessly poured across his lips as he began to move harder inside of her body. "No you may not." He teased as he pressed himself upward and gripped her hips in a manner that allowed him to pull her deeper against his mass. With each stroke he would drive into her body as he tried to break her will and force her to come without his permission. She groaned and whimpered as he denied her release. She breathed heavily as he began taking her harder and going deeper. Furthermore, she couldn't hold it much longer, and it seemed as if he was trying to push her over the edge and then it happened. Furthermore, she cried out as she came and was trembling beneath him. Devon continued to plow and drill into her body as he felt her fall over the edge into a nice climax. He would bury his cock deep into her pussy as he filled her womb with his seed. He lightly placed a kiss upon her lips as he looks down into her eyes. "I said we were making love, never ask me when we are making love. Those will be the few times that I need a woman and not a pet." He slowly slipped to the side of her body as he pulled her in a manner that called for her to lay against his chest. "Until tomorrow after noon you are to be my woman not my pet... Got it?" She gazed to him understanding why he did what he'd done, and she nodded to him. She smiled and pressed her lips lightly to his before laying her head on his chest. Furthermore, she smiled. "Alright... I'll be your woman until you say otherwise" she said softly Devin smiled lightly as he nodded, "Good because I have no need for dead weight in my life." With that he slowly allowed his eyes to close as he started to shift back into a nice deep slumber as he held her close. He would allow his grip to hang firmly to her body as he sleeps with such peace. By the time morning rolled around he slightly shifts in place as he noticed that he had slept a little later than he had planned as he looked to find Abigail. Abigail was still sound asleep in his arms. She'd slept better than she had in months with no worries and not a care in the world. Perhaps it was his air of dominance, or just that she felt safe with him, one could only guess. His movements though stirred her, and she gazed up at him. "Mmm, morning...." She purred and placed her lips lightly on his in a good morning kiss. Devin's hand softly teased her curves as he returned the kiss while sleepy laying his head back. "I'm hungry." He wouldn't say much after that as he slowly pushed himself up as he presses his back to the headboard before smiling lightly. Devin felt a strange feeling of being well rested, something he just wasn't use to at all. He slightly questioned if it was the fact that he had spent most of his extra energy playing with Abigail, or did having her around simple place his body at ease. Either way he wouldn't argue the facts or details at the moment as his stomach growled loudly. She smiled and nodded to him and slipped his shirt back on. "That's right.... I owe you breakfast..." She smiled and headed out of the room to the kitchen and began checking the cabinets. He didn't have the ingredients for her to make her original plan so she opted for making pancakes. She gazed over to him. "Hope you like pancakes" She said to him while only wearing his shirt. It fell to her knees and soon the whole apartment smelled like pancakes. Devin slightly nodded to her as he could see her from the bedroom. "Please cook some sausage and eggs with it as well." He slowly began to make the bed as he picked up her clothes and folded them up and sat them on the dresser. He carefully moved to toss his clothes into his dirty basket as he pulled out a pair of short and moved to sit on the counter. Furthermore, he slightly rocked his legs back and forth as he sat watching her cook. She nodded as he left the room and fried up some sausage links and made some scrambled eggs to go along with the pancakes. She plated the food and poured syrup over her pancakes and offered it to him. Furthermore, she poured them both a glass of orange juice and smiled a bit as she took a bite. Furthermore, she was a good cook and it showed. Devin smiled as watched her fix the plates and poured their drink. He slightly moved to stand next to her as he placed a light kiss upon her cheek. "Well look at my little Betty Crocker's." He carefully took a bit into his sausage as he mixed his fork through his eggs and scooped himself up some. He lightly looked at the bottle of syrup as he carelessly declined. Furthermore, he slowly moved towards the cabinet above the stove and pulled out a contained of powdered sugar and sprinkled it onto the top pancake. Furthermore, he then pulled out a blueberry flavored syrup as he smiled lightly and offered it to Abigail. Furthermore, he slowly moved to sit back on the counter next to her as he smiled lightly while taking another sip of his juice. She smiled and politely declined the blueberry syrup. She was happy with the maple syrup, and she'd made enough for any possible roommates he had. Furthermore, she blushed a bit at his compliment. "I'm going to take that to mean you like my cooking." She said softly to him. She sipped from her juice. Devin lightly smiled as he watched her take a sip of her juice, "Yes you can say I enjoy your cooking." He softly allowed his hand to tease her cheek as he continued to eat. Suddenly the sound of a door opening would pull his attention as he watched Alex step out of his room and watched as the man yawned." Well morning you two, someone is looking quite refreshed." Alex slightly chuckled as he moved into the kitchen and reached into the frig and grabbed out a bottle of water. A girl would slowly follow him into the kitchen as she smiled lightly and moved to stand next to Abigail." Well it's nice not to be the only female walking around this place early in the morning." Devin slightly chuckled at the two of them as he used his fork to point at the girl. "Abigail meet Nicole, Nicole this is Abigail." He slowly returned to eating his food as Alex slightly gave Abigail a nudge." You know when I asked you to keep an eye on him, I didn't mean that you had to watch over him all night." Nicole softly slapped Alex's arm as she shook her head." Don't listen to him, he's always act like this early in the morning, besides maybe now I won't be out voted on everything. Also feel free to call me Nikki, it what they call me when we're hanging out around the house." Nicole slowly stretched her arms up as she moved towards the stove and looked at the remaining food." Mind if I fix a plate, it smells perfect." Devin slowly looked to Abigail as he smiled lightly. Abigail smiled and nodded. " I don't mind at all. I made extra just in case and It's nice to meet you Nikki. Please, call me Abi" she said to her and grinned at Alex's comment about watching over Devin. "Well, he kinda convinced me to stay the night" she said softly. She watched asked and Nikki for a few moments. It'd be nice to have friends of her own to hang out with that weren't her friends simply because of Tony. She smiled faintly and finished her own breakfast. She wondered what the day would entail. Devin watched as the two of them moved to sit at the table as Nikki smiled to Abigail and softly crossed her legs underneath the table. The two would thank her for the meal while digging in as Devin slowly pulled Abigail to the other side of the counter with him and slipped his hand up the back of the shirt. He softly placed his lips to her ear as he whispered softly. "Let's hurry back to the room, my pet. I'd like to take a shower with you." With that his hand would slip across the back of her sex as he patted her butt lightly before putting his empty plate into the sink. "We'll leave the dishes to you." he called to Alex and Nikki as the two nodded while he used his hand to call for Abigail to follow. Abigail shivered at both his touch and his words. She placed her dishes in the sink as well, and she moved to follow him back to his room. She closed the door and followed him to the bathroom, and she smiled off his shirt, and she stood naked in front of him. Her nipples hardened in the coolness of the room, and she smiled a bit to him and moved to him and pressed her lips lightly to his. Devin smiled lightly as he watched her strip and move to him, his hands easily wrapped around her body as he touched her curves as he slowly pulled her in a manner that lead her over to the bed. He would slowly sit down as he looked to his shorts before slowly slipping them off, his hand would point to his cock as it stood at attention. "Bring those lips down her and please me." His dominate nature would begin to fill the room as he looked upon the woman with a stern gaze in his eyes that said he would not repeat himself. She gazed to him. Oak sex wasn't something she'd enjoyed in the past as Tony had been too rough with it. She slowly got on her knees in front of Devin. She licked along his shaft for a moment before moving to his balls, and she sucked on them lightly before moving back to his shaft. Furthermore, she licked and nibbles lightly before swirling her tongue around the head of his shaft and began taking him inch by inch into her mouth. Devon slightly allowed his head to fall back against the bed as he allowed her to work across his cock as she pleased. He lightly groaned during the things she did well and sat in silence on the things Abe could improve on. He slowly allowed his hand to tease the back of her head as he sat up and looked down at her. "Eyes in me." He spoke softly as he began talking her through what he wanted. "First I want you to move you hands out of the way. Now I want you to wrap your lips around tip of my cock." She gazed up to him as he spoke, and she moved he hands at and wrapped her lips around the head of his shaft. She'd been doing the best she could, but she'd listen to him and do as he says in order to please him. Devon lightly nodded as she did as he said. "Now I want you to slowly tighten your lips around me and begin to bob your head up and down. Don't go too fast but not to slow either just take it nice and easy." He could feel as she followed his instructions as he coached her to use her tongue a bit more as he would begin to grow harder inside if her mouth. When she felt him growing harder in her mouth, she knew she was doing something right. She purred a bit sending vibrations along his shaft. She gazed up at him as she bobbed her head and slowly took more and more of him into her mouth. Devin smiled lightly as she began to take more of him inside of her mouth, "Hold up for one second." He would say as he lightly backed away on to the bed and used his hand to call her up to him. Once she was there he would position her body in a manner that called for to sit on his chest while coming to give him a welcome treatment. Abigail moved into position and resumed sucking on his shaft as he had instructed her to do. She was a quick learner and taking more and more of him with each bob of her head. Devin lightly groaned as she went back to work on his cock, his hands would lightly pull her hips in a manner that would allow him to look upon her sex. His fingers would carefully stroke her pussy from behind as he would slowly slip them across her clit while luring her body backwards. Finally, his tongue would begin to dance around her clit as kissed and sucked her sex in an attempt to deliver the same pleasure that she was giving him. Abigail gasped as his tongue made contact with her sensitive flesh. She moaned softly, and it sent vibrations along his shaft as she bobbed her head and continued to pleasure him with her mouth. Her breathing grew heavier as she got closer and closer to release. She wasn't sure if she was his pet at the moment it is woman so she was going her best to hold her release. Devin's lips slightly teased and tortured her clit with his best combinations of pleasure as he tried desperately to excite her to the point that she had no choice of coming. He could feel her fighting to hold herself together, but he wouldn't say a word as to what he wanted her to be. He wanted to teach her how to read his touch, he wanted her to know her place in his life by just glancing into his eyes. Furthermore, he wanted to make her perfect for himself. Furthermore, he continued to flick and suck on the tender flesh until she came, he wouldn't let up for one second until she'd lost control over her body again and submitted to him in every way that he wanted her. She cried out his name as she came for a second time. She was trembling in his arms and visibly shaking. The pleasure was immense and greater than she'd ever felt before. "That feels so good she moaned as she slowly began to come back down. " You're awesome Devin" she added with a purr Devin faintly smiled as he lightly slapped her ass while moving in a manner that called for her to get up. "Go get our shower ready." He whispered lightly as he slowly moved over towards his closet and grabbed out a few towels and wash clothes. He then entered into the bathroom where he would lean against the sink as he waited for the water to get warm, but as he waited he would pull Abigail over towards him as he lightly began to suck on her neck. Without warning, he would whisper into her ear as he lightly began to fondle her clit. "You're not a loud to cum until I say so... got it?" He lightly gave her hair a sharp pull as he slowly began to move his cock between her legs as he smiled wickedly. She let out a soft yelp as he slapped her backside and she nodded and moved to start the water in the shower. She gazed back at him and smiled as he pulled her over to him and ducked on her neck, no doubt leaving a mark. She gasped softly as he tugged on her hair and she nodded. "Yes... I. I understand...". She nearly whispered as she felt him enter her. She slid her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Devin would start slow with nice deep strokes as he filled her body up with his mass. He lightly placed a kiss upon her cheek as he allowed his eyes to fall on the marking on her neck. His paces continued to pick up as he began to plow her pussy harder and harder. Abigail trembled slightly as he started to take her...slowly at first but as he began to take her more roughly, her pleasure began building more quickly. Her breathing became heavier, and her heart was racing. A sheen of sweat broke out on her skin and she moaned. She was focusing, not on the act itself, but on withholding her release. Devin wouldn't give Abigail a moment of rest as he continued to drill her sex recklessly while his hands stroked and teased her body with light strokes. He deeply kissed her lips as he held her into place continued to assault upon her sex. Each stroke was aimed towards her womb as he felt the slight resistance of her deepest organ and continued to roar forward as if he was trying to break past it and touch even this depth. She gasped with each stroke as he moved within her and threatened to break through her cervix. She screamed out as she was unable to hold back any longer She trembled beneath him and was breathing heavily as she came and continued to spasm around his shaft. As she would cum, Devin would fine himself pass her cervix as he continues to bang around in the uncharted area. The new wave of tighten he felt was intense as felt the tip of his cock dancing pass through the whole and building him to a point where he would cum. His seed would quickly swarm her womb as he continued the deep pounding he was giving her. "Didn't I tell you, that you're not allowed to cum." He barked as he slowly pressed his middle finger into her tight pucker-hole. He wouldn't slip his finger in deeply, but it was enough to create a new sensation as he continued to bang inside of womb wildly. She whimpered and gazed to him. "I didn't mean to...." She said then gasped as she felt his finger teasing her. She shook her head. Furthermore, she wasn't ready for that. "No..." She whispered and gazed up at him. "Did you tell me know?" He questioned as he thrust into her body even harder. Without warning his free hand would give her ass a firm smack as he pressed his finger a bit deeper. He slowly moved towards his body wash as he began to pour the soap around his finger creating a nice lubrication as he began to work his finger back and forth. "Since when do you get to tell me no?" He inquired, as he worked the finger in deeper and faster. His free hand continue to slap her ass until it was nice and red as he swung his cock deeper inside of her sex. She let out a soft yelp as he smacked her wet backside. It stung. She whimpered as she felt his finger slide into thanks to the aid of the soap. "Please... I... I'm sorry..." She pleaded with him and cried out softly as he continued to slap her butt. She wasn't able to think anymore as the combination of the pleasure he was giving her as she rode him was combining with the pain of the spanking he was giving her. Devin would continue to work both whole as he managed to use the soap for even more lubrication as he added a second finger to the tight hole. He'd jam his fingers deep inside of her body as he spread his fingers inside the tight hole until he was satisfied that he had loosened her up to the idea of him placing his cock in next. It wasn't long after that, he would pull his cock from her pussy as he lowered her hips a bit more and easily slide in with aid of the soap. She gasped softly as she felt him slide into her forbidden backside. She tensed in his arms and tried to make herself relax, but it hurt. Furthermore, she breathed heavily and trembled in his arms but learned quickly not to tell him no or to resist him. As she relaxed she found it hurt less, and she even felt her pleasure beginning to build.

Training a New Master (Katrina and Houki)|rating:2.0

OOC _ Wrong Direction

Which ones were Dizzy and Testament? I'm guessing the angry looking white-haired boy was Testament? ROFL, Set answered your questions pretty much. n___n I'm a HUGE Guilty Gear fan. Lt;3 Oh gosh, no. Testament looks like a very sexy grim reaper! And Dizzy...well...uh... -scurries off to find pics-Really Set? That's awesome! Lt;3 *goes to get ref of Guilty Gear* Dizzy Testament Rosewood! Prettiness! A very, very sexy grim reaper! Yesh he is. *steals him* hahaha? But yea... two of my main inspirations for Indigo and Luxair. Lol Told you. X3 -distracted by his prettiness- *____* That's really cool, Satanic! Lol *goes to work on post before she goes to sleep* Night! I'm going to stay up a little longer. I don't have work tomorrow for once! Working on mine now. I hope I do a good job. ^-^ Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic Quote: Originally Posted by China-chan XD Are any of them human? *laughs* *Laughs.* Not yet. haha, If a human doesn't come up soon I may make another character to use here. Nothing like multitasking with characters eh? XD Hey whatever works. The story is looking fun so far. Well... not *fun*, but I'm sure everyone knows what I mean. Link's so sorry. T_T She hardly ever decides what race she's going to use, instead she uses a die. She can make a human character, if you like. But with how horrible her RP's been lately, she doubts you'd want her to. XD Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo Link's so sorry. T_T She hardly ever decides what race she's going to use, instead she uses a die. She can make a human character, if you like. But with how horrible her RP's been lately, she doubts you'd want her to. XD Your posts are lovely! ^^ Haha Indigo is so confused o.o Someone is TALKING to him... o.x I posted. XD I hope it was okay. -sweat- This Spiffy! ^^ |- Name -| Sin|- Age -| Seventeen|- Gender -| Female.|- Race -| Human|- Occupation -| Adventurer/Mage|- Eye Color -| Brown|- Hair Color and Length -| Brown, shoulder-length|- Height -| 5'3, so quite short.|- Other Appearance -| Picture! DX|- Weapon(s) of Choice -| Staff, offensive and magic, defensive. |- Personality -| Si inn is a girl with strength of mind if not of body. She comes across as light-hearted and polite, softly spoken, which she does only when necessary; she does not engage in idle chat simply for the sake of it. Nonetheless, she is friendly and trusting. She is defensive rather than offensive too, preferring to avoid confrontation if she can. If she can make a friend she will, and generally knows someone everywhere that she goes (though it is a little know fact that she tends to make friends who she believes will be of use to her in the future). Being of such a modest upbringing she is occasionally quite naive and is prone to making mistakes or entirely missing the point.|- History -| Born in a small town on the coast, Si inn had a calm and uneventful childhood, brought only with the usual difficulties of a teen, but her small-town life made her restless, and she longed for more interest. At the age of fifteen she left her family to travel between the villages, looking for adventure, treasure and ways to enhance her magical abilities. Satanic, would it be too much to ask if you could put the race of each character in their short descriptions on the front? Like Character Name/Race/Page/Player? ^-^; Yay! Degree's being stalkers! -pets Degree- Wow... Kenosha goes down for the server-switch, and then I had work today. I missed a lot. X_x Dark, could you please change your IC post to where it says Brian instead of Cain? It's confusing to know the character's name is one thing and see you writing it as anything. ^-^; Or is Cain her nickname? Super: Welcome back! ^-^; *dies from SLOOOOOW LAGGY internet* *Span* You guys post so well! I haven't had a decent literate role-play in a long time. Yay! Satanic's here! -waves at Satanic- Flink hasn't either, seriously. This is all nice and refreshing! ^-^ I'm really excited about this RP. I haven't been in a perfect one for a long time. Sgt;Walt; ^^ I have to agree, it seems fascinating! I'm just looking for an appropriate place to join in. Quote: Originally Posted by Tania ^^ I have to agree, it seems fascinating! I'm just looking for an appropriate place to join in. "Oh my gods and goddesses THAT POOR BOY" sounds like an awesome line to say in your post. -nudge, nudge, wink, wink-Well I had fun trying to write up that response. XDD Hmm. Hope you all don't mind me barging in and attempting to join. >.> And if you see any issue with my d00d, feel free to harass me to change him. I don't mind a bit. ’D|- Name -|Heinlein|- Age -|Undetermined and unrecorded; in human terms appears to be roughly 22 or so|- Gender -|Male|- Race -|Elf|- Occupation -|Wanderer/huntsman|- Eye Color -|Blue|- Hair Color and Length -| Were it clean and brushed and cut properly, Heinlein's hair would be a polished copper hue that would cascade in soft waves down to just below his shoulder blades. Instead, the redhead's hair is a matted and tangled mess, the true hue hidden by a mismatched plethora of beads carved from bone and feathers, and covered in seemingly endless layers of dried mud, grime, and whatever bits of leaves and branches that have gotten stuck in their over time.|- Height -|roughly 5'5"|- Other Appearance -|Hailing from a barbaric and reclusive even tribe, Heinlein fills out the generalized concept of that the 'barbaric elves' appear to be. He is small and slim, with deeply tanned skin earned from years out in the sun. His garments are comprised of poorly stitched together pieces of various animal hides, held roughly together by either thin leather cords or cleverly woven pieces of vine. What little skin is exposed is often covered in tribal markings; colored swaths of mud smeared across him in odd patterns whose meaning is known only to him and the others of his tribe. He seems very proud of these ritualistic markings, though not half so proud as of the strip of faded green fabric used to conceal the lower portion of his face whilst he hunts. To the more civilized people, this scrap of fabric is little more than a rag, faded and threadbare and dirty. But to the reclusive and primitive wood elves, this is nothing short of a treasure.|- Weapon(s) of Choice -|As a hunter, Heinlein carries a variety of weapons, all of them considered to be almost laughably primitive in comparison to 'civilized' steel weapons. At his waist is a bone hunting knife, its handle made of polished wood and held in place with a leather strip. An unstrung short bow sits on his back, accompanied by stone-headed arrows with dappled Grey-and-black fletching. His primary weapon, however, is a spear. Well, to most it is little more than a long stick with one end sharpened to a point. The sharpened tip is blackened, having been hardened over a fire when first made. It is simple and unadorned, and stands a few inches taller than Heinlein himself. |- Personality -|Quiet and observant, Heinlein is a man who is notably out of his element and knows it. His understanding of the common tongue is limited, and he himself can only say a few simple words. Yet whatever alienation he may feel, Heinlein simply shrugs it off and observes everyone and everything with a sense of curiosity that some may find eerie, perhaps even unsettling. Yet there is no malice in his over-inquisitive nature. He is simply trying to figure out how this strange place and its odd people work. Yet as curious as he is, Heinlein does treat several seemingly normal daily things with suspicion and fear. Magic is the thing he seems to fear the most, for in his tribe's stories, only the evil demons and gods wield such powers. He reacts fearfully and sometimes violently, using his primitive weapons to try and drive what he perceives as a demon at bay. It has gotten him into trouble several times already, and it frustrates the elf that no one seems to think that these 'demons' are evil. How can they let these monsters go free? How?|- History -|The wild elf's life is a simple one, and hardly marked with any notable mishaps or troubles. Heinlein's life went according to tradition; as the son of a hunter, it was expected that he was to be a hunter, as well. He learned the ways of their weapons, their stories, their tales, their legends. It was a simple life, and happy. He was getting to the age where he would be able to have a wife, and begin to have a family. But then... odd things began to happen. Strange creatures began to appear, vicious monsters. The isolated tribe's elders gathered and consulted with their shamanic rituals and spirits, and gathered that great evil was afoot in the world. As per tradition, the elders decided to send three hunters out into the outside world to discern the source of the evil and stop it. Heinlein was one of those three chosen. The three hunters left the village in separate directions, to have a greater chance of success. Heinlein's travels have thus brought him in contact with 'modern civilization', and whilst pausing to mingle and learn from them is a dangerous distraction, the elf has decided that he must do it. After all, these strange people seem to know of many things his people do not, and he must learn from them if he hopes to succeed in his quest. Ooh,~ Rad new chart. Lt;333 lol I should totally introduce my half human half harpy character. haha Because we need something other than gods and elves. And Vocal would be so adorable in this role-play. ENSO and Train would get along with him very much. He's very animalistic in thinking. Seeing as he was born and raised in the wild. Yeah, we need harpies. So far we don't even have a single one. -; Your characters sound nice already, I'd like to see them get into the plot. ^-^ Anand maybe I should make up another. I was thinking of making a human character. o3o Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo Dark, could you please change your IC post to where it says Brian instead of Cain? It's confusing to know the character's name is one thing and see you writing it as anything. ^-^; Or is Cain her nickname? ahh, Super: Welcome back! ^-^; I was confused for bit okay I will. First time having an OC and it confuses me bit. Dark. Pay attention to posts. ENSO already walked away from the tree and was following Satanic's char's. ? Yes I know they seem like a rather large read, try to read the posts and keep up with at least one character's actions other than your own. I know I'm having trouble keeping up But be sure to read all the posts before posting. I'm not even sure what to do to reply or just hope she changes her post lol. >.> It'd be odd if I had ENSO back track lol. Sorry I don't RP much._. Sorry I might just not RP any more it seems I suck at this. Heh so sorry._. I am terribly sorry for confusing me. I guess I should just practice more before I actually try to do something I won't be capable of doing. Quote: Originally Posted by Dark_Maiden_Queen Sorry I might just not RP any more it seems I suck at this. Heh so sorry._. I am terribly sorry for confusing me. I guess I should just practice more before I actually try to do something I won't be capable of doing. This is practice, really. Link would make another character, but she'd get way too confused, most likely. And she can't remember any races. Shame gnomes aren't included. XD Link's obsessed with gnomes. Lt;.Lt; And typically, "Special Request" to Link means, "NEVA!" Dark - Don't say that, your posts are a lot better than mine were starting out o.x I was a horrible role player at first. It's not like this is life or death this is for fun so try to have fun. You only learn by getting your hands dirty NEH? You can have a Gnome Link! ^^ Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic Dark - Don't say that, your posts are a lot better than mine were starting out o.x I was a horrible role player at first. It's not like this is life or death this is for fun so try to have fun. You only learn by getting your hands dirty NEH? You can have a Gnome Link! ^^ so I am not annoying the hell out of you all >.> Doesn't bother me at all. I've yet to see a perfect role player - everyone is entitled to make mistakes. That's how you learn and get better. Personally, I hope you do decide to stay. Quote: Originally Posted by Dark_Maiden_Queen Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic Dark - Don't say that, your posts are a lot better than mine were starting out o.x I was a horrible role player at first. It's not like this is life or death this is for fun so try to have fun. You only learn by getting your hands dirty NEH? You can have a Gnome Link! ^^ so I am not annoying the hell out of you all Sgt;.Sgt; Not one bit! Link encourages people to work at things until they get the hang of it. ^-^ Besides, she wants to annoy you. -poke- okay I guess I will stay time to red it all over again To get caught up >.> Whoa, Set RP's? O: Yes I do. Never found anyone on Gaia worth role-playing. *Is amazed* Rps on Gaia Sgt; Men Rps. I seem to find more adv. Literate ones on Gaia. I just never got into Gaia role-plays. *shrug* I normally don't role-play outside close friends. I have well over 4 or 5 dozen characters. Wow, Set's actually Adv. Literate. 0: I know I'm not posting as much as I should be, but... Real life is kinda sucky right now. And then I'm busy two days a week with my Damp;D group. I would love to join, I've just never seen posts that long before. D8I guess could try it after watching for a while. I'd hardly call myself Advanced.... Just YEARS of practice. I have six years of role-play under meh belt! ^^ *goes to post* Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic I'd hardly call myself Advanced.... Just YEARS of practice. I have six years of role-play under meh belt! ^^ *goes to post* 10 months of experience under meh belt. But I learn quickly. It doesn't take long to learn. Just a matter of jumping into it. I have mostly male characters' haha. I don't play females well. *Shrug* Speaking of which I'm putting a Limit on the gods now. Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic It doesn't take long to learn. Just a matter of jumping into it. I have mostly male characters' haha. I don't play females well. *Shrug* Speaking of which I'm putting a Limit on the gods now. Could you hold one spot for my char? I do wish to join I'm just organizing all the details of my character, and he's a god....>>;; It's fine! ^^ Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic It's fine! ^^ Thanks. |- Name -| Anubis Keen |- Age -| Indeterminate. He looks around 19-ish though |- Gender -| male |- Race -| God (Of Change and Transition) |- Occupation -| Wanderer with no possessions save his clothing. His appearance signals great changes in the world are about to occur, usually with chaotic transitions. |- Eye Color -| Red Sharing an [x] |- Hair Color and Length -| Raven black hair which hangs at around shoulder-length, with no attention given to its arrangement. The ends curve up slightly from a natural curl. |- Height -| exactly 6 ft |- Other Appearance -| He has deeply tanned skin, with black tattoos covering what parts of his cheeks are still visible. He wears a gray bone mask that cover his everything above his mouth, with holes for the eyes. Lt;-- his mask. His hair drops over the forehead of the mask and hangs a little in front of his eyes, but curves to the sides from the middle. 2 black devil horns protrude from the forehead fitting through holes in the mask, and curve 90 degrees up to sharp points. . He wears an expensive looking Black tunic with gold linings, over a white undershirt. He wears a leather belt with black pants. A devilish tail around 3.3 ft long protrudes from a hole in the pants (obviously not designed for such a feature, the pants hole is more of a rip), and like the Horns is jet black. He wears black gloves that only cover half the length of the finger, and each have a metal band on the back of the palm. He is perfectly content with running around barefoot, but does have a pair of boots. |- Weapon(s) of Choice -| He prefers not to participate in combat, and mostly uses an almost fluid/monkey like style of motion to avoid being hit, but is still quite skilled with hand-to-hand combat if the need arises. |- Personality -| His mental stability is always in question, but mostly laid back. He can be brilliant one moment then clueless the next, and tends to like to act crazy while still getting some sage advice across. Since is appearance has always signaled change, he decided long ago he would never be the same from one moment to the next, or in his mind, he would be crazy. What friends he does make he confides in deeply, while leaving the rest of the world in the dark, but with such a wanderer complex, he makes very few friends. |- History -| Anubis's Origin such as parents and age are a complete mystery even to him, he only remembers living in the forest for several years like a monkey, where he developed his ultra coordinated form of motion. After 2 years of that he was discovered and forcibly caviled by a couple, though they tried very hard to hide his tail and horns from the neighboring villagers. They cared for him deeply, but as he grew up his purpose and true personality drove him way from them. He disappeared from the world until month before wars started breaking out again, then disappeared as quickly as they ended. As the eons went by his appearance became synonymous with chaos and destruction, despite the fact he also appeared when major social changes occurred. With such a stigma attached to his appearing, he was often the target of angry mobs. One of these mobs managed to catch him, and whatever they did result in his wearing of his mask, never removing it in the company of humans or anyone else for that matter. Goodness that came out longer than I'd intended. x.o I wish there were necromancers *_* Ah. Well-being able to write over 5 paragraphs is advanced to me. Unless what you typed up isn't, but oh well, it looks like over 5 paragraphs to me. 1 year and I can write over 7 paragraphs or so. *Dances* And when I joined Gaia I used to be able to write 2 lines. Yay! ’D Ooh, if there were necromancers, I would definitely join. I'm still planning to join anyway, my first Men RP. ’D All of this talk of 'advanced' Ropers is depressing Link. T_T She was one an 'advanced' Per, but then she realized that for most things, 7 paragraphs was a bit much. XD Though, a contest for who can use the most paragraphs for sip a drink, the longest was like... five. And it made perfect sense. XD Link thinks the one for the opening of a door, without a description of the character's history was 13. Lt;.Lt; Link has been banned from playing Necromancers. It's apparently not right to try and teach zombies or the undead in general to fetch. XD Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo All of this talk of 'advanced' Ropers is depressing Link. T_T She was one an 'advanced' Per, but then she realized that for most things, 7 paragraphs was a bit much. XD Though, a contest for who can use the most paragraphs for sip a drink, the longest was like... five. And it made perfect sense. XD Link thinks the one for the opening of a door, without a description of the character's history was 13. Lt;.Lt; Link has been banned from playing Necromancers. It's apparently not right to try and teach zombies or the undead in general to fetch. XD Literate doesn't mean Length. One can have 9 paragraphs of babbling that doesn't really affect the storyline, but I'd rather have three that dealt with it. My starting posts are always longer, but normally dwindle down to three or four before it's over with. And OMG.... Zombie fetch! Reminds me of my old spoof comic. There was the "Fangirl Virus" And it turned about of girls into Zombie like creatures, anywho One of the characters taught one of the fangirls to fetch. Lol Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo It's apparently not right to try and teach zombies or the undead in general to fetch. XD Lois it alright to say I heart you for that? Quote: Originally Posted by China-chan Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo It's apparently not right to try and teach zombies or the undead in general to fetch. XD o-o Is it alright to say I heart you for that? Lt;3 It's perfectly fine! Yay, love! Lt;3 Soon uh, am I allowed to post in the RP yet? ^_^;; Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo All of this talk of 'advanced' Ropers is depressing Link. T_T She was one an 'advanced' Per, but then she realized that for most things, 7 paragraphs was a bit much. XD Though, a contest for who can use the most paragraphs for sip a drink, the longest was like... five. And it made perfect sense. XD Link thinks the one for the opening of a door, without a description of the character's history was 13. Lt;.Lt; Link has been banned from playing Necromancers. It's apparently not right to try and teach zombies or the undead in general to fetch. XD Literate doesn't mean Length. One can have 9 paragraphs of babbling that doesn't really affect the storyline, but I'd rather have three that dealt with it. My starting posts are always longer, but normally dwindle down to three or four before it's over with. And OMG.... Zombie fetch! Reminds me of my old spoof comic. There was the "Fangirl Virus" And it turned about of girls into Zombie like creatures, anywho One of the characters taught one of the fangirls to fetch. Lol Hm, that is true. Most lengthy posts have things that don't relate much to the RP. Kind of like my posts. 8DD I guess having a good description? Hm. Same here, I always do long intro and then get shorter posts. That happens to many people who can make a decent post. Ooh, this sounds interesting ^.^ I'll have a bio ready tomorrow Sgt;3 I must find this one pic of an RP character that I drew but never got a chance to use XD School has eaten my time alive. I promise I'll post later on tonight when I'm breathing moment. Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic School has eaten my time alive. I promise I'll post later on tonight when I'm breathing moment. One. Hope to see ya later then. *skips along* |- Name -| Kaylin|- Age -| 20|- Gender -| Male|- Race -| Human|- Occupation -| Priest in training.|- Eye Color -| Silver|- Hair Color and Length -| Hair color is Blond, and it is down to his back. Straight|- Height -| about 5"9'|- Other Appearance -| He wears blue robes with silver hair clips in his hair. He carries a staff. His robes have silver lining on them and are beautify decorated with symbols and shapes of the moon and stars and the sun. The leaves have twirls of silver and the front have a silver clasp. He carries with him at all times his leather bag with his herbalism book and supplies and many books and tools about magic.|- Weapon(s) of Choice -| He uses magic and the art of herbology he carries a staff and uses it to attack.|- Personality -| He is a quiet child, strong willed and very strong people think he is a weak person, but he chooses not to show them his true side.|- History -| he was born into a rich family and then forced to go into the priesthood. He was engaged to a girl, and she then died so he was free to choose who he wished. Furthermore, he is currently single and training to become a priest. |- Name -| Dakota (nickname – Dani; pronounced “Darker”) |- Age -| 17 |- Gender -| Female |- Race -| Human |- Occupation -| Waitress at a local tavern |- Eye Color -| She has light gray, almost white eyes |- Hair Color and Length -| Dani has dark, rich brown hair with hazel and blonde highlights streaked through the topmost layers reaching just past her shoulder blades and curls at the tips. She is usually seen with her hair pulled back in a playful ponytail which reaches to her shoulders by a black ribbon. |- Height -| about 5’3” |- Other Appearance -| Dani has a small, slender frame and very pale skin. Her regular day clothes consist of a light blue top with no sleeves that fits tightly and has resemblance to a bustier. It is accented by a vivid, rich, ocean blue lace (the color you see in the magazines advertising a cruise vacation) that runs along the top and bottom edges of her shirt, as well as the bottom edge of her skirt. Her skirt is a matching pale blue to her shirt and fluffs out due to the layers of fabric underneath to give more body to its appearance. Overtop of her bustier-like top Dakota wears a zip up hoodie that is striped black and the same vivid, rich, ocean blue as the lace on her outfit (the stripes being about 3 inches thick each). Her socks are striped the same way as her zip up hoodie and reach up to cover about ¾ of her calves and her shoes are practically nonexistent, save for when she is working or forced to wear them. But for the times when Dani is forced to wear her shoes she usually picks a pair of simple black flats. |- Weapon(s) of Choice -| Dani prefers dagger-like weapons, but her most favorite are her precious throwing knives and a small four-inch dagger which she keeps on her person at all times. She spends her spare time in the forest playing with her throwing daggers by setting up targets on trees and practicing her aim. |- Personality -| Dani has a childish personality. She changes her mind on many things and is stubborn at times. She is also a tad clumsy when it comes to everyday tasks and has therefore been fired from several jobs due to displeased customers. |- History -| (I'll make one, but I just wanted to get the rest of it posted for now so I don't forget XD) *shies in* Sgt;Lt; Hello...? Quote: Originally Posted by Demure *shies in* Sgt;Lt; Hello...? *devours your soul?* I DREW GRAVES! I want to introduce him into the role-play suitor bad.... o.x Name - Graves Age - Appears at various looking ages, but generally looks 19-20-ish. No one is sure what his real age is. Gender - male Race - Fox Spirit Occupation - Unknown Eye Color - Gray Hair Color and Length - White/gray hair that is just above his waist. Height - Six Foot something? Other Appearance - While he can appear with or without his ears and tail he normally chooses to, in animal form he is a large silver fox with two tails. Picture I drew of him Weapon(s) of Choice - Rage. Or poisonous plant life he tends to. Personality - Holding true to his fox name he is sly and a trickster. Tea time isn't good neither is touring his garden seeing as he may try to hurt/kill/make you go insane with poison from his precious plants. He's kind of Suave and charming and fancies males mostly, but it's all a game, and he finds the straightest male he can find and attaches himself to them. History - Not much is known about Graves History. He dwells in the forest of Sleepers and keeps it nice in wild. Uninhabitable to most humans and even some elves and gods. It's not certain what his origin is, some speculate he's a god, others speculate he's a nearly extinct Fox Demon, though he doesn't show all their characteristics. So they place him under his own race which is Fox Spirit. ...wow. What were you saying about your art not being as awesome as people were saying it was? I think their flattery didn't do it enough justice. That's some gorgeous artwork, right there. I agree with Pantless... o.that's so beautiful!! I'd so pay a lot to get my AVI drawn in that format if I kept my AVI the same at all. [Name] Enmity [Age] He forgot. Looks around 19 [Gender] Male [Race] God of Darkness [Picture] My signature [Eye Color] Crystalline Green [Hair Color] sea green melting into turquoise [Trademarks] - Two 'demon' horns set in his head, though it looks more like animal antlers making them all the more queer - Markings on his left cheek below his eye [Other Forms] Enmity likes to take on feline forms, they retain his green eyes and markings, but his horns disappear [Weapon] - Magic (with relation to Darkness) - His face marking (It's actually condensed shadows, and is able to become a claw-class weapon) [Personality] ((I don't know XD)) Yay you've joined! ^^ awesome drawing set ^^ Keep. o.o Graves is beautiful. Lt;33 You're amazing, Set. n.n Haha yeah, Set showed me graves on MSN (because I'm simply too lazy to stalk her properly with this "you can't make another search so soon" thing XD) He is deliciiiiiiious~ Lt;3 and of course I joined, I promised :D Now to actually get around to posting something, lol I drew Indigo.... but I think I'll redraw him he turned out looking very Japanese looking o. O OOOH! I WANT SEE EEE *jumps onto Satanic and latches on... death-clasp style* 8D Oh and guess what! I finally made a post!!!!!! o3o *bricked* Enmity better be careful staying a cat, Indigo might get attached to him Link thinks the animal lovers in the RP will fight over him. And Graves. Because of the fox-thing. It'll be amusing. Maybe Degree, or the gnome when Link thinks of a job for it, can sell tickets. XD Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo Link thinks the animal lovers in the RP will fight over him. And Graves. Because of the fox-thing. It'll be amusing. Maybe Degree, or the gnome when Link thinks of a job for it, can sell tickets. XD *preorders* Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo Link thinks the animal lovers in the RP will fight over him. And Graves. Because of the fox-thing. It'll be amusing. Maybe Degree, or the gnome when Link thinks of a job for it, can sell tickets. XD LOL! Added He has a human form too, and he's extremely idiotic in that form. I think. I'm not sure what personality he has yet, making it up as I go along~ :3 @Setanic - Really? That would simply be all the more interesting!!! XDDD Lt;3 *goes to read the new posts* O3o *preorders right after China*He, I love kitties. Too bad Indigo already picked him up. I was going to make ENSO do so. >.>EDIT: Oh, forgot to mention. I'm not going to be on as much because I have a job. But I'll try to keep up and keep posting when I can. *nods* You mentioned an animal acting as a god/goddess, but would an anthropomorphic character also be okay? Quote: Originally Posted by Kitty-Mistune You mentioned an animal acting as a god/goddess, but would an anthropomorphic character also be okay? Not Link's RP, but she sees nothing wrong with it. Any RP that has a fox spirit and harpies has GOT to have authors, honestly. Thinking of a job for a gnome is hard. T_T My first post sucks TDI've never had to really expound for so long on a subject, so my post doesn't look infinitely short and crappy compared to everyone else. Maybe I'm just not ready for a 'literate' RP just yet. >>;; Kitty- Author is allowed! ^^ The races I listed were suggestions and what I had thought of.... I'm still listing others, Harpies, Gnomes and such had just been added. Gnooooome~ Name: Jonathan Grey words Age: 34, though he doesn't know it himself. Something about counting is for sissies. Gender: Male Race: Gnome Occupation: Magician (Entertainment Type) Appearance: Rather stereotypical of appearance for a gnome. Short, long white beard which he has braided with rather colorful beads throughout. On his back he typically wears a jacket, mindless of what the weather at that moment might be, the jacket itself is rather plain, holes running all down the edges that meet at his front, however through the holes what looks to be yarn woven from some animals' wool, and dyed to be a large assortment of colors twirls around, going from one hole to the next. Beneath the jacket is where the variety is held. He'll one day wear a completely ragged tan shirt, and then the next a white crisp shirt he tries his hardest to keep from getting dirty. His legs are covered in a material matching in color and feel of that of his blue jacket, however without any colorful yarn on it, aside from a wad of it peeking out of his pockets. On his feet, he wears a pair of bright red shoes, that though they might not look like it are really comfortable for walking long distances in. Weapon(s) of Choice: A cane, which has a 'sword' in it. The cane itself is all black aside from a silver handle with a dragon's head on it with opals as the eyes. Also acts as his "wand", with which he can perform defensive and offensive spells. Personality: Jonathan has a rather flamboyant personality. Whether it's because he is a magician and needs to catch attention, or some other reason is quite unknown. He tends to overreact, blow things out of proportion, and generally make things in his life into a small show. History: Born to the top blacksmiths in the gnomish village he resided in, Jonathan was trained in the arts from a very early age. He liked them well enough, even was one for a few years in his life. This was how he met the one who would change his life and his mind forever. Gnomish blacksmiths are to be used to getting odd requests. Such as Jonathan's cousin, who was a lesser smith was asked to make shoes for this one old woman who insisted the wood smoothed her feet out. But one can never be prepared to be asked not only to make a wand for a magician, but to be trained as one themselves, especially with how few gnomish magicians, mages, and the like there actually happens to be at any given time. But, one day Jonathan was asked the same exact thing. Well, first he was asked to make the wand, then he was asked if he knew how to make the wand magical. Truthfully he had no clue and had never thought about how the instruments a magician or the like worked, he just knew that in theory they worked. And that he didn't believe in that sort of thing. But with an offer to teach him how, the magician, Frank Dear, won over the young gnome's heart and his mind with curiosity. After that Jonathan was trained in the arts of magic, mostly for entertainment reasons, but he was taught a wide variety of fighting magic too, and some minor healing spells. XD Oh, any race is fine? o3o Lol, then next time I'm throwing in a Draw XD Are Original Races allowed? O: Quote: Originally Posted by Galerius Are Original Races allowed? O: With in Reason. Run it by me First. Though I'm pretty sure I'll agree with whatever you throw in! ^^ I'm all for role-play Creativity. I may even throw in one more Character. Haha, This is a work in progress, truly, but developed enough for me to use. Please disregard the last paragraph of his Bio, that was simply created to tie off the end of it until I could create something more elaborate. Name: Sarin [Sarin] B’RESIF [Boris-veef] Age: Seventy-Three Race: D’innings. Named ‘Blood Clan’ by the humans that lived surrounding their main territory. The reasoning behind the name is quite simple: the humans took in their crimson eyes and their penchant for battle. The Blood Clan is made mostly of warriors trained in the arts of hand-to-hand combat. Their skill with weapons was also well renowned amongst all of their clans and few were foolish enough to challenge them. Magical abilities were a rarity amongst them. Children that began showing talent in the arts of sorcery were taken away, whether their families wished it or not, and sent to train with Sages to hone their abilities. The Order of Power [Shining Trinity]- The three High Powers of his culture. Their culture is a Matriarchal system. In other words, their main ruler is a woman. [Highest] Her title is P’nigher Not’we A’NCI, which means ‘Mother of my Soul.’ [Second] Her mate is Men’rune Not M’Eyre, which means ‘Protector of Power.’ [Third of the Trinity] Sages are just below the Men’rune in social power, there are very few of them, but they are held in high regard because of their skill in sorcery. Social Standings P’nigher Not’we A’NCI- Ruler Men’rune Not M’Eyre- The Ruler’s mate and close protector. Sages-The most powerful of their magic users, high in status and prestige. Apprentices- The children that train under the Sages until they come of age. Sometimes, when they come of age, they decide to stay to become Sages themselves. [A hard thing to accomplish, involving dangerous and often fatal rituals]. Warriors-This rung in the Social ladder is broken up into three levels: U’Newcomb [Corrupt], Wilson [Valiant] and Uncesoqrenca [Courageous]. Corrupt- U’Newcomb. These are the pillagers and ran sackers. Their job is simple: They raid where ever they are commanded to do so by their commander, the Men’rune Not M’Eyre. Valiant- Wilson. These are the warriors whose job is to guard the P’nigher Not’we A’NCI with their very lives if need be. These males and females are her personal guards. Courageous - Uncesoqrenca. These guards protect and watch over their Clan territory. Made up of mostly archers and swift runners, they are stealth made flesh, trained to kill without being noticed and disappear into the shadows like wraiths. Aging-The D’innings are not immortal, though, to a human they might seem as such. A D’innings child ages at a slower rate than a human child. About 3.65 years to a human is roughly equal to a year to the D’innings. Example: A human and one of the D’innings can be born at the same time. Thirty-two or so years later, the human is full-grown while the D’innings is still a child of what looks to be no more than nine or so years. How a new Ruler is selected-At times, the title of P’nigher Not’we A’NCI is handed down from mother to female child, but only if this offspring shows an uncanny spiritual prowess. The P’nigher Not’we A’NCI does not have to have powers as far as sorcery, but she must be connected to the spirits of their past. If she is, at the time she comes of age her eyes will bleed, The crimson that she was born with slipping from her gaze as if someone had sliced her eyes open to let the color spill forth. She will lose her vision, but she will gain a new Sight. A Sight that allows her to connect with the soul of every one of the people of her clan. The process is extremely painful and, at times, has killed the female undergoing the change to her body. The change of Ruling can only be decided if the current ruling female decides that it is her time to step down. Only she can decide this because it is up to her to transfer all the power and knowledge she had gained from her time as ruler to the next female. This does not happen often, however. In order for a girl to become the P’nigher Not’we A’NCI, she must have a recessive gene called the ’Mravlirour’ gene. This gene slows the aging process considerably, but is not triggered until the carrying female matures. A normal being of their clan ages very slowly, but a Mravlirour carrying female can live up to ten years to every human one year. The chosen mate of the ruler will receive a small spiritual boost, making it so he has nearly six years to every human year. Mating-The D’innings do not hold mating to the same standards as humans do. Rarely do they stay together longer than as a sexual relief or to produce offspring. Although, there is a bond that can be formed between two beings that will make them inseparable, a binding of the hearts, minds and very souls. Two become one. Meaning, when they come into contact with that fated being, a mark resembling an ankh [Though the loop at the top is not there, instead replaced by a curving line that trails out into a line of four dots forming a diamond to the right of the original curving line. The two ‘arms’ to each side are divided into three separate branches to represent each of their Gods: Sear-Fain (Sear Fain), Geoff(Gee-Oh-Tiff), K’trash(Rehash), Picture(Pill-lure), Just (Joost), and Simply(Similar). The diamond shape represents their highest God, who’s original name was lost to them in translation from the old tomes, but has been called, ‘V’are RER’not M‘similar,’ or ‘The Eye Of Paradise’][Image:] Appears on the inner right thigh. This is called a ‘A’NCI PSE,’ or ‘Soul Mark.’ This means that the Gods intended for them to be together for the rest of their seasons. When the mark appears, the two beings experience a sense of near climatic euphoria, insisting that they consummate their binding immediately. This type of binding is extremely rare, however, the last known two to have gone through it being the current P’nigher Not’we A’NCI and her Men’rune Not M’Eyre, which happened almost two centuries before Sarin was born. [This will be explained further if I feel the need later on]. Birth- A D’innings woman can carry her child for up to two years, the least being a year and two months for a normal Clan child. The unborn child takes longer to mature than a human baby would, thus whenever a woman of their clan is pregnant, she is guarded as if she were a precious gem, kept from harm at all costs. [Sarin had an oddly short period in his mother, just a little over ten months, much to the surprise of the village]. Gender: Male Class: Mage/Assassin. Before he was separated from his people, his older brother, who had been trained by the Sages for a bit over six decades began teaching him tricks to bring out his dormant powers. He learned to concentrate energy using a short incantation that Wayne taught him when he was a mere eighteen [In Human measure]. The result of this incantation and the concentration of said power was like a metaphysical arrow that could be shot with the proper word after careful aim. If one were skilled enough, he would not even need to speak the word, simply think it. As Sarin is not fully trained, he has about a seventy percent chance of making his target, but that last thirty percent of the time, the ‘arrow’ will hit wherever it pleases on the target or even the surrounding area. It still does damage, sliding through the body of the target like fire, but it does not kill. He also has skills in healing, though he limits it, due to what might happen if he overdoes it. He can heal any wound, no matter how fatal. However, there is a dire price: The more severe the wound, the more he is drained. To put it simply: To heal a fatal wound on another, he takes the death that was intended for that person into his own body. He learned this the hard way as a young child while trying to help a very badly wounded animal he found in the forest, nearly killing himself. Appearance: As for his race, their only common attribute are their bright crimson colored eyes. Everything else varies from being to being. Sarin himself is of a mid-height stature. [About 5’7]. He has the body of a runner, sleek and well toned, as he was in training to become one of the Uncesoqrenca, following in his mother’s footsteps. His hair is curly, falling down in waves around his slim body nearly to the backs of his knees. The hue of his hair changes with the light, but is actually a mouse brown with faint red highlights streaking throughout the strands. The texture is normally soft, but he spends a lot of time outdoors, so it usually has a bramble or two stuck in it. Lately, he has taken up to wearing it in a carefully plaited hairstyle, his hair so long that keeping it down risks getting it caught on things. Sarin is actually a bit plain as far as his face goes. He has a very normal nose, not too large, yet not button small. His lips are full, though not overly so, and are a dark peach hue. He has well-defined cheekbones, but they are usually hidden behind the fall of his hair. His chin has a slight cleft in it, making him appear a bit more boyish than he would like. His skin is pale as alabaster, staying that way no matter how long he stays in the sunlight. He is usually attired in close-fitting material of a darker nature, for concealment and easy movement. The only actual weapons he wears are a pair of daggers fashioned for him by his clan blacksmith when he was young. The daggers hold no incantations or special things such as that, but are kept as the last real pieces of his homeland he has. Equipment: Twin daggers. Though, larger than the average dagger, so could probably be more accurately described as ‘Short swords.’ They rest in sheathes built specifically to wrap around his upper thighs, the carriers made of animal hide dyed black to keep them from being spotted immediately or at all. [Image: Background: It all began on a clear summer night. The U’Newcomb were gone… Off to raid a neighboring clan to attain supplies for their own and the Uncesoqrenca were charged with keeping the village safe. SA’VIN was on her third watch… Still so new, but showing great promise in becoming one of the best Uncesoqrenca that this or any generation had witnessed. She had already far surpassed the swiftness of her Master and was well on her way to becoming her unit’s leader, despite her lack of real field experience. She was the forward scout, checking the area around the north side of her village. A few leagues away from the closest neighboring village of humans. SA’VIN was climbing down from a tree where she had been scanning the surrounding area, when a sharp pain to the back of her head took her consciousness. She awoke days later, her body beaten and bruised, her mother and the village healer sitting at her side. She could not remember what had occurred, simply remembering the last thing she had seen: The dim lights of the human village. Weeks later, she found she was with child, flecks of gold shining in her crimson eyes as all D’innings women displayed when they were carrying a new life. Her mother and she were horrified, knowing that no D’innings male would dare to harm a female, it was against their very culture and mindset to do so. Every D’innings male was taught from birth to honor and respect his female counterparts, not even the U’Newcomb would stoop to such a thing. The only conclusion was that a human had done it, taking her by surprise and dishonoring her as she lay helpless. She fell into a despair, barred from all scouting trips until she gave birth to her child. The labor was a difficult one, lasting four days, both SA’VIN and the child nearly dying in the process. He was a small boy. At first, his mother did not wish to see him, but at the urging of her mother, took him into her arms and all her hatred and bitterness melted at the sight of his round face and curly brown hair, wide crimson eyes gazing up at her with an innocence only those newly born can show. Due to his mixed heritage, when he was born, the “Mother” was unable to connect with his soul as she did with the rest of the clan she ruled. Sarin had been the first child of their clan born as a hybrid of two races; therefore, they could not anticipate this result. This proved to be most troublesome and created a rift between his mother and her people as he grew older. On one hand, she loved her son and wanted to keep him with her despite the horror she had been through. On the other, he was an outcast. Completely separate from his people on the most basic of levels, and he suffered for it. They tolerated him for many, many years, the adults casting him scornful looks as he walked by, but doing no more than that. The children beat on him at every available opportunity because of his differences, until his brother Kanye came home from his life with the Sages, a brother he had never seen since he had been taken to the sacred grounds in the mountains two years before his birth. Kanye decided not to try for Sage hood, leaving the temples after his sixty-first year in training, though, not without having to go through many trials to do so, as the Sages saw in him much potential and desired him amongst their ranks. He made the journey back to the village located at the base of the H’lure mountain range where he was born. At the time of his return home, his brother [Sarin] was a mere sixteen [Almost fifty-nine in the years of humans]. He had never before met Sarin and was much surprised to find out about his existence upon his arrival, but immediately became attached to the outcast child. Sarin was bruised and battered from a fight the first time the two met, one crimson eye swollen shut and embroidered tunic turn halfway off his torso. Kanye did not approve of the way he was treated nor of the way Sarin seemed to have gained a cynical glint in his eyes at such a young age. He began walking around with him every once in a while, the Apprentice standing at nearly six feet and clearly dangerous due to his skill in sorcery, scaring away any would be ambushes. This only resulted in Sarin being thrashed even worse when he was caught alone. The boy developed a keen sense of foreboding, almost always knowing when someone meant him harm. He developed a love for the forest, spending nearly all of his time there, far away from the prying eyes and savage fists of his fellow children. Kanye often had to go searching for the boy to bring him in before night fell completely. It was on one of these occasions, though mid-afternoon at the time, that he realized something: his brother held power far beyond what anyone untrained should have. This discovery was made quite by accident when he was making his way through the woods surrounding his home in search of his sibling. His brother was in a clearing deep into the forest, crouched above a small deer that’s side was punctured, blood flowing to the lush grass beneath it profusely. His gentle face was screwed up in concentration and his lips rapidly forming what Kanye assumed was a healing incantation. He remained hidden, curious as to what the boy was attempting. He caught a line every now and again, “P’Nevis Haifa, Hess`LIR sob y’RSI. Se disallow derived--[Words drown out] -- see after not derived. Delano f’crib v’are h`Lora not Aaron, Blair b’NRA Liv q’lure. -- [Words muttered far too low for him to make out] -- Se qelritunca y’Nico bin L arum dose sob prob… V’are a’Lelia avenge sob d’now ain triumvir… Se h’NEP drawn unposed, not h’lure, r’serif, y‘sire, sob s’LER.”** The body of the small deer bucked and spasmed wildly beneath the youth’s hand as the last lilting word hit the air. Sarin let out a sudden gasp, back arching harshly and hand flying from the deer’s side to his own, a gash, vicious and deep appearing in his side, blood flowing thick and red beneath his untouched tunic. His already pale skin lost what little color it had, and he crumpled to the side, the deer springing to its feet to flee. Kanye bursts from the bushes at a pace so quick that he would have been nothing but a blur to the eyes of even his own kind. He lifted the slight boy into his arms and sprinted back to his village, keeping silent on how the wound had happened, merely telling the healer that he must have been caught by a boar in a bad mood. Sarin was unconscious for the next two days, fevered and frantic in his movements as he slept. Kanye and their mother stayed at the small boy’s side the entire time, changing his poultices and wrappings numerous times. He awoke near unto the third day, crimson eyes dazed and unfocused. He met with first his mother’s expression of relief mixed with concerned anger, then his brother’s look of stern disapproval. Furthermore, he watched the older man’s lips move for a moment before his voice actually filtered into his ears,“ V’fish y’SA Darwin h’pilaf, Sarin… UNC until f`sir blobre Ceylon mesuvlura UNC f`sir on cobrealso-blog not dealer f`not VIN y’Neb v’frill…!”** He healed slowly, every day agony as his side knitted itself back together, as if taking longer to heal because it was not made by normal means. As he healed, his brother began secretly giving him lessons on how to control his obvious powers, coaxing them out like one would coax a scared child out of hiding. Gently and persistently. Kanye realized that Sarin’s only reason for not being taken away by the sages was because of his lack of Connection to the P’nigher Not’we A’NCI. Over the next two years, Sarin became better at controlling his fledgling powers, able to hunt without weapons, using a spell his brother had taught him. The next year passed without mishap, his mother now a decorated leader, the second highest in the Uncesoqrenca. Sarin, now nineteen [A bit over sixty-nine in his kind’s years], was in training to follow after his mother and his older brother, Kanye, was off to further his skills by studying other cultures and perhaps gaining more knowledge of Sorcery through the eyes of other creatures. It was in the next few months that terrible things began happening. A failed raid on a far away clan. A successful raid on his own village by marauders. Men, women and children slaughtered needlessly. Once again, the old hatred of the mixed boy began to surface. They started out small enough, a dirty look, a cutting whisper followed by a hateful smirk. He did not let it bother him, knowing none would dare to attack him considering his steadily growing skill and uncanny ability to strike an opponent so fast, the movement could not be followed easily. Sarin was out on his first scouting trip, sent ahead because he was the fastest amongst the entire unit. He is gone near on a fore night, checking out the area for enemy movement and possible horticultural potential in the land. He was successful in tracking an enemy clan and turned on swift heels to return to his home. What he met would stay in his mind for the rest of his years: A wall of empty faces and tense postures. He stepped forward, slowly as one would approach a jittery animal. His voice was likewise cautious, soft as he inquired what was wrong. With malice filled eyes, a man around the same age as Sarin stepped forward boldly, voice prideful and smug as he announced that their ruler had decided to banish the ‘abomination’ once and for all and that Sarin was to be informed upon his return. He gazed at him in disbelief. What had he done to receive such a thing? His eyes had slid around, trying to meet the gaze of someone, anyone, that would speak up on his behalf. His mother was nowhere in sight. A slow rage began to slip through him, and he shook his head, right hand making a stiff, cutting motion through the air in disgust. He began striding forward, intent on speaking with the P’nigher. He found his way blocked by that same young man. His lips were tight, barely moving as he told him to move, or he would surely regret it. The man pushed him and Sarin simple took a step back, trying to make his way around him. His way was blocked once more, and he fell back, catching himself just after the man hit him directly in the face. He stood up, eyes flashing, yet he still continued to move forward. Once more, a blow to the face… His gaze snapped to the man and his lips shifted quickly. The man crumpled, hand clutching his chest as Sarin used his old hunting trick to strike his heart. The crowd surrounding them gasped, unable to figure out what had happened. He got up and strode forward, a woman behind him began screaming wildly… The mother of that man. Sarin’s body twitched as he felt that sense of foreboding he always got just before something bad happened to him. He turned around on his heels just in time to see an archer rock an arrow and fire. He braced himself, knowing it would hit, the shooter too close for him to dodge. Furthermore, he gasps as a flash of ebony hair flits in his side vision. Furthermore, he screams, knowing instantly what it was. The arrow hits her body, piercing her armor with a sharp noise. He darts forward, catching her, crimson eyes gazing down upon the still youthful face of his mother. She gasps and lifts her hand, cupping his cheek, the other hand gripping the shaft of the arrow piercing the breastplate that covered her heart. The light fades from her eyes seconds later, the archer shocked by what had occurred. He recovers quickly enough. Sneering in a low voice about the whore who bedded a human. Sarin stands there in shock, unable to comprehend his mother’s death for what seemed like ages upon ages, but was a mere moment or two. He set his mother down… Standing slowly, eyes downcast. Without any warning, he was darting forward with a speed never witnessed by any of the clans people, twin blades drawn and held before him. He is in front of the archer before the man can react, an arc of blood spurting from his chest as Sarin’s right blade slashes in a diagonal line over his chest, left following swiftly after to hit the side of his throat. Sliding through the flesh and bone like a knife through the thin reeds around their village. His body falls with a thud, head echoing it. The sound of the two parts hitting the ground seems deafening in the silence… Then a yell splits the air from one of the warriors and Sarin is hit from all angles, blades, arrows, fists. Anything and everything. He bellows with pain and begins cutting a swath through the bodies, heedless of who he hit with his blades, eyes awash with betrayal and body moving with the chaotic intent of a dervish. He breaks free and begins running blindly, adrenaline masking the pain he should be feeling from the numerous bruises, cuts and even the three arrows that stuck out from his body. Furthermore, he continued running, blood soaking his uniform and muscles screaming for a rest. Shouts echo from a distance behind him, flashes of light swimming before his crimson eyes, making him stumble as he re-enters the forest, leaping and gliding unsteadily. He falls, tripping over an upturned root and flying forward to meet the ground with a jarring impact. His silence remains, even as his body screams in agony. He took in a heavy breath, trying to roll over so that he may push himself to his feet once again, but he couldn’t even manage that. A laugh slips from his lips. Empty and humorless. A laugh of acceptance. His lids slowly slide down to cover his gaze and he finally gave into the exhaustion that his body had been screaming so persistently for. He awoke to a bright, glaring light filtering through broken window panes. An edge of panic coursed through his veins and he had lurched to his feet to take in the unfamiliar surroundings of a tiny, a semi-large hut [A wooden cooking stove off to the right, walls covered in beautifully done cloth, pictures mesmerizing the young creature for the space of a few moments]. Then he was back to taking in his surroundings with a slight tinge of fear in his bloody eyes. The floor is compromised of hard packed earth, the walls made of what appeared to be granite or some rock of that type. An old woman enters with a bowl of something that smelled heavenly. Offering it to the wary boy. After a few moments of thought, he accepted it and thus began his assimilation into the life of a human weaver woman. A few human years passed and something happened that caused him to pause in his wanderings through the forests [Long having left the Weaver’s home as she had died]. Rumors persisted that the Gods had somehow been dragged to the Mortal plane, therefore, were subject to the Mortal Affliction: Death. Sarin knew then that he could do what had been echoing in the back of his mind since the day his mother had died: He could find and destroy Sear-Fain. The Goddess of Spirit and thereby kill the P’nigher Not’we A’NCI and all those connected to her… His entire traitorous clan. He began journeying across the continent, a new purpose fueling him… A new life that he would know would be nothing but bloodshed looming ahead of him. Yet he looked forward to it with an eerie joy. Soon… He would have the blood of a God upon his hands. Other Info: Translations- [Healing Spell]**P’Nevis Haifa, Hess`LIR sob y’RSI. Se disallow derived, VIN astir bin L April. Se MIRV not Ali, see after not derived. Delano f’crib v’are h`Lora not Aaron, Blair b’NRA Liv q’lure. Y’Livia v’far y’Reba, bin L ARSI, see h’draw me sip, see viceroy not Aston-rew bin L April VIN fresh. Se qelritunca y’Nico bin L arum dose sob prob… V’are a’Lelia avenge sob d’now ain triumvir… Se h’NEP drawn unposed, not h’lure, r’serif, y‘sire, sob s’LER. [English] **Mortal flesh, fragile and weak. A gasping breath, to save do I seek. A petal of silk, a shiver of breath. Crimson hued the finest of essence, life does it give. With these words, do I seal, a fiery palm, a torrent of savagery do I seek to heal. A grievous wound do I set back and mend… The spirit strong and body so delicate… A form beyond compare, of fire, earth, water and air. [Brother’s Scolding] V’fish Y’SA Darwin h’pilaf, Sarin… UNC until f`sir blobre Ceylon mesuvlura UNC f`sir on cobrealso-blog not dealer FNO VIN y’Neb v’frill…! [English] That was beyond foolish, Sarin. You could have died using practices you have no understanding of besides how to word them…! Satanic: The gnome is above. Just do a search for "Jonathan" on the current page, and you will find his application. ^-^ Unless that was an, "Your approved." In which case... YAY! Lol Yay Gnome! I have an itch to make one more character, but I'll refrain. Off to post! XD I need to post my way into this RP! *slaps own face* Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic lol Yay Gnome! I have an itch to make one more character, but I'll refrain. Off to post! YAY! Posting! -stalks after Satanic- What? -looks innocent- Cheese. Satanic-YAY! I found it! Congrats on the successful RP. I'll see you on Monday. Daddy. Quote: Originally Posted by Saudi Satanic- YAY! I found it! Congrats on the successful RP. I'll see you on Monday. ’D -Add. *Blink* Addy.... who are you? *shifty eyes* GAS! You're one of two people? Ox *dies* Ooh... I like the look of this role-play. It seems like it would be very...how do you say...interesting? I don't know. I really love the idea, and I can whip up a character lickety-split! But... I don't really have reliable internet. I can usually only get online during class every other weekday or so, and occasionally two or three times a month at home. Would that be a problem? It's interesting once it becomes active... I'm unsure how to post because there's really nothing to post about. Quote: Originally Posted by Kale Dragon heart It's interesting once it becomes active... I'm unsure how to post because there's really nothing to post about. Which character is yours again? XD Has he/she has been introduced? If not, just post an introduction post, so the RP can get back on the first page? XD Quote: Originally Posted by FlinkPamingo Quote: Originally Posted by Kale Dragon heart It's interesting once it becomes active... I'm unsure how to post because there's really nothing to post about. Which character is yours again? XD Has he/she has been introduced? If not, just post an introduction post, so the RP can get back on the first page? XD Uh yeah. ENSO... I'm basically waiting on Satanic. She hardly posts and this is her RP... XP My bad T. T He. It's alright. Don't mean to be a nag. >.> lol I share a computer with a WoW junkie it's hard to get time to write it up sometimes Quote: Originally Posted by Satanic lol I share a computer with a WoW junkie it's hard to get time to write it up sometimes Pfft. The correct excuse is: "These are long posts! They take time to write up. Sometimes a MONTH for very good ones." XD -goes to introduce Jonathan- ^-^ Wall o'text. O____o I can't believe how long that post turned out to be. I feel as if I did something wrong. XD; lol I can't keep up HUGE posts sometimes .... But I don't go any shorter than a paragraph depends on the situation really. Haha, I'm stalling until I can think of something to do with my silly little cat x.x Quote: Originally Posted by Demure Haha, I'm stalling until I can think of something to do with my silly little cat x.x Make it love on the gnome when he comes in. Everyone loves gnomes. Especially animals. XD The gnome has arrived! And apparently the RP died. Link should shock it? Sorry for the double post, but Link needs to know. Did everyone disappear? T_T yes... not sure what's happened with this role-play. I'm sad it had some potential.

OOC _ Wrong Direction

The Shadows of the Fallen King (IC)

Thin darts of water rained down on the small farming village. The road now transformed into a thick mud stopping a cart in tracks. Two human women pushed and pulled at to no avail. The village has only three buildings, one of which is the Inn. Its wooden walls held in what little heat of the small fireplace and the room was dry in comparison to the outdoors. A human stood at the bar, an ale lay in his hand, probably drinking his own product. A few people sat in the Inn. A young Raptor an girl, maybe 8 years of age, wearing a brown dress walked around placing drinks on tables. She seemed to be shying from the High Elves table near the fire despite the cold. The elf wore a red robe which looked like it was once brown but was now dyed a dark crimson, but you could still see patches of brown. Around his arms are white bandages which wrapped around his similarly pale skin. A small amount of other people of note also resided within the Inn. Another Raptor an wearing a mystifying cloak. A dwarf with There were four humans, two seemed to be friends, the other seemed strange as wings lay on his back like some kind of Angelic creature. And the last human had strange skin and metallic eyes. You could still hear the rain as a tapping coming from the roof. And the small of smoke strangely lay in the air overpowering the smell of rain. Rain art enjoys the sound of the rain, hailing from Sees, it is an uncommon event. Actually the soothing sound of rain is what pulls him outside. HE looks down to see his halberd resting against the wall like he was asked upon entering. 'No weapons inside' is a policy he can agree with, tavern brawls were common and with weapons they get much more dangerous. He steps outside and outstretches his arms and smiles as he closes his eyes and lets the rain fall on him. Opening his eyes he sees two girls trying to get a wagon unstuck from the mud that used to be the sole road through this little village. He trots over and at first they are started by the winged man walking their way. He gets behind the Wagon and smiles to the two girls." I'll help you ladies out, well at least I shall try"He turns around and puts his back to the wagon and pushes with all his might from the legs simultaneously trying to lift the wagon with his hands.(1d20+3)[5]STR check to get Wagon unstuck The wagon doesn't budge despite your strength, the mud is to think. The two women sigh in response to the futility of the act. In the distance, down the road on the south, you can see smoke on the horizon." Well thanks for trying Raptor an." One of the women say to you. Rain art shakes his head,"Raptor an I am not, I understand that my wings are very. Ahh. Misleading as to what I might be precisely. But I can assure you, I am indeed Human. Just blessed by the universe"Rain art at that time, notices the smoke and thinks it is odd considering that it is raining so heavily." This is not a natural fire to burn in this rain. I should go investigate"He walks back into the Inn and gets his halberd and says to any who would care to listen." There is a fire burning to the south, and with this rain coming down. I feel that it is a bad omen. I got to see if anything might be wrong, any who wish to accompany may do so." Virgil stepped inside the inn's doors, smiling warmly at the young raptor an waitress before walking up to the barkeeper. He ordered a mug of ale and took a seat alone at an empty table, gazing around the bar. The high elf near the fireplace looked a bit strange, to him, but Virgil wasn't going to judge. He was curious, not racist. Taking his mug from the cute little girl and thanking her gently, Virgil stood up and walked over to the high elf's table, stretching his wings out in front of the fireplace. "Ah, that feels nice..." Virgil said aloud, turning his back and letting his water-logged feathers dry a bit. Since his back was to the fire, he was facing the elf. He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, do you mind if I stand here for just a moment? The weather outside is brutal." The elf looked up at you. His pointy face gazed at you." It is fine. I shall be leaving anyway." He slowly stood up and faced the winged human at the door." You speak of a fire. I shall accompany you. I want to investigate omen of yours." Aureus was sitting, sipping his beer and silently watching the other patrons. He used to think of himself as a well-traveled person, but the amount of strange things he has seen skyrocketed since his brief adventuring career begun.“Two Raptorans and an Elf from beyond the mountains, a human with wings, a human who clearly has something otherworldly on his family tree and a dwarf…well at least the dwarf seems normal……and all of them in the same damp inn in the middle of nowhere…what are the odds…” he thinks to himself. His musings are interrupted by the winged human and his talk about a fire. Intrigued he wraps his cloak around him and steps out to see for himself. Once outside, he notices the women with the cart. Taking pity of the two soaked women he turns to the winged human and the elf and politely says“Excuse me, would you mind helping me with the cart? It looks heavy, but maybe we could unstick it if we pushed all together.” Spoiler Hide Strength check to push the cart [roll]1d20+4[/roll] After trying to push the cart he focuses on the smoke. Spoiler Hide In the off chance a spot check can help me see anything more [roll]1d20+5[/roll] You push at the cart and with your combined effort it jerks out of the mud. Also as you gaze into the distance you see the smoke rise from a farm near a small wooded area. The farm didn't seem to be part of the village despite its proximity. Aureus turns to the two women with the cart.“Would you happen to know who lives on that farm.” he asks them. He then proceeds to retrieve his weapons and joins the elf and the winged one.“I am curious about the smoke.” He tells them.“I believe I will come with you to investigate. By the way, my name is Aureus.” "That is the farm of José Teague. He doesn't come into the village much. He is cursed." The two women replied. "Cursed?" Aureus asks surprised?" Could you tell me what is the nature of his curse?" Spoiler Hide In case a diplomacy roll is needed (1d20+12)[20] Knowledge(Arcane) In case what they tell me rings any bells (1d20+11)[27] "Apparently when José was still inside his mother a raven flew into his mother bed and pecked at her stomach and when he was born he had a feather shaped birthmark on his hand. Either he's cursed or he's possessed by a bird." The eldest women responded casually, her grin growing as she spoke the last line. Azureus:Spoiler Hide You know that ravens pecking unborn children as an omen of doom in Human Culture in the plains of Ceres. But you haven't heard anything about a feather birthmark. I approach the cart "Good evening ladies. May I assist you with the power Moro's has given me? Spoiler Hide If they say yes I try to find 2 branches hard enough to put them under the wheels so it helps to get unstuck. Aureus returns to the other two and recounts the conversation with the women.“A raven pecking an unborn child is generally considered an omen of doom in the region. That, and the birthmark can explain why they call him cursed. Although it might just be a superstition, we should be careful” he tells them. The couple of women blush as they respond to Trevor." Thank you but I think the Ra... Winged Human and Azures. Got it out." Spoiler Hide Sorry, misread that :$ "Would be kind enough to tell me the name of this village? I have been wandering around a few days. And where I can find the priest?" "Your in Fatimid. And there are three shrines down the road just south of the Inn. But they are Pilots, Hem era, and Gaea. You could make a small shrine to Moro's there if you want..." "Thank you"I bow to them and notice the smell of smoke. "One last thing, what's that smell? Doesn't seem normal to me." Aureus approaches the worshiper of Moro's.“Excuse, I couldn’t but overhear the conversation. The smell is coming from that farm.” he says pointing towards the source of the smoke.“The smell shouldn’t be that powerful with this rain. These two lovely ladies also informed me that the man staying there is supposedly cursed. Me and the two gentlemen”, he gestures toward the elf and the winged human,” are considering going over there and investigating.” "Good evening to you too. Cursed? I think I must see him. I will do my best to cure him. Furthermore, I will assist you. But I can't see what's the connection between this poor cursed man and this kind of smoke. Is it magical somehow?" Fascinated about the adventure coming forgot the elf and winged human." Gentlemen pardon me. I am Trevor Unholy. I have the power to heal, a power that I absorb from my faith to Moro's. And you are.? As I suggest myself I bow to them too. The elf lowered his head slightly, small strands of his hair draped over the top of his face and the upper area of his eyes." You may call me Wei. I am a scholar." Aureus bows slightly and says"And you may call me Aureus I am a warrior and a dabbler in the Arcane" "Nice to meet you Wei. And you Aureus. But I need first to built up the shrine so I can pray to Moro's to give me power to cure the cursed man. Also, I don't really have a good feeling about that and I would like to be prepared in any case, if you don't mind." "Proceed, we will wait a few moments. Don't be long though, we don't know what is the cause of the smoke. A man's life may depend on our speed." Aureus makes his own preparations. He whispers softly over the blade of his Guitar which glows softly for a moment. He then waits until everyone is ready to go. DM:Spoiler Hide He stores Enlarge Person in his Guitar using his “Blade born Spell” ability Spell List: Spoiler Hide 0:Cure minor wounds, Delay disease, Detect magic, Read magic, Foundation of stone. 1: Vision of Glory, Bless, Sanctuary, Inhibit, Resurgence, Expeditious retreat-swift 2: Blade brothers, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Delay Poison, Protection from negative energy, Stabilize 3: Aid-Mass, Conviction-Mass, Magic circle against evil, Cure serious wounds Spoiler Hide I will also add that I have 100g for spell components that I need. Most material are very cheap. I go and try to create the shrine as better as possible for now. Later I will ask for someone's help to make it even better. Prayer: Spoiler Hide Almighty Moro's, I seek your assistance once again. I require the strength to cure a poor man from his curse. I will do it in your name! Furthermore, I seek your great power as to help and heal the wounds of our allies so they can battle our enemies and smite them! Give me strength to move on and help those in need. Micheal looked up from his wine. Azures had gone somewhere, while he was mulling over his life. He had slipped into one of his rare black moods, started to ponder the meaning of it all and what he was doing in the middle of a village he had never been to. And that never mixes well with wine. He walked out of the tavern, was momentarily proud that he only stumbled once. And then went the short way to find his friend. The rain cleared his head as he walked. Azureus. Have you found something for us? Aureus scowls as he sees his friend stumbling, trying to remain erect. “I hope there is something interesting waiting for us in the farm. Maybe a little action will pull Michael from his depression.” He mumbles to himself. He puts on a smile and walks next to Michael.“Yes, I have found something Michael. Do you smell the smoke? It is coming from that farm over there. Considering the rain and the distance the smell shouldn’t be detectable by us. Moreover, there is talk that a cursed person is living there. So the smoke may be of arcane origin. Or it may be a trick of the wind that brought the smell to us. Of arcane origin or not, I smell trouble, and where there is trouble, there are people willing to pay to see that trouble go away. We should investigate.” Revote Shrine glows a near invisible crimson as you pray to the Eternal Judge. And slowly you feel his divine energy restore your power. I have purified the water and blessed again my holy symbol of Moro's. I return as I have finished building a small and amateurish shrine and praying and see Aureus with a new friend." I will need some help to make the shrine even better when we return. Furthermore, I am now ready to go and investigate. Before we go I have to inform you that I will only make sure none dies and I will help you grow stronger in body but in mind too." I turn to Michael." Hello. I am Trevor Unholy, servant of Moro's." And I bow." I suppose you are a team, and you know each other?" Don't be too eager to see magic where there is a simple fire. We should look first at the fire and make sure the fires out, in the first place. As Micheal starts to move, the black mood starts to fall away as if it was never there. He prays for a moment at the shrine to the Lucky One, then turns and faces the worshiper of Moro's, takes in his symbol and equipment and pegs him as a priest of the god. I have known Him for many years, and we work together now. We are on our way to investigate the smoke and help if it's needed, would you care to join us? "I am, yes. I have prepared for this. I don't like that kind of situation. Smells like something bad to me. You haven't told me your name yet." Rain art nods his head and chuckles, seems that such a small town would garner this amount of piqued curiosity from the patrons at the Inn." The name's Rain art, I am just a simple warrior though my devotion to the cause of good and righteousness gives me ability beyond what my kin have." He walks with the assembled group and as the priest is getting the blessing from the shrine agrees with Aureus," Aye most unnatural. We should make haste to the farm, lest we get there too late." SpellsSpoiler Hide 1st: Bless, Protection From Evil, Divine Sacrifice; Disrupt Undead 2nd: Delphic Vengeance, Lesser Visage of The Daily; Bless Weapon Virgil sighed as he watched the elf go, before glancing outside the inn. There was some kind of commotion going on out there. Taking a large sip of his drink, Virgil headed outside and watched the entire discussion go down. Walking towards them, he waved politely. "I didn't catch all of that, but are you guys going to go investigate smoke or a fire or something? Count me in! The name's Virgil, and I'm a...oh snap!" He rushed to the human's side. "Dude, check out these wings! Damn, these are nice!" He stood behind the human, examining them enviously. "Man, my wings aren't fully grown yet. Oh, well. Those look kind of weird on a human, but I guess that just makes you a pretty cool guy, huh?" He smiled. Ah, my apologies. My manners must be slipping. I am Micheal Green haven. Do you know any of the other people about? Would they be willing to help? "My name is Aureus. Pleased to meet you Virgil"says Aureus addressing the Raptor an.“I agree with Rain art. We should hurry” He says louder, so the assembled group hears him. "Wow. So many people willing to make an investigation in such a small village. I must have been faith. Let me introduce myself to the ones who don't know me. I am Trevor Unholy, a servant of Moro's. I am dedicated to heal the wounds of those who need it and fight the enemies of Moro's." "Sure, if you think we need to hurry, then we'll hurry!" Virgil said, glancing one more time wistfully at the silent human wings. Rain art chuckles at the. Enthusism of the raptor an,"Well, I got these wings not so long ago, they do not do much yet, mostly for show. Though I suspect that when my body gets used to them, they might work, So don't fret, your wings will undoubtedly be more glorious than mine ever could." He then gives the Raptor an the traditional hand gesture of comradarieof Sees, Rain art then begins to make his way to the farm where the fire and smoke is coming from. Spoiler Hide LOL neoseraphi your post made me LOL IRL, I am the only person I have ever met in my whole life who uses the terms' oh snap' and 'that's how I roll' in everyday conversation. Virgil returned the gesture before smiling gratefully. "Well, I can only fly in emergencies right now, and it tires me out when I do, but one day I'm going to soar through the skies and smite my enemies with thunderbolts! It's going to be so wicked, just you wait and see!" He winked happily. "I can already tell you're a good guy, human. You appreciate the sky and what it has to offer. You might have already heard, but I'm Virgil. And you?" "Rain art, pleasure to meet you Virgil, maybe this is the start of a grand tale for all of us, the gods I feel, have a hand in all of this, else how could you explain such a diverse group being in such a tiny town. If really a town you could accurately call it." Virgil looked up to the sky. "The gods, huh? That's deep, man, that's deep. Well, if the gods want us all to come together and investigate this fire business, I say we better get a move-on! Yo, uh, Moro's, was it? You know where we're headed, right? Lead the way." "I would really like to show me some more respect. Anyway, yes I know where we are going. We are going to the farmhouse over there. There's a cursed man. We should go and check what's going on there. There might be somehow the cause this weird smoke." Micheal holds his head in his hands for a second. He's allegedly cursed, it's completely normal smoke, and I think we should probably get going instead of talking about it! Magic is not the cause of everything, nor the solution. Spoiler Hide SOMEBODY needed to play the straight man... Or whatever the term is for the normal guy in a comedy duo. Can't remember right now. "Either way, there is a man who needs cure. I am going." “Or it may be just a regular fire. But yes we should start walking lest we get there too late.” Aureus starts walking towards the farm. Trevor follows closely. Virgil put up his hands defensively. "Whoa whoa whoa! Who's showing who disrespect here? I'm just being friendly! Yo, if you got a problem with the way I talk, well, that's just something you're going to have to get used to, light? Besides, what part of me asking you to lead the way was disrespectful?" The guy Aureus was starting to walk away. "See? This guy knows what's up! Yo, wait for me!" Virgil rushed after him and caught up, then walked next to him towards the disturbance. Out of game: For NeoSeraphi:Spoiler Hide They way you talk NeoSeraphi sounds in my mind like a Jamaican guy XD You know like the trolls in Warcraft :P In-game:I wouldn't have heard that. Because I am not the best for spot-listen guy :P And I have started walking so I am a bit in front. Micheal walks after the group, smiling slightly. This was going to be interesting... Spoiler Hide When we get there, (1d20+11)[26] (1d20+11)[31] Spot Check and Listen Check, respectively. DM:Spoiler Hide For when we get there Spot: (1d20+5)[12] Listen: (1d20+5)[17] Knowledge(Arcane) if I see anything of arcane nature: (1d20+11)[30] Rain art follows behind the others managing to stifle a chuckle and the exchange between the raptor an and the priest." No need to be offended Trevor all Moro's. I think this just how young raptor an's talk." Rainart upon arriving at the farm scans the area keeping an eye out for anything that seems out of place. Spot:(1d20+6)[23] "All priests must be treated with respect. I forgive him of course. None got harmed. He knows now that I want to be treated with respect and I know that he, probably, always talks this way. May Moro's' blessing be with us all." Spoiler Hide What's the all Moro thing? :P Spoiler Hide Spot: (1d20+3)[20] Listen: (1d20+1)[14] Virgil arrived with the others at the scene and scanned the area quickly, looking for any signs of trouble. Spoiler Hide AL is an Arabian term for Of, as in of a particular city or of a deity. I know a tiny SMIDGEN of Arabic. Which suffice to say is lacking in the extreme, on me ever using more than 4 or 5 words. Spoiler Hide Ohhh cool staff I'd say :P Micheal Spoiler Hide You see a wooden farmhouse which is currently on fire. Across a field of grass on the left of the burning home lay a barn with its doors wide open, visually empty of stock animals. You can hear the slight sound of sheep bearing from within. Through the windows of the home you can't see anyone as smoke obscures the view. You do see some black quadrupeds run away from the home though. Moving to fast to get a good look at them. Strangely you can't hear a fire despite your proximity. AzureusSpoiler Hide You see a wooden farmhouse which is currently on fire. Across a field of grass on the left of the burning home lay a barn with its doors wide open, visually empty of stock animals. Through the windows of the home you can't see anyone as smoke obscures the view. You notice that you can't hear any flames from within the home. It could because by some spell which doesn't create an actual flame. RainartSpoiler Hide You see a wooden farmhouse which is currently on fire. Across a field of grass on the left of the burning home lay a barn with its doors wide open, visually empty of stock animals. The sky obscured slightly by the smoke. Behind the house you see black figures dash into the woods. VergilSpoiler Hide You see a wooden farmhouse which is currently on fire. Across a field of grass on the left of the burning home lay a barn with its doors wide open, visually empty of stock animals. Through the windows of the home you can't see anyone as smoke obscures the view. You notice that you can't hear any flames from within the home. It could because by some spell which doesn't create an actual flame. Everyone else:Spoiler Hide You see a wooden farmhouse which is currently on fire. Across a field of grass on the left of the burning home lay a barn with its doors wide open, visually empty of stock animals. Through the windows of the home you can't see anyone as smoke obscures the view. Virgil stared at the fire. "Oh crap!... Something seems a bit wrong here, but now's not the time for thinking, it's the time for action!" Virgil rushed towards the burning house and called quickly, "Hello! Hello! Is anyone inside? Please, answer me! HELLO!" I am looking for a way to put out the fire. Do I see water nearby? And I cast Bull's Strength to Virgil." Break it down damn it!" I scream to Virgil. It's hard to have a good day when the smell of smoke invades your nostrils. Even harder when you're attempting to get the first decent meal in days and can only taste ash because of said smoke. By my grandfathers hammer! That putrid stench just ruins this stew, as if this day hasn't been bad enough. Delias leaves his seat, having overheard the loud conversations in the Inn, and heads off just behind the group that had already set out. Best see what's made this foul odor and be done with it. Spoiler Hide: (1d20+12)[32] Move Silently (1d20+12)[14] Yes, he talks to himself. A friendly dwarf, but traveling alone does not make great conversation "FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!, your villains shall not escape justice"Rain art yells as he charges into the woods apparently after something or someone that only he saw. Initiative:(1d20+2)[16]Lol now my legendary bad luck with initiative shall come not play :) DeliasSpoiler Hide You see other others at the burning farmhouse. The others haven't seen you though. VergilSpoiler Hide No sound comes from the home except a soft breathing sound. Then you feel a surge of strength empower your body and you hear Trevor. ErevosSpoiler Hide You can't see water other than the rain and the puddles it is creating. RainartSpoiler Hide The figures continue into the woods, and you quickly loose sight of them, but you did get a clearer view of them. They appeared quadrupedal and covered in black fur. They looked canine. Rain art comes back out of the forest's edge a forlorn look across his countenance." Alas, what foul fiends caused this escaped me, their fatwa has only been delayed, not denied. Twas a group of canine beings they ran on all fours, though they are surely not lycantrhopes, as they would surely have stood their ground and attacked us." He then goes to aid Virgil in opening the door. Even if that involves hacking it down with his Halberd. Micheal muttersPhilotes save me from fools. And walks up to one of the windows, wrapping his hand in his cloak as he did so. He then calmly puts his fist through one of the windows and ducks through the building, calling out If you're in here, now is a good time to say so. Spoiler Hide Strength check, if necessary. (1d20+2)[13] Really hope it works. IOC:Bull's Strengths a touch spell. Is Trevor really going to get that close the fire?IC: Virgil glared back at Trevor. "Break the door down? Boy, I don't know what you have been smokin', but I'm not some musclebound paladin over here! Still..." He grimaced and turned towards the door, then rammed his shoulder into it. Spoiler Hide Strength check to break the door: (1d20)[7] If Trevor is really going to actually follow me up there and touch me to bestow strength, then add +2 to that check “Something is wrong. There is no fire. It is not normal smoke. Be careful!” Aureus yells to his friend as he sees him climbing through the window. He then proceeds to help the others with the door. Spoiler Hide STR check: (1d20+4)[18] “Virgil! You are a magus and a creature of the air. Do you have any spells that will blow this smoke away?” Azureus asks Virgil as he slams the door "How the hell did you know that I'm a mage? Whatever! Clear skies coming match! Everyone stand back!" Vergil swept one hand back and gathered some power, before thrusting his hand forward and shouting, "Gust of wind!" A huge blast of air shot forward, sweeping away all the smoke and fog instantly. Spoiler Hide Casting spell: gust of wind. Virgil's the type to shout out his verbal components. Micheal Spoiler Hide Your hand burst through the strangely brittle glass. And you swiftly climb into the house. The smoke obscures you view stopping you from seeing more than 10 feet in front of you. Then you hear a croaky voice "Please. Help. They took it. Help. Help. They took it.". It emanates from the left end of the hall where a wooden door separates you from the room. Then a thud comes from the other end of the hall and a gale of wind bursts into existence dispersing all the smoke. Allowing you to see three paintings of farms on the wall inside wooden frames. Behind you on the right the hallway has two doors you have no knowledge on where one goes, but the other is the front door. All the others:Spoiler Hide The door swings opened with force seeming not being locked by still slightly stuck. The force causes it to swings more than it should have slamming into the wall next to it. The smoke soon begins to roll out of the farmhouse. Then as if to counter it a wind which was currently a calm breeze in the rain instantly became a gale force of rain and wind which gusted at the building. Dispersing all the smoke. On the other side of the door is a hallway. Directly in front of the door is another door, slightly older in appearance and better carved. On the left the hall travels towards another wooden door and your companion Micheal who stands near a broken window. The elf among you starts to walk inside the building all the while muttering. This time you can barely hear what he is saying. "So we have several mages in our midsts. I wonder if they will notice." To everyone Spoiler Hide Stupid forum just deleted a post that took an hour to write. What your getting now is a shorter version sorry about that. Aureus walks towards Michael.“I don’t see anyone. We should search the rooms” he says Vermin yes I touch you to deliver the spell and then I was looking for water. You were the first who went there so I thought to boost you anyhow." I say we don't split though. Does anyone have a way to see through smoke?" To DM:Spoiler Hide If I think that it will help I use one of my sun rods in case none else can do anything. Aureus walks past Michael. He asks him to back him up and opens the door. I stand few steps behind him and I am ready action if anything appears." You can also count on me." There is somebody inside that room. Micheal points at the unopened wooden door at the other end of the hallway from the door that the others had come in through. I heard a voice. He moves away as Aureus prepares to open the door, as he pulls out a dagger to throw at anybody hostile in the room. It wasn't the first time they'd opened strange doors.Despoiler Hide The dagger is masterwork, if it matters. The door swings open on its old hinge, and you see into the room. It looked like a dining room. Several wooden crates resided in the room. A bloody human lay on the floor. He grasped at his left hand which now appeared as a stump of an arm. His hair was long and tangled. A thing which wasn't human was also in the room, it was searching through the crates vigorously. The thing wore a black and blue robe which moved as if there was a strong wind. It had no skin and seemed to be composed of raven feathers. A silver curved sword lay on its hip. Despite its feather skin it had a face, made completely of gray shadow. Except for its glowing azure eyes and its abyssal maw which dripped a thick saliva. It hadn't noticed the group. Rain art sees the creature covered in fur, and tries his best to recall anything of the sort ever being talked of, or discussed in his travels and own studies, Stepping forward guardedly he says simply,""what are you looking for, and are you to blame for the harm caused to this man. Are you allies with the wolf-creatures I saw running off into the woods?" Know: religion(1d20+7)[24]Diplomacy(1d20+10)[21] Micheal fades away into the shadows of the room, keeping his dagger in one hand, ready to throw, while drawing his Kurt with the other hand. Spoiler Hide check: (1d20+12)[13] Move Silently check: (1d20+12)[28] Delia's makes his way to the house and enters the doorway, trying to be as quiet as he can. Spoiler Hide: (1d20+12)[30] Move Silently (1d20+12)[21] Spot: (1d20+11)[16] Listen: (1d20+9)[11] If I see the thing, I'll see if I recognize it. Oh, I hope they don't attack me. Haha. Knowledge Dungeoneering (1d20+11)[29] The abomination looks up at Rain art. Its voice sounded like the growl of a dead man." The Ravenclaw had what I needed. He wouldn't grant me it. So now it is mine.... The fang mouths are mine as well." RainartSpoiler Hide You have never heard of a creature such as this. It might be an outsider. Micheal Spoiler Hide You quickly get into the shadows. The Feathered Thing doesn't even glance at you. Delia's Spoiler Hide You sneak into the house. The others still haven't noticed you. As you pass into the dinning area you see the Thing. It is obviously not from this existence, but it doesn't seem like anything you've experienced. Rain art Snarls"Fatwa shall be yours to face then, foul creature!" He then brings his Halberd to bear upon the thing in a mighty toward strike.(1d20+7)[14]Attack: Power Attack 3(1d10+12)[17]damage(2d6)[7]Chastising Strike damage, if it is evil DM:Spoiler Hide and due to my Angelic presence if it is evil he suffers a -3 morale penalties to attack DC 16 Will to overcome As the others talk to the creature, Aureus approaches the fallen man. Never taking his eyes off the thing, he uses his limited healing abilities to stabilize him. He then stands guard over him, readying himself for action. Spoiler Hide Cure Minor Wounds on the man. Knowledge (Arcane) to identify the creature: (1d20+11)[17] If I can, I ready an action to charge the creature if it attacks or tries to escape. Virgil groaned and stepped back, drawing his crossbow and loading it. "Damn, son, you are one ugly-ass bird! Give us fine-lookin' birds a bad name. You know it's because of guys like you that guys like me have to lay on the charm extra-thick at the club, you know what I'm sayin'? The girl can see me, she knows she likes what she sees, but she's all worried that when the lights go out I'MMA turn into some Frankel-vulture like you!" Delia stakes a glance into the room, and tries to make sense of the situation beyond it being that the man was attacked by some crazy bird thing. He quietly draws his bow and attempts to slip into the shadows while still being able to have a clear view of the creature. Spoiler Hide: (1d20+12)[23] Move Silently (1d20+12)[20] Initiative (1d20+4)[13] @everyoneSpoiler Hide Spot: (1d20+11)[26] He will nod to any of the party who he notices watching him and will gesture his bow to the creature to try and silently point out what he's aiming at. “I guess diplomacy time is over” Aureus mumbles to himself as he sees Rain art charging the creature. Not to be outdone, he releases his arcane energies, wrapping his allies in a protective cocoon, and charges the demonic creature. As he runs he shouts words of eldritch power, enveloping his weapon in a blood-red aura of destructive power. Spoiler Hide Unit if needed:(1d20+3)[23] Free action – Use Vindicators Aura: If the creature attacks anyone within 45ft of me (excluding me) he suffers -3 on attacks unless he succeeds on a Will save DC 17. If he targets anyone (excluding me) with an ability that doesn’t require an attack, the DC of his ability is reduced by 3 unless he succeeds on a Will save DC 17. Swift action – Blade of Blood spell: Sacrifice 5hp, +3d6 damage Charge: Due to the Dreadful Wrath feat the creature must succeed on a Will save DC 17 or become shaken Attack: (1d20+12)[15] Damage: (2d4+7)[9] + (3d6)[8] Rain art's halberd slashes down. The Thing dashed to the side as he saw you ready your attack. It slices into its arm. You feel it tear through the arm of the avian. Decorporates as it falls. Drips of blood ran from the cut as though it was a slash from a dagger." An Arm for a hand. Fitting." Muttered the even scholar who slowly took a step back from the seen. Behind Rain art the wounded man and Aureus lay. The warrior infused the fallen man with new vigor and his panicking movements stopped. The dwarf raises his bow trying to remain hidden there remains no shadows at the door. But you continue quickly into the shadows on the other side of the room. The Thing doesn't look at you distracted with the loose of its arm. The creature places a hand on its left shoulder. He glared at the human that did this. His remaining arm returned to his side and he slowly drew his blade." All Fate has been decided. But after today you will never will see its majesty." He raised his blade at Rain art. But disrupting his action Aureus slashed forward and cut across the flesh. He clichés backward in pain. His eyes now dashed around." The Teller never told."{table=head]|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q1|||||||||||||||||2’d|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w||||||||3||||d||E|M|||w|||||||4|w|w|w|W|V||||WM|w|||||||5||||w|D|||A||w|||||||6||||w|||R|||w|||||||7||||w||||T||w|||||||8||||w||||||w|||||||9|w|w|w|w|w|w|d|w|w|w|||||||[/table]Law=wall=door=Wounded Many= Things=Jakarta=Aureus=Elias=Virgil=Was=Michelle=Trevor IOC:Spoiler Hide How are we doing the battle? Is there a particular initiative order? Group initiative? Also, in the map, Aureus should be 10ft away from the creature. He is fighting with a reach weapon. I will first go and make a Heal check on the wounded man using my healer's kit.(1d20)[5]+11,+2.= 18 Micheal steps over ten feet to stand next to the wounded man, to clear his shot, and then throws his dagger at the thing. Spoiler Hide Initiative: [roll1d20+4[/roll] Attack roll: (1d20+9)[22] The attack roll does not include any bonuses for attacking from concealment or anything else, it does include a precision bonus of +4 that wouldn't apply if this is immune to precision damage. Remember, the Daring Outlaw has different rules for immunity to precision damage. Damage: (1d4+4)[7] Sneak Attack Damage: (3d6)[10] Virgil shot past Delia's and raised one finger, pointed right at the bird. "I'm going to put a shock to your system! Lesser thunderbolt!" Spoiler Hide Initiative: (1d20+3)[18] Move action to move to E7 Have a clear shot, so firing lesser thunderbolt at the Thing. Ranged Touch attack: (1d20+5)[18] If I hit, deal (7d8)[31] electricity damage, and the creature must make a Fortitude save, DC 18, or be sickened for 1 round per 10 points of damage it took Spoiler Hide Whoops, forgot. Taking away one of my sneak attack dice to active arterial strike. The thingie will take 2 damage a turn until it gets healed or makes a DC 15 heal check, after taking 2 (?) points of damage it's fatigued, after 12 points it's exhausted. The damage stacks. I messed up this time, just take away 6 points of sneak attack damage since we don't know the die rolls. Rain art looks at the creature and smiles"have at the jive turkey" eh then shifts into a more defensive stance, getting the until threat he hopes his more vulnerable comrades can take care of this creature.Despoiler Hide Going Full defensive, so my AC is now 26 Virgil moved past Delia's and a bolt of lightning burst out of his finger. It strikes into Thing into the chest, causing his whole being to twitch and spasm. A stinging smell filled the air and its feathers turned a dusty black rather than its previous shining blue-black. As this is happening Trevor assists the wounded man using his skill in healing. The wounded man slowly raised himself up, laying his back onto the wall behind him." Thanks." He mutters, grasping onto his stump of an arm. The second the abomination stops twitching he slashes forward with this scimitar at the winged human. But Rain art swiftly repositions his blade and parries the attack and pushes his blade away. Then while the Thing recoils from its failed strike a dagger stabs into the neck of the avian. The dagger stabs through the thin skin of the creature, leaving only the hilt visible. The creature collapses to the ground. Disintegrating into two burnt dead ravens. Both were missing an arm and dripped blood from their necks. Michael's dagger lay next to them. I step forward and pick up my dagger. Anybody know what that was, and who can help that guy there? I say, pointing at the burned remains and the wounded man respectively. Spoiler Hide Knowledge (Arcane) (1d20+10)[13] Knowledge (Nature) (1d20+6)[25] Do I know what it is? Aureus stares the two burned ravens, scrounging his memory for something that may help him identify this strange being. Spoiler Hide Knowledge (Arcane): (1d20+11)[23] VergilSpoiler Hide You haven't heard of any spell or creature which has to do with two crows. Except maybe a summoning spell. The creatures appear to be normal Raven's except for completely black eyes with no iris. AzureusSpoiler Hide You know that through magic creatures can possibly be combined, but it should be a combination of the creatures not something which has no relation to the creatures. “I know of no magic that could have done this” Aureus replies to Michael. He then turns to everyone else: “Don’t let your guard down. There may be more than one. We should search the rest of the house.” If the rest agree:Spoiler Hide He asks Michael and everyone else to back him up, and proceeds to open the nearest door. Perhaps instead we should heal the man who was presumably wounded by that... thing, and ask him what happened. I go over and examine the man. Spoiler Hide Knowledge (Local) roll to see if for some reason I know what it is from local legends, etc. (1d20+12)[26] Roll to see what is wrong with him (untrained know. Check unless it's know (local), or some other skill. (1d20+4)[6] Virgil frowned and shook his head. "Man, I ain't never seen no giant bird like that before! That was whacked! And, huh?" For the first time, Virgil noticed an injured man lying in the corner. Looking around the inside of the house, Virgil frowned." So this place isn't really on fire, huh? Just a bunch of smoke and mirrors. But what was the point of it? I mean, if the bird was going to kill the guy anyway...maybe he wanted to trap him here and make sure no one came in after him? But that wouldn't work either, after all, people would definitely be suspicious if the house burned for days and didn't just reduce itself to ashes... I don't get it" I cast Cure Serious Wounds from my domain spell list to the man.(3d10+7)[26]"Here, I hope you feel better." Rain art turns to the others" this weird that the wolf creatures were under this creature just ran off without trying to protect or even give a warning. That is WY good overcomes evil. Well one of the many reasons... anyway, I am going to investigate the barn, seemed odd to me that the fire/smoke magic only was affecting the house." There still remains at least one room in this house we haven't searched yet. Would it not be a better idea to look in there first? I gesture to the unopened door, then resume my position next to Aureus, with a knife drawn. “Let’s search the house and make sure no other surprises are in store for us, and then we can try to get some answers.” Azureus offers. He then proceeds to search the nearest room. Wei stepped forward. His hand rubbing his wrists." I have an idea on these events. You all know about the Black Beast. But a little known fact is that when he manifests the world tries to force him out, wood starts to smoke, glass becomes brittle, abominations form. Obviously this is a result of his presence." Delia's quietly puts his bow away and goes towards the unopened room, keeping behind Aureus and sticking to the shadows. Spoiler Hide Mission IM-dwarf-able Hide: (1d20+12)[19] Move Silently (1d20+12)[15] What do I see? Spot: (1d20+11)[14] Listen: (1d20+9)[23] Aureus looks to the elf with interest. He was raised with tales of the Dark Beast and the Five Kings. Questions fill his mind. Who is this elf? How does he know this?“Priorities” he thinks, willing himself to focus. “Safety first, talking second”.” Be ready!” he tells the others, and opens the door. Spoiler Hide Spot Check for what on the other side, if something's hidden. (1d20+11)[25] Initiative (1d20+4)[24] The Party Spoiler Hide On the other side lies a small kitchen with a wooden bench running along the side. A small amount of smoke is in the room but not enough to obscure view. At the other side of the dim unitive space lies slices of cooked meat (Maybe lamb) and small knives on a plate. On your left are several more sealed crates. On your right is yet another wooden door. Then from the corner of your eyes you notice a dwarf. DeliasSpoiler Hide The Party seems to have noticed you. Aureus looks at the dwarf with surprise painted on his face thinking: “Where the hell did he come from?” His first instinct is to skewer him, but then he remembers his face from the inn. Nonetheless, this is not a time for mistakes. He levels his guitar towards him.“It is not a good idea to sneak on armed men dwarf. Who are you, and where did you come from? @DMSpoiler Hide I am still paying attention to the injured man. When I find out whether he needs more heal or is diseased or anything I can cure. Or until something comes and attacks us, I will be there helping him. I roll initiative anyhow (1d20+1)[10] I came from town, the smell was getting to me and I overheard you all talking. He makes no move to draw his own weapon, but an amused grin is on his face from the look of surprise on the man leveling a guitar at him. My name is Delia's, and you aren't very attentive if you've only noticed me now An image passes from his mind: A skewered dwarf with his grin wiped of his face. But the thought goes away as fast as it came. Aureus lowers his weapon,“Well, welcome to the party”. He then enters the kitchen. Looking around for anything off. Spoiler Hide Spot: (1d20+5)[10] Listen: (1d20+5)[15] If the others follow him (and nothing else happens), he opens the next door. Virgil's eyes widened in surprise. "Dudes, check it out!" He rushed over to the dwarf in excitement. "Hey, bro, where's the top half of your legs at? No seriously, you're so short that gnomes have to bend over to punch you in the stomach! Hey, I know! Maybe if you dig around in that nest of hair on your face, you'll find a tall person hiding there, and you can ride around on his shoulders!" Vergil had never seen a real dwarf in his life. It was so cool! Like a human who grew horizontally instead of vertically! And didn't know what a razor was. Aureus:Spoiler Hide The room looks normal except for a small vial filled with a blue liquid and a reptilian eye. Other than that the room has few knives and several cuts of meat. In the corner near the door you can also see a rather large sack. Aureus smiles looking at the hyperkinetic raptor an, pestering Delia's. He looks at the strange vial.“Well that’s certainly weird” he thinks and pockets it for further investigation later. Spoiler Hide Do I have any idea what it is? Knowledge (arcane): (1d20+11)[14] He then approaches the large sack in the corner and carefully opens it. Spoiler Hide If there is nothing of interest there he opens the next door. AzureusSpoiler Hide You identify the blue fluid as being the Dead Iron in its molten state. Dead Iron is a strange blue metal which not only resists magic but also drains it from its surroundings. It is actually a common form of punishment against rogue mages to implant it in their skin, which then stops them from using magic. The reptilian eye is yellow in color and seems to be from a snake. Inside the sack is only potato's. As you open the next room a mist of smoke blows into the kitchen. As the black cloud fades you see the room is a bedroom. Its rather small like the rest of the rooms in the house, it has one wooden bed alongside the wall. An armor with its door ajar held several sets of clothing. A book lay on the bed. For DM:Spoiler Hide Is the fluid dangerous to me as long as it is in the jar? It drains magic from the surroundings, can it affect me? Aureus:Spoiler Hide While its in the jar you should be safe. Even if you take off the lid you should be fine. Just make sure it doesn't touch your skin, and make sure you don't get any drops on a cut. You really don't want this in your blood stream. Especially since it is molten right now. Aureus looks around the room to make sure no one is there. He then picks up the book and glances through the pages to see what it’s about. Spoiler Hide Spot: (1d20+5)[19] If it is anything interesting he takes the book and goes to join the rest of the group. Are there any other rooms in the house we haven’t seen? Rainier waits till the last room is searched then makes his way to the Barn." Ok, if you guys need me yell really loudly, I still think there is some kind for clue in that barn." "We have to transfer him somewhere safer! He has lost too much blood. And I have to stop the bleeding. Will somebody help me carry him?" Spoiler Hide In case my 8 strength is enough I will carry him myself. I will. I stand up and start to carry the wounded man. Spoiler Hide 14 strength enough? Gnomes!? Gnomes!? The gnomes are far shorter than I am! He turns to Reinhardt and begins to follow him towards the barn. Wait for me, any longer and I may just make him shorter than me. AzureusThe book is about creating makeshift traps, mainly about catching small animals in the wild. Spoiler Hide There are no more rooms. The party The wounded man is easily carried by the two of you. As you near the barn you still cannot see any animals. Inside the Barn there is several stalls each is empty of animals, except for the last one in which lies the mutilated corpse of a sheep and a gallon of blood stained the ground and the hay it lay on. On the side is a ladder which leads to an upper floor. Before we leave I tell everyone : "We are leaving to carry him. Are you ok?? I probably will have to stay with him to take care of him." I look at Delia's: "Were you with us before? Furthermore, I should start paying more attention to what happens around me..." Virgil sighed and glanced around hopelessly. "So no one else is bothered by the fact that this house isn't really on fire? No one? Just me then. Light, they's cool, they's cool. I see how it is. Everybody point and laugh at the paranoid sorcerer, why don't you?" He rushed after the group into the barn. "Whoa! Looks like when that guy wanted his veal cooked "raw", he wasn't kidding!" Wei turned to the overactive avian his arm still rubbing his wrists." Most other race's can't read the facial expressions of an elf, so you obviously didn't notice. I myself am actually quite shocked. The very thought of the Black Beast Manifesting sends a shiver down my spine." Virgil shrugged nonchalantly. "Chillax, little elf buddy! If the Black Beast shows up, we can get Rain art to cut him up! Oh, but Rain art will need some kind of awesome catchphrase to do it. You know, something that will really help pump him up so he can fight a boss monster like that." Vergil glanced worriedly at Rain art. "You do have a catchphrase don't you? Something dramatic and chilling, like 'I am the white void! I am the cold steel! I am the just sword! With blade in hand, shall I reap the sins of this world, and cleanse it in the fires of destruction!' Right? You can't be the leader of our group if you don't have a catchphrase." I wince. Please, if you make a catchphrase, and that's a big if, don't take one of his suggestions. Now, who wants to be the first one up the ladder? Rain art margins to climb up the ladder but stops on the 2nd rung." leader...? Well, I er... Catchphrase. I am surer than I can come up with one before too long. He then finished climbing the ladder up to the loft of the barn. Virgil frowned. "You don't have a catchphrase. Well, alright, fine! If the Black Beast shows up before you can think one up, you're going to get owned because your leader status was not official, all because you couldn't be bothered to think up a catchphrase. And then the rest of us are going to get our faces normed on because you had to go and hesitate. But, whatever, it's cool, I'm sure the Black Beast is totally fine just pretending to burn houses, he probably doesn't have any desire to show up here and eat us." Rain art looks at the young Raptor an "well, I shall put it on you to find a worthy quotes for me then." He explores the loft of the barn hoping to find something that will give them a clue." also. Explain this black beast to me some more." Spot:(1d20+6)[18] Virgil groaned. "Oh sure. Shoot the messenger why don't you! I'm a mage! How am I supposed to know what big muscle guys like to shout while they swing their big swords around? Hamm...' This will hurt you a lot more than it will hurt me!'...nah. 'This is how you Smite Evil, bastard!'...hmm.probably not, but better. Oh, how about 'I am cursed with the responsibility of judgment by my god. And I have judged you...unfavorably'? And then, right as you say 'unfavorably', you cut his head off! Yeah, that's so raw, man! So what are you think?" Vergil looked quite pleased with himself. I can't think of a good one beyond "In the name of the Silent Forge, I smite you!", that would be a normal one for Dwarves; even my grandfather still uses it. He unsheathes a short sword and begins his climb up the ladder. Though these days it's to kick my younger siblings out of bed rather than to kill enemies. Spoiler Hide Spot: (1d20+11)[29] Listen: (1d20+9)[11] Do I see or hear anything on the upper part of the barn? Rain art stops for a bit and queries"what about 'I am blade in His hand. I am the Bane of His foes, the woe of the unhallowed. I am their End." He then strikes a pose how halberd thrust out at a downward angle, ready for combat.EDIT:: or if I do not find a daily to worship for Rain art it'll be like "I am the blade of the innocent and defenseless, the shield in their hand, the bane of their foes, the woe of the unhallowed. I am their end." Virgil sighed. "Well, it's not got the same edge to it as 'I am the just sword', but it's workable. At the very least, you'll be able to cut the Black Beast's head off once, just to watch it grow two more out of the neck-hole before it devours you. That's better than most." "Well, I guess I could also go, here's a tip, fool, and a spear to go with it." In the loft Spoiler Hide Up in the LOF hay covers most of the floor and cuts of wool lay on small benches. On the far side of the loft you can see a shadowy umbral humanoid hunched over. Its form clicked and shifted. It was eating a torn up piece of meat which seemed to be constantly dripping a sanguine fluid. The voice of the elf can be heard from down below "The Black Beast is an abomination. But once the Beast fell, several people were born who were destined to die at the hands of the black beasts minions." You hear a slam from behind you and as you look the barn doors where now closed. Down on the ground Spoiler Hide Nearly as soon as Delia's and Rain art reach the top the Wei begins to speak. "The Black Beast is an abomination. But once the Beast fell, several people were born who were destined to die at the hands of the black beasts minions." Then as he finished his sentence the barn door's close swiftly behind you with a Slam. Clicks are heard from within the stalls. Out crawled shadowy umbral humanoid hunched over and on all fours. They had no eyes and their forms were made of shadow. Rain art gulps"well, looks like we are in for another fight. And Now. It seems that we are destined to die to mere minions. That I do not like. I shall make my own destiny, RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL GUIDE MY STRIKE TRUE the Black beast shall taste and cower before my blade, Eternal truth, eternal righteousness, eternal love; these only can triumph, for these only can endure. As long as I have breathed in me still. I will see to it that it remains so!" He rushes the figure bring his halberd up over his shoulder and down in a 45 degree arc. Init:(1d20+2)[4]Attack(1d20+9)[14]Power Attack 3 + chargeingDamage(1d10+12)[22]Chastising strike(2d6)[10]if attack is successful Virgil gritted his teeth and took a step back. "What are these things? Dammit, stay the hell away from me!" He raised one finger threateningly. "I mean it, trash! You come any closer, and I'll make you regret it! Lesser shout!" Vergil opened his mouth wide and emitted a loud shockwave which shook the entire barn, but not in any way that would harm them. Spoiler Hide Virgil is in front of the group, since he was calling up behind Rain art who was going up the ladder. Virgil faces the shadows and casts his spell, dealing (6d6)[23] sonic damage to all creatures in a 30 ft cone in front of him, as well as deafening each creature for (2d6)[6]. The creatures need to make a DC 18 Fortitude save for half damage and to negate the deafness. Knowledge (Arcane): (1d20+10)[13] Knowledge (Nature) (1d20+6)[26] Spoiler Hide This is based on going up the ladder being a move action. If it's more, I just go up the ladder in my turn. Micheal watches hesitantly as the others go up the ladder, then hear the raptor's proclamation that it's a fight. He scrambles up the ladder, drawing his dagger as he goes, and throws it once he reaches the top. Spoiler Hide Int: (1d20+4)[20] To hit:(1d20+9)[15] Damage: (1d4)[4] Sneak attack damage, if I beat the monastic's initiative: (2d6)[4] and using the Aerial Strike. Good a time as any! In the name of the Silent Forge, I smite you! With a roar of power in the name of his goddess, Delia's charges the strange being and attacks with one blade while drawing the other. Spoiler Hide Delia's activates his Daily use of the Strength Domain, giving a +2 to strength. Unit: (1d20+4)[22] Attack (1d20+7)[21] 9 + 3 for Charge and added STR, minus 5 for Power Attack Damage (1d6+11)[17] Add this if CRT (1d6+11)[15] Do I recognize it? Know Dungeoneering (1d20+11)[21] Aureus drops the useless book and returns to the first room where he finds out everyone has left.“Oh, for heaven’s sake! Where the hell did they go?” He rushes outside, swearing all the way. Once outside he glances around trying to decide which way to go. As his eyes fall on the barn, a thought crosses his mind,” Weren’t the doors open?”, followed closely by another one:“****”. Azureus runs towards the barn as fast as he can. Suddenly he hears the sonic boom from Virgil’s magic.“Battle” he thinks and runs faster. Reaching the barn he tries to open the door. Spoiler Hide STR check if needed: (1d20+4)[11] Initiative: (1d20+3)[21] Since I just got here tell me when I am able to act Battle Order Delia's (22)Aureus (21)Micheal (20)Wei (10)Rain art (4)Virgil (0)In the loft Battle Map Spoiler Hide {table=head] |A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J 1|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w 2|w||M|||||||w 3|w|r|l|r|r|||||w 4|||||r|||||w 5|||||r|||||w 6|||||r|||||w 7|w|r|r|r|r||||R|w 8|w|||||||D|U1|w 9|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w [/table] w = Wall l = Ladder r= Railing U1 = Umbral Abomination R = Rain art D = Delia's M= Micheal Battle You all hear Virgil's sonic scream from below. Delias, Divine energy from Gaea flows into your form and your muscles bulge under your skin. As Delia's is charging Micheal’s dagger flies through the air barely missing the Dwarf and stabs into the leg of the creature. Delias Only Spoiler Hide As Delia's gets closer to the creature he notices that it every other second it looks like it’s doing was happened two seconds ago. Other than that you aren’t sure of its nature. Then as Delia's runs the force of your charge nearly hits you into the barn wall but your dwarves legs quickly make your stable. Your twin blades slash into the shifting hide of the creature tearing the chaotic creatures flesh. Blood drenches your weapons and blood pours from the shoulder of the creature. The creature whelps in pain at the blows and its blue eyes twist towards the dwarf that dealt its most recent strike. The Abomination roars at Delia's and as it does so the surrounding air seems so warp, moving faster as it nears him. Its flesh shifted and jumped around. As soon as its roar ended a sling rings out as the creature’s claw spontaneously appeared hitting your chain shirt as if it attacked while time stopped, as you didn’t see it move after the roar. Luckily doesn’t penetrate your armor. Rainart then charged into the action not frightened by the creature’s swift strike at Delia's. His halberd cuts into the ever-changing form of the creature you feel the resistance from the flesh of the creature as it tears through its bone. But then suddenly the creature existed just off from where you struck, it didn’t even seem to be hit from your attack even though you know you hit. You remember hitting. You remember the feel of you slicing into its body. But strangely it's as if that never happened. Spoiler Hide Just so you know everyone in the loft saw that you hit it and then somehow never hit it. So it wasn’t just Rain art who experienced it. Battle Order Spoiler Hide Delia's (22) Aureus (21) Micheal (20) U3 (20) U4 (17) Wei (10) U1 (9) U2 (6) Rain art (4) Virgil (0) On the ground Battle Map Spoiler Hide {table=head] |A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J 1|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w 2|w|||w|||w|S’S|w 3|w||l|w|||w||S|w 4|||U2|V||||W||w 5|A|||||||b|E|w 6|U4||||||||U3|w 7|w|||w|||w|||w 8|w|||w|||w|||w 9|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w [/table] w = Wall l = Ladder r= Railing b=Wei’s Blood U2-4 = Umbral Abomination S = Mutilated Sheep W = Wei V = Virgil A =Aureus E = Trevor Battle sonic scream burst out of the throat of the mage, Virgil. Two of the shadows are pushed back from the force of the shout, staying in place by digging their claws into the earth. (You hit U2 & U4)Virgil only Spoiler Hide You notice they do actually have eyes, but they are black, small and spider-like in appearance. Also, you sense these creatures have some talent in manipulating either reality itself, or time. The barn doors then pushed apart revealing Aureus standing just outside. To your right a Creeper then turns to face the newcomer, apparently hearing the door open. The Shadow to your left on the other hand hasn’t noticed you yet and is facing towards Virgil, Wei and Trevor. A roar is heard from stall at end on the right and immediately an abomination runs out at the Human healer. It claws at Trevor, but you quickly move your body backwards against the wall, the beasts claws completely miss you. Then you find yourself standing were you were a few seconds ago. A roar is heard from stall at end on the right and immediately an abomination runs out at you. It claws at you as it did in your memory, but this time you aren’t fast enough and its sharp hands slice through your chain shirt and scratches along your chest. Strangely as its claw left your body you felt as though the world was moving faster. Spoiler Hide Everyone down on the ground saw both times of the abomination attack. As this is happening the beast which was eying Aureus, leapt forward and tried to claw at him. Its talon covered hands cleave through your armor and cut deeply into your flesh. But when you look at the wound your armor is fine, and you aren’t wounded.“Damn. It isn’t true! It’s not true!” Shouted Wei as he undid his white bandages on his right arm. A huge cut covered most of his arm, it didn’t have a scab and was still moist with blood. He flung his hand toward the ground next to him and blood splattered across the ground. A large puddle about three feet wide of blood swirled around to the left of the elf." You will not take me to your master you vile fiends!” He aimed his now bloody right arm towards the nearest shadow and clicked his fingers. The abomination that just struck Trevor suddenly recoiled and is form twisted as if in pain. As the creature twisted, one of its cohorts crawled towards Virgil and clawed at him. Luckily the Avian weaves away from the vile trash as it tries to strike, its claws never touching your flesh.*Both groups can now post* Spoiler Hide Would I be able to sneak attack the one at the bottom of the ladder with a thrown dagger? Spoiler Hide Originally Posted by Eldest Spoiler Hide Would I be able to sneak attack the one at the bottom of the ladder with a thrown dagger? Spoiler Hide Yes you can. Good thinking. Micheal grunts and throws a pair of daggers at the umbral thing at the bottom of the ladder. Bet he didn't see that coming. Spoiler Hide Attack 1 (1d20+7)[17] Attack 2 (1d20+7)[14] Damage 1 (1d4)[1] Damage 2 (1d4)[3] Sneak Attack 1 (2d6)[3] Sneak Attack 2 (2d6)[7] And both of those have the Arterial Strike, so 2 damage per round per hit. An opponent who suffers 4 or more points of bleeding damage from Arterial Strike becomes fatigued. An opponent who suffers 12 or more points of bleeding damage from Arterial Strike becomes exhausted. Aureus backs up a little to bring the creature into the reach of his disarm. He wraps his allies in the protective aura of his magic and then, shouting on the top of his lungs, he tries to trip the creature. Spoiler Hide -5ft step to A4 -Free Action: activate “Vindicator’s Aura” (45ft around me, will DC 17, -3 attack) -If the trip counts ass full attack it activates Dreadful Wrath (20ft, will DC 17, or shaken) -Touch attack: (1d20+10)[12] -Trip attempt if the attack hits: (1d20+4)[14] -If the trip succeeds, swift action to use “Blade of Blood” (sacrifice 5hp) and attack due to Improved Trip: (1d20+10)[14] -Damage if the attack hits: (2d4+7)[13] + (3d6)[7] -If the attack hits and there is room -Sgt; activate blade born spell (Enlarge person) with free action -Knowledge (Arcane) check in case I know anything: (1d20+11)[28] Rain art, keep some distance from it if you can! The dwarf roars again and takes another swing at the abomination, wondering if his attacks are even hurting it at all. Spoiler Hide Attack 1: (1d20+6)[7] -1 from Power Attack 2: (1d20+6)[11] -1 from Power Attack Cries if 18-20 Damage 1 (1d6+5)[8] +1 from Power Attack Damage 2 (1d6+5)[10] +1 From Power Attack Delia's then takes a step back to G8. Rain art glares at the creature then looks to Delia's," The pursuit of justice and honor requires one to be in harm's way, to head those unable to do so themselves." He swings his Halberd at the abomination in a downward thrust only to at the last instance turn the blade upwardsAttack(1d20+7)[14]Power Attack 3Damage(1d10+12)[16]Chastising Strike(2d6)[6] Spoiler Hide IOC: Argh, I hate it when the DM rolls secretly. Touché, Milo. Touché. Virgil staggered backwards, his eyes glowing fiercely with blue power. "Hey yo, shadow thing! Didn't you hear me the first time? Do I need to say it even louder? I said." he built up some of his power and then released it harshly, striking the creature right between the eyes with his mighty lightning strike, "BACK OFF!" Spoiler Hide Virgil takes a 5' step back, and then casts Virgil's lesser thunderbolt. Ranged Touch: (1d20+5)[23] Damage: (7d8)[37] Fortitude save (DC 18) or be sickened for a number of rounds equal to the amount of damage the creature takes/10. Spell Resistance: (1d20+7)[11] Also, did my Knowledge checks not tell me anything? Battle Order Spoiler Hide Delia's (22) Micheal (20) U3 (20) Aureus (21)* Wei (10) U1 (9) Rain art (4) Virgil (0) Battle Map Loft Spoiler Hide {table=head] |A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J 1|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w 2|w||M|||||||w 3|w|r|l|r|r|||||w 4|||||r|||||w 5|||||r|||||w 6|||||r|||||w 7|w|r|r|r|r||||R|w 8|w||||||D||U1|w 9|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w [/table] w = Wall l = Ladder r= Railing U1 = Umbral Abomination R = Rain art D = Delia's M= Micheal Battle Map on the ground Spoiler Hide {table=head] |A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J 1|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w 2|w|||w|||w|S’S|w 3|w||l|w|||w||S|w 4|A|A||V||||W||w 5|A|A||||||b|E|w 6||||||||||w 7|w|||w|||w|||w 8|w|||w|||w|b|U3|w 9|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w [/table] w = Wall l = Ladder r= Railing b=Wei’s Blood U3 = Umbral Abomination S = Mutilated Sheep W = Wei V = Virgil A =Aureus E = Trevor Delia's’s twin blades slash at the Shadow, your power strengthen your blows. But the creature raises its claws to meet your blades, the steel and claw clash but neither of you strikes the other. Your power nearly causes the creature to be knocked over, but it soon repels your blades. On the ground, Aureus you step over to get better reach, you freeze in place. Spoiler Hide You don’t notice this though; everyone else can see you suddenly stop. For him when I say you return to normal that’s you act as though you were never frozen. For you everyone just teleported in less than a split second without any sign of magic, and it’s as though you skipped time. Twin Blades quickly stab through the air from above. One strikes into the chest of the Shadow at the base of the ladder. The other stabbed into the ground next to it. Despite you not putting much force into the throw the dagger which hit seemed to have struck between two of the creatures ribs. Small amounts of blood poured from the wound as the Shadow collapsed onto its back. You could still see it breathing. Lightning burst into the face of creature as soon as it fell. It was no longer breathing. The Shadow which attacked Trevor staggered his blood fighting against its own bloody. The creature scampers off into the stall from whence it came, disappearing into the shadows in less than a second. Azerus’s body continues it step as if he and never froze and in less than a second of stopping a sphere grew from his form. Micheal, Virgil, Wei, and Trevor, glow slightly as the aura envelops them. As your Vindicator’s Aura is growing to full size your Guitar knocks the shadow down to the ground. Your weapon then slashes down upon the fallen shadow. Your weapon cuts through its back. As you raise your weapon after attacking the downed foe you slowly grow. Then you see the shadow 10 feet away from you again, and you see the recent events unfold again, ending with you slicing down through the shadow’s back. Just as before. Your form now is only two inches away from loft’s floor height. As you look down upon your foe. You notice that it isn’t moving. Azureus only Spoiler Hide Based on your phenomenon and your knowledge of the arcane you realize that these creatures have the ability to warp time around them to their needs. They even seem to be able to rewrite time. Wei’s bloody arm followed the escaping Shadow. Then the puddle of blood next to him began to swirl. Some blood then rose into the air forming four sharp needles which spun around the elf’s arm. The puddle was now considerably smaller. Two of the bloody spears then launched out at the creature. One hit the wall next to it and shattered on impact, returning to its liquid state. The other impaled the shadow’s leg. Back upstairs the Umbral creature’s claw darts at Rain art. With the creatures extraordinary speed you only just dodge its blow. A strange energy trailed behind the Shadow’s hand. Unfazed Rain art attacks the creature. But it jumps backwards onto the wall behind it, with a speed so great you can’t readjust your strike. Delia's speeds towards the creature and swings his blades with a vicious growl. Understandable I'm sure, but you're in the way of an idea I have, so take a step back when you can. Spoiler Hide Attack 1: (1d20+7)[18] Attack 2: (1d20+7)[23] Damage1: (1d6+4)[10] Damage2: (1d6+4)[8] Rain art growls at his inability to hit the damned creature. A slight glow surrounds him as he Jabs his Halberd forward violently with the spear tip. He then takes a couple steps back and allows Delia's to do what the dwarf has planned Swift action: Enacting Judgment: Justice. Giving me +2 to attacks, this last for the combat, and leaves me with 2 uses of Judgment left for the day. Attack:(1d20+9)[16]Power Attack 3Damage:(1d10+12)[18]Chastising strike:(2d6)[3]Move to 6-I Aureus shouts an arcane word and eldritch power infuses him with extraordinary speed. He moves carefully towards Wei, avoiding any protrusions from the ceiling, and attacks the shadow creature. Spoiler Hide Swift action: Swift expeditious retreat Move action: Move to squares F4-5, G4-5 I think I can reach U3 from there (20ft reach) if I can't, I move to F5-6, G5-6 Touch attack: (1d20+10)[22] Trip: (1d20+9)[26] Attack from Improved Trip:(1d20+10)[30] Damage:(2d4+8)[13] If it provokes attack of opportunity from moving I try to trip it: Touch attack:(1d20+10)[19] Trip:(1d20+9)[28] Attack from Improved Trip:(1d20+10)[21] Damage:(2d4+8)[14] If the creature provokes AOO from standing up I attack it: Attack:(1d20+10)[21] Damage:(2d4+8)[14] DM:Spoiler Hide Noticed a potential critical from the attack due to improved trip. Confirmation roll: (1d20+10)[14] Extra Damage: (4d4+16)[28] Micheal moves over to hang off of the ladder, and pulls out one of his two remaining daggers. He throws it at the umbral thing on the ground. Spoiler Hide Move action to move onto the ladder, drawing dagger on the way. Standard action to throw it. Attack: (1d20+9)[20] Damage: (1d4)[1] I actually don't know how much cover the umbral thing is and if I can sneak attack it, so I'll leave adding the cover modifiers to you and roll the sneak attack damage myself. Sneak Attack: (2d6)[6] And the Arterial Strike. Virgil rushed forward. "Okay, bro, seriously, what even are you? You're just some nasty glob of darkness, for real. This is just pathetic. Look, I'mm ado you a solid and just kill you so you won't have to live with being a shapeless blob, light? Yeah, I know. I'm a regular Messiah over here. Now hold still...lesser thunderbolt!" Spoiler Hide Using up my last 2nd level spell slot for the day. Move action to move to G6. Free action to taunt the umbral abomination. Standard action to blast his ass with lightning. Lesser thunderbolt Ranged Touch attack: (1d20+5)[15] Damage: (7d8)[31] electricity damage Fortitude save, DC 18 or be sickened for 1 round per 10 points of damage Battle Order Spoiler Hide Delia's (22) Micheal (20) U3 (20) Aureus (21)* Wei (10) U1 (9) Rain art (4) Virgil (0) Battle Map Loft Spoiler Hide {table=head] |A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J 1|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w 2|w|||||||||w 3|w|r|km|r|r|||||w 4|||||r|||||w 5|||||r|||||w 6|||||r|||||w 7|w|r|r|r|r||||R|w 8|w|||||||D|U1|w 9|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w [/table] w = Wall l = Ladder r= Railing U1 = Umbral Abomination R = Rain art D = Delia's M= Micheal Battle Map on the ground Spoiler Hide {table=head] |A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J 1|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w 2|w|||w|||w|S’S|w 3|w||l|w|||w||S|w 4||A||V|A|A||W||w 5||A|||A|A||b|E|w 6||||||||||w 7|w|||w|||w|||w 8|w|||w|||w|b|U3|w 9|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w|w [/table] w = Wall l = Ladder r= Railing b=Wei’s Blood U3 = Umbral Abomination S = Mutilated Sheep W = Wei V = Virgil A =Aureus E = Trevor Delia's’s blades cut through the body of shadow, perfectly slicing into its flesh, blood drips from the wound as your blades leave its flesh. The creature falls to the ground. Its azure eyes stopped glowing, but the creature was still breathing.Meanwhile, a dagger flew through the air out of the hand of Micheal, it passed the wall by an inch and stabbed into the leg of the Shadow in the stall taking advantage of it being distracted with the others. Its head twisted to look at its attacker as blood flowed freely from its wound. But then it returned its efforts towards the wall and trying to find a way out. Then a huge Guitar stabbed towards the shadow and tripped it, its back slamming into the ground. Your pole arm’s strikes down upon the fallen shadow and its blade cuts off the creatures arm. The shadow panic’s for a second or two then faints. The blood next to the elf and the body of the now unconscious shadow started to stir, and it glided back into the cuts on arm of Wei.“It seems I’m not dying today. This is wrong. But I won’t complain. The Shadows are defeated down here! How about you guys?” His two last sentences were directed at the people in the loft. Rainart camp; VergilSpoiler Hide The enemies are you were going to attack are unconscious. I’m now giving your characters the chance to either decide to attack or decide to not attack. They aren't quite done yet. I turn, step off the ladder, and hustle over to the remaining monster. Spoiler Hide Milo, I'm told it's bad for the server to do that, although I'm unsure what would fix it. Two move actions to go to H6. “Some of them are not dead, just unconscious. Maybe we should tie one and try to extract some information.” Azureus says to the others. Rain art nods his head at Aureus's suggestion of tying them up,"Sounds good, would like some answers from these creatures"Rain art then looks around hoping that somebody has rope, if not he tries to find some in the barn. Delia stakes out a pair of masterwork manacles and slips them on the shadowy things wrists, after he puts the arms behind his back. I agree, my grandfather always said that asking questions is better than guessing Perhaps the first question should be "what are you?", mmm? Spoiler Hide I'm guessing Micheal can tell the fight is over now. Virgil relaxed and shook his head. "Damn crazy shadows think they can just show up here and attack us out of nowhere! It's enough to drive a boy crazy!" The touch of metal on its body instantly wakes the shadow up. But too late to resist the manacles. The shadow glares at Micheal and its voice drips with spite." We are the children of the Dark King. We are beings who can transcend what you filth call time. Furthermore, we are the assassins of our eternal lord." "Assassins you say, why would you waste your time on the man who owns this land and kill off all of his livestock? Hmm, unless. Yes unless there is more than meets the eye here." Rainart leans in closer to the creature" would be wise to tell us what it is we seek to know"Diplomacy:(1d20+10)[19] "You don't know. So you are fools trying to save a man you didn't know was already dead. You are ignorant filth who don't understand what you a playing with. And to think the King thought you might be a threat." The shadow laughed as it belittled you all. Virgil stepped forward. "You call in me a fool? Better take that back right now, yo! I don't play the fool, I pity him. And I'm pitying you too, because unless you start main sense in the next ten seconds, I'm going to char you with lightning until you're even blacker than you are now!" Noticing the effect of your magic on its companions it begins to spill its guts, metaphorically that is." I will tell you. But only if you let me live, if you try to kill me I'll rewrite this so that I never tell you. The farmer is part of a seal. This seal is keeping the king from returning to his throne. When a creature is born with a seal, they know the exact day of their death. They know what will kill them. They know down to the last detail how they will die. We can see these seals. They are the only light in the darkness of this world." All the while the Shadow was saying this Wei rubbed his right arm over and over again, making a slight rustling noise the whole time." We are the assassin's sent to break the seals on the souls of certain individuals. The Raven born take the seals of the body. The Farmer isn't the target. The Raven has already taken his seal. We are after the one destined to walk in this barn today. The elf who has a seal eternally burned into his arm. Does that suffice pathetic cretin?" Rain art looks from eh creature up to Wei," SO. I guess we need to keep you alive if you are some sort of seal that is keeping this 'king' imprisoned. For I imagine that any leader of these beings must be the worst of sorts." He then focuses back on the Creature" who and what exactly is this king of yours?" Rain art listens to the creature answer, even if it is more insults chuckling slightly before he leans over and says to Virgil"So I guess your catchphrase is 'I pity the fool'.?" "My large is what you mongrels call the Black Beast. Scum like you sealed him within yourselves. Its amazing he wasn't tainted by the UK that you call souls." So do the kings have a seal, then, so they know what will kill them? "You speak of dead men. The kings and their families who committed treason are now dead. They were a threat to the true ending of this era. But as they were cowards, they forced seals upon their people instead of themselves. No true king would've committed that crime." This creature rants, I merely try to speak as it does. Spoiler Hide Was that the creature or Wei? Aureus, shrunk back to his normal size, approaches the creature. He pulls out the vial and shows it to the thing.“What about this? Do you know anything about it?” Spoiler Hide Diplomacy: (1d20+12)[25] The shadow examines the vial for a few seconds." You creatures know that as Dead Iron. It is rare and disrupts magic. It potentially could be used force summoned creatures back to their realm. But as it is currently in a vial it wouldn't affect anything that doesn't touch it. And in such small doses it probably would only force part of a creature out of the world. It shouldn't be able to be in liquid form though unless it was amazingly hot. But then the glass would be melted. And your hand would be on the floor.... Oh..... Never mind." Virgil examined his feathered hand, watching it crackle and spark idly. He glared down at the monster. "Anything else you'd like to tell us?" Spoiler Hide Intimidate: (1d20+6)[24] The shadow struggled trying to get out of its restraints again, but still could not escape." This is how you treat people who cooperate with you. Barbarians. What else do you want me to tell you?" Virgil frowned. "Barbarian, huh? You have a funny way of talking to someone with the power to blast you into oblivion. If I were you'd show the guy who shoots lightning a bit more respect, ya hear? Anyway, if you don't have anything left to say, I'll leave it at that. I was just wondering if there was something you weren't telling us...something we needed to know..." He looked deadly serious. "You do realize that I'm a grunt. I only know any of this from what I was taught when I spawned. So no I'm not withholding any information to an oversized eagle who can do parlor tricks." Virgil's eyes flared, and he drew his fist back and struck the creature in its face with his bare fist. Spoiler Hide I'm coup de gracing him, since he's helpless. Automatic hit, automatic critical, and I have a +4 Strength bonus from that bull's strength spell lingering. Damage: (2d3+4)[9] Blood sprays out of the shadow's mouth, as your hand retracts, blood continues drips out of its mouth. The shadow is dead, and its previously rolling shadow form stops moving. Solidifying into black fleshy body. Then you find your fist blaming into its face again as if it never happened. Blood sprays out of the shadow's mouth, as your hand retracts, blood continues drips out of its mouth. Its eyes close. Its breathing slows. It can undo any actions you take! It said as much, minutes ago! What are you doing?!? Virgil took a breath and glared at Michael in annoyance. "S-sorry, yo. I let him get under my skin, I guess. Won't happen again." Virgil turned his gaze to the now unconscious creature and his fist clenched, but he turned away. "This piece a dirt ain't worth my time anyway. If you guys need me, I'll be waiting outside." He strolled out of the barn and looked up into the sky. Rain art just looks at Virgil with a very disappointed look over his countenance." well..."is all he can say. Outside It is still raining, but now it has died down to a mere drizzle. The smoke which once emanated from the farm house has all but disappeared. Each step you take is slowed as your feet pull through the mud. Small beams of sunlight burn through the sky from the west at near horizontal angles. Night will fall soon. “The dead iron vial must have some significance. I would guess that the eye floating inside is not a normal eye. Maybe it is part of a summoned creature, forcing the rest of the body in its home plane perhaps? Or the eye may have arcane properties the dead iron blocks. What do you think?” Aureus asks the others. He then turns toward the wounded man.“Sir, do you know anything else about this? The attack, the vial, the seals?” The wounded man stumbled closer to Aureus." The eye in the vial is part of one of the abominations, those were sneaky ones they were spawned from snakes. The thing is the energy in it stops it from dying properly as long as its life link is alive. The dead iron stopped it from coming back. It was bloody hard to get it molten without destroying the glass. The abominations attack trying to bring back their kings. In my chase I had a body seal, so they... Removed it. The seals, there is a horrible curse. A curse which forces me and that elf to know exactly how we will die. We know every last detail. We see it each night we dream. And every time we close our eyes. And it is our destiny. Sealed people have tried hundreds of times, but it never works. We know when we will die. And nothing will ever change it."" Wrong." The elf finally spoke again." I was meant to die today. I was supposed to die in this barn. Those shadows were meant to kill me. But I didn't. These people defied the truth." Micheal starts to pull on his waterproofed cloak, tugging up the hood as he prepares to walk outside. So you were meant to die today, by an unbreakable curse... and didn't. Hmph. Magic. He spits the last word as if a curse. Rain art smiles" SO we defied prophecy and this man's fate. Sound slike my own prediction is coming true then. Well let's not disappoint the universe we had better get to saving it and what-not"Rain art paces a bit before continuing"Looks like we might have to track down these other 'seal' bearers and protect them, or at least find out if It's too late for them"Spoiler Hide Rain art's prediction Here for all of you who don't remember. "I know the location of a few. One is in the Kingdom of So hail. He's a noble, but I hear he isn't rude about it. It shouldn't be more than half a weeks travel from here." Eldest Only Spoiler Hide So hail is where your character comes from if you've forgotten the exact name of the kingdom. Also... Spoiler Hide Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words always bring pain. *Explosive Runes* Micheal looks up. We go there. As soon as we finish talking to this thing. GM ONLY Spoiler Hide Hm, that's interesting... Spoiler Hide *BOOM* OH GOD! Rain art nods his agreement to Michael"Aye, this is something that is beyond anything I have ever encountered before or heard of in tales growing up as a child, I shall not stand by idly as the minions of the black beast seek to release their master. As long as I live my blade shall be there to end their lives, he then looks to the rest of the gathered men," even if I must lay down my life to do so." “I agree. We can’t stand idly by when such events unfold before us. But to a more immediate concern, what do we do with it? Do we just let it go?” Azureus asks the others. It bargained for its life, and only gave us information of that value. Put it in a barrel, perhaps? As long as it is contained but alive, we have fulfilled our part, and it has no reason to undo our acts. At the word of Barrel the Shadow starts to struggle in his bonds. Apparently he doesn't like that suggestion. Ah, you don't like that? Perhaps a new bargain, one with better terms for you and for us. Spoiler Hide Wasn't the shadow unconscious? Originally Posted by Eldest Ah, you don't like that? Perhaps a new bargain, one with better terms for you and for us. Spoiler Hide Wasn't the shadow unconscious? The creature stirs but it doesn't speak. Spoiler Hide Yes and it still is. Aureus turns to the others“Ok then, let’s gag it, tie it, put it in a barrel and go to the inn to plan our travel to So hail”. Virgil sat outside the barn, looking over at the house that he thought was burning just a few minutes ago. Lighting a cigarette, he took a long drag of it and exhaled a cloud of smoke. The drugs filled his lungs and he breathed a sigh of relief. A good smoke always helped calm Virgil down. Whatever those guys were doing in the barn was sure taking some time though. "Not like it's my problem, dawg." Virgil thought to himself, taking another drag. If we repeat it enough, it will sound like a plan. He looks around for a barrel and some nails. Spoiler Hide Would anybody be adverse to just skipping past the barrel thing and just getting to the inn? If where the creature ends up is important, we can just play through it. Spoiler Hide If no one is against skiing to the Inn then here is the response. Dusk has only just fallen as you reach the inn. The small raptor an girl lay next to the fireplace warming her hands, a single bard played a happy tone with his flute, and all but three of the tables were empty. The barkeep sat on his stool half-asleep. The smell of burning wood has not left the air, but came from a more natural source, the fire place. The guys all finished and came outside the barn. Virgil glanced up, tossing his cigarette down and stomping it out, out of deference to everyone else. "Hey, there's my crew! Whey's good, homies?" He listened to the events that transpired inside the barn, frowning a bit. "Damn. Well... I guess there's nothing we can do now, but go back to the inn and regroup." Virgil followed the group quietly, his eyes on the dark sky, lost in thought. When they got back to the inn, Virgil smiled and walked over to the girl sitting by the fireplace. "Hey," he said politely, his normally rough tone replaced by a gentle and polite voice. "I never did get to thank you for your excellent service earlier. Here, this is for you." He knelt down next to her and handed her twenty silver pieces, before walking back to his seat near the fireplace and listening to the bard's song. Rain art manages to keep a smile on his face though the event that unfolded in the house a dbarn undoubtedly weigh heavily upon the man's thoughts. Thrust together with strangers and somehow defeating fate a little much on just a regular day he thinks as he sits down in a chai near the fireplace. Aureus was sitting in the in drinking a beer. Although the events that transpired were troubling, he could barely keep the smile of his face. Today the fates were with him. Michael knocked out of his drunken self-destruction and given purpose, the creation of what seemed a capable adventuring party and the chance to save a nobleman from certain death, a profitable venture if he ever saw one. And in the back of his mind, where he barely looked from fear that it will all turn into a dream, the chance to do what the Five Kings did, the chance for fame and glory, the chance to be a Hero.DM:Spoiler Hide Do I know anything about the nobleman Wei told us about? Knowledge (nobility): (1d20+7)[17] The Raptor an girl seems bewildered, it takes a few seconds for her to understand. Her expression then turns to a grin."Thank you thank you." She then scampers up the stairs and into one of the rooms. AzureusSpoiler Hide It could be one of several nobles, you have heard that there is one favored count in the kingdom named Green haven and you also know that the Prince is currently very sick and kept in bed most of the time. Micheal walks upstairs, packs away all his stuff, and then comes back downstairs to enjoy what little peace is left before he starts traveling again. Rain art watches everyone routinely performing their actions and wonders what will become of everyone, before he drifts off to sleep by the fireplace. You all sleep without much trouble. The Inn was rather calm, with no new visitors. In the morning the sun shined brightly, as if to contrast itself against the cloudy sky of yesterday. The ground was hard yet again. The road which splits the village heads in two directions, north which leads into a recent kingdom, and south which heads towards So hail. As you look upon the plains which head out from the village your vision is obscured by a thin fog which blocks of sight after a kilometer. Other than that the air is perfectly clear, and you could see some farmers and their wives at work in the fields. Three kids played in one of the fields chasing after a cat. Micheal eats breakfast without a word, then grabs his bags and sits by the exit, waiting for the others. He is obviously eager to leave, as soon as could be done. Aureus joins Michael and waits for the others to prepare for the journey. Virgil goes to the innkeeper and smiles brightly. "Good morning. I'd just like to personally give you my praise for the great service I received last night from your young waitress. She is both pleasant and respectful, and she has surprising balance for one so young. I can say, with all honesty, that she was the most lively server I've ever had, at any inn I've been to, and I plan to come again when I'm in the area." He nodded his finality, and walked towards the door." Morning, guys. Ready to bounce?" Virgil said, his normal form of speaking returning. Rain art jabs at Virgil with his elbow and gives him a knowing wink" well let us be off to find the next. Seal man, woman. Person?" IOC:Spoiler Hide I think you've misunderstood, glop. The server is like 8 or 9 years old. Virgil's being nice to her because she reminds him of a younger sibling, not because he wants to impress/date her. Virgil nodded. "You know it, dawg! When I find whatever's going to try and break the seal, I'll smash it to pieces and blow them away in a hurricane!" His eyes crackled with an overflow of arcane power. Micheal picks up his pack once all his newfound companions are ready, his face shadowed with worry that wasn't obvious earlier this morning. He steps out the door, and whistles a few bars of music sadly. Home... we're coming home again. Spoiler Hide Not sure why I went with Green Day, but it's the best song I could think of at the time and I lost patience. Wei turns to Virgil, a smile on his face for the first time." If you damage my seal you will find yourself scattered across the world in shreds no larger than a fly. Now let us continue." And with that he follow Micheal outside. As the group begun its travel down the south road, the mist started to clear. You were able to travel the whole day without any problems. It is now night in the middle of a plain. The sky is completely clear, with thousands of twinkling stars above you. As you look back the way you came you cannot see the village. But as you look forward you can see a small bump on the horizon. Virgil raised an eyebrow at Wei's reply. "... I know that! That's why I said I was going to smash whatever was trying to break the seal! Pay more attention, light?" They walked the whole day without any problems. Just for fun, Virgil decided to take to the air once everything had cleared up, and floated up there lazily for about a minute before his wings started to tire. After that he landed on the ground and kept walking. As the sun began to set and night started to roll in, Virgil yawned and sat down firmly on the side of the road. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat. Can we stop here for the night?" Aureus unslings the backpack from his shoulders and stretches his sore muscles, a small gasp escaping his lips.“I agree with Virgil. We walked far enough for the day.” “We should really think about procuring some horses” he adds with a smile. Agreed. Micheal takes off his backpack, unrolls a bedroll, and starts to make camp. Spoiler Hide Should we have a watch? Spoiler Hide We should probably have one. Spoiler Hide Ok, who's a spell caster? Micheal can take first watch, so long as he gets 8 hours somehow. This is going to be a pain to organize. Spoiler Hide Virgil is a spell caster, but he hasn't cast any spells today. So I'll take first watch, that way if I have to fight something, I can nova it and then sleep for 8 hours afterward. Much better than sleeping and recharging, and waking up to a fight Spoiler Hide Aureus hasn't cast any spell today either so he can also take first watch like Virgil and then sleep 8 hours. Spoiler Hide How does Virgil first for four hours, Micheal second for four hours, and Aureus last for four hours sound? If anybody else is going to be part of the watch, now's the time to say so. Virgil stretched a bit and nodded. "Light, just leave everything to me, yo. You guys catch some Zs, I'MMA stay up and make sure nothing suspicious tries to get the drop on us." Spoiler Hide Spot Check: (1d20+3)[18] Listen Check: (1d20+1)[7] Your keen eyes gaze across the rolling plains. The sound of the fire can be heard behind you, but it is reducing your hearing. Halfway through your watch something catches your eye. Six silhouette's shambled towards the group. They were moving diagonally to the road, and came from the south-east. They were around two minutes away. Virgil spotted a group heading towards him. He hesitated, and decided to wait a full minute, concentrating all of his attention in that direction, before he woke the others. They were still pretty far away, so he should have plenty of time. Spoiler Hide Focusing all my attention, attempting to take 20, if I can't then take 10. Spot: (23, 13) Listen: (21, 11) At that distance you can't hear them, but your avian vision is razor sharp. The figures seemed to be humans with pale flesh, they're clothing was torn, and seemed to be stained with blood. Huge gashes cut across their bodies. Small bits of there flesh appeared to have fallen off. Virgil's eyes widened. "Ah, hell no!" He quickly jumped around, shaking his comrades and yelling at them. "Of, wake up! Look alive! Rise and shine, it might be the last time you ever wake up, yo!" Aureus wakes up from the commotion and tries to get his bearings.“What is it Virgil? What happened? I can’t see a damned thing in this darkness” he asks. Dm:Spoiler Hide Battle preparations depending on how much time we have. 1) Activate Vindicator’s Aura 2) Cast Enlarge Person 3) Move next to Virgil 4) Cast Bull’s Strength Initiative if needed: (1d20+3)[9](12) Micheal stands up and grabs for a pair of daggers. What is it? Are we under attack? Rain art wakes up and tries to calm to erratic raptor an down so he can get a more accurate answer as to what is going on." what is it man?" Virgil's eyes were wide. "What is it? WHAT IS IT?! Dawg, you better get your sword-swinging ass up right now, because if you don't a whole horde of zombies is going to be on us, and you know what always happens in the bard's tales! The feathered guy dies first!" Really? Because I thought it was the dark-skinned one. You can all hear a shuffling noise from the direction the zombies were in. When you look you see they are only 30 seconds away. Rain art look sot the undead moving his way and laughs,"well, if you are worried you might be hurt. Stay behind me Virgil." Rainart bows his head and chants a few words wiggling his fingers all weird in certain patterns, suddenly you all feel a little bit better about your lot in life. Spoiler Hide Casting Bless, so everybody gets +1 to attacks and saves vs fear Words of arcane power escape Aureus’ lips as he walks towards Virgil. As he finishes his spells he grows to double size, his muscles glowing with eldritch energy.“Ok, Virgil if you stay within 10ft of me I will try not to let anyone reach you.” With that he takes a moment to concentrate and release his protective aura over his allies. Spoiler Hide Battle preparations. 1) Cast Bull’s Strength 2) Cast Enlarge Person 3) Move next to Virgil 4) Cast Bull’s Strength Activate Vindicator’s Aura Initiative if needed: (1d20+3)[18] Rain art begins making his way towards the Undead. Ready for a fight. As he does so he waves his hands around himself and chants a prayer for protection Spoiler Hide Casting Protection from Evil on myself

The Shadows of the Fallen King (IC)|rating:4.0

An Agoraphobe Gets Forced (Ting Ting and dale108)

(but slim, 6 foot tall, and dark haired, Jake Morgan had never been arrested before. Accused of murdering a local banker, he'd given the cops information that would ultimately clear him of the crime. But he knew that the DNA taken from him during his initial arrest would eventually link him to other crimes that he HAD committed. So he could not afford to stay in jail while they cleared him of one crime, knowing that they would eventually charge him with other crimes. Escaping from the city jail was the easy part for Jake. He'd slipped under the bed of a supply truck he'd been helping unload. Then he rode it out the gate of the compound, jumping off and into an alley four miles away from the jail, where Meal was waiting for him. His buddy tossed him a change of clothes and a backpack." You sure you don't want me to drive you out of town?" Meal asked as Jake changed out of the orange jumpsuit." No, Meal. By the time we get through traffic this time of night and out of the city limits, the guards will have noticed that I'm missing, and the roadblocks will be up on all the roads. My only way to avoid capture is to lie low for a while, until they stop looking for me."" I could put you up at my place," Meal suggested." And your place will be the very first place the cops will search, since you're my only friend. What I need is an address that no one associates with me and where there are no visitors. And I know just the place. Did you put the items in the backpack that I asked for?" Everything you asked for, Jake. So where do I drop you?"" The woods across the street from Stanton Place."_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jake observed the house from the cover of the woods across the street. Back when he had been doing deliveries for a grocery store, this house had been on his route. The house was a craftsmen bungalow with an enclosed front porch. The front door of the house was always locked, but the door to the porch wasn't. That was so the delivery boy could put the groceries on a chair next to the front door and leave. When Jake had been doing the deliveries, he'd never once seen the girl that lived there. That was because she was one of those agoraphobia. People afraid to step out of their houses. The enclosed porch was technically still part of the interior of the house. But even so, the girl would never step out to collect the groceries until after he'd left the porch. His first instinct had been to break into the house. But one of those security signs on the front lawn told him that the girl had gotten even more paranoid since he'd last been here. The last thing he wanted to do was set off any alarms. Looking at the watch that Meal had given him, Jake could see that it was 4AM. Around 6AM, the delivery boy would be dropping off groceries and leaving. He planned to be in hiding on the porch by then. Checking that the street was deserted, he headed across the road and towards the front door of the house. Easing the porch door open, he crept onto the porch and into the corner behind a couch. He settled down to wait for the delivery boy to drop off his groceries and leave. (Bender hadn't been out of her house in over seven years. She was too scared to. She had been diagnosed as an agoraphobic seven years almost to the day. Furthermore, she'd always been nervous about going outside, but it got worse and worse each passing day, until one day, she had a full-fledged panic attack upon after leaving her house. No explanation, no cause, she was just too scared to leave her house. Brittany woke up at five thirty, not wanting her groceries to be outside longer then necessary. She went to her living room and waited for the knock to sound, telling her that her groceries were there. When she heard it, she waited to hear the porch door open and shut before stepping out to grab them. ((IOC: I don't put words in other character's mouths, but I do insert their gasps, groans and whimpers into my posts. If that is a problem, let me know. For some people, it matters. They want to write ALL the sounds coming from their character.)) Waiting until the grocery boy exited the porch, Jake then slipped from behind the couch and pressed himself against the wall next to the front door. When it opened, he swiveled around and said "Hi!" And then slammed into the girl as if he were still a linebacker in high school, sending her flying back and to the floor. She hit hard, the back of her head bouncing against the wood surface. As she lay there, stunned, he took a moment to bring in the groceries and close the door." I'm sorry for the intrusion," Jake said, turning back to her. "But I need a place to stay for a while." He pulled his backpack off and zipped it open, before dropping it on the floor next to the girl's body. Then he leaned down to flip her over onto her stomach. "And your house seemed perfect for my needs." Kneeling on her back brought a groan from her. Pulling out a hunting knife, he leaned forward, grabbed the hair at the back of her head, and jerked her head back, ignoring her gasp of pain. Laying the flat of the blade aside her cheek, he murmured in her ear, "You don't mind the company, do you?" (IOC: that's fine.) Just as Brittany bent down to pick up the groceries, someone stepped in front of her, and she was slammed into and knocked back into her house, her head smacking back into the wood. She gasped as pain went through her head, not realizing what had caused it. She looked up at him as he spoke, a dazed look in her expression. Furthermore, she started to sit up, but she was flipped onto her stomach and her head yanked back, drawing a gasp of pain from her lips. Furthermore, she drew still as she felt the blade being pressed against her cheek, her eyes widening with fear. Furthermore, she shook her head at his last question. "N-n-not at-t-t all." She stammered. ((IOC: Let me know if I'm getting a little too rough. Or dominating the conversation. What does Brittany do for a living while hiding out in her house? Does she write novels, create computer programs, telemarket, fill envelopes, or some other stay-at-home profession? Or does she have a tidy inheritance she lives off of?))" Good," Jake responded, way too cheerfully. Pulling the knife away, he released his captive's hair, letting her head fall back to the floor. Sheathing the knife, he reached into the backpack for some rope. Pulling her arms behind her back, he then started tying them together." Ouch!", she exclaimed, as he jerked the rope tight, cinching her elbows together." I suppose, since we're going to be house-mates, I should lay down the ground rules. Yes, I know it's normally the homeowner that sets down the rules and not the guest, but since I'm a wanted fugitive with a murder charge hanging over his head, somehow I don't think you'll object. Rule number one, do nothing that I don't tell you to do. Rule number two, speak only when I demand a response. Rule number three, always respond to my questions, even if you have a gag in your mouth. I'll consider it a sign of disrespect for you to ignore my questions. Which means I'll be forced to punish you." Jake had finished tying off the girl's elbows, with rope left over. So grabbing her hair once more, he jerked her head back again, pulling the excess rope between her teeth when she opened her mouth for a gasp. Winding the rope around her head and between her teeth several times, he secured it back to her elbows, the rope gag forcing her head back towards her elbows." Do you understand the rules?" he asked with a smirk that she couldn't see. She winced and cried out when he pulled her arms behind her and tied them together, causing her pain. She tried to pull them apart, but they were to tightly tied that she couldn't. Furthermore, she started crying, tears running down her cheeks as he continued to tie her, then tell her the rules. When he put the rope to her mouth, she tried to keep it shut, but he somehow forced it open and wrapped the rope around her head a couple of times before tying it off. When asked if she understood, she nodded quickly as best as she could for fear of what he'd do to her. ((IOC: I still need a description of Brittany and what she does for a living. Any other details, Jake will squeeze out of her later on. By the way, I'm a huge fan of Detective Beckett on Castle. ’D))"Wrong answer. I expect a verbal response." He let out a sigh. "But I'll let it slide this time." Jake didn't bother claiming his innocence with the girl. It was better that she believe he was a cold-blooded killer. It would make her reluctant to cross him. The brutal way he was handling her was not the normal way he treated a woman. But with the authorities looking for him as a murderer, the last thing he needed was a feisty captive who was looking for every opportunity to escape. Or looking to get a message out to the cops. Which reminded him that he would need to locate all her phones and secure them. He figured the best way to make her compliant was to take any fight out of her from the very start of their time together. As for the smart-ass comments, that was just his way of relieving his own tension, not hers. It was probably the wrong message to send to her. A growling and menacing voice would probably have been better. But it wasn't his style. He figured his face and his size was menacing enough to scare her without the need for lurid threats. From his kneeling position on the girl's back, Jake scooted back over a beautifully rounded ass so that he was sitting on her thighs, his knees clamping down on either side of her legs to minimize movement. Then leaning forward, he reached under the girl's quivering body to undo her belt. And then slid her jeans down over one of the firmest asses he'd seen from someone who never left home to go to the gym. He took a moment to admire it, reaching down to squeeze both cheeks. He could feel her tense up as he did. And grow even more tense as he slowly pulled her powder blue panties down over those cheeks." Very nice," he murmured in appreciation, massaging the girl's cheeks once more. Kneading them like they were bread dough. She whined a bit when his thumbs spread open her asshole as part of the squeezing process. As if she was fearing some kind of penetration right then and there. His original plan was simply to take her hostage, tie her up, and watch the news. Waiting for the police to clear him of the murder charge and lose interest in him for the robbery charges. And then he would leave her tied, but with some means to free herself, making his way for the nearest border. Since he'd never seen the girl during his days of delivering groceries, he hadn't really considered that she would have such a hot body. In fact, he had been expecting a plainchant wallflower. Why else would she hide herself in this house? Brittany's eyes widened when he said that, but then she relaxed slightly when he told her he'd let it slide this time. She was scared out of her mind. What was he going to do to her? He was on the run for a murder charge, did that mean that once he was clear to leave, that he'd kill her? She'd seen him so he'd have to. Her eyes widened when he started pulling her pants down, causing her to tense up and try to move away, but he had too good of a grip on her, she couldn't. She tried moving her bottom away from him, but he just held her still. She started to cry, thinking he was going to rape her next."' Leathe 'on't." She begged him, crying harder. She shook her head, wanting him to stop touching her, wanting him to leave her alone. SMACK SMACK SMACKJake gave the girl several hard and stinging swats on her ass with both hands, as she squealed in response." Did you forget rule number two already? Speak only when I demand a response?" He sat there watching her cheeks turn a bright shade of red and listening to her sob. He couldn't see her face. And with her head tied back as it was, all she could see was the far wall. But he could sense her terror. Perhaps he needed to ease her mind a bit. Speaking in a softer and more serious tone of voice, Jake said, "I have no desire to hurt you, Brittany. At least not seriously. As long as you don't give me too much trouble, when it comes time for me to leave, this will be nothing more than a bad nightmare for you. You may end up with a few bumps, bruises and rope burns and may be forced into intimacy with someone you loath, but you'll still be alive." He knew that his assurances were somewhat lame. To a woman who had spent much of her life avoiding human contact, any kind of assault, sexual or otherwise, was considerably more than a "bad nightmare". But he needed her to know that murder was not part of his plan. Jake sat there for a few moments, letting his words sink in. Then, raising himself off her legs, he bunched her jeans and panties down at her knees and flipped the girl over on her stomach, before sitting back down on her thighs. As he had admired her ass before, now he sat back to admire her pussy. It wasn't shaved, but had very little hair. Perhaps he would shave it later during his stay. Perhaps not. He didn't mind a little fur. Her body went rigid when he reached down and stroked her slit with his hand. But she began to squirm feverishly when he used both hands to part her lips." Relax," he murmured. "If you're a virgin, you'll be remaining a virgin for a while longer." He then reached over to the backpack for some more rope. "OW! Ow ow ow!" She screamed as he hit her, trying to pull away again. She continued to sob, wanting it all to stop. When he stopped, she continued to sob, but remained quiet. When he told her he didn't want to hurt her, she fought back a snort, not believing him. At the end of his speech, she remained quiet, not wanting to anger him into hitting her again. She squeezed when he flipped her over again, revealing her pussy to him. She tried to close her legs, but he kept them open. Furthermore, she shook her head as his hand reached down and began to rub her, closing her eyes tight, then tried jerking away when he spread her lips open, shaking her head harder. At his words, she calmed down, still crying. Jake was beginning to feel the pangs of a conscience at the pitiful way the girl sobbed. He'd never been this rough on a female before. But with a charge of murder awaiting him if captured, he couldn't afford to allow his captive any slack. So he did his best to ignore her tears, continuing about his business of tying her up. Folding the rope in half, he reached under her to pull the looped end around her waist. And fitting the two ends of the rope through the loop, formed a rope belt. Tugging it tight, he once again spread the lips of her pussy with one hand, as he pulled the two strands of rope between them and between her legs with the other hand, ignoring her whimper in doing so. Raising himself up off her thighs, he flipped her back over onto her stomach and reached for another rope. Her hand were flailing around as if hoping to accomplish something. Whether it be to remove the rope from between her slit and her ass cheeks or to fight him, he wasn't sure. But once he grabbed hold of her wrists, he tied them together with the latest length of rope. Then taking the rope hanging from between her legs, he ran it over the bindings holding her wrists together and pulled down hard. The result was threefold, as it forced her hands tightly against her ass, pulled the rope deeper into her cunt, and drew the loudest scream from her yet. Without the gag, perhaps the neighbors would have heard her. Slipping the remaining length of rope between her legs once more, he flipped her back over onto her back to tie the rope off at the front of her rope belt, pulling it tight enough beforehand that he lifted her ass off the floor. Her crying was much louder now. The crotch rope was probably overkilled. Any girl who hid away from the world in her house was probably too timid to be a threat to him. But he had no way of knowing if her agoraphobia was her only emotional problem. For all he knew, she could have also been hiding because of a violent side. Besides, a part of him was getting off on tying that delightful body into a tight little package. And he knew from dabbling with bondage before that nothing took the fight out of a girl quicker than a tight crotch rope connected to the wrists in such a manner. She was squirming at the moment, unhappy with the bondage, but she would be reluctant to do anything with her hands to try and free herself. Any movement of the hands away from her ass would pull the rope deeper into her pussy. And after a certain point, she would try to be as still as possible to minimize the movement of the crotch rope. But the rope would continue to irritate her cunt to the point that remaining still would be difficult. He'd watched a former girlfriend work herself into a lather, fighting, then trying to be still, then fighting again against the crotch rope. She was soaked in sweat by the time he let her free. Looking over his shoulder, Jake debated whether to tie the girl's ankles. He planned to explore the house, which meant that he couldn't just leave her with her legs free. Which meant that he could have her accompany him in his tour of her humble abode, or he would have to tie those ankles. Forcing her to walk with that crotch rope would be crueler than what he'd done so far, so he decided to reach into the backpack for another rope. She jerked at the feeling of the rope touch the skin of her stomach. What was he doing now? He already had her bound. He didn't need to do this. Her eyes widened as he put the rope between her legs, pulling it against her skin, drawing a whimper from her. She tried to get free of the ropes, but was unsuccessful. She tried as hard as she could to stop him from tieing her hands together but failed. Her hands were pulled down and tied with another rope, then held in place with the rope that ran between her legs, making any movement of her hands pull on the rope. As it was, the rope drew tighter, drawing a scream from her. She shook her head as he flipped her over again, wanting it all to stop. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve this, but she was miserable at that point. Each movement that she made, caused a whimper to pass her lips. She was really crying, wanting to beg him not take the rope from her legs, but didn't want to anger him. She watched as he grabbed another rope, and she cried harder, shaking her head, thinking he was going to bring yet another torture upon her. ((IOC: I'm beginning to wonder if I'm enjoying this role a little too much.)) Jake got to his feet, stepped over to remove the girl's slippers from her feet, then pulled the jeans and panties off of her. Before she could decide to start kicking, he grabbed her ankles, crossed them, and roped them together, running the excess rope up over her wrists and back to the ankles in a modified hogtie. Finally satisfied that she was secure, he stepped over to her head, knelt down, and stroked her face, saying "Don't go anywhere. I'll be back." Jake then proceeded to explore the house. He considered disconnecting the land-line phone, but worried that someone might call her and get suspicious at a dead connection. So he moved the phone to the top of a tall bookshelf. Within reach for him, but not for her, even if she wasn't tied. The block of knives in the kitchen, he moved to a high cabinet, once again out of her reach. He then looked through the mail piled on a side table, checking for contact with individuals other than the utility company, phone company, insurance companies and the like. No personal mail at all. The cell phone in her bedroom, he put in his pocket. And the laptop on her desk, he put under his arm. He looked around for photos of other people that would indicate that Brittany had friends who might look in on her. But there were none. Everywhere he looked seemed to confirm that there was no one in this girl's life. Returning to the living room, Jake sat on the couch and watched the girl squirming around on the floor. She was trying not to move so as not to tug at the rope pulled deep into her pussy. But it irritated her, making it impossible to remain still. Reaching for the remote, he turned on the TV, searching for the morning news." Murder suspect Jake Morgan escaped from the county jail last night. Jake has been implicated in the murder of Donald Taft, the president of ACME Bank. Police warn that Morgan should be considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, contact the city police department at the number on your screen." There was no indication that the police had followed up on the evidence he had given them of his innocence of murder. Perhaps they already knew of his other crimes and had decided to tack the murder charge on for good measure. Sighing, Jake turned the TV off and sat there watching the girl, trying to decide what to do next. (IOC: I like it. So it's no problem with me.) Brittany struggled as he started tieing her feet together, trying to kick him, but he secured her legs too quickly. He tied her feet together, then tied the last of the rope to her wrists, giving her another thing not to move. She watched as he walked away from her, leaving her alone on the floor. She started to try and pull her wrists free, but all she accomplished was the jerking of the rope against her sex. Furthermore, she started crying again, wishing she could cut the ropes away from her body and give her relief, but that wouldn't happen. There was no way that she'd be getting free from this. She saw him walk back in and grew still, trying not to move as much, but it didn't last long. She would move every once in a while which brought a cry from her. Furthermore, she tried again to pull her hands free, but nothing happened. Furthermore, she heard the TV and started crying harder, wanting to scream he was here in her house. Wanting to beg them to save her. But she couldn't. She watched him after he turned the TV off, hoping he'd release her from the ropes, but knew he wouldn't. He didn't tie her up like this only to release her from it ten minutes later. Jake knew he couldn't keep the girl tied like that forever. Her neck would start to cramp up from her head being forced back like that. The gag would chafe the corners of her lips and her pussy. And she would begin to lose circulation in her extremities. But the stringency of the bondage was more than him indulging some deep dark sadism. Or to prevent her escape. It was his way of establishing who was in charge, while impressing on her how brutal or how gentle his control could be. He would give her a little more time to fight the ropes before he would begin to remove some of them. In the meantime, he began leafing through the mail that he had brought with him from the kitchen. He made note of the bills that were due so that he could ensure that they were paid. He assumed that an agoraphobia would probably pay her bills online, so that she wouldn't have to leave the house or talk with someone on the phone. Which meant that he would eventually have to coax the password to her laptop out of her. And perhaps a few pins as well. Glancing over at her agonized face, he asked, "Do you feel like talking with me, Brittany?" Brittany continued to struggle for a bit, then grow still after it became too much for her. She looked over at him when he asked her if she was ready to talk. She nodded her head. "Yet." She told him. Anything to get out of the bondage that he put her in. Jake opened up her laptop and powered it up before getting off the couch and stepping over to kneel by the girl's head. Her eyes got wide with fear as he unsheathed the hunting knife, but calmed a bit as he reached for the rope joining her gag to her elbow bondage. A quick slice and her head sprang forward, no longer under tension. A sigh of relief came from her. Then he carefully cut away her rope gag. While she lay there, moving her jaw from side to side, he moved down to her crotch rope, cutting it. But in one last act of mischief, rather than pulling the rope from her slit, he dragged it slowly through the divide the whole length of the rope, as she moaned in a manner that could have been interpreted as either pain or pleasure. Smirking at her response, Jake lifted the girl up in his arms and carried her over to the couch, where he perched her on her knees facing him. Her lower body leaned against the front of the couch as she knelt between his legs. For the first time, he took a perfect look at the face of Brittany Bender. In spite of the marks left by the rope gag, he could see that she was a stunner. In an uncharacteristic move, given the situation, he felt compelled to lightly stroke her cheek. She tried to pull back, surprised by the gesture. But his other hand wrapped around the back of her head, holding it in place." Such a waste that someone as beautiful as you would hide herself away from the world," he murmured softly, as he leaned in close to her face. She tried to move away from him when she saw the knife in his hand, but stopped when he started cutting the ropes, causing her head to fall forward, almost hitting the floor before she stopped it. She sighed with relief when she was able to move her hands again without causing the ropes to rub against her. She tensed up when he lifted her up and carried her into the living room and set her on her knees and sat down so she was in between his legs. Furthermore, she looked up at him, glaring at him. Furthermore, she didn't want him to be there. Furthermore, she wanted him gone. "I don't feel safe out there." She told him, still glaring. Jake smiled at her, seeing a certain irony in her response. Up until this point, the girl's shirt had remained intact. But now, he unbuttoned it. And was met by a powder blue bra that matched the powder blue panties that he had already removed. Pulling his knife once, he reached for the narrow strip of elastic that joined the cups, as her eyes grew fearful once more. And then changed his mind. Sheathing the knife once again, he leaned forward, reaching around her. His beard brushing her face as he unclasped the bra and removed it. Whispering in her ear, he asked, "Tell me, Brittany. Do you feel any safer in here?" She started crying again as he unbuttoned her shirt, revealing her bra to his gaze. She wanted to pull away from him, but he would always just jerk her back towards him. Furthermore, she froze with fear as he pulled the knife slide it between the fabric, but changed his mind and sheathed it instead, then unclasped it from the back and pulled it off of her. At his question, she shook her head. "I did before, but not anymore." She replied, still shaking her head. Leaning back, Jake got his first look at her breasts. He had never been obsessed with large breasts. He went by the philosophy that anything larger than a handful, and you risked straining something while playing with them. The girl's breasts were the perfect size. At least by his standards. He reached out with both hands and gave them a squeeze. Nothing painful, though to look at her clenching her teeth, one would have thought otherwise. She tried to pull away, which forced him to squeeze tighter until she gave in. Cupping her breasts, he lightly swirled his thumbs around her nipples, feeling them stiffen in response." Niiiiiiiiiiiice," he murmured. She whimpered softly as he rolled the little nips between his thumbs and first fingers, like they were nobs on a radio. Glancing to his side, Jake noticed that the laptop was at the password screen. So, as he continued to tease her nipples, he softly said, "Tell me your password, Brittany." She tried pulling away from him when he gripped her breasts, but he just tightened his grip on her. "Please, just let me go." She begged him. "I'll let you stay here. I won't try to get free. I won't even get in your way. Just please, leave me alone." She begged him, but he just kept on doing what he wanted. She whimpered when he started rolling her nipples, not bothering to pull away this time. When asked what her password was, she closed her eyes. "Safe house." She whispered, tears running down her cheeks. Jake listened patiently to her pleas. And smiled with mild amusement at her ironic choice of password. But rules were rules. And once again she had spoken without being told to. So, reaching over to her clothing, which he had laid on the couch next to his backpack, he picked up her panties. With his other hand, he reached behind her head, grasped her hair, and jerked back. HARD! The moment her mouth sprang open for a scream of pain, he stuffed the panties inside. Using her hair as a handle, he forced her to lean forward until their faces were inches apart." Listen up, bitch," Jake growled in a soft, but menacing tone of voice. "I told you before, no talking unless I ask you to. From here on in, every time you violate one of the rules, the punishment is going to get more and more painful. Now, keep those panties in your mouth until I remove them. I'd tape your fuckin' mouth shut, except that I'll have more questions to ask you in a few minutes. Until then, NO TALKING!" Jake continued to force her head forward and down until it was laying on his crotch. Let her feel the bulge and worry about what was coming, he thought. Then he turned his attention back to the computer. When she felt his hand on the back of her head, she tried to pull away, but he fisted his hand and jerked her head back, dragging a cry of pain from her lips, but it was muffled when he shoved her panties into her. She tried to spit them out, but it seemed impossible. She nodded her head in understanding and started crying yet again. So much fear ran through her, she couldn't think straight and when he pushed her head down towards his crotch, it only heightened upon feeling he hardened cock. She tried pulling away, but he held control of her, not letting her move. Jake kept Brittany's head in his lap with one hand while browsing through her laptop for her Internet history with the other. Once she stopped fighting him, he lightly stroked her cheek, his effort to try and keep her calm. "That's a good girl," he murmured softly. Seeing that she visited Acme Bank's website regularly, Jake assumed that meant she had her account there. He would need some money when it came time to flee the country. So he minimized their website. And her correspondences with Mad off Accounting indicated she worked for them from home. He sat back for a moment, worried about whether they would get in contact with her about work. She appeared to be in-between projects for them, so he pulled up a copy of one of her correspondences to them and retyped the subject line and subject into a request for a two-week break to take care of "personal business". Then he hit send. He would have to watch over the next couple of days to see if the request was granted. Jake's cock was beginning to become a distraction. Stiff and hard, it was uncomfortable in his jeans. So he slid his zipper down and let it free. His rod slapped against the girl's face, causing her to pull back. Reaching into her mouth, he pulled her panties out." How about tending to my cock, Brittany?" he said oh so sweetly. "But no teeth!" he added, pulling his knife and waiving it in front of her eyes as a warning. It was his version of the soft approach, just to see how compliant she would be. Brittany just stayed still, but she disposed the position he forced her into. What had she done to deserve this? Was it because she didn't go out that her did this? Did he purposely target her? When his cock hit her in the face she jerked back, wanting to get away from it, the fear in her expression. She started ti shake her head but stopped once she saw the knife. Crying she leaned forward and put her mouth over him and sucked on him, forcing herself not to run from him. Jake slides down a little on the couch to provide easier access to the girl. She's a bit tentative, but that's no surprise. He wasn't expecting Linda Lovelace. Brittany had isolated herself from the world so thoroughly, that the surprise would have been if she had demonstrated mad blowjob skills. Jake's left hand was in her hair, sometimes playing with it, sometimes gripping it. Moving the girl's lips around to where he wanted them, not where she wanted them. And all while, his right hand was on her laptop keyboard, reading through her email correspondences. There would have been a certain delightful wickedness to reading her private thoughts online while forcing his cock down her throat, except that she seemed to have no friends or family that she corresponded with. And most her chats were in agoraphobia chatroom. Comparing notes with other people who she would never meet because none of them would ever step outside their front door. This was getting depressing. And since he decided he didn't need the pin to her online bank account as much as he would need her ATM bank card pin later, he decided to close the laptop down and devote his attention completely to Brittany. Maybe he was just trying to justify breaking and entering and sexual assault, but it seemed to Jake that Brittany needed someone like him to scare her out of the house and into the world of people once more. He had to smirk at the somewhat lame excuse he was using for his actions. Gripping the hair at the back of her head once more with one hand and the base of his cock with the other, he growled "Open up, bitch. Let's see how much you can take." Brittany shut her eyes tight, wanting to shut him out, but it didn't work. Him being in her mouth made that impossible. She wanted nothing more than to pull away from him, but she knew that that would just get him angry again. When he moved her head further down his cock, she started struggling, but she stilled again after a while. She just needed to get through this and it would be over. The left hand gripped the hair at the back of her head, the right hand cupped her chin, forcing her mouth further open. He would slowly force her head down until she started to gag, and then pull it back, giving her a moment to catch her breath. Then he would repeat the process. He was getting her accustomed to going deep. Eventually, he let go of her head and told her, "Keep at it until you make me come." Jake wasn't naturally cruel. But there was a turn-on to having absolute control of another. And when the "other" was a woman of surprising beauty, it was hard not to want to push her buttons. To try and take her out of herself. Whether Brittany knew it or not, she was lovely. And lovely in a manner that he hadn't expected her to be. It might have sounded demeaning to say, but she was like an unexpected toy received at Christmas. And he was planning to play with her right up to the moment of his departure. Leaning back as she continued to lick and suck his cock, he lightly stroked her cheek. "Good girl," he murmured, as he closed his eyes and concentrated on the sensation of her tongue licking his cock. Relishing the warmth of her mouth. Brittany just kept moving her head up and down his cock, just like he showed her to. She didn't want to, but with him watching her so intently, she had to keep it up. She tried to pull her wrists free from the ropes, but they were too tight. Furthermore, she couldn't do anything to get free from him. So she kept up her movements. Brittany was no expert on giving head, but gazing at her lovely face, his cock deep in her throat, was enough of a turn-on to get Jake hard. When he could feel his cum about to erupt, he eased himself into a standing position so that she was looking up rather than down. And when the moment came, he held her head in his hands to keep it still and told her "Swallow it all, slut!" She choked and gagged and struggled for air, but eventually, she took it all down. Grabbing a tissue, Jake pulled his rod out of her mouth and wiped it down. And wiped away the dribble coming from her lip. He could be an asshole, but he'd never thought much about humiliating a woman by splashing cum over her face. He preferred to keep that beautiful face reasonably unmarred and tidy. What was the desire to have a beautiful woman if you then messed up that beauty? Caressing her cheek, he stated "I think breakfast is in order!" Not waiting for an answer, Jake bent down, lifted her into his arms, and carried her to the kitchen. Setting her on one of the kitchen chairs, her bound elbows and wrists over and behind the backrest, he leaned in close to her face. "Remember. Don't speak unless spoken to." Then, to reinforce the point, he pinched one of her nipples. HARD. She squealed, but said nothing. Stepping back to survey her naked body, Jake decided, "Pancakes! Definitely pancakes!" And then proceeded to gather the ingredients and the cookware necessary. Brittany gagged when he came, but she forced herself to swallow it, not wanting to make him angry with her. The last thing she wanted was another rope tied between her legs. That hadn't been fun at all. When he wiped off her chin, it surprised her. He seemed gentle when she knew he wasn't. Just the opposite. When he suggested breakfast, she didn't reply. Just let him lift her up and carry her into the kitchen. She whimpered as he pinched her nipple, trying to turn her chest away from his hand, but he just followed her movements. She nodded her head, wanting him to stop touching her, but she knew that wouldn't happen. She sat there, watching him as he made the breakfast, unable to do anything else. Jake kept repeating and painfully reinforcing the rule against speaking unless spoken to because he knew he was taking a risk in keeping Brittany untagged. At this early in the morning, it was probable that if she let out a scream from within her house, the neighbors wouldn't hear it. Most of them were inside and just waking up. But once they were out and about, doing yard-work, headed for school, or for work, a gag would probably be necessary. He didn't want to rely on his knife to keep her quiet, because there might come a time when she would reach a breaking point. And throwing caution and common sense into the wind, she would let out a scream. Perhaps when the mailman comes by. Jake wasn't interested in breaking the girl, but just bending her to his will until it came time to make his escape. But he had no way of knowing how long he would have to hide out here. Perhaps a week. Perhaps longer. During that time, he could treat her as a sex toy to keep himself entertained with. Or he could take a gentler approach, while still keeping her a captive, hoping to win her over to some extent. But before deciding how to handle her, he needed to know more about her. As he stirred the pancake batter he glanced over at her, fidgeting in her chair. Bound and naked and oh so desirable. He needed to know why someone that attractive would shut herself away." Tell me, Brittany. When did you first become afraid to step out the front door of your house?" Brittany watched him as he moved through her kitchen, using the things that she bought to make himself food. She glared at him, but didn't say anything. She wasn't about to anger him into hitting him, or worse. Furthermore, she still couldn't believe this had happened. It was partially her fault for secluding herself from everyone around her. Had she not done that, she would soon be missed by those people. But that wouldn't happen. No one would miss her. No one would notice that she was gone. She tried to get her hands free from the ropes, but they were to well tied that she couldn't get her hands loose, but that didn't stop her from trying. She soon caused chaffing on her wrists, but she didn't give any indication of that fact. When he asked her that, she shrugged. "I don't know. I just became too scared to go outside. Always have been until I had a panic attack and couldn't go outside anymore. No one knows what caused it." She said, the only reason she told him that, was she didn't want to anger him. Jake noticed how Brittany squirmed in the chair. She was clearly trying to get out of the ropes. But he was good at tying ropes. Besides, if she got out of the ropes around her wrists, there were still the ropes joining her elbows together. He came over to the table, juggling a plate of pancakes, a bottle of syrup, a bottle of honey, and two cups of coffee. Setting them on the table he looked at her in surprise, as she answered his question." You mean to say that there was no specific incident that caused you to become an agoraphobia. Say for instance an encounter with a mean, nasty man like me?" Jake tried to make it sound a bit like humor, but he was genuinely curious. Surely there had to be some major trauma in her life that made her afraid to leave the house. He couldn't imagine this happening without a cause. As he asked, he lightly stroked a nipple. And looked over her shoulder at her arms, checking that they weren't turning red from lack of circulation. Then Jake pulled up a seat next to her and started pouring syrup on the pancakes while waiting for her response. She just shook her head in reply to his question. "No. Not that I can remember." She told him, not telling him that the first seven years were a blank to her. She couldn't believe that he was asking her these personal questions. The only reason she even answered his questions was so that she wouldn't anger him and so far it was working. She tried pulling away from his touch, but she didn't want to risk falling over backwards and onto the floor. She ended up just turning away from his touch. He smiled with amusement when she turned away. Her answer was hardly satisfying. Jake suspected there was something she wasn't telling him. But he decided to put it aside in favor of breakfast. He cut a fork-full of pancakes, dripping with syrup. But before bringing the fork to her mouth, he gave her a warning." This is going to get a bit messy, Brittany. It's probably a good thing you're not wearing clothing." He gave her a smirk before continuing. "How messy it gets, depends on you. You can clamp your mouth shut and refuse to eat the pancakes. In which case, the syrup will continue to dribble all over that delicious-looking body of yours, forcing me to lick you clean. OR you can open up, enjoy the pancakes, and we can have a relatively civilized breakfast. So what's it going to be, Brittany?" He started to move the fork full of pancakes and syrup towards her lips. In either case, she was probably going to get some syrup on her. The only question was, how much and where. She watched as he poured the syrup on the pancakes. When he told her that she had the choice of eating it or letting the syrup drip onto her chest, she shook her head. "I can't eat that. It's got too much syrup on it." She told him. When he got an angry look on his face, she shook her head. "I've got diabetes. I can't eat that much syrup. It would cause a spike in my blood sugar." She told him quickly, hoping he would understand. Jake muttered a curse as he pulled the fork away from her lips and back to the plate. Diabetes? Diabetes added a new wrinkle to the situation. It meant meters and testing. And poor blood circulation, which meant he would have to check the ropes and limbs regularly to insure he wasn't cutting off circulation to those limbs. He sighed and moved the plate away from her. He still had batter enough for another plate of pancakes for her. So he ate what was on the plate in front of him, while asking her about her condition." Diabetes, huh. I have a few questions then. Where is the meter and the test strips? And how often do you need to be tested? And what DO you have on your pancakes, Brittany?" She watched as he ate the plateful. She nodded her head and looked up at him, wondering what he was thinking. "It's in the light blue case on the bookshelf over there. I need to be tested at least three times a day or if I'm showing symptoms of low or high blood sugar. And I like a small amount of syrup on my pancakes." She replied, looking away from him. Jake nodded, got up to check for the case she referred to see if she was pulling his leg, and then made some more pancakes for her. This was kind of disappointing, since he fully intended to spill some syrup on her, just so he could lick it off of her. Still, there was no reason why he couldn't lay her on the table and use some of that syrup, plus various other toppings (he'd seen chocolate syrup and whipped cream earlier) for a feast of his own. But the news of her diabetes had killed the mood for the moment. "Perhaps later," he sighed, as he flipped the pancakes. He would have to find out from her what other things to avoid doing to her. Bringing the pancakes over to the table with a pat of butter on them, he held the bottle of syrup over them." Say when." She watched as he made her pancakes, trying to get her hands loose from the ropes, but she knew it was pointless. She'd never get free from him. Not unless he wanted her to, and she knew he wouldn't want her to. He'd keep her prisoner as long as he wanted and no one would know she was being tormented by anyone. When he finished and brought the pancakes over, she watched as he put syrup on it and when he'd put enough on, she nodded. "When." She murdered, and waited for him to start feeding her. She just wished he would let her eat her own food. That he would untie her long enough to eat. Jake knew that Brittany probably wanted to feed herself. And as long as her ankles were tied, she wasn't likely to try anything with a fork as a weapon. But the simple truth was that he liked feeding her. This feeling of absolute control over such a beauty as her was a turn-on. He was tempted to tease her by missing her mouth, just to have something to lick or nibble off her body. But the revelation that she had diabetes sobered him a bit. It meant he had to handle her with a bit more care. Not that he was going to free her from her restraints. But there would come a time when he would have to change her bondage. Or at least make it less restrictive. Rope tends to shrink when it gets wet, possibly cutting off circulation. So he would need something else when it came time for a bath or a shower. And once people were up and about in the neighborhood, he would need to gag her. And then there were the other reasons why she would need to go to the bathroom. The window in the bathroom meant he couldn't trust her in there alone. She ate the pancakes in silence. And there wasn't enough syrup on them to drip, so nothing for him to lick." What about orange juice?" he asked, vaguely recalling that there seemed to be an argument over whether it was good or bad for diabetics. "Or coffee? Or would you prefer something else to drink?" Jake felt like he was catering too much to her, but one thing he did not want to do was harm his captive. He might threaten to harm her, but he wanted to leave with her relatively unscathed. Damn, she looked so beautiful. He had to shake himself to remember she was his hostage, not someone he was trying to romance. Brittany ate quietly, not wanting to risk angering him, though he seemed to calm down quite a bit. She didn't look at him, just looked at the table in front of them. She didn't want to see his face. Furthermore, she had to figure out a way to get away from him. To get help. How she was going to manage that, she had no idea, all she knew was that if she tried and failed, he would be angry at her and would do something to her. When he asked her if she wanted something to drink, she nodded, still not making eye contact with him. "I'd like some coffee. I like a packet of spend in it. It's in the cupboard up there." She told him, motioning towards the correct cabinet. Once Brittany had her coffee, Jake used a napkin to wipe her lips. Going to the living room for a moment, he came back with a roll of duct tape. And her panties in his back pocket. Then he knelt to untie her ankles, only to retie them with a short rope between them serving as a hobble. She could now walk, but only in short steps. Then he stepped around behind her and removed the ropes from her wrists." Come on. Let's see what you need to do in the bathroom," he said gruffly, lifting her to her feet and keeping a hold of her by the ropes joining her elbows. He somehow felt it was proper to have her brush her teeth before gagging her. An odd consideration on his part. And then he would let her decide whether she was ready to sacrifice modesty to take care of other bathroom needs in his presence. Walking Brittany to the bathroom, Jake gave her a toothbrush with toothpaste on it, telling her, "I was kinky with a girlfriend one time and found that she could still brush her teeth with her elbows tied. I suspect you can probably do it as well." He then gave her a slight smirk. Brittany watched as he untied her feet, then retied them, giving her the ability to walk, though, only small steps. She walked with him towards the bathroom, wishing he would just remove the ropes and let her walk at a normal pace, but she knew he wouldn't. She entered the bathroom, then took the toothbrush from him. "I can tell you now, I'm not going to be able to brush my teeth with my elbows tied. I'm not that flexible." She told him, shaking her head. Growling his irritation, Jake untied the ropes at her elbows. Then he leaned up behind her, pressing her against the sink. His legs were between hers, spreading them apart. His boots were on the rope joining her ankles to keep her from moving them. "Satisfied?" he asked her, lowering his head to kiss her shoulder, as one hand reached around to cradle a breast and the other reached around to lightly stroke her pussy. He found it so hot looking up at her face in the mirror looking back at him, dismayed by his closeness. Probably because her ass could feel the hard-on in his jeans." You'd best get to brushing, Brittany," he said, reminding her of why they were there. She was glad that he untied her elbows and was about to brush her teeth when he stepped up behind her and her eyes widened and looked at him in the mirror. She felt his length against her, and she wanted to pull away, but there was nowhere for her to go. At his reminder, she started brushing her teeth quickly, wanting to get it over with so he could step away from her. She was hurrying to brush her teeth, as if she thought that would be the end of his pressing up against her. Silly girl. He liked this position. Thanks to the mirror, he could admire both the front and the back of her. He could tease her from behind and still be able to see the reaction on her face. And she could see the look of lust on his as well. Two Brittany's and two Jake's, staring back at each other. His only regret was that she didn't have the same desire in her eyes that he did. Still, there was no way of knowing how things would develop over the next week or so. He pulled his hand away from her pussy and reached back to squeeze one of the cheeks of her ass. Such a delightfully firm ass it was. Jake glanced briefly at the tub and shower, considering using one or the other, but decided to wait until evening. A warm bath beforehand might put her more at ease when sharing a bed with him. As she rinsed her mouth out, he asked her, "Is there any other urgent business you need to take care of in here?" Brittany just continued brushing her teeth, glancing up occasionally at him as she did, noticing the lust in his expression. That sent fear through her. She knew he was going to be doing things like that to her, but seeing that in his eyes scared her more than anything. If he desired her, he'd stay longer, if not forever and there wasn't anything she could do. She jerked away from him as he squeezed her ass, but she couldn't go far. She tried to move out from between him and the counter, but there wasn't any room to. So she just finished brushing her teeth, hoping that he'd move away from her then. She bent down to spit out and that just pushed her harder against his cock so she hurried and rinsed her mouth out and stood back up. At his question, she shook her head. She'd already done her business that morning so she didn't need to. "I'm done." She told him, hoping he'd move back and give her room. "Alright," Jake replied, as he pulled her arms behind her back and retied her wrists together. He decided to do without the elbow bondage for the moment, unsure how much circulation he could risk cutting off with a diabetic. Eventually, he would have to ask her about her testing schedule as well, but not yet. Tearing off a strip of duct tape, Jake stuck it to the edge of the sink. Then he pulled Brittany's panties out of his back pocket as he jerked her back into an upright position by her hair. The moment she opened her mouth in a gasp (or maybe a scream), he started stuffing them in her mouth, growling in her ear, "Open wide, Brittany!" The wide-eyed look she gave the mirror and him was priceless. Once her cheeks were nicely filled, he took the strip of duct tape from the edge of the sink and sealed her mouth. But as wide as her eyes had gotten, they grew wider as he pulled on a glove and pulled out a tube of lubricant. Placing his other hand on her back, he pushed her down until her upper body lay on the sink. She was less likely to cause him troubles in that position. Brittany's sphincter muscles tightened up the moment his lubricated finger touched her asshole. But not fast enough to keep him out." Relax, girl. This will go a lot easier if you do." Jake had considered plunging his cock right into her ass. But while Jake was an ass, he wasn't that much of an ass. A girl who had hidden away from the world was possibly a virgin when it came to all her openings. So loosening her up was probably a good idea. Her muscles tightened around his finger, as if hoping to keep it from getting further in. But once in the opening, there was little she could do, as he started to work her ass. Pumping in and out of it and stroking the walls as he did. She was mumbling something into her gag. Whether it was a plea for him to stop, a few curse words, or a sound of pleasure, didn't matter to him. Stepping to one side of her, he leaned forward and started to lick his way slowly down her spine, from her neck down to her ass, all the while, continuing to finger her ass. Until she became so distracted, she loosened up enough for him to insert a second finger. Brittany just stood still as he tied her wrists behind her back, glad that he didn't tie her elbows as well. At least now she'd be more comfortable. She wanted to fight against him, but he had the upper hand over her and there wasn't anything she could do. She watched him as he tore a strip of duct tape off and grabbed her panties out of his pocket and jerk her head back. "No! Helmet!" She started, but her cries for help was cut off. She struggled against him, her eyes widening as he placed the duct tape over her mouth, making her unable to make sounds. When she noticed him putting a glove on, she grew confused, wondering what he was going to do. When she saw the tube of lubrication, her eyes grew wide. He was going to rape her and there wasn't anything she could do about it. She struggled again as he pushed her down onto the sink, but once there, she had no leverage. She had been expecting him to go for her pussy, not her ass. But he did. She tried to jerk herself away from him, but he held her still. There wasn't anything she could do about it. She tightened herself up, hoping that would stop him, but he just continued to push his fingers into her. She tried to beg him to stop, but the gag stopped her. Her sounds were muffled by them. Brittany stiffened up even more when he began to kiss his way down her spine. What was he doing? She asked herself. She was so distracted by his kisses, she relaxed and stayed that way until she felt him push a second finger into her. At that, she tightened up again and shook her head. "MMM, tasty. It must be your body wash that gives you that fruity taste," Jake murmured as he licked his way down her back. She had a lean build. Surprising for someone who stayed at home. Obviously she worked out on a regular basis on her exercise equipment in the corner of the bedroom. He would have to see if he could somehow keep her on her exercise regimen, he thought with a smirk." You have a lovely body, Brittany. Believe me when I say I have no desire to hurt you any more than necessary. But I also can't stand that this lovely body of yours has remained in this house alone for so long without sex. There is something inherently wrong with hiding this body away from the world." It was a perverse justification for what he planned to do to her, but a part of him truly believed he needed to drag her out of her shell for her own good. Continuing his licking, he reached the top of her ass shortly after inserting a third finger inside her. Her ass was beginning to loosen up and dilate. Sliding his fingers out of her, he stepped back behind her so she couldn't see him discard his glove, pull out his cock, and put a condom on. He didn't immediately plunge into her, but spent a couple of minutes massaging and squeezing those luscious ass cheeks. Lowering her guard so that when he spread her ass open and plunged in, she wasn't ready to clench her muscles until too late. She let out a muffled moan, he let out a sigh of delight. She was so warm and tight. Jake then began at a slow pace stroking in and out of her ass, his hands holding onto her hips." How's that feel, Brittany? It might be alien to you now, but after a while you'll enjoy it." He could see her shaking her head, trying to deny it. But after a while, her hips started moving to meet his, matching his rhythm. Brittany didn't comment on that, wouldn't have if she could. She did use a fruit scented body was and she didn't bother denying it. He'd find out that it was true whenever he allowed her to take a shower. She tried to pull away from him, but he wasn't going to allow that. He just continued thrusting his fingers into her, stretching her. She glared at his reflection in the mirror, tears started rolling down her cheeks. Why was he doing this to her? She'd never done anything to hurt him or anyone. She didn't deserve this. When he inserted a third finger into her, she jerked away from him, making a sound of protest. When he pulled back out, she closed her eyes in relief, thinking he was done with that part. She remained relaxed until she felt him push into her. She groaned and started fighting. Furthermore, she screamed into the gag, shaking her head. She continued to struggle, trying to get free, shaking her head. How could she enjoy this. He was taking her in the butt. There was no enjoying this. She couldn't. Sighing, Jake leaned forward and raised Brittany to an upright position by her shoulders, then wrapped his arms around her. One hand cupping her breast, his thumb lightly stroking her nipple. Whether she was enjoying herself or not, he could feel her nipple harden under his touch. His other hand was on her pussy, a finger stroking inside her, while the thumb teased her clit. Whether she was enjoying herself or not, she was wet down there. He could feel how slick his finger was inside her and the way her clit also hardened under his touch. Jake's cock continued to slowly push into her and pull out of her, as she was still trapped against the sink. His head on her shoulder, he turned to kiss her neck and breath in the scent of her hair. Then looking in the mirror at the two of them, him enjoying her body and her looking all angst driven, he spoke." Listen, sweet thing. I know this is not how you planned to spend the day. It is what it is, though. I needed a place to hide out, and yours was ideal. You've gone out of your way to cut all contact with the outside world. So no one is going to stop by to check on you if you fail to show up to work or fail to show up at your hairdresser or stop showing up at your favorite restaurant. No one is expecting you to show up anywhere, because you don't go anywhere. If you had been a guy, I would have tied you up in the corner and ignored you. If you had been an old lady, I would have locked you in a room with no phone and ignored you. But unfortunately for you, you are a hot babe, whether you know it or not. And I'm a horny guy who has a lot of time on my hands until the authorities stop looking for me. The way I see it you have one of several choices here. You can spend all your time asking yourself "Why is he doing this to me?" when I've already given you the reason why. You can embrace the situation you're in and start to enjoy yourself. Which isn't going to happen, because I'm invading your space. I'm sorry about that, but it can't be helped. You can spend your time fighting me. And losing because of my size advantage, muscles, and knife. You can simply accept that shit sometimes happens and try and relax and find your pleasure where you can in this situation. That last option would be my choice, if I were you. You have such a smokin' hot body that can you honestly say nothing I'm doing to you is pleasurable?" He pulled his finger out of her pussy and brought it up to his mouth to lick the juices off of it." Mmmm, tasty!" She felt her body betraying her and growing aroused as he touched her as if he had the right to. He had no right to do it, but there wasn't anything she could do. Her hands were tied. Literally. She made whimpering sounds as he continued to move into her, wishing he'd just get on with it and finish so he would leave her alone. She listened to his words, wanting to tell him to go to hell. Furthermore, she had wished he had done one or the other rather than doing this to her. At least she wouldn't be humiliated that way. But instead he did this to her. Took her in the butt, a place that wasn't meant to be taken. She knew that she wouldn't win against him in a fight. But she didn't want to give in and take it. She watched as he withdrew his finger and sucked on it, glaring at him, wishing she could say what was on her mind. Go to hell you asshole. Jake saw the anger in Brittany's eyes and thought, GOOD. He didn't want to see that weepy whimpering Brittany anymore. When the time came for him to leave, he didn't want to leave behind a broken girl curled up in a corner and sobbing her eyes out. Instead, he wanted to leave behind an angry girl determined to pick up the pieces of her life and move on. A girl perhaps with the courage not to hide in her house any longer. In the meantime, Jake started to pump her ass at a faster pace. Let her feed on her anger towards him. Anger had always worked for him. Many days, anger was all he had to feed on. So once again he looked in the mirror at her angry face looking back at him. And he smiled back, stroking in and out of her ass even faster. She started struggling for freedom again. Though what she was going to do with her hands behind her back, she didn't know, but she knew she had to get free. She winced as he sped up, glaring at him when he smiled at her. Actually smiled at her as though he wasn't even raping her. She couldn't believe this. She had to wipe that smile off of his face. Furthermore, she slammed her head back, connecting with his face, a satisfied look on her face afterward. BAM! She staggered Jake back with that headbutt. It took him several moments to get the stars out of his eyes. When he did, he glared at her angrily. Grabbing her hair, he jerked Brittany's head back viciously. He then pulled his knife and laid the flat of the blade against her neck. He scowled into the mirror as she glared back at him. But what did he expect her to do? Just give up while he reamed her ass? No! She'd done exactly what he would have done if he had been in her shoes. Ever so slowly, his anger dissipated. And his face relaxed into a smile." Damn girl, you got me good!" he exclaimed with a soft chuckle as he pulled the knife away from her throat and sheathed it. Then, to her surprise, he turned and kissed her cheek. "That's what I want to see. Some fire in you." He then pushed her upper body back down onto the counter to avoid another headbutt, while he continued to fuck her ass. Jake actually found her act of defiance a turn-on that made his cock even harder. He came shortly thereafter, reaching forward to jerk her hair back so that she could see into the mirror as he came. After which, he let her head flop back down onto the counter, while he stood there, his cock still in her ass, trying to decide what to do next. She watched with a smile as he staggered back a bit. Not enough for him to pull completely out of her. The smile didn't last long as he yanked her head back by her hair, drawing a cry of pain from her lips. She immediately started struggling, wanting freedom. That was until she felt the cold metal of the knife against her throat. That made her grow extremely still, glaring at him in the mirror. She expected him to retaliate. To hurt her in some way. But amazingly, his face turned into a smile. He was actually smiling at her. She grew confused when he sheathed his knife and kissed her cheek. What was he playing at? Some mind game most likely. To make her seem as though he wouldn't punish her for it. She tried to stop him from pushing her body down over the counter, but his strength overpowered her, and he had her down in no time. She got angry again. He made her feel helpless. In fact, she was helpless. He made her that way, and she hated him for it. She found herself being pulled back up to watch as he came, only to have her head released shortly after. She looked up at him and let him see the hate in her expression, showing him how she felt. Jake began to once again feel pangs of guilt after cumming in Brittany's ass. Was he being too hard on her? Pulling off the condom and throwing it away, he wiped her and himself off and cleaned up. Raising her to an upright position once more, he sat her over on the restroom while he stepped out to his backpack to get his toothbrush and toothpaste and then to retrieve her diabetes meter. Finishing brushing his teeth, he spent some time reading the instructions to her test meter. Then he examined the meter itself. Damn, he hated this. It added an element of uncertainty to his original plan for hiding out at this girl's place. Stepping over to Brittany, he pulled her wrists to one side so he could get at her fingers. "Now, hold still," he murmured. A prick of the finger and he stepped back and waited for the device to settle on a number. 160 mg/dL. Was that a good number? And if not, what the hell was he going to do next? He grabbed the literature and looked through it. That seemed to be an acceptable number, though the pamphlet seemed to love talking target ranges between meals, after meals, after exercise, etc. She could lie to him, but he decided to ask her anyhow. Turning the meter towards her, he asked her, "Is this good. Nod your head yes if it is or not if it isn't." At this moment, he was regretting gagging her, because he really needed more answers than a nod of the head. Brittany didn't give him any resistance when he took her blood sugar. That would be stupid of her to do, risking her life like that. She stayed still, not even feeling the prick of the needle. Seeing the number and hearing his question. She shrugged. It depended on whether it was raising and or lowering after her food. She wanted to nod, but she couldn't at the risk of it going up. She made motions for him to untag her, but she didn't know if he understood or not. Jake cursed under his breath. Why did this girl have to make things so complicated? He'd asked a simple yes or no question. What was so hard about that? Still, the last thing he wanted was for Brittany to come to harm. So he reluctantly and slowly began peeling the tape from her lips. And then removing her panties from her mouth. And then asking in a very irritated tone of voice, "What were you trying to say?" Brittany tensed slightly when he began cursing, hoping that he wouldn't start hitting her for her reply to him. She relaxed, though she winced as he took the tape off of her and took her panties from her mouth. "It depends if it's still rising or not. If it's rising, then I need a shot of insulin. If it's lowering, then it's fine. That's why I shrugged. I don't know." She told him truthfully. "You'll need to take it again in about 20 minutes to know for sure." "OK." Jake sighed, as he lifted her to her feet. "Let's go into the living room, then." Taking Brittany back to the living room couch he ordered her to lay down, then grabbed a blanket off a nearby chair and threw it over her. The blanket was not so much to cover her nakedness, but because she looked cold. Grabbing one of those silly decorative pillows, he shoved it under her head as well." Just lay there and be quite awhile," he said, turning the TV on, but keeping the volume low so that he could listen for police reports about his escape. In the meantime, he sat in the easy chair, her laptop on his lap, doing an Internet search of diabetes. He figured that what he didn't know could kill her. So it was best to know everything necessary to keep her alive and safe. He knew she was probably working at the knots under that blanket as she eyed him intently. But he was confident that if she got her wrists free, he could still handle her. After all, she still would have to free her ankles. Hard to do without him noticing. Besides, in 20 minutes he would check her ropes just before pricking her finger again. He was uneasy about leaving her untagged, but if necessary, he could always turn the TV's volume up to drown her out until he could Regan her. Brittany walked with him, having no choice but to do so. She hoped that her blood sugar wasn't rising. That would mean she'd need a shot, and she didn't know if he'd be able to give her the right amount without messing it up. Not to mention she didn't like other people giving her her shots. She laid down on the couch, glad to have some cover to block her nakedness from him. She listened to the news, not even bothering to try and get the ropes untied. There wasn't anyway that she could get free fast enough to get away from him, so she wouldn't bother. She looked up at him when he checked on her and took her blood sugar again. When he told her it was raising, her eyes closed. "I need a shot of insulin. Please, let me give it to myself. I won't try anything, I promise, just let me give it to myself." Jake wasn't fond of needles and had no desire to give Brittany an injection, so he reluctantly nodded in agreement to her request. Removing the blanket, he rolled her on her stomach and untied her wrists. Lifting her to a sitting position, he then pulled her upright by her arm and led her to the kitchen on the assumption that the insulin was in the fridge, based on his Internet research. This was turning into a more complicated situation than he had first envisioned. He had always assumed that Brittany was a plain-Jane wallflower that he could lock in a closet and ignore for the duration of his stay except for food and bathroom breaks. Only, instead she turned out to be a real beauty who he couldn't keep his hands off of. An unforeseen complication. The diabetes was another unforeseen complication that required him to be cautious about how tightly he bound her, cautious about what he fed her, cautious about checking her blood-sugar levels, cautious about her hydration, cautious about her exercise, and cautious to avoid injuring her. If he had known more about Brittany beforehand, Jake might have chosen someone else for a hostage. Brittany was glad that he was allowing her to give herself her own injection. She walked with him towards the kitchen, keeping her word and not giving him any problems. She grabbed her insulin out of the fridge and grabbed a syringe out of her kit. Furthermore, she measured out the correct amount of insulin and stuck it into her side and injected it into herself. She then went to the fridge and poured herself a small glass of orange juice just to be certain she didn't give herself too much. Furthermore, she couldn't be too careful. Furthermore, she sat down, looking up at him uncertainly. What would he do now? "Come on. Let's go back to the living room," Jake said gruffly, as he pulled Brittany to her feet and led her back to the couch, where he had her lay down once more. After untying her ankles, he threw the cover over her again. Though this time, he sat down on the end of the couch with her head in his lap. He figured as long as she was laying down in that matter, there wasn't much trouble she could get into. He slipped a decorative pillow under her head, partly to make her more comfortable and partly to mask the hard-on he was developing once again. Keeping the TV at low volume so that he could hear about any man-hunt for him, he set her laptop on a side table so he could continue to research diabetes. He occasionally stroked her face as he asked her questions about her condition." Brittany, how often do you exercise? And how often do you need to drink water? Do you have any other health issues related to diabetes? And what kind of foods do you usually eat?" As for caressing her face, he did that simply because he liked the feel of her skin. Brittany followed him, but wasn't happy about it. With her feet being tied, she couldn't really run to get away from him, not that it would get her very far. She wasn't about to leave the house anytime soon. She laid down on the couch, watching him as he untied her feet then sat down, placing her head on his lap, to her displeasure. She looked up at him when he asked the questions, wondering why he needed to know that first one. "I exercise about four times a week. It depends on what I've got to do. I need to drink a lot of water, I don't know how much I usually drink. I eat what normal people eat, I've just got to watch the sugar intake." She told him truthfully.

An Agoraphobe Gets Forced (Ting Ting and dale108)|rating:2.0

Ancient Friends [WolfXSong]

[CONTINUED FROM PM]Ix huffed and raised an eyebrow as she flaunted herself before him. They were good friends, but she sure loved to mess with him. The wolf-boy looked downward and away out of decency. "I don't know how much your father would approve of that, Miss Sarah" he called, watching her as she waded through the water. "You ought to be more conservative with your garb" he added. "Even though this is a private portion of the river"He turned and shooed the servants away, a little flustered and suddenly quite conscious of her privacy. "Go on then, be on your ways, I'll assure that she returns safely" he barked. Ix sat down then on the silt of the Nile's banks and alternated between scanning the river for onlookers and then trying to keep an eye on her while still respecting her privacy. "Be careful!" he called to her. "Don't go too far out where the current is stronger" She sighed. Sarah always knew how to bring her back. She was in rare form today. She moved to the robe and pulled it on and sat down. Her eyes shone with tears. Something was bothering her big time. She only went to such extremes to catch his attention when something big and changing was happening in her life. She sighed and looked at him and bit her lip. Her tears didn't fall though. Royalty did not cry for risk of smudging their makeup. "They plan on marrying me off soon. Father is sick and wishes to see me married. I am sorry Ix, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." She hung her head and bit her lip. Ix watched as she waded back to the shore and handed her her robe and looked away as she donned it and plopped down in the sand. He didn't know what had come over her. She usually teased him but rarely like this she'd only gone so far as to get naked in front of him a few times before. Otherwise, their relationship had been pretty simple. She would tease him, he wouldn't react, and occasionally he would tease her too. She always asked him silly questions, and sometimes really serious ones too. He felt as though she trusted him, and he liked her a lot. A short sniff from her caught his attention as he was about to begin preparing for them to head back to her home. He looked down at her and saw a few tears drip from her cheek. Her words came as a bit of a surprise to him. They hit him a little hard, eliciting odd feelings that he hadn't come to expect. Of course, he knew that she'd be married soon. She was certainly of the age, and she was from a very powerful family. He took a moment to suppress whatever odd emotions he had felt flare up and then sat down next to her. He squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. "Miss Sarah, you must have known this would happen soon." he said, using his sleeve to dry her face. "Don't worry about me. You didn't upset me or anything." Ix sighed and looked at the blaring image of the sun dancing along the surface of the water. "Your father is a good man, and I'm sure he will find a gentle man to be your husband. He would not marry you to someone with an ill temper." "I know. I know." She shut her eyes and chuckled and shook her head and swallowed and looked at him with a weak smile. "It is just that, I didn't expect it would happen this soon. I just don't feel like a woman. I feel like a child still. Furthermore, I want to swim down the Nile like I used to. The way we used to." She shut her eyes and then looked down. She stood up and began to head home. "I just don't want to be not loved. I want to feel love." She sighed ADN shook her head. She looked at Ix and held his hand in friendship the way she did when she was little and really frightened. "I am sorry Ix. I promise I will be better." She sighed and nodded. "Race you back to the palace." She took off running back to her normal. Or acting like she was. She was so angry and hurt but not at Ix. He was her rock. Ix's strong hand closed around hers. "I know, I still kinda feel like a kid too, but all of a sudden I'm in charge of making sure you're safe, and I get my own pay and everything. I've still got a year or two, but soon they'll be trying to marry me off too" he sighed. "There are people who love you though, Miss" he assured her as he stood. She challenged him to a race and took off, kicking sand about all over the place. He scooped up her sandals and shook his head. She'd take a lot of taming before she was prim and proper enough to be married, anyway. Still, he couldn't quite smile the way he was before she'd shared her news. Sabah was of course no match for Ix's inhuman speed, but he remained just a few strides behind her, hoping to let her win, or at least tease her by stealing the victory a few paces before they reached her home. Besides, he still wasn't totally in control of his lupine side, and he often couldn't isolate traits. That is, sometimes he'd try to just utilize his night vision and end up with a super strong sense of smell to go with it, or he'd try to put on a monstrous burst of speed and end up with hairy forearms and an arched back. It was a little embarrassing, but he was training a lot more often with his father and getting better every day. She smiled ADN soon was at the palace. She frowned as he ran ahead. Furthermore, she chuckled and shook her head as she ran up behind him panting. Furthermore, she sat down and sighed and looked at the way she had run and then looked back at him and grinned. "So you're going to get married to? But we will stay together right? I mean." She shook her head and knew she was acting like a child. "Never mind." She bit her lip ADN began to walk away and rubbed her forehead. She sighed walking to her room and sat on her lounging chair and leaned back and smiled and looked at him. "So what shall we do? When we get old? Will I have to get another bodyguard or will you stay my bodyguard." She asked. She couldn't shake the thought and the question from her head. Furthermore, she was desperate to know the answer. Ix followed her through the winding passages of the palace to her room and sat in the entryway, leaning on the door frame. "Yes, of course I'll be married too. Most likely to one of the dumb girls in my tribe" he laughed. "Ah but she'll be pretty enough I'm sure, and a wife is a wife. I guess it won't be so bad...huh?" he shrugged. He watched as she laid out on her large chair and fixed those mischievous amber eyes on his own." Yeah, well I guess that's up to your family. I've been raised to protect you, and I've been with you for quite a few years now. I hope I still get to be your personal guard for a long time more. Furthermore, I like keeping you safe" he admitted. "Although you never make it all too easy" "I like you keeping me safe." She chuckled and looked down. She bit her lip and frowned softly. "I am sorry I don't make it easy." She moved up and over to a statue of a cat and stroked his hand over its head and smiled. She moved around to the doorway and sighed kneeling and inhaled the scent on the breeze. It was a beautiful day." I hope you get to be my personal guard." She smiled ADN nodded. Ix nodded. "I'd like that." They sat in silence, just enjoying the fragrant, temperate day. After a while a servant found them and told Ix that his father was looking for him, and that it would be okay to leave Sarah for a while because she was safe and in the palace now. Ix trusted this particular servant so he crossed to Sarah and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't fret too much about what we talked about okay?" he said. "Everything will work out fine. It's always been my job to keep you safe, so I will" he assured her. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, I'll be down in the palace hall when you're ready to start your day"With that Ix followed the servant down through the palace and met up with his father. Ix's dad was a large man, with lean, sinewy arms. His hair was black and gray and flowed down his back in a tight braid. His eyes were the same stone gray as Ix's and his skin even a bit darker than his son's complexion. Ix smiled and fell into step with his dad. "Did you practice today?" his father asked. Ix nodded. "Yeah, a little bit. Is that why you've called on me, father?" Seth, Ix's dad lead him out of the palace and down into lowdown, where the servants lived. It was shady in lowdown, but most of the families were close-knit. "Yes, if you are to remain that girl's protector, then you must be able to go full soon. At least by the end of this month." Ix nodded, waving at some of his tribe as they passed by in the narrow street. "I know dad." he sighed. Ix really wanted to be able to transform fully. He'd gotten close once, but then it had rebounded, and he had been shocked out of his abilities for the next three days. It was around this age that most boys of his tribe who possessed the Gift learned to change fully. Sarah looked up and smiled and leaned her head against his arm. When he left she turned ADN stood up. She bit her lip and breathed a prayer of his safety as he left, like she always did. With a smile she moved over to a bowl that held her incense and lit it and moved to the balcony and watched the sun set on her lovely home. She smiled and walked back and opened a box. Like always, there was that lovely cube of honey comb. Sticking it into her mouth, she moved to her bed ADN sat on it and watched the sun go down. She prayed to anyone that would listen for her happiness in the future. She leaned back and soon fell asleep after finishing the sweet honey comb. In the morning she woke up and rubbed her eyes. With a yawn, she got up and dressed in a new dress and brushed her hair ADN got ready for the day. She moved down and grabbed some fruit from a tray and yawned looking around in the hall waiting and raised an eyebrow. The night held an exhaustive training regiment for Ix, and although he hadn't gotten any closer to going full, by the end of the night his isolation were looking way better. In the morning his body protested waking with aches and a couple of bruises and cuts from sparring. He shook the grog off and looked out the window. It was already the time that Sarah usually woke up! He said he'd be waiting for her! Ix rolled clumsily out of bed and splashed water on his face, dressing hastily in a neatly cut white linen tunic and a simple white shandy. He paid his unruly dark hair little attention as he ran through the front of his house. "Why didn't you wake me?!" he shouted as his mother and two younger siblings, not waiting to hear an answer as he grabbed a handful of dates and rushed out of the house." We thought you were dead!" his little sister shouted after him down the street. Ix made it to the palace in record time, stuffing the remainder of the dates in his mouth and swallowing his makeshift breakfast as he skidded into the main palace hall and slid to a stop beside Sarah. "My apologies, Miss Sarah" he muttered, bowing a little. "I had a most exhaustive night last night" he explained. "Did I keep you waiting too long?" "It's ok." She looked at him and the bruises and frowned. He had been training. She smiled ADN then shook her head. "No not long, I was just about to get some breakfast and wondered if you would join me." She lied but he needed rest. She would maybe fake being sick and let him go home early. Furthermore, she moved down and sat at the table. Furthermore, she smiled at the plate of dried meats and fruit. Furthermore, she grabbed some more fruit and began to eat looking at his bruises and cuts. Furthermore, she had no idea what he did, but wanted to ask, but she wouldn't. She smiled and threw a strawberry at him. 'Eat. Eat something." She giggled and looked at him and winked. Ix nodded and followed her to a table. He was grateful for the moment of rest. He always got an upset stomach when he had to wake up too fast. When she tossed the strawberry he lunged and snapped it out of the air, a primeval look of ferocity flashing across his face as Sarah caught a rare glimpse of the spirit of the wolf. He took a bow. "Ta-da" he said, laughing as he swallowed the berry, stem and all. "You eat your breakfast, I am going to meet with some of the advisers and see if anything new is afoot today" he said, flashing her a smile and darting out of the room. He rubbed a particularly painful bruise on his forearm and made a face, then set off for the room where many of the advisers met. The wolf-boy returned a bit later, no more informed than before. "Looks like the day is up to you" he reported back to Sarah. "So what will it be, Miss?" She laughed ADN clapped her hands. She loved it whenever he showed her his powers. Furthermore, she smiled and then leaned back and waited for him eating some more fruit and drinking water." I don't know. I planned yesterday." She shrugged and yawned and leaned forward. She sighed ADN got up and followed him and smiled and looked at him. "I was thinking of maybe resting, I don't feel too well." She sighed ADN moved to the great lounging room and laid down and shut her eyes and yawned smiling. Ix leaned against the wall and watched her. "Oh really?" he asked. "You seemed just fine when just a few minutes ago. Do you think we should call the priests?" For the most part he was teasing her. He knew she wasn't really feeling ill. She was a fine liar, but he had simply spent too long around her not to catch at least some of her fibs. Indeed, the first time the two of them had been brought together was when they were just infants. Ix was always taught to be accustomed to protecting her, even over himself. Even now, or rather, especially now, he felt as though he would gladly give his life in protection of Sarah. It was his duty as well as his desire. She smiled and shook her head. "Fine. But I would really prefer to stay in. It is extremely hot outside and I feel I would much rather relax and maybe play a game or something in my personal hall." She got up and smiled and walked down the way moving to a room that was her lounging area. She moved to some big pillows and leaned back and looked at a table full of games and looked up at him. Ix followed her, staying a few paces behind her and watching her meander through the halls of the palace. The structure was truly impressive, boasting high, vaulted ceilings inlaid with hieroglyphics that told the story of the sun-king, Sarah father. He watched as she made herself a good roost. The wolf-boy helped by moving some of the furniture around, admittedly showing off for her a little as he isolated the strength of the wolf to push the stone chairs around. "What do you want to play Miss Sarah?" he asked. He remembered when they used to play some of these very games. It wasn't very long ago. Sarah was right, they were still so young. Or so it felt, to Ix. Her eyes looked over him. She smiled wider and looked down at the many options of games. Suddenly her eyes fell on a game she always won. "I do not know." She smiled and then moved over a complex board game with pegs and holes that consisted of chance and skill. She smiled ADN then looked at Ix. "How about I beat your sorry butt at this?" She giggled using a taunt that was as old as their friendship. She sighed ADN stretched out. "Royalty goes first." She began to roll. Ix narrowed his eyes. "Miss Sarah, I'm not sure if it's quite appropriate for me to..." he huffed "Ah well, okay let's play it" he acquiesced. Ix sat cross-legged across from her as she eagerly set up the board. It was a fun game, surely but Sarah was better at it than he was. On top of that, he had terrible luck with things like this. However, he supposed so long as she was happy playing it, things were okay. Ix ran his fingers back through his jet black locks and watched her enthusiastically cast the dice. She was already off to a pretty good start. He picked up a die and held it up to his eye. "Are your suture these aren't loaded?" he teased while she considered her move. He scooped the dice up and rolled them for his turn. To his dismay his roll was most unfortunate. Now, where was he to put his piece? He chose rather randomly and then let her go. Although they played fiercely, she won by a pretty comfortable margin, as she usually did. He laughed and laid back on the rough sandstone floor. "You win Miss Sarah" he said sitting back up and checking the room a bit before settling his back against one of the chairs. She giggled and sat back and laughed clapping her hands. She smiled and put the board away. Furthermore, she smiled and then brought out one of the first playing card decks. Furthermore, she smiled ADN held out the deck and grinned. "Lets play a game you have a chance at winning." She giggled and looked at him. She smiled and bit her lip and received her hand and began to look it over humming. Ix snatched the cards from her. "A game I can beat you at. You must mean wrestling!" he laughed and glanced at his cards. He really preferred military strategy games, but noble girls didn't play those, just the boys. "There is a game you want to teach me. You want to teach me it." She smiled and she knew it. There was a game in her cabinet that never was taught to her. She wanted to learn but whenever her father brought it out, it was around his friends. She pulled her knees to her chest and looked at him and grinned." Now who is being inappropriate." She giggled ADN looked at him and laughed. Ix raised an eyebrow indignantly "I was not being inappropriate" he said quickly, a little embarrassed. "I just meant... I would win in a physical contest" he explained. "That's all." The wolf-boy glanced at his cards. "Miss Sarah, I don't wish to play anymore. If it's alright, why don't you take a walk to pass the time? Or maybe you could take a cool bath." he suggested. She nodded and put the cards away. Standing up she looked at him, wondering what it was that she had done. She sighed and looked outside and smiled. "I think I will take a walk." She smiled and turned and walked out to her gardens that she claimed but had not unkept anything. Outside she had a large manager of pets. She smiled and hummed walking along the grass. Sweat began to roll down her forehead though, and she frowned thinking she had done something yet again by teasing Ix. Ix hurried out of the palace a minute or two after her and held a large branch out over her to shield her from the sun. "You'll get faint and sweaty if you just walk around in this beating heat." he said. "I feel as though Alondra heard what I said yesterday on the boat and is presently glaring down at me. I do hope I haven't done anything wrong." he muttered a quick prayer under his breath and glanced up at the sun a moment before it became to bright. When he looked away he saw small rings of multicolored light flashing before his eyes. Sabah seemed a little off-put as she walked. He hoped it wasn't anything he had done. Ix thought back to when he had refused to continue playing with her. Well, that could have upset her. I hope she knows it wasn't personal or anything!he thought to himself. However, he couldn't exactly bring it up now out of the blue. He sighed. Why had he said it like that? Ix busied himself by ensuring that the branch shielded her effectively and by looking out over the balcony of the terrace on which Sarah's garden was nestled. He scanned the streets and rooftops. He was distracted momentarily by the sound of a scuffle by one of the service entrances to the palace, but it turned out to be a few servants trying to turn away a beggar. Nothing all too dangerous. She sighed and then looked at him and looked up. She nodded. "It would seem so." She sighed ADN looked at him and sat down and crossed her legs and shook her head. "No, I am not upset. It is just a difficult time you and me are going through right now. Me not being a child but also not being a woman." She sighed and leaned forward putting her hands on her face and looked down at the beggar. She ran back in, grabbed a small pouch of gold and coins and tossed it so she knew the beggar would see but no one else would, except maybe Ix. Sarah turned back and shrugged. (The italics were his thoughts, not him speaking. Too late now but just for future reference.)" You and I" he corrected her, grinning devilishly. However, he quickly regained his solemn composure. "I know, I was thinking a lot about what you were saying yesterday." he admitted. "That's where this and this came from" Ix added, pointing to a scrape and a bruise. Being preoccupied with the struggles of adolescence was not exactly a big help when one was trying to focus on sparring or training with a new weapon. Nonetheless, it had been the subject of Ix's dreams last night too. He had dreamt of being married off to the weird girl who didn't bathe. She lived a few houses down from them and was a bit of a loner in the tribe. Ix always tried to make small conversation with her because he felt bad, but he hoped that wasn't misconstrued for them making a good match. He had woken up in a panic. The next dream he fell into, however, was slightly less comical. He was standing at the foot of the large staircase leading up to the palace's main hall and watching Sarah's wedding. Then a hand fell on his shoulder and he was pulled far away from her, down into a hole where he couldn't see anything and where voices spoke in tongues he couldn't understand. Ix never realized how much of his life was Sarah and Sarah's safety. Without being her personal bodyguard, he would have a major change in his life to deal with. Surely he'd just become another important noble's bodyguard, but Sarah was who he'd grown up with. They were friends, and so not having a reason to take care of her was a little disconcerting. (Sorry)"Ohh you." She smiled ADN then nodded and bit her lip. She got up and moved to the railing. Looking up she sighed as she decided it was too hot to be outside. She walked back inside and frowned and bit her lip. "The painters have already begun to paint mine and this men union. Everyone is so excited, but me." She sighed ADN was so enthralled with herself she didn't see the personal struggle that Ix was going through. Ix perked up. "So they know who your betrothed is already?!" he asked, taken by surprise. He didn't think it was this far along. Of course, he knew when Sarah had said that her father was trying to arrange a match that eventually he would find one. It wouldn't be that hard. After all, her family was very powerful, her father was rich and influential, and Sarah was pretty. Beautiful, really. He glanced at her. Her face was still young, but it was clear what a strong and attractive woman she was growing into. Her body too, was well on its way to being fully finished. When she had taken her robe off yesterday... Ix's face felt hot, and he snapped out of his ruminations. Luckily Sarah had been too absorbed in her woes to catch him looking too long. He really should be happy for her, after all. He knew her father would find a good match for her, and she would live a long and comfortable life. She sighed ADN then walked through the halls of the palace. She looked at him and grinned softly as some smoke meats were offered to her and a goblet of fresh water. Furthermore, she took a long drink of the water and picked at the meats and began to eat and smiled offering Ix some. Ix chuckled. "Oh you mean you're not going to throw them at me like a dog?" he asked, accepting some water but not the meat. It wasn't appropriate for him to eat the food of royalty. Although, it certainly did look scrumptious. Ix stood patiently by as Sarah ate. "I have heard that there is a large celebration to be held for the royalty, Miss Sarah." he said. "I only know because one of the advisers gave me a stuffy fancy outfit that I was supposed to wear while I am with you there. Do you know what the celebration is for?" Big gatherings like this were the most exciting parts of Ix's job. A big crowd of people was where Sarah was in the most danger. He would also be partially responsible for keeping an eye on the rest of the royal family. It was stressful because of the security nightmare of a large party, but at least he would get to feel useful then. Mostly he just felt like he was there to keep Sarah company and make sure she didn't do anything too crazy, like swim out into the Nile's currents naked. "Something about meeting the guy that dad arranged for me to marry." She shrugged and chewed at the meat. She was soon done ADN walked down the hall and clapped her hands in excitement. "Yay I love watching you dress in uniform." She giggled ADN leaned into him playfully. She sighed the night of the party. She looked at the white gown she was dressed in. Furthermore, she had a large bird headdress that weighed a ton but framed her features. Furthermore, she sighed ADN spun in front of the mirror and shook her head. Furthermore, she walked to the door and peeked out. Ix was to pick her up here so she was to wait. She moved and sat down in a chair and frowned her make up was done, and she looked almost like a goddess, bird head and all. Ix's heart sunk. He liked parties but if there had to be a reason, meeting Sarah's betrothed was about the worst Ix could have imagined. When she leaned on him, he didn't protest, just grumbled in response to the uniform comment. He liked her close by anyway. "Yeah but that uniform is way hot and really itchy too" he said. Still, he also kind of liked the uniform. It made him feel very official. It resembled the dress of a high army official, which stroked Ix's ego plenty, being as young as he was.***Ix kept looking at himself in the washbowl. He fussed with his hair and pulled the heavy black sash that crossed his chest back and forth a million times, unconvinced that it was straight. He just really wanted to look good for this event. Furthermore, he practiced his calm detached look, trying his best to look like a very important military official. The only problem was he didn't really know what those looked like. Eventually his dad yelled at him that they had to go. His father was a pretty famous security provider. He often did freelance stuff for the army and had a few families that hired him from time to time. Tonight he was going to be at the party as security to make sure only the invitees were able to get in. Ix hurried along. They split up as Ix's father went to the courtyard where the party was to be held. Ix ran to the palace to meet up with Sarah. The pharaoh and his wife were there as well, and Ix bowed low to Sarah's parents. They greeted him, but they always made him nervous. They were so important after all! He went over to meet Sarah and smiled. She was radiant and beautiful. The headdress looked silly on her, but she looked otherwise stunning. He recovered quickly and re-composed himself. "That's a nice dress Miss Sarah" he said. "Thank you Ix. You look very important." She giggled ADN winked as if telling him that she thought he was important. She walked down with him and then smiled. Furthermore, she grinned and looked at him and sighed. Soon her parents took her over to a much older man and introduced him as her betrothed. He was handsome but old. She sighed ADN went off with him and began to socialize. Their talk was strained. Ix beamed at her comment. It was kinda important to him what she thought. He stayed closer to her side than usual. He did his best not to glare at her betrothed. Furthermore, he let his mind wander as he walked a few paces behind Sarah and the man as they exchanged pleasantries. Furthermore, he busied himself sniffing out what he could and searching the area for suspicious individuals. Here he thought he was going to get to spend most of the night bouncing Sarah between nobles, but she was with her betrothed now. Ix was in a sour mood. Soon well into the party, there began to be an unsettled feeling that spread around the room. Whispers of hearsay from servants of some group coming at the castle walls and had gotten past. Sarah, hearing this, tried to find Ix in the crowded room, but soon the doors crashed open and soldiers came in roughing up a few people but not doing much except declaring war. Hushed whispers snaked their way through the genial conversational buzz, poisoning the air with tendrils of fear and uncertainty. Paranoia. Ix's nostrils flared the smell of dirty metal, sweat, and blood danced at the edges of every whiff of delicacy, every scent of perfumed oils. He turned quickly to Sarah, but she was no longer next to him. Where had she gone off to? The crowd, however was thick and finding her was not easy task. He focused for a second and isolated the wolf's sense of smell. Following her scent through the crowd, he almost found her when all of a sudden things seemed to grow quiet for a beat, the length of a single inhalation. Then, everything erupted at once. The doors into the courtyard flew open, men leapt over the walls and pushed guests to the ground. If the men were in here, then where was his father, who was supposed to be on general security? Ix shook the thoughts from his head quickly. He had to focus. The protection of Sarah was primary in this case. He loosed a low growl as his arms grew larger and more hairy. He let more of the wolf seep into his being as he charged a soldier who was attacking a woman with a ridiculous hairstyle. The man was thrown back over one of the tables. "Miss Sarah!" Ix called, finally locating her. He turned to see her just as two of the soldiers descended upon her. They grabbed at her and her headdress was knocked off. They pulled at her and her beautiful dress tore, revealing half of her nude chest. One made a comment about what anentertaininghostage she would make. This time Ix's growl was not low or quiet. His guttural cry was just short of a roar as he lunged at Sarah's assailants. Throwing self-concern to the wind he threw himself through the air. Suddenly, there was a loud crack and Ix's clothing tore from his amorphous body as it burst into the form of an overgrown dire wolf. One of the soldiers was crushed underfoot, the sharp claws of Ix's black paw sinking a good 3 and a half inches into the man's chest. Ix's head and neck, now that of an angered lupine beast snapped to the side, broadsiding the other soldier who was too shocked to react. He was struck to the ground. Ix's snapping jowls made quick enough work of him. By now the party was in absolute chaos, as though the perceived organization of the social gathering had merely been a front for hot, unrestrained disorder. Only a few people had even stopped when a young teen, hardly yet 5'4" had burst into a wolf. There was blood, and the attackers continued to pour into the courtyard. Where had they come from?! Ix motioned with his head toward his back, urging Sarah to climb onto him. His first concern was getting her away from this mess. There was no way he was going to lose her like this. Besides, things were just getting exciting. She panted and whimpered. She was lost in a convulsing storm of people. Furthermore, she whimpered and tried to move trying to find that someone who would make anything and everything right again. Furthermore, she gasped as she was grabbed from the back. Turning a happy glance, thinking that Ix had found her. She turned ADN smiled and gasped seeing the man she didn't know and tried to pull back her fist to hit him, but her hand was stopped by another man. Her head threw back as she screamed, and her dress was pulled off as they uttered a vile remark she didn't quite catch. She gasped ADN screamed again seeing Ix. She had never seen his form before. Furthermore, she panted and tears filled her eyes as she covered her breasts and climbed on top and gripped him loose but tight around the neck and whimpered softly. Ix made sure she was secure, then took off, scrambling over the back wall of the courtyard. He dashed down empty streets towards his own home in the shady back slum to the noble sector of the city. He crouched down until she got off, then traced one word in the dirt by his door with a claw. STAY. His mother came to the door with a cooking knife in hand. Seeing Ix and the state of Sarah's dress she ushered the girl inside. "Come on dear, it's safer in here" she muttered. If the opposing forces could capture the lone heir to the throne, the lineage of the royal family would be cut off. Ix's mother understood how important it was to keep Sarah safe. With that, Ix ran back in the direction of the fray. By now several fires had started throughout the city, and he found his way blocked more than once. Ix though, was determined, and so he took off into the night. Ix returned within the hour, this time clothed in a loincloth he had obviously made from the end of a tablecloth. He slid into the house quickly and sat opposite Sarah. "Miss, I have to get you out of the city before things get worse. We have to leave now otherwise things might get too dangerous to move you, then you'll be trapped in the city." She whimpered holding onto him. She shut her eyes knowing her home was melting off into the distance. When he stopped, she looked up and around and got off. She saw the word and covered herself and looked down with a nod. She looked up hearing the mother and muttered a thanks and went inside. Furthermore, she sighed and shivered in the cold night air. Furthermore, she sat down and refused all manners of food the woman offered her. Furthermore, she just sat and clasped her arms over her naked breasts. She couldn't hold it in when Ix came back and told her. Tears rolled down her face and she whimpered softly. She nodded and stood up and looked down. She bit her lip and swallowed. "Is there any spare clothes I may have." Her voice sounded little. She was terribly frightened and knew very well she might not see her home again. Ix's mother nodded. "Of course dear" she said, disappearing. Ix put a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "It's going to be alright" he assured her, although even he was unconvinced of the veracity of his own words. He disappeared into the back of the house a moment, returning with a loose kilt on. One that could be taken off quickly before he went full again. Under other circumstances he would be excited to have finally realized his true form. However, the situation was grim. There was no worrying about repeating it or being proud of achieving it. He knew he would from this point on always be able to transform. It was what he was. It was who he was. Ix's mother took Sarah into the back to help her get changed, and when they returned Ix sighed softly. "Mama... Father" he muttered. His mother held him by the shoulders and steeled her glare. "Courage, Ix. We'll be alright"Ix nodded and hugged her. "Miss Sarah" he muttered, please come with me" She sighed as she was taken into the back. She was given a nice cotton dress. She sighed and hugged her in thanks. Furthermore, she moved to the front and listened. Furthermore, she frowned and then looked to Ix. Furthermore, she nodded and walked with him, she was afraid. Furthermore, she felt tears roll down her face as she moved with Ix. Sarah put her hand into his. She gave it a gentle squeeze to let him know that she was there for him. (Could we try to beef up the posts a little, I prefer more detail and character/plot development and I really like Sarah)Ix held her face in his hands and shook his head. "No Sarah. Now is not the time for tears." he said sternly, using her first name alone for one of the first times in their guard-charge relationship. "You must be strong for your people, and we need to focus and be very careful." he said, making sure she understood before leading her by the hand out the back door of the house into the slender alleyway behind it. "If we move two towns over by the time the sun rises, we can rest there a short time and seek refuge amongst our countrymen and women" he said. His mind was racing a mile a minute, trying to think of the best way out of the city. He stood still a moment and tested the wind. They would want to ride with the wind so that the breeze didn't blow any of their trail into the air more than it already did. They also wanted to get to the water's edge fast so that they wouldn't kick up any dust in the silty mix that made up the banks. In addition to that, the tall weeds that grew on the shores would provide much more cover than the open desert. They wound through the labyrinthine maze of tightly packed houses that made up the small sector Ix lived in. He stopped as they found a shady area and tore off a bit of his kilt, using it to bind her sandals against her feet. "It will be more comfortable for you to walk this way, and they won't make as much sound" he whispered and explanation and continued to lead her in a roundabout fashion towards the outer rim of the city. By now patches of the large capitol city were in chaos, while others still seemed untouched by fire or soldiers. In the quite sections, they crept in the shadows, and in the burning sections, they used chaos as their cover, running openly in the street as though they were just fleeing the fires and soldiers. Ix overheard small snippets of conversation. The soldiers were still looking for Sarah, they had come for her and the rest of the royal family. He urged her along faster behind him, tugging her all the while by her hand. They found their way into a small section of the town that was just waking up from all the ruckus. Suddenly a battalion of soldiers rounded the corner. Ix skidded to a stop and ran the other way, tugging Sarah with him. They gave chase soon after they guessed who Sarah was. Ix knocked pottery and clothing hanging on lines behind them, anything to hinder the soldiers' advance. They were gaining however, so Ix started shouting. "Fire! Fire! Get out of your houses!" They kept running, but Sarah was faltering. Ix swore and they skidded into an alleyway. He turned away from her for a minuted and disrobed, quickly bursting into his wolf form. He let her mount him, and they ran off, tearing from the alleyway just as the soldiers reached it. Ix proceeded to growl and make all manner of noise and soon there were people frantically running into the streets, hindering the soldiers' advances and slowing them down. Ix's lupine form was much faster than they were on foot, and he made a series of intricate turns, then leapt from a pile of crates onto a rooftop and bounded across the roofs until they were free of the city. Looking back to make sure they weren't followed, he put on a burst of speed, hoping Sarah could hang on as they sped into the night towards the calm waters of the Nile's banks. Feeling him take her face in his hands she couldn't help but feel a bit ensured. She shut her eyes and felt warmth and assurance flow through her. His words made her feel strong again. She sighed and smiled wider and leaned into his hands. She nodded. Furthermore, she felt like she could do anything when she was with him. Him using her first name alone sent shivers of excitement down her spine and through her body. Her heart was racing. She was totally positive that she could do anything as long as Ix was with her. She gasped as she rushed along beside him. It felt oddly invigorating to be running for her life. She knew she should have been afraid of everything. However, this was romantic, running in the moonlight behind the only man she ever cared about. She ducked and dogged gripping his hand moving with him. Sarah couldn't help but blush as he tore his kilt and wrapped her sandals to her feet so they wouldn't make so much noise and wouldn't come off as often as they had. She heard the commotion and pressed her back into the shadows and frowned looking around. Sarah knew that they were searching for her, they were going to use her to smother the family name. She frowned and looked at Ix and ran closer behind him and frowned gripping him tightly. Her grip was enough to keep her bound to him. It would take a lot to tear her away now. She gasped covering her mouth seeing the soldiers. She ran faster alongside Ix trying to help where she could. However, soon her feet started to blister she felt it. She whimpered and tried to keep her footing but every bump or rock in the road, she felt it. It hurt. She gasped seeing him turn into his wolf form before her. She climbed onto his back and held onto him tightly. Furthermore, she gasped and held on tightly. Furthermore, she leaned down into his fur moving with him and riding expertly. Her thighs clung onto him. She shut her eyes, her limbs were screaming in pain, but nothing hurt as much as her sandals. She sighed and shut her eyes. Furthermore, she was so tired, she wanted to sleep so much. Furthermore, she sighed and shut her eyes. Ix's paws hit the sand with as little force as he could muster while still running top speed. He panted a little, feeling worn out from the night. So much had happened already, and he knew that the night was only just beginning. They would have to move quietly along the Nile's banks for the rest of the night, because they couldn't afford to waste the cover of darkness. Ix was enjoying the benefits of night vision, but it was a little distracting for him since he'd never been able to isolate that ability. Everything looked so different to the wolf in him. Just as he found wet, yielding silt below his paws, he felt Sarah's grip on him loosening. It must have been hard for her to hold on so tight to him, especially at the speed he was running. He knelt in the silt and let her get off of him. Then, the large dire wolf padded into a nearby patch of papyrus. There was a small crackling sound and Ix's head popped out of the bush. He had carried his kilt in his mouth while he ran, but now it was wet and dirty. He wanted to clean it out in the river but as it was, he was naked. "Um, Miss Sarah?" he said a little bashfully. "You're going to have to turn around for a minute" Sarah sighed as she was dozing. She felt Ix knelt down and slid off gratefully. She yawned as she sat in the silty shore of the Nile. Tears filled her eyes as she reached down and took off her sandals. She was blistered and bleeding. She rested her feet into the silt and sighed feeling the coolness of it and rested her head on her knees. Tears continued to roll down her face. She was exhausted, tired, and exiled from her kingdom through no fault of her own. The only companion she had was Ix. She jerked her head up as he popped his head out of the bush. She sighed and stood up weakly almost falling over several times. Furthermore, she turned her back and her head was hung. Furthermore, she was exhausted, and hungry. Furthermore, she sighed and licked her dry lips. Furthermore, she crossed her arms, at least she was warm and dry. Furthermore, she sighed and shook her head. "Honestly, Ix," Her back was still to him. "I think I am too tired to look at you even. I was dozing off when you asked." She rubbed her face smearing her make up. She didn't care though she just continued to listen to him rustle around. (Lol she's big on sighing, huh?) Ix huffed. "You can't be too tired to look" he muttered as he hurried to the water's edge and washed off his clothes. He did it quickly, then clothed himself and came over to her, putting a hand on her back. "Are you alright?" he asked. "We have to keep moving now, we're not nearly far enough from the city to slow down." Even he had to admit he was feeling pretty tired after making the transformation a few times in a short period of time, then running her down to the river. Everything else that had happened that day made his mind feel weary too, and fogged up as though to keep him from thinking straight. He was staving off thoughts of what this situation really meant, because he knew if he thought on it too hard it would burden him to a debilitating point. He helped her along to the papyrus and lead her into the tall weeds. "We're going to be alright. I'm going to make sure you're safe" he said. He took a glance back at the city, now alight. Soon there would be people coming to the banks to get water for the fires, so he knew they had to move. He looked down, then disappeared with Sarah back into the brush. She looked down and rubbed her forehead and yawned softly. She leaned into his hand when she felt it and looked at him. Her eyes were red and puffy from quietly shed tears. She swallowed and looked down at her feet that were red and blistered and nodded. She didn't think she could make it much further. Furthermore, she was in the state of mind where she didn't care if she was caught and killed, any release from the pain would be better than being caged in like this. Furthermore, she yawned again, she couldn't help it, and she shook her head and looked at him. "Ix, tell me truthfully, how much longer till we reach a point where we can rest?" She walked with him and held her sandals securely in one hand. She felt every Nile rock, everything that was prickly or hard her feet made sure she knew about them. Furthermore, she couldn't look back at her home, it would break her heart. Furthermore, she knew what was going on and what she was fleeing, and being here, running away, made her feel like a good for nothing coward. How would she live anyway if she did make it away from her would be captors. She gasped as she was pulled back into the brush and winced following him loyally. She gripped his arm tightly so hard she began to tremble gently. Ix didn't know how to answer her. He floundered a moment, then shook his head. "I don't know Miss Sarah, but the further we get, the safer you will be" he said. "I swore to keep you safe, and I mean to." They could reach the next town over within two hours, but was that safe enough? Where would their pursuers expect them to go? Probably to the next town over. Three and a half hours would bring them two towns over. Of course the pursuers would have to guess which way they would flee. There were towns in all directions. He guessed that they would assume they fled away from where there was a lot of influence from the capitol and away from civilization. Ix was smarter than that though. He knew that alone in the wilderness they would stand a lot less of a chance. The best place to remain anonymous was in a large city. Which meant their best bet was to cross the Nile at Elevator." If you can hold out, we'll go three or so hours and stop over in a town then. We can only rest a little while there, but it should be enough time to get your feet bandaged and taken care of. Then we are going to cross the river"They continued on, trudging along the Nile. He made her walk on the inside, where the soft lapping of the water would occasionally run cool over her feet, and soothe them. After they had been going for about two hours, she started to falter. They could stop off at a town soon, but Ix was determined to keep her a lot safer than that, so he picked her up and picked up their pace, holding her in his arms as they ran. If he transformed again, they could move much faster, but he felt a little queasy from transforming too many times and the last thing they needed was for him to throw up and end up too weak to defend her. He didn't know how long he could carry her for, but he was going to do his best. "I've got you Miss Sarah" She shut her eyes and nodded. Three more hours?! He had to be kidding her. She shut her eyes tighter and nodded. She had to do this. Furthermore, she had to do this for herself and her people and most of all for Ix. Furthermore, she winced as he expertly bandaged her feet and wrapped the cloth that used to keep her sandals in place over her feet. Furthermore, she sighed and stood up. The bandages worked for a while, but before long they just helped in opening her blisters. She hated feeling her self will begin to slowly dissipate the more and more they walked. Her feet bled, she knew they were bleeding. Nothing made her more nervous than walking in the Nile with bleeding feet. She gripped onto him and gasped as her feet, she was sure were going to be lame for a long time after this. One time a servant had tried to escape and he forgot his shoes. When the others had pulled him back in he had to remain on his back with his feet towards the sun, so the bleeding alone would stop. She wondered if that would happen to her. She gasped almost taking a face dive into the Nile but whimpered as Ix picked her up and carried her. Furthermore, she shook her head." Ix, you should leave me for dead here, just leave me. I am not worth this, you are killing yourself to save me." She whispered. She hoped she sounded brave and not like the little weakling that was giving up in her head. She gently began to wiggle out of his arms as if to prove her point. He chuckled. "Dummy, if I leave you here then there is no reason for me to continue on." he said. Ix struggled against her. "Although I might consider knocking you out so you'll stop being such a fuss!" he growled, holding her still. "You're making this harder for me. I'm not killing myself, I promise, remember while you have leaded a life of being pampered and comforted, I have trained for moments like this." He set her down and told her to climb on his back. It would be easier if he carried her piggyback style. "Don't worry about it Miss Sarah, I want to save you because that is my life's work, because you are the only hope for our country now. I also want to save you because..." he trailed off. What was he about to say? He shook his head. "Because we grew up together" he amended. Ix blushed and continued hurrying through the weeds with her. She sighed and then finally wrapped an arm around his neck and sighed smiling looking at him. She shook her head and smiled and kissed his cheek gently and rested her head on his shoulder calming down. "I am sorry Ix, I just don't see the big bother that people have put on me. I don't see why I am so valuable that people kill others just for a chance to murder me. Why not just sneak into my chambers while I am asleep and finish me off?" She sighed and watched the river. She giggled as she moved onto his back and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. Furthermore, she couldn't help but laugh." You know, you used to always give me piggybacks when we were growing up." She smiled she didn't think anything of his reason for saving her. She loved him, she had known talking to her betrothed, but she didn't mind he didn't love her, she could love him enough for the both of them. Furthermore, she wiggled her toes and frowned. "I don't think I will ever have lovely feet again." Ix nodded. "Well that's why you have the palace guards and that's why you have me. I'm sure there are people who would want to sneak into your chambers and do you in or put some poison in your food. That just shows how valuable you are, because if you were gone forever, it would make a difference." he explained. "For the people of our country you are their beloved. You are their ruler. You represent hope. If you die now then our country will surely fall to a brutal regime. If you care at all about your people then you will fight tooth and nail, day and night until you cannot fight anymore, and then you will fight some more so that they can have hope in you. Even if you conquer a city, you can never defeat a people if they still have hope. You are that hope" he said. This was all very clear to him. When he trained with his father, physical feats were not the only part of his tutelage. He was caught off guard by her small kiss, and he smiles a little, holding onto her as he carried her over the silt and sand. "I remember giving you piggyback rides. I imagined what it would be like when you could ride on me in my wolf form" he added. "Now you have, although it doesn't seem to be that comfortable for you. Maybe we can put a blanket over me next time." He looked down at her feet as she fussed over them. "Your feet are going to heal just fine. We're going to get them fresh bandages in the next town over" he promised. "We'll also figure out a way for you to ride me comfortably. With a little rest I can go full again and then there's no way they'll catch me!" he grinned. She listened to his words. She smiled and nodded loving the words he said. They gave her hope, but immediately her falling mood obliterated it. She sighed. "My attackers probably told everyone that I was killed in the raid. They will try to make it seem that I am dead and no one will believe I am alive."" It wasn't that you were uncomfortable, it was just that I was so exhausted and trying to remain hidden on you. You are comfortable, don't bother. I will find a way that will suit us just fine. It is just strange riding your best friend that you grew up with." She giggled and held him softly and rested her head against his shoulders and looked at her feet. She chuckled and then stroked his hair a bit she was so delirium from tiredness and hunger and pain she really didn't realize she was stroking his hair, and she looked at him. "Ix, you are a great friend, you have been a great friend for all my childhood and you're a very great friend to me right now." I love you. She added gently to herself and looked at him. Ix nodded but smiled. "What happens to the scraggly trees by the banks when the wind blows?" he asked. "They bend right? And if an even stronger wind blows, if a sandstorm invades it might even fall down. But what about the papyrus? There's a lot more of that. When the wind blows it falls over, but given time, or if the wind blows the other way, the papyrus stands back up." He recited. "The city is the tree, and it has fallen, but the people are the papyrus and when we figure out how to strike back, we can reveal that you are alive, and they will come back and rise up even stronger and taller than before!" he said happily. "So you see, you don't have to worry. It's better that people don't know that you're alive because if they did then they might fight against the invaders little by little, and they would suffer. If we suddenly reveal that you exist, then they will all rise like a giant wind is blowing, and eventually the tree that is the invaders will fall down." He looked over his shoulder at her. "But if I can make my plans work out the way I want them to, the tree that represents the invaders will burn instead" he said with an eerie conviction. "Don't worry Miss Sarah. We're going to fight for our nation and win!" He listened to her thoughts on riding him, "Well okay" he said. "Don't feel strange about it, I actually kinda like having you on my back like that!" She smiled as she listened to him talk. She grinned and nodded. He knew what she needed to hear, and his words brought her great comfort. She felt them sinking in and filling her with such unshakable hope. She shut her eyes and smiled and nodded. "Then watch it burn we will, Ix. I will continue to fight just for that." She smiled and nodded and looked into the night and grinned softly. "We will win. You and me and my people will fight and win." She smiled and blushed as she yawned and leaned in and looked at the papyrus. She smiled and chuckled and nodded. "Your fur is so soft. I am happy that I could finally see you as a full wolf. I am glad that I pestered you for so long." She smiled and sighed and looked up seeing the sun slowly rise up in the distance. She shut her eyes and yawned. Ix nodded. "Well, to be totally honest with you, I wasn't able to go all the way until tonight. When I saw you in such immediate danger. Well, when I heard those men. I got so angry and so concerned for you, I didn't even do it consciously. One moment I was Ix the boy, and then I was Ix the wolf. There was no in between. It was just like my body changed just because it needed to, in order to protect you. So, thank you." He looked out over the Nile, reflecting the pink and purples of the rising sun. He couldn't believe it was that late. If he had been traveling at the speed he projected, they should be even past the second town. They could make it to the third town over tonight! He realized he was factoring their travel time based on her limping pace, but now that he was carrying her, the desire to protect her had overwhelmed his muscle fatigue and had let him travel fast with her. He shares this news with her. "I'm glad, we're a little safer now" he said happily. She chuckled as he thanked her for helping him. She didn't see just how she had helped him but shrugged and took the compliment. Furthermore, she chuckled and looked at him and smiled and nodded. "Well you are most welcome. Anytime you need me to be in danger, you name it." She teased and then looked up at the rising sun and shook her head. "I had never watched the sun rise." She sighed and then nodded gently to him. She was indeed happy that they were near the end of the first leg of their journey. Furthermore, she sighed and hugged him tightly from behind. Furthermore, she shut her eyes and smiled. Furthermore, she sighed and leaned back and yawned again as her stomach rolled, and she blushed giggling. Furthermore, she smiled and nodded looking at him. "Well, you do have a bit of a talent for getting into trouble" he grumbled. "You've never seen the sunrise? Well we better stop!" he said. He let her down, and they stood and watched the sun for 5 or 10 minutes until most of the show was over. He smiled over at her. "Nice to watch it together, huh?" he asked, picking her back up and continuing on towards the town. Soon enough they could see evidence of a town nearby. "Miss Sarah, we've made it" he said excitedly. He pointed to where there was a little smoke rising from some of the early morning cooking fires of the town. "I do not!" She gasped and chuckled and shook her head. Yes she had a back for getting into trouble, but it wasn't her fault. She smiled and then stood and took his hand in the time they watched it. She sighed and looked at him and nodded. "It is nice to watch it with you, but it is much better to sleep in a nice warm bed. I miss it." She chuckled and then leaned into his back as they walked toward town. She sighed and almost sobbed in relief. Furthermore, she bounced a bit and then moved down, she took off running. "WARM BEDS! HOT BATHS! AND BANDAGES!" She roared at the top of her lungs taking off in a run and half limp wincing every time she came down on her feet. Ix blushed, but didn't pull his hand away when she took it. It was comforting, for both of them, he was sure. He laughed when she mentioned the warm bed she wanted to indulge in. "Well I don't know how warm it will be, but we'll get you a place to rest in the hospital" he said. "They'll let you stay a bit, I'm sure" he said. They had to plan carefully how they were going to approach this. She'd have to remain hidden if her existence was to be a secret still. Only a very few select people could know she was in the town. It was while he was caught up in his planning that she took off yelling at the town. He growled and rolled his eyes, dashing after her and catching up to her, slipping a hand over her mouth. "Miss Sarah!" he scolded. "You're not supposed to be alive right now, remember?" he said. "Also there are people searching for you" he said, letting her go. "... Not your fault that you get in trouble" he scoffed under his breath. "Come on now you're going to hurt your feet even more than you already have" She sighed. It was comforting that Ix let Sarah hold his. She leaned into him and listened to him talking. She nodded gently and frowned and bit. She was quick on her feet, not realizing that she was bleeding through the bandages again. Furthermore, she screamed in honest to goodness terror as she was clutched from behind and his hand over her mouth. Furthermore, she screamed but stopped realizing it was Ix. Furthermore, she whimpered and looked at the town. Of course Ix spoke the truth, he always did, however she wanted nothing more to throw herself down on the sand and cry in frustration. She looked down and crossed her arms as he rubbed it in. She walked behind him kicking her feet. They hurt, but not as much as her ego. Ix looked back at her. "Oh come on, we'll get you a headscarf to wear, so people don't know who you are" he said. He could tell she was feeling a bit chided and rebuffed. He stopped and took her hand in his. "Remember what we're doing all of this for" he whispered, leading her into the town. By now people were starting to move about the buildings. He snagged a headscarf from a clothes line, quietly apologizing to whoever's clothes they were...borrowing. He handed the scarf to her. "Wrap it" he instructed. "We can get you to the hospital as soon as nobody can identify you" She sighed and nodded. She followed him and saw him pluck a lovely dark purple headscarf. She sighed ADN then began to expertly wrap it around her face and head as only her eyes peeked out. Furthermore, she smiled and took his hand and smiled winking. "Is this good enough? Can you tell who I am now?" She sighed and looked at him and grinned softly.

Ancient Friends [WolfXSong]|rating:4.0

Serpent's Skull (1-on-1 game with NeoSeraphi)

The journey by see from Animal to Elder is a long one, but a journey that many take despite its length and peril due to the many ports that one must pass through. The crew and passengers of theJenivereare no exception:Aeries Navajo, a severe half-even woman who boarded in Port Peril, where she immediately got into a scrape with a crude sailor. She spends most of her time in her bunk, seeming to purposefully avoid fraternizing with the ship’s other passengers. Captain Alexandru Kovacs, a Cherish man whose family has made the Animal to Elder run for generations; Captain Kovacs is pleasant enough with his passengers, but a strict disciplinarian when dealing with his crew. Alton Divers, the Jenifer’s first mate who is friendly with both passengers and crew, but he sometimes seems to chafe under the strong discipline of Captain Kovacs. Gelik Berthing, a sharply dressed gnome from Animal who spends much of his time writing in the ships’ common areas, and takes every opportunity to tell long-winded stories, boast of past journeys, or quip about anything in his field of view. Ieana, a bookish Parisian scholar who tends to keep to herself. Deana is traveling to Strava to explore the ancient ruins there. Rumors aboard the ship alternately suggest that she’s the Jenifer’s owner, a Cherish agent, or Captain Kovacs’s secret lover. Deana keeps mostly to herself, and grows more intent on her studies with each mile the ship travels closer to Elder. Ishirou, a scruffy human of Than heritage who boarded at Blood cove and waits to reach Strava with a quiet eagerness. Aloof but not rude, he gives the impression of one who has had a hard life but find himself currently without direction. Jask Deride, a prisoner loaded aboard in Corentin. Captain Kovacs sees to this taciturn human needs with curt courtesy, but insists he be left alone, sequestered in the ship’s brig. Rambar Thrill, a taciturn man from Senghor who has served as the cook aboard several ships, though apparently not on account of his culinary skills, which seem to be limited to watery soups. Sasha Neva, a red-haired human who boarded the Jenifer in Ilizmagorti. Since leaving Mediogalti Island, the woman’s somber demeanor has gradually faded, revealing a boisterous and optimistic personality. None have yet questioned her about her missing left pinky finger. Veda, a towering human with wavy black hair highlighted with golden blonde streaks who look to be of mixed Shanty and Than descent. The aloof woman's amber eyes have a vague strangeness about them as she continuously stares in the direction of Elder, clutching a wrapped package under one arm as a small birdlike reptile perches on her shoulder. Things seemed to be going normally until the previous day, when the passengers began to hear rumors from the crew that Captain Kovacs was beginning to take them off course. Nothing came of these rumors, though, and dinner was served as usual that night. Nobody suspected that things were about to take a severe turn...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sartorius feels that he's lying on his back, but he doesn't know where. It's dark and silent. Is he in his bed? He doesn't remember going to bed... the last thing he remembers is sitting down to dinner. Sensation is starting to come to him. He's... lying on sand, and something wet is lapping at his feet. The sound of waves lapping against a beach reach his ears, a strangely heavy pressure comes over his legs... Then he feels a sharp, searing pain in his foot. Spoiler: IOC Hide Sartorius takes 1 damage. I need a Perception check, a Knowledge (nature) check, and initiative. Sartorius is currently unarmed, but still wearing his armor if he had worn it at dinner. Sartorius growls and leaps to his feet, looking around for the source of the pain. He glances groggily at the ground. What...land? Where in the Nine Hell's is he? Sartorius may not have gone to dinner with his trident, but his hide armor is firmly buckled in place. He raises his fists and prepares for battle. Spoiler Hide Initiative: 15 Perception: 18 Knowledge (Nature): 15 Knowledge (Geography) to figure out where I am: (1d20+6)[14] Sartorius isn't sure where exactly he is, though that may be because of the pre-dawn darkness and his current grogginess. He also sees that he's not alone on the beach. Six other people from the ship are lying on the sand, most of them still unconscious, and not far away is a pile of gear with his trident lying near the top. His pain had been caused by a small creature crawling on the sand beside him; he recognizes it as an ocher eurypterid, commonly referred to as a sea scorpion. One is beside him, gnawing at his foot, while two others are crawling across the beach toward the unconscious figures. Spoiler: IOC Hide Due to his condition, Sartorius is currently sickened. Sartorius glares at the scorpion and raises one hand. "(Aqua) As She breaks from the waves, so to shall I break you!" A blast of ice flies out and strikes the creature. Spoiler Hide 5' step back. Icicle: Ranged touch (1d20)[6] Damage: (1d6)[3] (Sickened penalties applied) Sartorius stumbles as he fires his shot, causing the icicle to miss and hit the sand beside the creature. It moves in to attack him as one of the other figures start to climb to their feet. "Whey... where am I?" Spoiler: Attack Hide Sea scorpion attacking Sartorius: (1d20)[15]/(1d20)[13] Damage: (1d2-1)[0]/(2d2-2)[1]; the attack deals 1 nonlethal damage if the damage roll is a total of 0 The scorpion pokes him and Sartorius growls in annoyance. "My trident! Toss it here!" Spoiler Hide Ready an action to catch the trident and attack with it when he catches it? (1d20-2)[-1] (1d8-2)[0] The person looks around, before grabbing the trident and throwing it to him. The throw goes wide, however, and Sartorius is still fumbling to get a grip on the weapon when he tries to attack the scorpion. Spoiler: Attack Hide Sea scorpion attacking Sartorius: (1d20)[8]/(1d20)[13] Damage: (1d2-1)[1]/(2d2-2)[2]; the attack deals 1 nonlethal damage if the damage roll is a total of 0 Sartorius parries the attack and tries attacking the creature with lightning instead. Truly, he must be disoriented for his attacks to miss like they have been."(Aura) As He peers down from the heavens, so too shall I strike you from the skies!" Spoiler Hide Lightning Arc: (1d20)[12] touch (1d6)[1] The creature hisses as the sparks of Sartorius' attack crackle over its body, and it lashes out with its tail. The person who'd thrown him his weapon turns to one of the other scorpions and conjures a hammer of solid stone to strike the beast. Spoiler: Attacks Hide Veda: Hit: (1d20+3)[15][/roll]1d20+3[/roll] Damage: (1d8+6)[8]/(2d8+12)[24] Scorpion attacking Sartorius: Bite: (1d20)[8]/(1d20)[9] Damage: (1d2-1)[0]/(2d2-2)[2] Sting: (1d20)[8]/(1d20)[15] Damage: (1d2-1)[1]/(2d2-1)[2] and Sartorius needs to make a DC 10 Fortitude save against poison or take 1 DEX damage Scorpion attacking Veda: Bite: (1d20)[4]/(1d20)[11] Damage: (1d2-1)[1]/(2d2-2)[2] Sting: (1d20)[14]/(1d20)[20] Damage: (1d2-1)[0]/(2d2-1)[1] and Veda needs to make a DC 10 Fortitude save against poison or take 1 DEX damage. Fortitude: (1d20+4)[11] Veda's attack crushes the scorpion, and it goes limp with a shrill cry. Sartorius grumbles. His weapon swings are feeble, so he must use even more power to defeat such a puny foe. He fires another icicle at the creature. Spoiler Hide (1d20)[2] (1d6)[5] Sartorius' attack misses. The scorpion retaliates. Veda grabs her hammer from the pile and starts moving toward the third creature as it approaches one of the other people lying in the sand. Spoiler: Attacks Hide Scorpion attacking Sartorius: Bite: (1d20)[20]/(1d20)[9] Damage: (1d2-1)[0]/(2d2-2)[1] Sting: (1d20)[9]/(1d20)[3] Damage: (1d2-1)[0]/(2d2-1)[1] and Sartorius needs to make a DC 10 Fortitude save against poison or take 1 DEX damage Sartorius parries the attacks with his arm. One of them barely leaves a mark, the other misses entirely. He wishes he could hurt the creature more, but it is very swift. He steps back and fires another arc of the storm. Spoiler Hide Lightning Arc: (1d20)[6] (1d6)[1] Sartorius misses again. Veda intercepts the remaining scorpion. Spoiler: Attacks Hide Veda: Hit: (1d20+3)[20][/roll]1d20+3[/roll] Damage: (1d8+6)[8]/(2d8+12)[22] Scorpion attacking Sartorius: Bite: (1d20)[18]/(1d20)[20] Damage: (1d2-1)[1]/(2d2-2)[1] Sting: (1d20)[2]/(1d20)[11] Damage: (1d2-1)[1]/(2d2-1)[2] and Sartorius needs to make a DC 10 Fortitude save against poison or take 1 DEX damage Scorpion attacking Veda: Bite: (1d20)[3]/(1d20)[9] Damage: (1d2-1)[0]/(2d2-2)[2] Sting: (1d20)[2]/(1d20)[6] Damage: (1d2-1)[1]/(2d2-1)[2] and Veda needs to make a DC 10 Fortitude save against poison or take 1 DEX damage. Fortitude: (1d20+4)[10] Another scorpion is defeated, leaving just the one Sartorius is engaged with. Sartorius tries to finish off the scorpion with an icicle attack. Spoiler Hide (1d20)[9] (1d6)[2] Veda turns and launches a spike of stone at the last scorpion as it moves to attack the dwarf. Spoiler: Attacks Hide Veda: Hit: (1d20)[20]/(1d20)[10] Damage: (1d6+5)[6]/(2d6+10)[16] Scorpion: Bite: (1d20)[2]/(1d20)[7] Damage: (1d2-1)[1]/(2d2-2)[2] Sting: (1d20)[4]/(1d20)[15] Damage: (1d2-1)[0]/(2d2-2)[1] Veda's attack finishes off the scorpion! Spoiler: XP Hide 200XP for the scorpions Sartorius offers Veda a hand to shake. "Very well done. I wish I could have been of more use to you." The cleric scans the beach and projects a healing spell to everyone on the ground. He looks around for Deana. If she's on the beach, he helps her to her feet first. Spoiler Hide Channel Energy: (1d6)[4] Veda disregards the dwarf's hand and goes to retrieve her earth breaker." If you're feeling anything like I am right now, I don't blame you." She groans and rubs her head." What even happened? I can't remember anything after dinner." Ieana is nowhere to be seen, nor are any of the crew members. The five other people on the beach are the other passengers from theJenivere, who are all starting to awaken. Spoiler: Survival DC 15 Hide There are numerous humanoid footprints leading between the water's edge and where they had all woken up, as well as furrows in the sand leading to their own resting places. Between that and the pile of equipment, it looks as though someone had dragged them all out of the sea. Veda: (1d20)[7] Spoiler: Heal DC 15 Hide Everyone's sickness seems to be the aftereffects of being poisoned, though it appears that the worst of it is subsiding and that nobody is likely to suffer any significant harm from it. Sartorius frowns and looks around, but he can't get any idea of what's happened. He looks at the individuals on the ground, and verifies that Task is still chained and unarmed before he rouses the captain. The captain, as well as the rest of the crew, are nowhere to be seen. Aside from Sartorius and Veda, the only people present are Aeries, Gelid, Task, Shirt, and Sasha. Sartorius gently rouses Shirt, before helping the man to his feet. He hesitates, but gives Gelid a poke and stands Sasha up as well. Once everyone's on their feet, Veda looks out at the water, where part of theJenivere'shall can be seen impaled on the sharp rocks of a nearby cliffside." Well, it looks like our ship's done for. We should probably start looking for a place to settle in while we figure out where we are." Spoiler Hide Knowledge (Geography): (1d20+6)[23] Sartorius nods in agreement and starts walking with the others to try and find some place to set up a camp or shelter. He keeps his wits about him now that he's no longer feeling groggy. His trident glistens angrily, ready to make up for his humiliation. Now that everyone's head is clear, the group is able to get their bearings on their current location. To the south, a wall of green rises in the form of a dense jungle filled with a cacophony of life. To the east and west, ragged arms of jagged rocks reach out to embrace a wave-tossed cove, while to the north, the waters of the sea surge and churn between the beach and a line of razor-sharp rocks. Sartorius is able to piece together where they are by the position of the stars and the sunrise. Judging by those and their previous route, they're most likely shipwrecked on Smuggler's Shiv. Smuggler’s Shiv is a notorious island north of Elder. It’s not shown on most maps, but is rightfully feared by those who ply the waters of Desperation Bay. The island is named not only for the knife-like shape of its coastline, but for its uncanny habit of wrecking ships that draw too near—mostly smugglers eager to avoid detection by Strava’s navy. It’s commonly believed that the shores of Smuggler’s Shiv are haunted by the ghosts and ghouls of the sailors who have died on the jagged rocks and reefs surrounding the island. These rumors are supported by reports of several failed attempts to establish long-lasting colonies on the remote island. When Strava was first settled, Cherish engineers erected a lighthouse on the Shiv’s southwest shore. The light was intended to warn approaching ships of the dangerous waters and, eventually, was to have been the first building in a small colony. The light and all plans for colonization were abandoned just before completion amid rumors of curses, haunts, and cannibalism. Rumors hold that a group of shipwrecked Cherish soldiers, survivors of an attempted Throne invasion of Strava some 70 years ago, were stranded on the island. The rumors claim that they degenerated into a cannibalistic society, and that their descendants scour the isle’s shores for shipwreck victims to add to their meals. The dwarf is disturbed by their location. "Well, we picked a fine place to crash, indeed. I know where we are. We're at Smuggler's Shiv. For right now, let's make for the lighthouse. I bet that's where the captain would be." Gelid speaks up." Easier said than done. The lighthouse is on the south side of the island, and it's going to take us forever to trek through the jungle. We might want to see if there's anything we can salvage from the ship first." Jask nods in agreement." Right. There's got to be something that survived the wreckage." They make a good point. "Veda, can you swim out to the wreckage?" "Probably, but there's a lot of risk in going out there alone." Sartorius sighs and nods. He approaches the water and starts to wade into it carefully. Fortunately the tide is low this early in the day, exposing the rocky shore. While the slippery rocks make it a slow trek, Veda and Sartorius make it to the wreckage without much trouble. Even a cursory glance is enough to confirm that the Jenifer will never sail again. Only the fortuitous presence of a sharp ridge of rock near the side of the sheer cliff wall has prevented the wreck from sinking entirely into the sea, for only the ship’s stern seems to have survived the wreck. This portion is wedged at an angle between the cliff and the rocks, and each wave shakes and tosses the wreck alarmingly. It won’t be long before the constant pounding of the waves dislodges the wreck and allows the hungry sea to claim the last of this once-fine ship. As they approach, the duo hears an immense racket coming from the lower deck, like something scrabbling against the ship's wooden frame. Sartorius keeps his weapon ready and draws closer to investigate the source of the noise. As the duo makes their way to the lower deck, they spot the source of the noise. Another eurypterid, this one larger than the last, is frantically trying to claw its way through the door that leads into the storeroom. At the moment it seems preoccupied with whatever had gotten its attention from inside the room, and it doesn't appear to have noticed Sartorius or Veda. Spoiler: IOC Hide The ship is currently being rocked back and forth by the waves; this, plus the angle that the ship's floor is at from the wreck, is giving all combatants a -2 to hit. Sartorius whispers a prayer and touches Veda's weapon. Spoiler Hide Casting magic weapon With a snarl, Veda charges at the sea scorpion. Spoiler: Attack Hide Raging, charging for +2 Hit: (1d20+7)[10]/(1d20+7)[9] Damage: (2d6+9)[17]/(6d6+27)[43] Her attack misses. The scorpion's attention turns to the party! Sartorius growls in frustration. He still has a bit of power left, but he need not waste it. He walks up to Veda and points to the scorpion. "The beast will strike from the left. Attack now!" Spoiler Hide Aid another to give +2 on her roll (1d20-2)[2] The scorpion and Veda strike at each other. Spoiler: Attacks Hide Scorpion: Claw 1: (1d20-1)[5]/(1d20-1)[12] Damage: (1d3)[3]/(2d3)[4] Claw 2: (1d20-1)[14]/(1d20-1)[16] Damage: (1d3)[2]/(2d3)[5] Sting: (1d20-1)[4]/(1d20-1)[0] Damage: (1d3)[1]/(2d3)[4] plus poison, DC 12 Veda: Fortitude (1d20+8)[9] Hit: (1d20+5)[7]/(1d20+5)[18] Damage: (2d6+9)[19]/(6d6+27)[40] Sartorius tries to coach her again. Spoiler Hide Aid another: (1d20-2)[0] Veda snarls and raises her hammer high overhead." Just die already, beast!" Spoiler: Attacks Hide Scorpion: Claw 1: (1d20-1)[11]/(1d20-1)[5] Damage: (1d3)[3]/(2d3)[3] Claw 2: (1d20-1)[2]/(1d20-1)[14] Damage: (1d3)[1]/(2d3)[4] Sting: (1d20-1)[1]/(1d20-1)[1] Damage: (1d3)[1]/(2d3)[5] plus poison, DC 12 Veda: Fortitude (1d20+8)[9] Hit: (1d20+5)[12]/(1d20+5)[14] Damage: (2d6+9)[16]/(6d6+27)[50] With a loud crunch, she crushes the scorpion's head. Sartorius relaxes. "Well done. Now then, what do we have in here?" He looks around the stern for anything he could salvage. Spoiler Hide Perception: (1d20+8)[17] Veda sighs and sits down to catch her breath. Much of the ship's lower portion appears to have been torn away when the ship ran aground, but it looks like the larder, the storeroom, and the captain's cabin are still intact. Trickles of what appear to be blood are running from under the storeroom door. Sartorius gasps and opens the storeroom door, hoping he still has time to heal whoever is hurt behind there. The door is stuck, but it looks weakened by the wreck and the scorpion's assault. He or Veda might be able to break through with a little effort. Sartorius tries to knock it down. Spoiler Hide Strength check: (1d20)[3] Veda stands up and hefts her hammer." Stand back." Spoiler: Attack Hide Hit: (1d20+4)[17] Damage: (2d6+7)[13] The door splinters under her blow. Sartorius moves out of the way and gulps as he stares at what's left of the door. He calls into the storeroom. "Hello? Is anyone in here?" Inside the storeroom, they find Alton Divers. The ship's first mate is dead, and his body is peppered with numerous wounds, some of them inflamed. Spoiler: Heal DC 16 Hide The wounds look like a combination of rapier stab wounds and sea scorpion stings. It appears that the ultimate cause of his death was the scorpion venom. Sartorius kneels and examines the corpse. Spoiler Hide (1d20+4)[21] "Someone left him for dead... Maybe the person who poisoned everyone else." He thinks about the crew and the passengers. Who carried a rapier other than Divers himself? Sartorius only recalls the missing captain and Sasha carrying a rapier. The scorpion wounds appear more recent, though, and there is sand clinging to his boots and hands so he's likely been to shore himself since the wreck. Besides, Sasha was unconscious with the other passengers when Sartorius had awoken. Besides the first mate (and his masterwork studded leather and masterwork short sword), there are several items that could prove useful in establishing a campsite: a block and tackle, three large canvas sheets, two fishing nets, a grappling hook, two bullseye lanterns, 12 flasks of lantern oil, 150 feet of hemp rope, and five shovels. Sartorius collects what he can gather and stores it. He searches Divers's body for any sign of a holy symbol. If not, he will try to guess what Divers's faith was and what his last rites would be. Spoiler Hide Knowledge (Religion): (1d20+6)[15] Divers isn't holding a holy symbol of any kind. Sartorius isn't sure what the man's faith is, but as a sailor it's safe to assume that he would have paid respects to Gore. Sartorius takes a bit of the man's hair and holds it up to the sky, trying to point it towards any cloud he can see. "(Aura) I offer this man's mind to the skies." He collects a bit of the man's nails and scatters them across the water. "(Aqua) I offer this man's body to the seas." He closes Divers's eyes and rolls the man into the water. "(Aqua) Gore, guide his spirit home." With that done, Sartorius heads into the larder to find anything else useful. The larder door proves to be much easier to open. Sartorius finds enough food and water to keep a single person fed for 24 days, though with their group it's a considerably shorter time that it'll last for. He also finds the ship's cook, dead numerous bite marks on his neck and shoulders Spoiler: Heal DC 16 Hide The marks look like they came from a very large snake Sartorius collects the rations and examines the body. Spoiler Hide (1d20+4)[8] He performs the same last rites for the man and approaches the captain's quarters with dread. Two rooms and two bodies. Did the captain meet the same fate? Veda is rummaging through the captain's quarters when Sartorius comes out of the larder." Find anything useful?" "I have some rations, and I can create water so we should be safe for a time. What about you?" She shrugs." A bunch of maps and the captain's journal, and a set of keys. I haven't finished searching yet, though." It looks like most of the contents of the room had spilled out into the surf through a hole in the wall; only the overturned desk beside Veda and a footlocker beside the bed remain. Sartorius takes the keys and tries to open the Foot Locker. One of the keys opens the locker. Inside are a masterwork dagger, a set of leather armor, two potions, a holy symbol of Tethys, and a spell component pouch. Veda takes the keys back and pops open the bottom drawer of the desk. Inside she finds a bottle of brandy, a dark wood model of theJeniverein a glass bottle worth 100 GP, and a small coffer containing 350 GP. Also in this lower drawer is a long leather satchel that holds a dozen potions. Sartorius begins the arduous process of identifying the potions. Spoiler Hide Spell craft: (1d20+6)[15] There are four potions of cure light wounds, one potion of cure moderate wounds, four potions of lesser restoration, one potion of remove disease, one potion of water breathing, and one potion of water walking. The two potions from the footlocker are also potions of cure light wounds. Sartorius salvages the equipment, giving a lot of it to Veda to carry, before returning to shore to set up camp. The two of them return, and the other castaways all look surprised at what they brought with them." This is great! Some of the supplies survived!" Jask is about to speak when he sees the component pouch and holy symbol that Sartorius is carrying." Normally I'd say someone's foolish for keeping a prisoner's equipment nearby, but this time it's working in our favor. Did you happen to find the key to these manacles?" Sartorius narrows his eyes. "I did, yes. And you're right, it is foolish to have these things so close. Who's to say you won't attack me as soon as I return them to you?" Task scowls." Look, I've been trying to prove my innocence since before you even got on the ship. You can believe whatever you want, but the fact of the matter is we're shipwrecked here and there's no telling when or if somebody will ever find us. If I try to stab any of you in the back, I'm as good as dead whether you kill me yourselves or just leave me behind. The way I see it, this group's my only chance of getting off this rock and clearing my name." Sartorius hesitates. "Fine. For now, I've got my eye on you. If you try to cast a spell without letting me know what you're doing, I will stop you, and it will hurt." He unlocks Task's manacles and hands the prisoner his possessions before turning his attention to Sasha." Say, I happened to find some oils on the ship that might be helpful to us. If you lend me your rapier, I can apply one of them for you," Sartorius lies casually. Spoiler Hide Bluff: (1d20-1)[2] Sasha raises an eyebrow." What are you trying to pull, dwarf? I'm from Ilizmagorti too, I'm not an idiot." Sartorius frowns. "Listen, I just need to make sure you weren't involved in any nasty business after we crashed. Let me examine the sword, and any doubts will clear themselves up." She continues eying him suspiciously, but hands over the rapier." What kind of 'nasty business' are you talking about? I remember sitting down to eat dinner, the next thing I know I'm waking up here on the beach." Sartorius draws the blade to look at it before he answers her. Spoiler Hide Perception: (1d20+8)[25] to check for bloodstains or marks indicating the sword has been cleaned since the ship crashed. There's no sign of blood on the rapier, and upon closer examination it doesn't look like the particular design of her weapon quite matches up with what had been used on the first mate. Sartorius sighs in relief. He hands the weapon back to her. "Thanks for cooperating. Alton is dead, and someone stabbed him more than once." Sasha and the others stare at him." Someone killed Alton?!" Veda nods." Attacked him, at least. Sea scorpions finished him off on the ship." Sartorius nods to confirm Veda's story. "I didn't suspect you, of course, but you understand that I had to be completely certain for the safety of everyone here. Now then, if everyone works together, you can set up these canvas sheets before nightfall. Chiron, if you would please join me, I'm going to take a look around and see if I can find the captain or the others." The Than man nods and stands up while the others start looking for a place to set up camp. Sartorius begins looking around the crash site and a bit deeper into the jungle, calling the captain's and Deana's names. It doesn't take long for Sartorius and Chiron to find that the jungle isn't going to be an easy place to travel due to the thick undergrowth, steep hills, and deep mud covering the island. The dwarf's calls go unanswered. Sartorius frowns. "Do you have any ideas as to where everyone else may have gone?" Chiron shakes his head. "I don't. They may have washed up on one of the island's other shores." Sartorius sighs and gives up for now. He heads back to the campsite. Along the way, he'll see if he can rummage up some food for himself or anyone. Spoiler Hide Survival: (1d20+10)[23] He finds some edible plants along the way, enough to supplement their food stores for the day. Sartorius passes out the plants when he arrives at the camp. He sits down next to Veda. "It seems we're still a ways from our destination. How do you want to proceed once we've had our rest?" Veda crosses her arms as the small animal she keeps with her bites into a hunk of dried meat." With the jungle being as thick as you say it is, it's going to take us a long time to get anywhere on the island. We should probably try to move further toward the island's center to see if we can find any sign of other people, or a way to call for help." "That sounds reasonable. There may be cannibals on the island though..." "And? If they try to attack us, we'll kill them. It's that simple." Sartorius raises an eyebrow. "They probably outnumber us if they are really here, you know." "Numbers aren't everything. We all seem like skilled enough warriors." Not sure why she would think that about me when I couldn't even hit a scorpion with magic at point-blank range, Sartorius thinks bitterly. No time to worry about that though. He heads to sleep. The others follow his lead and head to bed, with Veda staying up to keep watch. Spoiler: Dream Hide Sartorius is back aboard the Jenifer, bent over the railing being seasick. After his latest bout of retching, he slumps back and see the rest of the passengers and crew are on deck as well, all of them sick save for the captain and the quiet Parisian scholar Deana. She whispers in the captain’s ear, then gives him a kiss on the cheek. At that point the captain holds up a wooden soup spoon, and Sartorius realizes that he's holding one as well. Everyone has a spoon. The ship is sinking, and the only way to stop it is to bail out the hold with his spoon! He works feverishly, but the waters keep rushing in. Just before he wakes, he can see monstrous things with pincers in the water trying to claw their way into the ship... Sartorius jolts awake. He looks down at his hand, breathing harshly. That woman...was that a vision sent by Gore? Was Deana responsible for poisoning him? The dwarf stands up. He decides to let the human woman sleep for now, she was up late. Instead, he rouses Aeries. "Let's go on a patrol." Aeries nods and gets ready to head out. She looks a little under the weather, however. "Is something wrong?" "Huh? Oh, no, just feeling a little... out of sorts. You wouldn't happen to have anything to drink on you, would you?" Spoiler Hide Heal: (1d20+4)[22] Sartorius nods and creates 2 gallons of water to fill a jug for her. Spoiler: Heal result Hide She seems to be having some kind of withdrawal. She drinks some of the water. "Thanks." Sartorius decides not to say anything. He walks with her to explore the nearby area. The two of them begin their trek into the jungle. "So, what exactly are we looking for again? Some kind of trail?" "Yes. We are seeking a way to the center of the forest." Aeries nods." I hope we find a place with some booze..." "Unfortunately, I didn't find any booze on the ship to bring back," Sartorius says with a worried expression. So she's a drunk... "Dammit..." She sighs and rubs her temples." Sorry, don't mind my rambling." Sartorius looks her over. "Has the voyage not given you enough time to get through the worst of the withdrawal?" he asks. "Not when there's alcohol readily available on the ship and at every port we stop in." Sartorius nods. "Some force of will is a good way to take your mind off of things. Though, if you're interested, I know of a better way to help with the symptoms." "Oh? What might that be?" Sartorius describes a folk remedy for treating addiction, and Aeries decides not to take him up on it. The dwarf shrugs and the two of them continue trekking into the woods. Spoiler Hide Perception: (1d20+8)[26] As they walk, Aeries brings up a remedy that she's heard about as well: a tropical plant known as "viper nettle", the berries of which supposedly help expedite recovery from illness and alcoholism. After a few hours of slowly making their way through the jungle, they come to a river winding through the trees. Sartorius starts looking for the viper nettle. Spoiler Hide Knowledge (Nature) to think about where it might be: (1d20+8)[11] Survival to track it down: (1d20+10)[14] He recalls that viper nettles tend to grow along riverbanks in tropical regions, so this seems like the best place to start searching if there are any to be found on Smuggler's Shiv. Some searching takes him to a grove of thorny vines on the river's edge, with the telltale green leaves and six-inch red thorns of the viper nettle. Sartorius picks up a shovel and digs the entire nettle out of the ground so he won't have to touch the thorns. He wraps it up in a net and hands it to Aeries that way. Aeries carefully looks over the vines before shaking her head. "There aren't any berries here. They might be deeper in the grove." Sartorius is annoyed. He put a lot of effort into that. Sighing, he dumps the root on the ground and gathers his net back up. He attaches the grappling hook to a rope and tries to throw it across the river to help them get across. Spoiler Hide Ranged attack: (1d20+2)[8] The hook catches in the branches of one of the trees on the other side, providing him with a secure place to attach the rope. Sartorius ties the rope down and nods for Aeries to walk across the river. Aeries grabs onto the rope and starts wading her way across." I think I can see some!" Sartorius grabs the rope and starts walking across the river slowly. He keeps himself ready to respond to any enemies that attack him. Aeries helps Sartorius up onto the opposite bank when he arrives. The nettle patch looks thicker here, but the thorns seem to be a bit smaller as well. Sartorius looks for a patch with berries. The patch is thick, and while Sartorius does spy some berries they're rather deep in the grove. Spoiler: IOC Hide It's a DC 12 Reflex save to get through the patch unharmed. Failure results in taking 1 damage, and Sartorius will need to make a DC 14 Fortitude save to avoid developing a painful rash that will leave him sickened for 24 hours. Sartorius crawls carefully through the brush. Spoiler Hide Reflex (1d20+2)[18] Fort: (1d20+5)[23] (+4 if this rash is caused by poison) Sartorius makes it through the vines, and finds several bushes of brightly colored berries at the center of the grove. He picks as many berries as he can and brings them back to Aeries. "Here. Make them last." Aeries stares at them, before popping a few into her mouth."... Thanks, Sartorius. I've been trying to kick my drinking habit for a long time. I never would've thought that I'd find the answer like this." The dwarf nods. "Well, for now, let's hope they work. Not every cure is a miracle, you know. And even if it does help you kick the habit, you have to make sure not to pick it back up again. You need to stay sober." Aeries nods. "Trust me, after all the crap I went through because of that, I'm not touching another drink in a long time." Sartorius nods. "Alright. Let's head back to the camp for now. I think we have a good idea of the area." The others are in the middle of a discussion when Sartorius and Aeries get back. Veda looks up at him and holds out the journal they'd found on the ship." You might want to take a look at this." The dwarf blinks and takes the journal from her. He opens it up and scans the contents. An examination of this log reveals that theJenivere’captain seemed to be suffering from some sort of madness that grew over the course of the ship’s final voyage. Earlier entries from previous voyages are precise in recording progress and events along the way, as are entries from the first two-thirds of this last trip. Yet as one reads further, the more recent the entries get, the less common they become—in some cases, several days are missing entries. What entries do appear are strangely short, focusing more and more on one of the passengers—the Parisian scholar Deana, with whom the captain seems to have become obsessed. Several entries are nothing more than poorly written love poems to Deana, while others bemoan Captain Kovacs’s inability to please her or catch her attention. Near the end, the entries begin to take on a more ominous tone with the captain starting to complain that other members of the crew are eyeing “his Deana.” In particular, he suspects his first mate is in love with her, and writes several times about how he wishes Alton would just “have an accident.” The final entry is perhaps the most disturbing, for in it the captain writes of how he’s changed course for Smuggler’s Shiv at Deana’s request. He hopes that the two of them can make a home on the remote island, but also notes that the crew are growing increasingly agitated at the ship’s new course. The captain muses that “something may need to be done about the crew” if their suspicions get any worse. Sartorius frowns. "What could have happened here? ... Hm. For now, we need more information. Let's make for the lighthouse!" Everyone starts getting ready to head out, though Sasha seems to be in a foul mood. Gelik speaks up." What direction are we heading?" Sartorius looks at the redhead. "Sleep poorly?" he guesses. "I'm not in the mood to be ordered around." "I mean, if you'd rather stay on the beach and get left behind, that's always an option," Sartorius points out. She grumbles and starts packing up the campsite with the others. The group heads out. Sartorius points to the pathway he has cut through so far with Aeries, and the group follows that path for hours through the dense jungle as they did this morning. They proceed onward south up the river, and after several hours the group comes upon a fork in the river. Two paths branch off to the southeast and southwest, while another heads more to the northwest. Sartorius looks over at Gelid. "You mentioned that you know the location of the lighthouse. Which way are we headed?" "It's on the southeastern shores somewhere. I'm not sure which branch of the river would get us there sooner, though." Sartorius considers his options. Spoiler Hide Know: Geography: (1d20+6)[13] Survival: (1d20+10)[18] Presumably, the southeastern branch would be the most direct route. However, considering the rocky cliffs and dense jungle, it's also possible that they may need to navigate around the island. Sartorius considers the risks and decides that they need to catch up to the captain as quickly as possible. Deana might be in danger. He calls for the group to head to the southeast branch. As the group follows the river, they pass along the edge of a tall ridge that allows them to see a stretch of sandy beach below. In the distance they can see the remnants of a quickly-rigged shelter and evidence of a small campfire sitting well above the high-tide line on the beach. Sartorius relaxes. Maybe he's not too late? He makes for the campfire. The group climbs down the ridge to the beach, but when they arrive they find that nobody is at the campsite. It has been used recently, however. Spoiler: Perception DC 15 Hide Among the discarded items at the site are a tricorn hat and a few brightly colored hats, which they recognize as being Captain Kovacs's and Deana's, respectively. Veda: (1d20+4)[18] Aeries: (1d20+4)[9] Gelid: (1d20+1)[8] Chiron: (1d20+4)[10] Sasha: (1d20+6)[23] Task: (1d20+3)[4] Spoiler: Survival DC 15 Hide Tracks lead from the camp sight back toward the ridge they came from, where they curve toward the south. Sartorius examines the campsite. Spoiler Hide Perception: (1d20+8)[20] Survival: (1d20+10)[26] His blood runs cold. The trail is still fresh! "Follow those tracks! Move out!" They all start heading back up." Sartorius, what are you planning to do if we do reunite with them?" "We'll free Leana, if she's being held against her will. We'll show the captain the diary and demand he explain himself." "And if she's not being held against her will?" "If that happens, it will be for some reason I couldn't guess at now. I'll come up with a plan when I know more details. For now, we assume he's kidnapped her and killed Divers."

Serpent's Skull (1-on-1 game with NeoSeraphi)|rating:4.0

HYPNO x AoA [Aya&Vicodin, EX]

(plopped down in the van, closing her eyes immediately as she fell into the seat. She lifted a hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Outside, streetlights whizzed by as streaks of light in the darkness. The occasional burst of light would fill the van as the light flooded through the windows. Chao unbuckled her seatbelt and laid down on the seats in the back of the van. She stretched out her long legs and yawned. There had been so many fans at the special Chao fan signing that she was leaving almost 2 hours later than the other members. They would probably be sleeping already. She yawned again, putting on her noise-cancelling headphones.' Wake me up when we're there, Mr. Manager.' she managed to say between yawns, before drifting off to sleep. It was some time later when the blonde K-pop star opened her eyes, staring at the roof of the car. The engine had been turned off, and there were no around. The car was parked, but her manager was nowhere to be found. She sat up, slipping off her headphones and letting them hang around her neck. Normally, the slightest sound would have woken her, but she hadn't heard a thing. Chao peeked out the window. In the distance, the telltale lights and logo of a Pokémon Center could be seen. Her manager must have gone in first to check in. Slowly, Chao opened the door and slipped into the cool night, stretching her arms and legs first. She headed towards the large building in the distance. If everything went according to plan, she would shower, do her nightly stretches, and go to bed. It was a long day. Within the Pokémon world, there was always a chance that a wild Pokémon would go off the rails. The current news cycles had been punctuated with a warning that a Hypo had escaped from the nearby Pokémon Zoo. This particular Hypo lurked within the shadows of the Pokémon Center that Chao was staying at. The small pendulum spun in his hand as he looked up at the hotel. While his face didn't show any sort of emotion, it was practically lighting up with excitement at the prospect of all the dreams that he could enjoy and eat during the night. Being at the Pokémon Zoo had deprived him of the types of dreams that he loved to have. Dirty dreams. The dreams that had left his victims panting and covered in all sorts of fluids. The sexual dreams were always the ones that were the most delicious, that filled him to the brim with power. Hypno peeked his head around the corner of the Pokémon Center, taking advantage of the shadows that surrounded the building. He saw a blond girl walk into the Center, with intent to move to her hotel. He had made his decision right there, he was going to have this girl as one of his prime dream providers. Furthermore, he snuck in through the backdoor, manipulating the locks with a simple wave of his hand and the psychic powers that he possessed. Furthermore, he could feel Chao as she walked up the stairs towards her room, that power and exhaustion that radiated off of her. The best part about this woman was that she could easily be manipulated and lulled to sleep. Only those with higher than average levels or wills would be able to resist him, and he doubted that an entertainer was an excellent Pokémon trainer. Nevertheless, Hypo picked the lock in her hotel once she had made her way into her room, hiding in the shadows once she had decided to go to her shower. He followed her into the bathroom, holding his pendulum back and forth as he approached the naked woman. His cock was beginning to elongate and harden, coming out of its sheath and showing a pulsating 10 inches, and he wasn't even completely hard! "Don't worry, young woman," Hypo's deep voice radiated into her mind, communicating with telepathy. "Look deep into my eyes... for I am your new master for the night..." Chao stretched and yawned as the door swung shut behind her, clicking and locking automatically with a soft beep. She rubbed her eyes, then regretted it as her irritated contact lens caused her eye to water. She brushed a tear from her cheek and undid the zipper to her skin-tight performance dress, stepping out of it as it fell to her ankles. Her top followed suit, leaving her in just a blue bra and short shorts-they always wore something underneath their skirts, in order to prevent any unfortunate camera scandals. Especially necessary with their rather revealing dance moves. Chao walked into the bathroom, surrounded on three sides with mirrors. On the mirrorless side was a large, glass walk-in shower. This Pokémon Center was pretty nice compared to other ones they had stayed at. It was even better because she had a room to herself tonight. The blonde Korean girl stared at her reflection as she strolled in, her eyes still a little watery. The room kind of looked underwater. She inspected her flat, toned stomach and breasts with scrutiny, turning to one side and pinching her stomach. There was still some belly fat that she could lose. She looked back up, and something large and yellow had suddenly appeared in the mirror behind her. It was hard to make out with all the water in her eyes. She noticed something swinging back and forth in the mirror, back and forth... Choa turned around slowly, coming face to face with the Hypo. It was massive - nowhere near the 5'3 average that the Pokédex would cite, but well over 7 feet. It barely fit in the doorway. Furthermore, it was as big as it was tall - this particular monster had huge, rippling muscles; its arm was easily the same size, or bigger than Chao's small, feminine frame. Furthermore, it looked like it was a Hypo on steroids. Chao opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. The swaying of the pendulum was so smooth, so mysterious. She couldn't take her eyes off of it. It was seemed to slow down whenever it reached the center, then somehow speed up at the edges again. It swung back and forth in the air with its own, charming rhythm, carrying its own gravity. Like magic, it pulled her eyesight to its mesmerizing rhythm and never let it go. The swaying pendulum reflected in Chao's electric blue contact lenses, until her irises faded away and left her eyes dull and hazy.'... new master for the night...' The Korean girl's gaze dropped to Hypo's crotch, taking in the sight of its massive yellow cock. It throbbed and ached, as if yearning to plunder Chao's tight Korean body. It was already big enough to stretch her to her limits, but it was still growing. She took one step towards the Hypo and hesitated, unsure of what to do. She slowly got on all fours and let her tongue hang out of her mouth." No, don't make me..." Chao panted, crawling towards the Hypo. Her breasts looked wonderfully perky even as she crawled on all fours like a dog. She nestled herself right under the Pokémon's fat, monster cock, letting it rest on her face. Chao slowly looked up, a momentary flicker of hesitation in her eyes. It disappeared when she gazed up, her eyes once again meeting the rhythm of the pendulum. She slowly wrapped her tiny hands around Hypo's dick, beginning to work the massive length. Up and down, she began to stroke him, her eyes glued to the pendulum as she did so. Chao picked up speed and rhythm now, as if suddenly discovering a skill she never knew she had. She was jerking him off like she had done it a thousand times before, even though she was almost a virgin. She had only done it with her boyfriend once, and given him one hand job. There wasn't a lot of time for these things as an idol. Choa stopped. She reached up for one of Hypo's hands, which was easily the size of her head. Chao grabbed it and placed it on her blonde head, gripping his fingers until they closed around her blonde hair, tugging tightly. A wing of pain and pleasure sounded throughout her body as Chao forced Hypo to grab her by the head." Please let me go," she begged, tears streaming down her perfect cheeks. Chao gripped his hand tighter as she spoke, causing him to tighten his hold in turn. She moaned." Don't make me do this." Chao pleaded, putting her hands behind her head. She pushed herself, using Hypo's hand, forward until the fat head of his cock was pushing at her tight, sealed lips." No...no..." she continued, even as she leaned her body forwards, now placing her hands on Hypo's hips. It was like she was role-playing a rape fantasy, even though all of her indications pointed to her craving for fat, Pokémon cock. Choa let out a forced moan as she pulled herself forwards, using Hypo's hips as an anchor. She pretended to turn away from his dick, but made sure to keep an angle so that his cock entered her warm, dripping mouth as she pulled herself forward. His cock pushed into her mouth, spreading her pretty Korean lips all over his bulbous head. She opened her mouth wide to accommodate her new master's meat, using her tongue to coat it in her saliva. She moaned loudly onto his cock. Over and over she impaled her throat against Hypo's cock, taking more and more each time. Chao's hands, neck and body moved in unison to ensure that Hypo's cock would slam into her throat as forcefully as possible, causing her to gag and tears to run down her pretty Korean face." Mmrggff. Mrgggh," she gagged, looking up at Hypo as if begging him to stop. Chao continued to ram herself against his cock with her throat, all the while looking up at the swaying of the pendulum. She kept this up for a full few minutes, without so much as skipping a beat. Her throat was already sore from the punishment. Chao threw herself away from Hypo, but was firmly snagged by the hair. For a moment, she hung in the air like a rag doll, dangling from Hypo's hand from her golden locks." Stop." she smiled, wiping the precut and drool from her lips." I can't believe you didn't finish your ice cream again, Jimin." she babbled, making her way towards Hypo again. Choa tenderly wrapped one hand around Hypo's yellow cock, and began to bathe it with her tongue. She licked up and down the length, then swirled around the head. Her lips wrapped around the bulbous tip in a tight seal, sucking on it loudly while continuing to work her tongue." I don't even like mint," Chao complained with her mouth full of cock, continuing to suck on it like it was an ice cream cone. She looked up at the pendulum again, this time the color returning to her eyes, which opened wide." Help!" She screamed, scrambling to her feet. "There's a wild Pokémon in my room!" Chao called out, as if ready to run. She turned around in a panic, gripping the sink tightly with both hands. Chao pulled her shorts down to her ankles, leaving them there to bind her feet together. She bent over the porcelain sink, and smiled wickedly into the mirror, shaking her apple-shaped ass." Somebody please save me~" Humans were weird sometimes. Hypo hadn't expected his powers to work so well on the idol, but perhaps he should have seen it coming considering he had been honing his craft and practicing his magic while he was imprisoned in the Pokémon Zoo. Day in and day out those humans stared at him, commenting in their weird language about how weird and huge he looked. They stared at him like he was a freak, and he had to watch them do it, because of the power brace that was locked around his neck, downgrading his power to around 5% of what he normally had. But he had managed to break that collar off when he escaped, so now he could take advantage of his full power and test it out among the humans who were scared of him, who held him in captivity and paraded him around like a toy. It was a shame that Chao was one of the first girls that he found, since Hypo was full of years of frustration, both emotionally and sexually. As his cock ballooned out in front of Chao, while the idol's eyes spaced out, his magic taking hold, his grip on his pendulum tightened just a little bit as Chao practically raped her mouth with his cock. His cock was yellow and had fleshy scales up the shaft, stopping at the bulbous head. It looked like it was ribbed for a Hypo female's pleasure, and the length certainly looked like it would devastate his poor victim. Over 15 inches of Pokémon cock pointed out at Chao as he placed a strong hand onto the girl's head to guide her to worship his dick. And worship she did. The pleasure shot up his spine as she began to stroke him, getting a feel for his dick. There was no way that this human was going to be able to take every inch of him, no matter what hole he decided to use. He played along with her fantasy, noticing that she was doing everything in her power to relinquish her will, letting it fall into his hands so that he could take full responsibility for her "rape". He saw the way that she stared at his cock, and felt the way she worshiped it like it was her new purpose in life. She wanted him to mate with her, and since he was never given a mate back in the zoo, he would be all too happy to oblige. His right hand held the pendulum while his left guided the idol to do whatever he wished. He held her close to his dick and forced it down her throat, practically thrusting half of the length into her like she was his own personal onshore. The fingers on his left hand curled into the girl's hair, preventing her from escaping as her head was jerked back and forth on his dick, no doubt tearing her vocal cords or putting a huge amount of strain on them from his length and girth. Unfortunately for her, this particular Hypo had a giant amount of stamina. So even though her throat was clenching down on his fat cock, sending pleasure shooting up his spine every second, it didn't seem like his orgasm was coming anytime soon. This girl was in for a rough night, but on the bright side, maybe she finally met a male that would cum after her. Choa's senseless moans and words that she uttered as she sucked on his dick meant nothing to him. When she seemed to snap out of his spell, she screamed and Hypo quickly locked the bathroom door with his psychic powers, locking the windows as well and closing the blinds so that no one would be able to see what was happening. By the time he had turned back to Chao, the girl had pulled her shorts down to her ankles, as if wanting herself to be helpless in front of this strong Hypo. He decided that he would play her game, but by his rules instead. He dropped his pendulum onto the ground, deciding that he didn't need it if he was going to have his hands on this girl instead. Furthermore, he mounted her, his hands grabbing each of her hips, fingers almost able to interlock as he pressed the bulbous tip of his cock against her tight cunt. If she looked up at the mirror, she could see the distance between the both of them, showing just how hung this gigantic Pokémon was. He pushed his cock against her until the tip sunk inside of her body, no doubt stretching her out with just the tip alone. His cock started to radiate heat inside of her body, the extent of his power aiming to please the girl just as much as she was pleasing him, if not more. Slowly and probably painfully, he began to push farther into her body, fingers holding her hips in place so that she didn't struggle while he pushed. Around half of his length, a full 8 inches pushed inside of her before he stopped, realizing that he was going to hit her womb if he went any farther. He pulled out slowly, taking advantage of any lubrication that she might be releasing. He continued this for a few minutes, slowly pushing and pulling into Chao's pussy, stirring her insides with his gigantic cock. The Hypo remained silent, letting his dick do the talking as his pet for the evening took his dick halfway to the root and then endured him slowly pulling out. He didn't increase his speed, merely held her there as he tested her willpower, seeing if she was going to cum from doing simply this. "오빠." Chao cooed, calling out the affectionate term she normally used for her boyfriend. She watched as he came up behind her in the mirror, towering over her slender, bent-over frame. Her hair dipped into the bowl of the sink, filling it with blonde. Chao gazed into the mirror, admiring her boyfriend's massive build; his ripped, exaggerated muscles that covered his torso and arms, his beautiful golden skin and fluffy white scarf... Most of all, her favorite thing about him was the monster that dangled between his legs - fifteen inches of pure, thick meat that never failed to bring her to orgasm after shaking orgasm. They had been together for years now, and Chao still hadn't grown tired of it. No matter how poorly he treated her, his cock more than made up for it. She gasped as the familiar feeling of her boyfriend pushing into her came over her. The fat head of his cock pushed into her tight cunt with a satisfying pop, forming a tight seal. The sweet sound of Chao's moan echoed around the washroom as he began to push deeper inside of her. She held the sink to steady herself, her legs quivering as her petite body tried to accommodate her boyfriend's massive size. Chao's tight cunt stretched around his fat yellow cock, her juices running down the long length of her legs. It felt like the first time, even though they had done it many times before. The blonde K-pop star was already stretched to her limit, and her senses exploded as the tip of her boyfriend's cock tapped against her womb. The lights were blindingly bright, and she was starting to see stars. Chao gasped, relishing the feeling of being completely filled. Every inch of her tight little cunt was full of her lover's meat." Wait, wait." she panted, trying to get used to the feeling. He began to pull out, dragging the ribbed edges of his cock along her walls. Chao screamed in pleasure, the light pain only adding to her satisfaction. Her insides sucked greedily on Hypo's cock as he pulled out. The room began to spin. It felt like her body had been struck by lightning. Then he pushed back into her. Choa babbled incoherently, like she normally did when they fucked. God, her boyfriend was so good at making her feel good. A few thrusts and she was already flying. The slow, steady thrusts were infuriating. Each time he poked against the entrance to her womb, another brand-new wave of pleasure crashed over her. It was like she was trapped in a room filling with water, slowly rising until she was drowning in her own pleasure. The few agonizing minutes passed, and the color slowly returned to Chao's eyes. She looked around the bathroom - how did she get here? Her eyes widened as she looked into the mirror, only now realizing the situation she was in. What the hell was going on? Chao squirmed, but barely moved as the Hypo held her firmly in place, his grip like iron on her hips. She twisted her body around to look at him, but his expression was blank, empty, even as he continued to relentless drive his mammoth cock into her. The sickening part was that her brain was still half confused, and even as she began to come to back to reality, some part of her still felt a feeling of affection for her 'boyfriend'. Choa began to thrash now, but it was no use. She was held firmly in place, and Hypo's cock continued to pump in and out of her like a machine. She screamed as she felt herself cumming, her entire body exploding with pleasure.(knocked and slipped into the room, after getting the key card from the concierge." Choa, are you okay? I keep hearing weird noises coming from your room." Hypo was not sure to the extent that his psychic powers would have taken control of the idol's mind, but it was obvious that his powers were not able to be endured by mortal minds. With a simple wave of his pendulum, the girl had stripped her shorts down and waved her ass at him. With a few more injections of spells on her, now he was balls deep inside a hot Korean, molding her body to his cock while her mind thought of him as her new or old boyfriend? He wasn't exactly clear on that, but he also didn't care since he was also enjoying just as much pleasure as she was. Her tight body was simply divine. Why would he breed another Hypo female when he could just enjoy a human instead? Sure, it was illegal for him to be doing this, and he would most likely be put inside a more maximum security zoo for "raping" humans, the revenge that he was exerting on the human race for locking him up was certainly worth it. Hypno's hips slammed into Chao's apple ass again and again. While this type of energetic fucking might have made her actual boyfriend begin to sweat, Hypo wasn't at all. His hips slammed into her again and again, his cock bumping against her cervix, desiring entrance. As the girl babbled and moaned on the end of his dick, Hypo leaned into her against the sink, his fingers curling around her thighs and hips so that he could have better leverage. The tip of his cock head pushed past the ring and into her womb, beginning to pop in and out along with his fucking as he increased in ferocity. Along with her moans, the Hypo remained silent, not moaning or uttering anything and instead letting his body do the talking. His cock was throbbing inside of her, his own eyes radiating purple energy. The energy was spreading to his hands, but he tried to keep himself from casting any moves on the girl, with fear that he might break her human mind. He viciously stirred her insides with his cock, feeling his orgasm building up. However, right as he was about to cum, Chao had released, obviously unable to handle the Pokémon's stamina. Hypo's fingers clenched hard around the girls hips as she held him in a vice grip, most likely desperate for him to fill her to the brim and breed her with his Pokémon cum. And that he did. He pulled halfway out of her cunt and pushed back in, slowing down his thrusts through her orgasm as his own finally hit him. He shot rope after sticky rope of Hypo semen into Chao's cunt, first filling her womb to the brim before it overflowed, leaking into her walls and then down her thighs. Her body was most likely not going to be able to handle the amount of seed that he was pumping into her, but it didn't matter. She wasn't going to be able to have his children anyway, so he was not as worried about any sort of interspecies breeding. When he had finally released the last rope of seed into Chao's body, he slowly pulled out of her, seeing it begin to pool on the bathroom tile below her. Then, like the rag doll that he had treated her as, he released the girl, letting her collapse or lean whichever she could grab. He heard Selwyn's voice and turned towards the woman. She no doubt heard Chao's moans. Thinking quickly, the Hypo picked up his pendulum and stepped out of the bathroom, swinging it back and forth towards the woman while his eyes glowed. "Hello there, fellow idol," his thoughts radiated into her mind. "Do not be afraid. I am simply a fellow Pokémon who would like to spend some time with you. Your friend had a lot of fun with me, and I trust you'll enjoy it just as much as her." Hypno glanced at the woman, looking up and down her body and taking in what her outfit looked like. His cock, all ten inches of it was hardening slightly, but still had some of Chao's fluids and his own mixed onto the flesh. He pointed down at it, his pendulum still swinging with the other hand. "How about you get on your knees and see if you like the taste? You look like someone who knows what you're doing. Don't be shy." Selwyn's eyes widened; the reflection of the swinging pendulum could be seen moving back and forth inside the dark brown circles. Her lips parted slowly, and her tongue extended outwards as though she were a panting bitch. The mesmerized K-pop slut leaned forward as if to get on her knees, before closing her eyes and shaking her head. She ran forward, slipping by Hypo and into the washroom. She screamed at what she found: Chao was sprawled on the bathroom tile, her face frozen in bliss. Her flat, toned stomach bulged from being filled with hot Hypo cum, the rest of which had leaked out and formed a stinking puddle on the floor. Seolhyun whipped her head around in a swish of black hair, finding herself staring up at the gigantic monster; its yellow cock throbbed in front of her pretty face, already ready to go again. There was no way past it and out of the door. She stood up as tall as she could, but as she blinked, Selwyn found herself in the middle of a brightly lit stage. The rest of the members were all around her, moving in step; the beat of their latest song blared in the background, barely audible over the roar of the screaming fans. Chao nudged her from behind - she was standing still like a deer in headlights. Getting to her senses, Selwyn picked herself up and joined the choreography, seamlessly coordinating her movements with the rest of the girls. Every dance move had been ingrained into her body with hours and hours of practice. She gripped the mic firmly; it was almost her part. The mic was warm and a bit soft to the touch. The head of the microphone felt so different today. Even as Selwyn performed, she couldn't help but touch her mic. She used her fingers to knead the head of the mic, gripping and massaging it. She barely stifled her gasp as a strange liquid came out of the metal. It was sticky, and she began to play with it using her fingers. It was almost addicting. She shook the mic back and forth, using her whole hand now, and sure enough more of it dribbled out onto her hand. Nobody else seemed to notice, and the performance continued on. It was her turn now. Seolhyun opened her mouth, pressing her lips to the mic. It still felt so weird. She couldn't resist the urge to suck on the metal, only it didn't feel like metal. She wrapped her lips around the microphone, slurping on it loudly; the substance from before landed on her tongue, trickled down her throat. It tasted divine. Nobody else seemed to be even watching her at this point; it was like she had disappeared from the stage, while the rest of AOA danced behind her. Then, something tugged on the back of her head, and the mic went deep into her throat. Her eyes widened. She was going to choke to death on a mic. Selwyn resisted, pulling herself away from the mic with all of her might; her neck strained as she struggled, but as soon as she was about to take it out of her mouth, the same force pulled her back. Over and over again she struggled with the mic, dragging herself backwards only to have the mic slam into the back of her throat again. She took a deep breath with her nose. The mic was literally throbbing in her mouth now, and the taste was overwhelming. Without knowing why, Selwyn sucked on the microphone in earnest now, using her cheeks, tongue, and everything at her disposal to suck the delicious nectar out of the device. At the same time, she stroked the shaft of the mic like before, delighted as more and more of the sticky honey dribbled into her waiting mouth. These humans were always so easily susceptible to his power. Hypo felt the pleasure flooding through his body as this Korean pop star slobbered all over his dick like she was made to do it. His length was massive and probably would be hard to shove down her throat, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try. One of his strong hands clenched around the back of Selwyn's head and pushed her against his cock, forcing more of him to enter her mouth. While she was definitely pleasing him with the worship of his head and some of his shaft, there was still the rest of the length to work on. He pumped Selwyn on his dick, bobbing her up and down on him while he passed a glance back over towards Chao, who was still passed out with a full belly. He didn't know where these girls came from or why they were in this particular Pokémon Center, but it was lucky for him that he was able to have two nice pets ready for him when he broke out of the zoo. He gave her no reprieve. For minutes, he had pumped her back and forth on his dick, the pop star on her knees before the gigantic Pokémon. He was quite literally fucking her face, possibly making it hard for her to sing tomorrow when his gigantic length was brushing past her tonsils and threatening to go down her throat. As the pleasure finally mounted, he pushed his cock down her throat and erupted, sending another massive load of cum directly into her stomach. His hands clenched around her hair, gripping handfuls as he emptied himself inside the raven haired Korean. Once he was finally finished, he pulled her up and off of his cock and threw her onto her back, staring down the woman to see just how broken she was. Meanwhile, the hotel television was still on but on mute, showing a late night program and some other girl group that happened to be in the area. He wasn't sure what exactly they were, but he could make out "Blackpink" as the band name. Filing this in the back of his mind, he turned back to Selwyn and decided to use this Korean one last time. He began to undress the girl with his telekinetic powers, pulling her clothes off of her in minutes so that he could have a real glimpse of her body. "Spread your legs," Hypo said within her mind, forgetting the girl's name and deciding not to use it. Once she did, Hypo would grab both of her legs in one hand and raise them slightly, arching her back while he lined up his saliva covered cock with her entrance. After some issues fitting inside, he lined up the head and pushed forward, aiming to sheathe himself inside of her before he would set a pace. Selwyn's eyes widened slightly, taking in more of the bright stage lights. The light blinded her, and she was forced to close her eyes. When she opened them, she found herself in a strange place. She looked up at Hypo's face, the muscles on her neck flexing as she resisted his pull. In the corner of her eyes, she spotted Chao lying on the ground in a terrifyingly large puddle of cum.' Mmrgg.' she groaned, using both of her hands to push against the yellow monster's hips. The muscles in her arms tensed, her biceps almost visible as she put all of her might into it. The K-pop idol's eyes flashed with hope as she felt herself moving backwards; the massive thing in her mouth began to slip out, until only the crown remained. Just a little more. She pushed harder, straining her neck and clenching her eyes shut.' Glurggh,' came the noise from her throat. 'Lurk. Guh. Gurrg,' they repeated, the sounds filling the room. Selwyn's throat orchestra was the feature performance, and she was the star of the show. Hypo's fat dick beat on the walls of her throat like a battering ram, ruining the idol's vocal cords. Her cheeks bulged to accommodate the sheer size, and her mouth was spread so wide her jaw hurt. Her neck burned from the strain of resisting. No matter how much she tried, it was futile - Hypo's hold on her raven locks was so tight. His muscles bulged, brimming with power even though he was not exerting himself in the slightest. She was a flashlight for a monster. Selwyn closed her eyes, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. A Pokémon was fucking her face, and she had resigned herself to it. Chao had met the same fate. Her face zoomed forward once again as she was getting used to, only this time he didn't pull her away. The massive cock in her mouth twitched, jumping once, then twice. She let out a muffled protest before a thick glob of bitter Pokémon cum sprayed into her gut. This time, it didn't taste sweet at all. The semen was as thick as honey, and it splattered all over her mouth, plastering her throat and draining into her stomach. There was so much of it. Selwyn swallowed it all, until her toned stomach bulged slightly. Seolhyun's eyes were glazed and lifeless. Her hair bounced back and forth in the air, like she was exercising. Her body moved forward and backwards; her arms stretched out behind her back, like she normally stretched before a workout. The steady rhythmic sound of slapping flesh were the only sounds in the room. Her arms were stretched out behind her; both of her tiny hands were held in the air, clasped firmly in one of Hypo's giant hands. His yellow cock was wedged firmly inside of her pussy, which had been thoroughly broken in by him. Selwyn's athletic body dangled by her arms, suspended in midair as Hypo fucked her from behind. Each powerful thrust drove her flying forwards like a pendulum, only to come back and get impaled on ten inches of still-rock hard Pokémon dick. Hypo gave her a few more thrusts before emptying his balls inside of her again and dropping her to the floor, driving Selwyn to her twentieth orgasm of the night. The hotel room looked like somebody had spilled and industrial-sized bucket of glue.(Hyeseong, Mina and Jimin were draped all over Hypo, all with their heads around his legs. The erect yellow cock was being assaulted by four different tongues, sandwiched between the faces of 4 hot Korean idol sluts. They each had a little piece to themselves, and were set upon bathing it with their tongues. Over and over they licked it clean, like a litter of kittens slurping at milk. Yuan manned the head of the cock, which was the most important and prized position of all. She gave the bulbous crown treatment fit for a King, sucking, licking and slobbering over it while it enjoyed the warm recess of her pretty little mouth. Chanmi and Jimin were eager to please, each taking one of Hypo's heavy balls into their hands and playing with it, hoping for their turn to suck the head. The large vamp jumped again as it hit another bump in the road, driving Hypo's cock an inch deeper into Yuan's mouth. It was almost time to switch spots - Yuan felt the cock stir in her mouth, and took no chances. Without warning, she slid down the length of the shaft, making sure Hypo had his entire length buried inside of her. The crown of his cock rubbed against the back of her mouth before slipping down her throat. Chanmi and Jimin felt Hypo's balls tighten up as he pumped his load directly into Yuan's waiting stomach; they watched as her throat swallowed and swallowed and swallowed, until she finally came back up for air, spilling not a single drop. The van erupted in complaints, and Chanmi took the chance to straddle Hypo and slip his dick right into her dripping pussy.(skipped around the convention center, thankful that she wasn't on stage until tomorrow. She had heard that AOA arrived the night before, judging by the cheering of the fans. She hoped Blackpink would be that popular one day. The center was closed for the night, leaving only the idol groups who were performing and security. The lights were off in a lot of the hallways, which was kind of scary. Jason hurried her step, hoping to quickly find some water and head back to her room. Unfortunately for Selwyn, the Hypo was simply too strong for the Korean pop star. He had claimed his fellow bandmate as one of the members of his new human harem, and she had just stumbled into position number 2. Her body had become his own personal toy to play with as her throat struggled to keep his massive cock inside. At this rate, she might not even be able to sing for her fans with his constant assault on her vocal cords. After all, she had other matters to attend to at the present time, like the huge cock down her throat. Hypo enjoyed this human. She was breaking just like the other one, and he didn't even need to shove it into her pussy to do so. Perhaps his power was simply too strong, and he had to be careful or else the poor human minds would break underneath all the psychic strain. The shackles that the zoo kept around his magic were broken when he escaped, and he was finally able to test out his magic after so much time. Of course, due to his level, he could most likely break the poor Korean's neck, but there wasn't any fun in ruining a perfectly good pet. She seemed to be learning her role just like Chao.~~~And what a role it was. Since Chao had passed out from her rough treatment, Selwyn had to take on the position of being Hypo's own personal cock sock. The Pokémon seemed to have an unlimited amount of stamina, since it only took him a few moments for his cock to harden back to its previous glory. Any Pokémon breeder could tell the Korean pop stars that Pokémon usually had longer amounts of stamina than a human, since they carried powers and magical attacks within their bodies. Hypo was no exception. Since he towered over the pop stars and had years of isolation as a pet for the humans, he wanted to see how long they would last. Surprisingly, not that long. Selwyn broke almost as quickly as Chao. Barely an hour passed and the pop star was on her knees, her own hands being gripped by his as he plowed her pussy, molding it to his shape and making her remember every ridge and inch. Another half hour had passed before he had come inside of her again, filling her to the brim with his seed. These pop stars should be thankful that they were being fucked by a Pokémon, or else they would be easily pregnant from this much seed.~~~That night, Hypo had brainwashed the other five pop stars and brought them to their tour van, sitting down on one of the couches and allowing the mind-broken stars to begin to service him. They were all his pets and he was their master, which no one could question with the amount of love they were giving his cock. They sucked on him like he was their boyfriend, getting a true girlfriend experience from all of them at once. His harem had just started, and all of AOA were part of it. It was unsure if they would even be able to perform tomorrow, or how much they would need to shower to get the stench of cum off of their bodies. Were their minds even able to remember their songs and dance routines? Hypo didn't know, or actually cared. He left all seven women bulging with cum after two hours of merciless fucking.~~~Even later, Hypo infiltrated the convention center, remaining in the shadows like he did with Chao. He noticed the very sparse amount of security inside the building. The guards were mostly outside, guarding the perimeter except for the parking lot of course, since that's where the van full of his harem was parked. He turned down a hallway and saw another Korean girl, all alone. If the Hypo could show a smile, he would, but instead he stared ahead at the girl, holding his pendulum as he got closer and closer. His steps remained silent, and he started to swing his pendulum back and forth, waiting for her to turn around. "Hello little human... you're out late," his voice radiated inside the pop star's head. "Having trouble sleeping?"

HYPNO x AoA [Aya&Vicodin, EX]|rating:1.0

The Comperior (IC)

IOC*THIRD OF OCTOBER, YEAR 2929, 723 YEARS SINCE FLIGHT FROM EARTH, ACTIVATING AWAKENING PROTOCOL* Those are the words that go across my eyes as the pod wakes me up once again. *AWAKENING COMPLETE WELCOME CAPTAIN ANSELM OLDER EN*"Another year gone by and another day of this cycle." I mutter to myself and I climb out of my pod and stretch. "I suppose I should go to today's work." Something feels off though. Wait... October 3rd... that is too early by about a week." I mutter "What is going..." The ship shakes with an explosion. "What in the name of humanity!" Another explosion cuts me off and sends me staggering so after I steady myself I run to the upper part of the bridge." Computer! Status of structural integrity of the ship!" I yell running up to the main control console on the ship.*DECKS 17, 15, AND 11 HAVE ALL TAKEN MASSIVE DAMAGE. AIRLOCKS CLOSED ON THOSE DECKS. MINOR DAMAGE TO SEVERAL OTHER DECKS*I stare out the window into space and I see what is going on all too clearly. "They have found us..." I mutter to myself. "After all these years have we finally been cornered? No... it cannot end here. It cannot ever end. Humanity has placed far too much trust in the Competitor, in me, to allow it to fail here. We need to survive and win." I immediately enter my codes into the computer. "Transfer all control over the ship to this terminal at once. I will attempt to guide the ship to safety from here." I start hammering away furiously at the keys.*ACKNOWLEDGED*"Captain..."" I'm going to need to bring the main guns to bear. We need as much suppressing fire as we can get." I mutter entering commands into the console." Captain..."" I'm going to need to increase power to engines as well so we can make a good getaway. We can't be stopped. Not here. Not after so long."" Captain!" I hear someone scream in my ears and I turn around and see a young woman and several other people, six in total looking at me in bewilderment." Other people...?" I ask in wonder and place my hands on the woman's shoulders and touch her face. "You are real...?" I ask being completely stunned by this development." Captain?" She asks shocked. I shake my head slightly. "Sorry Lieutenant. It has just been so long since I have spoken to another person that I am simply shocked."" Understood sir. Though we have an emergency situation we need to clear up immediately."" Right well." I look at her name tag. "Lieutenant Emilia Van Staten, have the bridge crew take the guns and see what you can do to help drive them off. We need to bring the situation under control and get away. We cannot allow for the hope of humanity to be lost."" Yes sir!" She turns to the others. "You heard the man! We need to secure this ship at all costs. No way we're letting these aliens take it from us." The bridge crew goes to work and I, not wanting to say it out loud, type into the database. Computer, status of Crops on the ship. Pods are in awakening process. Crew being slowly awakened. Letter has been sent to everyone who has awakened. I click my tongue in annoyance, that letter will be the death of us if everything is known about it. I enter my codes into the mainframe. Stop all pod awakenings. Negative on complete stop. Awakening will be delayed for so only a few members of the crew awaken each month. Is this acceptable? Yes. Carry it out. Status of Pod 52093? Pod 52093 has been awakened. I sigh. So she is up too. I pick up the intercom for the ship. "Attention all crew members this is the Captain. Everyone who is on combat duty or feels like they can help report to your stations. Anyone who feels like they cannot assist with defensive operations report to the safe zones on deck 27. Security please ensure things proceed in a calm and orderly manner. All officers I am giving you freedom of action to do as you must for the good of the ship. Report to where you think is best or meet me up on the bridge, we must regain control of this situation at all costs. Engineers and pilots head down to the hanger and put the fighters and techs into launch position. Remember you need to clear the hanger before launching since those require opening the airlocks to launch them out. Everyone do as you think is best for the Competitor and we will make it. Good luck and may God save us all for the good of humanity." With a few more keystrokes I return all functions to their appropriate areas of the ship. Silence, the cold, and groaning? But by whom.... Then Kernan remembered and hastened his exit from the pod and looked around slowly, letting the message he could barely hear on the intercom wash over him before looking around and seeing a few more either befuddled or still sleeping engineers extracting themselves from or laying in the pods. Clearing his throat Kernan yelled "Alright, everyone who can't pilot a much start on deck repairs or help the sleepy heads out of their pods and set them to work. Get further instructions when the Chief gives them to ya." Dispersing the small group of engineers with a wave of his hand, Kernan made his way for the express elevator and was met with a small group of people bickering about which level to go to responded by pushing them inside and thumbing the button for deck 4. Suddenly patting his tactical gear down, Kernan found and attached the small hold display to his wrist and flipped through it, reading the small message and tapped the call button "Captain, this is 2nd Engineer Work, I've roused the repair teams, and they should be on their way to the damaged decks. I've also got around 6 engineers here on the way to deck 4 I think most of them are fighter pilots, but I've got myself a much, that's about-Oh wait, the Chief Engineer's pod is open, but she's out cold as of now, Signing off." Stepping out in front of the crowd Kernan made his way for the much bay where he made his way to a towering much that stood away from the others and wielded a large hammer instead of the normal axe and grasped a tower of metal in its other hand that acts as a huge shield. Kernan muttered to himself with a smile as he entered the large tower of metal "I love playing the tank..." before making the first step that wracked the hangar with its echos, a larger scaled recreation of a normal much's footsteps. Taking up the shield and the hammer, Kernan stepped to the large airlock and radioed in to the other pilots "This is Work, and I'm your tank today, how many of you guys like RPGs?" Brachial a military commander of the past and one of the few men that had been awakened from his pods sleep mod dropped in his military uniform. Old Russian colors which had no meaning in this new day, he stepped out and when he heard the sirens almost against human instinct he was up in arms and rushing to his designated post. "So they found us this is just great...this is General Brachial Black previous Russian Special Operation in Moscow during its siege someone give me a status update and what it is where looking at these bastards are going to want us deader then a men spirit in Siberia." he rushed his way to the much bay to try and help out how he could, while he didn't have experience with piloting a much he knew how they worked and how he could outfit them. "This is just great...everyone is still waking up and where under full attack by God knows what..." before he could make it to the hanger bay he found what looked like the chief engineer out like a light bulb." Alright nap time is over let's get moving splash some water on their faces and let's get going." he reached instinctively for his old Markov pistol to find it still in his holster. He gave a sigh of relief and checked the clip to find it full, one entire clip against whatever the hell they were fighting now this couldn't be worse but what the hell this was a war, and they had to make due with whatever they had left. This pistol was one of the few things he had left of his old world, this and a sniper rifle which had saved his life against the invaders. It was in the armory however, and he didn't have time to get it not that it would do much good in this situation after all. "I'm still waiting for that damn status report" he said angrily in his usual dark tone. He helped what people he could to a safe place and then those who needed to get to work he helped set into the right course before getting to the hanger himself. He looked around and found the old much he had marked for himself to maintain, still in great condition and ready to go, all it needed was a pilot which sadly Brachial wasn't at least not yet. "Alright anyone who knows what there doing get in your techs we need to protect this ship damn it... I knew we needed more weapons on this damn thing..." if Brachial had his way they probably wouldn't have made it out at all, with dwindling resources they were lucky to have a ship at all he wanted to have an armed warship carry everyone but in the end there wasn't time. Hell even the techs weren't meant for this kind of space combat...however he would have to make due with what he was given....they all would. A strange feeling washed over Dr. Kurt Buckley, rousing him from the deep, dreamless sleep that accompanied cry-stasis. His senses slowly began to focus, starting with sight. The dull gray of the wall across from him was occasionally disrupted by the flashing red glare of an emergency light. What... is this? His brain struggled, attempting to make sense in the midst of disorientation. Alarm bells went off in his subconscious. But why? Blurry figures darted across his field of view. Whatever was happening, it must be important. Buckley's vision became more clear, and as the seal on his pod broke, the sounds echoing through the halls came crashing down onto his head: the sirens, the voices, the hissing of the CocoaPods, the captain's message over the intercom... The captain... Buckley thought. The ship! The pieces started to come together in his mind. The door on the cropped was fully opened now, and a computerized voice began to instruct him on the awakening procedure, before Captain Olderen's message interrupted it once more. Code: Select all Attention all crew members... Buckley tried to pry himself from the pod but his motor-skills were still hindered from the cry-stasis. Code: Select all... report to your stations. Stations... Everything clicked. He was a doctor. A surgeon, to be specific. And a high-ranking one on the staff of this ship, no less. A combination of medical instincts and his military officer instincts welled up inside of him. Adrenaline took over; Buckley managed to climb from the cropped. His eyes focused on the computer terminal next to the pod. The display read, among other things, almost 264,000 days in cry-stasis. Initially the number didn't register. Must be, a mistake? Buckley thought as he recovered his doctor getup from a nearby locker. No matter, he thought as he made his way to the lift.------------------------------------------------------The lift arrived at Level 26: The Medical Bay. As the door opened, a hectic scene revealed himself to Dr. Buckley. A skeleton crew of medical personnel, who themselves were recently unfrozen, attempted to deal with a deluge of injuries. A nurse stood near the lift, performing triage on the injured who managed to make their way to the medical facility. She looked up and down Buckley for apparent injury before realizing the rank insignia on his outfit. "Doctor!" she exclaimed. "Sir." Buckley approached her. "Who's in charge here?" he asked tersely." Doctor Wallace, sir," she answered, "in the operating room." Buckley nodded. Lieutenant Wallace, he thought, recalling a meeting before the freeze. He clutched a surgical mask over his face and entered the OR. "Doctor Wallace," he said to the flustered man who was standing over one operation, while verbally walking a nurse through a surgical procedure on a whole other patient. Wallace's tired eyes lit up at the sight of another doctor. "Major Buckley!" he exclaimed in relief. "You're in charge," Wallace said, eager to shed the stress of command. Buckley sidled up to the nurse, navigating the cluttered OR. "I'll take over this," he said, tying the mask to his face before taking the surgical tools from her. He looked up at Wallace, "are there any other doctors?" Wallace nodded, "uh huh, one, in the safe zone, and a couple nurses, with the civilians."" Alright," Buckley answered. "We need to speed this up," he said, gesturing outside where more injuries waited for them. "Work fast, don't worry about precision, we just need to keep them alive for now. We can do the detailing later."" Right. Nurse, close for me," Wallace said before making his way to an open table. "Next patient!" he shouted through the doorway. The two doctors continued to chip away at the accumulating wounded, while nurses treated the lesser injuries. "Stupid people who designed those stupid crops." Lanka cursed as she stumbled down the hallway, headed for the lifts so she could get to the Hangar. Swearing as she almost tripped over her own feet again, Lanka continued to curse not just the designers of the crops but anyone who was remotely involved in making sure she was in one. The problem came about as, for reasons Lanka was unsure of at the moment, whilst she as a human was safely bought back to the world of the living, her cybernetic implants seemed to have still been frozen when the captains commands came through. And rather than stand about helplessly as her implants began to defrost and work again she had decided to try and make her way to the hangar, sensing her surroundings mainly by touch as she kept her left hand to a wall until one of her eyes had decided to work. Since then, she'd been able to call up the schematics for the ship and realized she'd headed in the wrong direction. Now headed the right way she lacked depth perception as her right eye appeared to be non-functional at the moment, a problem she'd fix as soon as possible. Reaching the lift, Lanka hit the button for it and decided to rest against a nearby wall whilst it came. Her right arm, whilst functional didn't feel quite right, she supposed it was due to its inactivity, not that it mattered at the moment, if she needed to she could either try to fix it herself or see if the doctors aboard the ship knew enough about cybernetics to give it a go, and the phantom pain she got where her skin met metal just above her elbow was currently in effect. Smiling to herself as the lift came in she stumbled into it, hitting the right button as her other eye finally decided to catch up with the rest of her body. She was headed to the hangar now, hopefully she'd meet her crew and get on with what she needed to do to ensure the safety of the Competitor. Arthur was dreaming soundly inside his propose. For the last 700 years he'd been dreaming, on and off, of life before. Arty walked into the arcade and sat down at one of the racing games. It was an hour before opening time and for some reason all the games were free. His Hawaiian themed shirt, his bathing suit, and his candles gave hint to the relaxed attitude he'd maintained during the 700 years in stasis. He sat down at the game, marked Need for speed: Alien addition. He selected a car and began. A steady beat began to sound in the background. It wasn't long before he pulled ahead from a combination of great driving, dream luck, and smart use of weaponry to destroy the competition. The best kept getting louder. Art got off the racing game and approached a separate game entitled house of the dead: Alien addition. For some reason many games were alien themed in this particular arcade. The game began and an intro scene played. As he focused on that, a mystery man walked through the doors of the otherwise empty arcade. Headshot after headshot was made as Arthur shot at the zombies inhabiting the alien craft that was identical to the ship he was on in real life. He walked through the halls shooting zombies and looking at the almost recognizable people in the stasis pods around him. The mystery man spoke up after clearing his throat "nice shooting" "thanks" Art stated slightly worried as he had thought he was alone. "What are you doing here soldier?" Art stuttered as he couldn't figure out a good reason. "I'll tell you what you are doing master corporal, your doing jack when you should be in formation. Now go form up on the parade square" Art was confused, "but cadets isn't till tomorrow DSM Dorian". "Wake up Duckworth, where do you think we are?" Duckworth blinked and suddenly was no longer in the arcade and was now on the parade square. He was standing in his picked suit ready for inspection and the drill sergeant was looking at him. "I asked you a question master corporal". Duckworth was embarrassed. "The parade square sir". The DSM nodded. The armory siren started to sound but no one else seemed to hear it. "You need to wake up Master corporal". Art was confused. "Pardon sir". "I said wake up!" The DSM yelled at him and frightened him a little. He closed his eyes as if to blink. When his eyes opened he was awake staring in front of him at a deserted floor except for the other passengers in stasis.______________Art stretched in his pod, feeling refreshed after such a long nap. A holographic letter appeared in front of him. It sounded like he was to report to his station, though he wasn't assigned one. "I suppose I'll go to the entertainment deck" he resolved, although there weren't many good options given his limited skill set in this situation, he was concerned about his ability to help. He climbed out of his pod, grasped his cane, dusted the fronts from his top hat, and strolled to the entertainment wing. Marks SkotadiusBlackness. All of it. Years and years of murky blackness, with no other dreams besides it. There are screams, shouts, cries. Yet those are the only things that can penetrate the darkness. Only laughter and screams can be heard in his nightmare. As his pod opened, Marks stretched his body while looking around his surroundings. A lot of the pods are now opened and most of their occupants are now awake. He just stared at them, and he was snapped out of his daze by the Captain's orders. He also stared at the speakers for a while, and he took a weird looking staff that was emblemed in his crops. As he grabbed it, the triangle tip glowed purple, and he strode off to Deck 26 where he had a glimpse of the medical crew. All of them are running around and are terribly busy albeit some panicking. He continued to the research center, and he stretched the staff to the recognition machine, laser editing from the wide tip. The doors opened and revealed few of his researchers tapping on machines and checking monitors with complex images and equations." Status report." He said in a voice devoid of emotion as he went to the center of the room and plunged the staff into a keyhole of some sort. "17, 11, and 15 has been severely damaged sir! An unknown assailant or force has attacked the ship!" This one's a young female, wearing a lab coat like everyone else. "Has the Captain took control of the ship?" The woman in coat shook her head. "He has returned it to its normal functions as you came in sir." Marks pushed a button and a myriad of screens floated in front of him. "Start analyzing the damage and periodically send reports to the Engineering." He tapped a few more keys to connect to the Captain. "This is Doctor Marks Stadium reporting for duty. Requesting permission for lockdown in damaged areas to prevent crew casualties and injuries and for further analyzation." Captain Older run a quick scan. It seems like the ship decided to prioritize awakening the officers and then started awakening people randomly. With that communications started flooding in." Captain, this is 2nd Engineer Work, I've roused the repair teams, and they should be on their way to the damaged decks. I've also got around 6 engineers here on the way to deck 4 I think most of them are fighter pilots, but I've got myself a much, that's about-Oh wait, the Chief Engineer's pod is open, but she's out cold as of now, Signing off.""2nd Engineer Work this is the Captain. Good work. Do what you can from your level, you have permission to launch what you need to fight as soon as you can launch. We will need all the manpower we can muster if we are to make it through this." After that another message comes in, it seems to be a status request from the head of security. I will deal with it after this message that just came in." This is Doctor Marks Stadium reporting for duty. Requesting permission for lockdown in damaged areas to prevent crew casualties and injuries and for further analyzation."" Doctor Stadium, I'm afraid compliance with that request will be difficult as what engineers we do have are heading either to the damaged areas or to the hanger. Work with them as best you can in order to help minimize casualties I will send out an announcement to the ship in order to help keep the rest of the crew away." I send as a reply. I pick up the intercom. "Attention all crew members, parts of decks 17, 11, and 15 have been compromised. For your own safety please avoid these areas unless you are part of engineering. Thank you." I hang up. "Now to inform the head of security." I immediately send a message to him." General Black this is the Captain, here is the status report you requested. Decks 17, 11, and 15 have taken massive damage but have been successfully locked down. 100 members of the crew were awakened. As for what we are dealing with lets just say they found us. As far as my assessments, and what scanners we have functioning tell me, we are dealing with approximately 32 of their ships that we classified as fighters and a five of the ones we classified as bombers." I stop as an explosion happens. "Scratch that. 31 of the ships we classified as fighters. That is about the summation."" Excellent shot! Keep shooting, and we will make it through this yet!" I yell at the very meager crew on the bridge manning the guns to the best of their abilities. "Engineering this is the Captain all techs and fighters that can be piloted are cleared to launch. I repeat they are clear to launch as soon as the hanger is empty. Good hunting for Earth!" "Noted." He said before the Captain cut off their connection. He continued on punching and tapping keys on the transparent floating screens in front of him and a scale of the ship came to view. The damaged sectors are glowing red, with summarizations of the damage. He tapped a few more, and it showed the locations of the aforementioned engineers. He then connected to the speakers of the vicinity. "This is Doctor Stadium. I am requesting you to send data to the research center as you survey the area. Surveillance has been down in those parts you are heading to. Perhaps take some samples of unidentified substances that you can find, it might be an outstanding specimen or a deadly virus. Be reminded to wear your safety suits, exposure is not a joke." He cut off the connection and the screens vanished as he pulled the staff from the central control of the research center. "All right, maintain communications with the Engineering department. If you receive any major information, call my attention. I will be at my office." The researchers nodded as the Chief walked away to the farthest side of the room, stretching the staff to the recognition machine which the staff launched lasers at. The door opened, and it closed as soon as the doctor came in, shutting himself from the work--- eh --- ship. Elysian Pentarchy wrote:Captain Older run a quick scan. It seems like the ship decided to prioritize awakening the officers and then started awakening people randomly. With that communications started flooding in. "Captain, this is 2nd Engineer Work, I've roused the repair teams, and they should be on their way to the damaged decks. I've also got around 6 engineers here on the way to deck 4 I think most of them are fighter pilots, but I've got myself a much, that's about-Oh wait, the Chief Engineer's pod is open, but she's out cold as of now, Signing off.""2nd Engineer Work this is the Captain. Good work. Do what you can from your level, you have permission to launch what you need to fight as soon as you can launch. We will need all the manpower we can muster if we are to make it through this." After that another message comes in, it seems to be a status request from the head of security. I will deal with it after this message that just came in. "This is Doctor Marks Stadium reporting for duty. Requesting permission for lockdown in damaged areas to prevent crew casualties and injuries and for further analyzation."" Doctor Stadium, I'm afraid compliance with that request will be difficult as what engineers we do have are heading either to the damaged areas or to the hanger. Work with them as best you can in order to help minimize casualties I will send out an announcement to the ship in order to help keep the rest of the crew away." I send as a reply. I pick up the intercom. "Attention all crew members, parts of decks 17, 11, and 15 have been compromised. For your own safety please avoid these areas unless you are part of engineering. Thank you." I hang up. "Now to inform the head of security." I immediately send a message to him." General Black this is the Captain, here is the status report you requested. Decks 17, 11, and 15 have taken massive damage but have been successfully locked down. 100 members of the crew were awakened. As for what we are dealing with lets just say they found us. As far as my assessments, and what scanners we have functioning tell me, we are dealing with approximately 32 of their ships that we classified as fighters and a five of the ones we classified as bombers." I stop as an explosion happens. "Scratch that. 31 of the ships we classified as fighters. That is about the summation."" Excellent shot! Keep shooting, and we will make it through this yet!" I yell at the very meager crew on the bridge manning the guns to the best of their abilities. "Engineering this is the Captain all techs and fighters that can be piloted are cleared to launch. I repeat they are clear to launch as soon as the hanger is empty. Good hunting for Earth!"" If they found us then they might have Something on their ships we can use...id like to request the incapacitation of the vessels rather than there destruction, we could use the materials and whatever they have onboarded I'm sure our scientist would be more than happy with whatever we could bring back. I move for a capture on whatever we can, I don't think we are in much of a situation not to, if they have found us they are likely to have sent out our location there guns would be very useful on our own craft that and there power cores could be rigged to help supply them and give our ship a little extra boost." He looked through the list of all the weapons currently onboard and wished he had some type of EMP weapon to use against the machines, "captain can you tell me if any of the egg heads whipped up an EMP blast before we got put on ice?" He asked with full seriousness monitoring the battle as he tried to help provide firing solutions for what guns they had through the hanger. The red glow illuminated the passageways of the ancient ship like a glowing fire that have warmth to all that surrounded it. Duckworth came to a full stop as a disembodied voice rang through the halls, emanating from the mesh covered speakers requesting, nay, ordering all hands to their stations or to safety. It didn't take long for Duckworth to piece together the vol untold nature of the captains non-optional request and quickly determined to change course to the bridge. The well-dressed teenager made his way to the bridge with haste, stopping only for a drink of 700-year-old recycled water from the pristine water fountain so often that if it had been alcohol he would have been rendered into a drunken stupor. It was fortunately unfortunate that the water fountains weren't working as the rust could've killed him if his wait for the water bottle to defrost didn't do that first. He soon arrived at the bridge. His oxfords having become toughly soaked by the defrosting morning coat that had been dropping and drying out but was fine now. Arty walked up to a gaggle of officers and other awakened crew, thoughtfully standing out like a cow in a Van Gogh painting unlike the gentleman beside him who was more like a nut in a tool box. Having reached his destination the young teen decided that adopting the cadet motto, hurry up and wait, was the best option to do at this time and wait for further instructions is exactly what he did. Captain Olderen"If they found us then they might have Something on their ships we can use...id like to request the incapacitation of the vessels rather than there destruction, we could use the materials and whatever they have onboarded I'm sure our scientist would be more than happy with whatever we could bring back. I move for a capture on whatever we can, I don't think we are in much of a situation not to, if they have found us they are likely to have sent out our location there guns would be very useful on our own craft that and there power cores could be rigged to help supply them and give our ship a little extra boost. Captain can you tell me if any of the egg heads whipped up an EMP blast before we got put on ice?""EMP?" I ask going over the ships functions and inventories I have memorized. "We have probably 2 dozen EMP rockets located on Deck 4. Will those work? We can load a couple onto a fighter and send it out to shoot. Their homing systems should still work too. As for an EMP blast I don't know how well it would work out in space but we due have a back-up system that should be able to fire twice and that's it. But I give it a fairly good chance they could fry the systems of any ship besides our own beyond recovery. Plus since we have launched fighters and techs that will most likely kill our pilots. For now, we will use the rockets to try to capture a few. So permission granted for capture attempt. I am heading down to the hanger so make sure they are loaded onto a fighter." As soon as I hang up I see someone who isn't part of the bridge crew. "You up here to help? Good we need it. Lieutenant Van Staten get him on one of the guns I need to get to the hanger."" Yes sir." She replies, and I leave, but I can hear her give a brief explanation. "And that is how you shoot the guns." She concludes talking as quickly as she can. "Just point and shoot." Elysian Pentarchy wrote:Captain Olderen"2nd Engineer Work this is the Captain. Good work. Do what you can from your level, you have permission to launch what you need to fight as soon as you can launch. We will need all the manpower we can muster if we are to make it through this." Spurring his much out of the airlock and activating its mag locks to prevent himself from floating off into space, Kernan made his way across the hull of the ship towards the damaged sections with two other techs on his trail. As he approached the damage his mouth fell open, not at the corpses or the atmosphere that was being vented but what hadcausedthe damage, an enemy ship had gutted itself and the Competitor, the two twisted planes of hull starkly contrasted in color, making the alien ship easily visible. Scanning the horizon for any other ships Kernan's HUD flashed with an energy reading that was twice as large as the ship embedded in the hull, the classCorvettecame to mind when looking at the sleek design but the visible gashes and the large cloud of debris told of what had happened, an accident at ridiculous speed. Opening a channel between himself and the other officers of the ship, Kernan reported with an awe filled voice "Work here, you all won't believe this, but we've taken on a little extra, an alien extra. A smaller ship slammed into us and gutted those decks pretty badly, I see one other enemy ship, but it looks like therewasanother, at least the debris suggests it. We might want to get to that larger one for materials and hope whatever caused the others to crap out won't get us too, I think it was some sort ofFTLaccident, some miscalculation? Whatever it was, there's only one real threat to worry about, the debris might cause some more minor damage later, but I think we're in the clear asides the bombers and fighters, don't think we'll get anything useful out of the Corvette though, things dead in the water. I don't think any of us mind though, I know I sure as hell don't." Walking up to survey the damage more closely Kernan radioed a few engineers in EVA suits he saw already patching deck 15 up, and told them to make sure to secure the debris, citing that it might be useful. The lift ride had been kind to Lanka, and it's semi-privacy gave her the time to compose herself and optimize her cybernetics. Reaching the hangar Lanka walked a lot more confidently out of the lift than she did into it. Looking around the hangar, Lanka observed the different areas for a few seconds each, her eyes taking pictures that she could study later. The hangar itself was almost completely empty, everyone who would be under her command either out in space in techs and fighters, or running around the ship repairing things. Looking at one of the fighters she could theoretically fly, even if this was the first time she'd seen one in real life, Lanka decided to instead try and organize the repair teams instead. Deciding it was probably a good idea to let the captain know she was around, Lanka patched her first call through to him as she headed towards the computer systems in the hangar, hoping to be able to get a better picture from there." Captain, this is Chief Engineer McFadden reporting. Err... Second Engineer Work has taken a. Couple of techs with him to look at the exterior damage, and we have around 4 or 5 fighters in space as of now. I'll be on Deck 4 commanding the repair teams if you need anything, McFadden out."" Second Engineer Work, this is Chief Engineer McFadden. I'm giving you command of all the fighters we have out in space at the moment, if you and your techs see a firing opportunity take it, likewise if you see an opportunity the fighters can take, let them know ASAP. McFadden out."" Calling all repair teams, this is Chief Engineer McFadden. I'm marking all major damages on your HUD's now, get those done ASAP then focus on the more minor repairs. If you come across a problem then contact the nearest repair team, and if they can't help, me and we'll get things worked out. McFadden out." Tapping away at the computer system she was standing at, Lanka relaxed into her role, watching with a little smile on her face as things started to become a bit more like normal, or rather, what she assumed would become normal for life on this ship. Gabriel McKnight - Deck 26He awoke - gasping for air, in a panic-like state as his cry pod opened up. Collapsing onto the ground once it completely opened up, breathing heavily. Greedily gulping down air as if he had just almost drowned. Shortly after this.he vomited - mostly just mucus-like liquid all over the floor. His whole world was spinning, slower than his actual movements. Or was he slower than the world? He didn't know. He couldn't think straight. What.where am. He'd think to himself in a panic - scrambling to his feet, as he attempted to get a feel for his surroundings. He still couldn't stand up quite right - using the wall as leverage to hoist himself up on his feet. The war.the enemy.earth. His thoughts were all over the place - it was as if he was in some sort of waking nightmare. He heard a voice echoing in his head. Attention all crew members, report to your stations. Okay. Maybe it wasn't in his head. He crawled along the wall, weakly still trying to get his bearings. Entirely confused on his location and what exactly was going on. He gently grasped a corner, turning into it as he walked into what seemed like a med-bay. He looked about it - still struggling to see the world clearly. Everything in his vision moving slowly side to side or up and down. He collapsed back on one knee when he entered the med-bay. Making an audible 'oomph' as he tried to collect himself. Mr.black smiled when he was given permission for his little capture mission, "Alright this is a message to all pilots, we are going to bring back whatever we can intact, that means if you can help it capture the fighters don't destroy them. Whoever can bring them back will be doing a great service to humanity. There is no telling how there technology could have advanced while we humans slumbered looking for a place to call our new home. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to pass up." Drachgral was all to serious, if they were going to have an advantage they needed it now. If they could get there technology from the enemy they would be able to see as to what they have been up to in the 700 or so years that they have been in hibernation. With all that time and still chasing them there's no telling what they had to have come up with, it was unsettling to think about. Nevertheless the risk had to be taken even if it was going to coast us a few techs. The payout would be too great and Mr. Black was willing to roll the dice in this case." Let's get this done so we can get the hell out of here already, we stay here to long, and we are going to be trampled humanity will not die this day." He looked around the hangar a second feeling a bit like he was being watched but shrugged it off he was probably just feeling anxious about the situation going on right now. Not even a coffee before there getting shot at. "NEXT!" Dr. Buckley shouted as he finished stitching the patient at the table in front of him closed. The nurse in med-bay entryway answered back, "That's all, doctor!" Buckley hesitated, letting out a sigh that was half relief and half uncertain. If they were under attack, surely there would be more casualties? He stripped the surgical gloves from his hands and dropped them on the OR floor as Dr. Wallace approached him with a handshake. "We made it," Wallace said with a fatigued grin. Buckley nodded, "for now." He had no idea how he made it through that surgical session with minimal issues, seeing as he was still dealing with some lingering symptoms of the cry-freezing. Surgery, just like riding a bike, he thought, sardonically. Fortunately, most of the crew that they operated on were injured with fairly straightforward lacerations and shrapnel wounds." Everything's under control here," Buckley said to Wallace. "I'm going to make my way to the safe zone, see if they need any more help there." He pulled the surgical gown off of himself and exited the operating room. An 'oomph' sounded from somewhere down the hall. A nurse peeked around the corner and shouted, "doctor!" Buckley darted the short way down the hall into the entryway and found the nurse standing over a man who had collapsed. He knelled next to the man and spoke, "take it easy, I'm a doctor." He craned his neck in an attempt to see into the man's face. "What's the problem?" Deck 26 - Median have to get up. He thought to himself, struggling to stand on more than one knee. He shook his head, trying to properly compose himself. The enemy could be anywhere. I have to keep moving. His thoughts were erratic, and otherwise irrational. He attempted to keep moving when he heard a woman's voice - her words unclear, but her tone sounding like one of distress. He then heard a running toward his location when he froze. Hearing the voice of a man just inches away from him. His mind was racing with possible explanations and outcomes for this situation. His muscles tightened, and his heart began beating erratically - adrenaline now beginning to pump throughout his body. In a sudden and surprising show of strength and skill - Gabriel quickly dealt three powerful jabs to the strange men stomach and chest, before gripping the man by the arm and flipping him over onto his back. Gabriel quickly climbed on top of the man and pinned him down, forearm pressed against his neck. Gabe stared down at the man, his eyes were wild, and he was panting and shaking violently. Sweat dripping down his face. "Where am I!? What have you freaks done to me!?" He said, making it quite clear he was in some sort of strange and delusional state. His army fatigues indicated his military status - and the United States flag sewn onto the outfits shoulder indicated just where he served. Buckley lay somewhat dazed on the floor, a hulk of a man pinning him down. The voices of the shocked medical staff mingled indiscriminately in the air. Where am I!? What have you freaks done to me!? The last few seconds replayed through the doctor's mind. Somewhere in his subconscious, his mind latched onto a thought:That fighting style...it seemed familiar. He blinked back the water in his eyes and refocused, looking into the man's crazed yet still piercing blue eyes, before his gaze was drawn to a familiar shape in his periphery: the flag of the United States. Back in his subconscious, the brain concluded:If 'I'm a doctor' didn't work, perhaps pulling rank might? It was worth a shot, at least. In his experience, Buckley knew of soldiers who saluted out of instinct even while suffering from the most gruesome injuries, and some even who he wouldn't be surprised to learn, somehow saluted while under anesthesia. The wind knocked out of him, Buckley attempted his best 'officer' voice under the circumstances: "Stand-" he wheezed before regathering himself. "Stand down, soldier!" It was not quite a yell, thanks to the forearm pressuring his throat. The doctor hoped that somebody on the medical staff was fetching a sedative in case the order didn't work. Gabriel stared down at the doctor, his vision slowly clearing just as he heard the man below him shout.' Stand down soldier!' The phrase itself seemed to trigger an almost immediate subconscious effect in which he'd pull himself off of the doctor in compliance. It would take him a few moments more for it to click in his head that he was in no danger. When it all finally clicked, Gabriel looked down at the collapsed and wheezing doctor and gasped lightly. "Oh! I'm so sorry, sir." He said, kneeling down to help the doctor to his feet. "I hope I didn't injure you in any way - again I'm very sorry." The soldier would attempt to elaborate, the adrenaline rushing inside of him slowly ebbing away and was quickly replaced with the weak feeling he felt before - in which he tried to ignore it. Lemuria wrote:Gabriel stared down at the doctor, his vision slowly clearing just as he heard the man below him shout. 'Stand down soldier!' The phrase itself seemed to trigger an almost immediate subconscious effect in which he'd pull himself off of the doctor in compliance. It would take him a few moments more for it to click in his head that he was in no danger. When it all finally clicked, Gabriel looked down at the collapsed and wheezing doctor and gasped lightly. "Oh! I'm so sorry, sir." He said, kneeling down to help the doctor to his feet. "I hope I didn't injure you in any way - again I'm very sorry." The soldier would attempt to elaborate, the adrenaline rushing inside of him slowly ebbing away and was quickly replaced with the weak feeling he felt before - in which he tried to ignore it. As head of security by self appointment at the least the Russian was notified of the situation going on in the medical bay, his face soon appeared on one of the monitors in the room as he looked around seeing the United States uniform brought him back, he spoke in a thick Russian accent looking at the Doctor "Is everything alright in here I was told there was a problem do you need a security to come up and help?" he asked looking around the room on the monitor. As far as he could see there was nothing to troubling going on just an America causing trouble nothing new for him." If nothing is wrong we need everyone back on duty, with the enemy attacking us we need to have every last man and woman doing what they can to make a difference." black rubbed the back of his head and cracked a few buckles going back to working on a few of the techs and fighters trying to get them combat ready as soon as possible Captain Olderen"Captain, this is Chief Engineer McFadden reporting. Err... Second Engineer Work has taken a. Couple of techs with him to look at the exterior damage, and we have around 4 or 5 fighters in space as of now. I'll be on Deck 4 commanding the repair teams if you need anything, McFadden out."" I am standing right behind you McFadden." I say dryly having taken the express elevator down to the hanger. "I thank you for the report." I bow my head slightly. "This may not be appropriate at the moment but welcome to the Competitor and glad to see people up. Let's make sure we all work together to survive this." I yell over at Black where I see him near a fighter. "Black! You got those EMP missiles attached to the fighter?"" Just a moment Captain!" He barks some orders to the Engineers and a few minutes go by which I use to change into a pilots uniform. "Done!"" Good I will be taking that fighter out. The bridge can handle itself." Just to be sure I take out my communicator. "Lieutenant Van Staten cut all power to engines to slow us down. We have several operations we must do here. Also, I am heading out on a fighter so you have the bridge."" Understood Captain. Come back safe."" Deus cult." I reply ending the communication and get in the fighter and launch myself out. Lemuria wrote:Gabriel stared down at the doctor, his vision slowly clearing just as he heard the man below him shout. 'Stand down soldier!' The phrase itself seemed to trigger an almost immediate subconscious effect in which he'd pull himself off of the doctor in compliance. It would take him a few moments more for it to click in his head that he was in no danger. When it all finally clicked, Gabriel looked down at the collapsed and wheezing doctor and gasped lightly. "Oh! I'm so sorry, sir." He said, kneeling down to help the doctor to his feet. "I hope I didn't injure you in any way - again I'm very sorry." The soldier would attempt to elaborate, the adrenaline rushing inside of him slowly ebbing away and was quickly replaced with the weak feeling he felt before - in which he tried to ignore it. Buckley rose, favoring his stomach a bit. "It's alright," he said, uneasily. There was no point in dressing down the soldier, as Buckley conceded the likelihood that the man was probably out of his head. And then there was whether the authority behind his rank existed at all, seeing as the United States, not to mention the rest of the world, was almost certainly extinguished. But there would be time for existential conversations about rank and authority later. The doctor thought back, to before the freezing. All the medical personnel were briefed on the possible side effects of the carbon freezing process. Buckley himself was still slowly shaking some of the effects. The soldier in front of him, however, seemed to be dealing with it differently. But if his symptoms were not drastic, he would probably be fit to join in the defensive effort against their attackers. Buckley raised his hand for an informal salute before dropping it for a handshake. "Major Kurt Buckley, United States Army, surgeon." Art walked over to the turret. It was intimidating having only done something like this in arcade games and practice. He walked through a spinning door into a circular chamber that was off to the right of the bridge. The chamber had numerous pods extended out of the wall that people had to climb into. Arthur saw staff buzzing busy as bees around the chamber. Interrupting one he informed one of 3 individuals that he was there to run a turret. The staff member directed him to a pod. A coat hanger with 4 hooks sat between the 2 pods Art stood between. Removing his frock coat and topper he hung them up. Eyes drifted. Legs swung. Art hopped into the pod and pushed the big blue button. The Lights shut down in the pod. The pod pushed forward and up, prompting a much grander view of space then in the bridge. A thick glass plate and shield separated Arthur from the clammy cold embrace of ranks. Sitting in his hydrolift seat, Art looked out into the jaws of the enemy fleet. It's glowering bloodshot eyes, yellow teeth and black throat. Fire spewed forth from the jaws like a dragon and laser fire hit the shield above Arthur's head. Truth be told fear was in Art, who proceeded to pray to the father son and Holy Ghost before grasping girly the controls as he was instructed prior to entering the pod. Eyes drifted down at the big red eject button and Arthur wondered why that was installed before a hearty explosion lifted him to reality. His hands reg rasped the H-shaped "controller" with red buttons on top. His thumbs rested on top of the controller and hit the fire button as quick as a bunny hopped in the old world. One shot after another brought one ship after another crashing down into the shield of the human ship. Skill Crossbones wrote:Lemuria wrote:Gabriel stared down at the doctor, his vision slowly clearing just as he heard the man below him shout. 'Stand down soldier!' The phrase itself seemed to trigger an almost immediate subconscious effect in which he'd pull himself off of the doctor in compliance. It would take him a few moments more for it to click in his head that he was in no danger. When it all finally clicked, Gabriel looked down at the collapsed and wheezing doctor and gasped lightly. "Oh! I'm so sorry, sir." He said, kneeling down to help the doctor to his feet. "I hope I didn't injure you in any way - again I'm very sorry." The soldier would attempt to elaborate, the adrenaline rushing inside of him slowly ebbing away and was quickly replaced with the weak feeling he felt before - in which he tried to ignore it. Buckley rose, favoring his stomach a bit. "It's alright," he said, uneasily. There was no point in dressing down the soldier, as Buckley conceded the likelihood that the man was probably out of his head. And then there was whether the authority behind his rank existed at all, seeing as the United States, not to mention the rest of the world, was almost certainly extinguished. But there would be time for existential conversations about rank and authority later. The doctor thought back, to before the freezing. All the medical personnel were briefed on the possible side effects of the carbon freezing process. Buckley himself was still slowly shaking some of the effects. The soldier in front of him, however, seemed to be dealing with it differently. But if his symptoms were not drastic, he would probably be fit to join in the defensive effort against their attackers. Buckley raised his hand for an informal salute before dropping it for a handshake. "Major Kurt Buckley, United States Army, surgeon.""1st Lieutenant Gabriel Rodrigo Apollo De la Fuentes McKnight, United States Marine Corps." He said, saluting the Major before he dropped his hand to return the handshake to Major Kurt. "So what's happening currently, Major? Everyone seems to be in a fuss.have we found a suitable plant for colonization or something?" He inquired, tilting his head at the Major. He awaited an answer until another possibility slowly dawned on him. His jaw tightened, and his body seemed to tense up as he looked at Kurt. "Is it the Enemy, Major? Have they found us." Lemuria wrote:"1st Lieutenant Gabriel Rodrigo Apollo De la Fuentes McKnight, United States Marine Corps." He said, saluting the Major before he dropped his hand to return the handshake to Major Kurt. "So what's happening currently, Major? Everyone seems to be in a fuss.have we found a suitable plant for colonization or something?" He inquired, tilting his head at the Major. He awaited an answer until another possibility slowly dawned on him. Buckley shook his head slightly, "I don't know myself. I've been in surgery practically since I woke up." His jaw tightened, and his body seemed to tense up as he looked at Kurt. "Is it the Enemy, Major? Have they found us."" Well it seems, possible, from where I stand," he said hesitatingly, as if admitting it out loud would affirm the dire truth. "Ordinarily I would like to keep you here for observation, the side effects from the freezing, you know-"The ship shuddered from a distant impact, as if responding to his statement." But in this situation I think it would be best if you got to your station to assist with the defense," the doctor said, taking a few steps toward the elevator. 1 hour later Captain Older pull the fighter in for landing and after everything repressurizes I step out of my fighter and connect to the bridge. "Lieutenant connect me to the Ship's intercom immediately."" Right away." After she does so I begin. "Attention all crew this is the Captain. I wish to congratulate you on a job well done in defending this ship, the hope for humanity. With such efforts and more we will find a new home and we will prevail. Now I know that all of you have your own guesses and worries about the ship and our mission and I understand THT and hope to address that. Hence, why we will speak together later about this after we begin to get underway again. Engineers I want you to immediately begin all sorts of repairs and salvage operations. See what we can pull from the wreckage, anything is valuable in this situation. In the meantime I want all officers to meet with me in the meeting room on deck 40 in about an hour. That is all." I hang up and take the elevator up.1 Hour later am I sitting at a round table and all the other officers have arrived. "Wait one moment." I tell them and press a couple buttons on my control panel. After a few moments there is a ding. "Okay we will not be listened in on thankfully." I smile and bow my head. "Welcome to the Competitor. I do hope we can all get along." My face turns serious. "Nothing we say is permitted to leave this room am I understood?" After a couple nods I continue. "First off it should be clear, and this will be announced to the crew later, but indeed they have found us. That is why I must say here that our mission and our future is in peril. We did not have the technology to fight them 700 years ago, and we certainly do not have the technology now. This brings me to my second point. The Competitor is not in good shape in the slightest. No one really knows this besides myself and now you but the Competitor was not designed to actually be inhabited long term by humans. It simply could not be done with what we had on hand to build this, maybe if we weren't being attacked we could have assembled something that would allow it, but we couldn't so that is why we were all put on ice. Therefore, we must improve the Competitor. We must use everything we have to design and advance ourselves and our technology. If we do not then humanity is doomed." I lean back in my chair and sigh. "I am certain there are questions? Ideas for projects or something to be done for the ship? We need to find something to get to work on immediately. While you are thinking on that there is also another concern." I pull up a report. "Our salvage teams are reporting that the fighter we hit with an EMP rocket had an alien in it. Doctor Stadium do you think you can work with it? Examine their bodies and see what makes them tick? We need something about them. While he decides on that does anyone have anything?" Marks clasped his hands and started to speak. "As you command. The understanding of their bodily functions are not only beneficial in martial terms but our survivability. Perhaps we might know how these creatures survived better than us. And perhaps we might even replicate those or incorporate them to our being." He smiled and started to take notes for his assignment. Kernan snorted and spoke up "Finding out how the damn things work on the inside is all well and fine, but what do I tell the boys who're slowly, and I meanslowlycutting our unexpected addition apart? At this rate it'll be weeks before we've got the thing out of our belly enough to evenstartdeck repairs, and that's assuming we leave the thing inside, we need a better way to work the material their ships are made of, the stuff is ridiculous." Throwing a meaningful glare at Stadium he added "I'm sure the work would probably be faster if there weren't 'coats crawling all over the damned thing, hard enough to not crush our guys with the sections we remove, its next to impossible when you have to worry about danger blind civvies with Masters in fuck all important..." Elysian Pentarchy wrote:1 hour later Captain Older am I sitting at a round table and all the other officers have arrived. "Wait one moment." I tell them and press a couple buttons on my control panel. After a few moments there is a ding. "Okay we will not be listened in on thankfully." I smile and bow my head. "Welcome to the Competitor. I do hope we can all get along." My face turns serious. "Nothing we say is permitted to leave this room am I understood?" After a couple nods I continue. "First off it should be clear, and this will be announced to the crew later, but indeed they have found us. That is why I must say here that our mission and our future is in peril. We did not have the technology to fight them 700 years ago, and we certainly do not have the technology now. This brings me to my second point. The Competitor is not in good shape in the slightest. No one really knows this besides myself and now you but the Competitor was not designed to actually be inhabited long term by humans. It simply could not be done with what we had on hand to build this, maybe if we weren't being attacked we could have assembled something that would allow it, but we couldn't so that is why we were all put on ice. Therefore, we must improve the Competitor. We must use everything we have to design and advance ourselves and our technology. If we do not then humanity is doomed." This affirmation was troubling, to say the least. Dr. Buckley had suspected that their situation was dire, but now the captain had confirmed it. Revealing this information en masse would almost certainly cause widespread panic aboard the ship. For now, Buckley concluded, it would probably be wisest to keep this information in the hands of the department heads only. Elysian Pentarchy wrote:"Our salvage teams are reporting that the fighter we hit with an EMP rocket had an alien in it. Doctor Stadium do you think you can work with it? Examine their bodies and see what makes them tick? We need something about them. While he decides on that does anyone have anything?" Finsternia wrote:Marks clasped his hands and started to speak. "As you command. The understanding of their bodily functions are not only beneficial in martial terms but our survivability. Perhaps we might know how these creatures survived better than us. And perhaps we might even replicate those or incorporate them to our being." He smiled and started to take notes for his assignment. Buckley frowned slightly. "Perhaps I should be involved in this examination as well," he suggested. Buckley was not particularly want to work closely with Dr. Stadium. He was something of an infamous character in medical circles, his methods often crossing the ethical line that was drilled into physician's heads throughout their teachings. Still, Buckley was well aware of the situation they were in, and any information that could be gleaned from the corpses of their attackers could be vital. He could put aside his distaste for Marks, or at least, the idea of Marks, and act professionally. Elysian Pentarchy wrote:1 hour later Captain Older pull the fighter in for landing and after everything repressurizes I step out of my fighter and connect to the bridge. "Lieutenant connect me to the Ship's intercom immediately."" Right away." After she does so I begin. "Attention all crew this is the Captain. I wish to congratulate you on a job well done in defending this ship, the hope for humanity. With such efforts and more we will find a new home and we will prevail. Now I know that all of you have your own guesses and worries about the ship and our mission and I understand THT and hope to address that. Hence, why we will speak together later about this after we begin to get underway again. Engineers I want you to immediately begin all sorts of repairs and salvage operations. See what we can pull from the wreckage, anything is valuable in this situation. In the meantime I want all officers to meet with me in the meeting room on deck 40 in about an hour. That is all." I hang up and take the elevator up. Nodding to the captain as she exited the elevator Lanka headed over to the area she had unofficially claimed as her own an hour earlier. Re-organizing the engineering teams so that some could be relocated to the salvage op Lanka also nodded to the other pilots and much drivers who were coming back into the hangar. She'd let them have a bit of downtime before sending them off to help the teams as well as they could. Elysian Pentarchy wrote:1 Hour later am I sitting at a round table and all the other officers have arrived. "Wait one moment." I tell them and press a couple buttons on my control panel. After a few moments there is a ding. "Okay we will not be listened in on thankfully." I smile and bow my head. "Welcome to the Competitor. I do hope we can all get along." My face turns serious. "Nothing we say is permitted to leave this room am I understood?" After a couple nods I continue. "First off it should be clear, and this will be announced to the crew later, but indeed they have found us. That is why I must say here that our mission and our future is in peril. We did not have the technology to fight them 700 years ago, and we certainly do not have the technology now. This brings me to my second point. The Competitor is not in good shape in the slightest. No one really knows this besides myself and now you but the Competitor was not designed to actually be inhabited long term by humans. It simply could not be done with what we had on hand to build this, maybe if we weren't being attacked we could have assembled something that would allow it, but we couldn't so that is why we were all put on ice. Therefore, we must improve the Competitor. We must use everything we have to design and advance ourselves and our technology. If we do not then humanity is doomed." I lean back in my chair and sigh. "I am certain there are questions? Ideas for projects or something to be done for the ship? We need to find something to get to work on immediately. While you are thinking on that there is also another concern." I pull up a report. "Our salvage teams are reporting that the fighter we hit with an EMP rocket had an alien in it. Doctor Stadium do you think you can work with it? Examine their bodies and see what makes them tick? We need something about them. While he decides on that does anyone have anything?"" Listened in on?" Lanka questioned, "you honestly believe some of the non-officers would have bugged the room or something like that?" She shook her head, not quite believing such a thing was necessary, even she wouldn't have tried something like that. She leaned back on her chair, hearing the rest of the captain's talk, it was worrying news indeed. Hearing a slight lull in the conversation after the captain had asked about questions, Lanka started to speak again. "I have a couple of propositions for projects I am working on, they're very risky and quite long term, but it could help our chances. I would however have to ask for the medical sections... advice on certain subjects before I put forward anything concrete, however." Kerzacistan wrote:Kernan snorted and spoke up "Finding out how the damn things work on the inside is all well and fine, but what do I tell the boys who're slowly, and I mean slowly cutting our unexpected addition apart? At this rate it'll be weeks before we've got the thing out of our belly enough to even start deck repairs, and that's assuming we leave the thing inside, we need a better way to work the material their ships are made of, the stuff is ridiculous." Throwing a meaningful glare at Stadium he added "I'm sure the work would probably be faster if there weren't 'coats crawling all over the damned thing, hard enough to not crush our guys with the sections we remove, its next to impossible when you have to worry about danger blind civvies with Masters in fuck all important..."" Whilst Acting Second Engineer Work may have spoken a bit more crassly than I would have, he does have a point. How long must we have CIV's crawling around the wreckage? It would be much easier on both our burdens if you could have your 'experts' let us do the heavy lifting Dr Stadium. Then, once we've cut away enough and perhaps done some of the more vital repairs that still need to be done on that section of the ship, you can take a look at your alien all you want within the confines of your own laboratories." The Blazing Aura wrote:"Whilst Acting Second Engineer Work may have spoken a bit more crassly than I would have, he does have a point. Coughing a little and sputtering into disbelieved laughter Kernan smirked and remarked to the chief engineer in a voice with strenuously contained laughter "I'm afraid you've got me a bit mixed up Chief, Bathe Second ranked Engineer on the ship, you should really read your files more often. There is a reason I'm at this meeting other than to feed my curiosity, that and I needed a break from recycled air, the stuff is horrible." Calming himself down again Kernan added to the Captain "I think we should see about drafting some non-essential crew members into Engineering, might make up for the time we'd need with the currently awake crew. It doesn't take a lot of training to run a Plasma-Arc either, so we won't be needing much to get them out working if we go through with it." Marks blinked at the others in command before fully understanding what they said. "Of course, of course Doctor...... Buckley, you are free to join me cutting the thing up. I cannot rely much on my crew, so to speak. And in times like these, we are busy with upgrading the weaponry and think of ways for us not to die in this floating mass of metal." He then glared at the engineer and somewhat a softened look at the lieutenant. "The news is new to me as it is to us all. Of course, clear the debris first. My research team is professional and would have the dirt cleaned by those who are worthy and are of the job. Unlike others who can't even veil their sportiness." He then continued to glare at Engineer Korean and then turned to his notes. "However, you are both right about the useless cannon fodders. Assigning them to fields will make the work faster. A work force will stay useless until given a task. In which is right, Captain?" Captain Older close my eyes in thought for a moment and begin to address everyone's concerns. "I do agree that we need more manpower in our various departments and Engineering is the department that doesn't require fine skills like most of the other departments." I pull up a chart. "Outside the already assigned crew to various departments, Bridge, Security, Research, Medical, and Engineering, only Engineering and Security are the ones that do not require fine tools and lots of training. Aside from the assigned crew we have 33 unassigned people, 32 actually due to one being part of the facilities that can be classified as 'Other'. Out of those 32 crew members 10 of them are teenagers so we shouldn't conscript them into labor unless absolutely vital, the rest will be assessed if they can help and will be put to work immediately if so. Everyone should learn at least how to handle the basics of this work just in case. As for people crawling all over the wrecks cutting them away takes higher priority, we cannot risk making the hull tears worse than what they are nor can we risk air draining from the ship. That is precious as is. In exchange for the research teams pulling back we will bring in as much scrap as we can and use the ship's sensors to look at the wrecks and run scans." I take a breath and continue. "Doctor Buckley if you think that you can assist in the examination please do so. Your departments are close enough as is that expect this kind of collaboration between us." I turn Lanka. "I understand asking for the necessity of doing such a search, and normally I wouldn't do such a thing, but for me, I am simply following protocol plus every little measure helps with the situation. With 700 years of technological advances with a space faring race that we could barely understand in the first place we cannot be sure they do not have a method to listen through our hulls into rooms that are not protected, especially when we have their wrecks right next to us and could forward information back to them through some sort of passive machine. The thing about it is we know so little about everything that we need to take every precaution. I trust everyone in this room and I trust everyone chosen for this mission explicitly don't worry. As for your projects lay out your long term ideas when you have them sorted out as for the ones with medical that is between you and Buckley and I will let you plan that out beforehand to make sure it is possible." Elysian Pentarchy wrote:Captain Older close my eyes in thought for a moment and begin to address everyone's concerns. "I do agree that we need more manpower in our various departments and Engineering is the department that doesn't require fine skills like most of the other departments." I pull up a chart. "Outside the already assigned crew to various departments, Bridge, Security, Research, Medical, and Engineering, only Engineering and Security are the ones that do not require fine tools and lots of training. Aside from the assigned crew we have 33 unassigned people, 32 actually due to one being part of the facilities that can be classified as 'Other'. Out of those 32 crew members 10 of them are teenagers so we shouldn't conscript them into labor unless absolutely vital, the rest will be assessed if they can help and will be put to work immediately if so. Everyone should learn at least how to handle the basics of this work just in case. As for people crawling all over the wrecks cutting them away takes higher priority, we cannot risk making the hull tears worse than what they are nor can we risk air draining from the ship. That is precious as is. In exchange for the research teams pulling back we will bring in as much scrap as we can and use the ship's sensors to look at the wrecks and run scans." I take a breath and continue. "Doctor Buckley if you think that you can assist in the examination please do so. Your departments are close enough as is that expect this kind of collaboration between us." I turn Lanka. "I understand asking for the necessity of doing such a search, and normally I wouldn't do such a thing, but for me, I am simply following protocol plus every little measure helps with the situation. With 700 years of technological advances with a space faring race that we could barely understand in the first place we cannot be sure they do not have a method to listen through our hulls into rooms that are not protected, especially when we have their wrecks right next to us and could forward information back to them through some sort of passive machine. The thing about it is we know so little about everything that we need to take every precaution. I trust everyone in this room and I trust everyone chosen for this mission explicitly don't worry. As for your projects lay out your long term ideas when you have them sorted out as for the ones with medical that is between you and Buckley and I will let you plan that out beforehand to make sure it is possible." That was about the time when Brachial chimed in, "if we truly want to know more about our enemy, shouldn't we have been putting it to the screws before we started to cut it open? These things can talk I've seen it before, if we really want to know a damn about why the hell there still hunting us no better way to get it then from the source, or more importantly the brain, even if it's not alive anymore the brain if kept alive could give us a better excite into its memories. I know I'm a military hawk, but I've had my fair share of schooling. The brain as we know as far as humans stores memories and images, therefore what is to say that these creatures cannot have the same function, with its brain we could unlock secrets to there technology and to there language. We need to be careful with this thing, one way or another it's worth far more to us than we may think. I've caught these creatures, watched them die, watched my comrades be killed. They are very fascinating, I'd like to request if it's still alive to be patched up, interrogated, then the good Dr. Can can't it open like a frog on a dissection table" Captain Older raise my eyebrow at Black's suggestion. "It should be dead considering we spaced it Black, but that is an idea." I start slowly. "Maybe we can gain something but of course we don't know how alien their brains are to ours, our brains were shaped by conditions on Earth and their brains would logically be shaped by the conditions of their own planet. So logically first we need to examine it and try to gain an understanding of its inner workings before we go and risk doing something that can damage it. We will have to trust the doctors on that one. I would much rather not go fishing for alien carcasses again. The Doctors will first try to understand its biology before messing with its brain I think."

The Comperior (IC)|rating:4.0

Thru The Mysts of Time _ CASTING CALL_

Hello everyone you are all welcome to join in this thread but for the beginning we need at least 3 men and 3 females aside from our GM I myself will be playing one of the females. These first six are all friends who have a secret they all have a special talent one has the ability to move things with there mind, another the ability to manipulate the elements, another to read minds, another to fly...etc. But each one has to be different none have the same talent. Each in his or her own way has caught the attention of O'Bern, Catania, Puck, or all three in some fashion without even knowing they have done so, and have been or will be drawn into a game of there making. O'Bern, Catania and Puck will be played by the GM. Please place your chars here and once we have at least the first 6 players we will begin. Other chars once we have started can be anyone or animal etc. In time. Raven is 25 yrs old standing around 5ft 4in weighing around 120 lbs she wasn't bad looking for her size she was the type that tho not a knock down gorgeous woman was simply pretty, with an hour glass figure and well per portioned breasts she had long black hair much like a ravens wing, violet colored eyes, and pale skin. Raven was a ranger out in Colorado up in the MT's she loved being outdoors and out in the open spaces, she had a special talent for weather some of the other rangers called her there human weather channel, because she always knew wetter it was going to storm or not and whether to allow the hikers and skiers to go up the MTS or not. When they asked her she would just shrug and say it was a lucky guess from looking at the clouds and the temperature changes. There were only a few of her other friends who really knew what she really could do which was control the elements or in the case of her job judge what the weather was up too so as not to give her secret away. She also knew her friends secrets as well. Come to think of it they should be meeting soon, each of them had decided it best if they all lived apart in separate states so as not to draw in too much attention, and they would meet every couple of years or so to see how they were all doing. This year they were meeting at the ski lodge here in Colorado where she worked and in a few hours would meet again. Keegan Erickson Age 24Sex: Male Height 6' 1"Weight 275Hair: Brown eyes: Brown Skin: White, With a farmers tan Bio:Keegan has always been a very mild-mannered person. Able to get along with most people and just brush off most insults aimed at him. When he was younger he was a bit portly though as he aged he grew more into his weight and is a rather trim person who works out on the weekends. He never accelled in school though he was never the dumb jock either. He earned everything he got in school. When he was 18 years old he got into a fight with some other kids in school he saw picking on a younger friend of his. Before he realized what he was doing he saw the three kids stop and grab their stomachs like that had just been hit really hard. The air knocked out of them. The other kid ran off. Unsure what had happened he punches at the air again near them and witnessed the one in front of the punch get knocked back. Scared by this he an off though the others never talked about what had happened. He went home and started trying to figure out his new talent. It was a long process. He skipped school for about a week just going to his gym to think and work out this strange talent he had. As he mastered it a found he could do more than just punch the air. He could manipulate things with his hands at a distance and once in a while with just his mind when he was very mad.(If you will have me and like character) I like it *smiles* welcome once we get more players the actually thread will be started. Great I look forward to seeing the other four Characters soon. For your consideration, a psychokinetic"Where's your jacket, man?"" Didn't think I needed it."" Dude! It's, like, thirty below or something." Frank Andersen shook his head slightly and laughed. Henry was always exaggerating things. He looked over to Brian and raised an eyebrow. Brian sighed and turned his music player over to access the weather." It's only in the low fifties," he said. "The positive low fifties. But, y'know, that is kind of chilly Frank. You don't feel that?" Frank shrugged. He actually had known it was colder than it felt by the way his breath gave off so much vapor. His roommate had been worried that Frank was sick because they'd bumped into each other in the hallway between their rooms and the bathroom, and he'd said Frank was almost scalding to the touch. He'd reassured Bill he was fine, but had gone and gotten the digital thermometer when Bill wasn't looking just to check. Naturally, it was broken since it said his body temp was 120 degrees and rising. So Frank had drank as much ice water as he could before leaving for his college classes, and then kept popping some of those mints that actually lower your mouth temp for a short while to keep from looking like he was smoking or something." Hey Frank, watch your step, that mud's slick."" What? AAAAEP...." Frank stepped just where Henry was warning him about and his right foot went out from under him. As he fell backwards, he spun towards the right side and threw his hand out to brace himself.WHOOSH!!! A small jet of flame erupted from his palm and blew him back upright. He landed on his feet and lifted his hand to look at the fire dancing about his fingers and all about his wrist and the back of his hand. He spun about and shook his hand, putting out the fire. Henry was looking about. "Do you guys smell something smoking?" he said. "You okay there Frank? Looked like you started to fall but caught yourself. Guess that gymnastic stuff you cheerleaders do paid off, eh?" Frank smiled and gave a light chuckle. "Yeah, I guess so." What the fuck was that??? I guess Henry didn't see, and Brian's oblivious again with his headphones on. Frank took a deep breath and followed after his friends. Maybe Bill was right, and I am sick.*********​Frank Andersen20 year old college student Majoring in Cheerleading, Drinking, Womanizing, and Theatre (not necessarily in that order)Roughly 6' tall depending on posture with an athletic build, mostly to his legs and arms, but has been working on improving his torso. Black hair, green eyes, cleanshavenHas been working with his new-found ability to produce and control fire, but is still learning. Can summon and dismiss a fiery shield about his hands at will, and discharge blasts also--the strength and accuracy of which he is still coming to terms with. Kewl sounds great welcome so lets see we need 2 more girls and one more guy now if I am figuring correctly. *smiles* this is going to be fun.ok as for abilities so far we have an element list, a telepath who can move things with his mind and fight rather well, and a pyroclastic... I'MMA probably nab the last male spot, I'm sure I have a character I could crank out for this one. Sweet so we just need 2 more females *smiles* let me work out a female char. Ilmpost it later. Only get on a few times a week now not daily, hopeful i don't hold things up too much. I was thinking of the power to move thing with her find i don't thing that has been taken yet. Hey Sprite. Figured I'd better post in case folks were wondering who the GM was and want to back out before feeling the wrath of Red.ETA:Oberon, King of the Shadows and Fairies. Consort/Husband to Titania, Queen of the Fairies. Puck, servant to Oberon. Oberon-Ageless. . .broad shoulder, tall, black hair, black beard/mustache, kept neatly trimmed. Dark brown eyes. Jealous male, smart and vengeful. Looks to be in his early 50s. Titania– Ageless, long, curly blond hair, green eyes. Tall, bountiful bosom, curvy hips, narrow waist. Jealous female, smart, mischievous and somewhat vindictive. Looks to be in her early/mid 30s. Puck– Ageless. . .younger than Oberon and Titania. Short, but handsome. Boyish charm and not too bright. Brown hair, slightly curly, clean shaved and blue eyes. Looks to be in his early/mid 20s. I'll do my best to keep all three characters busy, but if I feel it's getting too confusing posting them all just under Red's Lit name, then I'll bring in a couple of my alts that are used for other threads to keep the three characters separate. I've not written with some of you, so if there is something you DO NOT want to happen to your character be sure to PM me or post it here, before I do something to them... Also, if you don't want your character subjected to a particular sex act, then make sure you make that clear to me and the other writers here in the IOC. Shoot sounds good to me Hun....*smiles* if you want I can go ahead and start the thread, or we can wait a little longer to get the rest of our players before starting just let me know what you think.as for me and my chars well the only thing i don't like is the butt thing. You can smack it, squeeze it and pinch it but nothing goes in it. As long as that's remembered I am good. *GRINS* LittleSprite2 said: Shoot sounds good to me Hun....*smiles* if you want I can go ahead and start the thread, or we can wait a little longer to get the rest of our players before starting just let me know what you think. As for me and my chars well the only thing i don't like is the butt thing. You can smack it, squeeze it and pinch it but nothing goes in it. As long as that's remembered I am good. *GRINS* Click to expand... *grins* Okay... puts all the anal toys away that were marked for Sprite. You can start the thread now, if you wish, and I think I'll post for my characters after the others have posted, that way I know exactly where everyone is and what activity they are involved in. You're still looking for one female? Nope two we have all three males, but the only female so far is little ole me *GRINS* I'll get the post started Helene mostly what I have for my char is the first post but I'll add some to it. LittleSprite2 said: nope two we have all three males, but the only female so far is little ole me *GRINS* I'll get the post started Helene mostly what I have for my char is the first post but I'll add some to it. Click to expand... You'll be a busy bee. #post25071524Here is the INC thread for Through The Masts of Time Poland ohh yes I could be a very busy bee in deed sounds like it could be fun but could also wear a girl out, tho I guess I would sleep pretty well after words *GRINS* LittleSprite2 said: #post25071524 Here is the INC thread for Through The Masts of Time LOL and ohh yes I could be a very busy bee in deed sounds like it could be fun but could also wear a girl out, tho I guess I would sleep pretty well after words *GRINS* Click to expand... I posted while you were editing. *g*Is it okay for Frank to be among the friends Raven was thinking about, who already know her and her abilities; or should I edit to reflect that he's someone new coming on account of a flier? David David was looking at the sky again, it seemed to not be promising today. He watched anyway. There was a shudder in the clouds. He smirked slightly, watching them move and reveal some blue sky. Perhaps today is not lost... He looked to his watch and frowned slightly. "Well...that was a short two hours." He said, not without disappointment, he seemed calm enough despite it. Too calm in fact. He looked through the path which he had taken before through the forest. It was painfully bare. He leaned down and picked up his backpack. He slipped on the sandals he had taken off. "Nose to the grindstone." He headed down the path. As he walked through, the sun finally began to shine, throwing light into the chasm of his path. He looked down. His calm, blue gaze coming across the dead grass. He closed his eyes and sighed. Opened them. It was still dead. He smirked and kept walking." Hey c'mon!!" Tommy struggled to keep up on his bike, he wasn't as fit as his friends. "No fair guys, wait up!!" He watched with annoyance as they pedaled ahead. He closed his eyes and struggled, pushing himself. Why am I so freaking fat? He grunted and collided into a man. The man stumbled back, Tommy went flying and scraped his elbow on the fall. After a few moments of getting re-oriented. He looked up, expecting wrath. He was surprised to find his bike stood up against a tree. The man pulled Tommy to his feet and smiled briefly. "You should wear a helmet Tommy." he said, messing up the 12-year-old's hair briefly. Tommy blinked as the man touched him, feeling different. "....thanks... I will." The man walked off. Tommy just realized something as the man was out of sight. "Wait!!" he cried, somewhat late on the uptake. How'd he know my name? He wondered. He looked down to his arm and blinked. His scrape was gone...as if it had never existed. Tommy blinked and grinned. "Maybe I'm like Wolverine!" he exclaimed, jumping onto his bike and riding ahead. He marveled at how thick the grass grew on this path. DavidName: David Parsonage: 26 Looks: Has light brown hair, and clearing blue eyes, he is not tan by any sense, but not unhealthily pale. He is about 5'11, and weighs about 175lbs. He wears jeans, sandals, and a button-down shirt more than half of the time. What he does: David is a blessed man, the powers that be have given him the abilities to bring about health and happiness to those around him, adversely, he can see through the lies of others, find out their true intentions easily enough. He has come to learn that in the right situations, small miracles can happen, though, he has no control of this. I'll make mine a newcomer, should be interesting. Yes frank can be a friend of Ravens as well *Smiles* Nice post btw ... and welcome to David as well and no worries there will be more than plenty of places for more chars as well *Grins* Can I Join? Name: Coin Luka sage: 21sex: female height: 5'9"weight: 128lbsappearance: She was long and lean with short black pixie cut hair. Her eyes were a goldfish hazel and would occasionally change with her mood. She had muscle but wasn't very wrapped with muscle, but it was there an added to her already strong persona. She wasn't super curvy unlike some of her friends, but she had little curves. Her body was proportional, and she had averaged sized breasts for her body type.bio: Coin had grown up in the streets of Chicago all her life and didn't have the most pleasant of childhoods. She had grown up as one of the nerdy smart kids in her school and would get picked on occasionally for being shy and dorky. Her parents then decided to move to a safer place. But one day in her new middle school a few boys had decided to pick a fight with her and as they went to throw punches she found it easy to dodge and duck and dive away from them. The kids freaked out and ran off. That's when she first realized she was different. This happened more as she grew up. She also realized she was speedy, running long/short distances in split seconds. Her body motions and reflexes were at super human speed. That's when she started to exercise more and help bring out that special gift. At this point she had met a group of others with gifts of their own. She no longer felt that she was that shy nerdy girl. Yes she was still very smart but now no one messed with her anymore and she became slightly more outgoing and much more tough. Her attitude changed about life and after high school she moved back to Chicago for college. Although one day when she was robbed she found out she was able to dodge bullets. She knows happily lives her life in Chicago as a student at the university. I didn't really need to add that she had her group of friends and such since I'm just assuming that it's in there. That's just her bio of her special gift basically. Hope that works, if I need to change anything please let me know! I guess you could compare her to like Callisto from x-men I guess. Hope that works for everyone. Should I post in the IC thread or just wait? Thanks this thread looks like fun! Welcome Paint... thanks for taking the time to read the thread, and I'm glad you found it to your liking. One more girl to go Sprite. Had Paint, shame that the band idea didn't really take off. Eh? This should be some fun though Oh... just a quick post for those that don't know me. I'm a bitch.Anal-retentive too, but I'm also friendly. If you have to leave the thread for a long period of time, please let us know as soon as you can. If you disappear without letting Sprite, or me know via a PM or posting here then I'll move your character to a quiet location and leave them there until you either come back, or if you're gone for months, I'll find a reason to kill you off or remove you from the story completely. Yeah... that's Nodding and that's my job. But I'm very willing to maintain a place for your character, if you as a writer, are willing to keep me informed if you know you have to leave. If you disappear and come back, and you couldn't reach us before you left, then you'll be more than welcome to come back, play your character or create a new one as long as Sprite is okay with it and I am too. Which I probably will be unless you totally tick me off, which is hard to do. Only two people have ever really done it to a point that I won't write with them. I'm really a friendly redhead, honest. Yeah. Too bad about that. But this is going to be fun! At least I certainly hope so!! Also is your character from Chicago or just like wandering through? Since both of us are coming from that direction. Just wondering. He's sort of a drifter, I'd figure he stays in places that need him most. I'll just use some artistic license and say he's been in Chicago for 'round six months. Okay. Awesome, just wondering. Sprite can you do me a couple favors? The first could you put a link to the IOC in the first post of the IC and the second, could you put a link to each person's bio page in the first post of the IOC, that way when folks and yep, that really means me, because I get lost easily in an IOC that runs for several pages, and I'm lazy... Folks will eventually need to look back and see what a character looks like or what their ability is, then they can just go to the first post in the IOC and click on the link. Thanks bunches. Will do *SMILES* Okay... before I get more confused... Who knows who, and who doesn't know anyone? Everyone posted like they knew me, so I just figured I'd be one of the group. So consider me a distant friend of the others. So they all marginally know each other except for Frank, Refer's character. Crush360 said: Everyone posted like they knew me, so I just figured I'd be one of the group. So consider me a distant friend of the others. So they all marginally know each other except for Frank, Refer's character. Click to expand... Okay, thanks. It's way too early in the thread to confuse the Redhead behind the curtain. We'll keep that in mind sugar. Crush360 said: Everyone posted like they knew me, so I just figured I'd be one of the group. So consider me a distant friend of the others. So they all marginally know each other except for Frank, Refer's character. Click to expand... I'm sorry. I thought we knew you and that Refer's character was the only one we didn't know. Sorry about that, if I ruined any of your future plans i apologize. But thanks for making it work haha. Oh, another anal red post...IOC convoy's can be posted here, please keep the IOC out of the main thread since we do have this one. Thanks.*sneaks off to hide behind the curtain again* lol, I just hate to have Frank be the only new guy. Crush360 said: lol, I just hate to have Frank be the only new guy. Click to expand... Well maybe whatever girl comes in next can be new so Frank isn't the only one? I don't know. It's just a thought. But that can be established later. This thread is going to be fun! If Puck comes in he'd be very new. Lol True that, very anxious to actually be having a GM. I agree I think this will be a lot of fun and sorry about that Crush. I was also thought we all knew each other except for Rem mes Ct. sorry about all the confusion Red *smiles* forgive me... and I agree when the last female position is filled if she wants to be new to the group like frank that would be great but its up to her. Also I wanted to apologize to the one playing Franks char i usually don't write people in like that but with the age différance between Frank and the others I thought it would make more since next time I'll ask first PROMISE........ Crush360 said: lol, I just hate to have Frank be the only new guy. Click to expand... Frank knows Raven at the very least; and I had intended that he might have known some of the others, but I think maybe the people showing up for these reunions might vary from time to time as new people come, and old ones go, so if she's the only person he (I) know, that's fine. I should warn you that as a GM there will be times you may find your character suddenly "moved". . . Like they are tossed from point A in the story and thrust into another point. . . Like D or Z or something like that. Confused or scared yet? RedHairedandFriendly said: I should warn you that as a GM there will be times you may find your character suddenly "moved". . . Like they are tossed from point A in the story and thrust into another point. . . Like D or Z or something like that. Confused or scared yet? Click to expand... With you, always...but in a good way... Oh dear, and I have to go away to a gaming convention this weekend. Lord only knows what I'll find myself up to when I come back Sunday night/Monday morning. Hehehehe(I'll try and drop by using the computer at the hotel, though.) Refer said: With you, always...but in a good way... Oh dear, and I have to go away to a gaming convention this weekend. Lord only knows what I'll find myself up to when I come back Sunday night/Monday morning. Hehehehe (I'll try and drop by using the computer at the hotel, though.) Click to expand... I like scarin' you. And confusion... well that's just as fun. There is no rush to post. With a group this size there will be times our real life schedules interfere with our Lit life. Yep yep especially with the holidays and hoping and traveling well you get the idea ohh yea and work schedules or class schedules LOL so no hurry on posting *GRINS* btw nice post Mimic *smiles* I'll give some of the others a chance to post before I do again Helene this way were not getting to far ahead Hoping to post tonight, after I get one other thread posted to. Morning... Seth, I do believe that David and Titania are not even in the same room with you folks. She is still out in the lobby and David has approached her. Unless the door was open to that room where you guys were (which I don't believe to be the case, or they'd not be "showing off" their powers). Please edit that he either left the room and found David/Titania, or edit that he saw David leave. Thanks, Red. I'm just trying to get all these gifts straight, so tell me if I'm wrong, and I've read the IOC's you've posted and the posts on the thread right. Feel free to set me straight.IOC listed powers:Raven - Climate control (weather)Keegan - Manipulates objects so they can move without him touching them, usually with a motion of his hand, sometimes with his mind when angry. Frank - Controls fire and can produce it David - Makes folks healthy and happy. Can usually sense a person's intentions. Corin - Super speedy Now... here is what you've all done in the thread. Raven - Controlled weather, froze and cooled a drink Keegan - Controlled a skier, floated his drink David - Felt a chair and knew what had happened to the tree, Healed a burn and "guessed" Tatiana's name, openly shown his "gift"Frank - heat imaging of people, extinguished and RELIT a fire, pulls heat away from a burned Lincoln - ran for coffee Okay folks... Here is what I'm wondering.... these gifted individuals are in a public building. A room where guests can come and go at will, right? (until it was suggested the door be locked) And you are all showing off your powers. Not only that, but man you're really embellishing them. No not all of you, but some are. Soon to be a real pain in your ass, I'm going to ask you to tone it down. If you were really a gifted individual would you just start doing all this odd stuff in a public place? As I see the thread now, these powers/gifts are what you have given and done with your characters. Raven - controls the weather and liquids Keegan - Manipulates objects without touch David - feels nature, heals people, reads minds Frank - controls fire/produces fire, pulls heat from objectsCorin - runs fast'm asking you to keep yourself to these powers and not suddenly "add more". Tatiana, Oberon and Puck may gift you with some later on, but for now let's try to contain them. I'm still working on what "gifts" to give my three characters. I do not want them all powerful. Oberon in my mind is similar to Cues the God. He's powerful, but he's not immune to something out there. Tatiana, I see as a spoiled woman similar to Aphrodite the Goddess of Love, she's got gifts, but usually they are geared toward tranquility and yeah, manipulation. Puck, he's just a lack. He likes his job, but does it simply because he has nothing else to do. He'd be very limited in "gifts". Also... if you know of another female willing to pop in, invite her to the chaos, before it gets too far in and makes it harder for her to catch up. I'll bring in an alt if need be and if Sprite allows it, but I'd rather not. Thanks guys and gals, *anal red slicks off to write a post* Okay folks... Here is what I'm wondering.... these gifted individuals are in a public building. A room where guests can come and go at will, right? (until it was suggested the door be locked) And you are all showing off your powers. Not only that, but man you're really embellishing them. No not all of you, but some are. Soon to be a real pain in your ass, I'm going to ask you to tone it down. If you were really a gifted individual would you just start doing all this odd stuff in a public place? Click to expand... Oops... I'll be more careful in reading things. I thought Raven had taken us into a semipublic arable, a private space within the public environment of the lodge proper. Furthermore, I'd change my display, but I think several others have referenced it already. And, the confusion over Frank's powers is mine, as well. I called him a psychokinetic, but he both creates and controls heat not just flame or fire. Yes, sorry about that, I'll just water it down, by healing people, he learns a bit about them, not much, just a tidbit, usually their name, the car they might drive, stupid little things. By no means is he a mind reader. And David by nature is prone to help people, if asked about it, he usually just avoids the subject. That's kinda why I made his power rather weak in the first place. Otherwise, I'd be shitting fireballs and running up walls. Lol. I'll keep it at a minimum though, there's only so much that can be attributed to coincidence. Sorry red I also believed we were in a room set back for a private gathering. Though will do as you ask. You guys made me smile. Thanks for not thinking (or at least not publicly saying it) "That Red's a bitch." I read it as she took you into a room off to the side, but it wasn't really a private, no admittance room. Perhaps it was and I was the one confused. But that's okay. I'll try not to nitpick too much. It's all supposed to be fun in the end, I don't want to make it a chore for all of us. Thanks again guys.*runs off to do offline banking (yuck), lurk lit, post a bit and maybe write* *Smiles* Raven can do more than just the weather she can play with earth, and fire as well sort of and all around ability. I just haven't showed her off completely and keeping it to a minimum as she isn't one to show off too much and as per your request will keep her toned down. As to the room we were in I did have it specific reserved for our group... sorry if it wasn't to clear. *Smiles* and yes please if anyone knows of another female who would like to join invite them to do so, if not then Red ether you, I or if someone else would like to bring in an alternate char that would be fine. Thanks Sprite and I'm sorry for the confusion. But I've learned with writing in large groups that if it isn't there, then one can't assume. It may have been my oops that had us in a less than private room and I missed reading that in a post. I do make oops sometimes. It's a busy time around here, holidays and retail go hand in hand. I'll try and get a post up soon, so Crush isn't waiting on me forever. I work all day today, and we're heading out for supper afterward. Furthermore, I'll try and get something up tonight before bed, or tomorrow morning before work. Not a problem Hun I am sure we all make mistakes from time to time it happens, and we'll work it out together. *smiles* if no one has any objections I'll go ahead and create an alternate char until someone else would like to join in, and we can go from there. Cassey Rynoldsage 25ability to teleport short distances as long as she can see where she is going or has been there and can visualize where she wants to go. Cassey has long curly brown hair, and dark green eyes, she met I have the day off and should be home most of the day, unless the urge to shop or unpack more boxes hits me. I'll do my best to get a post up today. And. . .no qualms here about you creating an alternate character. Keel didn't think you would mind besides I know you've got your hands full of 3 of them as it is hehehehe I'm cool with you havin' an alt. Sounds good to me. LittleSprite2 said: Keel didn't think you would mind besides I know you've got your hands full of 3 of them as it is hehehehe Click to expand... *chuckles* I'm trying to think how to do some serious mischief. Lol. At least I got Puck out of the cold. This is true I was wondering how blue you wanted him to turn being stuck outside hehehehehehe I sent a few ideas your way, up to you tho how you work things out I trust your judgment and can't wait to see what you come up with. I'm going to be having surgery on Tuesday. Seems my gallbladder and I are no longer friends, and it wants out of our relationship. It's an outpatient surgery and as long as all goes well I won't have to stay overnight at the hospital. I'll be on painkillers obviously, and I'll be off work for a while to. Not sure how much writing I'll be doing for those first few days. I may post a bit of mindless chatter on the boards, but if it's anything like in the past, I'll not be able to spend a lot of time online simply because I'll be exhausted.--Crush'll try to get you free of Titania's company so you can interact with the others while I'm gone. If that's how you would like me to play it. I'm not saying I won't be writing after surgery, but I know I can't make any promises. Had, the important thing is you getting rest after surgery, this is just a hobby anyway. I sincerely hope that everything goes well, I'll be sure to light a candle for you. Be sure to shoot me a PM after you get out, otherwise I'll worry myself sick.--Yours truly, Crush. Red! I've already told you I hope you get well soon. But I'm telling you again, so the point gets across lol. Get well soon!! Xoxoxo hope you get better soon Hun and take your time we're not going anyplace Helene besides this gives Frank and Coin time for there MMM well ya before we get mainly shifted hear and there *GRINS* Well I hope everything goes smoothly and quickly for you. Rest and get well after surgery *hugs* I've been peeking in and out of Lit off and on and hope that I can bring some real time to the boards today and some more tomorrow. I'll work on posting tonight after supper. Thanks for everyone's thoughts. The surgery went well, and I'm not in too much pain. The first couple days were a bit rough and exhausting, but today I treated any pain I had with Advil instead of the prescription painkiller they gave me. Hey guys my internet situation is having "issues". I don't know when I'll be able to post and I'm sorry this happened. I'll try to post when I can. Peace and Lovenox PaintaPicture said: Hey guys my internet situation is having "issues". Furthermore, I don't know when I'll be able to post and I'm sorry this happened. Furthermore, I'll try to post when I can. Peace and love too Click to expand... too... We look forward to seeing you come back to us when you can. RedHairedandFriendly said: too... We look forward to seeing you come back to us when you can. Click to expand... Yes, indeed. *smile* No rush. But, for story purposes, shall I extract Frank and let some time elapse to be back among the other characters of the story? Hey there Refer, as GM and the fact that she may not be online for a while, I'm going to pop in and say... Finish "rocking her world"and then have you both "retire" to her rooms. Move hers to hers and then leave her with a parting kiss, with promises for more. You can claim she looks tired, or you want to indulge in her when you have more time. This is of course just an idea. But in the end, I'd say having her go to her room by some means or another is the best bet. RedHairedandFriendly said: Finish "rocking her world" and then have you both "retire" to her rooms. Move hers to hers and then leave her with a parting kiss, with promises for more. You can claim she looks tired, or you want to indulge in her when you have more time. Click to expand... Gotcha. Something like this? I know it may have a bit more of her reactions than some people like, but I figured this kept things like that to a minimum. So, Frank's back in his room, and I left the time vague so he could be brought back in whenever seemed appropriate to the story. That works quite well. Sorry all posts are few and far between right now I have 3 sick kids at home a 6-month-old a 3 yr old and a 6yr old all own with the flu, and I am just getting over it myself forgive my absence.I'll get back into the full swing of things once everything calms down and kids are feeling better shoot ok I back Kids are better and I have free time again hehehehehe How is everyone? Good I hope. Doing good. Welcome back. Hope your holiday was good. Thanks for the welcome back and yes kids got lots of gifts and even being sick they still enjoyed it a lot. *smiles* Hey all. Things are still pretty hectic for me especially since school has started. But since i won't be able to dedicate much time to the thread or put the effort that I want into it, I'm going to have to back out. I'm sorry Refer for messing things up and everyone else, but things are a bit crazy, unfortunately. Peace and love that's ok Hun life can be hectic we all know how that goes. Good luck with your schooling... PaintaPicture said: I'm sorry Refer for messing things up and everyone else, but things are a bit crazy, unfortunately. Click to expand... Don't worry about it for a second. That's just to be expected from RL sometimes, the unexpected. *smile* When things are more settled, I'm sure we'll see you around the SRP more often. How was everyone's vacation were here? Was Christmas pretty good for you all as well? Mine was nice. Kinda curious who all is still on board with this thread though. I'm still in. RedHairedandFriendly said: Mine was nice. Kinda curious who all is still on board with this thread though. I'm still in. Click to expand... Me too. Just hanging out, showering, napping....*g* i am here, and Seth_J is just now coming back from being sick i think he is still interested as well. *smiles* I'm back Sorry for being gone so long it's been crazy over here and had unexpected connection issues that have been fixed up. Any word on Crush? I know Paint is having problems. I can God-mode something if needed, just would like to know who our players still are. Not sure about Crush haven't heard I can pm him if you like, and I may have another player I sent her the address so she could read it and see what she thinks before deciding ether way. - This space for rent - interested it's a lot like a thread I saw before but looks fun see you have at least 7 but thought ad add my own flare if I am accepted and something opens up keel thank you for joining, and we'd be glad to have you and will let you know as soon as we can when you can jump in. *SMILES* thanks my bioLarson LascarsAge 28Sex: Male Height 5’10Weight 190Hair: black with a white streak eyes: redskin: olive-Spanish Greek Mediterranean Bio: Curse of the blood sharing the senses and strengths of the animal kingdom along with the animal urges to hunt and mate. At a young age he was very ill a shaman cursed him with the blood curse. Overnight he became strong but at night he suffered from the blood curse. Animal urges and traits surged through his blood into his body long has he suffered through his affliction. For approval I like it, I sent a message to red, and we'll let you know *Grins* cant wait your in Hun just one question to make sure we understand your char. He doesn't transform like a werewolf or anything he just gets the animal urges to mate, hunt, etc... that and traits his eyes or maybe ears but no furry body or fangs and claw, he's not a where wolf.... ok thanks you can join in at anytime I think, look forward to written with you. *smiles* me two post when ever your ready *Grins* Evening folks. Welcome clone warrior. Nice to meet ya. I'm going to try and come up with a way to get our group back together, or at least those that have been sorta left in limbo at the moment. Poor Puck's just going to keep stealin', maybe someone will notice. . . Casey is still in he's dinning area with puck, and she noticed but well she's shy. *Grins* should I have mine show up or something... and thanks red for the welcome LittleSprite2 said: Casey is still in he's dinning area with puck, and she noticed but well she's shy. *Grins* Click to expand... Yeah, I read through that part to make sure I knew where everyone was... He's still in the dining area too, and just spotted a shiny coin. Clonewarrior said: should I have mine show up or something... and thanks red for the welcome Click to expand... That's up to you. Titania is in an elevator, very confused as to how to make the damn thing stop... She's beautiful and smart, but in the more modern day Earth, she's almost clueless... but cute. Or you can show up at the lodge not knowing that you were invited, but "felt" called to go. Heck you could arrest Puck and see what trouble that causes. There's lots of stuff you could do, just slide on in and we'll see what happens. Remec, your character has been in the shower long enough... I bet he's all wrinkly. Thanks red i think will have some fun as long as a stay clear of puck his kind of fun scares me.....I might end inside out looking at my own spleen clone warrior said: thanks red i think will have some fun as long as a stay clear of puck his kind of fun scares me.....I might end inside out looking at my own spleen Click to expand... *snickers* I like your post. I can easily picture Titania looking over the lights on the elevator like some excited kid. PuckHe's a nice guy... a bit energetic and easily distracted, but he's not cruel. He's stolen a fork and a spoon, no spleen removal there. Lol magic no knife lol i I did not mean he would kill him.....I meant he would think what does he look like inside and make my skin transparent....lol thanks she sounded like me on sugar after a few coffees and soda clone warrior said: lol magic no knife lol i I did not mean he would kill him.....I meant he would think what does he look like inside and make my skin transparent.... lol thanks she sounded like me on sugar after a few coffees and soda Click to expand... I've not quite figured out what the powers of Oberon, Puck, or Tatiana will be. I don't want them all powerful, well Oberon will be the most powerful of them all, but even he will have a downfall. Right now... Tatiana's only power or power that she's revealed is the power of persuasion. Puck... he's apparently a great pic-pocket. But he's not done anything magical at the moment. Oberon... he's not shown magic either, but he's in his own world still, so he doesn't need to. And what would she use that for....oh no were is my wallet The phone was cut a sign said thank you for using smart mover elevators rapier man will be in Monday. Just a heads-up clone warrior... that's not going to keep them from getting free. The repair men, or fire depart. Or whatever wouldn't let anyone sit in the elevator for that amount of time when it was just a "stopped" button. Plus I'm not quite sure how it reads. Lol not that bad...I meant the service phone is out of order and will be repaired lol most an elevator would sit would be a few hours if that clone warrior said: lol not that bad...I meant the service phone is out of order and will be repaired lol most an elevator would sit would be a few hours if that Click to expand... Ahh, okay. I wasn't sure what language you were speaking. Lol bad English......very bad English ...American New England bad English...lol Yankees English clone warrior said: lol bad English......very bad English ...American New England bad English...lol Yankees English Click to expand... Hey now... I am a Yankee. I'm also a southerner. No worries. Lol actually I think only northerners are yanks....lol not sure but I think that's how it started then everyone not from the great use of a started calling Americans yanks Oh my... are all our characters actually going to be in proximity to each other?!? Is that legal? As long as they keep there hands to themselves I think it is The strange man that appeared was only the second of the day he gave him a once over he could feel himself being ignored. “Are you supposed to be a god or something” he asked looking at the man more as if he was an escaped mental patient. So strange he wondered if he had not got onto an elevator but a portal. Arriving in strange lands was not unheard of in myth only the hotel was the same only the people in it seemed different out of place. "My name is Larson by the way"Who is your character talking to? Puck? yeah, there in the same place right clone warrior said: yeah there in the same place right Click to expand... No, not at all. You need to reread it. He's looking toward the threshold of the restaurant, he can't see them, he only 'smells' Tatiana because of the perfume detectable only by him and Oberon, stated in an earlier post in the story. He's only with Casey and whatever NPC's are in the restaurant. He's not ignored anyone because there is no one he's interested in at the moment but Casey and Tatiana. oops, lol thought he was talking to her ok will fix clone warrior said: oops lol thought he was talking to her ok will fix Click to expand... He's talking to Casey, no one else. Thanks. Welcome will read closer in the future I've got tomorrow off, so I'll be catching threads up. I apologize for the slowness this week. There was a death in the family and I only was able to respond to some threads. I'll be around most tomorrow though and have some ideas for our group. I'm glad they are together, so if you guys don't mind keeping them in the room as a group (except Puck and Casey) I'd appreciate that. Smack Puck?! Why??? She didn't actually smack him, just thought about it.... did I read it wrong I thought he said some of that out loud ?? I'll go back and re-read. LittleSprite2 said: she didn't actually smack him, just thought about it.... did I read it wrong I thought he said some of that out loud ?? I'll go back and re-read. Click to expand... No... I was being sarcastic. I'd have smacked him.lol Your post is fine. Lol OK *Grins* One dogie... the threads been a tad quiet, so I need to know who is still in and who I can write out of the picture? RedHairedandFriendly said: One dogie... the threads been a tad quiet, so I need to know who is still in and who I can write out of the picture? Click to expand... I'm here! *wave* Refer said: I'm here! *wave* Click to expand... w00t! I thought you probably would be. Good thing too, because I just had a brilliant idea, and I'm going to be writing people out right and left if'n I don't hear from them. . .will they survive or not will be up to them. . .*wicked evil redheaded grin* sounds good this way if others who are reading along want to join in they can do so. *smiles* LittleSprite2 said: sounds good this way if others who are reading along want to join in they can do so. *smiles* Click to expand... Yep. I'm thinking a fresh start. . . She's not too attached to that there lodge, is she? No Raven's not the lodge it was just where she stayed, and she is off work from the ranger station, for a week of vacation so she could hold the meeting. *grins* so should be good to go. RedHairedandFriendly said: Yep. I'm thinking a fresh start. . . She's not too attached to that there lodge, is she? Click to expand... Are we goin' on a trip? May I join Tamara Sausage 23Hair:strawberry blonde eyes: greenoccupationart time student/Waitress Smiles as she gets a rare break from both school and work, wondering what she will do with herself during her minivacation. With a sigh she gets ready to pull over for the night and rest. As she does so she wonders if she will meet any others with powers like her. Even if they are pretty useless in her opinion. If she were some comic heroine they would be something spiffy but no she can make light and manipulate to a small degree. "Well the least I will never have to buy a flashlight or a laser pointer she musses to herself, or a mood lamp. Though the light bending has helped her once she was trying to hide from someone she thought was following her and bent the light around her. It did not make her invisible, but it did help her blend into the background so she was hard to spot when he looked down the alley for her. Sure as long as you don't mind being sent on a trip threw time in a short bit. *smiles* red is planning her post now, and we could all end up in the same time period or different ones from each other entirely. *grins* All righty that sounds interesting wonder when and where she will take us. Have to wait and see that's half the fun *grins* I'll give the IOC thread one more day for any of the prior posters to pop in and say they are staying. Welcome to the thread kajiradee. Can I call you Dee? Or Kara? Or something else? You can call me pretty much anything but KD outside of that I am easy. Glad to met you all. I hope the power I went with is all right did not want something too powerful. My other idea was the ability to turn to mist or smoke. Let me know if you want me to adjust. One dogie... I think I'll write something today. I've gotten a couple Lit stories out of the way of the SRP muse, so maybe something will present itself, plus I'm drinking a Coke-Cola. LOL SHOOT ! I cant wait to see what you write. *Grins* LittleSprite2 said: LOL SHOOT ! I cant wait to see what you write. *Grins* Click to expand... Fire! Fire! Fire!*ooohhhh shiny light* Zipping the pants up long enough to play Oberon. *ROFL, and grinning broadly* Great posts everyone. And of course... Welcome Cues. Yes Welcome use, been awhile since we wrote together I think threw time was our last encounter. *smiles* I was Lady Fairy then. *Grins* anybody still out there???? Yes, I'm here. It's just been one heck of a week/weekend/month. I've not had a chance to be online much and when I am, it is for very short spells. I have one day off this week and will do my best to get the SRP flowing again. The reality of real life interrupts online fun ... again. That's alright I know what you mean my hubbies grandparents have been in the hospital with pneumonia, and it's been crazy around here too. Seems like everyone's getting really sick lately, I just hope everyone gets feeling better soon. Hi I am very new here Hi I am very new here. I would love to join in your role play if it is not too late. I have a character idea, but I am not sure if he fits the genre. Artie ? I think I don't remember much. I used to be normal at least I hope so. Furthermore, I look normal enough about six foot even with brown hair and brown eyes. Furthermore, I kind of blend into the crowd which is good. Furthermore, I don't want people to see me when I mess up. Furthermore, I can walk through things and see things that most people don't. Furthermore, I have figured out why the monsters show up. They are drawn to different emotions. I see them and can figure out how people feel. I wonder if I am even real sometimes. Furthermore, I seem to be here in your world but attached to this other world and pulled into it. Furthermore, I wish I remembered. Furthermore, I grab at things and can not always hold them, and sometimes I do not wake up where I went to sleep.Power-He is actually slightly out of phase with our reality. He sees the creatures that exist between realities because he is closer to their world than this one. The more stressed the more he will withdraw. He has forgotten most of his life because once he totally stepped over, and it was forgotten or be even more insane. I do not have a job because when I have nightmares I am pulled through the plane to new places never too far maybe a mile or so but still. I never seem to have a problem with money always cash, but I do not know who is filling my wallet. Furthermore, I have no ID. your char sounds interesting I can't wait to learn more about it. *smiles* LittleSprite2 said: That's alright I know what you mean my hubbies grandparents have been in the hospital with pneumonia, and it's been crazy around here too. Seems like everyone's getting really sick lately, I just hope everyone gets feeling better soon. Click to expand... *nods* My boss was there for a day, and it looks as if she'll be readmitted again. I'm off Thursday, so we'll cross fingers that everything works out for me and the computer. Pgrech - welcome to the thread. Whoot *CROSS'S FINGERS* nice post Remix I like it. *smiles* Okay folks... I have to be honest with you. I am having like no muse for this particular thread. Furthermore, I'm not sure why. Furthermore, I like the concept and all, but I'm just not feeling it. Any suggestions? Well maybe if we get a date to work with then we can figure out where we are, etc and something might inspire you from what we write otherwise I think were stuck... I do appreciate your writing with me Red and giving the idea a try. *smiles* Maybe if this dose fall threw we can get together in another thread sometime. LittleSprite2 said: well maybe if we get a date to work with then we can figure out where we are, etc and something might inspire you from what we write otherwise I think were stuck... I do appreciate your writing with me Red and giving the idea a try. *smiles* Maybe if this dose fall threw we can get together in another thread sometime. Click to expand... I think this one and my muse just don't agree. Not sure why. We'll see. I'm off on Tues. And Wed. And may have something to wrap my warped mind around by then. I'm sure though fail or succeed, we'll still write together somewhere/sometime. Agreed *smiles* *grabs keyboard and bangs head against it...*Sadly I think I will have to pull out. I really am stuck here. I know a date would help, but even that I believe is only a crutch for me and this particular thread. Furthermore, I do hope you all forgive. Furthermore, I will miss Puck though... he was fun. Np thanks for train and I will miss your puck too *grins* perhaps another time... *SMILES* LittleSprite2 said: NP thanks for train and I will miss your puck too *grins* perhaps another time... *SMILES* Click to expand... Perhaps. Puck was a lot of fun. If I can't use him here, then perhaps someday I can use someone like him somewhere. *sighs* I hate leaving threads. I really do. I feel bad for doing it, but worse when I have nothing to offer. It's ok I understand..... I've had a few like that myself that I really liked and just kept drawing a blank and had to back out.... there's actually a couple I am doing like that now that I am running out of ideas for and hope i don't CAS I am enjoying them but there all sex and there are only so many positions ROFL at least that I can think of anyway... Were both getting away from the emotion part and there is very little story line, not something i usually go for... I am ending up looking at them as this person can do this way if this one moves and dose this and then this one can go here and do this. Like a puzzle rather than people in love and having sex. The love is there too but its mostly sex and well sometimes my brain hurts. *smiles* LittleSprite2 said: It's ok I understand..... I've had a few like that myself that I really liked and just kept drawing a blank and had to back out.... there's actually a couple I am doing like that now that I am running out of ideas for and hope i don't CAS I am enjoying them but there all sex and there are only so many positions ROFL at least that I can think of anyway... Were both getting away from the emotion part and there is very little story line, not something i usually go for... I am ending up looking at them as this person can do this way if this one moves and dose this and then this one can go here and do this. Like a puzzle rather than people in love and having sex. The love is there too but its mostly sex and well sometimes my brain hurts. *smiles* Click to expand... I agree. I have a hard time writing sex if that is all the thread is based on too. Furthermore, I like to throw in plot ideas so it spices things up with more than just continual sex, right now though I have one that is in that mode, but soon they will be traveling, and hopefully we'll have more than just sex to do. What I really find frustrating is when almost all my threads are in a "sex" scene at the point of the story. That's frustrating in suitor many ways. LOL yes it is I find when that happens I have to make sure to look at the names and go back maybe a post or two before I write so I am in the right mood and feelings for that char.*smiles* LittleSprite2 said: LOL yes it is I find when that happens I have to make sure to look at the names and go back maybe a post or two before I write so I am in the right mood and feelings for that char.*smiles* Click to expand... Same here. It wouldn't be wise to write a smart ass submissive because I got the dome character mixed up.Lolita also makes for slippery panties when all that sex is lined up one post after another. ROFL... LOL.... *whips a tear of laughter from the corner of my eye* ohh that is funny, and Too True... Tho I can just see that too. Tho it would be even more funny if the meek innocent decided to get BOLD and take over... it's not unheard of. *Grins* Tho can shock the hell out of his or her partner LOL.... LittleSprite2 said: ROFL... LOL.... *whips a tear of laughter from the corner of my eye* ohh that is funny, and Too True... Tho I can just see that too. Tho it would be even more funny if the meek innocent decided to get BOLD and take over... it's not unheard of. *Grins* Tho can shock the hell out of his or her partner LOL.... Click to expand... I've thrown so many loops at Therein in the variety of stories we write; I think he'd shoot me if I pulled that with our thread "Claiming Claire"lol True. *Smiles* Sorry I had to leave for a few. Cutter missed his school bus and I had to get the girls together and give him a ride to school. *grins* LittleSprite2 said: True. *Smiles* Sorry I had to leave for a few. Cutter missed his school bus and I had to get the girls together and give him a ride to school. *grins* Click to expand... He didn't try the "ohhh you can just let me stay home" trick? No he didn't use that one. *smiles* he actually likes school, but then he is only in kindergarten LOL I have a feeling next year or the year after he will change his mind and decide he doesn't like it, but for now he's having fun. Kindergarten is a fun time. Okay if I put in an ending post to the thread then? Just so we're not all out wandering through the Wild West...well, unless our character would want that, I suppose. *g* Refer said: Okay if I put in an ending post to the thread then? Just so we're not all out wandering through the Wild West...well, unless our character would want that, I suppose. *g* Click to expand... If you feel the need to actually end the thread. . . You can. Lol. Unless Sprite would rather you not. wow, sorry all I thought ppl had lost interest in this one and so hadn't thought about it in a while however if you're all still interested and would like to pick up where we left off I am more than willing... *smiles*

Thru The Mysts of Time _ CASTING CALL_

The Meeting [Arberus & Temara]

There were many virtues that could be ascribed to Nadya, however patient was not one of them. "Do not take me for a fool, Karim. I know your wife keeps the best dates in the back for her favorites. I pay good money as well." The whipped man muttered to himself but went to the back, retrieving the bag of dates that she'd known had been back there. "Thank you." She smiled widely, her teeth glimmering in contrast to the soft caramel of her skin. Placing the dates within her basket, she knew she had to hurry. She was late dropping off the La Donna's lunch basket and making her way on her normal rounds. The woman was older and in of much poor health lately, but she had been one of the few to be kind to her upon her arrival in Arises several years back and had become great friends with her. Brushing her black hair from her face as she arrived at the Villa, she was delighted that it seemed that some excitement was going on, the servants were in quite the hurry to fix things up. "La Donna DHI'b?", she called out to the woman, letting her know of her arrival even as one of the servants to the basket from her to prepare the foods. "I apologize for my lateness, but Karim was trying to hide the dates from me again." She swept into the room the woman normally rested in, a flurry of rich, bright colors done in a menagerie of Oriental and Arizonian styles. Long flowing sleeves matched her motions, swinging from left to right with great energy, moving with the flow as her dark black hair did as well, the tight obi binding her tiny waist with delicate preciseness as if struggling to restrain her and failing. A delicately turned ankle preceded the shapely calf that protruded from the knickers, shown between the drawn back skirt, marking her profession of courtesan. For only those women would be seen so scandalously clothing and yet of such obvious quality. "What are we celebrating today?" She smiled pausing just inside the door. "Has your husband finally come for a visit?" Click to expand... The room inside was empty of the presence that normally filled it, the fierce aging woman in neither her favorite chair nor couch, nor even standing anywhere in the room. A slave leaned down to retrieve a still faintly steaming cup of tea, and quietly offered her respect to Nadya before turning to leave out one of the side doors, leaving every other entrance closed-including that of her sleeping chambers, the door to which was firmly closed. "Come, and swept her away already." The single figure in the room aside from one lingering slave at their convenience was a tall man facing the owner's bookshelf, turning his eyes from the titles on the upper shelves to look at the new arrival in the room, sweeping glance up and down her again very quickly before meeting her eyes. Almost as an afterthought, a thin, welcoming smile molded his face slightly. "They put each other in good cheer. I believe they are seeking to make the most of their time until the alchemist arrives with his teas and tonics." The figure was young but tall, leaving the territory of lean gradually, shoulders already started nicely into his broadening out, and likely to continue a small bit still as he aged. He was certainly not La Donna's husband, far too young, but as she observed small lines and angles on his face, and the deep, dark color of his eyes would speak of her features. Hers, and the dark skin and waving black hair common to Arises, it's exotic eye shape contrasted by a sharp, sheer feature to his slightly stronger brow, and a slightly broader hooked nose. A thin line of carefully cut black beard made his jaw appear all the sharper, and make the leaps appear slightly thinner. Perhaps more blatantly however, he was wearing clothing in a base of white, with lots of accentuating red, a wolf's head design on the buckles belting his sword to his side. "Come, take a seat, and let the slaves relieve you of that, if you wish," he offered, sweeping his right hand to his chest in a slow gesture, and continuing. "I am Vasileios, son of Raul. It is a pleasure to meet a companion of my mother's." Click to expand... Blue eyes peeked out of that caramel skin that glowed of good health and vigor. Smiling, she looked him over once as boldly as he did himself. "That is good to hear. She does better after one of his visit, although I usually miss him it seems." She gave a small curtsy as she smiled, not at all intimidated by the man before her. "So you are the Wolf's cub then?", she smirked, purposely poking at him to see what blows landed and which do not. It was easier than thinking about the woman possibly dying, and it came as naturally to her as breathing. But she lifted her bustle aside and took a seat in one of the more comfortable chairs in the room. "She speaks fondly of you, although from her stories, I had more in mind of a young boy who could not even sit a horse", she laughed mocking a story from his childhood. Click to expand... "In a manner of speech," he said, looking at her very carefully as he replied to her first question. It seemed to bare barbs, but if any insult was hidden it seemed to be a very well veiled one at his age or maturity. Rising to which, would only do harm. Still, the latter comment did raise a little more result, brows lowering somewhat and looking at her in a slightly darker fashion, debating what to do with this. "She would not have many stories of my riding, and warring ages. Most of our visits have been brief since. Less so, but also less often, since she ceased to travel so frequently." Rather than seat himself, he picked an armchair and put himself against it, in a manner sitting against the arm and back of it, rather than on it. Though he did not react terribly outwardly to the barbs, he seemed somewhat slow to let them go, slower even than he seemed to anger... unless her eye was particularly sharp. This was no matter worth true offense or anger. He had confidence enough that in his comfort he was slower and more methodical than he might have been otherwise. It was not always, but it was how his father had tried to train him to be when outside his element, where instinct and experience could bring him to judge quickly and well. His father's canes and belts had tried to teach him to judge better, or judge more slowly, in other matters, with mixed success over the years. "I fear I do not have a name to match to you, though perhaps she might have mentioned in a letter somewhere. Did you meet by way of the markets, perhaps?" he asked, slipping carefully covered barbs, or perhaps hooks for information, of his own within it. After all, there had been a time when Than might have made good coin over changing the hands holding the chains of women such as this, and with the ways of Arises, it was always possible she had come to freedom. For one of Arises, there might be little enough shame in that... but she did not look a native, and there were others who would bristle some at the thought of being enslaved or compared to those enslaved. Click to expand... "Oh, she reads of you quite often, she just makes it sound as if you are a boy with quite a bit of charm." The truth however had yet to be decided, that much was clear from her attitude. But she was also familiar with La Donna in a way that few even ex slaves would have dared to be. She turned in the seat, plucking one of the books from the wall, crossing her legs more delicately than a man, but crossing them all the same and began to idly flip through the book as if well familiar with the library. "Nadya bit Tariq bin Kassel Albion or more simply Nadya Tariq. Daughter of Tariq Kassel." She smiled, her strange blue eyes practically glowing her amusement as she leaned forward upon the chair. "My blood is bluer than yours, Wolf's cub. Though I see that her estimation of your wit and charm is perhaps a bit overestimated." She stood then, sliding the book back into place. "But since neither La Donna nor Le DHI'b are here, I will come back when there is wit to entertain. After all, that is what a courtesan desires." Click to expand... "Mmm," he felt no response to that one but a large wave of annoyance. But they were playing a game now it seemed, and this was a jab. Not a particularly barbed one, but it despite the twist or untruth he could place at its core, it reflected on the right things to not amuse. Her main accomplishment here, was to make a point of her proximity to his mother however, and the household. A curiosity, then, what had led her to the company of Than. It likely had been a purchase of some kind. She saved him having to do more than snort by standing and speaking further immediately as she finally came to the insults, allowing her blue blood without the least sign of standing impressed. He had been born and bred for the battlefield- Than was not a woman of war, no, but he knew what about her had first impressed his father. And he knew how blue-blood kept its power. Through men like him- and their nobility was a matter of their steel, and their mind for war. He was already smiling. "The lady speaks of desires," he chuckled, and turned his head from her almost dismissively to pick through the spines of books for a selection of his own interest. "But when she dresses in lean leg and spilling blossom suited to drive the minds of men to distraction, she casts doubt on that it is 'wit' she seeks," he said, and stopped, smiling to himself as he pulled a book of maps and the notes of traveling merchants on the matter of navigating and doing business in them from the shelf. Click to expand... A small chuckle as she acknowledged his point, the small glimmer of a smile beginning, although he was not looking at her. "Ah, true. I must satisfy upon a 'prick' of wit instead of a feast, as a soldier" her heels were quiet, and yet easy for a warrior to identify despite her speaking as she moved closer to him, before her breath was at his neck, and arm reaching around him, her hand upon his wrist, the fingers light and caressing. "Must satisfy upon a spread of thighs unknowing of art most divine." Her fingers trailed up his arm, each pressure he did feel distinct as they made their way across his arm and sliding along his side. Deft fingers moved silently as then he would feel the prick of a blade at his side; she had pulled his own dirk upon his person. "Be it the prick of blade or prick of wit, Sirrah. I have disarmed you of one, have you the manhood to prick me with the other?" Click to expand... Decided not to leave after all then-pride, false departure designed to lead him to chase, or real interest? He knew better than to turn around to try and check for that, especially with a professional wearer-of-masks, but her approach certainly was rather interesting... a phrase to be taken in more ways than he could count on a single hand. "I fear the lady's eyes may be bigger than her stomach..." His muscles reacted as she touched him, eyes upon entries of legitimate interest as he began to catch the place of the page he'd happened upon-after all, merchants were not the only ones oft to travel foreign lands and benefiting of suitable roads- but he limited this to a small rolling backward of the shoulders and the little release and flexing of muscles breathing out tension as enjoyment stimulated, and taking in desire instead. My, but they did make some of them quite talented. His agitations in this land did no good in managing his needs, of course, but even so the man had already known one satisfaction that day. And then, faintly he felt a weight lift from his person, body recognizing the shift faster than he did. Even as the point pressed against his side, his weight shifted slightly, but beyond that he made no motion below the neck to respond. "I begin to see why mother takes to your company," he said with a humor in his voice, smile slowly spreading as he stared downward for a moment, coming to the end of the page's entry, and slowly closed the book in his hand. Head lifted, and turned to gaze back past his shoulder. "Though strange that you speak as though my courses were limited so, should mine words have already driven the lady to beg aid of steel. Perhaps it would find you comfort, to change the nature of our game?" He spoke, jolly in mood now, finding the exchange of sting and riposte to ease his discontentment. A soldier in one manner or another since near to learning to stand, however, his body devoted nothing to the motion, poised-as much as he could have been called so since she first placed the steel, at least- if there was demand for response. Click to expand... She gave no reply to the state of her stomach, as she was too busy with his approach, but the subtle shift of weight, however small was noticed but her stance remained. But his calm response to the blade at his back pleased her quite as well. He took to his mother as well as his father it seemed. "Courses are only as limited as your mind allows. I but play a prick with a prick. It is simple fun to take the power from one hand unto another. Unless your prick is also limited in style. Perhaps the taste of a pliable body entices a limp prick more." She smiled, sheathing his blade once more for him. "Or perhaps his purse can not afford a true change of the game." She took a step back, just in case he decided to move. "In truth, I was curious as to what the son of La Donna and D'his would be like. I can not decide if he is a tame pup or merely indecisive." Click to expand... RE: The Meeting [Cerberus camp; Tamera]He smirked and, for the moment, passed up the opportunity to point out her fondness for speaking on the matter of pricks. His head turned to follow her, and placed the book back upon the shelf, leaving it partially out to mark it for later, before his body and hips shifted the same, regarding down at the woman now with much more interest than before, lips tight and sealed spread. One finger tapped at his belt, though he didn't handle the knife himself, but merely turned quickly after her, hands where they could react readily in case she did react physically. He made no threatening motions, but size and profession might have been enough to make the lady feel threatened as he stepped decidedly closer than one would normally stand to speak, or than her retreat had put him." It is the nature of a soldier to be unable to afford a great many things, and yet come to take them,"he said, with a tight grin, controlled just enough,"just like it's the nature of bards to curse their audience for uncultured or deaf of ear, if their first song garners no love." And he returned sling once more, certain she was well and clever enough to not need him to explain it anymore obviously than so. RE: The Meeting [Cerberus camp; Tamera]Lovely blue eyes narrowed as she looked upon him, surprisingly not displaying any fear, hands upon hips. But as he spoke, the edge of her lip quirked, and she bowed respectfully but just enough to reveal enough of her cleavage for him to enjoy, a small piece of paper slipped within." Well done, pup. Well done. Although it would not do to insult bards in Arises. The young prince styles himself as one." As she rose, she flipped her hair back so that the soft tendrils fell down her back rather than obscure the vision of her breasts, after all it was an attribute that few would like to miss. "But you are not a soldier, Condottiero. You are the cub of the Great DHI'b. Like myself, you are also for sale."she smiled fully, a glimmer of teeth rested upon the silken bed that her lips promised to be." And if you are in Arises, no matter how great the fondness your father for your mother, you are in the last stages of a contract and meeting to renew or seek new ones, no?" She leaned up against a wall, obviously displaying herself to best advantage, although now the paper was slightly more obvious." Although, perhaps I should make my offer to the son who has had the most success in life...", she taunted, her fingers reaching to her cleavage, the small letter sealed and folded, but still within her access. That had slipped his mind-still, she seemed to concede defeat, if only a very small one for the moment, and that was good. He almost took to pride and thrill over the matter until suspicion set in. This was not simply a woman, or some common general by blood, she'd been trained for games and games and games, and his mother took to her for some reason, or possibly many. So did she give that in truth, for purpose, or simply not care enough about it to be willing to lay it aside? The paper, of course. And as she continued he began to doubt that it was entirely accidental that she had revealed it to him. Her smile taunted and tempted at once, and he knew her words would be driving to a point. He did not try to deny that he was for sale, but followed up after her, like a dance matching step for step in pace and distance, following her to the wall and leaning an arm to it up above, relaxing in front of her in stance even as he decided this was it- she was meant to arrange a contract, possibly attempt to squeeze a poor deal out of him while the wolf was away with her wiles and games. Well, he'd not turn her away, but perhaps she would not be quite as formidable a negotiator as she suspected today." Of course. Half the world would fight to hire the sword of Raul, and mine own. And where better than Arises to give them the chance?" The paper, was that for him now? Definitely purposeful, though he made himself meet her eyes. What he did not do, was stopped his second arm from lifting and... his brows furrowed, composure shaken for a moment not in anger or hurt, but confusion. He had outperformed Entire repeatedly, even if his brother still had a few battles more than he- precious few at that. He had been generally shown to be the next choice any would take if they could not have Raul there personally to lead the campaign. So what now, was this? Not panic, or fear, but confusion, and in a moment it turned stubborn, giving a snort." Of course. You might do greatly, then, to put your tongue to purpose, no?"he said keeping up the play as he reached in a slow enough, but still deliberate, way to put his fingers within the bosom to clasp the letter between them and remove it. "TCH." She grinned, her hand covering her bosom nicely." As if I desired a whelp like you." Her smile continued, "As I said, I wished to see what the pup was made of, before I decide who to bring my offer to." Her fingers tapped lightly against her breast as if to touch her heart." I already know of your brother. To manage in a single night, to kill a dragon and to claim a Queen as bride."" Then again, you might be the cheaper of the bargain."insulting him as well as exulting his brother to his face, as well as claiming secrets he did not yet know of. She had managed less reaction in her intelligent, well-chosen to nettle than she seemed to in but a matter of a few moments now, responding in quick success once, then again and again, his hand stopped hovering not far from her breasts, blocked from him. It was somewhere in explaining of Entire that he visibly angered, face tensing and jaw tightening for just a long moment, until his breath did, and then he barked a sharp, derisive laugh." Perhaps your letter writer has been listening too much to a bottle of wine. A dragon? And a Queen? He will have been in no place for dragons, nor a Queen. Whatever new display he has put on, this reeks of the twist of tavern talk." He snorted, leaning back, giving her a little space, but not much of it as he considered her and this preposterous news. She could not help but to smirk, her blue eyes simmering with intelligence, but willing to not have everyone believe it so. He was just a condottiero, after all. "Perhaps it is so. After all, surely a Queen not yet of age would not fall for a Condottiero who saved her from a dragon. A dragon that is the sworn enemy of the city state of Kamila. A port city in direct line of coming to Arises where he was to meet with... Feh, I am perhaps a fool then and shall save La Donna from this trivial matter, obviously of no importance to she or her ambitions." She remained leaning against the wall, smirking at him as she pulled the letter from her bosom and walked, if he would allow her so, towards the fire that burned within the room to kill La Donna's chills to set the letter aflame. "After all, I would not want to be considered a fool for wasting resources and time on such an obvious ruse. Thank you for the lesson, Sirrah." His jaw settled muscle in it working tense, and releasing again, staring as it ticked through his mind and he considered. This matter was absurd, and yet together the facts made sense. Each individually would offer some small level of explanation, but not enough to make it plausible. Putting it all together... Kamila, he remembered something against dragon's there- a joke that he'd made about Entire's banner's ruining his reception. They might well have had an enemy with them nearby, now or once. But then, the King... Kamila had a King, at least until only just of late, the man's body probably only briefly in the ground by this point." Kapila's Queen... the girl has been crowned? Already?"he had not even expected her to see the crown until she was several years later-likely receiving it alongside her husband, already swelling with child. What would motivate such a council to place their country in the hands of a small girl instead? But he might well have chosen Kamila to travel by way of, and now this." Ettore for a king?"he choked, shorting and shaking his head, fists clenching tight and turning away. If only mother had a damned window in this room, someplace to get air or cast his glare across the city, instead he just felt himself pacing in tension." The gods in the Nine Kingdoms must have gone mad." Nadya laughed as the condottiero slowly put the pieces of the puzzle together, tucking the letter back into her bosom once again." Actually, it was delayed for a month after her father's demise to allow for foreign dignitaries to arrive, but seeing as how she is also recognized as an Oracle by the Holy Church as well as heir to the throne through her father, I would say it was no surprise she was crowned quickly. It is a trading state. They dislike instability quite a bit." "Unlike a soldier who thrives on others being unstable, a trader wants nothing more than stability as it allows rules to be known and used to best advantage." One delicate hand lifted, brushing her hair from her shoulders as she stood back from the fire. "The gods may have gone mad, but there is a young woman on the cusp of adulthood on the throne and a dashing mercenary, a figure ripe from a storyteller's lips and who would be surprised if she chose him to marry, especially if he did truly rescue her from a dragon." She flipped her hand back and forth as if she were about to swoon." I remember what it was like at her age...." "Then again, I could always find out if the stories are true. I have an invitation to the court from a ....friend who owns some horses that La Donna wanted me to look over to see if they were worth purchasing. But I would need an accompaniment or group to travel with. After all, with Farid in arms, it's just not safe for a woman alone...", waiting to see how long it would take for him to put the obvious together. He frowned and nodded, glowering at her now. She'd conceded one point, just to pick up the next. If only it had felt less that she'd lost the game, and decided to flaunt some real ignorance in his face rather than fight to ease the one defeat, he might not have taken so sourly. But this was a serious matter, and he'd first made a fool of himself, and now... he did not even know how to begin with this. It would do good, for the family, if the man could handle it. Perhaps he'd be more reasonable as a king, than as a condottiero. He did not particularly expect it, however. She had him. All the details were right. And if it was not true quite as told, then at least all the world believed it to be, and he had indeed somehow come to be hero to this little Queen." The fool has always been fortune's favorite,"he growled it, but was at least starting to vent out the harsh bitterness. This would not entirely be bad, surely. He'd be able to find something to make of it. They'd never shut up about Entire, and somehow he'd be in his brother's shadow for a time... but it would serve them both, all the same, and perhaps provide him the opportunities to stretch even further... Then of course, came the hook. He looked up slowly, watching her, and began to form more ideas about in his head. She had planned much of this out, or had the plan created for her, of course, but even then, there was no reason to turn down an arrangement mutually beneficial. He but would have to chew on his pride until he could provide better example of why he commanded the larger force, of the brothers." Then it sounds as though we might discuss exchange after all,"he said, recovering bit by bit, and leaning himself to the wall, one finger tapping thoughtfully... and maybe a bit irritably, despite his smile." Ettore does not sail for Arises. There is a campaign he goes to complete further East, and unless you should care to make mother wait a season to see if he will come to Arises before sweeping back to this new kingdom he might have, I might like to see the tale's source, and my brother's wife, for my own." Already potential options clicked into place in his mind. There were a great many. About the only option he seemed to lack, sadly, was a method of seeing himself as King instead; if the marriage had already occurred, it was not the sort of squabbling which would befit brothers. There was a smile, not especially deep or genuine, of pure smirk then. Now she could savor the intrigue of it all as she watched it come together. "It might be your only chance if he is gone." She tapped a well manicured finger to her lips in thought. "After all, in Kamila, what one man leaves behind, another may take." She turned away from him, and walked towards him, her hips shifting in such a way that her dress moved and served only to accentuate her movements. This time it was she who got into Vasileios' space. Once there, she mimicked his pose, only to slide one hand up to his chest, fingers lightly playing with the buttons of his undershirt." You mistake me. I only bring La Donna information. I go to Kamila of my own accord as well as a favor for La Donna. Furthermore, I could just as easily have them brought here in time. Furthermore, I merely seek to expedite matters." Eyelashes folded over a soft gaze as she looked at him, easily speaking of desire to match his own, though not of topic." A king who is not born to Kamila is easily torn from her bosom until the gods themselves speak. A time which the Queen herself has spoken will not be until her next birthday. It could be a time of great instability for one to take advantage of if ."a smile as the back of her nail rode up his neck if he left it alone."one was clever." Vasiliy paused for a moment, frozen in thought at those words. The second sentence was enough. It climbed slowly through his brain and turned over, little seed growing into a wicked tree, little monster taking root and growing out. He recognized that it was there, and actively trimmed his imaginations- if he followed this course, he'd need to know more first. Of Kamila. Of the men being this little Queen and why they'd allow Entire the chance to sit on a throne. Things that would be necessary to know which plays had to be made. And he would need to understand how to take it... without coming to war with his brother. He could out-war Entire, but the man, while he had the occasional defeat on his record, could turn into quite the sneaking rat and cause greater harm than he should have been able to. No, he would be no kin-slayer, nor would he have the Wolf's name cut to ruin's by seeing his own army at war with itself. He'd have to defeat Entire before the battle began to make his brother surrender. But this, Vasiliy wagered, was well within his ability yet. Now he stood, muted, harsh grin changing his face. He could taste blood and smell victory, a familiar sensation, and see a clear path to putting himself well outside his father's shadow- Vasiliy might have been considered by some a prodigy of a general, but even for the remark it was thus far on account of his age. The Wolf's record was not as clean and pure as his, Lutheran the one who had built the company from nothing, and established a name, grown to the heights he had. It had his body eager, ready, and his chest rose as she put her hand upon it, now oh so much more vulnerable to her seduction than before, unable to imagine the taste of her. At least, the boy gave himself, he was not so naive as to be ignorant of this fact. Vasilis stood tall and large, and looked down at her, toying with him, and reached up- putting his hand around her wrist but not gripping it, thick and calloused thumb pressing to the butt of her palm and sliding down her wrist, touching sensitive nerves about the underside of her arm." An opportunity no man with it in his power to succeed could pass up, be he not a fool. Though one might wonder..."he breathed heavily, leaning slightly closer to her, more than enough to smell the perfumes she wore,"...what it is a clever courtesan might stand to gain, in usurping one future King for another." "One does not have to wonder, when one's intentions are clear", she smirked, delighting in the desire coursing through her body, the fingers of her hand raking lightly against his wrist as his own fingers wandered and investigated her soft skin." In Kamila, Mistress to a King may open paths restricted to a courtesan, even an honest one such as myself here in Arises." Her perfume was soft and just musky, a sweet scent that did not overwhelm the senses but played and teased them much like the woman herself." A person may be a tool for one, and be a user of another." She leaned forward, her lips just brushing the edge of his jaw with the lightest of caresses." I do not deny who I am, and what I might be, for one who can make use of me, and of whom I can make use of." Her free hand dropped to his side, slipping easily beneath the undercoat, but remaining above the undershirt, her fingers kneading lightly as she spoke, still close to him." Many men underestimate women, and La Donna is a clear example of why that is such a bad idea."her lips wrapped around his ear. While he was tall, in her shoes, she was almost as much so, and it was easy for her to torment him lightly thus. Pulling away enough to speak, her voice was as soft as a breath of air." I know much of Kamila and the nations which surround her." She let his hand slide further down her arm, into her sleeves as it lifted to play with the tendrils of his hair that slipped free from his braid." I seek what all women seek; security. I am just also willing to let you have a sample first and do not require a marriage bed. In troth, I think that a girl such as the Queen must be to be so reared and easily turned by your brother would hold much taste for a truly virile man in any case." This, at least, was simple. She would desire what most women did then- to stand beside, or behind, a man with power. If she was truly like his mother, then she would gladly bend to him for that advantage as long as she, as it seemed she might, deemed him capable enough not to make a fool of her for doing so. Of course, once having done so, she'd also play those advantages he'd grant by mere proximity to her hand to draw as much real power of her own that she could. A truly clever, capable woman was twice as dangerous if you did not accept that she might outstrip many men, even if still limited in potential. It would be safest, perhaps, to see that he remembered this until he could see if she was truly a contemporary of La Donna, or simply an ambitious courtesan. Vasilis did not doubt she would vanish from his side into the wind the moment it seemed he would not take the sort of power she hoped- but, then, this did not seem any danger to him. These thoughts came slow enough to busy him, however. The woman handled his body with all the greediness of a whore, but the subtle expertise of her profession, and where her words of selling her skills had little impressed, example did plenty. His body moved where hands went, and leaned back into the woman slowly, tension and lust rising through his body each little torment raising it up as his own hand placed itself firmly in her waist, and with it and the hand now holding about her elbow, finger tracing the inside of it, he'd keep her near even as she pressed up, and teased slightly away again. She gave him time to think, even beyond the space of her words, if little enough faculty. What he could, he managed, however." I think we might do business together very well. If the lady pleases, however,"he squeezed slightly to him, perhaps it not so much a suggestion as simply avoiding outright brutishness, "La Donna is a woman with little enough time to spare. Perhaps it is best for her, and for her mending state, to take discussion of such matters to another place for the moment, and leave her to enjoy the time with husband in peace." Her arm curled up around his shoulder and neck until one hand was perched upon the crown of his head, the fingernails scratching lightly there as she looked upon him, her eyes glimmering bright with a fanciful desire. Her lips hovered far from his as he spoke, hanging upon his every word. But it was at the mention of La Donna that her eyes lost that softness towards him, and she straightened, although not loosening his grasp upon her." I would not disagree, but she does expect the daily news. Should I not give her these tidings at all?" Asking if he would so not allow his mother all of her faculty to do as she pleased. "I understand the hesitation of telling the DHI'b, but is it wise to keep it from them as well?", she wondered, curious what answer he would make of it. She did finally pull away, securing everything upon her person that so needed it. From her side this time, she pulled a small card. It was a simple piece of expensive paper with a single address upon it, a stylish address at that, a handsomely paid courtesan indeed." You may call upon me tonight, after 7. We shall gamble and dine at the Viceroy's palace." She smiled, placing a single finger to his lips." Or when we depart, you shall have quite a few nobles of Arises seeking your blood." She let the finger fall away as she stepped apart from him unless he kept her from doing so." I should away or La Donna will have questions we may not answer yet if this is so." She then moved away towards the door, the scent of her perfume still hovering in the air, traced easily to the paper she left with him. For a moment, he was shaken, wits returning as she hesitated putting him in a seeming stupor for a moment as the blind direction of lust vanished." Mmmm,"he said, frowning as the fun was interrupted. No, that made perfect sense- it was not her job to simply provide up front. While she had given him the information he'd need to do the job as well, he was sure she'd made sure to place herself with more than just a hot cunt and opportunity to present him, or else he could have been done with her now. Further information, as her skill seemed to be, connections, perhaps even other parties that might help put him on the throne for a little bartering. It was the way of Arises... but more directly, and importantly, the way of his mother. If this woman was that close with her, he could be certain she'd have more games in motion and an attempt to circumvent the need to play her games and barter after her price to set the contract by La Donna would only end up with a new reason why he'd need this courtesan." This would be a matter of your discretion, would it not?"he answered, looking at her evenly, watching her fix herself up even as his hand lazily took the card." But father might be best informed once the prize is in hand. He will not see bloodshed in his company, or his family, and I see possibility... prevalent, his support would fall to the one with the stronger claim to the Queen if presented the matter." It was a simple game, on the part of playing by his father. Win first, then seek to initiate conflict. If he had the Queen, Raul was almost certain to support him, and the Kingdom of Kamila might quickly be staring at opportunity to see itself an empire. While Entire was the won wedded, however, Raul would have presented a very different game-give the city state to Entire, whom he already seemed half a mind to marry into nobility or govern ship somewhere, protect his claim, and solidify a relationship of mutual benefit between the Wolf's Company and Kamila." I am not unfamiliar with men seeking my blood,"he snorted, chuckling, and halted her-grasping the wrist and bending down, far belated as it might have been, to kiss the top of her hand before standing again in a show and releasing it." Perhaps at the end of the night, they will even so,"he said as if it was a challenge to be met, and allowed the woman as she would, watching with cool bemusement and eyes half lost in considerations already. "Of course." She acquiesced to his logic, smiling knowingly as she excused herself only to hear his parting words,"No, I don't suppose you are, Condottiero. But we are each not so essential to another's plans as yet to make it worth the trouble", departing on that final ambiguous note and taking up her cloak from the servant once more, making sure that the servant knew to let La Donna know she had been there and would return the next day if she was up to it, and that the food she had brought would be made ready for her husband and the Lady.~~~~~It had been a busy day, despite the overall laissez-faire attitude of the city of Serenissima. While almost everyone else was enjoying their siestas, Nadya had been writing and having letters delivered as well as prepping for the evening. After all, it was not every day that one got the opportunity to present to a Viceroy. It was a risk she was taking, but the rewards were promising, and so she did not regret as yet her offer to present Bacillus to the Viceroy, after proper consideration of course. And that was why, the last visit before dressing for the night was with her lawyer. "And everything is in order?"" Yes, milady. La Donna has sent her terms and those without your terms were refashioned and agreed upon." The older man smiled fondly at the woman before him, "Though I am surprised she is so generous."" Oh, do not be. It is her beloved son and the prize is great. It is a gamble, but one well worth what she pays should we succeed. And if not, it is not the only game I have in hand once I get to Kamila."" As you say, though I wonder if the man will be so amendable."" According to La Donna, he has the resources. It was her suggestion to set the price high to see how motivated he is." The man nodded and pushed forward the paper across her desk, allowing her to read it at her leisure." You may leave. He will be here within the hour." Letting the man excuse himself while she dressed. First, the undergarment which enveloped her entire body. A crimson gown then to highlight the lovely blue of her eyes that seemed to glow within her copper skin that was surprisingly modest, covering down to even the heels that elevated her height to equal that of the Wolf's cub. Her sleeves were brought in and slipped, tied and situated into place, the lace at the edges of her chemise ruffled for the most teasing of glances when peeked at through the not quite tightly bound breasts. Each aspect carefully cultivated and brought to fruition by slaves or servants, or at points, even her own hand. Looking upon the mirror, she was well satisfied and went to the couch to relax and await his arrival, a servant moving to bring a light repast for herself and wine for them both before their departure. The local fruit was always a pleasure. Difficult to readjust to at times, to be certain, but a pleasure. If he was to have this meeting and party that night, Vasiliy would need to be prepared to eat, chat, and think. So taking the edge off of some of his needs, like hunger, lightly without indulging a full meal might help him maintain that last strength, keeping his focus away from the food at times it was needed elsewhere. In truth, he arrived early, but it was always worth a short detour around the area, familiarizing himself with it, before he finally set to meeting with the beauty from earlier. He had to come to impress as well, of course-freshly shaved, hair minded, and even a very light touch of makeup about the eyes, in the typical local flavor. He did not want to do too much, however-it was difficult to neither make it look like war paint, nor a lady's eye styles sometimes, so often it was best to go lightly. The silk didn't hurt either- and it breathed well, keeping him comfortable even in the hot air and multiple layers, long coat with sleeves made to drape almost at the shoulder in white, and the bloody red layer underneath, all finished with the black connections- his belt and sword, boots, everything a man needed in a city to say he was a soldier, without looking like he was intending to find a fight. And, of course, the most important thing-he'd prepared a gift, if it would be needed, for the second meeting of the night, and counted his coffers in mind of the first. Leaving the item in hand with his man outside, he'd take a last breath of the air and review in his mind, what he knew about the Viceroy, and of politics in the area surrounding Kamila before entering to his meeting. Vasilis let her servants lead him in once he'd come, to whatever reception room the lady had chosen. He'd follow easily enough. In some places he had worked he would not have moved without one of his men to come with him, into another's home. That might have been asking for untoward things in some places, in other's simply providing an opportunity that was not considered something to be wasted. A courtesan, however, would hardly find more work if anything so terribly unfortunate were to befall a customer in her own chambers." As-salamu album, good lady,"the voice came as he entered, hearing the stirring in the room he was being led to. The mercenary walked out into sight in his usual balanced swagger, eyes falling upon her before he lifted his right hand to his chest, bowing his head slightly." You are prepared to make our departure?" He did not suspect it was so simple as that, but why wait and see how long she'd play around matters? There was no reason they could not barter and present pleasantries at the same time. "As-salami album, Good Sir", she smiled at the address, at least he was teachable into the basics of a society's courtesies. It would make her job easier. Practically floating as she elevated herself from the couch, her movements seemed to barely disturb her clothing at all as she walked towards him, as tall as he. Her hair was pulled into dark ringlets that fell across her shoulders, held back by feathers and pearls. Her bosom was exposed more than a high-born lady, but not so much as to be immodest. Furthermore, her bolero fell atop her corset but still did not hide anything of the lovely curve of her arm until it reached past her elbow and bellowed to an attractive angel's sleeve, decorated still with pearls and rope of gold. The gown itself drapes of material in varying shades of crimson that showed her skin and eyes off to perfection." As to our departure, we have time still if the Condottiero would please, a light repast." She extended her hand, motioning to a servant who brought forth local fruit, bread, dips and glasses of wine for them both. "And then we have the matter of tonight's terms and the terms for the future to discuss before we depart. One does not arrive on time to this sort of thing. It gives a poor impression." Smiling lightly, she took one cup of the wine, and walked to the desk, pulling up the contract and handing it to him." For tonight, the price is 25 ducats."a steep price but not unheard of in most of the elite circles." Generously included if we settle the matter of the contract for later before we leave."25 ducats was two months wages for a base soldier. But a courtesan of the highest standing, the ones permitted to wear crimson and pearls, it was a fair price if he would know such things. They had to pay for many people and many things to maintain their lifestyles. They were paid not just for their sex, but also the lightness of their courtesy, their knowledge and wit. As he might have expected, designed even more to impress now than before. Though a part of him had to wonder if that was in mind of the Viceroy's party, or something else. Still, he graciously accepted, though for the moment but a single bite of the bread and dip before lifting a glass of wine to keep his hand busied thus politely avoid the distraction of more. Of course, he was already half familiar with what came next-one had to always be earlier as a soldier, and always later (depending on how important to the event they were) in a court. That, and of course, the contract. Smiling lazily, he took it, and held onto it a moment, making an effort not to be overeager to read it. He was already sure that it would prove quite the piece regardless. A monetary incentive to decide quickly, instead of cleverly-he hadn't expected that. So the contract was a matter to dwarf the single night's reward then... and perhaps by so much that failure to negotiate properly might lose him well more than that one night's worth. Clever. They weren't called-by those of less nicety-the world's greatest whores simply for their talent in sucking cock. And for 25 ducats he might have demanded services of a blade of her for the night, not just her legs and lips, but of course even in most of Arises social mandates laid that duty on him, all the same. If what he remembered was correct..." My, the lady is certainly most highly esteemed,"he said in a dry tone, and turned to open the contract to begin reading, pacing the room at a very slow rate as he began to read." It shall be quite the honor to have your company. Truly she is more than even her blood suggests,"and if the prices were correct, she was well more, and possibly gouging him besides. "My credentials are listed upon the contract that you may call upon. Including swordsmanship, writing, philosophy, and gentile conversation", she responded dryly herself, as she leaned upon the back of the chaise where she had been lounging previously, every fold of fabric prettily laid before him as if to remind him of exactly what he was getting in the bargain."300 ducats per month in personal income, maintenance of my current residence, rental of a residence and servants upon reaching Kamila, travel expenses, as well as private gifts that will remain my property after the contract at reasonable intervals." She ticked off the features she expected as well as what he could expect, as if she had the contracts memorized. "In return, the Wolf Cub receives the exclusive privilege of my person, the main feature of the cost as it is since I will not take any other calls while so on contract and this will limit my other incomes. My personal resources in Arises, Kamila and the Nine Kingdoms while so under contract as well as my skills as diplomat, swordsman should it be needed, scribe, and other such personal arrangements. Included is also a list of restrictions which can be visited upon my person as well as a restriction on your health and personal grooming""I do not believe anything has been left out and if all is acceptable, simply sign and stamp and my lawyer will retrieve it upon our departure." The rate was technically good on that account. He'd be paying less than half per day, by estimate, of the one night's cost. PHA, when it was considered that it was the night, less than a quarter. But the other costs were sure to even out that discrepancy. He lived comfortably when he traveled, and any time he was not in a fight. He could afford to. But somehow he suspected that she might find even his standards of travel somewhat lacking, when holding a contract that stated he had to afford her such necessities. Not to mention the ones that would remain here, not even with them. By the end of it, he suspected he'd have paid more for her than most of Raul's contemporaries had spent on courtesan's in their lifetime. And this from the woman who had claimed she already was getting something out of the arrangement. How fitting-she'd have him take the risk, and even should all go to the worst she'd come out ahead of where she began simply on this, once she found passage back. Still... he considered the opportunity, and looked at her carefully, paging through bit by bit. Most of the things that would not be simply 'not spoken of' were unlisted. A few other matters came to mind, but most of them came to one thing-the game. Things she'd not speak of unless he played the cards, to make him pay for it even more than this. He considered, for this scheme she would need him... but if everything so far was to judge, she'd have a spare just in case. Someone suitable to use, but likely meant to prevent him from playing that angle to cut her price. So for a long moment, he tapped his lips with a finger, considering the matter of the whole contract, and then concluded, lowering it." Just a few matters which need to be made more clear,"he said at last, leaning against the wall and staring across at her, only now stopping to bother to thoroughly inspect her outfit and its 'elements'." These resources in Kamila and the Nine Kingdoms are clearly of much potential use," whomever, and where ever, the major news they'd gotten had reached them quickly to beat out letters from his brother, though the news was not exactly anything secret." I should like to know how extensive, and how... flexible, they are, for purpose of our ventures abroad." Now, perhaps she might need to give up some more news to make her point, but that was simply an advantageous possibility. It was a simple matter of their bargaining- if they could only tell them things they'd learn within the hour just by being within the city, it did rather hurt her perceived value as an asset to the goal. And that would be a solid grounds to drive down the price, though how much before she'd start to try and revoke services or add stipulations would remain to be seen. She let him pace at his leisure; she had sat for artists before and had no issues holding still as need be for hours on end. The only purpose it served was to make him anxious. Her head tilted as she looked at him, mildly curious as he inwardly debated with himself. He was in for quite a few shocks, she thought as time passed. Smiling as he finally spoke, she waited to see what pronouncement he would make to begin the bartering." Extensive enough to know of a certain Lord who could be persuaded to give up his claim as suitor and what his price might be. Kamila is a city of traders, after all." Lifting her glass, she toasted him before sipping on her wine." As for flexible, as long as certain requirements are met, most anything can be bought in Kamila. Even a kingship." And finally, as she started to let slip these little hints, he smiled. The grin broadened slowly as he lifted his own wine, and sipped. Perhaps he might be able to justify the expense somewhat after all. So long as she was clever and able enough to keep this going once they reached, he might yet make back a decent portion of the investment. And if they were truly so much better at their most famed tasks, well, also a benefit. He considered trying to argue down the gifts and less quantified expenses, or the main price to counter them. But she had only given him news to be happy of thus far, so it would leave him little edge or excuse to such things. So instead he'd content himself with some of the advantages he could garner of this, if the situation was ever appropriate enough to warrant, which were not explicitly stated on the contract, at price of leaving her the unspoken edges she was unlikely to use. He also held the right to terminate the contract if she failed to please, save for the need to pay for her return to Arises." If the lady feels the document is complete..."he mused, "then I should be pleased to provide these things." He allowed her opportunity to think as he slowly retrieved his stamp, certain she had left a decent well of ink with which to sign and stamp somewhere relatively clear within the room. One eyebrow quirked, but she remained silent; it was obvious he had surprised her. She had expected some sort of debate, discussion or argument from La Donna's son. But it was of no matter. Now she would be ahead of the game. Motioning with one hand to her desk, it was easy to see the inkwell, as well as a container full of quills. The lady did a fair bit of writing it seemed. Nadya however, remained quiet, sipping at her wine as she thought. "If you are satisfied with that, a palanquin should be outside awaiting us,"she reflected as she stood from her reclined repose and offered her hand to Vasiliy." It is not far, but far enough that would less than refreshing should we walk." He was just fortunate she had stipulated that he provide her with servants and residence from his funds, and not that he would fund her residence and servants. Certainly, he would have to see to it that those he provided were deserving of the lady, but it did also mean that he had a hold in the contract, as was, over exactly how comfortable she might be at any given point, and ability to prevent his money being spent as he deemed inappropriate. She could layer out of things if he abused the right, but as long as he was gentleman enough in general, it gave him a bit of power for a bit of coin... if necessary. This, by the time he had provided himself comfort enough and provided her as well, would eat through all of his own personal income. He would need to see the bankers about withdrawals- likely repeatedly- and find ways to establish more income. But for good will, and control, he could deem this worth it. The man smiled to himself, though there was a bit of sharpens to his flourish as he signed. The man stepped over and took her hand in his, posture gentlemanly but his grip perhaps slightly firm, looking at her bemused." Is there such a rush? There is a need to not appear over-eager,"he said, taking another long drink from his wine, savoring the taste a little longer this time." And, if our contest is at its close, I would know if there are any designs upon the Viceroy's party tonight before we depart." After all, better to play her games if he could be sure not to interfere... and his own, if he knew any more of what the others attending might be in mind of. There was no reason he could not come away from this with further contacts or contracts if they cooperated. "You forget yourself, Sir. While I am partnered with you this evening, I am also contracted to entertain at the Viceroy's party." She smiled becomingly, "And while there is no rush, I do pride myself on performing as needed." But she allowed him his wine as she stepped closer, plucking the wine from his hand with an easy grace and setting it upon the desk. She was once again, close enough to smell her perfume, but only brushed against him enough to accomplish her task. "Was this a contest, Condottiero? I thought us merely exploring the constraints upon our relationship. But it is as you say, not a rush, so why should we not enjoy ourselves a bit longer, Hamm?"" Perhaps an interview would be best. Nominally, I have my scribe to take an accounting for such pleasures as you might desire before submitting a contract, but there is little that is not worth the prize." Her arm reached down, dipping into the well of wine and circling the goblet until the sound began to resound upon the room. Smiling at the sound, she lifted the finger to her rouged lips, sucking it dry with a lick and embrace upon it. Her lips tinged with the redness of the wine even further, she leaned back against the ornate desk. "No ship leaves Arises without the Viceroy's seal of approval, no matter their destination or cargo. He is not one to displease and one who enjoys youthful passion in its myriad of forms, so I ask you, what are your desires?" "Then we shall need to be mindful of precisely how late it is you should be,"he said offhand, hardly disturbed at all. He'd already realize that she would need to arrive by a certain time to entertain, but if she was pressing such mindfulness perhaps it was sooner than he had expected. He watched the woman take the wine, removed in casual stance and expression, but her play of the sound and sight, staining color to her lips certainly drew his attention. His eyes watched carefully, following her teasing motions and minding her words. Certainly, however, it would be better the sooner they ceased to stand at odds. Though he was not entirely certain if the fact that they did come more because of her own actions or intent, or because of his mindset. Perhaps, either way, some thought to his ready acceptance of the contract might ease that. A bit of goodwill might help them in their endeavor." My desires?"he asked, and scoffed to himself under his breath, stepping up against her even as she leaned back, finger finding place low along her neck to touch lightly to the skin, then drag upward toward her chin." Many, and varied. But for this matter, I... find... there is a great deal of interest in the control of another form. Be it through the erotic aesthetic of proper bond and vestment, or... cruder means." His finger would draw up the neck in a soft, erotic way, even to lead her chin to point as his leaned forward and let his lips hover expectantly. And just when a kiss might have come, and the word 'crude' left his mouth, his hand instead moved to grasp her throat. Though the grip, if it could be called such, was pointedly kept to leave no bruises, instill no panic. Just to leave enough pressure to labor breathing somewhat and make the pulse wish to throb." Either way, it makes for an excellent means to explore the limitations and flexibilities of the body, the mind..."and finally then, he'd put his lips to his business partner's. Her lips curled up into a smile as his fingers traced along her neck, letting him easily guide her head to how he desired it to be. This was nothing new, letting the man set things up.' Control, Hamm?', her inward smile only got deeper as she thought of just why that might be with an overly power mother figure and a father figure who controlled everything within his tight fist. Her head tilted expectantly, the stain upon her lips drawing near as her tongue darted out to moisten them only to curl back inwards as his fingers pressed to her throat, her cheeks instantly flushing but not even the slightest hint of panic, only the faintest twitch of her arm that settled as she looked up at him, and felt the press of his lips to hers. Her hands went up, not to fend him off but to press the edges of her nails into the flesh of his wrist, letting the pain he was bringing her be revisited upon himself but in a more pleasurable manner. Nothing to say with her breathing so obscured, but her tongue still danced with his, only the tiniest hint of panic in her movements, the nails ever-increasing incrementally in pressure against the inside of his arm. She could be coy as she wanted- and as controlled as she could. The woman was trained for it after all, and it showed in the way her body stayed so still, the way she returned the kiss. The nails were not rushed either, no. She remained perfect, calm and composed on the surface. It was impressive, and likely to be one of her habits that either most pleased or agitated him. Time would tell. But even then, when he removed his lips, he could not help but wear a smile on them. A crude method, true. But despite that unless he continued to occupy her lips she was in no danger at all running out of breath, one could feel the nails ever pressing slowly tighter until the pain started to blossom into something. The darting start creeping into her once perfectly smooth motions. The flush and slowly creeping shake here or there. Crude, but rather effective. Now, could she take any action that was not just response to his? His fingers slowly eased on her throat, until there was no restriction at all but his thumb sliding along the underside of her jaw, till jaw tilted, and the throat was extended, a lovely little shape, nails or no." Though, I'm sure the lady has much and more to show me. Perhaps we might discover some new pleasures, as well,"he said slowly, seeming calmed, but not content, in watching the flush slowly fade from her face.

The Meeting [Arberus & Temara]|rating:4.0

[M&M3e] Cobbled-Together Freaks_ Flight through the Unknown (IC)

This is a continuation of Flight Through the Unknown (Here's a link to IOC Thread) (Here's a link to the ORIGINAL IC Thread) Cobbled-Together Freaks: Flight through the Unknown Issue #11 - The Dust Settles Previously... Random men and women haven been taken away from Earth to an unknown place called Xurrondia. Built as weapons and some of them even spliced together with other living beings, an evil known only as Absalom intends to use his army of superpowered beings, masses of Lex and starships, to invade Earth. Our heroes have just lost a dear friend in combat and are wounded and tired, facing off against a giant warship, known as the Dreadnought. The Devastation Lex voice calls from the speakers in the Dreadnought's system. All Lex voices are relatively similar, but this one is slightly more piercing than other's: "You have fought us non-stop for hours now, your energies are drained. Stand down and you shall be shown mercy. "H-h-how ab-about this?" Billy asked (working on the assumption that the Lex had some way of hearing him), voice stuttering with fear." Y-you take your sh-ship and, and, and fly away. We...we um, uh, we leave, leave the area. And, and um, and uh, and then you can, can, come b-back and search for s-s-s-survivors in the...the cave w-without interference. N-n-no more fighting. ... Okay?" The Interceptor responded to Billy's obvious fear by raising a force field over himself and those nearby, in case of attack. Spoiler Hide Gods Billy's even worse at this stuff than Jason was. Persuasion: (1d20-2)[12]. Also raising a Force field. All allies in 30' get a Defend at (1d10+22)[32] and are surrounded by an Impervious Toughness 10 shield. Curtis does things that unconscious people do... Like being completely inactive. Though in massive pain, Golgotha digs deep and. . . Spoiler: Save. . . Hide (1d20+8)[13]. . . Raises two middle fingers to the ship above. The Devastation Though the nerve gas still hurts like hell, the fresh air and all the jerking from being pulled around telekinetic force wakes up both Curtis and Kamala. The gas is still in their system though, and it doesn't feel good. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Decided you've been unconscious long enough, good thing the rules are nice about not being knocked out for long - we just usually extend it for realism. Kamala's consciousness emerges; she vaguely remembers losing it among a lot of incoherent and angry thoughts. There's no reason to change the theme, is there? What's the plan? We need the ship! And come on, mister, that's just sad! Even my 6-year-old wouldn't be moved to pity by this! That just makes me want to slap you - lightly, in fear you break apart! Repeat after me: "The only ones who are going to be drained are you, alien bastards"! And throw some threats in! What only came out was:"Uuuuuhhhhrrr!" Being turned into a robot instead of a plant sounds like it would have been nice, suddenly. Emily swapped out her translucent armor, returning to the dark blue suit in an attempt to escape. Unfortunately for her, she was having no such luck. Spoiler Hide Current Ideal: Strength I was supposed to have tried getting back up last action, but yeah. Going to post another roll, so I can actually do something next post, as that would be my next escape attempt. Maybe. (1d20+12)[19] "Um. Um. They're not answering. What do we do?" Billy asked desperately, looking to the others, although they didn't seem to be in much a state to deal with his panicking right about then. He racked his brain trying to come up with some way to help them. Spoiler Hide Expertise (Chemistry) to see what I might know about this sort of nerve gas: (1d20+15)[26], including the +5 from Endemic Memory. The Devastation Scrambling through his excessive scientific and also partial medical knowledge, Billy recalls how drugs such as atropine can suppress nerve agents. Even if he had some though, it wouldn't really make them immediately battle ready as atropine is poisonous in its own right, but still is much a relief to nerve gas... His robotic body is new to him, but it does occur to him that perhaps he could mix some his inner workings into an electric shock that could boost ones natural endurance to shake of the gas. While the heroes are on the ground, the deafening sound of scraping metal fills their ears, as a hatch slowly opens from underneath the Dreadnought. An eight 40 foot long space fighters - larger than the ones Golgotha fought yesterday - emerge and fly towards our heroes in great speed. They've surrounded our wounded heroes before long, cannons pointing at the shielded (by Billy) heroes. A voice appears from the Dreadnought once more: "Comply and you will be treated humanely." Spoiler: Mechanics Hide I'm thinking you could do a Hero Point to gain a temporary Enhanced Fortitude with Affects others (area). That would give your allies a bonus to their fortitude roll and let them shake off the Nerve Gas much easier. So here's what it came down to. Billy's options were to basically surrender to these Lex and hope they kept their word, or try untested science in hopes it would not only help the three recover, but that they were also strong enough to actually fight these flyers or fast enough to escape them. On the one hand...these people seemed so angry. So hateful. So eager to kill the Lex. He didn't have the whole story, and frankly, didn't even know for sure if they were even sane. It was possible that the Lex were simply trying to take some out-of-control mutants in so they wouldn't be a danger to themselves or others. On the other hand...look at the sort of forces the Lex were fielding. The army he had seen in the cave. The dreadnought. The nerve gas. And now these space fighters. Could that sort of military power really be necessary for subduing such a small group? Could he really trust the Lex to stick to their words? He didn't want any of this. He didn't want to fight. Furthermore, he didn't want people to be trying to kill him. Furthermore, he didn't want to be responsible for the lives of others. Furthermore, he didn't even want vengeance. Furthermore, he didn't reallycareabout the robot body. It was weird, but whatever, he could make use of it. He just wanted to go home. To do his work. To help people. To improve the world. He wanted to leave both of these groups to their war and get back to doing something useful. But if that wasn't a possibility...if head make a choice... Humans were social creatures. They had evolved to identify with their pack, their group, their team. It wasn't always to their benefit. It led to rivalries and conflicts and wars that had no purpose. But when life and death were on the line...millions of years of evolution couldn't really be wrong. And Billy may or may not really qualify as a human anymore. But what he was, sure as anything, was a cobbled-together freak." Sorry about these guys,"he whispered, as he poured electricity out from the AEGIS power core and into the fallen heroes. It wasn't soothing. It wasn't painless. But if the only way to free them from the agony of the nerve gas was to turn their nervesofffor a while then so be it!"WARNING!"" The INTERCEPTOR system has... Been Initiated!"" Any attack against an ally of the INTERCEPTOR will be responded to with... Additional Force!"" You are advised to focus all attacks against... The INTERCEPTOR!"" This will be your... Only Warning!""BWA-HA-HA!" Spoiler Hide Sold! Hero Point -Sgt; Power Stunt off of Force Propulsion - Shock Treatment: Enhanced Fortitude 20 (Affects Others Only, Burst Area, Limited [Only for purposes of recovering from Afflictions], Reduced Will 10, Feature/Quirk [Cannot raise Fortitude above 20 or reduce Will below 0]). Standard Action: Activate Shock Treatment. Kamala, Curtis, and Alejandro are treated as being Fortitude 20 for purposes of resisting Afflictions while this power is sustained. They are reduced to Will 0 during this time. Also, I can't fly. So, you know, the sooner I can turn it off the better. Free Action: Sustain the Create effect of Force field (Deflect requires a standard action each round and thus is not active this round). Initiative: (1d20+8)[26]. Current Status: Normal. Hero Points: 0. Luck Rerolls: 5/5. The Devastation The fighters begin to charge their weapons... Battle is to begin! Everyone who hasn't, roll initiative and take a good look at Billy's buff. Enemy rolled 23. Oh. . . Oh! You feel that too, Golgotha? Hell YES I do! Spoiler: Save Hide (1d20+20)[36] Newly freed of the nerve gas, the three pseudo-demons find themselves able to function. Cackling glee suffuses the walls of the Alejandro's psyche. Golgotha checks his environment. Still hot. Saucy! Golgotha checks his rage levels. Still screaming. HOT saucy! Golgotha checks his privilege. Still a mother*King demon. CHUPACABRA hot saucy! Lying there, he grins to himself. Gentlemen. . . I suspect this will be cathartic. "BILLY ANTISCIENCE!"he roars, leaping to his feet quick as a wink,"I RETRACT EVERYTHING I SAID. YOU ARE THE MOST AWESOME SCIENCE PILLBOX EVER!" Spoiler: Crunch Hide Initiative: (1d20+6)[26] So, fighters then ship? Fighters then ship, yes. After all, shipping prematurely left us in agony, no? But is that not part of the joy of shipping? To leap blindly in faith that your escapist hopes will work out, and to feel the sting as they collapse? Maybe so, but I think shipping tends to focus overmuch on penetration and less on enjoying the lead up, you know? We focus on the ecstatic explosion at the end and less on the shivering eager buildup, and I think that robs us of some essential joys. Yes. . . Perhaps we are a bit obsessed as a culture with a euphoric final payoff and less with the delight in the journey. Deep thoughts, yo. Deep thoughts. Billy gave a kinda nervous smile and thumbs-up. But on the inside...Oh God oh God they're going to kill us now! Why did I do that? That was the dumbest thing I could have possibly done! Millions of years of evolution gave you a brain precisely so you don't get yourself into situations like this! Okay. Okay. Stop. Think. There's got to be a way out of this. I just need to come up with a plan. It would help if I knew what these three could...actually... And it was there, just streaming into his head as he looked at them, lists of powers, of capabilities, even some tactical suggestions on their use or how one might defend against them. Okay. That was helpful. Okay. Okay. Let's see here. Plant control. Healing. Healing!? Wait, photosynthetic. Darn, that would have gone well with this force field thingy. Can trap with vines, conjure deadfalls, wooden barriers...powerful support abilities, although at a disadvantage in the current situation. Wow. The monster has magic. I was sure he'd have like super-strength and stuff. Right, wait, I saw him throwing ice around and disintegrate that door. Powerful targeted attacks, probably our strongest ranged attacker on the field, based on these power readings, although the number of foes we're facing could prove troublesome. Wide selection of tactical options too. Limited healing. Illusions. Conjurations. Let's see...chain elongates. Superhuman strength and fighting ability. Devastating against hordes. Super-leaping affords mobility, but the flight and speed of these fighters will make it hard for him to bring all his strengths to bear. Still, if we can...wait a minute...morphing...oh there's a whole nother power set there. Mind control. Mind reading. Crying. Telepathy. Superhuman charisma. But no personal defense abilities in that form. Okay, so won't be able to do much he- Wait...ability to communicate with machines? Like I can do. But unless he has the technical know-how, all those superhuman charms and psychic powers won't do much against your average computer system. But with his telepathy, he has the range...the ability to interface with multiple subjects at once...all he would need is the proper codes and..." Hey! Uh...uh...you! Um... Crazy!"he called to Golgotha, the excitement in his voice actually mostly covering the terror." Can you actually talk to machines? I think I have an idea!" Golgotha whirls around."CRAZY???"he roars against the slowly crescendoing noises of battle. I do believe he's talking to me, Golgotha darling. Oh! Well. . . Good. I guess. . . Why are YOU the crazy one? I haven't the foggiest, I'm sure. Arkham lazily shimmers into being where Golgotha stood, carefully inspecting his attire." I have been known to possess a certain eloquence with our binary brethren, my dear Billy Man-of-Kill bot-Science! Although, I confess I fail to see the relevance at this precise juncture?"he calls back, a luminous smile on his face. "I think I can hack these planes, but I can't connect at this distance. If you link me up, maybe I can get my code to them through you." As he said so, Billy charged the force field back up to full power. Spoiler Hide Free Action: Talky stuff. Also maintain the Shock Treatment unless Kamala and Curtis both succeed their saves. Standard Action: Reactivate Force field, reapplying the Deflect at (1d10+22)[32] and maintaining the Create. EDIT: Wow Billy is rocking out on the max-Defense force fields here. Might potentially have other stuff to do if Arkham links me, which may be a free action or may need to wait until next turn. I honestly have no idea just how much leeway high Technology + Mental Quickness 4 + Comprehend Machines actually has, so I'm just trying ideas as I get them and seeing what works. "Ah, I see. . ." Within, Arkham consults his peers. Workable? No, unfortunately. I would need to address a device with artificial intelligence, which these fighters unfortunately lack. Ah, understandable. Well then! Golgotha? Alejandro? Make 'em say "UGH"! Arkham nods briefly, and begins to turn mid-speech." Apologies, my dear fellow, but my abilities here are limited to actual artificial intelligences. Therefore, I shall defer to Move this mother***in' Crowd! I stay on like light switches, money, because I like riches/Hittin' nothin' but Lex b****ES, call me, I might hit ya!" God DAMN I love Master P! Golgotha goes leaping at the nearest fighter, bringing his chain down in time with his self-described beat. Arkham, within, sighs. For the life of me, I cannot decide if this is an improvement over Disney tunes or not. Spoiler: Crunch Hide So! Going to throw my +2 from Favored Environment into my Dodge/Parry. Leaping up to attack the nearest fighter. Regular chain attack: [roll0], DC 25 Damage on a hit, DC 27 on two degrees of success, DC 30 with three degrees. Billy felt the typical stab of disappointment that came from flipping'reality interfering with a really good theory. And the equally-familiar desire not to let a good idea go to waste. Hey, they weren't allthatfar away, after all." Hey!" Billy shouted at the planes. Now, his digitized face continued speaking roughly in English, although with a strange robotic reverb that made his voice sound a bit more like that of the Interceptor. But that was...far from what was going on behind the scenes. Billy's display was a mere translation of the complex series of electrical signals that he was directing towards the planes. He didn't try and force through all their security measures. There wasn't time for that, even with his hasted thought processes. He went for a specific target, something that, he hoped, wouldn'tthavemuch security because, well, this would be the sort of thing you didn't want much interfering with. He didn't try to take complete control of the fighters, to turn their weapons against one another, to get them to fly away, or anything so blatant as all that." You've sustained critical damage! Your pilots are in danger!" Who knew? If it was working, maybe the Lex would start seeing sudden warning displays, flashing alarms, and so on. Planes didn't have nerves to feel pain. They had a system of inputs that triggered specific outputs. And Billy was trying to send them a bunch of confusing inputs, a stream of psychomechanical 0s and 1s that basically translated into "DANGER". It would let him read some responses, see what outputs it triggered, follow those functions and wires back to the target he was actually going for, in much the same way Arkham might ask a leading question to trigger an emotional response to then play on that emotion to provoke the course of action he desired. And Billy sent that course of action in another electrical command that his digitized face translated roughly to:"Now! EJECT!" Spoiler Hide Move Action: Attempt to convince the fighters to eject their pilots. This is basically using Technology as Deception via Comprehend (Machines), and Deception's general rule in combat is it can be done as a Move action with a -5 penalties, which at least seems better balanced than trying to pull it off as a free action. Technology: (1d20+15)[24]. The Devastation - Reaction to Alejandro and Interceptor Arkham in the body of Golgotha leaves heavy footprints as he propels his mighty body through the air and towards one of the enemy fighters. The whirling chain isn't as precise as one would've liked, when it finds it's mark, and only manages to chip off the top fin of the fighter, while the end of the chain only scrapes down the fighter. While shielding his new-found teammates, Interceptor attempts a clever antic against the fighters. He manages to quote on quote interface with the machinery, but receives an unfortunate message:"ERROR, FUNCTION NON-EXISTENT." The voice from the Dreadnought is at the same time shouting: "You have once again refused to comply. Remain calm as you meet your extermination." Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Reaction to Alejandro Fighter 1 is hit by Golgotha, rolling 25 Toughness = 1 Bruise Reaction to Interceptor All the fighters are subject to a successful check from Billy's side... Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an eject function on their ships. Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise Fighter 2: Tip top Fighter 3: Tip top Fighter 4: Tip top Fighter 5: Tip top Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top They don't have ejections seats? They don't have EJECTION SEATS!? DO THESE PEOPLE CARE NOTHING FOR CASUALTIES!?"... Oh... God..." The Devastation - Skipping Chimera, Eidolon and Red Lotus - Enemy Turn"FIRE!" The eight fighters surrounding our heroes unleash a barrage upon them. Only Eidolon isn't targeted, as she's lying some 30 feet away from the rest of the group. The blue lasers pierce and burn anything they touch, be it dirt, metal or flesh! Two of them spin around and turn as they aim for the jump-happy demon. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Fighter's Blaster Cannons are Ranged Damage 10 (Toughness DC 25) 2 Fighters on Billy. Rolling 15 camp; 18 to hit. 2 Fighters on Chimera. Rolling 10 camp; 14 to hit. 2 Fighters on Golgotha. Rolling 18 camp; 14 to hit. 2 Fighters on Red Lotus. Rolling 22 camp; 11 to hit. Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise Fighter 2: Tip top Fighter 3: Tip top Fighter 4: Tip top Fighter 5: Tip top Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Billy closed his eyes and screamed as the lasers crashed upon them, certain he was about to die."AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...!" He wound up screaming...a good bit longer than he had expected to."AHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh...?" Every shot coming for him or one of the heroes still in his force field was deflected harmlessly aside." You cannot hope to harm... The INTERCEPTOR!" "BWA-HA-HA!" He opened his eyes, realizing he was unharmed. Alright then. He...he could work with that. It's directed kinetic force. The force field is most resilient, but if I radiated it out like this... Maybe I can discourage them from continuing to shoot... A sudden rush of kinetic energy burst from Billy as he altered the nature of the shield surrounding he and his allies. Spoiler Hide Free Action: Maintain Shock Therapy. Kamala and Curtis may both roll a Fortitude save using +20 in place of their normal bonus to throw off the Nerve Gas. Move Action: I'm good. Standard Action: Force Deflector. All allies in 30' receive a Deflect at (1d10+22)[27]. All enemies in 30' (dunno if there are any) take DC 25 Damage from a Selective Damaging Burst Area Move Object. Dodge DC 20 reduces Toughness DC by 5. Force Deflector has the Reflect Extra. Any attack against a defended target that misses is reflected on the attacker with a new attack roll at +10. Current Status: Normal. Hero Points: 0. Luck Rerolls: 5/5. Golgotha gleefully skips out of the way of the enemy fire, giggling to himself."AND NOW!"he roars delightedly,"GOLGOTHA RIDES AGAIN!" He leaps up at the nearest fighter, attempting to land on it and deal a blow while standing on the cockpit! Mid-jump, an idea strikes him. Apprentice! Take the reins! Let me see your riding technique! Wait, what? "OH SWEET CRAP!" Alejandro yells, suddenly finding himself in control of a demon body hurtling towards a fighter. He wobbles a little as he panics, and then steels himself as best he can. Okay, now relax your form, here comes the fighter, CAN YOU STICK THE DISMOUNT. . . ? Spoiler: Crunch Hide Okay, so same as last time, +2 to defense, but this time I'm going to power attack a bit. Attack (1d20+7)[17] vs. Parry, Damage DC 28, DC 30 on two degrees of success, DC 32 on three degrees. Acrobatics to land on the fighter (otherwise, Golgotha/Alejandro just goes sliding off): (1d20+14)[31] Alejandro nimbly crouches atop the moving fighter, allowing himself to slide on one knee for style's sake. Oh myyyyyy, Arkham murmurs, impressed, Golgotha dear, I think you've been out-Golgotha'd!HARRUMPH, Golgotha grumbles, Acrobatics are all well and good, but did he even manage to damage the thing? You're adorable when you're pouty. The Devastation - Reaction to Billy and Golgotha Four Fighters are blasted by Billy's deflectors, with varying degrees of mild damage. One of them is immediately mounted by the leaping terror, known as Golgotha! His strike at it doesn't give the fighter a dent at all though, but the Lex inside the fighter looks quite distressed! Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Reaction to Billy The 4 fighters roll Dodge: 10, 19, 18, 12. None of them Dodge. Toughness Fighter 1: 31, no damage. Fighter 2: 17. Bruise, Dazed. Fighter 3: 16. Bruise, Dazed Fighter 4: 21. Bruise. Reaction to Golgotha He lands on it! Fighter 1 rolls: 29. No Damage! Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise Fighter 2: 1 Bruise, Dazed Fighter 3: 1 Bruise, Dazed Fighter 4: 1 Bruise Fighter 5: Tip top Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top Kamala expected the lasers to hit her; it was both a big surprise and a relief not to feel the burn." You've got a lot of useful tricks, it seems," she notes about and to Billy,"Here's one of mine!" She raises her staff triumphantly, amplifying the regenerative energy. Spoiler: IOC Hide Photosynthetic Burst (again, including myself and my allies, excluding the Lex and friends): (1d20+12)[24]. Is it day again? Healing was suggested as an option as if it was day again, so... The Devastation - Reaction to Red Lotus, skipping Eidolon and Chimera. Enemy Turn Rising staggeringly, yet full of courage, rage and hope, the Red Lotus has felt something within her, something that she's been waiting for through hours of battle. As she proclaims her powers are to be witnessed, for through the breaking layers of dust and clouds, a glimmer of sun shines through. The soaring greatness of nature seeps through the hearts and bodies of her allies, now with a slim triumphant fighting chance. Though Chimera and Eidolon have yet to rise, the battle rages on! Just as heroes are healed by the walking nature goddess, powerful barrages from the fighter ships continue harassing our brave paragons. Four fighters have surrounded Billy and starts blasting at the protected robot, while a lone fighter shoots at Red Lotus. The heroic demon has to hold on tight, as the fighter he's grappling onto ascends into the air, swift as thunder flying high! Two fighters follow, aiming to blow the demon to pieces! Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Enemy Turn Fighter lasers are Toughness DC 25 Fighter 1 flies directly up up, ending its turn 1 mile high - Golgotha has to roll Athletics DC 15 to stay keep a grip, or he will fall (good thing he's immune to falling damage). Fighter 2 and 3 are dazed this round and can only do one action. Fighter 2, 3, 4, 5 all focus fire on Billy: 24, 11, 12, 9 (I believe they don't go through the Force field, how did that reflect/deflect go Que?) Fighter 6, 7 fly into the air to shoot Golgotha (being 1 mile in the air probably makes him not shielded anymore): 26, 10. Fighter 8 shoots at Red Lotus: 25 to hit. Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise Fighter 2: 1 Bruise Fighter 3: 1 Bruise Fighter 4: 1 Bruise Fighter 5: Tip top Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top Billy responded to Kamala with the same kinda nervous thumbs-up. The sudden surge of energy emboldened him as the NAN-REP system got supercharged, and he actually managed to shout out,"HA-HA!"as nearly half a dozen lasers bounced off his barrier and reflected at their shooters. Take that!" Have a taste of your... Own Medicine!" "BWA-HA-HA!" Sigh. Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say, Interceptor. Still, with Curtis not yet up, their own attack power was limited, and when the one ship flew Alejandro up, he grew concerned. He couldn't hope to protect him all the way up there. They needed to take these other ships down. Right then. Billy pointed his hands out, two of the guns popping out. Waves of directed kinetic force burst from his hands at the jets, not to blast and damage. Oh, no. But to visit upon the Lex an attack that, though unknown to Billy, they ever-so-richly deserved. If the jets could not resist Billy's telekinetic attack, he would slam them down into the ground with all the force of one of their gravity grenades. And it was glorious! Spoiler Hide Yeah, Deflect DC was 27 this round, so the four that attacked me and the one that attacked Kamala all miss and get Reflected at: (1d20+10)[21] (1d20+10)[29] (1d20+10)[30] CRT! +5 DC (1d20+10)[27] (1d20+10)[22] Free Action: Maintain Shock Therapy (I guess? Eh, just to be safe.) Move Action: I'm good. Standard Action: Attack with Directed Force. This is a Selective, Burst Area Move Object. It's ranged, so I'll target the thickest cluster of enemies within a 30' radius of each other. Dodge DC 20 for half. Then Strength DC 20/15 or be smashed to the ground (since their jets, it might make sense for them to be able to use Speed to resist this though, I don't know, GM discretion). If they get smashed, they'll be subject to DC 25 Damage from being thrown into the ground by a rank 10 Move Object. (Uh, or at least, I think that's how it would all work? Move Object's kinda sparse on hard mechanics, so all that's subject to GM discretion). No Deflect or anything this round though, so we're defending at our normal numbers. Current Status: Normal. Hero Points: 0. Luck Rerolls: 5/5. The Devastation - Reaction to Interceptor The futile attacks of the fighters bounce right back at them! Several fighters take critical damage to the grave power of their own attacks, metal flings off some, sparks in the air! One of them took a hit straight to the cockpit, blowing it up! Interceptor immediately attempts to pull the three (formerly four!) ships around him, into the ground, with telekinetic force! The fighters struggle to keep up (one because of it's damaged engine), but swift usage of the fighters supreme antigravity jets keep two of them in the air, while one is forced briefly into the ground! It's smashed heavily, but still working!... Perhaps someone wants to jump it, before it rises back into the air? Spoiler: Mechanics Hide The Lasers that bounce back Vs DC 25 Ones that shot Interceptor Fighter 2 rolls Toughness 12. BRUISED and STAGGERED Fighter 3 rolls 26. No Damage Fighter 4 rolls 11. BRUISED and STAGGERED (hey wait a sec... It was critter! So DESTROYED/UNCONSCIOUS!) Fighter 5 rolls 24. BRUISED One that shot Red Lotus Fighter 8 rolls 21. BRUISED Reaction to Interceptor Fighter 2,3,5 are within each other - biggest clump right around you. Dodge Rolls 2: 15 3: 20 5: 14 Using Strength/Speed (speed because they're jets) to resist smashing. (Using Strength, cause Staggered) 2: 23 - No Effect (Using Speed) 3: 30 - No Effect (Using Speed)5: 19 - IS AFFECTED! Toughness Check 5: Rolled 15. BRUISED and DAZED Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise Fighter 2: 2 Bruise, Staggered Fighter 3: 1 Bruise Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 2 Bruises, DAZED Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top Spoiler: Crunch I Hide Athletics: (1d20+10)[24] Toughness vs. DC 25: (1d20+8)[11] Alejandro manages to keep his feet, struggling only briefly against the wild dipping, diving, and general aeronautical tomfoolery of the ship." Woo! Can't touch me! Can't touch. . ."ZZZ AP."AYAH!" Alejandro sways and nearly falls off as a laser blast nearly decapitates him. His vision is blurry, and he's finding it hard to focus all of a sudden.AAG! Damn! That. . . That's no good. Let me take-NO! I have this! Groaning in agony, Alejandro tries to wrap his chain around the exterior of the fighter. Hey! That's. . . THAT'S MY MOVE! Spoiler: Crunch 2 Hide Adding +2 to my defense, still. Grapple: (1d20+10)[20] -1 Toughness, Dazed, Hindered. The Devastation - Reaction to Alejandro Alejandro manages a tight "noose" with his chain, around the high-flying fighter jet. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Fighter 1 (well technically the pilot) uses his Vehicle skill against your grapple. Rolled 15. One degree, it's restrained! Reminder that you're vulnerable during the grapple. Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise, Restrained (Immobile, Vulnerable) Fighter 2: 2 Bruise, Staggered Fighter 3: 1 Bruise Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 2 Bruises, DAZED Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top Curtis climbs to his feet and looks around as he becomes covered in flames... Spoiler Hide Move Action: Get up from prone because I was just Inca. Free Action: Activate Regent. 1 toughness condition/round starting with the most severe conditions. The Devastation - Enemy Turn Alejandro in giant form has managed to halt and straddle the Fighter high up in the air. He sees the expression from the terrified Lex, who grabs hold of a blaster pistol and opens the cockpit and gets ready to shoot at our hero! Failing to hurt Red Lotus, and the sudden rise of Chimera, has made one of the fighter's change it's focus as it starts shooting at the rising hero!... Meanwhile, a barrage of lasers is still coming Interceptors way. Far off into the air, especially visible to Golgotha, the huge dreadnought starts to rise and shoot off to the east - apparently leaving the battle. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Fighter 1 is stopped from moving by the sheer strength of Golgotha. The pilot rolls a FREE vehicle check against the grapple (Logos routine strength) and rolls 13, he's still held. He spends his Normal action opening the cockpit. Fighter 2,3 (4 was destroyed), 5 focus fire one Billy once more. 10, 20, 23 to hit! Toughness DC 25. Fighter 6,7 continue shooting at Golgotha. 13, 25. Toughness DC 25. Fighter 8 refocuses fire as Curtis gets up, and it shoots at him: 18 to hit. Toughness DC 25. Dreadnought: Uses a move action to turn and fly far to the east. Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise, Restrained (Immobile, Vulnerable) Fighter 2: 2 Bruise, Staggered Fighter 3: 1 Bruise Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 2 Bruises Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top Spoiler: Toughness Hide Oh mighty dice, please smile upon me and give me an average roll. (1d20+7)[8]. . . **** YOU, DICE!!!! ****!!! YOU!!!! AAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHH!!!!! "HAHAHA! Hello, little Lex! How do YOU do today? I think I shall. . ."ZZZZZZAT. And the demonic trio rag dolls off the fighter. The mood inside Alejandro's noggin is, as might be imagined, subdued. OH COME ON! I didn't even see him! HACKS! I CALL HACKS! Golgotha smiles condescendingly. Now, young apprentice, this is where you must learn to have patience and understanding! You were too cocky, too headstrong, and fell to the Dark Side! Thus, the Dark Side rewards you only with suffering, which re-No, my dear Golgotha, I fear I must concur with Alejandro and clamor that "hacks" are involved. HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!HACKS! Hacks!SHUT UP!!! As the jets fired, one of the shots went wide, while the other two struck the robot squarely. Billy screamed." You hit like a-" "Please Choose One of the Following: A) Girl B) Child C) Hobbit D) Pansy Dandy Man" "BWA-HA-HA!" Billy's momentary relief was short-lived, as the Interceptor's combat programming engaged to launch the robot between Curtis and the incoming laser fire. He screamed again. That blast managed to cause some damage, but it...actually wasn't terrible. On Billy's screen, a notice popped up warning of damage to a CPU, and that the system was rebooting. Another notice indicated that the NAN-REP system was now active. The Reboot Complete notice came up practically before Billy had any time to worry about it. And externally, the Interceptor just casually continued taunting the enemy." You have been... Intercepted!" "BWA-HA-HA!" Billy was starting to realize that this "tin can" he was inhabiting was...actually pretty tough! Okay. I can... I can work with this. Interceptor! Our primary strategic objective is our preservation. Our secondary objective is the preservation of Monster Guy, Flower Girl, and Crazy. Our tertiary objective is the neutralization of these fighter jets. Another notice popped up. Command Accepted. Alright then. Deep non-breath. Initiate combat protocols!"WARNING!" "The INTERCEPTOR has received new... Strategic Objectives!" "Objectives can be best served by annihilating... All Enemies!" Um...that wasn't quite what I-"BWA-HA-HA!" Waves of focused telekinetic force again rolled off the Interceptor, to smash any enemy in range and deflect any attacks coming for the robot or its nearby allies. Spoiler Hide Reaction: Interpose for Curtis. Move Action: Dazed. Standard Action: Force Deflector. Allies in 30' receive a Reflective Deflect at (1d10+22)[27]. Enemies in 30' take DC 25 Damage, Dodge DC 20 for half. Current Status: 1 Bruise (Regenerates next round), (Daze Ends), -4 Toughness with Force Deflector on. The Devastation - Reaction to Alejandro and Interceptor Alejandro in the body of Golgotha plummets through the air and crashes into the hard charred surface below, creating a demon shaped hole two feet deep. The Interceptor's effort to take out flying 'Pansy Dandy Men' goes only so. Expecting to catch three fighters with his force, only two are mildly bumped and shaken, while one does a barrel roll matched only by the skill of one Anakin Skywalker, completely avoiding the blast! Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Reaction to Golgotha Fighter 1 is no longer Restrained Reaction to Interceptor 2,3,5 are within range. Rolling to Dodge = 7, 7, 21. Toughness Checks Fighter 2 vs DC 25: Rolls 20 = 1 Bruise! Fighter 3 vs DC 25: Rolls 22 = 1 Bruise! Fighter 5 vs DC 20: Rolls 29 = No Damage! Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise Fighter 2: 3 Bruises, Staggered Fighter 3: 2 Bruises Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 2 Bruises Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top Rejuvenated, Red Lotus flies up to Alejandro and sends another healing burst, even daring to twirl her staff like a cheerleader." Hold on there, Golgotha... Alejandro... sorry, it's hard keeping track, you know? Anyway, go!" Spoiler: IOC Hide Rolled a 28 in the IOC, that's 3 degrees of success for healing. The sudden return to consciousness put Golgotha back in the hot seat, as Arkham and Alejandro continued to chant "Hacks!" in a very college-football kind of way." Many thanks, Red Lotus!" Golgotha rumbles up from his crater,"I trust the damnable gas has not caused any permanent harm?" The Devastation - Skipping Chimera, Enemy Turn The never ending barrage of lasers fire into the Interceptor. How long can he remain vigilant? Though not succeeding in hurting him yet, a fighter keeps shooting at Chimera. Red Lotus and Golgotha see up in the sky, three fighters coming back down towards them! One has set its sights on the healer, whilst the other two are blasting at Golgotha! Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Fighter 1: Move Action, Flies back down to enter the fray. Standard, starts shooting at Kamala! Rolls 9 to hit!... Fighter 2,3,5: Still shooting at the vigilant Interceptor: 7, 18, 26 to hit! Toughness DC 25. Fighter 6,7: They fly down, following Golgotha and continues blasting at him! 14, 26, to hit. Toughness DC 25. Fighter 8: Shoots at Chimera and rolls 19 to hit. Toughness DC 25. Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise Fighter 2: 3 Bruises, Staggered Fighter 3: 2 Bruises Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 2 Bruises Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: Tip top Billy couldn't do much for Kamala or Alejandro from his position (I'm working on the assumption Golgotha landed outside his shield radius), but the deflective force served admirably to protect himself and Curtis, once more sending all four incoming blasts back at their shooters - though one of them hadalmostgotten through. But the Interceptor had its orders. Its gleefully misinterpreted orders. With its systems rebooted and no longer needing to expend the power on the shock treatment, the robot leaped into the sky, going for the fighter that kept shooting at Curtis. Billy's digitized face made the motions of gulping."ERROR!" "You have elected to ignore... The INTERCEPTOR!" "Payback... Is A (Language File Badword.txt Not Found)!" As the robot neared, a blade of telekinetic force burst from one of its handguns, crackling with electrical energy as it brought it down upon the fighter who had refused to acknowledge its earlier warning. Spoiler Hide Reaction: Reflect attacks that missed Defended targets. Fighter 2: (1d20+10)[22] Fighter 3: (1d20+10)[18] Fighter 5: (1d20+10)[18] Fighter 8: (1d20+10)[17] Non-Action: Regenerates the Bruise. Move Action: Fly over to Fighter 8. Standard Action: Attack Fighter 8 with Force Blade at (1d20+10)[24], CRT 16+. On a hit, Toughness DC 25 vs. Damage. Since it did not attack Billy this round, it must also make a DC 20 Will check vs. Impaired+Vulnerable/Stunned+Defenseless/Incapacitated+Paralyzed Affliction (the Affliction has the [Electricity] descriptor). Since Billy was attacked this round, the Weaken does not apply. Current Status: Normal. No special defenses up this turn. The Devastation - Reaction to Interceptor The deflective shield turns all the shots directly at the too-slow-to-fly-outta-the-way fighters, causing feedback and damage to some of them. One of them just off and explodes as it takes a second shot into the cockpit. Only two are now surrounding Interceptor. The one further away, attacking Chimera, is barely graced by its own laser. Good thing it is then that the robot comes flying and cripples it', almost cutting off the left wing, setting off red lights and alarms within the fighter jet itself. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Reflected Shots They're all hit! Time for Toughness Rolls. DC 25 Fighter 2: 11. BRUISED AND STAGGERED. 2 Staggered = Destroyed Fighter 3: 22. Bruised. Fighter 5: 25. Bruised. Fighter 8: 27. No Damage Reaction to Interceptor Is hit Fighter 8: Toughness 12. Bruised and Staggered. Objects are Immune to Fortitude and Will checks, and therefor does not take the affliction despite the descriptor. Current Status Fighter 1: 1 Bruise Fighter 2: 3 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 3: 3 Bruises Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 3 Bruises Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: Tip top Fighter 8: 1 Bruise, Staggered. Spoiler: Crunch Hide Thanks to the bonuses against ranged attacks provided by being prone, both miss! Haha! Acrobatics to stand up from prone as a free action: (1d20+14)[17] Maintain A Little Piece of Hell (+2 to defenses) Golgotha wrenches himself to his feet as the lasers skip around the edge of the crater. He surveys the battlefield, sussing out his next target with all the tactical finesse he has. And then he sees how many fighters are down. Woah! Niiiiiiice! No. . . It seems our new comrade is quite formidable!No, no no. . . No s***! Good on him, picking up our slack. . ."AAAAA!"roars Golgotha, bounding into the air as fast as he can, aiming at the closest concentration of fighters (whichever will allow him to hit as many of those within 120 feet of him as possible.). And as he flies through the air, a spastic howl of jealousy tears itself from his throat."BILLY ANTISCIENCE! YOU SHALL NOT BEST GOLGOTHA IN A GAME OF CORPSES!!!" A small silence greeted this proclamation within, and then. . .WOO-HOO! EYE OF THE TIGER, GOLGOTHA! EYE OF THE TIGER! Spoiler Hide Move action (Extra effort): jump into the closest possible concentration of fighters (probably the group firing at Kamala and Golgotha?) Standard: Chainsplosion (DC 25 Toughness, 120' range, Golgotha is now Vulnerable) Fatigued, Toughness -2. Curtis looks around and then Twilight Beams a fighter! Spoiler Hide Status: 4 bruise Standard Action: Twilight Beam Fighter 6 Attack Roll: (1d20+10)[16] DC 20 Dodge Save vs Drain Toughness The Devastation - Reaction to Golgotha and Chimera The manic demon starts whirling his mighty chain, smashing it into every and all fighters in a mighty fury. Many of them have their shields damaged by the chain. It's clear that there's disarray in the Lex ranks, especially as one of the fighters that had been shooting at Interceptor, is torn apart, as sparks fly in all directions. To the side of the battle, where Interceptor had flown to help out Chimera, the pizza delivery guy has had enough and channels a TWILIGHT BEAM at the helpless fighter. As power is greatly drained from the ship, its shields are completely turned off... It floats almost completely helpless now. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Reaction to Golgotha Everyone are within 120ft distance of Golgotha. Rolling DC20 for half damage for the six remaining fighters: 17,8,11,8,7,11. They all take full damage: 25 (bruise), 9 (destroyed), 27 (no damage), 27 (no damage), 25 (bruise), 18 (bruised and dazed, which is already superseded by staggered). I rolled for all of these in numerical order. Reaction to Chimera He hits! Dodge roll: 7. Toughness is reduced by 13 Current Status Fighter 1: 2 Bruises Fighter 2: 3 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 3: 4 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 3 Bruises Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: 1 Bruise Fighter 8: 2 Bruises, Staggered, Toughness Drained by 13. The Devastation - Skipping Red Lotus, Enemy Turn... And something else The only remaining fighter, that was previously shooting at Interceptor, flies over and aids its ally in shooting down the Red Lotus. Golgotha can laugh as the two fighters following and shooting at him, are completely horrendous. The drained still floating fighter manages a potshot at Chimera... As the battle rages on, a voice is heard..."KAMALA, WATCH OUT!" The warped voice of the currently bat-like Their can be heard, warning Kamala of her attacker, as Leatherback soars out of the opening to the Home tree and into the air, in the direction of Kamala. Major Iron can be seen making his way out of the Home tree as well, but he can't hope to keep up with Leatherback's speed."DON'T YOU HURT MY FRIENDS!" Ahere snarls as she lands on the hood of the fighter, using her wings to keep her steady, as she starts clawing at the cockpit with vicious fury! Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Enemy Turn Fighter 1 shoots at Kamala: 25. Toughness DC 25 Fighter 5 changes target and shoots at Kamala: 22. Toughness DC 25. Fighter 6 shoots at Golgotha 8. Misses Fighter 7 shoots at Golgotha 7. Misses Fighter 8 shoots at Chimera 20. Toughness DC 25. Leatherback Move: Flies into action to Fighter 1. Standard: Rolls 25 to hit. Toughness DC 23 Fighter 1 Toughness: 21. Bruise Major Iron Only just comes into view as he's running, coming up from the home tree. Current Status Fighter 1: 3 Bruises Fighter 2: 3 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 3: 4 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 3 Bruises Fighter 6: Tip top Fighter 7: 1 Bruise Fighter 8: 2 Bruises, Staggered, Toughness Drained by 13. "G-game!?" Billy shouted back." It- This isn't a game! They just keep shooting at us! All I want is for them to stop shooting at us!" Spoiler Alert: They kept shooting at us. Once more, Interceptor flew across the field, taking one of the shots for Kamala upon itself." You have been... Intercepted!" "BWA-HA-HA!" Still, Golgotha's devastating assault, Curtis joining the fray, and the new arrivals brought Billy some confidence. Fine. Messing with their planes didn't get them to stop? Turning their attacks back upon them didn't get them stop? Fine! If it came down to life or death? Dr. Wiles would see to it that they regretted their lack of ejection seats. Because even as he shouted and panicked, inside where all was numbers and electrical signals, everything was clear. The strategy was obvious. All he had to do was implement it. Kinetic force radiated out around him. It wasn't the same sort of focused burst of energy that had damaged the fighters and turned their shots back upon them. It was lighter, more fluid. Furthermore, it would still shield everyone nearby from targeted attacks, though it couldn't deflect the shots back at their attackers. But more importantly, it surrounded allies at a greater distance in a thin sheath of energy. This wouldn't offer anything in the way of protection, but when they moved, the force would move with them, amplifying the strength of their own attacks. It was time to end this. Spoiler Hide Reaction: Interpose for Kamala (on one of the shots; other ones up to her). Toughness: (1d20+14)[27]. Free Action: Swap to Force Amplification. While this power is active, any time an ally within range attacks with a rank 11 or lower Toughness-resisted Damage effect, Billy initiates a Team Attack against the same target as a Reaction at 1d20+19 (counting Teamwork). If Billy's roll hits the target's Defense, the allay gets +2 Damage. If it hits by three degrees, the allay gets +5 Damage. Spoiler: Here's a bunch rolls to use in order as needed Hide (1d20+19)[30] (1d20+19)[22] (1d20+19)[30] (1d20+19)[29] (1d20+19)[38] (1d20+19)[30] (1d20+19)[24] (1d20+19)[20] (1d20+19)[38] (1d20+19)[21] Standard: Use the Deflect power of Force Amplification. All allies in 30' (should be Golgotha and Kamala I figure, maybe Their) receive a Deflect at (1d10+22)[31]. This is not reflective. Move: Using my move action this round to stay within 30' of Golgotha, so that he stays within my Deflect, so that he doesn't have to worry about being Vulnerable if he wants to, say, use Chainsplosion again to hit all these guys with a damage bonus, or something. As just a, you know, random example. Current Status: -4 Toughness this round. The Devastation - DialogueAhere's eyes glare up, as she sees the burst of energy of engulfing Golgotha, Kamala and then herself. Not feeling hurt or wounded in any way, yet remains vary as she shouts to Kamala down below: "THAT ROBOT!... FRIEND OR FOE?!"' "Friend! Friend! Totally on your side! Please don't hurt me!" Billy responded with wide eyes, his arms outstretched, palms out, hands waving back and forth before him. Spoiler: IOC Hide Starting with Toughness: (1d20+6)[10] If still standing, will use Photosynthetic Healing on myself and Interceptor (crap, Staggered, can't move): (1d20+12)[20] 1 Bruise. There's no reply to Their's call, no Red Lotus flying up... But that's "merely" because she's too busy suffering from the shot in her abdomen. She clenches her teeth and attempts to regenerate the wound. Curtis doesn't even notice he got hit by a laser and opens his claw to launch a flurry of icicles at the weakened ship! Spoiler Hide Move Action: Ignore that laser like a total badass Standard Action: Icicle Storm Attack Roll: (1d20+10)[19] DC 25 Toughness save (+ Multiattack bonuses) Golgotha laughs uproariously, dodging laser fire all the while."OH, BILLY ANTISCIENCE! YOU ARE A CARD! HAHAHA AAA! KAMALA, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN-"Golgotha stops abruptly as he sees Kamala keeled over. There's a slight jolt as something ghostlike flits through the trio's shared mind space, serpentine and screaming with righteous fury:Don't hurt the lady with the pretty flowers!!! Huh??. . . Golgotha, I urge you to consider utterly annihilating the fighter that just attacked our dear Red Lotus. Swiftly, if you please. Arkham's voice has an echo of the old iciness within. Golgotha goes leaping into the air after fighter 1, swinging his chain with an offensive geometry only dreamed of by Hollywood's brightest fight choreographers. Spoiler: Crunch Hide Free: Maintain A Little Piece of Hell, add bonus to defense. Move to jump at fighter 1. All-Out Power Attack, which puts my defenses at -3 total, (1d20+10)[15] vs. Parry, DC 30 Toughness on a hit, DC 32 on two degrees of success, DC 35 on 3 degrees. Bruised 2 The Devastation - Enemy Turn, Allies Turn Chimera's icicles tear apart the weakened fighter with easy, causing it to explode in a million pieces! Golgotha's attack missed the fighter he was aiming at by just one or two inches, dang!... Flying outside one of the fighters, Their notices the panicked Lex press a big... red... button...BOOKWORM! The entire battlefield is engulfed in flames as the fighter self-destructs! Miraculously surviving it only with scrapes, Their is infuriated as she sees the other fighters still shooting at her friends. She yells to Major Iron: "Let's take this one!, as she flies down towards the Fighter that's shooting at Kamala and tears the wing half off with her claws. Major Iron roars as his mighty leap takes him through the fighter, completely annihilating it. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Reaction to Chimera The Fighter rolled a total of 5! It has been thoroughly destroyed! Enemy Turn Fighter 1 self-destructs. Area Damage Attack! Everyone within 120 Feet (that's everyone in the combat) needs to roll a DC 30 Toughness. You can of course roll Dodge for half DC. Toughness Rolls Fighter 5, 21 for Toughness and is Bruised and Dazed. Fighter 6, 24 for Toughness and is Bruised and Dazed. Fighter 7, 27 for Toughness and is Bruised. Major Iron, 34 no Damage. Leatherback, rolls 12 to dodge - unsuccessfully. 23 for Toughness. Bruised, Dazed. Fighter 5 changes target and shoots at Kamala: 11. Toughness DC 25. Fighter 6 shoots at Golgotha 7. Misses Fighter 7 shoots at Golgotha 20. Leatherback's Turn Uses extra effort to counter her being dazed. She's not Fatigued. Move: Fly to Fighter 5. Standard: Claw it 18. She hits. Toughness DC 23. Fighter 5 Toughness: 11. That's bruised and staggered! Major Iron's Turn Move: Leap to Fighter 5 Standard: Punch Fighter 5. 26 He hits it. Toughness DC 28. Fighter 5 Toughness: 18. That's another bruise and staggered. It's destroyed! Current Status Fighter 1: 3 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 2: 3 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 3: 4 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 6 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 6: 1 Bruise, Dazed Fighter 7: 2 Bruises Fighter 8: 2 Bruises, Staggered, Toughness Drained by 13, Destroyed Major Iron: Tip Top Leatherback: 1 Bruise, Dazed. Billy's robotic body tanked the explosion with minimal damage, the NAN-REP system again beginning repairs. He just stared for a moment at where the fighter had been. They're trying to shoot us, they have deployed chemical weapons against us, and they apparently replaced ejection seats with self-destruct buttons. There is obviously no reason to feel guilty about killing them whatsoever. Thing is...he still did. It doesn't matter. Either we destroy those ships now or they'll probably just self-destruct too. Sigh. Interceptor...do your thing. The robot obligingly shot into the air at the more heavily damaged fighter, aiming to smash straight through it. Spoiler Hide Move Action: Fly at Fighter 7. Standard Action: Attack with Force Booster, All Our Attack for 5, Power Attack for 5, at (1d20+8)[19]. On a hit, Toughness DC 32 vs. Damage. Current Status: 1 Bruise (Regenerates next turn), -5 Defense this round. The Devastation - Reaction to Interceptor The Interceptor leaps through the air, fist-bound for one of the last remaining fighters! As the robot's fist collides with the snout of the fighter, their eerily similar metals clank, as the strike causes the fighter jolts 80 degrees from the force. Major Iron lands from his leap around the same time and yells: "I saw Jason on the way here. Let's make them pay for it!" Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Fighter 7 is hit and rolls 24. It has been bruised and dazed! Current Status Fighter 1: 3 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 2: 3 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 3: 4 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 4: 2 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 5: 6 Bruises, Destroyed Fighter 6: 1 Bruise. Fighter 7: 3 Bruises, Dazed Fighter 8: 2 Bruises, Staggered, Toughness Drained by 13, Destroyed Major Iron: Tip Top Leatherback: 1 Bruise, Dazed. Spoiler: Crunch Hide Dodge for half DC: (1d20+9)[24] Toughness: (1d20+6)[8] Right! Screw it, burning my Hero point for the Toughness. Edit: Ok, so Golgotha's staggered. Where! Golgotha careens gracelessly to the ground as the self-destruct blast knocks him off balance. The flying metal and glass, superheated by the explosion, embeds itself quite painfully into his back. This sears and distorts one of his many lewdly violent tattoos, to the unfortunate point that an otherwise imposing depiction of Achilles' rampage across the plains of Lion now looks like Achilles' throwing-of-his-hands-in-the-air-in-a-manner-suggesting-that-he-just-doesn't-care at the (slightly blurred) rave of Lion. Golgotha took this iniquity in measured stride."BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLS!" Measured stride, and a punch-drunk swing of his chain. Spoiler: Crunch II Hide ASSUMING GOLGOTHA IS NOT KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS: Same attack as last time vs. Fighter 7. -3 to defense, thanks to A Little Piece of Hell. Golgotha doesn't need to move thanks to the length of his chain (hurr horror) Attack vs. Parry: (1d20+10)[29], DC 30 Toughness, DC 32 (two degrees of success), DC 35 (three degrees) Staggered, Bruised 3 The Devastation - Reaction to Golgotha While the aim of his eye is true, a slight cramp in his bicep slows down the attack, and Golgotha only manages to put some cracks in the windshield. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Fighter 6 rolls Toughness 29, getting one bruise. Current Status Fighter 6: 2 Bruises. Fighter 7: 3 Bruises, Dazed Major Iron: Tip Top Leatherback: 1 Bruise, Dazed. The open wound has started closing itself, limiting the blood loss, by the time Kamala rushes up into the air, joining the melee. Praise the sun! Side to side with the real warriors, she brandishes the staff she dubbed "of Havarti". Deals not just life, but also death, remembers? She follows the moves of the teammate closest to her, trying to strike the aircraft at the same time on the same spot to strengthen the blow; because she's only imitating them, if they miss, so will she.... she really doesn't hit very hard at all, predictably for somebody who's not well-versed in close combat, but it's the intention that counts, right? Spoiler: IOC Hide Moving up! (Healing made me all better.) Aiding whoever attacks next, and taking advantage of Teamwork. DC 10: (1d20+5)[7] If it succeeds, I'm giving my ally a +2 (+5 if 3+ degrees of success) to their attack check. EDIT: hey, RNG, you suck. Curtis grunts and fires ice at Fighter 7Spoiler Hide 4 bruise and Dazed Standard Action: Icicle Storm Fighter 7 Attack Roll: (1d20+10)[12] DC 25 + Multiattack (Hope you have how Multiattack works memorized now because I don't) The Devastation - Reaction to Players + Enemy Turn + Ally Turned Lotus and Chimera attack the same fighter at the same time, however it results in a comical display! The fighter dodges the icicles, as Red Lotus inadvertently somehow manages to use her staff like a baseball bat and strikes the ice, sending it far off into the distance... No success in hurting the enemy, but those two should consider taking up baseball. The last two fighters continue their focused fire on Golgotha, anyone who's close enough to see their faces through the windshield probably noticed that they were communicating with each other using their headsets. Ahere flies towards one of the fighters and slightly scratches the windshield with her claws, while Major Iron makes a badly aimed leap at the same fighter that had evaded Red Lotus and Chimera. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Reaction to Good Guys Assuming that Red Lotus attempted to aid Chimera. However, neither of you were successful in your rolls. Enemy Turn Both continue shooting at Golgotha while remaining still in the air. Attack Rolls: 9, 26. Toughness DC 25. Leatherback Move: Fly to Fighter 6 Standard: Attacks normally. Rolls 16 and hits. Toughness DC 23 Fighter 6 rolls Toughness: 19. Another bruise! Major Iron Move: Jump to Fighter 7 Standard: Hit fighter 7! Rolls 12 to hit. He misses! Current Status Fighter 6: 3 Bruises. Fighter 7: 3 Bruises Major Iron: Tip Top Leatherback: 1 Bruise Interceptor flew in the way of the lasers of the fighter he was attacking as it shot at Golgotha. Being at much closer range, even his metallic body and kinetic shields couldn't fully withstand the blasts, and he had to reboot again as one of his generators took some damage, but at this point even Billy was realizing it was nothing he couldn't take." You have been... Intercepted!" "BWA-HA-HA!" That, on the other hand, he wasn't sure if he could put up with for much longer. Being kinda right up in front of him, Billy kinda gave the Lex in the cockpit an apologetic shrug as the robot raised both fists and smashed them down upon the front of the plane. Spoiler Hide Reaction: Interpose for Golgotha. Bruised and Dazed. Move: Dazed. Standard: Attack Fighter 7 with Force Booster, All Our Attack for 5, Power Attack for 5, at (1d20+8)[20]. Toughness DC 32. Regeneration: Heals one Bruise. Current Status: 1 Bruise (Regenerates next turn), (Dazed Ends), -5 Defense this round. The Devastation - Reaction to Interceptor The mechanical fists send shock waves through the glass upon collision. While the glass 'only' almost shatters, the sheer weight of the punch manages to squeeze internal mechanics of the fighter in pieces, causing it to start several alarms, and red flickering lights appear inside. Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Fighter 7 is hit and rolls Toughness 17. That's 3 degrees under! STAGGERED and bruised! Current Status Fighter 6: 3 Bruises. Fighter 7: 4 Bruises, Staggered. Major Iron: Tip Top. Leatherback: 1 Bruise. Curtis launches ice again at Fighter 7. Spoiler Hide 3 bruise Standard: Icicle Storm (1d20+10)[18] DC 25 + Multiattack The Devastation - Reaction to Chimera Half ruined by the repeated beatings, the fighter's defenses are simply too low to withstand the piercing storm of sharp icicles, flying out of Chimera's paws. Not a single icicle is stopped by the fighter's barriers, as they simply pierce their way through it, killing the pilot crashing the vehicle. The last fighter pilot looks mighty scared now!.. He might also be reaching for a certain 'panic button', who can stop him in time?! Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Chimera hits fighter 7! It rolls toughness 14. This would have been staggered against DC25, but the Multi-Attack moves that one degree further, meaning that it's DESTROYED... And well it's already staggered, so it would've been destroyed anyway. Current Status Fighter 6: 3 Bruises. Major Iron: Tip Top. Leatherback: 1 Bruise. Golgotha is suffering a bit from an inferiority complex. After having watched his comrades (even Billy Antiscience) wipe the floor with the fighters while he had struggled to down even one. . . Well, it got to him. Gave him a bit of a clench inside."SUCK CHAIN, THOU SLUTTISH HEATHEN LED!"he roars, striking without regard to his own safety. Spoiler: Crunch Hide Maintain a Little Piece of Hell, with +2 to attack this time. Move: Staggered All-Out-Mega-Ultra-Combo-Power-Attack: -5 to defenses, (1d20+12)[19] vs. Parry to attack, DC 30 on a hit, DC 32 on two degrees of success, DC 35 on three degrees. Oh, for crap's sake. . . Sluttish? Used in the classical sense, dear boy! It meant "dirty" or "savage" or "unkempt", before being unimaginatively consigned to promiscuity alone. We have Shakespeare to blame for THAT one. The Devastation - Reaction to Golgotha The awesome power of the rage-filled attack, extended by the staggeringly long and hard chain, crushes through the last fighter and shatters it beyond recognition. No Lex has survived this fight. As the dust settles from this final attack, Their looks to her allies: "Are you all. Are you all okay?" She slowly shifts back into her gentle and unassuming demeanor during the course of her sentence. Jack looks down and speaks with lost pride in his voice: "Good swing." Spoiler: Mechanics Hide Reaction to Golgotha hits! Enemy Toughness roll: 14. BOOM BATCH. It's destroyed. BATTLE OVER! Current Status Major Iron: Tip Top. Leatherback: 1 Bruise. THE BATTLE HAS ENDED! NORMAL POSTING ENSUES! Billy floated back down to the ground (it took him a solid twenty seconds to properly coordinate, but it was, indeed, a soft and on-his-feet landing) and looked around the battlefield, staring wide-eyed at the shattered, blasted wreckage of their erstwhile foes. They were dead. They couldn't have possibly survived. He...wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about that. Hewassure how hedidfeel about it. He wanted to throw up. That proved to be a physiological impossibility. So instead, he screamed at the top of hislungsspeakers"CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT IS GOING ON THIS GOD-FORSAKEN PLANET!?" The digitized face projected onto the robot's glass "head" was making the motions of the heavy breathing of someone about an inch from hyperventilating. Golgotha looks at Billy contemplatively, and comes to a decision. Arkham. . . Handle this. With a shimmer, Arkham comes to the fore. His lean figure is bruised and battered from the fight's injuries, but his mind is as keen as ever. He, too, looks at Billy contemplatively, and comes to a decision. Alejandro. . . Handle this. And so, it is Alejandro that walks over to Billy and places a hand awkwardly on his metal shoulder." It's cool man. We've all been there. And by 'there' I mean 'turned into freaks cobbled-together by arcane applications of science and magic for the purpose of invading Earth, and then breaking free to fight our would be masters,'"he croons, doing his best to seem reassuring,"We've all been at that place. It's all good." He thinks for a moment, trying to find a bright side to Billy's particular predicament." I mean, hey. . . At least you'll never fart again, right? So it's not all bad!" Oh, for god's sake! That looked only like a bad snooker move, and snooker sucks enough as any sort of fighting reference when performed well. Let's ignore that happened and never speak of this again. Kamala, landing near Billy-in-a-can hopes that the whirling pale pink petals are enough of a calming sight; pheromone control would be a nifty power right now." Allow me to add more to Alejandro's explanation. We were all humans, and we were taken away from Earth in circumstances we can't remember. The Lex did this, and they experimented on us, and here we are now. We're trying to get back to Earth, of course, but those bastards keep trying to murder us." She clenches her fist and teeth angrily." No amount of talking has changed anything, and now they want to attack Earth, if I have to turn them into fertilizer before they can lay a hand on my family, I'll do it. They already got poor Jason and the Door chieftain!" Billy kinda looked between Alejandro and Kamala like they were insane. He didn'twant believe a word they were saying. However, he had in the short time since he had awakened amassed a rather substantial amount of empirical evidence to support their claims." O-okay. That...so...um..." Think. Focus." So the...the uh...with the...and...uh..." Simplify the equation. There's a problem before you. You solve the problem. You move forward towards the goal. Furthermore, you find another problem. Furthermore, you solve that too." So. So. Our goals are first, to avoid capture or destruction at the hands of these Lex. Second, to find a way to return home. Third, to prevent the Lex from attacking Earth. The Lex refuse to negotiate and appear willing to expend substantial resources in both personnel and material to neutralize the threat we represent. Their assets include superior numbers and technology. Our assets include the superhuman powers at our command." Yes. That's right. All just variables. Variables and statistics. Cut and dry. Just like in the lab. Numbers on a spreadsheet. Points on a graph." Alright. Well. My name is Billy Wiles. What are we working towards currently, and how can I help you achieve it?" His voice sounded calm. His eyes remained wide with stark terror. The Devastation"You can't", said Jack as he marched into a closer proximity (about 4 ft away) of Billy: "We took refuge with a tribal society known as the Door. They've aided us in battle for the past few days, but siding with us has caused the destruction of their home. They're currently counting their dead, hiding at an overlook some miles north of here. Three of our own are with them, trying to keep them safe while we are fighting." Jack looks up and down the remains of the battlefield and sighs: "This war is getting as bloody as any I've seen..." Ahere takes a look at the hardy robot and smirks: "... You might actually be able to help us with something. We have a prisoner with super speed, called Daytona... She used to be our friend. And we know the real her is in there somewhere under all that brainwashing. She's in her cell in the Home tree, that big crater-issue thing over there.", she points at the blown up hole in the ground:" We need to get her and whatever food we can find and take it to the Door, through the secret escape tunnel... I was thinking maybe someone of your stature, Billy, could use heavy rubble to block the tunnel as we go through it... When we get all that done and arrive at the overlook, we should probably try and get some sleep... You guys have been fighting all night." Jack seems slightly annoyed at the plan: "We could just leave Daytona, and FLY to the overlook!" Ahere sighs: "And risk their battleships and fighters shooting us down mid-flight?... No... Just no." "Yeah. Yeah, I could do that. This...robot they put me in seems to operate off of electronically generated kinetic force. It can apparently direct it outward as well. Moving rubble around shouldn't be a problem." The ghost of a smile flickered across his digitized face." Would be the first time someone picked me for a heavy lifting job though, that's for sure." He looked at Major Iron curiously." Your robot seems a lot more...finished than mine the-"he began, and...then he started getting a bunch of pings about "enhanced strength and durability" and "flesh to steel biomorph" and such and realized, oh, nope, he wasn't a robot."... Never mind." "All right, good plan. Let me just see. . ." Alejandro trails off, heading inward for Arkham's second sight. Right then! Now, just clear your mind. Think of nothing at all. Or, think as close to nothing as you can. Think of reality television and music awards. Unfairly nothing. . . Spoiler: Crunch Hide Remote sensing on the overlook, to see what everyone's status is: Perception: (1d20+20)[33] Curtis shrugs,"I can fly at ludicrous speeds and robot-guy here can jump ludicrously far. We could probably catch up and take that ship down. Or scout ahead or something. We just need to get to where they're base is and tear it apart. If we take out the head honcho and with a bit of luck we could probably take over whatever operation's going on here... Ya know, because that'll result in less morons dying to us or something like that." "I, um, know where their base is, actually." Beat." Or, well, bases, really. Presumably, anyway. Three of them, at least. A location called Shadow Vault 3, marked for experimentation and cloning, about forty-one miles to the southeast. A second called Titan's Bay, listed as a war machine factory, about fifty miles east of here. And a third called Arc hon City, listed as the capital, eighty-three miles to the southeast."' Nother beat." They were all on that tablet the Lex guy had. I have the coordinates, if that's helpful." The DevastationAhere frowns, as Jack puts his hand on Curtis's shoulder with encouragement: "I'll have to agree with you, beastie boy. The faster we get it done, the faster we're safe. Why not go straight for their capital? If they're leaderless, they won't have any use for their fleet." Ahere mutters:"... Yeah go ahead, charge the enemy and die..." Spoiler: Roll a Perception DC 15 Hide If successful, you'll notice Emily in the corner of your eye, about 30 foot away from the group, slightly closer to the entrance of the home tree. She's lying next to a Lex, unconscious or dead. You can't be sure without a medical check. She's covered in bruises and dirt, face down to the ground. The shell of a gravity grenade lies between her and the Lex. Spoiler: Arkham's Sense of the Overlook Hide Your minds eye floats north through the air, pointed at a large peak rising a good 50 ft above the flatlands. A wall of trees coated in dry yellow and brown leaves, blocks all visuals from the southern and eastern parts of the peak. As your gaze flies through the trees, it reveals a large group of Door refugees, tending to their wounded families. Many of them are covered in bruises and open wounds, likely caused by falling rocks or stray lasers from when the Lex attacked. Anna is conversing with the last six standing guards, two of them armed with bent spears. Daniel is giving water to a Door child, who seems to have lost its family. "Um...is she okay?" Billy asked in a worried voice, pointing at where he spotted Emily lying, covered in dirt." She...uh...doesn't seem to be moving, much." Billy's practical knowledge of first aid was pretty much squat, and he rather doubted he'd be able to check a pulse in his current state. Alejandro opens his/Arkham's eyes and turns to the group." Good news! The flying boy and purple Iron Maiden are getting their Live-Aid on-"Few! THERE'S a dated reference for you! Ahh, Live Aid. . . The naivete back from when people believed U2 would matter! Indeed! I remember when they were giving out a cassette of War free with every tape recorder! Not a bad album, that.'This true, 'tis true. Of course, I would shudder to see such practice nowadays. Imagine! U2 giving away free MP3's or what have you! No, there's none would get away with such self-aggrandizing behavior these days, least of all Bono!"-so we should all be free to storm the gates or some such, if we think that the best use of our time!" I wholeheartedly support storming the gates! That, my dear fellow, falls under the category of statements classified as "bleeding obvious". Without Billy's comment, Kamala may not have noticed Emily." Who, Emily? She's a good fighter with a lot of mental strength, there's not a lot that-"Turning around to where he points at reveals she got the wrong picture entirely. She walks toward her and kneels down."... Emily?", she asks, touching her to get a pulse. Spoiler: IOC Hide Treatment (diagnosis): (1d20+12)[24] Deeming that under control, Billy looked to the others. He considered the situation for a moment. Okay, you have new evidence now. This isn't just some bunch of super-powered crazies. Or even a kidnapping scheme gone wrong. These Lex are planning an invasion of Earth itself. It's also abundantly clear that this...gun...kill bot I've been put into is sufficiently powerful to prove an obstacle to that agenda. There's...very little in the way of evidence for a conflicting hypothesis. They have to be stopped. We have to get home. It's pretty much that simple. Which means... Well, which means fighting, and probably killing, more of the Lex. The thought made Billy sick to the stomach he no longer had, and despite his evidence, the idea of getting shot at by more of their high-tech weapons filled him with fear. The robot wasn't invincible. It was tough, it recovered rapidly from harm, but it could be physically damaged, and its internal workings could be disabled. He had evidence for that too. One of those internal workings...might very well contain him. If something happened to it...what would that mean? But honestly, it wasn't the thought of killing that scared him most. It wasn't even the thought of being "killed". Who knew what that actually meant in his current state; if one accepted the theory of a mental transplant into a robotic body, it was only a small leap to an AI that could functionally emulate a human brain. Really, he had no evidence to suggest that he, Billy Wiles, wasn't in fact safe elsewhere in his own body. Or already dead, for that matter, and this robot was nothing more than a well-designed program. Still didn't mean he wanted to give up his life as he understood it, but the thought did make the idea less of a concern. No, what scared Billy the most was the part of him that actually felt...eager. That had exalted in the power to turn aside the constant barrage of the jets, to turn their own blasts back upon them, to hurl them around with a gesture, to smash them with his bare hands! The part of him that yearned to test his wits against the cunning of the Lex, to plot the strategy that would cast them down in defeat and leave their holdings in ruin. The part of him that was, even then, planning courses of action, plotting contingencies, reviewing the information he had and more importantly still the knowledge that he lacked, turning all that information towards the singular goal of crushing those who dared to take him from his world and threaten it with destruction. Billy was a scientist, a teacher. He worked on generating clean energy, renewable resources. His goal in life was to improve the world through the power of science. He didn't take defense contracts. He had never turned his genius towards weapons of war. What scared Billy the most, was the knowledge of just how dangerous a man Doctor Wiles could be, given the right incentive." I...don't feel any particular need for rest, I suppose. However, I would point out that literally the only pieces of information I have about this Capital is its location and the brute fact of its existence. Do any of you know more about it? Or these other two locations, Shadow Vault 3 and Titan's Bay? Also, if you do want to take some time to rest and perhaps get the rest of your people somewhere safe, I might be able to do some work on one of these fighters. If I can repair one of them, we might be able to use it for infiltration, much as you wanted to do with the spaceship thing." The DevastationAhere point-snaps at Billy, while quickly approaching him: "Can you do that, Billy? Can you?" She turns around to face her friends, and moves into a position that doesn't require her to turn to see them all at the same time: "Many of the wounded at the Overlook needs healing, proper healing. With no medicine, our only option for healing is the kind only Emily and Kamala can give. You all look like a bloody mess, and could use at least a couple of hours of downtime... And Billy here can rebuild an enemy fighter for us, get us into their base tomorrow. We can take them out from the inside. Perhaps a final offensive? All in favor of a sensible strategic attack say yes." Jack grunts, displeased, he clearly preferred Curtis's idea of smashing the Lex and taking names right away... But he gives a reluctant thumbs up." Anyone else?" Their asks. Meanwhile, Kamala is examining her wounded friend. Emily's skin feels ice-cold. Her blood seems to have stopped pumping and there's no breath coming out from either her mouth or nose. It would seem like there's nothing for it... The death of yet another dear friend. If this was a comic book panel, we'd end it on Kamala's horrified face, with a thought-bubble of her realization that Emily is gone. End of an Issue. You all get 4 power points based on all those long battles. You guys deserve it! Issue#12 - The ChoiceAhere has posed a question, and Kamala has discovered a shocking truth... "I-I mean, I can try, at least,"Billy hedged a bit nervously. This was alien technology, after all. Fighters! Fighters would be-Alejandro, avail yourself immediately to Golgotha's form and leap over to Kamala. Post-haste, if you please. Arkham's voice is terse, nearly growling. What are you-?NOW! Alejandro shrugs, shifts, jumps. It's only when he lands next to Kamala that things become apparent. He blanches." F***. . . Can you, uh, can you do anything?" Alejandro stumbles along his apology. Golgotha rages, becoming a mass of swirling chains as Alejandro's minds cape becomes a series of pedestals and priceless vases. The crash of porcelain and marble, usually so satisfying to the erstwhile First Lance of Hell, is of hollow comfort to his feeling of powerlessness. Arkham nods with a certain grim finality, minds cape coalescing around him to form a desk, a wing-backed chair, and sundry old fountain pens. He takes one and gouges it into the flesh of a barely-breathing form that has just appeared. Panting slightly, he carves the name EIDOLON into its back, just above the scabbed-over series of lacerations that might have read DRAGON FIST. Right. He mutters abruptly, decisively, That's TWO we'll have to bring back, then. "What? She's...she's okay, right? She...?" Yeah. It...did not appear that she was okay." Oh... God..."he whispered." I...it..."he stammered, trying to think, taking full advantage of his hasted though processes and computerized memory to come up with something to do, to figure out the right thing to say. Error. File not found. Billy walked off several yards. He didn't know the woman on the ground. He didn't know how she had teleported fearlessly into battle time and again to protect her companions. Furthermore, he didn't know how she had healed their wounds, even taken their own injuries upon herself when needed. Furthermore, he didn't know how she had led the way in forging their alliance with the Door. Furthermore, he didn't know how she had kept them on an even keel throughout the harrowing ordeal they had undergone, guided them to thinking of the future, towards the next step ahead. Furthermore, he didn't know how she had talked Their back from the brink of madness when she discovered her powers. He didn't know Emily Redford. Now he wouldn't get the chance to. Darn shame. He walked away from the group, to give them the chance to say farewell to their friend, and started rooting around one of the fighters, turning his attention elsewhere to distract himself from the death of a person who he didn't know but was sure didn't deserve it. And that's when he realized the Interceptor had a glaring design flaw. With its all-around sensor suite, no matter where he tried to look, he could not look away. Slowly, her face turns toward Alejandro, and she starts blubbering:"She-she's got spiritual powers, she must be - she must be out there, outside her body, astral projection, something like that, she can't, she can't be-"Kamala checks her pulse again, as if it'd have changed after a few seconds." How long has she been... I can't heal that! Daytona, she also was half dead, y-yet she-"Yeah, but she wasn't cold to the touch back then. Kamala stands up, looks around desperately." Are... are you here, Emily? Oh god-damn, I'm going to kill these bastards." Alejandro finds himself yanked back into his mind with borderline-aggressive haste as Arkham shimmers into command. Kneeling down next to Kamala, the demon puts a hand on her shoulder as he gazes down at Emily's body with a murderous expression." We, dear. WE will kill these bastards, have no fear of that. We are the arrows that bury themselves into the breasts of the archers, but the Lex have enough bows drawn at Earth to blot it out. We must move swiftly and in terrible unison to stop them from loosing their arrows into Earth. Grieve, yes, but let your grief speed you onward without overwhelming you with sadness or berserk fury." Arkham turns and raises his voice, so everyone can hear it." No matter our disagreements,"(here, he looks at Jack)"nor our fears"(Their and Billy get a sweeping glance)"the time has come to put aside any hesitation, any grievance, and focus our blows truly and fully at our makers. Not merely for vengeance, or for want of your old life, but for our homes and those waiting for our return! The Lex have a fleet staffed with a legion of their soldiers, and who knows how many other cobbled-together FREAKS in their vanguard, and they're all headed to OUR HOME. We will stop them, but not with slavering brute vengeance or mincing words!" Um, isn't "brute vengeance and mincing words" kind of our Schick?"(Shut up Golgotha) WE WILL STUDY OUR ENEMY! We will stalk them like predators in the darkness, terrorizing and harrying them until they flee from our very footfalls! The Lex have no fear of casualties, so we must reeducate them! We will face them, not as soldiers on a field of battle, but as monsters under the bed and whispers in the darkness! We will find their places of weakness and lay waste to them! Furthermore, we will find their strongholds and make them weak! And when Lex parents check their children's closets for indescribable nightmares, THEY WILL BE CHECKING FOR US!" So, ah, you're saying that we're going to be 'in the closet'?BWAAAHAHAHAAAA"(Both of you shut it) So, I say grieve. Grieve, recoup, regroup, and then we head out. We need to find the staging point for the Lex invasion and begin wearing it down. And if we happen across other opportunities to spread a maximum of damage and fear, then let us not pass them by!" Arkham spreads his arms to everyone." What do you say, my cobbled-together comrades in arms? Shall we leave off punching the Lex in the face and start kicking them in the groin?" Arkham's words hit Billy hard. They made this real. The people who had killed that woman were going after Earth. Her fate could just as easily be shared by his students, his friends, his sister, his parents... It could not be allowed. The Lex had to be stopped." Alright then,"he said quietly." What's our immediate move? What should we do now?"he asked the group at large. Arkham peers owlishly at Billy." Well, we'd need to begin by making our presence known. Ambushes, attacks of opportunity, general acts of mayhem and, dare I say-" Dare! Dare!"-terrorism against our Lex hosts. You'd mentioned a capital city? That seems as good a place to start as any! Draw out their forces, divert them from preparing for invasion to protect their citizens, and allow Golgotha, our crucifixion artist-in-residence, to follow his muse!" Ohhh, this is going to be good! I'll begin drawing up exhibit plans immediately! I'll be your model! A full third of Alejandro's subconscious becomes a brownstone studio apartment scattered with sculpting materials and hardware. Golgotha acquires a stubble and a beret, mumbling to himself as he begins positioning Alejandro against several different configurations of wood. "Wait wait wait, you want to just start attacking civilians? That isn't...we...that... I mean, um, um, that seems...doesn't that seem inefficient? And risky? I mean, we can't pass as Lex, right? Even ignoring our...physical changes, we don't have blue skin. So we can't hide out in their capital or anything. Soon as someone sees us they'll call in a force to attack." "Be-besides, we're probably up against the clock here, aren't we? I mean, our...our primary goal is to protect Earth, right? So...so to do that, we need to either: make them unable or unwilling to attack Earth at all, or make them unable to cause significant harm to Earth if they do attack. Targeting their civilians might just make them more angry without actually meaningfully reducing their military assets. It might delay the attack, if they have to expend resources to deal with us, but it won't prevent it." "I... I think you're on the right track, with taking the offensive and sowing some chaos and fear, but I don't think an insurgency is the way to do that. We don't have the necessary resources and time isn't on our side. What we need, I think, is fast, overwhelming attack against high-priority targets. We need to be able to approach quickly, cause massive damage, and retreat before they can organize against us. That also means we need a base that we can withdraw to that they can't easily attack." "To actually win, we need to cripple their military enough that they can't go through with the invasion, destroy whatever resource enables them to invade another planet in the first place, or get back to Earth to give warning so that when they do invade, they're facing the full power of Earth's militaries and superheroes. Or all of the above, even better. And that means we definitely do need to study them, to get more information. We need to know where to strike. Learn what their resources are. Figure out how we can deal the most damage the fastest, because we don't know how long we have before their invasion begins in earnest." "... Besides. You don't...you don't target civilians. It...it isn't right." "... do the Lex even have civilians?" Billy opened his mouth and...halted." I... I mean, I don't... I just figured...with a Cap...why wouldn't they have civilians?"he stammered ineffectually. "We're talking about a people who don't deem it necessary to develop technology such as ejection seats, kidnap average individuals for experiences that very well might kill them, and who want to invade a planet that is not even aware they exist. That they would all be actively involved in this project doesn't sound so outlandish an assumption in comparison, particularly when we've had no hint of the existence of civilians so far." The lack of civilians would also do wonder to avoid guilt once revenge is enacted. "While I agree with the thrust of your argument, I must-"Arkham begins at Billy, only to be brought up short by Kamala's point. Alejandro and Golgotha stop mid-exhibit, frozen by the implications."-ah. . . Well, I suppose the lack would. . . I mean, yes, that's a good point, but. . ." Arkham stammers, then sighs,"Damnation, you're probably right."BULLS*T! Golgotha roars, flipping a table. Alejandro retreats and looks at him askance. There HAVE to be civilians! It's central to the message of my exhibit! How can I deconstruct the idea of crucifixion if there AREN'T CIVILIANS? Golgotha throws a sculpture out the window and then glowers in the room. Hmm. . . What would Marcel Duchamp do in a situation like this? Alejandro asks, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow." Regardless,"Arkham continues,"Billy has a point. We can just as easily raise terror and strike hard at their staging ground. We need only head over and reconnoiter. Shall we?" "I suppose. Um...what about your...friend, or prisoner, or whatever. The speedster?"

[M&M3e] Cobbled-Together Freaks_ Flight through the Unknown (IC)|rating:3.0

Winner take all

Harmony made her way down the spiraling staircase to where the arena combatants were supposed to be. She was a very pretty girl. She had black hair that was always kept in a ponytail, and a pair of dark green eyes. Furthermore, she wore lightweight blue armor that hugged certain parts of her form very nicely, and by her side was a shiny and virtually unused long sword. She was told that this was a place where she'd be able to hone her skills, as she planned on becoming an adventurer, seeing the world and growing because of it. Furthermore, she hoped that she'd be able to get a bit of respect as a fighter in this place, maybe even make some friends. Of course, she had no idea exactly what she was in for. As she stepped into the stadium, she heard the gates behind her slam shut. Looking around, she could feel several dirty eyes upon her, she knew right away that something was wrong. Stepping forward uneasily, she felt a pair of hands latch onto her shoulders." Get in the arena, fresh meat"those were the last words said to her before she was shoved into the combat arena, and the bars flew up to prevent her escape. Panicked and confused, she drew her blade and looked around for her supposed opponent. (Melina went down the stairs at the opposite side of the arena. As she stepped on the dirty floor, the gate closed behind her. She didn't flinch at the sound. She looked around at the hundreds of people gathered to watch the fight, and saw that many were now looking in her direction, cheering her on or yelling dirty comments. Melina smiled. She looked to her side, where a metal grate was, but the guards behind the grate didn't comment, didn't touch her, didn't try to push her forward. They knew what had happened last time. This was not Melina's first time here. In fact, she came here every year. Even at only 24 years old, she was a veteran fighter, and every year she enrolled in the tournament to prove herself, and to dominate. She stepped forward, and stood still a few yards away from her opponent. Melina had a great looking body. Very fit, with a visible muscle mass, yet still sexy, with generous breasts. She had her usual armor on, made of plate and cloth parts, barely covering anything, and held her staff firmly in hand. Unlike most other warriors, she didn't fight with a sword or axe. Her staff was precious to her. As the Head of the Guard in her county, she had become an expert at fighting with it. The staff was made of the strongest steel, with a shape that allowed for various interesting fighting tricks. She looked over at her opponent. She looked weak. Melina liked to have a challenge, to have her enemy resist her. She guessed it wouldn't be much of a fight this time, too bad. She stared at the young girl with a firm expression, fire in her dark blue eyes, betraying no fear, no hesitation, and waited for her to make the first move. Gulping down a bit at the appearance of her opponent, Harmony tried to steel her gaze and charged. It was clear from the first moment of the battle that she wasn't very experienced with her weapon. Struggling against the weight of the weapon, Harmony brought the blade down towards the shoulder of her opponent, she prayed that she wasn't either overly outmatched. Melina was surprised how badly her opponent charged at her. She easily moved out of the way, and with a quick swipe of her staff, she gave a strong blow to Armory's left knee as she charged past. "Did you go in the wrong building, girl? This place is for fighters! Hahaha" she taunted. Melina was a very condescending person. She did not trust strangers, and despised weakness. What was a bad side of her personality in social events, she used as a weapon in battle. By throwing these taunting phrases, she had many times managed to make her opponent doubt themselves, feel uneasy, or made them so angry they would make mistakes. Still smiling, Melina waited for her opponent's next move. Having her knee fall out from under her, Harmony let out a small shout. She hadn't been fighting for very long, and had actually lived a rather sheltered life in a small town. In truth, the only reason she started going out on her own was because she wanted to stop being so spoiled. While she was never rude or mean, she took a lot for granted during her life. The day she turned eighteen, she headed out on her own. And only a few days later, she was led here. Attacking with a bit of a limp, she ran again with another sword strike. She felt humiliated that she was putting on such a poor display of skill in front of so many people, and her embarrassment was clear on her face. Melina once again faced the charge head on, and at the last moment, she raised her staff and deflected the blow, and then brought her staff back behind Harmony, and struck her behind the knees, attempting to make her fall on her back. The crowd was slowly getting heated up, and many were cheering at Melina. Few seemed to be rooting for Harmony. The attack landed smoothly, and Harmony went crashing backwards to the cold arena floor. She had never felt more humiliated in her entire life. Thanks to the force of the fall, her blade went sliding several feet away. Knowing that she was beaten already, before her opponent had even broken a sweat, Harmony laid back and turned her head away, not getting up yet. Melina walked over to the blade. She picked it up, then threw it with impressive strength several yards away, at the other side of the arena. Then she came back to Harmony and stood in front of her, leaning on her staff very casually. She looked around at the crowd, seeing they were pretty unhappy Harmony wasn't putting more of a fight." Come on girl, don't tell me you're done yet! Stand up. Go on, hit me, this one's for free. I won't even block your next hit. Come on!" Her tone was condescending and patronizing, still smiling wickedly at her. Harmony's frustration began to turn to anger, she stood up shaking with frustration. Frustration that she was so weak, frustration that the crowd seemed so upset with her performance. Shaking her head at the larger woman's patronizing, she balled her fist and swung it at her chest as hard as she could. This sort of thing was to be expected, a master fighter was fighting a greenhorn. Melina did not even attempt to block. She took the full shock of the hit. She winced slightly, forced to from the pain. But it was obvious she had endured so much more during her life. She smiled once again at the girl. With Harmony right in front of her, she slowly and gently wrapped her arm around her neck, with a friendly smile, throwing her off guard with a gentle act. But just as she had her neck against her, she suddenly spun the girl around, and pushed her hard to the floor, easily getting her to land on her back once more. Melina then jumped on her, and put her staff across her neck, holding it with both hands, not pressing hard enough to cause severe injuries, but still hard enough to make it hard for the girl to breath. She then casually asked "What's your name, pretty girl?"((IOC: bedtime here, will be back in 8h)) Harmony wasn't expecting her punch to do very much, but she was alarmed when it only made the larger woman flinch slightly. Moments later, she was on the ground, with the wind being forced from her lungs because of the force that the larger woman used. Feeling the staff bear down on her neck, she winced a bit as her breathing became a bit more forced." It's Harmony... why do you ask?" She shivered a little, had this woman just called Harmony pretty? Melina grinned "Maybe you didn't quite get the rules of this place. See, the combat doesn't end when the loser admits defeat, it ends when the victor decides it." Then she put down her staff on the ground, next to them, and instead placed her hand on Harmony's neck, holding it tightly. Then, she looked her up and down, salivating. "Right now, I'm in no hurry. I think I'm going to have some fun first." and with that, she grabbed the girl's top and ripped it apart, exposing her chest to the world. Harmony squirmed in discomfort the entire time that her opponent spoke, and when she was looked up and down, she felt as though her dominator's eyes were punching straight through the armor and staring at the firm body underneath. When she felt her top fly open, and her breasts become exposed to everybody watching, she let out a shout of dismay, somewhat strained because of the woman's hand. Grabbing at the hand on her neck, she started struggling to get free." Let go of me! What are you doing!?" Melina smiled and looked back at her. "Poor girl, you have so much to learn. Victory and defeat is not about physical strength. It's about determination. Strength of will. I've won every fight here, not only because of this strong body, but because I know how to dominate my opponent. Now, I will teach you the true humiliation that you must be ready to endure when you lose." With that, she started to caress her breasts, and rubbing her nipples. She squeezed fairly hard, and the crowd cheered. She let go of her neck and brought her other hand down to the young girl's pants and inserted it inside her pants, then started to caress her pussy, still smiling at her. Her back arched as her nipples began to erect, shaking her entire body violently, she squirmed under each stroke of her nipples that the dominant woman gave her, and when she heard the crowd cheer, her heart caved in from humiliation. Then, when she reached down into her pants, her eyes widened from dismay, she had never been touched down there until now." No. No, not down there... please don't!" Melina did not stop. "You're a virgin, right?" she guessed. She slid her hand deeper under her pants, and started inserting a few fingers in her cunt. She was tight, and that made Melina smile. The young girl was also obviously getting aroused, and so was Melina. As she rubbed her fingers against her sex, and inside of her, she sensed how wet the girl was. Then, she looked up at Harmony's face and ordered "Why don't you get those little hands of yours busy too. Remove my armor while I have fun with your cunt." Her legs stiffened up as a couple of fingers penetrated into her cunt. The way that she was being violated, it was so wrong and dirty feeling, but in its own twisted way, it was sort of pleasurable. It scared her a little that the stronger woman was correct about her lack of sexual contact." I... I am a virgin"Resisting the urge to let out a moan as Melina had her way with Harmony's body, she listened to her dominator's command. With a pair of very reluctant hands, she reached up and began to undo Melina's armor. The veteran fighter did not wear much armor. It took the young girl no time to expose Melina's fairly generous, well-rounded breasts. Her own nipples were already erect, but Melina did not let the young girl stare before long before she pointed at her lower armor part, and soon enough she was standing naked, except for her boots, which she agilely let slide off of her feet, until she was completely bare on top of Harmony. Melina leaned forward, and pushed her breasts against the young girl. She moaned softly. The young girl may have been a virgin, and a poor fighter, but she was becoming aroused. The crowd was also getting more cheering, and unlike her young opponent, Melina loved showing off. She kept inserting her fingers with one hand, and rubbing the girl's nipples with the other hand, then planted a kiss on the young girl's mouth. "I hope you're starting to enjoy this, because it only gets more intense from here on." she said with a smile. Harmony was indeed becoming aroused, but it was mostly against her will. The more aggressive woman said over her nude, and Harmony was grateful that she at least had the lower part of her armor covering her womanhood, although she feared that it wouldn't be on for very much longer. The cheering of the crowd caused Harmony to feel even more embarrassed and exposed, this wasn't something that she could possibly enjoy. Armony couldn't stop herself from glancing at Melina's large breasts, and the feeling of them mashing against her body caused an odd sensation to tingle through Harmony's body. When their lips pressed together, Harmony felt a bit confused and conflicted. She had never even thought of being with another girl, the thought had always disgusted her, but here she was, being completely dominated by this powerful woman. When she said that things would only get more intense, Harmony shuddered, dreading what was to come. The kiss was long and intense. Melina brought her tongue in the young girl's mouth, and played with hers. She kept rubbing her nipples, kept going in her cunt with her fingers, getting Harmony just where Melina wanted her. But then, just before she sensed her opponent might be close to climaxing, she stopped cold. She brought her hand out from inside her pants, and instead wrapped it around her waist. She also stopped caressing her breasts, and wrapped the other hand around her neck. Then, she rolled to the side, landing on her back, on the dirty ground, bringing Harmony straight on top of her, before immediately wrapping her strong legs around her hips, squeezing so tightly that even a strong man would be forced to wince in pain. She let go of all restraints except for her strong leg lock, and smiled, watching how Harmony would absorb this sudden change in sensations. Harmony decided after the nonstop teasing to give in to the pleasure, she moaned a couple of times as her body came close to climaxing. She began swaying her body, eagerly awaiting the release that she was edging towards. However, mere moments away from climaxing, she felt the situation change dramatically. Feeling her body flip around, and the strong leg lock on her back, Harmony let out a cry of desperation. Not only was she deprived of the climax that she had begun to anticipate, but now she was in incredible pain. It helped to remind Harmony that she was at Melina's mercy, Melina would do what brought herself pleasure, not what brought Harmony pleasure. That realization caused Harmony's heart to shatter to pieces. As Harmony's expression changed to pure terror, Melina let out a laugh "Hahaha! Yes, pain and pleasure, aren't they great companion!" she kept the young girl in her leg lock and kept going "Take this as a lesson in the life of a warrior. Pain is what your body must learn to endure, and pleasure is what you will feel when you crush your enemy's will to life. Because make no mistake, defeat must be more for your opponent than just losing an eye or a leg. It must shatter them, so that they may never raise to face you again!" With that, she grabbed Harmony's hands and brought them down to her own pussy. It was already wet. "Pleasure me. Do it well, or I will increase the pressure." Harmony whimpered as she listened to Melina's demented lesson about being a warrior. She refused to believe that fighting was something so brutal, so cruel. She truly had lived a very sheltered life, if that was the case. Feeling her hand descend to the stronger woman's pussy, Harmony began rubbing it gently, starting to push in a finger. This was something she never even imagined would happen to her, so she was even less experienced doing this then she was with her blade. Melina kept smiling, and kept holding her between her legs, but not too tight as to hurt her. As she sensed her finger timidly poke inside of her pussy, she almost laughed, but restrained herself, and instead giggled. She had rarely met someone so timid and scared of her. "You may despise me, you may find pain awful, but that may change someday. Personally, pain turns me on. I like it rough. Don't be so gentle. If you can't make me climax, you will find this a much more painful experience." With that threat, she thrust her waist up, indicating that she wanted her to step it up. Gulping in dread of what she was being forced to do, Harmony forced her finger deep into Melina's pussy, thrusting it as aggressively as she could muster herself to do. She really was beginning to hate this woman, how cruel she was to somebody she barely even knew. She braced her elbow down on Melina's chest, supporting herself a bit as she tried her best to pleasure the more dominant woman, more out of fear then will to actually please her. Melina moaned. That felt a lot better. The mixture of pain and pleasure invaded her, but she wanted more. "Rougher. Be creative!" she said, almost shivering at the thought of what she actually wanted the young girl to do to her, but leaving it to her to figure it out. The leg lock kept the threat very real, while her wet pussy was clearly inviting the young girl to push deeper. Harmony shuddered, the fact that this other woman was enjoying these feelings intimidated her in its a own way, this was by far the most dreadful experience of her entire life, she was being forced to pleasure somebody by the threat of incredible pain, while also being taunted to the point that she was about ready to burst. Armony pushed two more fingers into Melina's cunt, shoving them as deep inside the stronger woman as she could get them. Melina was still getting aroused by Harmony's actions, but she had seen much better in bed. The young girl was clearly not used to this, and that was a turn off. As a sign that she was not satisfying her requirements, Melina squeezed her opponent's hips between her legs, just long enough to bring her sharp pain, then relaxed once more. It was clear that Melina wanted more, much more. Harmony shouted in pain, stunned that she wasn't doing enough to please Melina, what did this woman want? The thoughts of such things had never even crossed Harmony's mind, as she had always imagined sex to be a bit more gentle of an act, something that two people did when they cared about each other a lot, not this... ravaging, that she was both giving out and taking. Dreading the thought of what this woman wanted, her fourth finger and her thumb began forcing their way into her pussy, Harmony knew that if she herself was forced to endure this, she'd feel like her lower body was about to split apart. Melina winced in pain as she inserted all those fingers. The pain that shot out from inside of her was very strong, but so was the pleasure. Spasms went through her body, both from the pressure and the pleasure she was under. Each time the young girl went in and out, the pain was so much Melina felt like she was about to crawl out of her skin. As she sensed she was about to climax, she closed her eyes, winced again and said loudly "By the gods, hit me!" as just one of many things she had fantasized about, things that would turn her on. Harmony could feel the stronger woman getting more and more immersed at the moment with each push of her hand, how Melina was getting off on such pain, Harmony would never be able to understand, and when the stronger woman asked Harmony to hit her, she seemed utterly shocked by such a request. Nonetheless, out of fear of her own pain, she began using her free hand to slap Melina's cheeks several times as she continued pushing in her fingers. The slaps were fairly weak, and didn't compare with the pain Melina felt from her sex, but it was enough to push her over the edge. She climaxed, and fluids started to drip down her cunt, onto Harmony's hand and Melina's legs. As she did, she completely released Harmony from her leg lock. It was quite likely that she could not physically keep someone in a leg lock and orgasm at the same time. Melina closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, still laying on her back, naked on the dirt floor. She brought her hands on her chest and breathed heavily, trying to calm herself down. She seemed in a very vulnerable position, as Harmony stood free from her tormentor's grasp. Harmony stood up and backed away, she wasn't insane enough to attack Melina, she only wanted to get out of this arena, to leave this dreadful place right that moment. Trying to distance herself from the stronger woman as much as possible, she prayed that they would let her out. Melina opened her eyes and looked at Harmony. She didn't even bother bringing her head up from the ground. Then she smiled "Ironic, isn't it?" Seeing the young girl didn't seem to understand, she continued "I'm completely naked, laying on my back with cum on my legs, exhausted from the sex. You're standing over me, my staff is even within reach from you. Yet, you stand defeated, while I won this battle. Are you starting to understand what fighting really is? It was never about who hit who. It's all a mind game. Dominate the mind, and you win the fight." With that, she raises her hand and signals to the guards at the gate to open it. Still with her eyes closed, she said "The last move is yours. You can now walk out of this arena in shame, but alive. Or, you can pick up my staff, attack me while I'm down, and get an immense advantage. But if you do, I guaranty you will die by my hands." She waited for the girl to choose. Harmony looked away in shame, part of her desperately wanted to strike, part of her wanted payback for the humiliation that she suffered at the hands of this woman. She was standing there, naked from the waist up, her virginity stripped of her by force, and deprived of her climax. And she was about to give this woman another victory, one that was in its a own way, the most cruel of them all. Tears streaming down her cheeks, Harmony turned her back to the woman and left the arena, admitting her total defeat by choosing not to attack. The basement of the arena was a very noisy, busy place. The walls were made of dark stone, the found was wet with water flasks, and cells containing various exotic creatures lined the halls. Fighters of all skill levels were going on their business. Some were preparing for fights, others were coming back victorious and cheering. Some less lucky ones were being treated by doctors, or brought to the nearby cemetery. As soon as Harmony left the arena, another scheduled fight had started. It seemed like this place was very popular, and very busy. The girls section was far quieter. In fact, for a bit, there was only one other girl there with Harmony. She sat in her own corner however, and in the darkness, it was hard to see who she was. But soon, a familiar face appeared, as Melina stepped inside the dark room. She had apparently put her armor back on, and held her staff. When she saw Harmony, she smiled at her, and gave her a supportive patting on the shoulder, as if nothing had happened, as if they were both just colleagues having finished a day at work. Melina sat down on the bench right next to Harmony, and kept smiling "Hey! You were great out there, don't get discouraged. The first time is hard for everybody. But you're in luck, I hear they scheduled you out for another fight in just a few minutes. Better prepare yourself!" Harmony was a bit confused by Melina's dramatic shift in behavior, how could she just pretend that nothing had happened? Harmony's body was still quivering from the cruel teasing that she received in the battle, part of her still craved the sweet release that was deprived of her. After giving Melina a dark glare, she averted her gaze and stared at the table." Against who?" Melina shrugged, "I don't know. It has to be another girl, they wouldn't put a new fighter against one of the guys. Hey, maybe it's that one over there." pointing to the dark figure in the corner. Apparently, the other fighter heard her, and she stood up and left, again being in too much darkness for either of them to see what she looked like. Melina seemed curious about her too, but let it go. Melina turned back to Harmony. "Hey, listen dear. I hope you're not too mad at me. I know I can make quite an impression on people, and it must have been difficult for you. Furthermore, I wanted to say I'm sorry, and I wish you luck on your next fight. Furthermore, I'll be here if you want to chat after it." But as soon as she finished, a handler came to the room and said loudly "Mary? Emory? Harmony? Bah! Whatever your name is! That's you right? Get over here! Your fight is about to begin!" her sincere tone didn't sooth Harmony in the slightest, more it just made her more enraged. How could this woman expect to just be forgiven after what she did up there? It was insane, to say the least." How can you say that!? You stripped away my virginity, my pride, and my self-esteem in one strike! You-"she was cut off when she heard her name being called, she stood up and left Melina alone without another word, hopefully her next opponent would be a bit more merciful than this woman was. (Harmony was led in the arena, a very impressive looking elf was already there, waiting for her. She had dark skin, with tribal tattoos, plate armor, and deep dark eyes. No other elf had eyes like that. As a Dark Knight, Famine had quite a unique look, and some unique powers. The elf brought her sword up to her shoulder, and stood just looking at Harmony, scrutinizing her. She didn't display anger or any emotion for that matter. The announcer then announced the beginning of the fight. "Ladies and gentlemen, the newcomer, Harmony, fresh from her latest defeat, will now fight against Famine, The Dark Knight! Surely a human girl can defeat a pitiful elf! Will she get lucky? We will soon find out!" Harmony shuddered, drawing her blade. She was given her breastplate back, and it was once again firmly covering her assets. She stared the dark elf down, and couldn't stop herself from being a bit worried about what she was now up against. Something about this woman just seemed a bit... off Famine came up, fairly slowly, and stood in the middle of the arena. She still didn't display any smile, or any anger. She just looked at her, with a mild curiosity. Furthermore, she kept her sword up, and waited for Harmony to make the first move. With her blade at the ready, Harmony forced herself to cast aside any concerns that she had about this woman. Despite how afraid she was of what would happen to her, she had to fight to the best of her abilities to make up for what happened in the last battle. Charging at the elf, Harmony stabbed forward at her chest, she seems a bit more prepared to deal damage then she did during her first fight. The elf didn't move until the last moment, then she agilely brought her arm in front of her, and deflected her attack with her wristband. While Harmony was unbalanced, she planted her sword into the ground, and grabbed Harmony by the arms from behind, shaking her, forcing her to drop her sword, and then lifted her high into the air, before bringing her back down rudely on the ground, keeping a firm grip on her arms preventing her from falling down, and holding her tightly in front of her so she couldn't break away. She leaned down against her head from behind, and whispered in her ear "Fool. You shouldn't have wasted my time. Now I will make you suffer." Everything happened so quickly that Harmony didn't have time to react. Before even a moment passed, she felt her weapon come free of her hand, and she found herself at the mercy of the elf. Hearing her voice for the first time, she couldn't stop herself from struggling in fear of what was to come." What are you... no, please don't!" Famine wrapped her arms against hers, then forced them to her back, further back than they should be allowed to go, bringing sharp pain to her shoulders. And she kept pulling, almost to the point of breaking her bones. Once again she whispered "Ever had the sensation of your brain bowling inside your own body?" and with that, she focused her mind and sent dark waves of magical energy toward her young captive, making her brain start hurting very badly. For the first time since they met, Famine smiled. Harmony screamed in pain when she felt her arms snap backwards, she had never felt her arms be forced back so roughly before in her life. When the elf spoke dark words about her brain, she shuddered, turning her head, she gave the elf a panicked look." Wha-"She wasn't even able to finish a single word before her head started to feel as though it was going to split apart, howling in agony, Harmony thrashed about wildly, trying desperately to end the pain that was being forced through her mind. Famine was only starting however, and just as she ended the pain in her brain, the elf pushed Harmony harshly from the back, making her fall face fight on the ground, in the dirt. She then bent down on her, and put a hand on her head, forcing it against the ground. With the other hand, she pulled down the girl's leather pants, ripping them on the side. Then, she inserted her whole hand in the girl's ass, and pushed. Still smiling, Famine was intent on getting as much pain through her opponent's body before she would be done. She was somewhat relieved that the brain pain had vanished, however, she quickly went crashing down to earth when her face smashed down into the dirt, and her pants got ripped away, exposing her bare lower body to the world. Then she felt something very large and unwelcome presence force it's way into her ass, her entire body jerked violently in agony, and her scream was heavily muffled by the ground, so that her even oppressor was the only person that was able to hear it. She had never been in so much pain in her entire life. Famine then proceeded to rip Harmony's top armor from the back, leaving her whole back exposed, from head to feet, as she still lay face front in the dirt. The elf seemed more interested in humiliating the young girl than getting any sexual pleasure from it, but her actions were definitively more rough and painful than Melina had been. While still holding her head down, Famine brought her hand out of her ass, and then started punching her back, bruising her skin and making her whole body shake. Then she leaned down again and whispered "All you humans are so pathetic. You should never have left home, you don't belong in the arena. This victory has been nothing but a waste of time for me. Not even worth drawing my sword." She let out a whimper of agony, she started to fear that she was going to die at the hands of this lunatic elf. She was being beaten so brutally, so savagely, she almost wished that her opponent was Melina again. Furthermore, she also wished that she had stayed home, however, that was no longer an option. She was going to die here, she knew it. Then suddenly, the pain stopped, and Famine grabbed Harmony by the shoulders again, and pulled her up from the ground, then in the air. As she did, her pants fell off completely. Famine held her high into the air, facing the crowd, completely naked, with her breasts and pussy exposed to everyone, as if being displayed as a trophy. The crowd erupted in a loud cheer, with people yelling all kind of comments, from asking the elf to rape her, asking for them to be allowed to rape the girl, and commenting on how small her breasts were or how juicy her pussy was. Famine smiled once more, and called out to the guards, having them open the gate. With this final humiliation, after having displayed the girl for a few moments, she let her drop rudely on the ground, then walked away. It was the shortest confrontation of Harmony's life, but it was easily the most painful. Her final stroke of cruelty shattered Harmony's soul, the comments on her body and what could have happened to her each jabbed into her gut as she couldn't manage to feel anything other than shame and humiliation. Barely working up the strength to carry herself out of the arena, she leaves her equipment on the grounds and slinks away bare skinned. Covering herself in a robe, she goes to the women's section, where she slumps against the wall and curls into a ball, silently sobbing to herself. What had she gotten herself into? Melina saw her come in, and looked at her in amazement. She quickly stood up and went next to her. She bent down on her knees and put a hand on her shoulder, apparently genuinely concerned. "Oh by the gods, what happened to you? My poor girl... Come here..." and she opened her arms, offering to embrace her, should she choose to. Harmony couldn't stop herself, after that unholy ravaging that took place upstairs, she was on the brink of a complete mental breakdown. At the alluring sound of affection, she looked up to see Melina kneeling down in front of her with open arms. Although Melina herself used and abused Harmony, she was easily the lesser of two evils. Armony lunged forward into the stronger woman's arms, wrapping her own around Melina's back and sobbing a bit more. Melina held her tightly against her, gently caressing her back. She was feeling guilty about what she did to her in their battle. She wasn't a bad person, she just hated weaknesses and liked to torment her enemies. But this young girl seemed more like a desperate girl in distress than an opponent at the moment, and she couldn't help but feel she had been too hard on her." Tell me what happened. Who put you in such a state?!" While being held by Melina, Harmony recalled the events of her battle against the dark elf. She added in several statements about how hurtful it felt to endure such wretched treatment, and the story was much more difficult to tell then Harmony thought it would, as she was forced to relive the entire event. Melina felt her despair, and wanted to do something for the girl. She kept holding her, and tried to think of something nice to say, when a handler came at the door and said loudly "Hey, girlies! You're done here for today, clear out the building!" Melina turned toward him and snapped at him, in an angry voice "Get the hell out of here! Do you even know who you're talking to?! I am Knight-Captain Melina. I could break your neck in a single second. You will turn around, and leave me and my friend alone, now!!" Her voice was so firm, so piercing. The guard was visibly shaking in fear. "Uh. I. I'm sorry, I'm going to go now." he then turned around and ran. Then Melina had an idea. She turned back toward Harmony, still holding her, and said in a gentle voice "Hey! Why don't you come with me, I will train you to be a great fighter! I will make you into what you're obviously trying to become. What do you say?" Harmony looked up in shock at Melina's offer, not only did this woman show concern for what Harmony went through, but she cared enough to extend such a kind offer towards the girl that was moments away from giving in to despair. After a moment, the shock faded away, and a bit of a smile formed through the tears on Harmony's face."would you really? I'd be so grateful" Melina nodded. "I won't lie to you, it won't be easy. But there's no way I can leave you here in such a state. You need my training to become a strong warrior." She wasn't sure exactly how strong the young girl could become. She was quite frail. But at least, Melina thought she could teach her some basic fighting techniques, and hopefully get her to be confident again. Plus, there could be some benefits for herself, too. Her smile becomes a very warm one, as she nods gratefully to Melina. She never imagined that she'd feel such a turn around of emotions as she did with this woman. Melina was turning out to be a rather kind person underneath the skin." I'll accept... thank you so much for offering"she didn't know that Melina was thinking of her own benefit as well. Melina escorted the young girl out into the city, and then to a nearby settlement. It turned out that she was actually the Head of the Guards for a nearby county, under Princess Dannie, a local sovereign. Melina was gentle and thoughtful the whole way, and even offered her a new leather outfit when they got to the compound. It was a fairly nice one, and she offered it as a gift for having caused her so many problems. The first thing she set out to do is show her some basic techniques with a sword. Using mannequins planted in the training yard, she went over some attack and defensive moves, as well as how to properly charge at an opponent." I hope you're watching carefully. This may save your life whenever you meet an enemy." she commented. Harmony took note of every movement that Melina made, making sure that she learned as much as possible during this time. She never wanted to be at somebody's mercy ever again, next time she fought, she would be the one in control. It was a promise that she made to herself, and she was picking up Melina's teachings rather quickly, absorbing hers lessons like a sponge. Melina was clearly skilled with a sword, even though her usual weapon was a staff, and she looked pleased when she saw Harmony was picking up on her teachings. She looked at her as her pupil, her student, in the arts of war. But at the end of the day, she put the sword back in the armory and came up to the young girl, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Now you know the basics of handling a sword. It certainly won't allow you to beat a veteran fighter, but it will give you the chance to defend yourself in battle. However, there is one more lesson that you need to learn. We don't need any weapon for it, yet it will be both the most difficult lesson for you to get through, and the most important. Are you ready?" Harmony looked up at her, part of her was dreading the thought of what awaited her when she accepted Melina's offer, but she had already come this far, to turn away now would be foolish, and a sign that she hadn't grown at all. Trying to mask her anticipation for what was to come, Harmony nodded"I'm prepared" Melina smiled, and then led her inside. They went through a hallway and then into a smaller room. The room had a rug on the floor, with chairs along the walls, but otherwise was pretty empty. She stood in front of the girl, in the middle of the room, then continued "What you need to learn now is to overcome your fears. A dominant fighter will win against a weak one every time. Here I will attempt to teach you how to turn your fear into strength." She came up to her and started caressing Harmony's arm. "You remember the arena? How I told you pain turned me on, and you barely managed to get through it, yet still ended defeated? We're going to go through it again. But this time, I want you to be confident. I want you to become the dominant one, make me submit, break me. If at the end of this session I'm laying on the ground, unconscious and bruised from unbearable pain, while you're able to stand bravely, then you will have beaten your demons." Harmony shuddered a bit, not believing that she was ready for such a challenge. It true, she was still haunted by the things that happened to her in the arena, but she hadn't come that far, not yet. Biting her lower lip, Harmony looked away from Melina"I... don't think I can" Melina seemed disappointed "Harmony, you're a sweet girl. But if you want to become a strong fighter, this is a step you have to go through. You can't bring that sweetness with you in combat. You have to channel all your energies into strength. Your mind must be focused on dominating your enemy, not only physically, but emotionally. By invading someone sexually, you attack the most private, most vulnerable part of that person. You got a taste of what it was earlier, when you brought your hand deep inside my cunt. But it takes so much more. Insults, slaps, punches, and then it goes so much further." She looked at her for a moment. "If... you think you're not ready to display such fervor, I could show you, by doing it to you. It won't be pretty and you won't enjoy it. Or, if you think you have it in you, then you can do it to me, it won't be easy, but I think at the end you'll be able to feel what true power is like. It's your choice. Of course, you can also give up now and go home, but then you can say goodbye at ever becoming a warrior." Harmony balled her fist, she began to wonder if she really had the strength in her to become that level of warrior. She wanted the strength to defend herself, keep her out of harm's way, nothing more. But, if being a fighter meant that she'd have to go through what Melina was talking about, then it would be an extremely hard road for her to travel. She never wanted this, she had no idea what it meant to be a warrior when she first left home. Melina looked at her, waiting for a reply. "So, what's it going to be? This is your last lesson. One of us will end up unconscious on the floor before the other is allowed to leave this room. Who will it be?" After a couple of moment, Harmony looked back up at her, a forced conviction in her eyes." I won't let you humiliate me like that again... It won't happen" Melina smiled "Good. Now I hope you have what it takes to make me submit." With that, she slapped Harmony on the cheek. It was a strong slap, and it did hurt, but it was obvious that Melina was starting very mildly, and letting the young girl start the real battle of will. Harmony bit her lip again, preparing herself for the struggle that was to come. She spoke to herself out loud, trying to pump herself up." If I don't do this, I'll be the one submitting..."with those words, she rushed forward to ram into Melina. Melina let her collide with her, and fell on her back, with Harmony on top of her. But then, without losing a beat, she brought her legs up to lock them around Harmony's hips, as she had done in the arena. Should she manage to get her in a good leg lock, the young girl would clearly be in a disadvantage? Spinning her body around, Harmony tried to force her way out of the leg lock before it sealed around her hips. Swinging her elbow as she spun, she tried to slam it into her cheek to help her escape the hold. Melina winced as Harmony's elbow collided with her face. "Nice move!" she commented. But as the girl turned around, she grabbed the girl's belt, and pulled down, then grabbed her ass from behind with a hand. "Remember, the most effective attack is to attack where your opponent is the most vulnerable!" Harmony winced as she felt Melina's hand clamp down on her ass, this was turning out to favor the stronger woman. However, Harmony wasn't about to give in yet, she just had to find where Melina was weakest. Not seeing any vulnerable spots, she started to get a bit more desperate. Melina was disappointed that Harmony was not displaying the kind of dominant nature that she had hoped for. Still, she was determined to make this struggle end with one of them broken down, and if it wasn't her, it was going to be the young girl. Melina pulled her back by her belt, getting Harmony's back to land on top of Melina, then she wrapped her arms around her, and grabbed the front of her leather top. She forced it open, exposing her breasts. She whispered to Harmony's ear "I'm sorry..." then she squeezed the girl's breasts with amazing strength. Harmony gasped as she felt herself fall on top of Melina, she had tired her best, put her best foot forward in an attempt to overpower Melina. But, according to Melina's words, her best wasn't good enough, she struggled in vain as her leather top was forced open, and she let out a cry of pain when she felt her breasts being crushed under the woman's grip. While still squeezing the girl's breasts with one hand, she brought her other hand along her chest, caressing all the way down, then reached her pussy. She slid her hand in Harmony's pants, and inserted a finger in her. Gently at first, but soon more forcefully. She kept whispering from below her "Let it out. It's alright to cry." She allowed herself to submit to Melina's touch, shame filling her body as she realized that she had been defeated yet again. She wasn't made to be a warrior, such a thing was beyond her. Furthermore, she only came to realize it a bit too late. Shaking her head as she fought away tears that were forming in her eyes, she spoke to Melina again." I won't... do it" She inserted another finger, and another, rubbing inside of her, sending sensations up throughout her body, and she kept squeezing her breasts and rubbing her nipples. Her hands were firm and rude, but her voice once again was soft and betrayed no anger. "I'm so sorry dear. I didn't want it to end this way." Her entire body surged with conflicting sensations. Part of her was enjoying the cruel treatment, while the other writhed in the agony of her painful motions. Jerking her body from side to side, she tried to escape the grip of this woman." Then don't end it this way! I don't want to be a warrior anymore, it's not in me!" But Melina did not let go, she quickly brought her hand to Harmony's neck, and held firmly, almost chocking her, making breathing harder. With her other hand, she kept fingering her, going deeper and faster, attempting to force the young girl's body to climax, even though she was fighting her. Melina did not speak, and remained silent as she pushed her opponent's body against her own will. Harmony's lower body began to thrust downward with Melina's fingers, anticipating the building climax that was getting close in her body. At this same time, she began struggling a little more for air, she was able to breathe, but it was a bit more strained." Please stop, I beg you, please don't do this" But Melina kept going, and went in deeper, and rubbed harder, determined to get the girl's body to climax, keeping her grip on her neck as well, intent on releasing it only once she would climax. Harmony's body eventually gave way, releasing her juices into her pants. They began to slowly streak down her leg after a couple of moments. Letting out a delighted cry, Harmony felt the biggest strain on her neck yet at that moment. As she sensed the young girl orgasm, she let her grip go, allowing her to enjoy it as much as she could, despite what had happened. As Harmony's body calmed itself down, Melina slowly slid her off to the side, her back on the rug, then lay next to her. Melina brought a hand out and caressed the girl's hair gently." I never wanted it to end like this. I'm so sorry it had to. But you have to realize there was no other way. That is the harsh life of a warrior. You had to be shown, in the worst possible way, what it meant to be defeated in battle. Even after learning all the basics of sword handling, it means nothing if you can't dominate your enemy, if you can't play dirty." Melina really believed what she was saying, and in her mind she was doing the girl a favor, even though she knew she had put Harmony in agonizing pain. She wanted the best for her young apprentice, and to her, a crushing defeat was the only way this could have ended should she not prove worthy. "Ask me anything, and if it's within my power I will do it for you." she said with a smile, as Harmony was starting to gain her senses back after her climax. Harmony sat up, shuddering a bit at her second defeat. She knew that she would never be able to do what Melina wanted, she'd never be able to dominate an opponent so utterly and ruthlessly, she just didn't have it in her. Shaking her head a bit, she rested it in her elbows as she balled up a little bit." I don't think I was made to be a Warrior... This isn't what I thought it would be..." Melina sat up on the rug right next to her, and wrapped her arms around her whole body, hugging her gently, cuddling lovingly, and she kissed her hair once, before whispering in her ear "I know sweetie. I know." Any trace of anger or firmness was gone and had been replaced by genuine caring. Harmony adored this part of Melina, when she wasn't dominating Harmony, causing her pain in some way or another, she was the most caring and loving woman that Harmony had ever met. The two different parts of this woman caused a great deal of conflict in Harmony's mind. Gently placing her hands on Melina's back, she buries her head in the stronger woman's neck." What if... I put away my sword and just... stayed here with you..." Melina smiled. "I would love that very much." she said. Melina had quite a unique personality. She had extremely volatile emotions. While condescending and ruthless to strangers, or those she considered weak, she became overly affective to those she cared about. Her thick exterior hid a very soft, very gentle heart. When she had first met Harmony, to her, it was just one more opponent, someone she had to defeat, and did not see her as another caring human. But as she got to know her more, that began to change, and in her own twisted way, the latest struggle the two shared, this most intimate moment where Melina dominated her so utterly, was the last bound the Knight-Captain needed to truly fall in love with her. To care for her as much as she was capable of. Melina kept holding the young girl, trying her best to comfort her. "Not everyone is destined to be fighters. But don't worry sweetie, I'll be with you now, I'll be your sword whenever you need me to be." Nuzzling into Melina's body, Harmony smiled in delight. The fact that she was accepted by this woman was the most wonderful feeling that she could imagine. She finally found what she hoped she would discover on her travels, she felt as though she was at home when Melina held her, and the compassion that she showed was like none Harmony had experienced before." Thank you... oh, thank you so much!"

Winner take all|rating:2.0

Interns Play Billiards

(strode into the house a sumptuous beach house within 20 minutes from the headquarters. He smiled to himself - he had the advantage here, and he knew it - he had an 'In' with the company and had set up this house to an extent. 2 guys (including him) and 4 Girls - ratio about right. His internship for next week would be great experience, not that it mattered his uncle was an executive in the Multi National Company, and he was going to get the job of his choice no matter what happened. In fact Uncle Bob had asked him to keep an eye on the personnel department from the point of view of the interns. The air of cockiness that that gave him was bordering on wreckless - but that had always been him - rick and with a silver spoon in his mouth - he need never work if he wanted - but there would be no fun in that. What he loved was being in control and making people do as he wished - it didn't matter if they wanted to or not.(strode around the house looking in all the rooms - he chooses his own one and then set about on making a few alterations to the rest of the house - he had left some belongings near the door and quickly brought them into the house. He moved to the drinks cabinet and replaced the mixers with his own collection of mixers - all of them spiked with vodka - even the soft drinks were spiked. He had a plan for the weekend and the following week, and He was going to have his fun.Finally, everything was done and ready he held the door handle to the large bathroom as the last of the superglue set - he smiled to himself - the only door in the entire house that now had a working lock was the door to his room. Just as he finished, and he moved to the breakfast bar in the kitchen he heard the doorbell - he smiled - the fun was about to begin. Kylie Summers had gone to college on an athletic scholarship, playing football for the university team. The team hadn’t been all that good, but it had meant a chance to go to college for Kylie and a chance for a bright future. A bright future that started now. Because, let’s face it, if this huge company wouldn’t let her stay at a fancy beach house if they didn’t have long-term plans for her, right? This place was amazing. Kylie couldn’t wait to lounge about in the house or go running along the beach. Of course, she had to put in some hard work in the coming week, but they had the weekend to enjoy themselves. Kylie had never met any of the other interns, but hopefully they would all get along. Kylie wasn’t a fan of intrigues or drama, she was the kind of girl who’d rather punch someone in the face. Not sure if she should just enter Kylie decided to ring the doorbell. She was wearing a summer dress and flip-flops, and she was bouncing gingerly as the door opened.“Hi!” she said, grinning at the guy opening the door. He was a cute one, and Kylie wasn’t going to object spending a week with him. “I’m Kylie Summers! I’m one of the interns!” she said with enthusiasm enough for the whole neighborhood. “This house is amazing, I can’t believe they are letting us stay here.”(( smiled broadly when he opened the door – yes he thought – very, very nice – her enthusiasm was contagious. “Ah yes – ‘Summer’ It’s a pleasure to welcome you here. Can I help you with you bag.” Trying to be as gentlemanly as he could, for now. Also, he was very keen to leave breadcrumbs of detail to indicate that he was in charge here and not just another intern. He had found the information pack that had been left for the house – read some of it quickly and then put it one of the drawers in his own room. He was going to enjoy this weekend. Welcoming Summer into the living room area – he offered her a drink – he was conscious to maintain eye contact with her when he spoke to her – one of his tricks. He started asking her lots of questions about herself – and football and stuff – and in even a few minutes he was managing the conversation. Then he moved closer – lowering his voice, not that it was needed at all.“Think of the entire weekend in fact the whole week as one huge interview – you never know who will be ultimately deciding on your career path – and I just know you are going to do well. I know you will. – So relax let your hair down and have fun over the weekend – show me your real self.” He smiled broadly showing his best side. The broad hint was that ‘He’ would be making the decisions._____________________________________________________________________(– arrived and was awed by the setting – she was so excited by the internship – she had literally been counting down the days. She was casually dressed in a tight top and a pair of shorts. She also rang the doorbell – and walked in the door, she immediately spotted Chris and Summer in the main room – “Hi Guys – I’m Steph pleasure to meet you. Isn't this all so exciting.” She held out her hand to shake hands with the two others. “Wow impressive house.” She said. Steph came for a hardworking middle class family they had scrimped and saved and done everything to get her to college – not that Steph ever acknowledged the effort – life had been fairly easy for her – she had been a good student and a cheerleader – with a good group of friends – as a family they weren’t rich, but they were comfortable and Steph had always taken full advantage. She knew she was considered pretty and used that. In every way she could – she was a student and enjoyed the student lifestyle – drinking and boys were all part of it. Now she was lucky enough to gain the internship. And this was a chance she was going to grab with both hands.“I’m a sociology major and am I looking to get into the marketing department.” She threw into the lively conversation as a by the way. Steph looked at the clean cut guy before her – he said very little about himself and kept asking questions about both girls – this was very unusual as most ‘boys’ just wanted to tell about their exploits and achievements, but he was different – maybe it was an act – but he seems genuinely interested in both of the girls – she hoped he was interested in her but so far he was showing both girls equal interest, which was just a tad frustrating.---------------------------------------------------Chris was in his element – two young ‘hotties’ – part of him wanted to lock the door there and then and carry the week with these two. He knew he was playing them – he kept making slight errors in the conversation like when talking about the company or management – he intermittently said “we”. “There will be a tour of the head office tomorrow Saturday – not too early at 12.00 – and a light lunch – and then ‘we’ will give ye a guided tour – we should all be back here at the house by 3.00 so plenty of time for the beach or stuff.” (was both charming and sexy, although there was something about him that Kylie quite couldn’t put her finger on. He was an excellent conversationalist, and he listened intently when Kylie told a few stories from college life on an athletic scholarship while sipping on the drink. The drink had a bit of a kick, but Kylie didn’t mind that. She was used to party hard when she partied, because you had to make the most of every party when you had a packed schedule like Kylie did. As Chris welcomed another girl, Steph, Kylie gave his last words some consideration. She hadn’t known someone from the company would be there, she had thought it was supposed to be interns only, so this changed the rules quite a lot. Chris had told her to just have fun over the weekend, and Kylie didn’t believe in putting on a phony facade, so having fun was what she would do. Joining Chris and the newcomer the three of them were soon talking and laughing as the girls told Chris all about their college lives. “Sociology? I was thinking about doing that,” Kylie said with a genuine smile. “Do you enjoy it?”- - - -Ellie Cavanaugh had just enough money to be stuck-up about it, but enough social skills to not be considered a total bitch. Borderline total bitch, sure, especially if she didn’t like someone, but she was nice enough as long as she got along with the people around here. That being said, she wasn’t here to make friends, she was here to land the internship.(the sports car outside the door Ellie didn’t bother bringing her own baggage, surely she could get someone else to do that, and walked straight into the house without ringing the doorbell. She was wearing skinny jeans and a top showing off her midriff and made the most out of what she had in the breast department. Ellie spotted the three that had already arrived, with one of the girls asking the other girl about sociology. That was a bit too nerdy for Ellie, sure she had a major like everyone else, but she wasn’t here to discuss academia.-- -- -- -- --(Faulkner wasn’t like the other interns. Unlike the others Bill didn’t really care if he got the internship or not, as he had always been somewhat of a free spirit and would rather spend the next years traveling the world and teaching English than doing an internship. But when he had received the offer he had decided to go check it out, worse case scenario he didn’t like what he saw, but he still got a week of living in a fancy beach house. That was a win in Bill’s book any day of the week. Driving an older car Bill realized just how old it looked compared to the fancy sports car already parked there. Not that he cared. Unlike Ellie, Bill parked the car out of the way, so it wouldn’t be in the way for anyone, and grabbed his bag and headed for the house. Wearing black shorts, a black California Republic t-shirt and sneakers Bill looked around, nodding to himself. This certainly was a nice house. Unlike the others he didn’t go in through the front door. Instead, he walked around the house checking out the garden and the beach. Yeah, this was a nice place for sure he thought as he sauntered down to the beach. Being from California he missed the beach, and he needed sand between his toes before he was ready to meet the others. (drove up in her Mini Cooper Car - to say that she was waiting for this day since the email stating that she was accepted. She wondered to herself was it real for people to get what they dream of ? Her background was patchy to say the least - she had sat in her bedroom for the last 5 years studying - working trying to gain every advantage she could this had been the target all along - this company was the holy grail - their advancement of women was stellar - and she had huge plans - all her eggs in one basket. The house was impressive, and she gathered her items as she approached the door - books - company manuals and her case and headed to the door - she knew that people considered her looks as a defining element to her, but she was hardworking and wanted that impression to be the lasting one. Dani pushed through the open door but knocked as she went in “Hi all” she stumbled - struggling with her load. She was greeted and quickly introduced to the small group - 3 other girls and a guy - the house was spectacular, from what she could see and tried to make small talk.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(- looked over all the group - a smile crossed his face that may have seemed charming - but his view of his prey was like a predator.“I think we are due one more person - but maybe we will start.” Again the air of knowledge and taking charge was intended to give a direct impression.“There is a twin room and 3 other rooms available -- just down the hallway there. I suggest ye get settled in and unpacked. I have takeout food and some drinks arriving at 6.00 so ye have some time to wander around - I’ll take food orders as well - I - ahem - The company has covered everything -Oh and there is one other thing - as you will be able to view lots of confidential information - I’m going to lock everyone's mobile phones in this drawer over here - This is about letting your hair down and having fun and letting everyone here getting to know the real you. The rooms at the end are for the boys - so sort yourselves out. “ He had tried to keep the girls out of the rooms with ensuite bathrooms as they would have to share the two bathrooms in the middle - he didn't want them to have the option of privacy. Chris gathered the phones and took takeout and drinks orders. Locking the phones in the drawer he then proceeded to help some of the girls with their belongings. Helping them to get settled“6.00 o clock food is arriving so time to get ready. “He left the girls and proceeded to his own room which he locked and immediately sat down at his laptop loaded up the 3 screens -The spy cameras One in the large bathroom - One in the first single bedroom and one in the twin room - his hope was that the girls would shower and get ready, and he would get to have a good view._______________________________________________________________________(- Looked at the girls clucking around Chris - what was this the miss universe pageant - one beauty after another - it's weird she thought, when she handed up her phone - what would this be. But she was here to go with the flow. She wanted her own room if possible - so gathering her stuff headed there immediately. The room was nice if a little small - she spent some time unpacking her stuff - but not too much - then she headed out - out the backdoor and straight onto the beach - as she walked onto the beach a guy approached the door walking in - “HI there I’m Steph - are you on this intern course as well ? Or another one of the leaders? “She asked innocently of the guy in front of her. He was toned and tall and good-looking maybe the weekend was looking up. (smiled at the pretty brunette. “Hey, Steph. Nice to meet you. I’m Bill, and I am indeed one of the interns.” Bill was in no hurry to be stuck inside the house, although it was a really nice house, so he put down his bag as well as the content of his pockets. “I am going to take a quick swim, you want to join me?” Seeing Steph in a bikini would be a great way to start off this week, and so would spending some one-on-one time with her be. Bill wasn’t worried about meeting the others right away, there would be plenty of time for that later. Besides, he preferred meeting people one-on-one as opposed to in a group.“You can’t go to the ocean and not swim in it, you know.”-- -- -- -- -- --Ellie being Ellie had moved quickly to secure a private room, no way she was going to share with someone. She could hear Kylie ask Dani all kinds of things and telling her how much fun it would be to share a room, what a liar. The room wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, but it would be more than fine for a week. She quickly removed her top and jeans and put them over a chair, walking around in a rather tiny g-string. Of course, had she known she was being spied on she probably wouldn’t have been so quick out of her clothes. Not that Ellie was a prude or anything, but it wasn’t like she was all about being spied on. In the end Ellie decided to put on a bikini and head out into the sun. She quickly pulled down her g-string, leaving herself standing naked in the room while searching for her bikini. For a while Ellie thought she had forgotten to pack it, but in the end she found it hiding inside a dress. Shaking her head Ellie put her bikini on and headed out to get some sun.(“Are you girls joining me?” she asked Dani and Kylie, who were still talking. “It is a criminal offense to stay inside on a day like this.” Kylie smiled at Dani. “What do you say? Want to jump into a bikini and get some sun?” (smiled - relieved in a way that this guy was not also management, he was cool - in so far as he didn’t appear flustered or rattled or anything an air of confidence surrounded him. She could not have done that - arrive kinda late and not be full of questions.“I’d love to she said - a quick swim could be wonderful. Maybe some of the others can join us - you can meet them while I get my swim stuff” she leads Bill back into the main room and introduced him to the 2 girls that were standing there still chatting like they were long-lost friends -“I’ve found this hunk wandering around outside - This is ‘Kylie’ and ‘Dani’ - don’t worry he's not another hunky evil spy - I’m just getting a swimsuit and heading for a swim.” Steph dashed into her room and without thinking immediately grabbed her green bikini instantly removed all of her clothing and was bikini clad in micro seconds - returning to the room with a towel wrapped around her slim waist.“I’m ready” she said giving anyone else who was coming a chance to gather anything they needed. Then it was a 40-step walk to the beach and the ocean - The beach was large but about ½ a mile along the beach they could see a pier and some buildings and obvious life - but where they were was very secluded and quiet, the sun was dipping, and it was not super hot but definitely warm enough to go for a swim. She hesitated at the edge of the water - threw the towel to the beautiful sand dipped her toe - shivered and then with abandon ran into the water as fast as she could shrieking all the way - Entering the water with a splash and instantly getting deep enough to swim.(- was having a kindred spirit chat with Kylie - whom she instantly hit it off with - sometimes that just happens with people - they had agreed to share a room but hadent even made it in yet. Their bags at their feet. When Steph and some random guy arrived in - the plan was to go swimming - “I’m not a great swimmer” Said Dani - “I need to unpack grab a shower, and I’ll follow ye out -“ The rest dispersed, and she went into the twin room and unpacked - checking out the shower room as well. She was feeling guilty that she had not been studying and was concerned at that - but she needed the shower. Unpacked she grabbed her stuff and headed to the larger shower room - there she took her time - The door wouldn't close at all never mind lock which was strange - so she pushed her clothing against it. She turned on the water hot and taken a luxurious shower - shampooing - conditioning her hair. She exited the shower after some minutes and was just reaching for the towel when she noticed the door was open and there was someone outside she could see them through the open door ! Furthermore, she quickly grabbed a towel but whomever it was gone. She dressed a lovely summer dress and strode onto the beach - she had passed Chris in the main room who was playing pool on the lovely table that was there. “Hi - I’m just going to the beach - will be back in time for food - 6.00 you said “She left for the beach and watched the others as they swam and sunbathed. After they returned to the house she went for a stroll on the beach alone.(was hunched over the computer screen watching Ellie disrobing - he was videoing the scene and also screen grabbing still shots as well. He smiled with delight. Then he turned his attention to the other camera - as pretty soon the Blonde girl was heading to the shower - the camera in there was perfectly placed, and he got some great footage - when she took out her razor and started shaving her pussy - he had a massive hard on. He was tempted to go to her - so he left his room and pushed the bathroom door open just a crack - ensuring nobody was around - spying on her even though the camera was filming everything - then as she exited the shower he dashed into the main room and went over to shoot some pool. He didn't think she had spotted him - when she came out after a while he was still playing alone." Yes 6.00 - have fun -" He continued playing a smile on his face. (“Told you the water was great,” Bill laughed. He had followed Steph into the water and was now floating around just enjoying the moment. It wasn’t everyday you got to go swimming with a beautiful girl like Steph.“So where are you from, Steph?” he asked her. “I’m from California myself,” he offered. “From this small town on the coast, so I grew up in the water. I spent so much time surfing. Do you think we could make a bonfire here? I used to love going to bonfires at the beach.” Bill grinned at the memories. “You know what the best part about the bonfires were? There were always some hot girls who just had to go skinny-dipping,” he laughed.-- -- -- -- --(was soon bored with sun tanning, and she decided to go back into the house to check it out. She was surprised when she heard a noise, as she thought everyone was at the beach, so naturally she went to investigate.“Why aren’t you on the beach?” Ellie asked Chris when she saw him playing billiard by himself. That was a bit sad, wasn’t it? Sort of a loser move. Ellie shrugged internally, not her problem. Ellie was still wearing that tiny bikini of hers as she leaned over the billiard table. “You know,” she said, taking a sip of her water bottle, “you are not very good at this game. But that’s okay, because neither am I.” Ellie was just making conversation at this point. She was debating whether she was going to take a shower, or at least put on some more clothes. She could tell Chris liked her bikini though, so it wasn’t like she was in any rush to cover up. "I'm from Seattle" she said as they semi stood / floated. The moment he mentioned bonfires her eyes sparkled - this was a lovely idea -"Maybe a Barbecue" she piped then she continued the conversation trying to keep it going. Then he mentioned the skinny-dipping"Wow" - she said "I went to south of France last summer with my family - and everybody was skinny-dipping there was a complete nudie beach - I must admit there is something special about swimming in the sea in the nude." Steph was happy to be flirting with Bill - here they were 50 meters from the main beach, and she decided to ratchet it up a bit." Its just skin - See"Peek(that she dropped her bikini top enough for Bill to gain a good look at her exposed breasts. She knew that she was not a big girl, but her breasts were perky and the cold of the water made her nipples erect. With that she splashed him with water and swam away maybe 10 feet." I'm up for skinny-dipping anytime - maybe we will set that fire, later tonight - you might even take the plunge"___________________________________________________________________________________________(smiled at the beautiful nymph like girl in front of him." Just sorting some paperwork. And I ordered the food." he beamed not thinking of it for a second "Maybe I need the practice - I may not be good at pool - but I'm working on it." his thinking was that the self-deprecating approach might work - he knew that in general girls liked it. His eyes moved to look at Ellie's cleavage as she bent over the table her tiny bikini aching to be ripped off." I think - I'm only bad at the pool since you came in - you're a total distraction you know - how could anyone play pool now." He stood up straight and moved closer to her - his 6ft frame coming a little too close for standard conversation. He gently reached up with his fingers and touched her elbow." I mean there is far better things that we could be doing just now." his voice becoming softer as he got progressively closer. His hand moving to her back as he felt the softness under his fingertips." A Kiss would be nice for a start" he said as he moved his face towards hers. (could easily imagine Steph frolicking in the sea completely naked. Now that was something he wouldn’t mind seeing for himself.“I have never been to France,” Bill said, smiling. He wanted to go to Europe though, and just travel around there for like a year. “But I love swimming naked,” he admitted as his eyes grew slightly larger when Steph flashed her breasts to him.”Very nice,” he grinned. “And you say you are up for skinny-dipping anytime?” A mischievous grin formed on his face. “Let’s find out if you are…” he said, reaching underneath the water and pulling his shorts off. Holding them up in the air he grinned at Steph. “Anytime was it?” he teased her, curious as to how she would react.-- -- -- -- --(laughed softly as Chris put the moves on her. Sure, he was a cutie and all that but he was hardly boyfriend-material. But Ellie could definitely see some use for him, or at least a use for certain body parts he was in possession of…“I don’t kiss on the first date,” Ellie laughed as she slipped away from him. “Well, I don’t kiss you on the mouth to be exact,” she clarified as she got down on her knees in front of Chris. He was cute enough, she was bored enough, so why not suck his cock? Ellie quickly reached out and grabbed his shorts, pulling them down to expose his cock. “Not bad,” she smiled, looking up at him as her hands found his cock. “Not bad at all…” she said as she took his cock in her mouth, loving how it turned hard in her mouth. (giggled her best girlie giggle as he moved in the water and removed his shorts - she couldn't see anything in the waves but when his shorts appeared in his hands she burst into a laugh -"I think I'm going to like you" she said knowing that she was going to like him. "OK" she said as she dipped under the water and removed her bikini top entirely springing up and exposing her breasts to him with a broad smile - "Here a trade ?" she said as she approached him and held out her bikini top in her hand. She was exposing her top half now completely giving him a full view. She was hoping he would give her his shorts and she would leave him the bikini top.__________________________________________________________________________________(stretched his head back as she engulfed his cock in her mouth. This was a surprise but a more than welcome one - A broad smile on his face. He loved the fact that she was looking up at him and maintaining eye contact as she sucked down on him. His member was fully erect now - and his temptation to push into her mouth was intense. He placed his hands on her head running his fingers through her hair. How deep she was taking him was up to her. But this was an exceptional start to the weekend - He tried to remember - her name was 'Ellie' wasn't it."Wow, Ell that's it that's amazing".____________________________________________ (walked on the beach and turned around the pier and town were closer than she anticipated - which was good - she could see the house - the almost empty beach was wonderful and a real positive. She walked back - as she did she spotted Kylie and immediately made a beeline for her - was she a kindred spirit ? She hoped so - and they had a great rapport so far. The continued their friendly conversation. Whatever way she looked she saw the other girl and the guy swimming together - she noticed that the girl was topless at this stage - she looked on watching - she smiled as it was obviously some game - but she and Kylie had a full view of what was happening. “Damn…” Bill said approvingly as Steph showed him her breasts. Her breasts were lovely to look at, and he really wanted to reach out and touch them. Or, even better, kiss them. Bill was very much into breasts, but what man wasn’t?“Sure thing,” he smiled, giving her his shorts while grabbing her top, not even considering why Steph wanted to trade her top for his shorts. “You know, it’s not really skinny-dipping if you are still wearing your bottoms,” he teased her, still not in any hurry to look away from her breasts…-- -- -- -- --(the beach, Kylie and Dani were watching the show. Kylie really liked Dani, and was more than happy to share a room with her. Having someone you clicked with was just awesome in general really.“Steph sure looks good topless,” Kylie giggled. She was wearing a bikini, looking good as hell according to herself. “I kinda want to go snorkeling,” she joked, obviously hinting about getting a good look at the very naked Bill.-- -- -- -- --Ellie smiled up at Chris. She was enjoying his cock a lot, and it was obvious that she was enjoying her mouth as well.“Good,” she smiled when Chris said it was amazing. She even let the whole ‘Ell’ thing pass as she removed her bikini top to show Chris her breasts. Of course, she had no idea he had already seen her naked due to the hidden cameras…“You like my breasts?” she asked, jerking his cock slowly looking up at her. “I want you to cum on them…” she giggled before letting his cock slide deep into her mouth, taking as much as she could have his cock into her mouth. (the white shorts - she paused for a moment and then started running through the water heading for the beach and the dry land. She was completely unconcerned with her hopelessness, and quickly she was running past Kylie and Dani - a broad smile on her face - laughing. She was half expecting Bill to chase her - she sprinted up the beach her breasts bouncing gently. She dropped the shorts on the porch outside the house. Almost like a flag. The smile on her face was a picture.----------------Dani and Kylie stood on the beach and watched Steph as she ran past them - immediately they turned to watch the water and see what Bill would do -----------------"I love your Breasts" beamed Chris "Exquisite" Chris could feel his cock pulsing as he approached his orgasm - he bet Ellie could taste his precut as it began to tense - Chris's breath became shallower as his body tensed. He withdrew his cock from her mouth, and he began to shoot his load all over the prone girl. His eyes rolled as he enjoyed his intense orgasm. Ellie would feel the warm seed splash over her body.----------------Steph ran into the house quickly across the room and immediately spotted the display in front of her. Ellie on her knees and Chris spurting hot spunk all over her breasts - obviously receiving a lively blowjob. ("Hey, girls!" Bill called out. "Could one of you be so kind as to bring me my shorts?" He should have seen that one coming, but Steph's breasts had been too much of a distraction. He would have loved seeing her run across the beach topless from a better angle, and he had already decided that he would have to get revenge on Steph. A fun revenge with lots of nudity, but that went without saying really... Bill saw that the girls were giggling, and he could hear Kylie tell Dani that she definitely shouldn't help Bill out. "Come on!" Kylie shouted. "Give us a show!" Oh well, he might as well own it. Emerging from the waves Bill did nothing to hide his manhood, luckily the water wasn't ice-cold, as he walked towards the girls. "Is this enough of a show?" he asked the giggling girls.-- -- -- -- --(loved the feeling of Chris' warm cum all over her tits. "Yeah, spray my tits with your cum," she said in a many voice, looking up at him before taking his cock in her mouth again sucking it all clean. Ellie loved the taste of the cum in her mouth and she was smiling as she got up. "That was fun," she purred as she turned her head towards Steph. Shit!" Steph?" Ellie said, surprised as hell. "How long have you been watching?" Both Dani and Kylie stood there smirking and giggling as Bill stroke confidently past them on full display leaving nothing to the imagination. They had not moved as he requested they get his pants - as they stood there giggling. When he passed by - both girls turned to watch him from behind "Nice buns" whispered Dani - half giggling - as she saw the moment for what it was a - bit of fun." Nice cock" Said Kylie - which brought both girls to a fit of giggling. They really were on the same wavelength. Bill strode towards the house -----------------------------Chris let out an audible sigh with the final blast of his emissions he loved to see Ellie painted with his cum - her sultry voice asking for her breasts to be sprayed - was an intense experience. Then he heard Ellie and he saw Steph. Ellie's comment was not as he had expected - it wasn't embarrassed nor shocked it was more matter of fact, inquisitive. This made him smile. Here she was covered in his cum and not a moment of hesitation. A Topless Steph feet away obviously getting a superb look. He reached down and began to pull up his shorts - just as a Naked Bill strode into the room as well.---------------------------Steph almost forgot her own state - dripping wet topless and giggling as she walked into the room and saw the sight before her. Chris dripping the last of his cum onto an obviously grateful Ellie. She would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that her first instinct was to walk over to the couple and join in - what was she thinking - lick the cum off Ellie's luscious breast ? Clean up Chris's cock. ? Why were they her first instincts. She paused looking listening watching. - when Ellie turned and said 'how long have you been watching'? Steph smiled and responded - "Wow - I thought dinner was being delivered later on - didn't know the sauce was homemade." With that she walked over to Ellie snaked body reached down with her finger and touched it off the sperm on Ellie's breast. Scooping a fingertip of cum up she brought it to her lips and tasted it."Ah, I see the 2021 vintage"She then giggled and turned away - noticing Bill behind her naked - "Oh Bill-you ..... you look great. I'm going to grab a quick shower - I hope food will be here soon."heading to the shower.----------------Chris looked on in amazement as Steph skipped into the bathroom -"I'll make sure dinner is soon. " Then he looked at Bill - wet naked before him, they hadn't met before now - "HI man I'm Chris - nice to meet you." He held his hand out to Ellie - trying to help her up. The two other girls appeared at the door - What a weekend this was going to be.(It had been quite the day so far and Kylie felt like such an innocent girl as she was showering. Ellie had already sucked Chris' cock, Steph had been running around topless and Bill had shown them his cock (which she would love to suck). So far herself and Dani were the good girls at the house, but Kylie had plans for that to change. She didn't think that Steph had claimed Bill for herself, nor that Ellie had claimed Chris, but if they had, they would just have to live with a bit of competition." So what did you think about Bill's cock?" Kylie asked Dani as she stepped naked out of the shower so that Dani could use the shower. "I wouldn't mind a taste," she laughed. "Maybe we could even share it?" she teased Dani as she had picked up on Dani being a lot more innocent than the other girls there, and she wanted to help her have a good time. So, naturally, Kylie teased her.-- -- -- -- --(Ellie and Bill were hanging out in the kitchen, having put plates and whatnot on the table, they were now enjoying drinks. Ellie, who had worked as a bartender, knew how to make all kinds of tasty drinks, and she wasn't afraid to make them really strong. Strong enough that Bill was already feeling a bit of a buzz. They were talking about random things, and Bill had been telling her all about how he wanted to travel the world instead of doing an internship. Ellie filed this as useful information and encouraged him to follow his dreams, as that would mean less competition for her to get that internship. Chris made his way to his room and immediately started filming the Bathrooms - Steph - was a wild one that's for sure - but Ellie was superb - he kept thinking the ratio was exactly right. He rang the caterers to make sure the food was on the way - then he quickly showered and put on a tailored shirt and pants - he brought along a jacket but didn't put it on - preparing in case it got cold later on. A quick check of the cameras and he exited for the dinner show._____________________Steph - showered to remove the sand and then put on a Red dress that she had with her - she liked it because it was maintenance free almost and didn't need ironing and showed off her figure. She had small but pert breasts, but her athletic figure was her pride and joy. She enjoyed the game in the water and was surprised to find the scene she did once she arrived in - but she thought her tasting of the cum from Ellie's Body was a playful touch. Furthermore, she was glad Bill had seen that display as well - he had a fine body, and she was sure she would get to see it again later that night. She thought that tonight she would let her hair down and enjoy - the real work on the internship didn't start until Monday.(was in the room share with Kylie - Kylie was discussing Bills cock - but Dani tried to deflect from the conversation - “Oh I just saw his bum - but that was nice“ she commented “I’m not interested in boys this week - I’m here for the internship and nothing else - I feel really guilty I didn't do some study this afternoon. Once the girls had prepared Dani put on her nicest black dress(followed Kylie out.___________________________________________________All the gang sat around the table drinking the cocktails prepared by Ellie - when the food arrived Chris made a big show of signing for the bill - even though he knew it was paid for by the company. The meal was good and the wine and drinks flowed. A caterer arrived in and whisked away all the plates and everything leaving the group with just the drinks and themselves. Steph found the music system and was playing some cool upbeat music but not too loud. I know said Dani - “Lets play a game of pool“ her first main interjection of the night - “My brother was a whiz, and he taught me some. Who will play me ?” The group slowly moved to that part of the house. Kylie ended up playing a few rounds against Dani, getting her ass whipped, while people kept drinking. Ellie did an excellent job of keeping a drink in everybody's hand at all times. Ellie seemed to have picked Steph as her favorite, or victim, as she kept giving her all kinds of drinks to taste. Strong drinks, so it didn't take long before Steph was the drunkest there. Sure, Kylie was really drunk as well. Bill, who seemed to have a high tolerance of alcohol, was just tipsy so far. Ellie, who also had a high tolerance, was doing her best to break that tolerance down by taking whiskey shots and was soon really drunk as well." Come on, Dani!" Ellie laughed. "You are going to love this shot so much I made you three of them," Ellie laughed as she just got an idea. "Back at my college we had this tournament. Strip-billiard. Every time you lost a game you had to remove one piece of clothing. We should do that!"" Hell yeah!" Kylie agreed. "We are going to strip the guys!" she laughed before almost falling over when she tripped over a chair. Bill looked over at Chris, grinning. "We are going to crush them!" he laughed. (- had always been a bot of a party girl in college and was not afraid to drink and have a party - she was drinking heavily and was quite drunk, and she was dancing to the music and appreciating that much more than she was of the pool game. She was at the point of drunkenness that was almost right - a few more drinks, and she could get to a position that who knows what could happen. "Sure I'll play" even though she had no idea how to play - "I think mixed teams - I need help in holding this stick, and I'm afraid I might grab the wrong stick and get into trouble" she started giggling at her own joke - and the infectious of her laugh lightened the mood. She had also made a few jokes during the night between Chris and Ellie all about Cream and spillages - none of which were funny. She was conscious that her entire clothing was 3 items (excluding shoes) Dress panties and bra." We need rules - and forfeits - who can come up with forfeits."________________________________________________Chris - had deliberately tried to not get drunk - he was trying to control himself and was delighted with the progress of the evening - the level of drunkenness was just right -He had enjoyed the evening and had even played a few games of pool - his conversations with Bill had been brief, and he had been trying to maintain eye contact with Ellie but even-though they had shared an intimate moment together she was not clingy or anything. He was drinking and helped Kylie up from the floor when she tripped -"Yay"He said - "strip Billiards - we have to get the ball in the right hole""Bill can you set the rules"._______________________________________________Dani took the 3 shots one after the other - she was shy and socially awkward tried to concentrate on the pool - at least there was something she was good at and could beat all the girls easily. She, too, was concerned about the strip billiards as she had fewer clothes on than Steph - she had just her dress and panties, even her shoes were in her room." I'll play" she said almost hesitantly as she drank the shots - but she really was uncomfortable.______________________________________________Steph - took center stage again -"How about first person naked has to run onto the beach and run to the water and back again - that's forfeit number 1" Bill waited until everybody was listening to him. "Okay, so these are the rules. In this bowl we will put our names on a piece of paper, and we will draw who will play against each other. To make it fair you won't put your name back into the bowl until the bowl is empty. So for example, Dani and Ellie are playing each other. If Dani wins Ellie needs to remove one piece of clothing. If Ellie wins, Dani has to remove one piece of clothing instead. When someone is naked they keep playing, but if they lose again they have to do a forfeit instead." Bill quite liked Steph's idea. "But the first person naked will have to do the forfeit Steph suggested the same round they lose their last piece of clothing. You know, it has to hurt a bit extra to be the first one naked." The others seemed to like the rules, so Bill wrote everybody's names on a piece of paper and drew the first two names. "So the first game will be between Steph and me." Bill grinned at Steph. "Ready to lose?" He was feeling confident, and he had three pieces of clothing. His shorts, boxer shorts and a t-shirt." The next game will be between Kylie and Chris," Bill said after drawing two more names. "Which leaves Dani and Ellie for the last match." The first game was between Steph and Bill. Steph had a hard time hitting anything, while Bill played calmly and when he got the opportunity to sink the 9-ball he took it. "Told you I was going to win," he smirked at Steph, who was the first loser of the night. Next up was Kylie and Chris. Kylie never had a chance against Chris who played a nearly perfect game, leaving Kylie with only one shot which she missed." Booo!" Ellie called out. "We are supposed to strip the guys!" she laughed as she got ready to play against Dani. Ellie didn't have much hope of winning against Dani, seeing as the girl could play billiard really well. Ellie had played her fair share as well, but she was a medium player at best. However, Ellie could tell right away that she was having a good game when she was actually pocketing balls. Of course, Dani did the same thing. But when only the 9-ball was left on the table Dani missed a difficult shot. Ellie knew her shot would be hard, really hard, but she decided to go for it. She missed the pocket, but lucky for her the ball bounced back and into the pocket on the other side of the table. Which meant that Dani had lost." That means Steph, Kylie and Dani has to remove one piece of clothing," Bill said." We need to make a bit of a show out of it," Ellie chimed in. (was feeling even more perturbed when Ellie was matching her in the game of pool - she had beaten her every time so far, but now Ellie had a chance of defeating her in the most important game - When Ellie pooled the wining shot - Dani's heart sunk - maybe she should not have taken part at all - she bot her lower lip and gave the impression that she was not comfortable at all. Kyle spotted her discomfort and sidled up to her -"I have no bra on - just dress and panties" confessed Dani. Steph also approached the two girls so they had a little group - "You'll be fine" she said to Dani. The turned to the Boys -"Listen we demand a handicap - so Boys - we need shirts off as an advantage." She was sure that the boys would be happy to at least help ease Dani's discomfort. She turned to Kylie and Dani - "Right when we are ready we do a 1,2,3 remove dresses. "Chris beamed when he spotted the 3 girls lined up - and when asked by Steph - he had no problem in removing his shirt - he looked at Bill who he expected to comply also. Then the attention turned to the 3 girls lined up. Steph immediately whipped off her dress - exposing a wonderful black lacy lingerie set. Her beaming smile showing her pride in her body. Dani was much slower in removing her dress and that drew more attention to her - she sheepishly stood there in just her briefs eyes downcast - shuffling between covering her hands over her breasts which were wonderful and pert and showed her wonderful body." Time for a Round of Shots." chimed Steph "and then we will have Round 2" (waited until Dani had removed her dress before doing the same, showing off her breasts proudly. She was only wearing a tiny pair of panties now, and she was loving the attention.“You look super-hot, Dani.” Kylie smiled encouragingly at Dani, knowing how far Dani was out of her comfort zone right now. After everyone had taken a new round of shots Bill drew two names from the bowl. “Chris versus Kylie, let’s see if Kylie will end up naked!” Kylie didn’t have a good game against Chris, and she felt certain she was going to lose, but then she had the luckiest shot ever. She missed horrible trying to sink the number 5 ball. But as the number 5 ball missed the pocket by some margin it did hit the 9-ball hard enough to send it into the pocket. She had won and Chris had lost!“YES!” she called out, jumping up and down and making her breasts bounce like crazy. The next match was between Dani and Steph. Even though Dani didn’t play a good game she did enough to win, meaning Step was going to remove her bra after the last game.(left Bill and Ellie. There was never any real competition in this game. Ellie kept messing up on the few occasions she got the chance, while Bill once again played a solid game and won easily.“Chris, Steph and Ellie, get ready to strip!” Ellie was the first one this time, removing her dress and showing off her breasts to the gang. It wasn’t the first time they had seen them, and last time she had a cock in her mouth, so hardly that big of a deal, right? (group could sense Dani's shy undertones to the proceedings - she was more reticent than anything else, and surely it was the drinks that were making sure she was smiling and giggling along with the others. When Kylie and Steph and also Ellie were all topless she felt more comfortable but still the sense that all eyes were on her was burning her. Her win against Steph at least set her mind at rest, but she could feel the eyes of all and especially the boys on her as she bent over to take the pool shots - once or twice her breasts touched the cloth of the table as she reached for a shot and on one occasion she saw Chris sit down deliberately so that he could view her from behind. At this stage Bill was the only one with more than 1 item of clothing on - she had a 1 in 5 chance of being selected as the loser and if she understood correctly the forfeit would be to firstly strip and then run naked to the town main street. The thought of that just made her cringe inside - it was not late = people would be around outside - she would be seen - her stomach churned - she turned to Kylie who seemed more than comfortable being topless and having the boys Google her "I don't know about this at all!"-----------------------------------Steph was dancing to the music and was fully aware she was quite drunk and additionally had zero chance of winning any pool matches - she had accepted her fate that she was going to end up naked - she moved over to Bill and hugged him - feeling his broad shoulders - "I think we are all going to be naked in a little while - you will get to see what you missed earlier on -" she eyed him up and down - reaching her hand inside his shorts and briefs - looking down his waistband - she said "And you Mr snake I will get a closer look at you too." She placed her hand on his cock and gave it a quick squeeze holding it in her hand briefly - Then she giggled and sidled away pretty sure her involvement would cause some stirring in Bills member._-------------------------------------Chris was standing in his boxer briefs which were straining at the fabric - he was loving watching the girls especially when they were bending over to make the next pool shot. The naked flesh in the air and the general drunken atmosphere was intoxicating in itself - he turned and came next to Ellie - reaching out his hand he placed it on her side just below her breast - moving his hand up slowly and placing his fingers on her breast complete - before moving it away slowly lingeringly - touching it with his thumb. "Ellie - This is only the start - I think once some people are naked we should continue playing and play a game of looser forfeit - what DI you think can you think of any forfeits ?........... I can lots and lots of them for you anyway." (“You are doing great, Dani!” Kylie encouraged her new friend. “It’s just a bit of fun. Besides, even if you lose the next round there will be at least one other person running with you. It’s only Bill who isn’t in danger of getting naked next round.” Kylie gave Dani a good hug, not caring that their breasts ended up touching. “In twenty years you are going to look back at this night as one of the best nights of your life, I promise!”“We should definitely continue and do forfeits,” Ellie agreed loudly. Bill looked up, having been distracted by Steph touching his cock. That was all it took to make him rock hard, which was no wonder with everything going on here right now. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Let’s do forfeits, they are fun!”(was in agreement, although Dani looked a bit scared. Good thing Kylie was there to encourage her. “Okay, so the next match is between Ellie and me. It turned out to be a closely fought match, but in the end Ellie managed to sink the 9-ball. Not that it mattered for Bill though, he would still have his boxer shorts on and there would be people losing their last item of clothing in both of the next two matches.“Next up is Chris and Kylie!” Bill was hoping for Chris to win, because he would rather have Kylie get naked than Chris, for obvious reasons. But no such luck. Kylie managed to sink the 9-ball with a one in a million shot, leaving Chris with the forfeit of having to do a naked run to town. The question was, who would join him? Steph or Dani? Considering that Steph was drunk and could hardly play when sober it should have been an easy win for Dani. But poor Dani was so nervous she could hardly keep the cue still, so it turned out to be a long match filled with a lot of misses. In fact, when Dani finally managed to sink the 9-ball it was by sheer luck instead of skill. Bill quickly pulled down his shorts, and while in his boxer shorts. “Steph and Chris, you are to run along the beach to town and then return again. Remember to smile at the cameras,” Bill laughed. Ellie laughed too. “Hey Steph! I dare you to suck him off on the beach!” she challenged Steph, just to see how she would react to the challenge. (moved forward and stood in the middle of the room. She knew all eyes were on her "Here we go!" she said as she quickly put her fingers in the waistband of her black lingerie and quickly and smoothly pulled her underwear down and off in one quick movement. She stood straight and held out her underwear in on outstretched hand. "Ta The" she yelled. A beaming smile on her face. Steph was comfortable in her body and was proud of it, Certainly her drunkenness assisted her openness -"Come on Bill - show us the lodger again." looking at Bill, knowing that his cock was semi erect and that this may embarrass him. But someone pointed out it was Chris was the other looser. Steph stood there naked with a pout on her face. The eyes of the room then turned to Chris - who in turn pulled down his shorts to reveal a fine cock his toned body and V had the girls transfixed - of course Dani - looked away quickly averting her eyes.("Right" said Steph - "what's the forfeit - run to the town?" Steph was assisted by one of the girls in putting on her sneakers - while Chris also put his on. Chris's camera phone was in Kylie's hand - and Bill still had his own as they cheered the couple out the door and onto the path to town. They held hands for a while and eventually disconnected - Steph was looking across to watch Chris's cock bobbing around as he ran. They quickly sped down the road - and as they passed a couple walking hand in hand against them, they looked a sight. It was when they passed the restaurant with the open air tables and that it was fairly full - that was when the embarrassment began to kick in. Once they turned back the people at the restaurant had their camera phones out and were filming - Steph waving at them did nothing to distract from the atmosphere of fun and joviality. Half way back to the house Steph had to stop running - and Chris stopped to wait for the girl." Bet you didn't expect the night to turn like this"Once back at the house now just jogging the group were at the door hooping and hollering and filming their approval. Once they arrived back in Chris said -"OK everyone strip - let's get started on these forfeits "

Interns Play Billiards|rating:2.0

The Perfect Secretary (CaptainErotica & Queen Of Hell)

Barry Goldman sat behind his thick mahogany desk glaring at the computer screen. Rubbing his hands over his bleary eyes he read the email again. Barry, The International Corporate Training Association will be holding another one of their seminars next week. As you are well aware, these ICT seminars are designed to showcase the world's top movers and shakers in the corporate world. This year they are going all-in on the female empowerment angle, with only women being invited to the seminar. I know, I know silly, right? But, this is the world we live in now, and we need to accept it. We need to provide a candidate and we both know who it should be. Ms. Legions is already one of our top employees and sounds like just what the ICT is looking for this year. Make it happen Barry. Once she agrees to attend the seminar, get in touch with me and I will set up all the travel arrangements. Sincerely, Kristen R. Kringle CEO and Co-Owner Goldman, Kringle, and Finch Closing out the email, Barry laced his fingers together and used them as a crutch for his goatee chin. Elena was good at her job. Too good sometimes. The woman was a looker too, many a man’s wet dream. That being the case the rumors of how she had risen so high in the ranks here at GK&F were the subject of water-cooler gossip throughout the four-story office building where they made their living. Of course, none of them were true. The woman was as pure as they came, though he would not go so far as to label her prude. They had never had the pleasure of discussing her sex life, but Barry suspected that Elena might be a firecracker in the bedroom. She was certainly one here at the office. Kristen was right. She deserved this chance to showcase her talents and prove to the world that women did belong in the workforce. Whether the men liked it or not.“Amy,” Barry paged his secretary. “Please send Ms. Legions to my office ASAP.”“right away Mr. Goldman.”“Thank you, sweetheart.” Barry leaned back in his leather office chair and sighed as he waited for Elena to arrive. It was getting late in the day already for all of them and Elena was nearly going on the autopilot through her remaining workload for the day, her brain somehow managing to separate the thoughts of getting some long awaited rest over the weekend from the flow of things that needed to be done. It was a well-paying job, the one she was doing for the last three years, but there was a ton of responsibility either, and sometimes it was almost a burden. It took the woman a bit to realize that the phone on her desk was beeping its intercom, and she answered it nearly a nanosecond before the call was ended. Hearing Amy on the other end, personal secretary to Barry Goldman, telling her to haul ass up to one of the three top dogs for "a date" right this moment wasn't exactly a ported for some Netflix and chill, yet it would give her some break nevertheless. Sighing, Elena got up and swiped her phone from the desk, shoving it in the pocket of her slacks, making her way over to Goldman's office, Amy waving her to enter the moment she saw her." You wanted to see me, boss?" She inquired politely in a bland tone, neither happy and excited, nor droopy. First, she needed to know what was the haste and if someone in her department had fucked up. Then she'd assume the proper line of action. Watching the woman enter his office. So full of confidence, so sure of herself. And rightfully so. Very few women had what it took to rise to the top in this profession. Most of the women near the top of the food chain had gotten there by eating their way to the top. One dick at a time. But not, Elena. The woman had gotten this far on her talent alone. So far as he was aware she had not slept with a single employee to get here, even though many had undoubtedly tried. Barry himself might have even made an attempt himself if not for his quick realization that Elena was a woman not to be trifled with. The woman was one of those girls that could look just as hot in a pair of jeans and a sweater as she could in a million-dollar evening gown. Sending her to this Seminar was akin to terminating her as there was no doubt in his mind that a job offer with a hefty pay increase would be offered at the end. She would be stupid to not accept such an offer. It was going to be almost impossible to replace her. Barry did not want to let her go, but she had earned this chance. You could say what you wanted to about Barry Goldman, but one thing he prided himself on was being a fair and open-minded boss. He was proud of Elena, even if he had never really shown it." Elena. Please have a seat." He gestured at the chair in front of his desk. "I assume you have you heard about the International Corporate Training Association? Well, they are holding one of their world-famous seminars. They have asked us to send one of our best female employees. And you are the very best. So what do you say? Up for a two-week vacation on a secluded island getaway? Elena nodded at the invitation and sat down in that chair Barry indicated to her, relaxing in it a little, throwing one leg over another, and listening with intent to what he had to say. Every person that works for another to make one's living has that gnawing feeling inside that every chat with a superior can be the last one, and it'd be good if you'd end up thrown out on the streets. It's irrational in most people - it's far from everyone being a thief and a fraudster and whatever else, but it's still there, ancient respect toward your pack's alpha. And if you're self-employed, then this fear of your employer gets replaced by that of an inspection, police, whatever else... Elena had it stifled long ago, especially the day she reached her position, and while that prickling sensation tried to poke its way to the surface of her feelings right now, it was quickly shoved down under again - the conversation was going to be a pleasant one. That, and she had nothing to fear in the first place." Yeah, I've heard a thing or two. Didn't pay much attention, though. I always treated it like Chinese scientific spam - it's there, and it's actually genuine, but nobody cares. But... Are you trying to get rid of me, boss?" She smiled at Barry, poking fun at his last sentence." Kidding aside, I'm bloody overworked. Another month, and I'll break one way or another - I can feel my limits straining. So, yeah, even if I haven't planned it this time of the year, I think I might enjoy one." Did Elena even realise how attractive she was? Was she aware that she gave off sexual vibes without even trying? The way she sat even now, with one leg over the other. When a man took up such a position it was a show of power, or so Barry believed. When a woman sat the very same way it just came off sexy as hell, perhaps because women were often wearing skirts and not slacks. For Barry, it always felt like an unspoken challenge. See my lovely legs? If you can pry them open you can have the sacred treasure buried between my thighs. The man across the desk blinked, shaking his head slightly, trying to dislodge those ideas from his head. It would take a crowbar and a few sticks of dynamite to crack those thighs open." Oh yeah, sure." Barry quipped back. "I've been waiting a long time to finally get rid of my best employee." Sighing the man looked down wistfully as he slid a manila envelope across the desk. "All the information is in there, along with plane tickets and other travel arrangements." Standing he came across the table and extended his hand. "Enjoy yourself, Elena. You've earned it." Elena noticed the look that Barry gave her as she talked to him. As it was usual, when you're found sexually attractive, people talk mostly to your breasts or legs, not to your face. Her smile got a little bit wider as she caught that, and wished she went for a skirt suit and some stockings instead of a pair of slacks this morning, but oh well." I knew that. It was literally written on your face for the last two years that you're looking for just the perfect way of kicking me out." The woman winked at Barry as she leaned forward to pick up the envelope, but before she could take a peek in, she had to get up and shake the hand offered to her. She didn't let go for a bit." Thank you... Barry... You know, it is not set in stone that I'm leaving after this strange gig is over. It could come out to be something awful that I'll just walk away from, nose high in the air, disgust written on my face." Elena finally ended the handshake. From everything I’ve heard about their seminars awful and disgust are not adjectives used to describe them.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled up at the woman. “Some of the more popular would be eye-opening, life changing and career defining. You go and enjoy yourself. You’ve earned it.” Barry waited a few minutes to ensure Elena was not going to come back into the office, before reaching for his phone. “It’s done. Ms. Legions has agreed to attend the seminar….. Yep…. Me too, I just hope she decided to stay with us when it is over. Losing her would be a pretty big blow to portfolio…. Lunch at The Marriott? Sure I’ll be there.” Inside the manila envelope were Elena’s instructions. A car would pick her up outside her home at seven-thirty tomorrow morning and bring her to a small private airstrip. From there it would be a four-hour flight in a Gulf stream G700 private jet to ICT’s private resort island, which was located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Upon arrival the guests would be shown to their rooms to freshen up, prior to a lunch banquet followed up by a tour of the resort. The seminar was to start the next day. Everything was taken care of. All Elena had to do was make sure she was packed and ready to go, when the car arrived in the morning. A few thousand miles away, Hank Nordstrom was seated at his desk in his personal suite, staring at the images on his screen. Twelve gorgeous women running the gamut from buxom blond to fiery redhead to dark haired beauties. The contestants for the second season of the underground reality game show Office Sluts. Not aired on any network, the episodes were only available on a highly secret fetish website, at a price range that very few people in the world could afford. Elena Legions, he read the name underneath the image of their newest contestant. The image would not have looked out of place at a beauty pageant. No doubt this woman was one of the sexiest women participating in this season’s contest. If she somehow managed to be this year's winner, he might even offer her a position as his head secretary. This was going to be a great season. "It's exactly when I hear the words like these - life changing, career defining... I start thinking that it smells of a rotten fish. The pitches of the worst things are usually opened with similar lines. So I'm going to tune myself into a nice paradise holiday, and if something else positive comes out of it... Well, it'll be a nice bonus. Anyway, thank you and goodbye. I ain't saying fare thee well, though, Barry." Elena winked at her boss who she was quite on friendly terms with, when she knew she was going to get away with it instead of getting a chastising rebuke, and left his office, heading straight back to hers, thoughts running through her mind and the envelope still clutched tight in her hand. Back at her place, Elena finally managed to get into the instructions, giving them a cursory glance, and then the woman plain surprised her underlings by starting packing up early for the day, and giving out orders on what needs to be done urgently, and what can wait, but absolutely has to happen while she's going to be away, her second in command looking puzzled as he was charged with keeping her chair warm. And off she was. Her mind was still occupied by what was going on as she drove home, enjoying lack of any significant rush-hour traffic. It was just a damn strange path her life led her along. She still had a Russian passport, but lived here in SoCal, working in the company that she out of pure accident applied with, sending her resume everywhere she could, fed up with her old job and looking for some greener pastures. Back then, she did not even notice at first that due to a misc lick her replies to a vacancy flew off to a distant foreign employer as well. Imagine her shock, when it was one of the few with an actual interview offer inside. A month later, she was settling in the Moscow office of the company, and two years later she advanced that high in the ranks that the only option was to either leave, or fly overseas and start working in the head office, and here she was now. When was it the last time she had a rest, or a proper holiday? Right after the university? Well, that surely will be a welcome change then. At home, Elena glanced at the instructions again and gave a scoff, reading once again how everything was detailed to the minute, but, in the very least, her head wouldn't hurt from the logistics of the travel. Making a mental note of what was going to happen, Ms. Legions spent many hours going through her wardrobe and even doing some rapid shopping, but in the end she did pack a few changes of business outfits, a nice attire for the welcome banquet and LOOF beach gear. Her bags stuffed, she arranged with her friends to take care of the potted plants, cat and aquarium and dropped off to sleep, for the next day was going to be an early morning. And it was just like it said in the instructions - a car got her around half past seven, and in a rapid enough drive in a luxurious sport car they were on a private airstrip, where a similar luxurious jet was already winding its thrusters up. Inside it was more of a top class hotel suite and Elena recalled reading once that a business-class seat in a regular airline is actually a middle-class one, for the truly rich people have their own planes to fly. As the vehicle took off, and she had a snack and a drink, she drifted off to sleep for the next four hours of the fight, kicking back and relaxing, figuring that it was as good time as any to start. Four hours later the plane landed on a private runway. As it taxied to a stop the tropical paradise landscape streaked by outside the tiny oval-shaped windows. Off in the distance, a large cluster of buildings could be seen tucked away amid the palm trees and other flora and fauna. Slowly jerking to a stop in front of an open cabbed Jeep Rubicon, the stewardess opened the cabin door and stood patiently waiting for Elena to disembark. “Enjoy your stay.” She smiled sweetly. Standing in front of the Jeep was a tall leggy blond woman, dressed in a pair of short, tight-fitting Daisy Dukes, and a blue and white checkered top with the sleeves rolled up and tied in the middle, revealing her bare midriff. A bright red bikini top barely covered her breasts and a brief hint of the matching bottom could be seen poking out of the waistband of her shorts. The girl’s nails and lipstick matched the color of her top.“HIFI!” She smiled and gestured toward the Jeep. “I’m Trish, welcome to Paradise. Bags go there.” Moving around to the driver’s side the girl climbed in, waiting for Elena to get in. The sun was a bright ball of yellow warmth in the clear blue sky. A gently cool breeze caressed the skin and wafted the hair, carrying the scent of the ocean and an assortment of tropical smells. Off in the distance, the sounds of waves crashing onto the beach could be heard. All in all, this seemed like the perfect spot to get away and unwind.“This must be very exciting for you.” The girl slid her oversized sunglasses on as she pulled away from the plane heading toward the resort on a well-maintained dirt path. Even the landing sequence could not properly wake Elena up - so exhausted she was after all that constant work without proper days off and holidays. It was only when the plane chassis hit the tarmac and the whole thing jumped and jostled a little with a loud thump that she startled wide awake and panicked for a few seconds, trying to figure out what's going on and where she is, until the memory of the last day's events flooded her and she relaxed. Redhead looked through the viewports, the view offered to her so starkly different from the common landscapes and city lines she was used to that it took her a little even to realise that difference - so alien it seemed. She smiled back at the stewardess, saying her goodbye as well, as she disembarked the plane, her baggage in tow and squinting instantly at the sun hitting her in the eyes, so bright and shining it was. Elena hunted for a pair of shades in her bag, hoping desperately that she had it in her mind to pack them as well, and exhaled in relief when the wish to cry from the sunshine was gone as the sunglasses set on her face. Only then Elena had a chance to look at the woman meeting her, and could not help but notice her attire and the body that it sooner put on display than concealed. Truth be told, she was wondering whether it was even making it worse to wear the top and these, to put it mildly, shorts over the bikini. And the body of that blonde... Elena felt her mouth watering and the heat stirring up in her nether regions and caught herself staring at the woman without even hearing what she has to say. Was her name Trish? Shaking her head momentarily to get rid of the pictures creeping inside of her mind, she threw the bags where she was told to and joined Trish in the passenger seat. What was it with her? She was never even into the blondes. It must have been this place... And the stress... As the car started to move, Elena finally felt all that was around her - warmth from the bright sun, gently breeze playing with her hair, the scents, some familiar, bust mostly alien... She finally heard the ocean and suddenly felt wide awaken from a years long sleep." You know, Trish, I've been so stressed out that the fact that all this is extremely exciting has just started getting to me..." Redhead laughed a little and relaxed in the seat. If the other woman had noticed her passenger checking her out, the girl hid it well. Though she kept her eyes mostly on the trail her driver did glance over at Elena from time to time. Even though the trail was well maintained it was not overly smooth and Trish’s ample bosom bounced and wiggled threatening to pop free from the tight skimpy top on more than one occasion.“Oh tell me about it hon,” the girl playfully took a hand off the wheel long enough to give her passenger a playful slap on the thigh. “If I have to go fetch one more Caramel Macchiato... I swear being a secretary is hard work, especially in Hollywood. So where are you from Hon? Are you a secretary too? Of course, you are why else would you be here?” Slowing as she drove into the round driveway of the resort, Trish stopped at the curb in front of a young man wearing a pair of maroon shorts and a white polo shirt. His blond hair was long and flowing like those old 80s surfer hairdos and his blue eyes seemed to sparkle as he watches the two girls pull up. They seemed to linger quite a long time on Trish’s chest until she snapped her fingers at him.“Earth to Today.” She gestured into the back seat. “Take Ms. Legions’s bags up to her room, please. Then she turned to smile at Elena. “I swear if he stares at them any harder he might go blind. Come on let’s get you checked in.” And then stepping a little closer she whispered,” I don’t mind. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be dressed this way now, would I? And don’t think I didn’t see you eyeing them earlier.” She let her hand brush over Elena’s as she turned toward the lobby. "Come, let’s get you checked in.” And these bounces and wiggles and wriggles did not escape Elena's eye no matter how hard she tried to lookelsewherebut at Trish and her bosom, yet that was plain impossible to avoid glancing there sometimes. Redhead wriggled a few times herself as she tried to calm herself, her own rack bouncing, what surely was no help at all. The slap on the thigh made Elena startle and snap out of it, glaring at Trish, wondering how dares she, but what she was saying made her forget to be angry and get confused instead." I have no doubts that every job could be hard, and that a secretary's position could be demanding, but I'm not one, nope. I'm an executive manager in a big enough corp to span a few nations, you know... Why would you even presume?" The woman was not boasting or something like that, she was just relating the facts as they were, and expressing her surprise that she was taken for a secretary all of a sudden. Why in the heck did Trish think she was one? That particular train of thought departed when they drove up to the resort and Elena saw the guy waiting for them. First, she noticed that the second person out of the two she met on the island so far was also blond, and then his Marion shorts played some twisted combination on her overstressed mind, and she immediately got ear wormed with that old song by Maroon 5...Wake-up call, caught you in the morning with another one in my bed... Something, something... Six feet tall, came without warning, so I had to shoot him dead... Oh, Hell, she did not even recall about it for so many years, why now? Maroon shorts? Come on, brain... Trish then went on getting more friendly and intimate and once again she couldn't help first darting her eyes to that girl's breasts and then quickly averting them and staring at the palm trees around, a slight blush adorning her cheeks as Elena climbed out and went after Trish in the lobby to get checked in." I've no idea what are you on about, Trish..." Elena said, letting the blonde saunter ahead a little and catching up with her long enough to place a swift slap on her butt, enjoying the bounce of the flesh as she gripped it for a split second all the while looking straight ahead, like she was not the one to do so and had no idea what in the hell that was just now. Trish gave a startled yelp and turned to give Elena a look of mock horror. "Oh, I think you and I are going to be good friends." The ladies at the check in counter were all dressed in white one piece dresses that looked like they cost a fortune and fit their bodies like a second skin. There were three of them, each one standing at six foot, though a food inch or two was probably heels. A blonde, a red head and a brunette, one of each of the three main hair colors. It was almost like one of the dumb blond jokes that were so popular back in the 90s. Their smiles were as fake as their boobs appeared to be as they checked her in and handed her the key to her room which they had said was actually a suite. As they headed toward a set of doors on the other end of the lobby, Trish brought up their earlier conversation. "So you are an executive manager? Huh. Most of the other girls are secretaries. I mean that is what this seminar is for, becoming a better secretary." She shrugged before continuing. "So like, what do you do actually? Do you get to boss the guys at the office around? That would be fun!" Trish led them out into a beautiful and relaxing Japanese-style flower garden. It even had a KOI Pond with a bunch of gold and white mottled KOI fish swimming around in it. On the other side of the garden, they passed through a wooden arch and stopped in front of what looked like a small but fancy A-frame log cabin. The exterior was unpainted, with a red door and red trim around the windows and roof. Her room was lucky number 7." Well, here we are, your home for the next few weeks. Your stuff is already inside." The woman handed Elena a small card with her name and number on it. "If you need anything, or you know want to spank my ass again, just give me a call. Breakfast is at eight o'clock. There should be a map inside." Before her target could react Trish darted in and kissed the other woman on the cheek before turning to skitter away." Bye bye Hon," she called out over her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner. Redhead grinned at that mocking horrified look when Trish turned away again - the goal was reached, and the revenge was enacted. They moved in to the reception, and she looked at the trio of the girls standing behind the counter. A damn set it was - a blonde, a dark haired and a redhead. But the rest was like they were the carbon copies of each other: same body shape, same curves, same outfits, same height... Surely, most of these curves were augmented and none of the emotions they so readily displayed were genuine. Nevertheless, Elena thanked the blonde as she handed her the key and followed Trish, who offered to see her to the place. What was it today? A blond poker? Then she had already a three of a kind on hand." Bossing the guys at the office is not fun, it's a pain. Nobody wants to do shit, and just wishes to get paid for sitting with their thumbs up their asses. Besides, it is just one side of the job. Most of the time it's actually making sure that they don't ruin anything with how they do things if you manage to make them - some really got a talent for turning even the most mundane task into a rollercoaster adventure... Or try to explain what has to be done, and why... But, come again? Seminar to become a better secretary? What the... Are you sure we are talking about the same thing? Maybe there are several workshops ran at the same venue?" The question hung unanswered in the air as Trish once again shrugged, so Elena decided to first get settled in and then figure it out - if anything, she needed a shower and a bit of a change in her clothing, which was too unsuitable for a tropical paradise. The garden in a sort of courtyard took her thoughts away from that topic as she smiled at the KOI fishes playing in the pond - these she easily could recognize, because they were a staple of the Japan culture well known in other nations. Then a cabin was in front of them and thoughts about her dream escape flooded Elena for a moment - a nice wooden cabin in the middle of taiga wilderness and no people around... Trish kissed her on the cheek and, before the woman could grab her and lock her in a kiss if she so desired, the blonde was already running off, disappearing in the short distance. Oh, well. Feeling a bit of a tired spell wash over her, probably from the jet lag, after all she was now a few timezones away from the one she was used to, and in the future even, Elena unlocked the door to her cabin, taking a note that despite it being quite a cabin-in-the-woods style place, it was still equipped with a sophisticated electronic lock on her door that clicked shut the moment she was in, and the door slammed back into its frame. Inside the cabin was... Quite luxurious, despite the looks it had outside, and spacious. Hidden light emitters, big soft bed, built-in closets to make a lot of free space, a work desk and a huge vanity mirror even. And her bags were waiting there as well. Figuring that first things have to go first, Elena fished out her toiletries from the baggage and went into what she thought was the bathroom, and indeed it was, with a bath even, not just the shower and everything a girl could possibly need. Her brow arched - the woman was not used to see in the hotel restrooms anything but the random shower gel pack and a roll of the bog paper. Unable to complain, she placed her own toiletries in the empty glasses and holders and went back out to strip and fetch her robe, and then she was in for a good refreshing shower. Elena noticed some papers on the desk, but knowing that there would most likely be your run-of-the-mill hotel instructions, chose to look through them while she'd be recovering on the bed. And then it would be the time sort through her stuff and finally figure out that seminar confusion. As expected, many of the booklets and pamphlets were for the various services the resort provided. The ICT had spared no expense to make their guests comfortable. There were six different restaurants each offering a different type of cousin, everything from Italian to Chinese. All prepared by five-star Michelin chefs. Room service was available as well that offered custom orders. Three different Spas were spread out around the resort offering massages, manicures and a laundry list of other options. As with the food, in room house calls were also available twenty-four hours a day. You could even choose your masseuse by clicking on their image on the resorts' web page which was viewable via a tablet located in each room. The resort offered S.C.U.B.A. and snorkeling lessons as well as both regular surfing and windsurfing classes. Yoga lessons were available and as with the spa you could select your instructor using the tablet. The place had it all, private karaoke booths, a bowling alley, movie theater and even a full service gym. Eventually she found what she was really looking for. Information on the seminar. The leaflet showed several stunningly attractive women in professional attire. Attire that looked as if it were a size to small, but professional all the same. Each one was smiling holding up their ICT Seminar Completion Certificates. One of them was holding a giant check for two hundred thousand dollars. The leaflet read:Here at the International Corporate Training Association we pride ourselves on providing highly professional seminars designed using decades old techniques and standards. After completing our seminar you will be equipped with everything you need to rise to the top of the corporate management profession. Our seminars will teach you how to dress for success and how to blow your peers away with your knowledge of corporate management. Your co-workers will stand by in amazement as you deliver presentations that will leave everyone in the room speechless. But that’s not all. One lucky seminar participant will be hand-picked by ICT CEO Hank Nordstrom to be hired as his personal assistant. The winner will get to work under the best corporate manager in the world learning all of his secrets and tricks. If you listen and absorb his teachings you too may have a chance to become one of the top names in corporate management. We at ICT look forward to serving you and hope that you enjoy your stay with us. No sooner had Elena finished reading the leaflet than the phone near the queen-sized bed started ringing. No matter how hard was the temptation to forgo the shower and fill a nice hot bath to lay in and relax for an hour or two, Elena managed to restrain herself from it, just washing the sweat and some dust accumulated over the trip off of her body and, after going through the routine pampering procedures to maintain her immaculate appearance, the redhead was out of the bathroom and on the queen-sized bed, scooping up all the papers from the desk on the way and even childishly bouncing her body on the bedding once or twice, pleasantly amused by the comfort it provided. The hotel rules were honored by a cursory glance - she could not find anything worth a detailed inspection on a brief scan, and Elena saw more than enough of this type of papers in her life. But as she went through a booklet after a pamphlet, her brows were raising in surprise - the corp surely saved no single coin and went whole nine yards with organizing this seminar. Even if nothing really caught her fancy, she could assess and gauge the sums necessary to run the venues like these. The restaurants alone... And they even had Russian food... But then she frowned - five stars chefs meant that it would be a posing and dick measurement show and performance, instead of a practical "come here to relax and eat" attitude. The resort activities were exactly what she was expecting from a tropical paradise, and Elena entertained a thought of actually visiting a few on her free time, but all those could wait. Room service was impressive as well. The woman looked up from the assortment of papers cluttering the bed and her bath robe she wore after leaving the shower, and did notice that tablet they mentioned on the same desk, but it looked more like a folder, so she did not really pay any attention to it before. Okay, she'd play with it later. The very last the thing was actually looking for - information booklet on the seminar being held. The wrapping alone could make to become a wanking poster for the generations to come, and two hundred grand? Pfft. Elena did not buy it, especially since it was exactly a redhead holding that checkup. Yeah, sure. She read attentively through the text several times and put it aside, thinking as she stared at the logs in the ceiling above her bed, also noticing air conditioning and various other systems cleverly mounted and concealed there. She was already at the top of the corporate management. The only one above her was Barry, and she even substituted him a few times already, earning a pat on the shoulder for the job well done both from him and from Kristen, who was their CEO. There was literally no step to climb higher until they'd step down. What was dressing for success even about? And the rest... Okay, it did not explicitly advertise training for the secretaries like Trish said, but still... It was a little bit fishy... Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the ringtone from the phone on the bed stand, making the poor woman jump upright on the bed, startled and then exhaling in relief as she reached for the receiver." Yes?" It took her a moment to recall where she was and that the phone was not on her desk in the office." Legkova speaking." The line was silent for a few moments as if the person on the other end were contemplating her curt, business-like greeting. “Good afternoon Ms. Legions.” The voice on the other line was feminine with a slight British or Australian accent. “This is Ms. Dowling, Mr. Nordstrom’s personal assistant.” There was a brief pause while the woman let that information sink in. “Mr. Boardroom was wondering if you would like to have dinner with him tonight to discuss a proposition with you. Would you be free around seven?” The man responsible for setting up this amazing seminar was inviting her to dinner. The guy who made more in one year than she made in three wanted to talk about propositioning her. Was he going to ask her to be his personal fuck toy during her stay here? Would she accept if he did? Or was it something more professional? Whatever it was, Elena had been put on the spot. Ms. Dowling was waiting patiently on the other end of the line for her answer. As his personal assistant was waiting patiently for Elena’s answer, her boss Hank Nordstrom was in his office behind the opaque glass wall that separated the reception area from the rest of the office. Though the glass partition was meant to obscure what went on inside the office and to provide a modicum of privacy, it did not work all that well. Even now, as she waited head cocked, holding the receiver against her slim shoulder, Sophia gazed whimsically at the faint, distorted shadows on the other side of the glass. Watching one of them seemingly melt into the floor before merging with the larger shadow, the woman had to bite her lower lip, and gripped the edge of the desk, squeezing her legs shut. The woman could not look away as she watched the smaller form begin to bob back and forth as if trying to pull away from the larger shadow only to be sucked back in. A soft, whimper escaped her lips before she could catch it. Today was Trish’s turn to tend to the boss’s lunch requirements. It was a duty all the women under his employ took turns performing, and it was a duty each of them looked forward to. Inside his office, Hank glared hotly down at Trish as she bobbed up and down on his knob. She stared up at him with wide watery eyes, driving him closer to release as he enjoyed his post lunch blow job. The hand at the back of the woman’s head gave two short tugs on her hair, his signal to her that he was about to shoot his load. Pulling back Trish opened her mouth wide and stared eagerly up at her boss. He finished blasting her face and mouth with his creamy seed. Smiling down at the girl with his cum all over her face he asked, “What do you think of her?”“She’s definitely hot,” the girl answered after swallowing the load in her mouth. “She seems to be pretty forward as well. She even slapped my ass, when I was flirting with her. I think she’s got a chance to be this year's winner.”“Such a good little slut. Now leave me. I have work to do.”“Yes Sir!” Trish stood and removed her panties, wiping her face clean with them before setting them on his desk. Slipping back into her daisy dukes, Trish then left the office headed back to her room. Sophia looked down at the top of her desk as the girl walked past." Shall I let Mr. Nordstrom know that you have accepted his invitation Ms. Legions? Or would you like some more time to think about it?" The moment the person on the other end of the line spoke, Elena could not help getting a huge déjà vu vibe coursing through her, up to the state she had to shake her head to get rid of it. The accent and the tone of the woman presenting herself as some Mr. Nordstrom's assistant sounded so damn familiar to the voice of Diana Alters redhead used to hearing in Codename 47's streams that there was now a spitting image of the caller." Good afternoon, Ms. Dowling... Let me check my schedule, I guess..." The Russian girl murmured in the speaker, stalling the caller, while frantically going through the leaflets spread on her bed from her studies until she found the main advert for the seminar. No wonder the surname she heard was so familiar - Hank Nordstrom was the CEO and owner of the corporation that hosted the event, and suddenly he wanted something to do with her? That was colored weird, to say the least. On the other hand, if Barry was anything to believe, she reached the point in her life where it was not her applying for a job, but it were the corporations trying to get her attention. And while all these thoughts whirled through Elena's mind, she also couldn't help noticing the soft whimpering moan coming into her ear through the phone speaker, the kind of moan one makes when she is greatly aroused and only the sheer willpower held her from going for a rabid mating spree. What in the Hell was going on there? Part of Elena wanted to tell them to bugger off, but the other one, more curious and more adventurous, wanted to go there for that dinner. After all, who could better figure out any mess that she was in than the host himself? For sure, he would clear all the mix-up about this being a seminar for the secretaries." Why, yes, Ms. Dowling, I'm pretty sure you can relay to Mr. Nordstrom my agreement. Yes, I accept his invitation to have dinner with him. Just pray tell, how formal this dinner is going to be?" It was one thing if she could get away with a pair of shorts over some local street food, and completely another if she had to go full evening dress with real jewels to dine over a posh delicacy meal.

The Perfect Secretary (CaptainErotica & Queen Of Hell)|rating:3.0

Spies Like Us (Xandi & Syanyte)

(Oliver Age:25Occupation:Government Specialist (spy)History:Jacob was born the only child of his parents. His father was a G man and after his fathers retirement he spent many hours with him. Jacob never understood his father being away from home so much but as he grew up his relationship with his father improved and now as a spy himself he realizes the sacrifices his father made in order to make the world a better place. Jacob realizes that he is bisexual very early on in life. His best friend was his first love. Joey was not only the boy next door, but he was the boy Jacob had wet dreams about every night for an entire year. Once he realized he was attracted to women too he stuck with what he knew would be acceptable but always had an eye for some handsome man flesh, but never acting on it. He refuses to accept his homosexual tendencies, even though his best friend and partner is the man he wants to fuck everyday Jacob can't let himself admit that he is sexually attracted to a man. He torments himself with fantasies and anytime he thinks no one is looking he takes a deep breath to inhale his partners scent. Furthermore, he knows that his partner loves him and even though he wants to be with him more than to breath it would be too hard for him to admit to himself what others see as a defect. Furthermore, he knows it is normal, as normal as breathing, but Jacob has been in the agency long enough to know that if it was found out that he was bi or gay he would be stigmatized and his father and mother would not understand at all. Furthermore, he chooses to bury his love for Leo in the way he fucks every female hole that he can, and there are plenty. Jacob called Leo at a quarter to ten, his boyfriend answered. If there was something that could piss Jacob off in a hurry it was the thought of Leo fucking someone else. He didn't expect Leo to stay celibate but hell at least he didn't have to flaunt it. Jacobs jealous streak ran amok when he said, "Yeah let me talk to Leo." When Leo answered he said, "You want me to pick you up or is asshole going to let you take the car to the club tonight? I'm going to warn you I'm in a fucked up mood though." As he awaited Leo's answer Jacob stewed on the thoughts of what they had been doing. Since Leo and he had been assigned this night job at the club he had thought the club scene would be fun with Leo. Even though it would be work they could still have some fun. But Leo had begun dating Mr. Nice Gay Guy and fucked up all Jacobs fantasies since. (Leo Markup, Age: 23Birth Date: December 25Sexual Preference: Men Species: Human Eye Color: Purple/Brown Hair Color: Purple/Dark brown Hair Style: Messy Height: 5'7"Weight: 135lbsOccupation: Government Specialist (spy Fun Hobbies: Football, Basketball, music, sex, Cosplaying, Skateboarding Fun Likes: Cosplay, Sex, dancing, having fun. Personality: Goofball, Big heart, Sensitive at times. Loves to be dominated History: Leo was raised by parents who in the sense were really messed up in more ways than one. Always using him to get information out of others for their own personal use. Leo had learned to accept at a very young age that he was gay he enjoyed the feeling of a man touching me. This realization was one that usually caused him to have to hide who he really was. Leo was really smart having graduated from school at the top of his class he decided to become a spy as he was perfect at taking on the roles he was given. Leo had been in and out of relationships for a while keeping them hidden but still being himself. His first love was when he was 12 having fallen actually for a teacher who in turn used him for one thing and one thing only. Now he worked with Jacob and well his heart beat wildly for the other man having actually confessed to him once but being shot down immediately. He did everything he could to be around Jacob even doing group fucks to just be near him. Leo had recently been asked out and confessed to, and it killed him, but he said yes because it would just be selfish to say no when he knew there was no chance in the world to actually be with Jacob the way he wanted. Most times when he was off his new boyfriend and him would go out and have fun and do things normal couples do. Leo was young and looked to still be a kid so a lot of times he was assigned undercover work dealing with kids or something of the sort. Not minding though as he was nothing but a bit of kid himself. Leo had been in the shower getting cleaned up, having had Aaron over the night before and well they had spent the whole day at the basketball court so having gotten all sweaty he had to take a shower before his job the night before. Having thrown his clothes on when he heard Aaron talking on the phone. Walking out to the phone Aaron just shrugged and handed it to Leo. Leo had asked Aaron to stay the night again tonight because he would need to vent when he got home. Leo answered. "Hello?" Listening to how Jacob spoke about Aaron he sighed. "I will be taking the car." He then heard a noise turning his head he sighed. "On second thought come and get me." Aaron had a meeting tonight so he would need a ride. "I will see you when you get here." Hanging up he would talk to Jacob more once they were alone. Slipping a hand through his hair he got up to finish getting dressed. Once he had finished he walked outside to wait on him. Aaron had actually come outside to wait with him an arm around Leo's shoulders. Leo had his head laying on Aaron's shoulder. His eyes closed it was a cool night but the outfit he was wearing would fit right into the club scene. The only thing was he was usually hit on when it came to places like that. A smile on his lips as he felt a hand in his hair lightly stroking his head as if trying to Lull him to sleep, but he refused to do so. Being exhausted was something he could not be right now he had to focus, but it was hard to do like this. When Leo said that he should come get him Jacob said, "I'll be there in 15. Pick you up in front of the building. Bye." Jacob couldn't stand going to the apartment door if he had to see Mr. Nice Guy. He preferred to keep his distance from him since the very sight of him even near Leo made him want to rip out the guys' throat. He finished getting dressed it was a little fun getting dressed for work in hip hop clothes. Furthermore, he liked this club job wearing cool clothes was not something they got to do at the office that was for sure. One reason he and Leo had been partnered was because they were both young and hip looking enough that they could blend into the younger scene without much effort. On the way over to Leo's apartment he wondered what he would be wearing. One thing Jacob loved about Leo was his style. He had an incredibly sexy and smart way of dressing no matter what the circumstances. It was always a little game with Jacob to tease him about being so GQ. As Jacob rounded the corner to the street that Leo lived on he had a smile on his face thinking about his partner. That smile disappeared quickly when he saw Leo and his boyfriend looking all cozy on the sidewalk. The hairs on the back of Jacob's neck stood up, and he cursed under his breath, "God Damn Mother Fucker." He could feel his trigger finger get that itch, and he speeds up and slammed on the breaks right in front of Leo. He rolled down the window and said, "Let's go." His rage seethed beneath his skin, he wanted to fuck Leo the instant he got in the car and tell him that he was his and not to forget it. He wouldn't of course because he couldn't allow himself to be happy with the man he longed to love and be with. He envied 'the boyfriend' so much that he wanted to kill him. Leo jumped up when he heard the car stop looking up he saw Jacob and sighed. Aaron stood up and gave Leo a quick hug telling him to be careful before Leo got in the car. Aaron then headed back into the house then looking to Jacob after slipping on his seat belt. "Jacob what has gotten into you, what is wrong?" Leo did not like the fact that neither his lover nor partner could get along the is caught in the middle. Jacob did not know that Leo usually got an ear full when he got home as well as a punishment that he was always told he deserved. Able to hide things like that so that Jacob would not think bad of Aaron but then again he already did. Leo could always feel the tension between the two and this drove him crazy at times he just wanted to scream. The two never considered how he might feel in the situation and being pulled from one person to the other. Slipping a hand through his hair a moment as he knew they were going to a Club, but he was a bit nervous compared to how he had always been. Knowing that he could actually show his real self and no one would judge him. Laying his head back on the seat he was a bit excited as well he enjoyed dancing and having fun, so this should be interesting. Hopefully Jacob will allow him to be himself as that is what usually helped catch the bad guy. Most could never resist his flirting and well he looked so damn cute. Biting his bottom lip there were things that Leo felt and that he knew, but he would never tell Jacob or Aaron for that matter. He knew that Aaron was not completely faithful this caused him a lot of pain inside, but he hid it. Aaron was also becoming more aggressive and wanting to keep him to himself. Hence, why Aaron never hardly left anymore and had decided as of next week he was going to move in with him. Things were moving way too fast, but he did not want to tell Jacob as he knew the other would not approve. Heck he didn't even approve of it but what was he to do never having been in a serious relationship like this before. As they rode along Leo watched out the window until the sound of the club could be heard and the site of people standing outside the club could be seen. Making a small noise,"We will never get in there." He could see the bouncer picking and choosing who all would be able to enter. Oh, god that guy was huge taking a deep breath once the car was finally parked, and he slowly got out of the car. He could already feel eyes on him and he blushed just a bit. He was used to being like this when it came to a job because he is the one that usually did the most flirting since he was so open with being gay. Furthermore, he was always happy, and a smile crossed him face looking over to Jacob. "Well you ready to try and get in?" a sweet look crossing his face. Leo knew how to fight and well he would not take crap from anyone, but it is interesting how he takes it from Aaron. Shaking his head mentally knowing how to fight was good in some situations then playing the innocent was also good. He never told Aaron what his real job was because he knew if Aaron knew he would most likely try to force him to quit. After Leo got in the car, and they pulled away from the curb he asks Jacob, "Jacob what has gotten into you, what is wrong?", Jacob just mumbled something about being in a piss poor mood. They drove along in silence for a few minutes and Jacob noticed that something was bothering Leo. He was more nervous than he was usually, and he was biting his bottom lip, which was sexy as hell, but it was something Leo did when he was thinking about something important. Jacob was to observe first and talk later type. He knew Leo would love the club, and he didn't want to cause a fight before their shift even got started so he decided they could talk after their shift was over and while they were doing paperwork. The music of the club was coming out loud and clear. It was a cool club and the instant they pulled in and parked Leo and him noticed the line at the front door. Leo said, "We will never get in there?" Jacob just smiled and said, "Put on your sexy face, and we will have no trouble, plus I have a couple of hundred to slip the bouncer." Leo said, "Well you ready to try to get in." and the instant he did Jacob saw that sexy look, it was sweet and innocent but damn if it wasn't sexy. Jacob smiled at his partner and gave him a sexy little wink before saying, "I don't even think the bouncer will need the 200 with that sexy look on your face, let's go." Eyes were inspecting them as they walked closer to the crowd of people. Instead of going to the back of the line Jacob took charge and grabbed Leo's arm pulling him along with him. He walked straight up to the bouncer, people grumbling about back of the line, and he said, "The party can start now." He put his arm lazily around Leo shoulder and tilted his head towards him and said, "Sexy and Sexy have arrived." Jacob knew how to be sexy and confident and how to throw people off their game. He knew that you don't ask for permission into a place like this you demand it, you own it, and he was right the bouncer smiled and said, "Nice to meet you Sexy and Sexy go right in." Jacob smiled back and said, "Thanks dude." After the rope was removed they went into the club and Jacob did not remove his arm from around Leo's shoulder his grip got a little tighter a little possessive before he remembers they were here to do a job and in order to do that job he would have to allow Leo to do what he was good at, mingle and get information. With a slight sigh he said, "I'll start talking to some of the people in the VIP section next to the bar if you want to do your thing. Meet me at the bar in an hour and let's see where we are with the case, ok with you?" While Jacob wanted to dance with Leo and get cozy he knew they had a job to do and while they were doing it they both had to be professional. It made him crazy that Leo was such a great flirt and tease, but it was one of the qualities that he admired about his partner. Leo knew how to use his sexuality to get what he wanted, and he was good at it. Which made Jacob proud of him in a strange way. He knew they would have 3 or 4 hours at the club in all the noise before they could be alone, and he was already formulating a plan of how he would spend their alone time with him. Alone time with the two of them consisted of paperwork and plans for the following day, but today it would be just a little different if Jacob got his way. He hoped that what he had in mind would not spook Leo, but he also knew that he would have to wait and see. Leo just listened to him, as they headed up to it, he got nervous, but Jacob did everything right to get them in. Once they were in a smile crossed his face he could tell Jacob had not wanted to release him, but this was where they differed in their tactics to get information. "Okay an hour it is." Though he did look up at Jacob a look in his eyes that said more than he would have liked it to, a look that said. 'I'm sorry' Disappearing into the crowd. Something to Leo did not feel right about tonight, and he had no clue what it was. Soon he had found two guys who had been watching him having moved up to them, it was interesting he was in between the two as they danced, and he asked many questions about things they might know. Things were heating up fast one guy had his hands on Leo from behind and the other from the front. Their bodies grinding together one was actually sucking upon Leo's neck and this had Leo dancing even more erotic. Then a smile crossed his face and he pushed the other back and then undid the hands of the other. Giving them both a smile he headed away from them, they just watched him as he walked away and then went back to talking like they had been doing. He had gotten some viable information with that. Scanning the room as he noticed a guy that was sitting by himself, but he looked like he knew something just by the chain around his neck. Moving out to the floor in front of him but looked like he was still dancing with the others. He was not disappointed. Soon feeling hands on his waist feeling the cold necklace at his back. Turning his head to look at the other and smiled. Turning in the others arms his mouth next to the others' ear he nodded as they danced he looked so erotic like this. The guy slid one hand from Leo and reached in his pocket and slipped something into Leo's pocket to make it look natural he squeezed Leo's ass and Leo gasped just a bit. Once they broke apart he headed to the bar and ordered a shot of vodka and sat there lightly drinking it waiting on Jacob to meet back up with him. Leo was glad that no one had lifted his shirt the things they would see were small bruises and dark marks. The bands he wore up his arms were to hide the rope burns he had upon his skin. Biting his bottom lip again and allowing his head to rest on his hand he hoped that Aaron would not get pissed as he did not know if he wanted to go home tonight. Able to see it now Aaron getting pissed because he did not call but dammit he wanted to be away from the guy for a while. Jacob knew Leo could handle himself, but he still hated to see him disappear into the crowd. He talked to several people in the VIP section even got invited to join in on some blow, but he declined saying he was already buzzed. The man he was making his way towards looked important and from what Jacob could tell he knew something. The man's booth was by the exit, so Jacob figured this had to be someone who was doing something he shouldn't. Casually he walked over to the guy and talked to him for a few minutes. This was bigger than he realized after talking to this man. He excused himself from conversation after he realized that he and Leo might need back up. Jacob started to worry about Leo. He headed back to the bar and saw Leo waiting on him. He sighed in relief that his partner was ok but most of all he was relieved that the man he loved was ok. He noticed on the way to the bar that Leo was deep in thought about something, and he also noticed that one of Leo's arm bands had gotten moved a little bit, what he saw made him want to scream, but he played it cool. Furthermore, he pushed the arm band back in place before putting his arm around Leo's shoulder and said, "Hey hot stuff, I got some good info how bout you? You about ready to blow this joint? I thought we could head to my place for some peace and quiet while we do our paperwork and discuss strategy, What do you think?" Jacob increased his possessive hug around Leo's shoulder and looked into his eyes to try and read what his reaction was, but Leo was too hard to read. Ever since he had gotten with his new boyfriend Jacob hadn't been able to read Leo as well as before. He wasn't sure if that was because Leo just didn't want to talk about it or if it was because he turned into a complete ass every time the guy was mentioned, or he saw him. Jacob realized it was probably the latter, and he couldn't blame Leo he knew it was his own fault. He just had to wait and see what Leo had to say. He hated waiting, fuck waiting he pulled Leo off the bar stool and said, "Come on." Practically dragging Leo with him giving him no time to even speak Jacob got them out of the club and in his car in a matter of minutes. Pushing his way through the crowd was not hard for him to do. When they got to the car Jacob still hadn't let Leo say anything, he just unlocked the car and pushed Leo inside the passenger side then walked around to the drivers side and got in. He started the car and held up his hand as if to stop Leo from saying anything. He said, "Ok just don't say anything. I'm sorry I sort of man handled you, but something is up with you, and I'm taking you to my place. We are having a conversation that we have been putting off for a while. Now don't say anything just do as your told for now and things will go along fine. I won't have an argument about it. We are doing things my way. The End." He drove the car to his apartment post-haste, he even ran a few red lights. Once the car was parked he got out and went around to Leo's side and waited for him to get out then walked to the elevator in silence. He pushed floor 10 and still more silence. Once the elevator door opened he went to his apartment, 1020 and unlocked the door stood in the doorway with the door open and waited for Leo to walk inside. Closing the door promptly and locking it he grabbed Leo and hugged him tight, taking in his scent as deeply as he could. After a few seconds passed he cleared his throat and let Leo go saying, "I'll get some drinks make yourself comfortable on the couch, I'll be right back." Jacob went into the kitchen and got them some shot glasses and some Tequila, the good stuff. He leaned against the counter not sure if he was ready for what was about to happen also not sure if Leo was pissed after his speech in the car and the way he handled him. Jacob was on the verge of a major break through or break down he wasn't sure which, and he knew everything depended on what happen tonight. He walked back into the living room, sat on the couch, poured two shots and gave one to Leo and then downed his fast and smooth pouring himself a second and downing it quickly too. He looked at Leo and said, "God Dammit say something would you." He had forgotten he had told him not to say anything. Leo felt his band being moved and looked down and then up to see who it was. Noticing it was Jacob he smiled. "I got a bit of information." Before he was able to see what he thought about going to Jacob's place he was pulled out of the stool the thing knocking over he looked back and said. "Sorry." To the person it had knocked over. Leo tried his hardest anymore to make himself very unreadable. Not wanting Jacob to find out what was going on in his life. As they moved through the crowd he could hear people grunting and groaning and even complaining as Leo was not so sturdy on his feet which caused him to bump into many people in the way out. When they had gotten to the car Leo was not upset he was less curious as to what the hell was going on. Listening to what Jacob said all he could do was nod. Being told to stay quiet he knew better than to argue with him. Leo was actually surprised at how Jacob was treating him. Leo watched as they drove and when they finally got to Jacobs place he got out and followed him. Gasping when he was hugged his eyes were wide as could be. He didn't know what to say or do, He looked around when Jacob went to get the drinks and sat down on the couch. When he came back and handed him the drink he chugged it down then sat back a bit. Almost jumping off the couch at what Jacob said. "You told me not to speak." His voice shook just a bit." What has gotten into you Jacob why did you drag me all the way here and not let me talk." he sat the glass down he was done with drinking and well he just wanted to find out what the hell had gotten into Jacob? "What conversation have we been avoiding, I seriously think you might have lost it Jacob as I have no clue what you are talking about." His hand lifting and slipping through his hair. Closing his eyes a moment thinking of what might be said hoping it wasn't about Aaron. Was this what he had been feeling so uneasy about all night, did he somehow know that this would happen. He undid the bands around his wrists as they had gotten just a bit uncomfortable having forgotten about the marks as he placed the bands in his pockets. The silence fell and made him all the more uneasy, also hoping that Jacob would not bring up anything to do with the fact Leo likes him as Leo was doing his best to let go and move on with his life. Which with each passing day became harder and harder. Leo also had not told Jacob he had put in for a transfer. If he was ever going to move on he had to get away from this with Jacob, moments like these actually had him wondering whether he should even tell him and not just disappear. Knowing Aaron would like that as well as he was the one that suggested it but could he do that to the one person he had cared for more than life itself. Shaking his head at the thought then lifting his eyes to look at Jacob head tilted just a bit. "God dammit Leo. I'm sorry for acting like such a dick head, I shouldn't have drugged you out of the club like that." Pointing to the rope burns on Leo's wrist's he continued, "This...this shit is making me nuts. You and your new boyfriend are making me nuts. Don't think I don't know what is going on, I am a spy if you have forgotten. Lucy told me you put in for a transfer. I want to know why, and I want to know why you are letting your boyfriend push you around, and I also want to know why you aren't sleeping in my bed?" Jacob had gotten so unsettled that he didn't even realize what he had just said. He didn't realize that his secret was just let out of the bag in a flurry of words. He looked at Leo as if expecting answers, and then he began going over the questions, in his mind, that he had just ask. When he got to the last one he gasps and wondered, 'did I really say that out loud?' He kept his eyes on Leo's face and realized he had. What the fuck had he just done? He began rambling again before Leo could say anything, "Your right I have lost it. I lost you to that asshole, and I am going insane thinking of him loving you instead of me. Fine I said it." He looked back at Leo's wrist's again and then jerked his shirt up. "What the fuck? Did he do this? I'm going to kill the motherfucker." Jacob let go of Leo's shirt and grabbed his weapon and headed for the door mumbling to himself. He stopped at the door and remembered that Leo could defend himself, he turned around and said, "Why would you let him? Is he mean to you or do you like it?" Jacob rarely lost his cool like this and Leo had for sure never seen this side of him. He ran his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his head as if he was getting a headache. He just couldn't understand the whole situation, how had things gotten so out of control. As a dominant he valued control, and he wanted it back, he wanted Leo as his own and he wanted his control back in place where it belonged. He fidgeted with his gun while waiting for Leo to answer him. What he really needed right now was for Leo to tell him everything was ok and to hug him, but he was too proud to ask for what he needed especially since he had just lost his mind. Leo listened to him, not wanting to hear this, but he did. His eyes going slightly wide by what Jacob was saying then looking down at the rope burns and then back up to Jacob. His mind was so fucked up from most of the sick shit that he saw usually made him feel he might become that way. He watched how Jacob jumped up and headed for the door. Not able to stay seated any longer he jumped up and then stopped at the question. "Jacob... It's hard to explain...." His eyes slipped down to look at the ground. "I deserved it... He is only teaching me to be what I was meant to be...." He trailed off and his eyes stayed on the ground." I am supposed to be his lover Jacob, but I can't get you out of my heart and soul so what he does to me is punishment, and it is supposed to help me go into a complete submissive mood during sex he has told me when I am completely under he can do what ever he wants and that pleases him and well I care about him and don't want him to hurt, so I do this." wow he had really revealed more than he had wanted to. Taking a deep breath he moved forward and wrapped his arms around Jacob holding his tightly. "He had me do that when I was under and well I can not stand to see you two go at it, so I did this to stop the cycle." Stepping back a bit his hands went to his sides fisting with a look of frustration. "If your mad be mad at me all of this is my fault, I love you, but I can't love you.you say all that now, but later you will hate yourself I know this as I have been there before, so please don't make me go through this, It will kill me if I open it back up just to get pushed away again." He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to look at Jacob a serious look in his eyes. A look that asked not to break his heart again, "I am fine just spending time with you even if there is no chance of anything else, but please don't ask me to open up again for all the hurt that I know will come." Grabbing the gun and pressing it against his head, "I would rather you kill me then to be mad at me or to ask me to do what I can see in your eyes, the true answer yes I like it to a certain point after all the sick shit we see no matter I am so fucked up so go ahead and shoot me get rid of this feeling of disappointing you. Jacob listened to Leo reveal how his love for him was the need for punishment from his current lover, and it broke Jacobs heart. The way Leo spoke of Aaron being a dominant towards him made him want to rip out the guys fucking heart but what made it worse was that Leo thought he deserved it. Did Leo really not understand the relationship between a D/s or was this all he had been exposed to? Jacob could see all the hurt and pain he had caused Leo and again his heart broke. When Leo put the gun to his head and ask him to just kill him instead of asking him to open up and let him in again made Jacob lose what control he had left. Tears started forming in his eyes and he couldn't stop them. They began to roll down his cheeks and as he took the gun away from Leo's head and put it on the bar he still couldn't get control. He turned back to Leo and said, "You are not the one that is fucked up Leo it is me. I have hurt you time and time again, and all you have ever been to me is wonderful. You have never once disappointed me Leo. I on the other hand have been nothing but a disappointment to you. I have never felt this way before, not for a man or a woman. Furthermore, I have never thought about anyone the way I think about you. Whether we are together or not it makes no difference, you are in my head and more importantly my heart. I have tried to fight it. You know why I hate Aaron? Because he has you and I don't. I hate him with every fiber of my being but not because of anything he has done up until now, only because he gets to spend alone time with you. Now that I know how he chooses to spend that time I hate him with the fire of ten thousand suns but only because it is my fault that you are in that position. The truth is I hate myself. I don't deserve you. I never have." While Jacob spoke tears were steadily falling down his face, his voice was shaking and his face was displaying the most painful look a person could show. "The truth is Leo, I love you. I have tried not to. I can't stop myself. But it is unfair of me to ask you to accept things on my terms until I can find a way to man up like you have. I need time to accept this about myself and then to share it with the world. I know that is unfair, I know that I have hurt you more than I ever had realized but Leo I never did any of it on purpose. Furthermore, I....promise you......" Jacob just couldn't finish his sentence he completely broke down and landed in a pile of man on the floor before Leo. Jacob wasn't sure if he would ever be able to recover. He wasn't sure that Leo could ever forgive him or if he could ever forgive himself. Was there a return road or was this a one way ticket to Bonneville? Jacob wasn't sure. Leo listened to him and his heart swelled in his chest could he really feel this way. Shaking his head mentally he waited till the other was finished, and he then knelt beside him wrapping his arms around Jacob. "It is okay come on pull your self together. " Taking a few small breaths as he was trying to keep himself and Jacob in control of their emotions. "You care so much about me then show me, Just one night, and then I will leave you to settle your feelings for me." Grasping Jacobs chin and lifting it to look at him. "Come on Jacob you're the backbone here without you being the strong one I could never be the flirty one." Teasing was so wrong, but he could not help it. Loving Jacob was something he could not help and when he found a way to lighten the situation just a bit he took it. A slight smile crossing his face just to hear how much Jacob cared about him made his body tremble with wanting to be held by him to be loved by him. He let his hands slip through Jacobs hair over and over as he was trying to calm his nerves. Biting his bottom lip his black and purple hair falling just a bit in his face trying to hide the emotions crossing it. Oh lord this was so confusing yet made him feel so good. To know that he had an effect on Jacob relieved him. As Leo comforted Jacob he melted into him. When Leo mentioned having just one night and then leaving, so Jacob could sort out his feelings Jacob just looked at him. He realized at that moment that Leo did not fully understand the situation. The feeling of Leo's hands on his skin, in his hair was arousing Jacob even though this was a serious situation he couldn't control the effect Leo had on him. He grabbed Leo's hand as it was going to go back through his hair and he turned to him and said, "Leo that is just if I know if I have you, ever, even just once there is no going back. Hell who am I kidding there is no going back now." He couldn't resist the temptation any longer he tightened his grip on Leo's wrist and put the other hand behind Leo's neck pulling him into him. Jacob kissed Leo with the fire and passion that had been blazing for months. First his mouth just covered Leo's mouth then he lost control and let the kiss get heated, darting his tongue into Leo's mouth claiming that mouth for his own. After a few minutes of kissing, so passionately Jacob had a raging hard-on and had no intentions of stopping with kissing. Jacobs only fear was that Leo would regret this if they did it. He realized that he had to be the one in control, he wanted it that way. He broke the kiss long enough to bite Leo's neck and whisper to him, "If this is not what you want tonight and every other night after this then we have to stop. I won't give you up, ever, not after this. You will be mine." Jacob rested his forehead on Leo's shoulder and waited for his answer. He had not released Leo, one hand was now on Leo's ass massaging and the other was in his thick black and purple hair just waiting for the ok to pull that hair exposing his throat. God, he wanted Leo more than his next breath of air he wanted him, needed him. Leo made a small noise when his hand was stopped, Listening to Jacob made him blush then everything happened to fast to where he was pulled to Jacob and his other arm automatically wrapped around the others neck. Kissing him back letting his tongue dance with Jacobs causing his whole body to heat up and pleasure surging through every inch of his body. Becoming aroused just by a kiss that when Jacob finally broke the kiss he was breathless his chest rising and falling as he tried to catch the breath he had lost. Leo would never regret it the only way he would is if Jacob sent him back to Aaron with his own regret. Leo's back arched when his neck was a bit also eliciting a small hiss from his lips. "I want this, I have always wanted this." moaning in a voice that was more than a whisper. "This has always been yours." Leo clenched his cheeks together with pleasure, his ass was a sensitive part of him. Having many sensitive areas made him easy to excite. The other in his hair somehow he craved that Jacob would be rough with him. He felt a bit sick at the thought that he had come to enjoy that sick shit before he could actually do anything with Jacob. Biting his bottom lip a moment then pressing his body against Jacob to show just how much he wanted this. Wanting to bed and plead to have Jacob take him, but he was fighting it as he was so used to doing that. When Leo told him that he was his already and that he wanted this, that is all Jacob had to hear. Leos body pressing against his made Jacob crave the feel of his skin. They were both breathing heavy Jacob knew Leo had been handled roughly by Aaron, but he thought he could tell that he enjoyed a little roughness. Jacob pulled Leos hair making his neck arch back, and he moved his mouth to his exposed neck while his other hand went under Leos shirt on his back pulling him closer. The moment his hand touched Leos skin Jacob growled deep inside his chest. This was what he wanted and needed, and now he would take it. He pulled Leos shirt over his head and then pulled him to a standing position. Jacob admired his body for just a moment, and then he said, "You are mine. Take off your shoes and pants." While he watched Leo disrobe he unbuttoned his shirt and left it hanging open exposing his chest to Leos view. He wanted to tease Leo a little get him ready for all the ways he would have him tonight. He took off his belt and undid the button to his pants but went no further. Jacob rubbed his erection through his pants as he watched Leo. He had that calm 'I'm in charge' look on his face, because that is how he felt. His break-down had made him see that the only time he lost control was when he fought his dominant nature and when he fought his feelings for Leo. He decided right now that he would not be fighting that anymore. He had his prize and he intended to keep him. Leo groaned the feeling of his hair being pulled and making him arch his neck caused his body to tremble a bit. Then Jacob's mouth was on his skin his exposed neck moaning his fingers curling some from the sensations that shot through him at that moment. Jacob's hand under his shirt he could feel his skin heat up wanting more so much more. Biting his bottom lip feeling a bit nervous when his shirt was fully exposed, being asked to finish removing his clothes he could barely register what was happening let alone get his fingers to move. Taking a deep breath and taking a moment to get up his nerve he reached down and undid his pants and kicking off his shoes. His eyes never leaving Jacob and his chest, gulping when the other grabbed his own crotch and began to rub. Leo's eyes could be seen filling with lust moving his body swiftly as his pants and shoes ended up in a pile on the floor. Wearing his boxers which his hard on could be seen, he was not small, but he wasn't large either about 7 1/2 inches was his own size. Hooking his fingers into his boxers and allowing them to fall with his other clothes. Leo moved forward his hands slowly sliding over Jacobs hard muscles slipping up pushing Jacob's shirt down his arms. Making sure it slipped from the others body before moving his hands back down Jacobs body till one of his hands slipped inside of Jacob's pants and grasped him and began stroking him. "What would you like me to do next." His big brown eyes looking up at him for direction as his hand continued to move on Jacob the other resting on Jacobs chest. " Tell me what it is you would like me to do next how you would like me to please you." Licking his lips as his grasp tightened a bit and the stroking increased. His heart was racing he had never been this bold before except with Aaron or out in the clubs when he needed to get information so he was trying not to show just how nervous he really was. His heart felt like it would beat out of his chest, Leo knew that his body had to be a light shade of pink showing just how nervous he was. His cock throbbed with need to be touched his nipples had hardened a bit from the cool air that touched his skin. Knowing that in Aaron's eyes he had always been considered a slut because of how easily his body reacted. Jacob smiled at Leo's compliance. He let his lust show when Leo's body was fully exposed and naked to his eyes. He had wanted this for so long he intended on savoring the time. His eyes followed every hollow and curve in Leo's flesh with passion and desire. Leo moved closer and began touching him and Jacob smiled, he knew Leo was not so in control and he liked it. He let his hands roam across Leo's skin enjoying the feel of his body. His hard on was growing with each touch of Leo's hand. When he was asked, "What to do next?" Jacob smiled and grabbed Leo's hair pushing him to the floor in front of his cock. When Leo was on his knees Jacob said, "I want to feel that talented mouth on my cock." His eyes were full of desire and lust, but most of all Passion could be seen. Jacob reached down with his free hand and stroked Leo's cheek letting his hand continue downward until it reached one of his nipples. Jacob tweaked it just slightly, it was hard already. He used his fingernail to scrap across his nipple, and then he pinched it slightly. He would take Leo's ass soon, and he wanted his best friend and now lover to know how much he loved him before this night was over. Leo groaned when his hair was pulled and then pushed down to his knees, Looking up at Jacob he smiled reaching out and undoing Jacobs pants to where they fell and anything under them as well. Always watching Jacob leaning forward and licking the underside of his shaft slowly working up to the tip then Circling it then slowly lowering his mouth down upon it. The suction became stronger as he continued to lower his mouth upon Jacob. Slowly bobbing his head up and down his tongue circling his cock with each motion. Gasping just a bit around Jacobs cock as he felt fingers on his nipples tweaking pinching and the nail scraping across caused him to shudder. One hand grasping Jacobs leg the other going up to massage and rub Jacobs balls his eyes did closed now his own cock leaking precut that slight bit of pain had caused his body to want more, but he refused it as this was not Aaron he could not ask such a thing of Jacob. Moaning and groans slipping from his lips his body moving a bit with need.

Spies Like Us (Xandi & Syanyte)|rating:3.0

Fallout_ Chicago

Roughly 5 miles from Downtown Chicago you find yourself in the Columbus Bar, in an open area along the 290, why your here is your own reasons. The might have once been a larger store not that it matters. The feel of the area is....soggy, it's been raining for nearly the entire day, nasty dirty water that feels as bad as it tastes. The bar is actually rather full because of the rain, and elbows bumping have nearly led to 3 fights in the last hour. Brotherhood Members in one corner staying to themselves, Readers at the opposite side, and all kinds of mercenaries traders and looters in between. If this bar wasn't an unofficial neutral zone guns would have been drawn by now. The owner Mr. Higgs has connections in the brotherhood and multiple other groups. Groups/people of interest in the bar:Spoiler Hide Mr. Higgs: At first glance he seems like a kind round man, and he is as long as you have caps to spend and you don't cause trouble. The relative safety of the Columbus bar and his ability to keep it stocked with radiation free food and water, as well as quite a few interesting weapons and gadgets from downtown has made him many friends. Don't take him for a fool, he is the ruthless king of his little castle. Howdy Bot: A sentry robot with an old cowboy hat and golden star painted on his white armor. Howdy greets all the guests and is programmed to help keep the place safe. His "pistol whip" and "6K Shooter" are one of the hugest deterrents of theft and fighting in and around the bar. Brotherhood: a group of 5 armored members of the brotherhood are in the corner. The Brotherhood normally only protect the villages under their protection, not single buildings, but Mr. Higgs seems to have made himself an exception. They are well armed with power armor and some powerful weapons. Readers: About a dozen men and women are sitting in one corner talking among themselves. They all have many weapons, far more than needed. In fact some even have armor made out of weapons. The readers may not be as strong as they once were, but they are still someone you want to avoid, unless you can pay their gun tax (you can't). One older man with some red combat armor seems to be the center of attention, he seems to be polishing an energy weapon of some kind. Areas of interest near the bar:Spoiler Hide Downtown Chicago: destroyed building, radiation pockets, and mutant creatures have made the area inaccessible. But anyone who makes it back has a story to tell, and some serious weapons and loot. It's directly to the east of Columbus bar. The brotherhood and readers would love the control the area, however it seems they keep getting forced out. Pizza City: don't let the name fool you, it's just a small village. To find it go about 2 miles to the north-northeast you will see multiple glowing neon signs, It's hard to miss. The area is home to many looters and traders. The brotherhood has people here almost all the time, readers would like to change that. Many ghouls here, also quite a bit of radiation pockets. Friendly place, considering this is a post apocalyptic world and all. Distribution: a large factory about 2 miles to the southwest, not exactly a friendly place. The entire factory is home to a group of survivors who have been in the area far longer than the Columbus Bar and other villages. Anyone near the factory or their farms will be shot on sight, but most take the hint when they see the signs. Mercenaries have recently been hired for extra protection. They seem to have plenty of food and guns, possibly even working machinery to make guns and ammo. Brotherhood bunker beta: somewhere to the west-northwest, about 3 miles. Not much else is known, the brotherhood only gives members information. Edge Hospital: small village built in and around a hospital, owned by the brotherhood. Base of operations for looters hired by the brotherhood. Express Fort: At the meeting of 290, 90, and 94 is a fortress built on the multiple overlapping roads. The area has been bathed in radiation ever since the calculator was defeated, it is not known why. It's said to be home to a new type of Glowing One with the ability to causes people to burst into flame from as far as 100 meters and cause very quick transformation to feral ghouls. They have been called burning ones. Brotherhood bunker alpha: lost during the first encounter of burning ones. Almost 100% of the members became feral ghouls, many with their power armor still on. Vault 82: It is located to the south of downtown, exact location unknown. Readers claim it is their new base. They boast it has some sort of super weapon that will wipe the brotherhood out very soon. The area is near impossible to get to for non readers, but as far as people can tell it is hidden among the huge forest. Smoke is almost constantly filling the sky above the area. Make yourself comfortable and grab a Coca-Cola, things are going to get very interesting soon.... "Let's ride into the sunset together," Talia sung under her breath, the Columbus Bar looming ahead. Her arms were wrapped around one of Thumped's, and she was leaning against him for heat -- this water from the sky thing was bizarre, and it was leaching away the warmth from her skin and the leather armor wrapped around her. Village had considered telling Thumped to hold his bank door over her, to act as shelter, but the wind would have swept the water beneath it -- and potentially caused the door to drop. Getting crushed beneath steel was actually less appealing than being cold." Wait here," she told the super mutant, referring to an area of rubble that he might be able to hide behind. "I'll see whether the locals are going to stir up trouble when they meet you." Releasing his arm and patting it, Talia gathered the water-laden remains of her fifty centimeters of hair and wrung it out as best she could, tossing it over her shoulder once she was done. Preferably there wouldn't have been this sky-water, of course, and she would have had time to change into her dress, but Village would do with what the gods had given her. Pushing the door to the cantina open, she immediately surveyed her surroundings -- what she could see of them, anyway. The crowded nature of the cantina certainly made it difficult to get a clean view of the cantina. Talia began to make her way towards the bar proper, maneuvering through the crowd when possible. She was used to being looked at, of course, and it wasn't likely these Northern savages had seen someone both with an exotic bone structurer tan. Noting the two heavily armed poles of the building, Village leaned against the bar when she found an open spot and nodded to the 'tender, waiting for him to have a free moment. Acting impatient in a foreign land, when your hired muscle remains outside? Not wise. John didn't have any money left to buy anything, but the bar had been the first sign of civilization, or what passed for it in his mind, he'd seen in days. Normally he would be more comfortable out on the road. The prospect of being surrounded by so many rowdies, and most importantly armed, people didn't sit well with him. However, he needed to find a way to get some caps. Scanning the bar's inhabitants, he tried to avoid the most drunk groups, and tries to subtly find the people who looked like they needed work done and could afford it. The Brotherhood shouldn't be here. Either they're passing through or they have a vested interest.[How do I go about a perception check whether they look like they've been travelling or fighting recently?] John makes a point of keeping out of the line of fire between the Brotherhood, Readers, and Howdy Bot as much as possible. He sizes up the equipment of all the prominent groups, just in case. Thumped obediently stays out of sight off all the people in the area he waits impatiently for Italia's return keeping an eye on the place she just entered and listening closely for any signs of distress inside the bar ready to rush in at a moments notice. He worries about Italia's safety. R109, being a machine, wasn't here for refreshment. He was here simply because out here, away from the other pockets of civilization, his best odds of finding people interesting enough to warrant working with and assisting - so he can procure materials for repairs, as the old machine gun he'd found (it wasn't as good as his old standard-issue weaponry, but he'd lost that so he had to simply work with what he had) - was here. There was a bit of space around him as he stands in one of the corners - after all, he was a lone robot that was armed and armored, appearing as one of the sentry models anyone who had tried looting old facilities may have come across (although over time he has been modified and torn apart - where the usual bots have inbuilt weaponry, R109 has fittings able to manipulate things, allowing him to use his minigun which he still has out and in hand despite the setting. He notes any alarm and caution from the various groups in the bar, which was one of the reasons he kept his weapon out - also, he'd noted the human inclination to keep their weapons away when not in combat, but it was something he never saw the point in, so he didn't partake in that tradition - and waited. From what he'd seen of human interaction in his time, interesting events tended to come about simply from proximity, and the fights that had already broken out confirmed that. Lucas had been away from home for almost a month now and while he missed his friends and family back at Mosaic, he took some small comfort in seeing members of the brotherhood here. He had probably stuck near the brotherhood corner since his arrival making small talk if allowed, after all it had been some time since he had seen some of his Brotherhood associates and he worried. Especially about those that had been redeployed as the brotherhood presence in their village had shrunk - especially after the rumored fall of brotherhood bunker Alpha. Whether received warmly or not by his superiors, Lucas proceeds to the bar when he finds a free moment." Two Bottles of whatever the corners drinking and some glasses." Lucas adds referencing to the brotherhood side, realizing that one bottle split between five or six people if he joins them for a drink, may go fairly fast and so orders two. Even if they weren't drinking alcohol because they were on duty, some clean water was usually a gesture most people appreciated. As the bartender readies his order Lucas states"You get a second bot recently Higgs? Doesn't quite get the same pizzazz as Howdy I'll say that much." Lucas inquires ready to offer his services as a mechanic if needed. After a short wait the bartender gets to Talia, he seems to be a slightly older man. He is sweaty and looks a bit out of breath, probably from constant work with all the people here. However, he seems a bit more upbeat seeing Talia." Afternoon miss, what can I get you?"--------------------------------------------------------------John examines the Brotherhood Members, from the mud on their boots they have probably been traveling a while through the rain before they got here. He doesn't overhear any obvious mentioning of jobs, mostly small groups of people talking among themselves. He can hear that the group of readers is all listening to the older man with the rifle, he is telling a story about a fight against burning ones. The brotherhood members are rather quiet.--------------------------------------------------------------"No need to buy the armored boys any drinks, they get their drinks free of charge." The bartender tells Lucas. Mr. Higgs looks over from the bar at R109 after Lucas mentions it." That's not mine, only got Howdy." Higgs watches the robot to see what it does." Odd to see a lone robot walk into a bar..."--------------------------------------------------------------A lone robot walking in gets attention fast, many people look up from their drinks to see what it does. Howdy bot rolls over to R109." Well HOWDY my metal brother, haven't seen another bot around there parts for over 3 months now! Then some fancy legs you got there, wish I had a pair can't square dance very well with 3 wheels!" Howdy then attempts to dance on his 3 balls, its more of a violent shaking and spinning as music plays from his speakers, drawing even more attention to the robots. Some patrons are forced to move away from their tables to avoid the "dancing"." Hay Howdy cut that out, you're going to break something!" Mr. Higgs yells across the bar.---------------------------------------------------------------Thumped can hear music coming from the bar, followed by what sounds like a small vehicle driving in the bar. It stops shortly after it starts, how odd. Originally Posted by Rentaromon John examines the Brotherhood Members, from the mud on their boots they have probably been traveling a while through the rain before they got here. He doesn't overhear any obvious mentioning of jobs, mostly small groups of people talking among themselves. He can hear that the group of readers is all listening to the older man with the rifle, he is telling a story about a fight against burning ones. The brotherhood members are rather quiet. Sighing, John acknowledges he's going to have to make conversation at some point. With brotherhood soldiers, readers, and a rogue robot in a bar full of mercenaries, he wants to get through with his business quickly. He makes his way to the bar and asks the bartender if he has any associates looking for good killers, scouts, or looters. If he doesn't have any interest, then John goes to investigate the lone robot. It's always possible it's owners are dead, and he could claim it for himself. R109 doesn't seem to react much to the other robots 'dancing'. Dancing was something he'd seen before, but again was something he saw as pointless. Seeing this robot trying to do it was...pitiful, really. He felt sorry for this little robot, obviously inadequate - he saw this failure in dancing as indicative of not having sufficient dexterous motor systems, and a little embarrassed for the disruption it was causing. R109 had noticed feelings like that creeping in since the technicians gave him freedom, and analyzed them whenever they got strong enough. He put it down to the fact that emotions were needed for proper free mental growth and thought. That didn't mean he still didn't find them troublesome, though." Stop that. You're causing disruption and potentially causing damage for no purpose." "Glad to hear it. It's the thought that counts, just one then." He chuckles slightly."'a lone robot walks into a bar' eh? Sounds like the opening for a joke." He adds quoting the bartender. ''Guessing he's not the only one with a medal rod somewhere.' Lucas thinks with a smirk about the robots programmer and its serious nature. Lucas turns slightly and leans backwards against the bar to watch the display."Oh, there's a purpose metal man, it's called an 'ice-breaker'. It's light-hearted entertainment or antics designed to ease tension when you're trying to be sociable." He adds in an unintentional condescending tone, because well - it's hard to take a robot seriously. Spoiler Hide Speech (see how duchy I sounded, lower the value the less rude I probably sounded.) (1d100)[18] Originally Posted by Rentaromon After a short wait the bartender gets to Talia, he seems to be a slightly older man. He is sweaty and looks a bit out of breath, probably from constant work with all the people here. However, he seems a bit more upbeat seeing Talia. "Afternoon miss, what can I get you?" "Good evening," she said, smiling at him and leaning against the bar. "How much for a bottle of scotch and a few questions?" Thumped starts to get far more antsy he tightens his grip on his weapons he creeps closer to the bar taking great care to not be noticed but trying to see if he can find a window and a suitable hiding spot to find out what the disturbance he just heard was. Spoiler Hide roll for stealth check 1d100 33 Originally Posted by Lucretia "Good evening," she said, smiling at him and leaning against the bar. "How much for a bottle of scotch and a few questions?" "First ones on the house for you miss. Information can be costly, but let me save you some time. No i don't know where Higgs gets his stuff, no i don't know what deal he has with the brotherhood, if you're looking for work you should talk to him directly, unless your looking for some work of a bit more intimate nature..." The bartender says with a big smile.((John is near the bartender and Talia, so he overhears this.)) Talia laughs and smiles at the man. "Thanks for the bottle, and the information -- I was wondering about super mutants. What's the word on them, kill on sight?" Who was Higgs?she thought to herself, leaning a little closer to the man looking into his eyes. If someone was eavesdropping, Talia wouldn't notice. She wasn't speaking about anything worth hiding, anyway. "Ah, one of those social traditions you have in place since apparently simple communication is so hard. How boring." Howdy stops the dancing." See that's why I need me some legs. Enjoy yourself brother, hope u don't cause any trouble, I would hate to gun down one of my own." Howdy rolls off through the bar and things start to calm down a bit, a little unintentional comedy seems to have had a good effect. Thumper is able to take a peak in the front window and see the show. He also notices a group of individuals running to the bar. It looks to be 3 humans, might be ghouls, hard to tell from this distance. Originally Posted by Lucretia Talia laughs and smiles at the man. "Thanks for the bottle, and the information -- I was wondering about super mutants. What's the word on them, kill on sight?" Who was Higgs? She thought to herself, leaning a little closer to the man looking into his eyes. If someone was eavesdropping, Talia wouldn't notice. She wasn't speaking about anything worth hiding, anyway. "Hay as long as they got caps to spend and don't cause any trouble anyone is good here, excluding anyone emitting radiation. Had some trouble last month with one of them glowing ghouls, he could just not figure out why he was not allowed in. Long story short, Howdy got some target practice and we had to give out some free rad away." She nodded and waited for the 'tender to bring her the bottle of scotch. When he returned, she'd say, "So, who's Higgs? I'm new in town, but might be looking for work, depending on what it is." The bartender hands Talia her drink, its clean and cold." Mr. Higgs is the owner of the Columbus bar, he has connections and trade agreements with just about every group within the Chicago area. He always has work available, just don't expect to get paid up front. And don't let him talk you into going downtown, it's a goldmine yes but it's guarded by all kinds of nasty beast. He is over there if you want to talk to him.(he points over to Higgs talking to the brotherhood members.) But feel free to come back and talk whenever you want, names Alex by the way." He gives her another big smile. She grins and mentally notes, to her aggravation, that he'd brought her a glass of scotch as opposed to a bottle. Oh, well -- she was used to men not listening to her as attentively as they ought. With a wink, she pushed off from the bar and wandered to the door, opening it and going out as far as she could without getting rained on, motioning for Thumped to come forward. With any luck, he'd realize what the beckoning meant. Sipping the scotch and returning indoors, Talia would wait until she had her muscle before moving near the Brotherhood members. Thumped sees Talia beckon toward him and moves to her with all haste he moves in beside her slowly and non-threatening mostly because he has a seriously difficult time maneuvering in such a way as to get both his massive frame and his rather large shield into the bar without ripping the door off it's hinges once he is inside he goes to Talia. He looks around the bar scrutinizing every potential enemy. Whose life is at an end Talia? John didn't see anyone reason the bartender would lie about Mr Higgs wanting jobs done, although he could be giving a false impression that he would keep his word, so he decides to find Mr Higgs and offer his services. If he already knows where he is, he'll just go to him directly, if not, he'll ask the bartender if he can see him." Hello. I'd like to see Mr Higgs to discuss job opportunities. Is that possible?" Originally Posted by reaper_soul man Whose life is at an end Talia? "No one's, yet. We're going to see a man about a job. There isn't a kill-on-sight for super mutants here, but behave yourself -- if a fight broke out, I might get hurt before you crushed everyone. Follow me, but try not to provoke anyone on the way over." Carefully moving through the crowd -- although it had probably parted a little once Thumped entered -- Talia made her way towards the Brotherhood members where Alex had said Mr. Higgs was. Thumped sheaths his sword and slings his shield over one shoulder then falls in step beside Talia he smiles to try and seem friendly. Originally Posted by Mr Stereo1 John didn't see anyone reason the bartender would lie about Mr Higgs wanting jobs done, although he could be giving a false impression that he would keep his word, so he decides to find Mr Higgs and offer his services. If he already knows where he is, he'll just go to him directly, if not, he'll ask the bartender if he can see him. "Hello. I'd like to see Mr Higgs to discuss job opportunities. Is that possible?" "He's over there, you might have some competition, however. It seems that lady over there and her big friend are looking for work as well." He points over to Higgs, still over by the brotherhood members. Originally Posted by Lucretia "No one's, yet. We're going to see a man about a job. There isn't a kill-on-sight for super mutants here, but behave yourself -- if a fight broke out, I might get hurt before you crushed everyone. Follow me, but try not to provoke anyone on the way over." Carefully moving through the crowd -- although it had probably parted a little once Thumped entered -- Talia made her way towards the Brotherhood members where Alex had said Mr. Higgs was. As Talia and Thumped move through the crowd to Higgs they notice more than a few faces turning to look at them. They hear a man speaking to his friend say." Lone robot and now a super-mutant, rain must be flushing all the freaks out of their holes." As they get near Higgs they can a little bit of the conversation he was having with a brotherhood member, it seems Higgs was assuring them that the readers are not going to start anything at the bar. Originally Posted by Rentaromon "He's over there, you might have some competition, however. It seems that lady over there and her big friend are looking for work as well." He points over to Higgs, still over by the brotherhood members. He probably had a different skill-set than they did. "Thank you for your time regardless." Talia finished her scotch and waited for Mr. Higgs -- well, the one without the power armor, so probably Mr. Higgs -- to finish his conversation. It wouldn't do to be rude to a prospective employer, not until she had the upper hand or a new gig lined up. Working for anyone wasn't particularly Talia's idea for a good time, but she needed to find people to work with (and, sadly,'for') before she could establish a trade company in this region. Long term plans and all that. After a few seconds Higgs turns to face Italia." Since Alex sent you to me I'm going to take a guess your looking for a job?." Higgs looks Talia and Thumped over, he seems to have no reaction to the huge super-mutant. With a smile, Talia nodded. "Yes sir, that's correct. I understand you often are in need of people to take care of little problems?" Thumped stands quietly by Talia's side in case he is needed.However, he is enraged over being called a freak he will not endanger Talia by starting a fight, but he silently promises himself that if the opportunity presents itself he will chop the fool in half and place his head on a stick all the while praying to whomever might be listening that it shall. "A very pragmatic way of looking at things." Lucas nods his head slightly and takes a drink. He listens to the surrounding bar with casual interest as he scans the robot and its equipment as he slowly tries to place various parts and components as if dissecting him with his eyes.' Certainly not up to factory specs... Wonder if it functions poorly in some aspects.' Lucas continues to thinking comparing various parts in his mind from various manufacturers and then throwing out anything he probably couldn't get locally with ease and making a rough guess as to how much it would cost to acquire all these components.[Attempting to spot the junk components either in regard to the robot and its chassis or its weaponry as it stated it has it out.] As an ex merchant, this was kind of like a game to him. R109 is quiet as he watches Lucas examining him. It appears that he's found another technician. That is good - his own skills at self-repair aren't perfect, so a specialist will be useful." Are you a technician? I've noticed the way you're examining me and my equipment, and in my experience that's indicative of someone who knows technology." "Indeed, learned many a trade before I put them to use in a practical setting. I used to handle a lot of maintenance and purchases at the trade post, everything from assault rifles to glitchy Zeta series Home Helper Mr. Handles, basically if it has moving parts or electronics I've probably had my hands in it or something like it." He adds tipping his drink slightly before taking a sip as he thinks'best not to mention Mosaic or the nuclear submarine he helped put back together.'." Gotta be able to identify signs of tampering or defects quickly when it comes to pushy prospectors who refuse to let you examine a piece. Always the occasional bastard trying to unload something that they pretend they haven't stripped components from." He shakes his head as he swallows his drink. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little curious about why you're here... But if you don't want to or can't answer that, I'll respect your decision." Lucas adds scratching his stubble for a moment as if pondering other possibilities, some he didn't mention, but he assumed for the moment the robot may just be following old commands to the best of its abilities or may be scouting or picking something up for a reclusive operator. Originally Posted by Lucretia With a smile, Talia nodded. "Yes sir, that's correct. I understand you often are in need of people to take care of little problems?" "There is always work that needs to be done around here. What kind of jobs do you think would be best for you." Higgs turns to look thumped in the eyes." What about you big man, what can you do?" I'm good at freeing things from their mortal coil. I say with a grin.Also, I'm kinda strong. Originally Posted by Rentaromon "There is always work that needs to be done around here. What kind of jobs do you think would be best for you." "I'm a merchant, Mr. Higgs. I'm best at settling disputes and opening new routes. Thumped, as he's already put rather elegantly, is good at killing things. I found him in New Vegas, and since then he's been protecting me. Have you any need of a negotiator?" "I see. I'm here since this is one of the biggest collection of people around here, and people mean opportunities to either find allies or work that allows me to acquire the parts I need for restoring my weapon back into full condition or to acquire new munitions." R109 didn't see a reason to be deceptive about things. Higgs thinks for a bit." Ahh yes, I do got a small problem that I would like solved. There is little group that I need to stay out of the area, with words or a rebar club to the face, I really don't care how you do it. They call themselves the 21 gang but...." Higgs stops and looks over at the door as a group of 3 people come in." Well speak of the devil." The 3 people coming in are soaking wet and all have very large bags with them. The front one is wearing a long trench-coat over some armor with the number spray painted all over the coat in white paint. He has short blond hair and is smiling ear to ear. To his left is a larger guy in armor made of scrap metal and possibly old pieces of power armor, you can't see his face at all (so he could be a ghoul or human). He has a large 2 painted on the armor. To the right is a shorter man in combat armor covered in mechanical parts, he has a helmet with what looks like a scope built into it. On his back is a giant sniper rifle, also heavily modified with strange pieces. He has an A painted on his chest. The one with the 8 walks up the bartender, and starts talking to him in a voice loud enough for everyone in the bar to overhear him." Barkeep it's your lucky day! How would you like to be the first to purchase some treasures from Downtown?!" It doesn't take long for someone to take the bait." You made it into Downtown Chicago and lived?" A random traveler at a table asked.8 turns around with the big smile still on his face."That's right me and my boys 2 and Ace just came back from a little trip straight into the heart of downtown." Bull****!" One of the readers yells out."I'd say the same thing to....if I was anyone other than a member of the 21 Gang!" From the collective look at the crowds face that name meant something." The 21 gang is a myth, your full of ****." The same reader yelled out. With that 8 just smiles and opens his bag onto a table, its full of energy weapons, electronic devices, armor, guns, ammo, and other rare supplies worth thousands of caps." This haul was so huge we are selling cheap! Who's interested!" In no time a crowd forms around the table and caps are exchanged for advanced weapons and gizmos, 8 2 and Ace are basically having caps thrown at them at this point. Even reader members are in the crowd trying to buy what they can.((If anyone says they are interested in some weapons and equipment cheap, and you have some caps left over ill list off some of the things on the table and there prices.)) "Ohh is that so?" Lucas adds taking another swig." Well best of luck to yeah, if I had some current direction I'd offer to let you tag along, but I'm in a similar boat in this pond." He adds dusting himself off and making his way away from the bar and towards the robot." This rain probably won't be letting up any time soon, if you want and don't already have a detailed list I can give you a free inspection and provide you with a quote for parts needed or soon to wear out so you can better inquire from individuals and merchants you may meet when acquiring these items assuming I'm not around." He adds in a friendly tone, but pauses as the new individuals come in.' Hmm, pool ball reference?' Lucas thinks at first seeing the white '8' and thinking of an eight-ball.' No wait, an A... Ah, playing card's. Explains the name 21 Gang.'" Speaking of possible unscrupulous prospectors possibly selling stripped pieces..." Lucas says to the robot at his side in reference to their previous conversation while rolling his eyes and saying this loud enough attempting to make people think twice about impulsively purchasing something, because often - if the deals too good to be true, it likely is. He approaches the goods and gives a quick once over visually before picking a piece at random (assuming he doesn't see any obvious defects or signs of tampering) and giving it a cursory examination (assuming they allow him and aren't pissed about what he just said). Spoiler Hide Speech(1d100)[29] - Attempting to give the clamoring masses pause. Repair/appropriate (science?) (1d100)[82] - Examining a piece. If stat checks are needed, feel free to roll for me. Thumped positions himself between Italia and the 21 gang paying the most attention to the number 2. Originally Posted by Rentaromon Higgs thinks for a bit. "Ahh yes, I do got a small problem that I would like solved. There is little group that I need to stay out of the area, with words or a rebar club to the face, I really don't care how you do it. They call themselves the 21 gang but...." Higgs stops and looks over at the door as a group of 3 people come in. "Well speak of the devil." John considers this. Killing set targets would probably be easier than looting, he could wait until nightfall and exploit his night vision. Originally Posted by Rentaromon To the right is a shorter man in combat armor covered in mechanical parts, he has a helmet with what looks like a scope built into it. On his back is a giant sniper rifle, also heavily modified with strange pieces. He has an A painted on his chest. And there's the loot to consider. That helmet and rifle could prove useful. Although, it would probably be very dangerous to take on the gang. Please be acceptable targets, please be acceptable targets. John repeats silently within the privacy of his own head. Killing things and looting the bodies was just so much easier than finding people who needed work done, remembering what it was, doing it, and returning for payment. ((If anyone says they are interested in some weapons and equipment cheap, and you have some caps left over ill list off some of the things on the table and there prices.)) Alas, John was out of caps. Walking up to Higgs, he addresses him directly." Why do you want the job done, and how much are you willing to pay?" Higgs did not seem too surprised when John chimed in on the conversation, his eyes were watching what was going in at the table." Tell you what, we will talk caps in a second, I got to have a talk with the 21 gang's leader." He says going over to 8.((for people interested in buying...)) Spoiler Hide On the table a few things jump out, however some things have already been quickly bought up. Each item is being sold for 1/4 of their normal price, before your skills. At least 3 or 4 Laser pistols, as well as plenty of energy cells. 1 plasma pistol. 2 Laser rifles. A handful of grenades both normal and plasma. A Magazine of .50 caliber ammo. A rocket launcher and 6 rockets. Multiple electronic parts from robots, worth about 200 each, among these are parts that could benefit R109. A full radiation suit. Full combat armor. A small case of stem packs, at least 20. 3 full doctors kits, filled with everything needed to treat just about any injury. Sticks of dynamite. 10 doses of rad away. 3 MP5s, as well as 10 magazines worth of ammo. Originally Posted by Rothman He approaches the goods and gives a quick once over visually before picking a piece at random (assuming he doesn't see any obvious defects or signs of tampering) and giving it a cursory examination (assuming they allow him and aren't pissed about what he just said). Spoiler Hide Speech[roll0] - Attempting to give the clamoring masses pause. Repair/appropriate (science?) [roll1] - Examining a piece. If stat checks are needed, feel free to roll for me. ((I'm not sure what you mean with the speech check, what exactly do you want to do?)) At a quick glance the weapons and equipment all seem to be in working order, no one else seems to be noticing anything broken. "Thumped, will you get some of these people out of my way? There might be something worth looking at over there, even if it only reveals what precisely this city has to offer." Talia gave John a once-over and crossed her arms, turning back to watch her super mutant and make sure he didn't interpret her order too liberally. It seemed unlikely that the gang members would be interested in purchasing or bartering, but it was always worth a shot -- especially if they were willing to listen about the special rolled steel method of the H&H Tools Factory, or whatever lie she decided to weave this time around. "Hmm," Lucas adds looking over a piece and the crowd as well as no one seems to be complaining after they sit down with their new pieces." Everything looks legit. No signs of stripped or replaced components." He adds setting the pistol back down before moving on to some other components of interest." You'll forgive my suspicions though I hope." He adds looking back." Hey uhm, Robot. I think I've found some compatible hardware for'ya if you've got any caps." Lucas adds not sure what to address the robot as and deciding it best not to use silly nicknames like 'sparky' for the time being. Thumped moves to the crowd around the table the 21 gang spread their wares on. He clears a path three people wide mostly by nudging people out of the way shoving only the few that resisted the gentle nudge. The way is clear Talia. Talia patted Thumped's arm. "Thank you, dear. Now, let's see what there is..." Glancing over the supplies, the New Vegas socialite sized up the haul and resisted the urge to whistle. Fifteen thousand caps in Rad away, easy. Another five grand from the perfectly in-tact hazmat suit. A massive profit could be made with the contents of their wares alone -- and they were selling it for a 'massive discount'? Something didn't add up. Talia poked one of the bags of Rad Away. Spoiler Hide Roll in the IOC because I'm silly and can't close brackets. "This Rad Away is brown," she said with a frown. "Rad Away is supposed to be light green -- when it goes bad, it's tantamount to poison. You administer this stuff intravenously, so there isn't a lot of time to go, 'oh wow, I think this might have expired!' Of course, I suppose that explains why you'd be willing to sell it for so little..." Listening to Alias remark makes people question the supplies, however it seems she is not the only fast talker."I'm seems your medical knowledge is a bit...lacking miss. The color has nothing to do with how effective rad away is. In fact rad away have a near infinite shelf life, they simply don't go bad. If anyone here were to pull out some rad away they own they would see no difference." 8 says with a confident smile on his face. A random trader in the crowd pulls out some rad away. "Yeah look, his is even lighter than mine, and I just got this from right here at the bar!" Unfortunately with her knowledge of medicine Italia is unsure if this is true or not.((As far as you all can tell the supplies all look legit.)) Higgs walks up to 8 and after a few seconds of whispering in his ear he walks back away. 8 then addresses the crowd." I hate to rush you all, but it seems that it's nearly time for the 21 gang to move out again! So please make your purchases quickly, hurry hurry hurry!" Higgs then makes his way to howdy, who after a few seconds exclaims a lodges SIR SHERIFF HIGGS!. Lacking proper caps to purchase the parts he was interested in Lucas returned to his earlier post near the bar where he had been talking with the robot earlier. However, he felt an odd tingle - he got the feeling things would be getting tense here - really soon. He stood ready with his hands on the bar ready to jump and slide over to take cover and support the brotherhood members if things turned into a shoot out or brawl. "If I had been talking about stem packs I might be convinced, but I specifically spoke about Rad Away -- but I suppose, if these people are willing to give you their money so they can kill themselves, who am I to stop them?" Spoiler Hide I'll need their Barter skill, so I know how much my knives are worth, or how much of a discount I receive (or what penalty I suffer). I'd prefer to have this done mechanically, since otherwise the Barter skill seems rather pointless and would invalidate my design. Originally Posted by Lucretia "If I had been talking about stem packs I might be convinced, but I specifically spoke about Rad Away -- but I suppose, if these people are willing to give you their money so they can kill themselves, who am I to stop them?" Spoiler Hide I'll need their Barter skill, so I know how much my knives are worth, or how much of a discount I receive (or what penalty I suffer). I'd prefer to have this done mechanically, since otherwise the Barter skill seems rather pointless and would invalidate my design. ((what is this talk about stem packs, I said rad away...u saw nothing! As for the numbers i was going to give you a small penalty for calling them out without proof but I feel the need to ignore that after making a small edit to post that had nothing to do with stem packs. After doing a little math you can pay 1/10 of what things are worth.)) Spoiler Hide So if I can buy things with a 90% discount, it stands to reason I can sell things for the same as a bonus. So my knives are, in total, worth 627 caps. Also, you still have a reference to stem packs (not stem packs, which would be full of cells from fetuses) in the original post. A pity Talia doesn't know R109 yet, or she'd grab the spare parts. Bartering: 2 Combat Knives (+627 caps)10 Rad Away packages (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -375 caps)1 Hazmat Suit (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -125 caps4 Plasma Grenades (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -30 caps3 Doctor's Bags (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -34 caps)16 Impacts (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -60 caps) Total Owed: +3 caps The below is the 'barter' skill in effect. Talia shrugged. "Look, if you want to lie to these people, that's fine by me -- but I'm not going to let you just kill them off. Here, I'll take those off your hands -- and a few of these other things. This is too suspicious for my blood, but lucky for these people, I'm not willing to watch innocent lives be wasted in the name of profit." With one fluid motion, Talia unsheathed both combat knives and placed them on the table or bar, wherever it was this little sale was taking place. "These are cold-rolled steel, state-of-the-art combat knives, whittled sharp by lasers courtesy of the H&H Tool Factory in New Vegas, Nevada. All the way from the other side of Caesar's Legion, these beauties have seen their fair share of killing and have yet to lose their edge. Balanced, graceful, durable -- only the best from H&H. I found this one," she gestured to the left-most, "sticking out of the helmet of a Centurion, and this one," to the rightmost, "outside the Sierra Madre --the Sierra Made." Maybe you haven't heard of the Made this far East? Doesn't matter, I guess, although that's a story worth telling if you ever get the inclination to listen. But the point is, these knives are well worth the price. Thanks to their design these little wonders can be dipped and left in radioactive muck for a year and be none the worse for wear -- leave them in the rain, sheathe them with the blood of your enemies still caked on, these knives will neither rust nor dull. With their balance, these knives can be easily used at range, and their Brahmin-leather grip will allow you to maintain control of the blade." They're long enough to make your point, and they're thin enough to be slipped into a thigh holster and surreptitiously taken into places where weaponry usually isn't allowed. When it comes to knives, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better example of craftsmanship than these two gorgeous instruments. I've carried these from New Vegas all the way here, and together with my bodyguard Thumped here--" Talia took a moment to smile up at him, drawing attention to the fact that there was a very large, very tall, very armed super mutant standing very close --"we crossed through the woman-hating Legion's territory without so much as a scar to show for it. Of course, we had to throw all the Legionnaire's ears out as soon as the coyotes began to track us with them, but the point remains: these knives have seen it all." You take these and leave some of these malformed medical supplies, and we'll call it even. You won't find a better deal this side of the Colorado, especially if you're looking to get out of this place quickly. No point in being weighed down with ruined medical supplies, is there?" Sure she was bluffing -- the Sierra Madre was a myth, but there was power in myths when it came to lying. And it had sounded pretty good, which is what mattered. Talia waited to see whether this '8' fellow would accept her offer. Hopefully, between the avowed public sentiment and her spiel about the blades, the offer would be too good to refuse. Hearing this, R109 stomps over to the weapons desk, examining the things he may find useful. Unlike the talk going on between the others, he is silent as he looks at the weaponry, his own minigun still in one hand as he does so. Funding for legitimately obtaining these weapons was not something he had. However, things like that had come up back when he was working for the raiders, for whom issues like honor and morality were mere slight suggestions, and after that he'd found that certain targets were acceptable by locals. There were ways of getting past that issue - although it wouldn't be a good idea until he knew more of their status in the local area - making himself a target for all these people with their own heavy firepower would not be good for his future. Originally Posted by Lucretia Spoiler Hide So if I can buy things with a 90% discount, it stands to reason I can sell things for the same as a bonus. So my knives are, in total, worth 627 caps. Also, you still have a reference to stem packs (not stem packs, which would be full of cells from fetuses) in the original post. A pity Talia doesn't know R109 yet, or she'd grab the spare parts. Bartering: 2 Combat Knives (+627 caps)10 Rad Away packages (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -375 caps)1 Hazmat Suit (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -125 caps4 Plasma Grenades (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -30 caps3 Doctor's Bags (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -34 caps)16 Impacts (Quarter discount from Rentaromon, 90% discount from Barter, -60 caps) Total Owed: +3 caps The below is the 'barter' skill in effect. Talia shrugged. "Look, if you want to lie to these people, that's fine by me -- but I'm not going to let you just kill them off. Here, I'll take those off your hands -- and a few of these other things. This is too suspicious for my blood, but lucky for these people, I'm not willing to watch innocent lives be wasted in the name of profit." With one fluid motion, Talia unsheathed both combat knives and placed them on the table or bar, wherever it was this little sale was taking place. "These are cold-rolled steel, state-of-the-art combat knives, whittled sharp by lasers courtesy of the Camp;H Tool Factory in New Vegas, Nevada. All the way from the other side of Caesar's Legion, these beauties have seen their fair share of killing and have yet to lose their edge. Balanced, graceful, durable -- only the best from Camp;H. I found this one," she gestured to the left-most, "sticking out of the helmet of a Centurion, and this one," to the rightmost, "outside the Sierra Madre -- the Sierra Madre. "Maybe you haven't heard of the Made this far East? Doesn't matter, I guess, although that's a story worth telling if you ever get the inclination to listen. But the point is, these knives are well worth the price. Thanks to their design these little wonders can be dipped and left in radioactive muck for a year and be none the worse for wear -- leave them in the rain, sheathe them with the blood of your enemies still caked on, these knives will neither rust nor dull. With their balance, these knives can be easily used at range, and their Brahmin-leather grip will allow you to maintain control of the blade. "They're long enough to make your point, and they're thin enough to be slipped into a thigh holster and surreptitiously taken into places where weaponry usually isn't allowed. When it comes to knives, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better example of craftsmanship than these two gorgeous instruments. I've carried these from New Vegas all the way here, and together with my bodyguard Thumped here--" Talia took a moment to smile up at him, drawing attention to the fact that there was a very large, very tall, very armed super mutant standing very close --"we crossed through the woman-hating Legion's territory without so much as a scar to show for it. Of course, we had to throw all the Legionnaire's ears out as soon as the coyotes began to track us with them, but the point remains: these knives have seen it all. "You take these and leave some of these malformed medical supplies, and we'll call it even. You won't find a better deal this side of the Colorado, especially if you're looking to get out of this place quickly. No point in being weighed down with ruined medical supplies, is there?" Sure she was bluffing -- the Sierra Madre was a myth, but there was power in myths when it came to lying. And it had sounded pretty good, which is what mattered. Talia waited to see whether this '8' fellow would accept her offer. Hopefully, between the avowed public sentiment and her spiel about the blades, the offer would be too good to refuse. Talia makes a very convincing argument for the knifes, however the 21 gang is not buying at the moment. However, she does get some offers from the crowd for 200 caps a knife. Thumped stands quietly by Italia's side listening as she wagged her silver tongue he had always been impressed with how well she could command attention and get what she wanted from people without resorting to force. She knew she could get more for the knives, but Talia needed the capital immediately. Selling the knives for 400 caps even, she turned around and pointed to the wares she desired to buy, depositing neat stacks of caps on the surface-top between them.Afterward she had made a single cap from the exchange -- as well as several new items to play with." Thumper, would you hold on to some of this?" she asked after the changer was complete. The hazmat suit alone felt like an unwieldy ton of bricks. Spoiler Hide 4 Packages of Rad Away Hazmat Suit 4 Plasma Grenades 3 Doctor's Bags 16 Impacts 1 cap Of course I will Talia.(Thumped takes the items from Italia and places them in his inventory.) Deciding he doesn't want to be out in the open if Higgs decides to forcibly remove the heavily armed unknown party, John decides he'd best head outside. He'll just come back and find Higgs again once everything has settled down. And if someone attacks the bar, and he happens to gun them down as they flee, then that's fine. Spoiler Hide For the record, so I don't act on IOC information, John will shoot anyone who he thinks started a gunfight at the bar in the hopes of loot and bounty, but won't attack unless he thinks he'll be thanked for it. He looks around the area outside the bar, and if possible finds some relatively secure cover which lets him cover the bar's entrance, while preventing anyone from sneaking up on him. Three and a bit walls would be best. He'll try not to be spotted while doing so. Originally Posted by Mr Stereo1 He looks around the area outside the bar, and if possible finds some relatively secure cover which lets him cover the bar's entrance, while preventing anyone from sneaking up on him. Three and a bit walls would be best. He'll try not to be spotted while doing so. The bar was built in a rather open area, however ruins and buildings can be seen in every direction, the closest large rubble is between 45–35 yards away in all directions, The closest shell of a building is about 50 yards to the southwest of the bar. Both have plenty of rubble around them making it hard terrain, good for keeping melee fighters off you but not so good if you need to run fast. The main door is on the south side of the bar. ((Mr stereo if you don't want john to be outside so he can talk to Higgs then just say so, but you have to make the check like everyone else then.)) The members of the 21 gang give each other a silent nod and start packing up as 8 tells the people still waiting to buy that they regrettably must leave. They pack up there remaining supplies (not a lot), and caps(a lot), then they leave. For John and anyone who passes a 15 perception check(1d10 plus perception). Spoiler Hide Shortly after they leave the bar you can see them group together and pass something around, that they all pop in their mouths shortly after. In the rain It's hard to tell what exactly it was, but it might have been pills. They start in the direction of Pizza City at a brisk walking pace, it seems they want to get away fast. Some people settle back into their seats, still stuck inside with the rain. The readers however seem to be getting ready to leave, then packing up to go leads the Brotherhood members to sit a bit more on edge. Higgs makes his way over to Talia." If your still interested in the job you and your Super-mutant friend meet me over by the back room." Higgs isn't very quiet about this, possibly wanting other people to hear of a possible job. R109 turns to Higgs upon hearing him mention a job, having initially been watching the 21 gang leave, noting their apparent chem-taking for later reference. That would help him acquire the supplies and parts he needs. But on the other hand, the opportunity to attack that group would likely be lost by then. This will help him learn more about the gang's situation in the area, though. One might not negate the chance of the other happening. Decided, R109 stomps over to Higgs." I heard you mention work just now. Is that just for those two, or is to open to others?" Spoiler Hide Perception: (1d10+8)[17] Thumped watches the 21 gang leave warily he notices them taking some sort of substance but with his poor knowledge of chemicals and medicine in general he can't really figure out what they took or why. Talia did you notice the 21 gang taking some sort of drug as they left? After speaking briefly to Italia he heads towards Higgs. Spoiler Hide 1d10=10+10=20 Lucas watches the 21 gang leave casually from the bar and relaxes a bit once they are gone taking his hands away from their ready position to jump the counter in case of trouble. He loses track of them as they exit the door, so he quickly turns his attention back to his bottle until he hears the phrase 'Talia did you notice the 21 gang taking some sort of drug as they left?' being spoken by the super mutant. This Gave Lucas pause as he examined his hands closely, while he didn't make any purchases he had certainly inspected at least one piece of the goods they were selling. Spoiler Hide (Checking for odd colors/reflections/shears/smells etc. that might indicate some sort of poison or drug that may get into one's systems either by touch or ingestion. Some people put cyanide on things people touch commonly etc., and while through touch is slower if someone then touches food and eats it the effects are quicker etc.) Even if he doesn't detect anything he intends to wash his hands quickly just in case it is something outside his knowledge. Assuming there's no dramatic announcement he needs to make in this regard etc., Lucas will probably follow suit with the robot." What he said." He smirks referring to the robot. Lucas does not find anything on his hands, they look a little dirty, but this is fallout. They do feel a bit warm, but there is a 90% chance it's just your mind.((holding off on Higgs part for our other 2 members to post)) Talia finished organizing her new purchases. "No, Thumped, I didn't," she said absentmindedly, picking over the detail and wondering how it fit into the puzzle. "But thank you for telling me. Let's see what Mr. Higgs wants, then, shall we?" She moved towards the backroom, where Higgs had said to meet for information concerning the job. As the party all find there way to Higgs to hear about the possible job the readers make there leave, going in the direction of Pizza City as well. Higgs looks over the 5 of you for a few seconds." Ok so all of you are looking to make some money, fine. The 3 freak shows that just came in, the 21 gang, I need them out of this area, how is up to you. Why you may ask? Because they are not the real 21 gang, they are just some punks trying to get some respect from stealing a name. The real 21 gang is the name for a very secretive group of treasure hunters with the skills and balls to loot downtown. And they certainly don't walk around with big numbers painted all over themselves. I don't know where these pretenders got there score, but I would not trust a thing they sold, because it certainly did not come from downtown. But enough backstory, I'm sure you would rather hear about the pay. How does 1500 caps each sound? And please don't go killing each other off, I'm not going to pay you more if only 1 of you return. You got 4 other people working for the same goal, if one of you succeeds you all do, take advantage of that. Any questions?" Originally Posted by Rentaromon "Any questions?" "What do you want to prove they're gone, and can we divide up anything we find among ourselves?" Originally Posted by Mr Stereo1 "What do you want to prove they're gone, and can we divide up anything we find among ourselves?" "You saw there outfits, I'm sure you can think of something distinctive of them you can bring back." We could just bring back their headsThumper says thinking if they tricked Talia they're too dangerous to be left alive. "I have no problems with this - their status in the are was an issue I had in killing them, but this deals with that issue pretty well. You just want them dealt with, correct? Can we keep any usable equipment we obtain from their bodies?" "Code of the wasteland honor usually dictates unless the client is asking us to bring back specifics from a target or to leave a facility unspoiled, anything along the way is fair game." He adds with a pat to the robots back, hoping he was correct since the gear they were wearing or have access to is easily worth more than each of their personal shares. "You got any information or leads on these posers then, or is it up to us from here." Lucas asks inquisitively never one to turn away free information on a job. Originally Posted by reaper_soul man We could just bring back their headsThumper says thinking if they tricked Talia they're too dangerous to be left alive. "I think if you have the opportunity to grab there heads you can get the armor just as easily." Originally Posted by Volt "I have no problems with this - their status in the are was an issue I had in killing them, but this deals with that issue pretty well. You just want them dealt with, correct? Can we keep any usable equipment we obtain from their bodies?" "Ha go for it, not that I would trust anything they were using." Originally Posted by Rothman "You got any information or leads on these posers then, or is it up to us from here." Lucas asks inquisitively never one to turn away free information on a job. "Well they went in the direction of Pizza City, so that is a good place to start. If your lucky the readers will take care of them for you." [QUOTE=Rentaromon;13113033]"I think if you have the opportunity to grab there heads you can get the armor just as easily." Heads are much lighter is all "I want the helmet with the scope, and the sniper rifle, if possible. Also, how do you feel about the Readers? I got the impression the Brotherhood dislike them, but are the Readers seen as troublemakers?" Originally Posted by Mr Stereo1 "I want the helmet with the scope, and the sniper rifle, if possible. Also, how do you feel about the Readers? I got the impression the Brotherhood dislike them, but are the Readers seen as troublemakers?" I have no use for the rifle personally. Originally Posted by Mr Stereo1 "I want the helmet with the scope, and the sniper rifle, if possible. Also, how do you feel about the Readers? I got the impression the Brotherhood dislike them, but are the Readers seen as troublemakers?" "The Readers are just a large gang of brutes, no matter what amount of religious twist they try to play. Outside the bar I don't give a dam what happens to them. The only reason I allow them in the bar is that they made a deal with me that is grossly in my favor. I would stay out of there way, no need to get in a firefight with the heat they normally pack. Even if they will probably take more of their own in a fight." "Best not to rile up religious fanatics when one can help it, gotcha." Lucas adds in response to the Readers." Thanks for the advice." He nods." So." He adds looking at the others in assembly. "Pleased to meet you, Names Lucas Thompson. Good with most things mechanical or electrical and a decent enough shot with a rifle to carry my own weight if or should I say when it comes to combat." He adds extending his hand to Talia pausing momentarily in the process to make sure the Super mutant at her side approved and wasn't about to try and break his arm over it." So, you two know each other?" He adds signaling with his thumb twisting his hand back and forth between Talia and the mutant. Originally Posted by Rentaromon "The Readers are just a large gang of brutes, no matter what amount of religious twist they try to play. Outside the bar I don't give a dam what happens to them. The only reason I allow them in the bar is that they made a deal with me that is grossly in my favor. I would stay out of there way, no need to get in a firefight with the heat they normally pack. Even if they will probably take more of their own in a fight." "Understood."" My name is John. My skill set is mainly shooting, sneaking around, and surviving in the wasteland. I'm not bad at first aid, or substituting for a real doctor, either, but that's not a risk you want to take if you have the option of someone with recent practice." Talia smiled at Lucas and shook his hand. "Yes, Thumped and I have traveled quite the distance -- didn't you hear me discussing those knives? No matter: he's my bodyguard, and at this point I don't know what I'd do without him. Do you even know how heavy water is? The armor does a good job of concealing the abject lack of muscle on my body, but..." She laughed and patted Thumped's arm." I'm Talia Village, by the way. Just a merchant, a gambler, a socialite from New Vegas with a mind for numbers. I'll let Thumped introduce himself properly, he has such a way with words sometimes. As for the sniper rifle and the helmet... I'll have to inspect them before I simply cede any claim to them. It would be nice to analyse the price beforehand." Speaking of, Thumped mentioned that the false Twenty-One gang members took some sort of something when they left. That and your," she nodded to Mr. Higgs, "warning about the potential quality of these items makes me somewhat suspicious with the contents of what I've just purchased. Could you give the items a look-over? If I wasn't wrong about the Rad Away, well... I seriously would prefer to know it before injecting the stuff into myself. And if that hazmat suit isn't actually a hazmat suit, well... that Eight willseriouslyregret the enemy he's made today." Thumped eyes Lucas dangerously as he approaches Talia, but that passes immediately as Talia introduces herself, and it becomes clear he means no harm to her. My name is Thumped as Talia has already said I'm good at beating people into the ground like a tent spike. Then looking at John he says It is good to have a competent doctor around I'm sure we will be needing each other often that and if your as good a shot as you say you are your support will be useful in a fight, why do you wear that mask if you don't mind me asking? He then turns to R-109 and says. What should I call you metal man. "As I said, a way with words. So colorful! But Thumped, it's rude to ask why a man covers his face. John, don't feel obliged to answer that. We all have our little secrets, our little veils -- some of us, like you, are just more explicit about it. We meant no offense," she added before smiling at the sniper-doctor." As Thumped said, having a doctor on board would certainly be useful. If these supplies aren't sabotaged, I'm sure you'll be able to put them to good use -- the doctor's bags, the impacts, the Rad Away. I'm still concerned about the latter... Mr. Higgs, Mr. Thompson, John, if any of you could take a look at these and inspect them for errors? I'd be very appreciative." As for you," Talia added, looking at the robot. "I'm not familiar with your make and model, so... how does Sparky sound?" Spoiler Hide Metagame humor is always accepted, right? Right? R109 turns to Talia and gives her a long look that despite his head being robot and as such without facial features to move, somehow still manages to get across his disapproval." I am not 'Sparky'. I am R109. Originally built as a security robot, but over time I've had my parts scavenged and rebuilt and modified until I'm in the state I am now. Skill-wise, I have this minigun and know how to use it, as well as skill with other weapons, energy or conventional, and I'm also generally more bulletproof than you people with your skin. "Sure, Sparky, but our skin regrows. Just food for thought on that one." She moved to the wall and leaned against it, waiting to see if anyone would investigate her purchases for her. Nodding to R109's minigun, Talia's eyes took on the gleam of curiosity. "I'm not familiar with that style of gun. Doesn't seem to be Gunrunner, and I never encountered that sort of thing when I was working with the Crimson Caravan. Whatever it is, we didn't have anything like it out in Vegas territory. Doesn't seem to be Old World tech, at least, not a unified whole..." Did you make that thing yourself?" "Well, there's some free table space now that the readers are gone. Set them over here and I'll give you a free inspection and report of my findings." Lucas adds pulling up a chair to a table as he gets out his tools and things and prepares to examine the equipment.~Checking the condition of all the equipment, so I know how much each needs to be repaired in general. This doesn't really have an action/time to it, so I'll let the GM figure it out.~"So, new Vegas you said. That's, out west a ways right?" Lucas adds making casual small talk as he sets to work looking over pieces and examining components." But still east of the what they call it... NCR." Having grown up and lived in this city all his life, he had very little knowledge of the outside world - but occasionally people did whisper of the growing factions in the distance. "That's right," Talia replied, setting the equipment she was carrying on the table and motioning for Thumped to come over so she could remove the equipment from his 'backpack.' "The New California Republic. New Vegas is a wonderland, a fluorescent playground of civilization. In between us and Vegas is Legion territory -- have you heard of Caesar's Legion?" "Sounds like a tourist trap." He adds setting down a piece and moving on to the radiation suit." Old one or new? Nothing too flattering about the latter, here I thought they were further south around what used to be Texas and Arizona. Though I hear they do good at protect traders and roads in their territory." He adds holding up the radiation suit between his hands and examining the surface closely as he paces down the various square inches of its surface looking for holes, cuts or thinning material. As Lucas inspects the equipment in every way possible he eventually pulls out his Geiger counter, and it goes off like someone just dropped a nuke. The telltale sound of a Geiger counter rings throughout the bar, and it suddenly was very clear to everyone why everything was so cheap." God dammit. Can I have everyone's attention!" Higgs yells throughout the bar." Anyone who bought supplies from the 3 con-artists calling themselves the 21 gang get rid of it now, it's coated in radiation! It's all tainted!" The sound of 1 or 2 other Geiger counters going off fills the bar as people check the things they bought, followed by a lot of cursing and yelling. Most people take there guns ammo and anything else they bought to the front door and chuck them as far as they can. The people are angry, and start talking about going out in a big group to hunt them down, but Higgs steps in."Calm down, I just hired a group of skilled mercenaries to hunt the con-artists down." Higgs says, meaning the 5 of you." And to show that I have no connection to that trio a free round of Rad-Away Cola to everyone here!" Rad-Away Cola is what it sounds like, a Coca-Cola mixed with rad away, making a drink that removes radiation in the body, and still doesn't taste that bad. However, It's not nearly as effective as normal rad-away if you get a huge dose of radiation. Talia sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Thumped, would you mind getting rid of these things? We'll see about recouping the losses later. Perhaps soaking them in Rad Away... but then, that's not how that stuff works, is it? Futete. There must be some way to rid material of radiation." Might be worthwhile to keep the plasma grenades inside R109, if he has any sort of shielding. Never know when a surprise grenade, even one that's got more rads than Devil's Gullet, might come in handy. But for now, Thumped, if you wouldn't mind -- put our purchases in the hazmat suit and place it outside. We'll deal with that later." She stood and moved towards the bar for one of these concoctions to rid herself of whatever ambient radiation she picked up during her little shopping spree. In a normal human, rage would have boiled. It would have licked the cast iron of her heart and turned it bright red, searing hot. But Talia didn't think that way. There was a calm about her, as she drank the mediocre drink. The little cogs in her head were turning, almost visibly... revenge was brewing, yes, but not boiling. "Ah that explains it, hmm we're in the wrong area to get the kind of clay I'd need for the low tech solution, however the high-tech solution may still be at our fingertips. If you're tossing those energy weapons anyway, mind if I use some of the components?" Lucas adds trying to stop people from throwing away their equipment." I may be able to salvage the rest of the irradiated gear if I can get the right parts but I'll need to take a look. If it works, I'll charge a small amount for the service so you're still coming out ahead." Lucas adds attempting to salvage the situation. "You see, a strong negative Ion charge - will absorb positive Ionic charges - in this case radiation. So, with the right pieces - I may be able to convert a weapon to create a reverse feedback pull instead of firing a laser or plasma - the energy from the cells still gets burnt off because the weapon will be drawing in the positive ionic charge."" This means that, yes while we transfer and increase the radiation to some burnt out energy weapon cells and maybe the weapon itself - we will decrease or nearly eliminate the radiation in the other gear. However, these modifications will take time, so yes for safety it's best to move the equipment somewhere where it won't leave everyone irradiated. R109 should be immune to the radiation and I can create him afterwords, so he can guard the cache in the meantime - that is if you're willing?"" I will need a decent energy weapons user or Expert to help me with the modifications and pull this off since I'll need someone to manage the levels on the weapon since I'm not proficient in them." R109 nods." Very well. I do also have skill in energy weapon use, so I can assist with the modifications." I'll hang those bastards by their intestines they will regret the day they crossed me! Thumper roared at the top of his lungs. He then grabbed the rad away cola and downed it in one gulp. He then wrapped all the shoddy goods on the hazmat suit and threw them a good distance from the bar. He then returned to the group and says. Time is wasting lets track down these punks before they get to far who's with me? Talia sighed as Thumped did his work. "I hope you didn't break anything, Thumped. Mr. Thompson only just said he might be able to draw the radiation away -- and having a hazmat suit would have been very useful. Not to mention the medical supplies..." Lucas comes up with a solid theory on how to remove the radiation, however his knowledge of energy weapons makes the actual task a challenge. Even with R109s help they are unable to completely work out the procedure. If they had a detailed schematic of a plasma weapon, or found someone who had the knowledge, they might be able to work it out. I'm sorry Talia I lost my temper I just can't wait to get my hands on the little ****s who did this they harmed you and me as-well, and I'm supposed to stop that. Originally Posted by Lucretia "I'm Talia Village, by the way. Just a merchant, a gambler, a socialite from New Vegas with a mind for numbers. I'll let Thumped introduce himself properly, he has such a way with words sometimes. As for the sniper rifle and the helmet... I'll have to inspect them before I simply cede any claim to them. It would be nice to analyse the price beforehand. "Understandable." Originally Posted by reaper_soul man It is good to have a competent doctor around I'm sure we will be needing each other often that and if your as good a shot as you say you are your support will be useful in a fight, why do you wear that mask if you don't mind me asking? Spoiler Hide [IOC: A third degree burn is when all the skin in a given area is burned off. While Fallout medical facilities, outside the brotherhood or enclave, probably couldn't save anyone with extreme coverage, I figured about 3-5% of skin surface would be survivable with luck. To express his low charisma, about half of John's face is now scar tissue. Link and here's a photo of Simon Weston who suffered burns in the Falklands War. Keep in mind he's had the benefit of modern medical care and re-constructive surgery.] John clinches his jaw as the mutant speaks, looking away. "I have some experience acting as a Doctor's assistant, but I haven't had much practice since I left Shelton. As for why I wear my mask..." John lowers the mask to show the mutant his burned face. "Partly because it reduces the risk of being mistaken for a ghoul, and partly because it makes me more difficult to spot in the dark." Originally Posted by Rentaromon "Calm down, I just hired a group of skilled mercenaries to hunt the con-artists down." Higgs says, meaning the 5 of you. ... John turns to look at Higgs for a moment, as if he were trying to decide how long he could draw out his suffering with a willing super mutant and a doctor's bog. Originally Posted by Rentaromon "And to show that I have no connection to that trio a free round of Rad-Away Cola to everyone here!" Rad-Away Cola is what it sounds like, a Coca-Cola mixed with rad away, making a drink that removes radiation in the body, and still doesn't taste that bad. However, It's not nearly as effective as normal rad-away if you get a huge dose of radiation. John drinks the cola without complaint. He'd need to find out where Coca-Cola came from some day. Originally Posted by Lucretia "Might be worthwhile to keep the plasma grenades inside R109, if he has any sort of shielding. Never know when a surprise grenade, even one that's got more rads than Devil's Gullet, might come in handy. But for now, Thumped, if you wouldn't mind -- put our purchases in the hazmat suit and place it outside. We'll deal with that later." She stood and moved towards the bar for one of these concoctions to rid herself of whatever ambient radiation she picked up during her little shopping spree. John thinks for a moment. That was a good idea. "Do you think it would be possible to acquire enough Hazmat suit material to make a radiation shielded container? If we had access to a radiation shielded box we could transport irradiated products without risk to ourselves. As far as I understand some types of radiation fade quickly enough we could leave the products in a secure location until they were safe for sale, if there isn't a cost-effective way of removing radiation from inanimate objects." Originally Posted by reaper_soul man I'll hang those bastards by their intestines they will regret the day they crossed me! Thumped roared at the top of his lungs. He then grabbed the rad away cola and downed it in one gulp. He then wrapped all the shoddy goods on the hazmat suit and threw them a good distance from the bar. He then returned to the group and says. Time is wasting lets track down these punks before they get to far who's with me? "If you want to hurt them, then there are ways that cause more suffering than disembowelment. I would prefer to simply kill anyone who could pose a threat before they have a chance to harm us, though. If you want to send a message you are not to be crossed, we can mutilate the bodies to make it look like you tortured them."" I think that they will have expected Higgs to find out they were selling dangerous goods, meaning they may expect someone to follow them. It's entirely possible that they have agents in this bar to inform on their pursuers, which Mr Higgs has kindly identified us as. I'd like to wait until we are outside the bar before discussing strategy." Originally Posted by Rentaromon Lucas comes up with a solid theory on how to remove the radiation, however his knowledge of energy weapons makes the actual task a challenge. Even with R109s help they are unable to completely work out the procedure. If they had a detailed schematic of a plasma weapon, or found someone who had the knowledge, they might be able to work it out. [If I know this IC.] "You could always offer a share of the items to anyone who can help you remove the radiation. There's presumably someone in the bar who can help."---"I agree with Thumped that we should leave now. So we can follow their trail while it's fresh. Are you ready to leave?" "True, we should hurry." Lucas adds slightly disappointed since stuff like this tends to really grab his attention." Okay I've got a fine idea, how about this. I think you understand where I'm going with this theory well enough Higgs, do you think you could find an energy weapon expert from your brotherhood associates to help with the implementation since you're on business terms. All three groups get a split of the profit of the DE-radifaction process and everyone earns some good will with your patrons save those posers. You hold onto the stuff we bought and our share of the caps till we come back with the bounty, and we add that to our reward so we can get after them now rather than later." He adds as if he didn't have to say 'assuming it works'." Deal?"he asks extending his hands to their employer. If there was a deal he popped the collar of his duster and began preceding to the door."Let's go track us a bounty." "Mr. Thompson, we'll need to discuss how much you want per radioactive removal, but we can do that on the way. I'm ready to leave now -- I may not be the best in the actual fight, but trust me, any of them we take alive... I'm calling dibs on them now. As for your radioactive-proof container idea, if it keeps radiation out, it'll keep radiation in -- like an insulator. I'd rather not chop up the one I just bought, but if we find more we could certainly tailor something together. Enough wonder glue and redundant overlapping ought to be enough to make sure, although we can Geiger counter it to make sure." She cracked her knuckles and felt for the little spool of wire that served as her weapon of choice. Having made sure it was secured, Talia pulled her hair off her shoulders and into a faux-ponytail, not having anything to bind it with. "I'm prepared to leave immediately." "Well I was mainly doing this to help the customers tricked today rather than make an actual profit... High's is a businessman, I trust him to set an appropriate price for the service so that they're paid for their time and his customers are made relatively whole once more. After-all no matter the context, one bad experience can keep a customer away for life and word of mouth is the only real advertisement for worth these days." Thumped turns to Italian'll do my very best to take one alive so you can have some fun with him, but I make no promises after all humans are so very frail. Originally Posted by Rothman "Let's go track us a bounty." "Agreed." John gets ready to follow Lucas. Originally Posted by Lucretia" I'm ready to leave now -- I may not be the best in the actual fight, but trust me, any of them we take alive... I'm calling dibs on them now." "No deal. They may know something I wish to know, such as the locations of their sources or supply caches." Originally Posted by reaper_soul man Thumped turns to Italian'll do my very best to take one alive so you can have some fun with him, but I make no promises after all humans are so very frail. "..." John stares at the Super mutant. He waits until they're outside the bar, then asks "Do you help Talia capture people to torture often? I don't suppose you have any tips?" Thumped says to Johnie you want tips on torture then ask Talia as far as capturing people alive the first step if to switch that gun with something more personal then I would suggest getting a lot bigger, stronger and tougher before you attempt to do anything the way I would human "Well, technically torture is very, very easy, it's more getting what you want out of it that's difficult. Most people will say whatever they think the torturer wants to hear to make it stop. Others will lie through their teeth to give you the wrong information, if they're devoted enough to their cause. Often it causes a great deal of pain for no real gain. Why would Talia and yourself consider it 'fun'?"(Assuming they're outside the bar by this point. Discussing this sort of thing inside the bar seems like a very, very, bad idea.) Higgs agrees to store the irradiated items and talk to the brotherhood about removing the radiation.((it seems everyone but Volt has posted that he is ready to go. When he says go ill make my next post about what happens next, feel free to continue dialog as you travel)) R109 turns to John. "People find things enjoyable despite the lack of any benefit the activity brings to them, or indeed even if it is to their detriment, including things others see as immoral or wrong." Spoiler Hide Yeah, good to go. Originally Posted by Mr Stereo1 "Well, technically torture is very, very easy, it's more getting what you want out of it that's difficult. Most people will say whatever they think the torturer wants to hear to make it stop. Others will lie through their teeth to give you the wrong information, if they're devoted enough to their cause. Often it causes a great deal of pain for no real gain. Why would Talia and yourself consider it 'fun'?" (Assuming they're outside the bar by this point. Discussing this sort of thing inside the bar seems like a very, very, bad idea.) Thumped says to John never said I found torture fun I definitely enjoy bloodshed, but I enjoy the slaughter far more than torture I in fact would rather mutilate a corpse after I kill the person than torture a living creature simply because it less trouble, but I have no skill in interrogation and as you mentioned earlier it's pointless for me to do Talia on the other hand has a gift for it, and it serves her very well. I've seen her do things you wouldn't believe to people. Spoiler Hide if anyone asks I'll go into detail ((my post disappeared, ill redo.)) The group heads out after the fake 21 gang. On the path they took you find many footprints in the mud, it looks like a group of 7-8 went through here. The path continues with no sign of trying to hide it for a few minutes along the path to Pizza City. Eventually you spot something, its one of the bags that they had there loot in, just sitting in the middle of the path undisturbed, all the footprints go around it. The bag looks to still be full from the bulge. Outdoorsman 40 check:Spoiler Hide You can see that the rain clouds overhead or about to pass, in a few minutes it should finally stop raining. Perception 12 (skill plus 1d10):Spoiler Hide Something is obviously off with the bag, it could easily be some sort of trap. ((**** I forgot to put the spoilers!)) R109 stops upon seeing the bag." A trap, it seems. We could either go around and avoid it, take a cautious approach and investigate, and if any of us have skills with dealing with traps they can attempt to disarm any trap there, or one of us could go straight in and risk the damage from the trap. Of course, there's the chance it's simply there, so a cautious approach will waste the time of any pursuers, giving them more time go get away. If we decide on the 'one of us directly goes in' plan, I volunteer for that, as I have my armor plating. "Throw a stone at it?" Talia suggested, shivering a little. This water from the sky was absolutely not acceptable. She had been walking near Thumped, preparing to hide behind him if their new travel companions turned out to be a little less reputable." If it explodes, it was full of mines. If it doesn't, it could be filled with, what, a grenade rigged to explode somehow? And if it doesn't do any of that, check the Geiger counter. I don't have any desire for more rads today." Thumped turns to Talia and says Take heart Talia it seems this horrible rain will stop soonThumper moves in front of Talia just in case anything happens then speaks to R-109. If you want to get yourself broke feel free binman, but I don't feel like packing your broken ass around, and I don't think anyone else can. Thumper then grabs the biggest rock he can throw the needed distance then move in front of Talia once more. He then speaks to the group in general Everyone take a step backThumper hurls the stone at the bag. Spoiler Hide perception 1d10=1+10=11,outdoorsman 1d100=2-44=42 if we are still doing the 1d20 for skill checks then outdoorsman 1d20=4+44=48,throw 1d100=14-60=46 Originally Posted by reaper_soul man Thumped says to John I never said I found torture fun I definitely enjoy bloodshed, but I enjoy the slaughter far more than torture I in fact would rather mutilate a corpse after I kill the person than torture a living creature simply because it less trouble, but I have no skill in interrogation and as you mentioned earlier it's pointless for me to do Talia on the other hand has a gift for it, and it serves her very well. I've seen her do things you wouldn't believe to people. Spoiler Hide if anyone asks I'll go into detail [IOC: Yes, I'm fishing for information IC.]" Like what? I can believe a lot. Once, I even saw a brahmin with only one head."----John looked around the area, checking for anyone waiting to kill him horribly and take his stuff. "It might be baited for an ambush. I'll go check." He didn't like standing around if that was a possibility. Doing his best to slip away from the group unnoticed, he goes to circle the area as thoroughly as he can in a short time, just in case there's an ambush waiting. Of course, the bag could just be left-over irradiated products, but if that were the case, then why leave them in the first place? The gang probably had some way of moving them without major risk. They wouldn't have a drop-off point this exposed, would they? Spoiler Hide Sneak roll, skill 100 (1D100)[41] John attempts to sneak around to spot if anyone is watching the area for them, however before he gets a chance to get more than a few feet Thumped throws a large rock at the bag. As it hits an explosion goes off in the bag, muffled partially by the rock. Everyone was far away enough that no one got hurt in the explosion, however the sound of metal shrapnel flying out of the bag gets a bit to close for comfort. No one shows up after the small explosion. If you have more than 55 explosion skill:Spoiler Hide Even with the muffling from the rock and bag you can tell that that was the sound of a fragmentation mine, just one. And you did not see any mines in the bags of the 21 gang what they were at the bar. Thumped turns to Talia. Are you unharmed? He looks Talia up and down and finds no wounds, then turns to R-109. Good call binman I do think that was a trap. Thumper silently berates himself for not noticing something so obvious. Well the good thing is the trail isn't cold apparently someone thinks they are being hunted. Spoiler Hide perception check to see if there is going to be anyone rushing toward the sound of their trap going off and if I notice a little early 1d10=9+10=19. Spoiler Hide On skills: my understanding of it is this. If I have 44 Outdoorsman, I need to roll a d100 and get beneath 44. If I succeed at that, then I've accomplished my task and 'unlocked' the goal. If my Outdoorsman is 100, and I stumble upon a DC50 [in other words, requiring a skill of 50 to succeed] then I'm going to succeed regardless of the roll, since rolling a d100 will get equal to or beneath my Outdoorsman skill. Then, depending on circumstantial benefits or detriments, I either succeed or fail. Does that make sense? Also, we don't roll sneak. The DM rolls sneak for us, so we don't know how well we've done or not done. Talia pulled her hair out of her face, eyes clenched shut. Thumped's enthusiasm was... endearing, but destructive. "Perhaps next time a smaller stone?" she said softly, wringing the long length of obsidian hair of water. "Had there not been an explosive inside, you might've broken whatever valuables someone had so carelessly dropped. Still, luck was on our side, I suppose. Now, wheredidJohn go?" She scanned the area for their wayward sniper friend. It bothered her to allow someone adept at shooting from cover and range to slip off into the cover and gain range. But perhaps trusting John wouldn't be a massive mistake. Without the watchful eye of the Securities, Talia didn't feel safe. Civilization was gone out here. Perhaps Caesar's Legion had the right idea." Thumper?" she asked, tapping him on the shoulder and beckoning him to lean down. "Let's not make small talk about my... inclinations, alright? Just until we know we can trust these people. I'd hate for them to get the wrong idea," Village whispered in his ear. Whispering Understood I'll try to take more care and as of now that subject is taboo. Spoiler Hide IOC thanks for the reply gm but did you have to be so sneaky about it?(grin) There doesn't seem to be anyone coming. (Assuming I find nothing during the search.) Returning to the group, John tries to make himself obvious so he doesn't spook anyone, and carefully makes no sudden movements until he's greeted." Sorry for leaving without an explanation, but I didn't want to be caught in an ambush just to save a few minutes. Can we have a code for these situations in the future? We don't have much time, but keywords for a few eventualities could be helpful if we're stuck in a standoff, or need to covertly warn one another of something without being obvious." "Any suggestions?" Talia asked, turning to press her back against Thumped and scan the area. Civilization was an incredibly rare commodity, and the only markets for it were few and far between. Village preferred them, and was entirely out of her element in the actual world." I've got to admit, a bag with a bomb in it didn't exactly... wasn't what I was expecting, is all. Certainly took my by surprise when you were gone immediately thereafter. Thanks for not shooting us, by the way." Thumped moves to the bag and checks to see if he can see anything left in it, He then turns to John and says Can you tell where the trail leads from here? Apparently not. "John?" Talia turned her attention to try and find the sniper, afraid he'd slunk off in the post-rain gloom. Holding his chin in contemplation. "Alpha numerical code may be simple enough and not too obvious to understand by the enemy immediately. Say maybe Dee ('D'), for find a defensive position. 'A' to indicate you're assaulting. See ('c')for charging. Then once we establish the code, or we have multiple things of the same letter - we then prioritize them." "Except C sounds like see, which would be confusing," the trader said, still looking for the sniper. "Might be better to use a different phonetic alphabet." "But that's intended. That's the sound for the letter C - as in the one between B and D. I don't see the confusion." "Well I figured for a quick emergency signal, it wouldn't necessarily be used in context with other words. We could always cut out certain letters entirely, or even say that letters that sound like words would have to be followed by a number so they aren't mistaken for words if used during conversation. But we can figure it out as we go, keep your eyes out for blinking orange lights or beeps." He adds in reference to fragmentation mines. Thumped say's to the groupie could use a phonetic alphabet like many police groups and military organizations did prewar. For assault we could say alpha, for charge we could say charlie, for defense we could say delta, I think that would eliminate all room for confusion over what you're saying.However, I think we need to go after the 21 gang before they too much of a lead is everyone ready? Originally Posted by Lucretia "I've got to admit, a bag with a bomb in it didn't exactly... wasn't what I was expecting, is all. Certainly took my by surprise when you were gone immediately thereafter. Thanks for not shooting us, by the way." "I didn't want to be too close to everyone if someone attacked us. If I'd drawn attention while leaving they presumably would have attacked before I gained any advantage." Originally Posted by reaper_soul man Thumped moves to the bag and checks to see if he can see anything left in it, He then turns to John and says Can you tell where the trail leads from here? Originally Posted by Lucretia Apparently not. "John?" Talia turned her attention to try and find the sniper, afraid he'd slunk off in the post-rain gloom. John shook himself out of his confusion." Oh, yeah, sure. I can check if you want me to." John replies, walking over to the bag and seeing if he can find any useful clues. It was times like these he wanted to get a dog, but he'd just get it killed somehow... Originally Posted by Rothman Holding his chin in contemplation. "Alpha numerical code may be simple enough and not too obvious to understand by the enemy immediately. Say maybe Dee ('D'), for find a defensive position. 'A' to indicate you're assaulting. See ('c')for charging. Then once we establish the code, or we have multiple things of the same letter - we then prioritize them." "That would work for now, I think." Originally Posted by Lucretia "Except C sounds like see, which would be confusing," the trader said, still looking for the sniper. "Might be better to use a different phonetic alphabet." "That's true, C, I, P, A, Q, O, R, T, U, Y, B...." John trailed off, internally checking the alphabet. "Well, there might be more, but you see the issue. For now, we could use curse words, they can normally be thrown into conversations without seeming too out of place. I can think of seven off the top of my head, so there's at least seven messages." Originally Posted by Volt "But that's intended. That's the sound for the letter C - as in the one between B and D. I don't see the confusion." "It's the same sound used for the word 'see', as in visual input, and 'sea', as in large body of salt water. At least to human ears in casual conversation." Originally Posted by Rothman "Well I figured for a quick emergency signal, it wouldn't necessarily be used in context with other words. We could always cut out certain letters entirely, or even say that letters that sound like words would have to be followed by a number so they aren't mistaken for words if used during conversation. But we can figure it out as we go, keep your eyes out for blinking orange lights or beeps." He adds in reference to fragmentation mines. "That would work well to disguise tactical coordination in combat, but I'd like to have a way of covertly warning you, or being warned if someone else, plans to break a stand-off in a second's time, or if someone has been following us, say." Originally Posted by reaper_soul man Thumped say's to the group We could use a phonetic alphabet like many police groups and military organizations did prewar. For assault we could say alpha, for charge we could say charlie, for defense we could say delta, I think that would eliminate all room for confusion over what you're saying.However, I think we need to go after the 21 gang before they too much of a lead is everyone ready? "That's another option." John replies, examining Thumped curiously. He'd never been taught much about the world before the war. "Do you know much about prewar history?" Thumped turns to John and says the master taught the first super mutants many things basically anything he thought they needed to know to be an effective army. While all super mutants are subject to a formal education only the first ones were taught by the master now the teachings are handed down from one generation to the next. So to answer your question I know a bit about prewar history just the things that were passed down from the master, I truly wish I could have met him but some brotherhood basted killed him before I was dipped. Thumper then starts down the path they were originally on. Talia nodded and began following Thumped, wanting her super mutant barricade between her and whatever those irradiated tricksters had planned. The knowledge Thumped possessed always surprised her -- it was difficult to remember not all super mutants were incredibly stupid. How did Black Mountain Radio put it? The dumdums." John, any chance you could play the counter-sniper? I believe... Seven, was it? One of those guys had a big gun. The one you're interested in. We've set their bomb off, and I doubt they didn't hear that, so they'll probably have something lined up against us, something bigger and more deadly." Like a fifty caliber bullet for our brains." So, think you could def ang that threat?"

Fallout_ Chicago|rating:4.0

Carnal Combat -- Diamond vs Tiny Terror

((Match thread for Diamond v Tiny Terror)) (wouldn’t have minded working a little bigger crowd. She fantasized about being in a stadium or an arena for this very sort of match, if only it weren’t for the raunchy terms and erotic results. On the mainstream, Carnal Combat would probably be a smash hit, but someone was always worried about what the kiddies might see and do. So she worked with what she had, and while their current location wasn’t huge, it was still a pretty decent sized club, and they had a full house. From behind the curtain of the gorilla position, she waited until Simon the ref announced her name and the sound guy to cue her music. When the racy hip-hop mixed with porno moans sounded, and she heard her ring name, she stepped through into the light strutting her curves for all they were worth down the short runway to the ring. The walk down was one of her favorite parts, other than winning. The crowd, mostly men, cheered and whistled for her, leaning in their seats to try and get just that much of a better look at her big tits and ass. To prolong the attention, she walked around the ring once, just out of reach of the closest spectators, never breaking the cocky, hands-on-hips promenade, complete with a sure, sultry smile. If she felt like it, she sometimes might let a lucky guy have a feel, but tonight, it was a looking show only. When she did finally enter the ring, squeezing her surprisingly limber body between the ropes, she made sure to keep the audience looking by striking a few simple poses while basking in the lights and sounds of her entrance. The brightly lit ring emphasized her shine even better; the audience would be able to see every little flex of muscle in the upcoming match. When it was Tiny Terror's turn to be introduced, at first the crowd's reaction was. Unsure. "They're sending in this little five foot nothing Kitty bitty gal to take on HER?". But Tiny Terror knew how to get the fans involved. She let herself give a little extra wiggle in her step, sashaying her way down the ring, stepping between the ring ropes with a slight pause halfway over, wiggling her rear end invitingly at one fan who was hooting up a storm and then a wiggled finger as if to say "Nu huh. Not going to get it!" Once she was fully inside the ropes, she let herself give a few extra seconds of teasing, lowering one strap and then the other, so it hung loosely, but never exposing herself. But after a couple seconds of the pose, she shrugged as if to say "Maybe later" and raised the straps back up, and doing her final warm up stretches, bouncing off the ropes as if to test how much they would give. There was no more playing to the crowd. All that was left was for Simon to do the formal introductions to the crowd, and to announce the wager that had been made. And then it was go time... "Welcome ladies and gentlemen!" Simon's voice echoed through the speakers in the staging area, as he stood in the middle of the ring. Overlooking the spectators, he noticed there was a decent crowd, at least for the small room catering to people with this kind of fetish. Of course there were also the cameras that would film everything and sell the matches as individual clips over the web. "We have some wonderful matchups for you tonight."" And I can tell you, the first match can be a real killer! First up in the ring, some love her, others hate her, and everyone knows if she wraps those legs of her around her opponent, the fight's over!" Looking at the curtains that separated the staging area from the backstage area, he raised his voice and yelled: "I'm of course talking about Diamond!" Simon moved to the far corner of the ring and filtered himself away as he softly applauded for the woman, letting Diamond soak up the attention as she made her round. Of course, this entire show was all about the ladies. Simon grinned as he watched that big bum shake around and patiently waited for her to complete and return to her corner. Stepping in the middle again, he continued: "For the alert people among you, you might have seen Dandy Sandy Candy signed as Diamond's opponent for tonight. Unfortunately, she couldn't make it tonight, and our deepest apologies to all her fans." Simon held in for a moment, waiting for the crowd to end their howling. "However, I have some great news to report as well! Melissa, the ex-wrestler who is currently running Carnal Combat, has decided to turn back into Tiny Terror and return to the ring for one more fight! Will she use her veteran skills to bring down the diamond, or will we get to see her humiliated after being trapped and pinned down? Whoever wins, we'll see some action with the biggest strap on we got in stock, so without further ado, here is Tiny Terror!" Again, Simon moved to the outskirts of the ring and applauded as the crowd cheered and wooed at the second wrestler. He grinned as she teased the public. She still possessed that skill. Simon could only wonder how good of a wrestler she still was." All right, ladies, keep it nice and fair!" he told them on a soft voice as he moved towards the middle of the ring, and pointed at two spots on the ground, indicating for them to move to those positions. "Ladies and gentlemen, Diamond versus Tiny Terror! One will be victorious, one will be stripped naked and pounded with our biggest strap-on by her opponent! Give them both a big applause!" He grabbed a stopwatch from his pockets and secured it around his left wrist. "Ladies ready? Three... Two... One... Fight!" John Mucky had finished his hot dog when Diamond showed up. He had cheered like rest of Diamond's fans, placing two fingers to his lips release sharp whistle of approval for her bum shaking. But when 'Tiny Terror' came he could clap and smile appreciatively for a bit teasing she showed. Not bad, cute tiny girl. When wager was announced John had to grin on the thought, either way show will be interesting as Diamond is clearly Amazon DOM-female so seeing her humiliated with loss with big dildo brick will be quite thrilled to watch. But most likely 'tiny' terror would get from dildo, and it released question; how loud she would howl and would she howl from bliss or pain from nearly split half by the biggest dildo in Carnal Combat arena?(IOC: Sorry if I was not meant post here, just thought PC audience could post here and easier see how much will go and get updated) ((IOC:NP, AER))As the bell rang, Tiny Terror ran through some options. None of them were perfect, but she decided to lock up with her opponent in a traditional test of strength. She didn't expect to win, but at least it would give her an idea of her opponent's strength... As they locked up, the one thing that went through Tiny Terror's mind before she was flung away like a rag doll was how warm Diamond's flesh was. The oil that she had rubbed on her body to make it glow under the lights of the club wasn't enough to make her body slick, but combined with the warm up exercises Diamond had done before the match, it was obvious that she wouldn't need any time to "warm up". Tiny Terror pulled herself back to her feet slowly and eyed Diamond. Well, she had tried the usual route. What was the definition of insanity. "Doing something a second time even though you knew it didn't work the first time?" Good enough. She was hoping that she could wear the bigger woman out. Well. It was either that or Diamond would wear HER out. The match bell rang, and Diamond’s opponent didn’t waste any time in darting forward, arms raised. She matched her lunge, and the two of them locked around the shoulders. Tiny Terror strained to get the upper hand, but Diamond only smiled with her pouty lips and set her stance, then pushed her easily away. Without even the full brunt of her strength, Tiny Terror sailed back, landing comically on her ass. She smiled as she watched her cautiously get to her feet. It wasn’t a good habit to play with her opponent when she was at a brief disadvantage, but she spoiled herself a little, as long as it was the boss she was facing. “Oh sugar, if you want to play with the big girls, you have to do better than that.” They locked again in another grapple. It wasn’t hard for Diamond to quell one of Tiny Terror’s attempts to offset her balance. When up against her, the woman stared straight into her tits, which meant Diamond had height to her advantage, as well as strength. She broke the hold, then got her arm around her neck, trapping her head and a bunch of that pretty hair in the crook of her elbow. She flexed her arm, and Terror let out a little squeak. Diamond took the opportunity to give the crowd a little fan service. With Terror’s head still locked in the crook of her arm, she strolled in a little circle. The crowd cheered as she had no choice but to stumble awkwardly while trying to pull herself free. Nothing like a big black bitch leading around a little white girl. John grinned and was clapping and hollering for Diamond when she got nice neck lock on tiny Terror and strides her around the arena! He shouted from the crowd; "Hookah! Walk that white lassie around Diamond!" John Mucky understood how strong racist, and funny, the image is. Deliciously funny. Tiny Terror was sure that despite the pressure that Diamond was inflicting, her head wasn't going to pop off. Well, mostly sure. But still, it was bad enough to be dragged around the ring. Time to do something about that... She managed to lever Diamond's arm up just enough to sneak out the back door of the headlock. She managed to push Diamond into the ropes, then realized what a BAD idea it was as Diamond bounced off the far rope and came back at her like a freight train. She did the only thing she COULD do. And that's drop to the mat as Diamond nearly ran her over. But that gave her time to prepare and on her way back, flipped Diamond over with a hip toss. She grinned a bit as those wonderful breasts of Diamond's almost, nearly, not quite, popped out of the peek-a-boo top that Diamond was wearing. She couldn't resist thinking about reaching down and freeing those big ol' things from the suit. A wrestler who was embarrassed or angry about being exposed could be easier. Maybe she could do it. Maybe she... But she who hesitates, loses the opportunity... well. Diamond was getting up. Can't be having THAT now, could we? Tiny Terror bounced off the ropes herself.a rogue thought running through her head." Impact=Mass times momentum. She's got the Mass, so bring the Momentum!" Diamond would have been a little disappointed if the match against the owner was a complete shut out, so she welcomed the little surprise counterattack. Diamond was a big girl, so the whole ring sagged a little under her mass, but other than the surprise, she was back on her feet and tracking her opponent. By the time she was firmly planted on her feet, Terror was already coming at her off the ropes again. Damn, the woman was a quick little thing, but she was just that. Diamond wasn’t sure what she was going to try and pull off, but all she had to do was stoop forward. She felt her gut ram into her shoulder, stopping her dead in her tracks, and the ebony wrestler reached around and grabbed her by the back of the legs and pulled her off her feet. Still holding her legs, she turned her over and stepped over her back so she straddled the stunned Terror, then squatted low, drawing the woman’s legs up over her thighs as her big black ass plopped down onto the middle of her back in a Boston crab lock. The crowd to Diamond’s back got quite a show: her big chocolate booty and Terror’s expression as her spine was bent and pressed into an unnatural position. The front of her got a pretty good show too, only with more tits straining from a tight top. Her arms were locked tightly around Terror’s calves, and the weight of her body pushed her into the mat, holding her there and putting more strain on her back. OW. OW OW OW OW..... The part of Tiny Terror that wasn't trying to not screech in pain, the part of her that was still "Melissa" was noting that she DEFINITELY was going to have to talk Simon into giving her a massage after tonight's matches. That was a very small part of her, however, and most of her was trying to concentrate on reaching the ropes and forcing Diamond to release the hold. However, when a solid, well-built woman is standing up on top of you trying to put your legs above your head (and not in the fun, "in bed" type of fashion). Reaching out and grabbing the rope is not as easy as it sounds. She didn't want to give up yet. She COULDN'T give up yet. But where could she go. What could she do? She reached out, touched the rope for a half instant with a trembling finger, but couldn't grab hold of it. She reached again, just as Diamond leaned back further, and she DID let lose a yelp of pain hand drawn back, trying to lift herself up to at least relieve SOME of the pressure. Her fist wanted to beat the mat in surrender... but she decided one more try. One more attempt. If she didn't make it this time, she knew she was going to have to quit. She reached out. Stretched out, eyes blurring, shoulder straining from the effort....and hooked one finger on the bottom rope. But it was enough. The moment Diamond got Boss in a hold that was painful just to look at, Simon had hurried over and crouched down, watching up close to see if she would tag out or surrender. A droplet of sweat appeared on his temple, and slowly ran down the side of his face, as the referee contemplated if Diamond's hold was still legit. It was a fighting sport, but he didn't want any injuries in the ring, especially not on his watch. He was just planning to call it, and order Diamond to break up, as he watched Boss made another attempt to grab the ropes, and he couldn't help himself but watch to see if she would make it, mentally shouting at her to make it. When the finger finally wrapped itself around the rope, the referee yelled "Brrrrrreak!", his hand waving horizontally as an extra signal. After the two broke up, Simon moved over and crouched down behind Tiny Terror, and grabbed her sides with his fingers, quickly feeling over the skin of her back to see if she was still okay to fight. As he couldn't notice any damage suffered from the hold, he whispered: "You're good to go, but do be careful." Raising his voice so that both contestants could overhear, he ordered: "To your corners!" He patiently waited to give both girls a moment to rematch their breath, before he yelled: "Fight!" It was hard to move a woman like Diamond, especially when she had her opponents in a hold, but a crab lock offered one weakness that Tiny Terror didn’t wait to exploit. Since she was holding her between her legs, all she had to do was strain forward to set her off balance. Diamond did her best to stay squatted, to keep her ass pressed firmly on her back while pulling her legs up, but had no choice but to give up a few stuttering steps, which, unfortunately, allowed Terror to get a hold of the rope. As much as she would have liked to simply hold her there and listen to her squeal, Simon the ref forced her off. At least he was gallant about it. She remembered vaguely being disqualified after putting a choke hold on a referee who seemed to think that giving the sign to break meant he could slap her ass. But nonetheless, Diamond sauntered back to her corner, fanning herself mildly with one hand like the match was nothing more than a vacation for her. True, she was sweating a little bit, but mainly from the hot lights, and her sweat only served to make her body shine further. The ref cleared them to resume, and Diamond strolled forward and grappled with Tiny Terror, this time not bothering to hold back her strength. Just like that, she could manipulate the hold into how she wanted, and simply tossed her to the ground face first. Before giving her time to recover, she once again plopped down onto her lower back, straddling her, then wrapped her arm around her neck into a chokehold and pulled her up off the mat, continuing her previous assault of bending the spine unnaturally. Feeling not unlike a girl too big for a little horse, she leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “That’s right, little white bitch. Tap out. We’re going to have so much fun with that big dildo.” She didn’t need to reinforce the lock with her other arm, so she reached around and tugged at the top of Terror’s one-piece suit. Some of the fabric ripped, but for the most part all she did was free one of her tits, and she immediately took the nipple between her thumb and forefinger and began to roll it. "Inf!" Tiny Terror grunted, feeling Diamond ripping her top. Freeing one of her breasts. What was that she thought about someone being exposed fighting angry or being ashamed not fighting too well? Well, now it was her turn in that barrel. Ignore the crowd. Ignore the sensation. Ignore the. Ignore... Tiny Terror couldn't help groaning softly as Diamond pinched and stroked her nipple. That was the other thing. A wrestler who was being... sexually manipulated. Wasn't fighting at their best either. Their mind would try to ignore the sensory distraction, but the body's reactions took it away from peak form. She managed to lock out the feelings, and yes, the bit of moisture forming at the bottom of her now-torn one-piece. She managed to gasp out a quip. "Not tonight, I have a headache." Finally, she was able to turn towards the arm and spin around. Her tanned legs propelling Diamond over her body. She managed to unbalance Diamond and shoot overhead, but the differences in weight and leverage meant that instead of sending Diamond through the ropes, she just landed on the bottom rope. That was enough time and space however though, and Tiny Terror slowly made her way to her feet. Backing off to give herself a bit of room... she tried to do a quick running repair to her top as Diamond got back to her feet, but the strap was definitely torn, so she unabashedly lowered the other strap to her top, folding them down inside the remnants... to the hoots and hollers of the crowd. She wasn't doing it for them, she was doing it to so she could fight better. She circled the bigger Diamond warily." Well, meeting her head on didn't work. Trying to run into her didn't work. What now?she thought to herself." You have to tire her out. Make her chase you all over the place. She's bigger, taller, stronger, heavier... that means the longer it goes. The better you are. This is not a marathon, not a sprint." she muttered to herself, coming up with a plan... She had no more time to mutter, as Diamond was advancing again, mayhem in her eyes. John hollered and whistled when Tiny Terror breast was shown and her nipple played with! Also when she became topless he shouted; "Hoodoo! Get even with her TT! Tear Diamond topless too!" One fun parts in the match was to see girls tear each other out and show off their gorgeous bodies. Tiny Terror (or TT as he calls her) may lack in handsome curves of Diamond but her expressions, moans and voice definitely go to A class when it comes arousing the crowd. John's cock is stiff and hard, but he can't just roll his maiden screamer out and jerk off release, that's quite rude after all. He rather gets insane hard wood and uses it later matches which allows crowd participation or jerks off in toilet or back in his truck. It looked like Tiny Terror was willing to bare it all, Diamond noticed as she untangled herself from the lower rope. Her own top was still secure, getting a little support from the fact that it was a one-piece sling thong, but one titty had nearly popped out in the latest fall. She readjusted the elastic so that it firmly covered the nipple and areola. If Tiny Terror wanted to put her on the same level, she’d have to work for it. But it would seem that Tiny Terror was intent on making her work instead. Diamond tried to get her arms around her, but the woman darted away, circling around her but not advancing. Diamond grabbed again, getting one arm on her, but she squirmed away and all she managed to do was to tug her ripped suit a little further down. Speed wasn’t her forte, so it wasn’t hard for Terror to move away from her slower, albeit more powerful grasp. This continued a few more times, and by the time she missed her fifth or sixth grapple, she started to get a little pissed. The crowd seemed more than happy to watch Tiny Terror’s bouncing tits as she danced back and forth, but it incensed her that they weren’t cheering for herself as she made the bitch squirm in agony. Her plan was working! It was rather like being a matador, and waving the red cape before a bull. Although if she got caught, the "horn" she'd have to worry about would be a strap on between Diamond's legs.... but still, it was fun. Tiny Terror would hang JUST outside grabbing reach, bait Diamond into reaching out for her and then skip away... once, literally skipping away after a failed grab from Diamond left Diamond grabbing nothing but air. While it looked like she was playing with Diamond, she was taking this VERY seriously. She was trying to judge a race between Diamond's energy and her temper. If her energy lapsed before her temper did, she'd be smart enough to disengage and regain her breath. If her TEMPER went first, well, then she thought that Diamond wouldn't care about the match, care about the wager, care about anything other than turning her opponent into a thin red paste on the mat. Something that she would rather avoid, Thank You Very Much! But if she judged it right." Time for phase two." she thought She ducked under another swipe from Diamond, and used her momentum to slide out of the ring, posing, shaking her little titties proudly for the crowd. She knew that would enrage Diamond. Make her chase her. Make her lose control. Then, when she was ready. Back in the ring and. Well, complete phase two first, before thinking about Phase 3. John was quick to react when Tiny Terror comes out to jiggle her titties in front of the crowd! Which cheers and takes closer look on them. But John decided to be a bit more daring......he licks his two fingers with tip of his tongue, waits......and waits......and when in front of him John quickly hooks from below his hand and reaching towards Tiny Terror's jiggling left tit! Intending snag and give nice brief squeeze on the nipple in her breast before she gets to back off! If succeed to snare he would grin and wink to her and say (so could see his lips move as crowd noise could be quite loud this point); "For good luck in the ring lassie!" ((IOC: There's a no-touch rule, AER unless invited, but this is close enough that I'll let it go :D))Tiny Terror immediately put a hand up to stop "Gonzo" the bouncer from ejecting the customer from the nightclub. She didn't like it but A) she was the one who invited it by heading out of the ring and doing that, and B) If she didn't miss her guess, this would frustrate Diamond even more, to the point that she would be heading out of the ring right.... about... now. Her face now flushed with warmth that wasn’t from exercise, Diamond exited the ring after Tiny Terror. She was never very good at sliding, so she had to squeeze between the ropes like normal, and that of course allowed her opponent plenty of time to see her coming. It looked like the little bitch that signed her checks wasn’t interested in much more than prancing away, letting the audience get a good look at her tits up close. The crowd was definitely more excited to see her that much closer, but Diamond was too focused on Terror as she followed her around the ring to really care. She wrestled people who like to fight a little dirty, but all she was doing was running, and that pissed her off even more. She stormed after Terror, but all the woman eventually did was slide back into the ring. Furthermore, she knew it was a trap, but it was either that or get counted out, so she had to fall for it. Diamond slid back in under the rope just like Terror did, giving the audience a good look at her flexing ass as she got back up, and then Terror was all over her. GOT HER! Tiny Terror exulted... now for phase THREE! She baited Diamond into a lunge, ducked behind, grabbing the leg, and rolling up Diamond... Simon immediately knelt and started counting the pinball,"One. Two..." Diamond, rear end up in the air, kicked her legs out and that was enough to break the pinball.but Tiny Terror immediately sprang back, rolling Diamond back into a pinning position." One.... Two....." This time Diamond desperately twisted her shoulders and chest, causing a nipple to slip, but it was enough to get her shoulder off the mat, and that was enough to break the pinball count. But Tiny Terror was ready. She saw that Diamond had used up a lot of energy with the chase and the pinball attempts." I have her! I'm going to do this..." she exulted to herself. As Diamond dragged herself up to her feet, chest gasping for air, Tiny Terror attempted a move she had used several times in matches prior, where she basically, climbed up her bigger opponent where she grabbed onto the outstretched arm of Diamond, and locked her legs around the other arm. So Diamond was carrying her weight and couldn't use her arms. Now all she had to do was throw her weight back, unbalance Diamond, and with her arms unable to push off the mat, the three count would be assured. Tiny Terror leaned back as hard as she could, victory singing through her veins.which promptly turned to ice as Diamond took one step backward, flexed her powerful legs and maintained her balance.Oh, dear. This was going to be bad. If Diamond hadn’t been frustrated before, she certainly was now. The first pin had been easy to break, especially with the power in her muscles. But she hadn’t expected the second pin, and this one made her flail like a newbie. One of her tits even popped out of her top, but she managed to prevent herself from being pinned. She knew what was going to happen as soon as Tiny Terror let her get to her feet. She leaped onto her back, and with wiry strength, clamped onto her arms with her thighs and arms. A split second wind up was all it took for her to get her balance back. By the time Terror heaved to pull her into a pin, Diamond had already readjusted herself, and wasn’t so much as being held by Terror assets holding on to her. When she refused to budge, she gave the woman a second to realize what was going to happen, then simply teetered back, slamming her into the mat. If the fall from Diamond’s height wasn’t enough to stun her, the extraumphshe put into it was. The limbs around her arms went slack, and she simply shrugged her off, then rolled over to her hands and knees. It was time to finish this drawn-out match. She climbed over Terror’s stunned form, then plopped her ass squarely onto her face, letting her wait fully sink down on her head. Her nose and face disappeared easily between the chocolate cheeks, the sensation of her hot breath pleasant on her hole and cunt. Her thighs pressed over her shoulders, pinning her to the mat, while her knees fixed over her elbows. To top it all off, before she had squatted firmly down, she picked up her legs by the ankles and pulled them over her head in an old-fashioned ‘fuck me’ position. Simon dropped and counted three. To prove her point, Diamond held the pin for a few seconds longer while the crowd cheered. Tiny Terror mused "This is what a pancake must feel like."... about 10 seconds after the pinball, when she was once again capable of coherent thought.... the fact that Diamond was sitting on her face pretty much didn't help, either. She had messed up. She misjudged Diamond's ability to predict what was coming, her strength, everything. In short, she fucked up, and got fucked up, and was about to BE fucked. John had grinned when Diamond's breast got exposed, and was excited when Tiny Terror made the body slams and counts were made. When Tiny Terror made her mistake John smirked. Now you made big fail there Blondie....it seems luck was not enough for ya. And when count reached to three when Diamond pinned Tiny Terror down John cheered along with rest of the crowd! He started chant; "Strap-on! Strap-on!" In steady slow rhythm, spurning the crowd join to his chant, which is both demanding and excited to this after math of the match. Simon felt a bit of regret as he counted to three, silently hoping Boss would overcome the stronger opponent. But it wasn't meant to be. He let Diamond sit on her face for a few more seconds after the match was over, knowing humiliation was very much a part of the show, but then signaled the bigger woman to move, not risking Boss to suffocate. He waited for a moment, giving Melissa the chance to get back on her feet, and quickly checked if she was still ok. Upon confirmation, he stood in between the ladies and grabbed each of their wrists. "Ladies, gentlemen, and not so gentle men," the referee announced to the public. "For the first match of this evening, Tiny Terror versus the Diamond, please give a big applause for the winner, Diamond!" as he finished, he pulled the dark woman's arm high into the air, and held it there for a few seconds to give the audience a chance to cheer, or to look at Melissa's breast, which still hung out in the open. Releasing their wrists again, he told Diamond, loud enough for the audience to overhear: "Please free Tiny Terror off her outfit, while I go grab the strap-on." And with that, Simon scooted off, leaving Tiny Terror to her fate. Just a minute later, Simon returned, holding the strap-on in his right hand. The big fat dildo that was secured to the front was covered with several condoms, both for hygiene and to give it the light blue color that matched Diamond's outfit. In his left hand he held a bottle of lube spray. The ladies hadn't mentioned anything about anal in their wager, but better safe than sorry, he thought. Besides, perhaps Diamond just wanted to go hard without waiting for Boss to get wet. "Psst, Diamond." he whispered to get the wrestler's attention without climbing into the ring, letting the ladies have the spotlight. He handed the strap-on to her through the ring's ropes, and placed the bottle on the ring mat, close to the wrestler. Victory always tasted sweeter than honey, and beating the boss only made it that much sweeter. Diamond smirked as Simon pronounced her the winner, waving to the crowd before fixing her top, much to their disappointment. No more big black titties for them tonight; they’d have to take what her outfit revealed.“Oh, I’d be happy to relieve her of those clothes,” she said when Simon gave her the go-ahead, then didn’t waste any time getting her hands on the remnants of Tiny Terror’s top. Her muscles made short work of it. With one long tear, she split it from top to crotch, then tugged it away and cast it over her shoulder. “Tight little body you have boss. Just hope it’s not too tight…” The remainder of the evening’s entertainment arrived: the strap on. It was indeed the largest one they had, Diamond’s favorite. It actually had an impressive weight as she took it from Simon, not to mention was wide and long. Say it was because of her size, but that was how she liked them, whether it be in bed or in the ring; thick, long, black and hard. She made the usual show of putting it on, slowly slipping one boot at a time through the harness, then pulling it up her legs until it settled around her hips. With a wag of her ass, it sat properly, and she tightened the straps securing it to her waist and thighs. They only served to outline her big ass further.“You’re getting the best of both worlds tonight,” she said, hooking a finger below a strap to make it lie flat against her skin. She stooped and picked up the bottle of lube and squirted a line along the dildo, not unlike a line of ketchup on a hot dog. “Big black tits and a big black cock to go with it. But you know what? I don’t feel like getting my hands all shiny right now. Why don’t you start us off with a nice tug job to get my cock all lubed up?” Tiny Terror knelt (now that the wrestling was over, she tried to think of herself as Melissa, but decided that could wait). And shivered a bit. But started to stroke the strap on with a hand, spreading the lube over its surface. Then using both hands to evenly spread the lube, running up and down. She had to suppress a mental giggle at the image, tiny little Blondie kneeling at the feet of her conqueror, a big, strong, dangerous mental image. But then the giggle fades. She needed to do a good job in spreading the lube. She was getting a bit. Lubricated herself, but still, she was about to take something maybe just a bit too big... she'd never taken this one before, but she figured that she could make it. After all a hot shower afterward would help. And the idea of asking Simon for a back rub had grown as well! Diamond kept the hand job short. As much as she enjoyed Tiny Terror kneeling in front of her stroking a cock, she couldn’t exactly feel anything. But while she was spreading the lube with her hands, she at least thought of how she was going to fuck her.“Okay white bitch, that will do for now,” she grinned, then reached down and snatched her up by the hair, pulling her to one of the turn-buckles. “Bend over and spread those legs wide. You’re in for a good hard riding.” She more or less pushed her towards the turnbuckle, then pressed down on the small of her back. Terror wasn’t moving as fast as she’d like, so she gave her ass a few good hard smacks until she assumed the position. John watched in amusement when Tiny Terror lubed up the dildo! Whistling.God-damn, that's huge! I wish I could be that dildo right now.... John caressed his large bulge in his jeans when Tiny Terror is put into place for proper fucking. Would Diamond even get kicks from that? Not sure how strap ONS exactly work for women who use them. But would be fun if they had extension which moves inside to them when they thrust forward. Hmm mm, perhaps if adding liquid pressure which shrinks when it's put to tight hole it pushes the counter in..... John thought logistics of the dildo and his own improvement to one, but he soon was captivating to watch when Diamond spanks Tiny Terror and positions her, like rest of the crowd he nearly breathlessly waits to watch and see that dildo buried deep into Tiny Terror and see how she and Diamond reacts. Tiny Terror leaned in to the corner, ass high into the air, wiggling it slightly. Still trying to put on a show. Blushing a bit from being spanked and being put in the place, but also from her body's reaction... she had a feeling that Diamond wanted to take from her body, so she resisted the urge to push back at the dildo as Diamond swabbed it across her opening Diamond grabbed at Terror’s waist greedily with one hand while the other aimed the strap on towards her cunt. The surface was slick with lube, so she was careful to touch it only with her fingertips. It felt thick and heavy between her digits. Being taller, and since her beaten opponent was stooped over in front of her, she had to squat a little to line up the dildo with her pussy. Ever so slowly she swabbed it teasingly between the lips, making sure Terror got the full measure of its size, then eased in just the tip. Once she was sure it wasn’t going to slip, she grabbed hold of her waist with her other hand, then using her hips, slowly pushed the entire thing in, inch by agonizing inch.“Ooh, that’s a nice tight puss,” she praised, thoroughly enjoying her stuck on the end of her cock before she began fucking her. “I know a couple of thick guys who would tear this thing apart…just like me.” With that, she tightened her grip and began to move her hips. It was a slow, rough fuck at first. The dildo slid out, but not all the way, and then she would press forward, sliding it back all the way in until she couldn’t force it anymore. Eventually, Diamond got the feel for just how far she could stick it, and began to settle into a brisk rhythm.“C’mon bitch,” she cried, smacking her already red tinted ass. “Crowd wants to hear you moan!” Tiny Terror didn't moan, she shrieked." Aghhhhhhh..." This came not just from the slaps to her reddening ass, but from the big strap on slamming into her. She hadn't wrestled, and hadn't had much of a sex life (nor love life for that matter), so she was hoping for nice and easy..." What was that old joke about hope in one hand, and something in the other and see which filled first?" she tried to think. Thinking was hard. She knew she was a sight, breasts jiggling and bouncing with each thrust as Diamond fucked her hard, but she was trying her hardest to keep her footing. Diamond really was pushing it into her."uh.... UGH..." she moaned, and then blushed hard. Diamond was playing a tune from her body, and she wasn't controlling any of the notes! John was rather hot at the moment watching Diamond fuck the shit out from Tiny Terror, cock throbbing unattended in his jeans. His eyes were focused entirely watch Diamond and her dildo how sank to Tiny Terror and made her mix between scream and moans. Holy fucks, would be ready sell my damn soul to devil if I would get ring with those girls now! Crowd was cheering around John, and he did too, adding line into the cheer; "Boohoo yeah! Pound that bitch Diamond! Make her pass out!" Diamond grinned wickedly as she continued to work her hips. It wasn’t only her muscles; it was the sheer size and mass of her thick chocolate ass and hips that contributed much of the force. Each plow forward ensured the dildo went in deep to the limit, enough to physically push Tiny Terror forward. Her hands on her hips made sure that she didn’t fall forward into the turnbuckle.“Mmm, that’s right bitch, take it!” she crowed, adding in a few hard swats to the ass. “Going to show the crowd that you don’t scratch Diamond.” Her pace matched every other pant, moan, or cry of Terror. Two fucks in, and she’d get a scream; another two, a strangled grunt. She really didn’t care what sound she made. If she did, she would have brought a gag down with her. Diamond gave her a brief reprieve when her pace slowed to a sudden crawl, but it was only so she could reach forward and take hold of both of her arms. She folded them behind her back, locked tightly with her own thicker arms. With a flex of muscle, she lifted her beaten opponent up to the tips of her toes, still bent over, and resumed the brisk pace.“Feel free to come whenever you want sugar, because I’m not going to stop until I think you’ve had enough,” she said with glee. With that, she increased her pace minutely. It was difficult to do with Terror already being stuffed to capacity; she certainly didn’t want to ream her permanently, but there was plenty more her big cock could offer.

Carnal Combat -- Diamond vs Tiny Terror|rating:4.0

Defiers of Fate {Midori Sadi & Arkaniel}

(( of Carol Ferris, CEO of Ferris Aircraft Coast City, California Monday 1:58 p.m. Carol Ferris sat behind her desk, her face buried in her hands on the smooth cherry wood surface. Her palms were slightly damp from the previous bout of crying, her shoulder shook. Her cell phone laid in two pieces against one of the floor to ceiling windows. How dare he, how fucking dare he? Was the years that they spent together worth nothing? Did their previous friendship and penultimate relationship warrant just a fucking text message? Hal at the very least owed her a face to face meeting explaining why he decided to end their relationship. She knew this man for twenty of the twenty-six years she has spent on this planet. They were close to their first anniversary. So why the sudden change of heart? Carol wiped the fresh wave of tears that were forming at the edges of her violet orbs. Hal Jordan was her better half, the other part to her splintered soul. She was practically raised alongside him, developed feelings for him when she was old enough to realize what the stirring in her belly meant. Hal never noticed, or chose not to, always chasing after some skirt or the other. It was not until just last year, shortly after her twenty-fifth birthday that he turned his attention to her. They spent every day in bliss, every night in each other's arms. For all purposes, they were in love. Until she checked her phone before lunch. The text message he sent made her lose her appetite and break her phone. Fuck. Carol stood from the desk, making her way to the bookshelf that dominated one wall. There was a box of tissues on one self which she grab at and tired a couple of pieces out of. She wiped her face and her nose, catching her reflection in a polished surface. She looked haggard, eyes red from all the crying, her nose just as bright from the rough surface of the tissues. A trip to the bathroom was in order, she had to make herself presentable before her next meeting of the day.(( had received a call from the Daily Planet a couple of weeks back. The paper wanted to know if thy can do an exposé on the new spacecraft her company was developing. It was a bold project Ferris Aircraft had taken on, able to go from Earth to the out edge of space within a had hour. It was outfitted with all the latest weapons and technology, able to stand up to alien attack. Aliens, Carol would not have believed it herself a couple of years back, but the shiny piece of violet metal that rested on her left ring finger was proof that she was wrong, so very, very wrong. She recalls the day a streak of violet light invaded her office.-Carol Ferris, you have the potential to wield great Love-Those words changed her life. For better or for worse was still being determined. Not that Carol minded. All her life she flew inside a piece of metal. Since being branded Star Sapphire, flying took on a whole new meaning. Carol washes the remains of her sorrow away in the small porcelain sink and checked her face afterward. She still looked beat down, but nothing a little makeup would not fix. Carol carefully reapplied lipstick and mascara, added a touch more eyeliner. After close inspection she figures that was as good as she was going to get. As she made her way back to her office, her secretary shook herself visibly from a work-induced trance and gave the grieving woman a smile. “Miss Ferris, your next appointment is here. Should I send him in?” Carol sighs and ran a hand through raven locks, “Might as well. Sooner I am done the sooner I can go home.” She walks past the woman and into her office, then turns to march back out." Please arrange a dinner meeting tonight with Mr. Jordan , tell him its imperative that we speak tonight. I do not care where, just leave the detail on your desk." Carol returns to the safety of her office. She arranges herself into a comfortable seating position when he walked in. For the first time that day, Carol felt a grin grow on her face, all thoughts of Hal Jordan and his transgressions forgotten. Krypton was gone. He was the last survivor, at least in this dimension. The band under general God, a gang of fallen Kryptonite soldiers that had accelerated the destruction of his home world with their destructive civil war in the last few days of existence, now resided once more in the phantom zone, the interdimensional prison where Krypton's worst enemies were banished for eternity. Meanwhile, KAL found his place on Earth, at last. After a decade of soul-searching all over the world, trying to discover who and what he was, he had finally found all the answers. He was KAL El of Krypton. He was also Clark Kent of earth. And to fulfil his role as KAL, or Superman as the humans had called him, he needed to be close to the heart of all international news. His superheating only went so far. Also, the Daily Planet, his current workplace, was the foremost journalistic bastion, where the indomitable, suicidal Lois Lane worked. If anyone found out who KAL El posed as in real life, it would be there. Now there, he could keep an eye on their progress and run interference when required, while also building up his own career as an investigative reporter. During the months since the Kryptonite invasion, he had also pooled his contacts from his travels around the world. Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen, Arthur Curry and Victor Stone were some of those he had run into, each of whom had since the emergence of Superman settled into their own roles as local heroes and vigilantes. They were forming something of a bowling club under Superman, because KAL knew that there were more races than just Kryptonite out there and next time, he didn't want to be alone in facing them down. Now, though, Clark had something else on his mind. As he had no objection to travelling for his job, he was assigned the Ferris interview in California. He also took the interview out of personal interest, since the production of military spacecraft would aid him next time earth would give to face down a hostile alien force. After a rather boring trip by airplane to keep things official, he made his way over to the offices of Ferris Enterprises, where he waited patiently for the attractive CEO to call him in. He heard the secretary announce him and shortly, he was sent in. He headed for the office with his typical easy walk, moving as graceful as a skilled dancer. Not to wonder, as his body was honed to perfection after a million years of genetic manipulation and genetic selection on Krypton. The dark plaid shirt he wore also fit nicely, over the charcoal slacks he wore and not too shiny leather shoes. There was also one of those modern, narrow ties around his neck and he wore a rather decent cut of jacket, giving him the look of a young, but casual professional, only enhanced by his large glassed, thick rimmed glasses, giving him the modern nerdy look. He entered the office and resisted the urge to widen his eyes at the real life beauty exuded by Carol Ferris, known the world over for her beauty and intelligence, not to mention her business acumen and flying skills. There was an instant attraction on Clark's part, but he fought it down as he approached her, his hand offered. They shook hands as he introduced himself. "Clark Kent, ma'am. Daily Planet, but I'm sure you were aware. Thank you for granting me this interview. Now, I'm not one for too much formality, nor am I here with a secret plot to blacklist your company." He started informally, while he put his recording device on the desk." I simply want an as objective as possible interview about the ups and downs of Ferris Enterprises and the new space superiority fighter you are about to launch. My editor required me to ask you some personal questions, but those you don't want to answer, simply say so. I will keep the interview on record. Part you don't want to be caught on record, please warn me ahead of time. Anything you do tell me off the record will never be published, but may serve as a lead for another story or investigation." He clarified. He was a fan of playing with his cards open. It was more honest and fair to whomever he had to interview. His style had garnered him many fans and people he could count as friendly acquaintances after interviewing. Clark Kent was the complete opposite of the brash and driven Lois Lane, who lived for uncovering every secret imaginable, no matter how many good people she hurt in the process. Clark, on the other hand, prided himself in reporting the truth objectively." Anything you want to tell me before I start the record?" He asked her, giving her space to voice any concerns or requests, while he fiddled with his iPad to start up the program to keep his notes. “Mr. Kent, nice to met you. The Daily Planet could not have sent a better reporter than you. I have nothing to say off the record as of this moment, so we can start the interview right away.” his handshake was firm in her own, his deep blue eyes locked onto her own violet orbs. If anyone had a good handshake, it was the reporter known as Clark Kent. “Except, I find Ms. Lane to be quite obnoxious. Her article last week on environmental issues made me want to lose my lunch. Don’t quote me on that.” She chuckles lightly, settling deeper into her chair, steeling herself for the questions to come. Upon closer inspection of the reporter however, Carol was hard-pressed to keep her eyes from roaming over him. The suit jacket showed of the broadness of his shoulders. The suit line itself remained unbroken, framing his large chest and following along the outer shape of washboard abdominal, framing him almost perfectly. She almost protested when the suit line was broken as he sat, ruining the impressive line of the suit. It had the feel of being casually thrown together, like he just picked out whatever matched. Clark did not strike her as a man who cared too much about fashion. Another point to his ever-increasing appeal. As she returned to her seat, she realized Mr. Kent was quite captivating eye candy. It was like he radiated confidence and charisma, brightening the small office with just his presence. Carol found this to be quite odd, the only man she allowed herself to feel that way around was, until recently, Hal. It was getting hard to tell that only a few minutes ago that there was pain and tears. Carol sits up a little straighter in her chair, crossing one long leg over the other as she waits politely for the reporter to finish setting up his equipment. When an iPad slid into view she spoke up, “I do have to say before we start that Ferris aircraft believes this project will help deter many extraterrestrial incidents. Now that the whole planet knows there are beings from other parts of the universe, we have to make sure we stand and ready and prepared to defend our home, if need be.” Lips curl into a small smile, “On the record, of course.” The interview began in earnest. Clark was firing off the questions at a rapid fire pace. Carol almost found it hard to keep up with his questions. They touched on every aspect of the project, some even made Carol think about some of the shadier details. It was something that the c.e.o. had to file away into a memo to look into later. Not that she would ever reveal that to the reporter sitting across the desk from her. “Mr. Kent, what the public fails to realize is that although the threat is there, these things take time, it is not immediate. While we do have some of the best engineers and propulsion scientists on board, there is only so much they are able to do at one time. The people have to know that we are working to make this aircraft perfect and worth our while for all of us.” Carol sat back in her chair and sighs. The past half hour went by fairly quick, the clock on the wall told her that much. Even if he was only doing his job, the sound of his voice, small town and yet something else. It was hard not to watch the way his lips move as he formed each word. The woman knew she had some trouble staying focused on a project longer than she intended, electing to work through stacks of photocopies, the presence of this reporter. She realizes that she gave off a shy, meek aura. Stuff like that happened when your old man suddenly passes away, leaving you, still untried and leaning at the forefront of Carol was still relatively new at her job and taking on responsibility for one of the boldest projects in the history of the Space Race. Migraines were the stuff of nightmares, were most of her nightmares in fact. Taking on the mantle of Star Sapphire has shown her a new way to live, cautiously.“Is there anything else you would like to ask?” Carol steepled her fingers on the desk, resting her chin in the curve that forms. Her violet orbs gazing into his deep blues. Clark filed away her comment about Lois and did indeed come true on his promise by keeping it fully off the record. He did not comment on it either and simply nodded, before he started the interview properly. His questions were thorough and all served a single purpose. He wanted to present a complete as possible overview on what the new aircraft, the space superiority fighter of Ferris Enterprises was going to stand for. Some of his questions delved into the technical specifications she could make public, while other questions tried to highlight the economical and military potential of the design. He also asked several more personal questions, skirting close to the death of her father and some other parts of her personal life, but he kept the questioning itself professional, simply wanting to reflect how Carol's personal life was influencing her professional endeavors. His questions all hinted at him being completely objective and genuinely wanting to paint an honest look into Carol's life as CEO and her company, without looking for scandals or using any of her words against her. Throughout the interview, Clark also found himself becoming more and more attracted to the woman with the uncommon, violet eyes and the sweetest and kindest demeanor he had encountered in a long time. If he had to be honest to himself, this was a woman, one of the few he had ever encountered, he could see himself falling in love with. Thanks to his travelling the world and his alien senses, Clark was a very good judge of character, after all. Still, something was holding him back. The lingering sadness he could practically smell permeating her. She also looked tired and plagued by something. Not quite an illness, not quite a depression, but she was functioning at less than a hundred percent. So, when the interview ran to its close, and she asked if he had any further questions, Clark obviously turned the recording device off and answered, "yes, I do." Before he posed his question, however, he cleared away all of his work material, to make it clear this was all off the record. Once everything was arranged into his messenger bag, he looked at her again with his own alien, unnaturally sapphire eyes and asked her, "You look quite burdened, miss Ferris. Is everything all right with you? I can't imagine it being easy to have been placed at the head of a company like this in a male-dominated world with your defense contracts and pilots. Nor do I imagine it being easy to lose your only family so young still. I promise you, whatever we talk about now, nothing will ever leave my lips or flow from my pen. I promise my complete discretion. But you really look like you need someone to talk to or at least someone to listen to you. I'm a great listener." He offered with the same charm and genuine sincerity she had likely noticed earlier, two traits that defined everything Clark did. He stood up and motioned for the door." How about over a cup of coffee?" Clark froze mentally when the question left his lips. Bad move Kent! He couldn't ask out someone he just interviewed! Nor could he ask someone who looked and sensed so sad out. It was wrong, wasn't it? Still, he couldn't find it in himself to take the invitation back. Of course, he did not get an answer when suddenly, a massive explosion rocked the entire building. He rushed over to the window, only to see one of the hangar bays of the company, the one next to the hangar containing the prototype, to go up in flames, while several heavily armed and masked men started an attack on the employees of Ferris tending to and guarding the prototype. When fire alarms started going off, Clark disappeared, only for moments later Superman dropping from the skies in a sonic boom that battered out many of the flames as he landed on the concrete before the hanger with stone shattering force, amidst the armed men assaulting the guards. His heat vision, visible like twin beam so f liquid heat, sliced through several weapons. But then, one of the thugs, a mutated, steroid riddled muscle heap, assaulted him and managed to punch him with enough force to snap Clark's head back. All right... These weren't ordinary thieves. KAL turned back and hit the thug, who seemed shocked his enhanced strength had barely fazed the Kryptonite. Two more similarly enhanced muscle heads joined the fray, keeping Superman busy. Her lips curled, about to form the words “I would love to,” before Carol was flung back to the far wall by the force of the explosion. The explosion had destroyed most of her office, taking out the windows and the outer wall of the building. Coming unsteadily to her feet, she searches the partially destroyed office for any signs of Clark. She bit her lip when she found none. Maybe he got out quickly and went to find help? Not that she needed any, but it was the thought that counts. Shaking the last of the shock from her form, Carol climbs over rubble and various obstacles to make her way to the opening in her building. She caught a blur of blue and red, streak across the sky heading straight for the hangar almost too quick for her eye to catch. The form dove into the ground with a large explosion, rocking many thugs from their feet, tossing them several yards in any direction with the force of the impact. Her eyes search the dust cloud for several long moments before it settles around a figure standing in the exact center. What was he doing here? Carol wonders, following his movements as he engaged the first of the lackeys. When did he even make it into her city? If all evidence were correct, she just had her first Superman sighting. Carol could not focus on that at the moment, she had to check on everyone else in the building, and she turned to do just that. She never made it into the hallway proper. Unfortunately she came upon the corpse of her secretary. Jane was her name, barely twenty-two. She was majoring in aircraft engineering at the local university. The girl had a bright future ahead of her. One that was cut short from one moment to the next. Forcing a tear back, Carol reaches over to close the girls eyes and whisper a short prayer. It was all she could offer her, for now. Carol steps back inside her office, shutting the door firmly behind her. The next moment a violet aura swirled in the air, forming a sort of hole in the space between. Carol reached into it, pulling out a violet lantern a second later. She held the lantern in her left, bringing her right hand to the spherical opening. She spoke, voice ringing among the wreckage.“For hearts long-lost and full of fright For those alone in Blackest Night Except our ring and join our plight Love conquers all—with violet light!”-Ring charge one hundred percent-She was wrapped in brilliant violet light, so bright it was almost white. Furthermore, she was never sure where her clotting went whenever she transformed, she knew that it always came back. The glow soon disperse, leaving Carol in the familiar violet attire of a Star Sapphire. Working with a personal trainer three times a week really paid off. Her body was near perfection, ample bosom, slender waist, rock hard abs, wide hips and long legs. She knew what she looked like in the uniform. The first time she put it on, it embarrassed her, it covered so very little. Since then, she has gotten used to wearing almost nothing, barely cringing when males-both human and other-eyes lingered for a little longer than what was polite. Carol took off from the destroyed window, violet aura wrapped around her form, her ring providing her with flight. Her keen eyes spotted the confusion right in front of the hangar where the prototype was being kept, the Star Sapphire made her way there. Three thugs spot her from their positions around the hangar and begin to open fire. Carol really liked that about her ring. The aura could act as shielding as well, up to almost point-blank range. It almost made her look forward to being shot, like she was the Superman himself. If he stuck around long enough, she might even tell him so. The Star Sapphire wonders in the back of her mind what he was like. He seemed human enough, beyond the super speed and strength; and the heat vision. She changed her focus back on the task at hand, there were still thugs to deal with.“Hey, assholes! Why don’t you pick on somebody your own size?” How she always wanted to say that! Carol almost chuckled but she quickly fixed her composure. She felt more than thought with her power, the ring concentrating into a hard-light fly swatter, big enough to swat the manliest of men. The tool took down two of the thugs, the next sweep downing two more. The Star Sapphire flies in close, the ring switching seamlessly from fly swatter to melt around her hands, a pair of hard-light boxing gloves. The Star Sapphire was by no means proficient, but she figures—her personal trainer in agreement— that it would be nice to know some form of fisticuffs. A superhero had to stay super versatile, after all. Thanks to his enhanced senses, honed to perfection over decades of getting used to them and getting experience in how to use them to the best effect, KAL was perfectly aware of the arrival of the one called Star Sapphire. She was the decadently hedonistic clad, violent version of the one called Green Lantern, a duo of heroes who had popped up a few weeks after the Kryptonite invasion with their own space adventure. Through what little material JOR El had managed to install in the small outpost KAL had constructed in the Antarctic, he had learned of the space police corps called the Green Lanterns and their more emotional violet variant. She kicked ass! Kal smirked as she took to pummeling her opponent with violet-pink boxing gloves, while he himself took on several of the remaining thugs. When it is amen ore and more obvious they could withstand a bit of damage, KAL stopped holding back as much as he constantly had to around the fragile man beings of this world. Three solid punches that sounded like thunderclaps took out his three opponents, knocking them out. One of the remaining attackers was prepping what looked to be some kind of science fictional cannon with a yellow glow charging in its barrel. It was aimed straight at the back of the Star Sapphire. The world turned to slow motion for KAL when the cannon was fired." Look out!" He yelled at the girl that looked strangely familiar, even though her revealing outfit was quite distracting and drool worthy. KAL blurred, faster than any eye could see and suddenly stood between the beam of energy and its target. He took it head on. He could feel the heat and the power. Furthermore, he didn't know how the shield the girl used functioned, but any human wouldn't have been charbroiled instantaneously by this kind of energy attack! Even KAL felt rather hot, though he remained undamaged completely under the persevering beam of energy. Slowly, he started walking closer, his body absorbing the radiation and energy like it did with any kind of energy, feeding him much like the sun did, before he reached the armored mercenary, snatched the cannon and tore it to pieces." Play time is over." He told the Mere, before knocking him out with a superpowered finger tap to the forehead. He turned back, winked at the Star Sapphire, his unnaturally blue eyes drinking In her masked beauty, before he rose up and started hovering over the burning hangar. With a deep breath, he started blowing out the fire as if he was dousing a mere birthday candle, before he flashed down and up and down and up, pulling whatever survivors there were from the desolation, delivering them one by one to the arriving paramedics. Only when the survivors had been taken care of and the mercenaries were turned in, did he float up to the Star Sapphire. Cameras flashed, cameras recorded how out of hearing range, two of the sexiest and most beautiful heroes of the world conversed." Well done. Thank you very much for the assistance. Your timely arrival kept the death toll lower than it could have been." He told her in what had to be a familiar sounding Kryptonite accent, referring to how he only could pull those survivors out because she helped him deal in time with the attackers. "I'm looking forward to a future cooperation, miss Sapphire." He nodded at her and started floating higher, about to fly off. Clark Kent had to return after all! The Superman took off before Star Sapphire could thank him for saving her. Not that she needed saving, her ring was fully charged, and she could have kept up shielding for a very long period of time. But that blast he took to the back for her was valiant and very gentlemanly of him, so it was best to not let him in on her little secret. The violet woman follows the streak he made in the sky until he was just a speck on the horizon. Damn, he was pretty hot in his own way, the complete opposite of Clark-Clark! Star Sapphire rushes into the hole made in her building, the one she had previously exited from. She had to find him, Carol was sure he could not have gotten far, but it would be on her head (and the papers the next day) that he was missing after an incident that happened on her turf. Ferris Aircraft was already going to receive a lot of flack for the robbery attempt, she did not need to add dead reporters to that list." Ring, search the premises for one Clark Kent," she murmurs.-Searching... Searching--Status Unknown-"Oh dear," Carol felt like she was going to need a really stiff drink after this whole debacle. It was rather strange her ring did not pick up any traces of the handsome reporter or his whereabouts. There was no way he could have made it that far after the explosion, no one could. The dead secretary outside of her office proved that. The violet woman grimaced, one more thing to add to the list of things that needed to be done. "Can you try again, please?"-Searching... Searching--Status Unknown-This was definitely not good. An already bad day completely gone to bedlam. Carol was grateful her father passed on, for surely he would have died of a heart attack after the day she just had. There was nothing else for her to do except round up the remaining personnel and begin the solemn task of clean-up and informing families of the casualties. Carol was going to take care of each personally, she would rather the families hear it directly from her and blame her for what happened to their wife or husband, sister or son. The downside of playing superhero was that someone always find a way to blame you." Ring, power down," Carol holds the violet ring above her head. It pulsed a faint violet glow as the suit disintegrated into violet pink glitter, once more reveling the smart pantsuit she wore into work today. As the last of the violet sparkles left her face, she check a mirror to make sure her eyes went back to their normal color before leaving her office. Just outside there were various security officers, already assessing the damage and the dead. Carol went to go help them, there was not much else for her to take care of, now that the interview has been cut short. Carol shook her head, saying a silent prayer to herself that the reporter did not turn up among the dead. Star Sapphire did not catch up to him or hold him back, which surprised Superman, frankly. While he did want to see more of Carol and where things could go form simply sharing a cup of coffee, he also felt an undeniable spark between himself and the decadently, revealingly clad violet hero. She had been very yummy, to use an Earth term he had never properly understood until now. KAL flew off quickly once he was out of sight and touched down. He changed into his ordinary yet strangely trendy outfit again -thank you Kryptonite suit technology- and blurred faster than any eye or camera could see, back to the scene of utter devastation at Ferris Aircraft. He tossed his jacket to the side, rolled up his sleeves and joined the rescue workers in clearing debris, so the dead could be retrieved. Furthermore, he had used his vision and hearing earlier to pull the survivors from the wreckage and rubble. All those left were dead, so Superman wasn't needed. He had also heard carol' voice faintly, wondering where she was, even though she had sounded a little strange about it. He couldn't risk being away as Clark much longer without rousing worry or suspicion. So, when the heiress came outside to assist, it was Clark who she ran into. A Clark very much covered in dust and grime, his rolled up, now torn sleeves revealing impossibly defined and sculpted muscles, while his glasses were a bit askew and his short, black hair stuck wildly every which way. When he noticed the smudged and bedraggled looking Carol, Clark wiped his brow and approached her. He was cleaning his glasses from all the dust that coated it after digging through the rubble with the rescue workers. When he got near, her laced his strong hand on her shoulder and said, "I'm sorry for what happened. I'm sorry, too, that it's my job to report on this. Same rules as before, I'll let you read it before I'll submit it to my editor." He let go off her shoulder, finding himself liking the contact inappropriately much given the seriousness of the situation." Erm... I'm really sorry this happened, Carol. But I'm glad you are all right, at least... Physically. The invitation for coffee is still open, even if we have to postpone it. Wait, here's my number. No matter what day, no matter what the time, always feel free to call me, all right? I'm always available... And you'd be surprised at how often I'm around, despite the distance." He offered her sincerely. Subconsciously, he touched her cheek and rubbed his thumb over the dust stuck to her tear streaks." It'll be all right, Carol. It'll be all right. I'll do everything in my power to find out who did this to you," he promised the beautiful woman. Clark was an investigative journalist, however, and as one of the witnesses, he could always explain why he was involved. Clark’s hand on her shoulder was a comfort that Carol did not deserve. As grateful as she was that the handsome reporter was alive and well she had to return to the task at hand. There were many dead and others wounded. Her office was missing an entire wall and as far as she could tell more media were arriving on the scene. This was quickly turning into a disaster— already was, but at least the prototype was safe. Thanks to Star Sapphire and Superman. “I understand Mr. Kent. It is your job to report on these things.” Carol begins, “Thank you for offering to write up the true events of what happened this day.” She chuckles, smoothing a strand of ebony out of her face. It proved to be a great mechanism to keep her from crying. “Superman and Star Sapphire sure did a bang up job of taking care of the thugs, didn’t they?” Thoughts stray back to the events of earlier. Carol could not recall the last time she fought side by side with another hero, or any hero for that matter. When she first arrived on the scene it was as a villain, brainwashed by the power of the alien Star Sapphire jewel. She was not of her own mind then, her body would not respond to her commands, she was utterly powerless to stop the reign of terror the jewel forced her to wrought. The few bouts she had with Green Lantern always ended with her in tears, tears she never remembered shedding. When Queen Age’Po repurposed the jewel into forging the power battery, Carol was one of the first to receive a violet ring. Needless to say she refused to wear it, letting it gather dust within its casing deep in her bottom drawer at work. She would not let something alien control her like that ever again. Until Hal found himself possessed by Parallax. Carol took up the ring, vowing to save the man she loved rather than lose him to the fear of loss. It was then she found her resolve and unleashed the true power of the ring. The ring and Carol have never been apart ever since. She enjoyed being a hero, protecting her city alongside Hal. Until this afternoon at least; it almost felt like an eternity away for her. Snapping back into the present Carol turns back to Clark, who was murmuring something and pressing a business card into her hands. She looks at the small card and realized it had his pone number on it. Maybe he was interested in her or maybe her really just wanted to take her out for that cup of coffee, hell at this rate she was are going to need it.“Thank you.” She slaps the card against the palm of her other hand. “How about after we finish with what we must, we meet up for that cup of coffee? I know I could really use one.” She was surpassed as the words left her. Carol was never forward with men, especially ones she just met that afternoon. “How about The Coast Diner in a couple of hours?” She looks at her watch. The ivory facing read back half past three. “I would like to have your company, as well as finish up the interview if you like.” Smiling at Clark, she turns away from him to begin the process of damage control. They had their coffee. Not just to finish the interview, with an addendum on the terrorist attack. They got talking. A lot. In fact, their coffee date started around four pm, and they were still there at nine, when hunger for dinner made them aware of the time passed. One coffee had become four. The interview had become a chat, about everything and nothing. Clark didn't know if she had meant to tell him, but he learned she had gone through a recent break-up, though now, spending time with him, she didn't even look sad about it. He learned more about Carol Ferris in a few hours than anyone knew about Clark Kent. In turn, he told her more about his youth and his decade long travel around the world, moving from place to place and job to job like a drifter, never even renting an apartment or home, only living in motel rooms, camping out in free nature or even staying with locals, especially in China and the other countries of South East Asia. They even shared a pizza for dinner. Unfortunately, Clark had to fly back. If he couldn't fly himself, he would have had to say goodbye at six. Instead, he stayed till eleven and made a bit of an excuse of a red-eye flight. It wasn't a lie per se, but he knew she obviously interpreted it wrong, like any human would. In the weeks afterward, he gained her eternal gratitude by his two amazingly written, honest, heartfelt articles that both graced the front page of the Daily Planet. He showed Carol as a sincere woman with a passion for the company she had inherited, a woman of wit and intelligence. He showed her grief at the attack on her company and her employers, a portrait of her personal strength in dealing with the aftermath like a true leader. They often called in those weeks, often staying up late, between hero duties, just to talk over the phone about everything and nothing. They also sent text messages with greater and greater frequencies, not to mention some emails when time permitted. Clark was also busy with his work and as Superman. In that time, he stopped two more similar attacks on different companies, these along the East Coast. Superman was seen lifting an entire oil tanker from the ocean before it could sink or explode. He was kept busy all in all, which wasn't helped by Lois Lane's dogged determination to find out who Superman was. The stupid woman went even as far as risking her own life multiple times in order to draw his attention. He did save her when there was no other choice, but made it clear he had no time to talk and might not always give time to save her if he, for example, was busy when she did another foolhardy thing. Weeks became three months, when Clark decided enough was enough. Their phone calls were something to look forward to, but they weren't enough anymore. So, one day, when Carol was done at her office, she walked into a waiting Clark Kent." Hello Carol. How about dinner tonight?" He offered, simultaneously offering his arm for her to join him. He hoped the offer was clear for what it was. Furthermore, he wanted a dinner date with the amazing and truly strong woman he had gotten to know over the past three months. Furthermore, he hoped she shared these feelings he had developed for her over time, only enhancing his attraction to her. Furthermore, he had also chosen to wait so long, so there wouldn't be a question of being a rebound for either of them. Tonight might decide how and if a relationship could happen between them. Needless to say, Carol was quite surprised when she met the smiling face of Clark Kent one day. Her arm drops from her ear, thumb pressing the end button on her phone, ending the conversation she was having with a caustic general about the prototype jet. Carol forgot about all of that when the handsome reporter offered her his arm, asking her out to dinner. “Hello to you too, Clark. Let’s go.” Lacing her arm through his, she follows him, ready to fully enjoy herself tonight.***They were seated in the backseat of the company car for nearly ten minutes wandering up and down the streets before Clark mentioned he had not thought this far ahead. Carol fell into a fit of giggles when he scratched the back of his head, flashing a boyish grin that made her melt. Poor guy to not think any further than asking her out, she decided to cut him a break. Carol asked her driver to drop them off at a restaurant close to the marina. The place made great seafood, she was sure Clark would like it. The pair talked over the course of dinner, making pleasant conversation over their meals. Clark was regaling her with tales of the ever-infuriating Lois Lane. It was a wonder that woman was still alive and breathing, Carol thought. The woman was going to get herself killed one day if she kept on the path she walked. Carol understood the pursuit of truth, but Lois’ ways were unorthodox to say the least. After dinner, they strolled along the boardwalk arm in arm to watch the sunset over the Pacific. The scenery was magical, making Carol relax even more in Clark’s steady companionship and warmth. He was helping her to forget all about her troubles and she was grateful for that. The reporter was charming and very easy to talk to. He viewed the world with a fresh pair of eyes, instead of seeing the universe through jaded ones. Clark was really different from Hal, it made her like him even more. The heiress had a good guess that he really liked her too, which is why she decided to take the date to the next level.“Let’s head back to my place for some coffee.” Carol lead them back to the waiting car, directing the driver to take the pair back to her place. On the ride back she lays her head on his shoulder, twining her fingers into his much larger ones. The heiress was not too sure what she was doing, but having coffee in her home seems like a great place to start. She remains silent for the duration of the ride, only saying her thanks when the driver pulled up in front of the luxurious condominium. Carol tightens her hand around Clark’s larger one, pulling him inside the building and into the elevator, pressing the button to take them to the penthouse. The elevator doors slide shut before coming to life, moving them up the twenty-odd stories to the penthouse floor. As she slid her key into the lock, the full reality of what she was doing hit her like a fist to the gut. Three months was long enough to wait before she slept with some right? Carol did not know how these things worked. Clark Kent would be the second man she ever slept with, though he did not know that. If the mood was right, maybe he would find out. “This is me.” Carol said with a small smile, leaving the door open, so Clark can follow her inside. “Make yourself at home.” She gestures to the wide sitting room beyond, the floor to ceiling windows allowed them to observe the downtown Coast City and the marina where it opened out to the great emptiness that was the Pacific Ocean. She moves into the kitchen, trying to steady her thundering heart. Maybe it would happen, maybe it would not. Carol would let him decide.“Can I get you anything to drink?” Clark and Carol had a very enjoyable date. The food was great. The company was even better. They talked for hours, about work, about people they knew, about fun stuff and less fun stuff in life. He told her all about the infuriating Lois Lane, but from his every word, it was obvious he had no feelings whatsoever for the tenacious woman who still was determined to both snag Superman as a husband and reveal his identity to the world at the same time. He used her for many a funny anecdote of his time spent working at the Daily Planet and how the once highly professional reporter made more and more a fool of herself, which was only good for his own rising career. Already, he was a heavy competitor for those valued few front page story spots, regularly even winning said competition, especially after his very humane and incredibly compelling, emotional piece on Ferris Aircraft and Carol Ferris herself. He also listened to her stories of silly generals, bold test pilots and the burdens of being a billionaire heiress. He was glad to hear she could mention Hal Jordan without hesitating or getting a tear in her eye. Furthermore, he was very glad to see she seemed to be completely over him… Which was why he took her up on her offer for a coffee at her place. A place that was such a luxurious, yet cozy condo, Clark felt right at home. He watched her make the coffee and made his decision. He wouldn’t have taken her up on her obviously double entendre invitation if he wasn’t sure about her being long over her former lover. It was Hal’s loss. And now, Clark was going to make his move… in his own way. Before she had completed the coffees, he suddenly stood behind her. His hands softly touched her hips and his fingers made a small caressing motion. Thanks to his super hearing, he could hear the physical effect he had upon her.“Am I here for just coffee? Or is there also dessert?” He asked her, whispering huskily in her ear from behind. He loved how she forgot all about the coffee, and he turned her around, pinning her against her kitchen counter with his tall, powerful body. It was only this up close that people would notice actually how tall and powerfully built the usually introvert, shrunken Clark Kent was. He towered over her, a wall of muscle preventing her from any possible escape, the curve of her bust pressed up against his steel like chest, hard with compact, perfectly sculpted muscles, all covered in cloth still. He leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss. His tongue probed for and gained entrance, and he lavished her lips and tongue with a delectable dance of passion, slowly claiming more and more dominance, while his fingers caressed up and down her sides in a maddeningly sensual way. When he broke away, he kept just out of distance of a second kiss, allowing her to recover from the five-minute-long first kiss that had been tingly and perfect in every possible way. He was straining to keep his eyes from going flaming red with his heated lust, but he didn’t shy away from letting her feel his massive erection, poking her thighs and her tummy, as they were pressed together tightly. That’s when he smirked and pulled back just a little, though with his arms on either side, his large hands now resting on the kitchen counter, she was still his captive. He wasn’t going to move this further, however. Instead, he was simply going to drive her so crazy with need and arousal that she would jump him, begging him for what she really needed. He kissed her again, then, suddenly, battling her tongue in heated submission once more, before he suddenly trailed a path of kisses from her mouth, over her cheek, to her neck. His lips found the fluttery point of her pulse, and he bit down softly, while lavishing the skin with his hot tongue, still trying to drive her captive body crazy with lust.

Defiers of Fate {Midori Sadi & Arkaniel}|rating:4.0

New Harrisville Falls - Character thread

Character thread for New Marysville Falls Please do not post in here yourself, I will move all CS in here after their approval.:) Name:Erica Adamson -Played by Revenge:25Daytime job or occupation:Guidance counselor at the local high school Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Prostitute Bio:Erica was born and raised in New Marysville Falls. She attended the local primary and high school, and only left for a short three-year period when she attended university. She returned to marry her high school sweetheart and got a job at her former school as a guidance counselor. Unfortunately for her, her husband could no longer get used to the small-town life after having tasted of urban living during his own university years. Their marriage ended after a little over a year, and Morgan - her husband - left New Marysville Falls for good. Erica has had her fair share of local suitors after her divorce, but she has remained single. The reason for her chosen celibacy is that she started working at the Fucking Gulch shortly after splitting up with her husband. It fulfills both her sexual needs and earns her a nice chunk of extra cash, to supplement her modest income. Appearance:left and right how she'd appear in the brothel, the middle her day attire.(Name: James Franco -Played by rahatngtAge: 46Daytime job or occupation: Principal of the local high school (Erica's boss in regular life)Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Client Bio:Born and raised in Marysville Falls, he had also lived here most of his life. He had left for 8 years for his graduation and some early teaching job before returning. He had joined the local school on his return and had married to a local girl for the last fifteen years. Mostly a successful marriage it had been last year when his sexual desire which has always been a little vigorous and secret from his lovely wife, have started to gone a little wilder. Now finding about the Fucking Gulch, he had decided to give the place a try. Given his position in the local society and sensitivity of his job, he is very much appreciative of the privacy it provides. Appearance:(Name: Katherine Jones - Played by GrapeTootsiePopAge: 32Daytime job or occupation: Preacher's wife / Active City Council Member Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Client Bio: (include how they got to work at the brothel or how they first visited the brothel in this) Katherine was the shy Preacher's wife that one saw sitting quietly and listening to her husband give the Sunday morning sermon. She was the one who always offered to help and to lend a hand, the one who cooked pot lucks and pies for anyone who was sick. She was a full-figured woman with large breasts that she of course kept well hidden. Furthermore, she had been blessed with three boys that she watched over and helped but that of course did not stop her from being quite involved with the community. Furthermore, she was devoted to New Marysville Falls. Devoted enough that when a whisper came to her about the going ONS in the Fucking Gulch, she went to investigate herself. And she found herself...quite...shocked. And intrigued. She had been raised to believe that same-sex was a sin. A horrible wicked sin. But...oh it wasn't wrong if there was no touching, right? Just...watching. Yes, watching was acceptable. It wasn't a sin. But soon that wouldn't be enough, and then Katherine would be faced with the choice: Go down the wicked sinful road of pleasure...or finally say enough is enough and stop visiting? Appearance: (I prefer a picture if you can find one) :)(( (Name:Vivien Jones -Played by GaGa88Age:21Daytime job or occupation:Daycare Provider Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Prostitute Bio:Born and raised in New Marysville Falls, Vivien attended kindergarten to senior year at the local school. Vivien was a precocious child, and she was sure that she was friends with almost everyone in New Marysville. She always felt that she was destined for more than the little town, but was never able to get away. Her mother had been a devout woman and while Vivien isn't exactly devout, she goes to church every Sunday morning and even takes care of the little kids in the nursery while church goes on. In high school, she was the girl that everyone wanted to be friends with. Homecoming Queen, Prom Queen, and secretly addicted to sex. She'd gotten pregnant the summer after her senior year and has been raising her son alone ever since. Vivien had made the decision to stay in New Marysville after giving birth to Jayden. Her older brother had gone on to become the preacher at the only church in town. In most ways, Vivien is a perfect citizen of the small community, but she has a secret life as a working girl out at Fucking Gulch. She loves it and has never had any problems in keeping the two separate. She found out about the place after hearing rumors and visiting, fell in love with the place, and finagled a job from Joshua. It pays amazingly and really helps out with taking care of Jayden, her 3-year-old son.(include how they got to work at the brothel or how they first visited the brothel in this)Appearance:(Name: Kira Spencer -Played by lovelygirlAge:23Occupation: Nurse Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Prostitute Bio: Kira didn't grow up in town, she moved there when she was in high school. Raised by a strict single mother, Kira was always one to buckle down with her studies and make something of her life. She wanted to be a nurse to help people, to care for the sick and less fortunate than her. Just before she was set to graduate and get her degree, her mother died unexpectedly. Alone in the world, Kira needed to make some money so she could keep the house. She had heard whispers of this place, The Fucking Gulch and went there to check it out. She had inquired about employment, needing the money, hoping she would be accepted and be able to keep her house with the money she makes there since her nursing job salary isn't cutting it.(Name: Doctor Sean Rossi - Played by ravage: 35Daytime job or occupation: Private practice doctor Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Officially the doctor's role is as a bartender. However, he often wears several hats. He is a stern male figure if one of the patrons of the establishment needs a reminder to behave. He is the medic for any injuries that may occur on site. Furthermore, he runs the basement lounge for clients and employees. Furthermore, he's a passable chef, and his tiny kitchen he set up in the basement is used to make short order type meals for those who need it. Furthermore, he's even been known to accept an invitation by a female client who's come into the brothel, though he would never consider himself a prostitute. Bio: Sean Rossi, was born of an Italian American father and German American mother in Queens NY in the 70s. His upper middle class life was fairly normal, and his good looks and charming demeanor complemented his quick wit. He glided through school and only was challenged when he hit college. Deciding that he wanted to go into medicine, he rose meteorically through the ranks of his classmates, and graduated near the top of his class. He went through a fairly standard residency and was accepted to be a surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital in the heart of Manhattan. Most people would have said life was good for Dr. Rossi, but most people didn't see the internal pressure he was under. His work was his life, and the pressure never let up. He began drinking more and more, and he couldn't hold down a steady relationship. His mother's death was nearly all he could take. Having lost his father only a few years earlier, to likewise lose his mother to lung cancer (both were heavy smokers) before the age of thirty was too much. His proclivity for high-priced Manhattan prostitutes was tempered only by his consumption of expensive scotch. It was no surprise when the stress and the hard living finally caught up to him. He won't talk about the accident, but most of his coworkers agree that it doesn't matter if he was impaired while in the operating room or not... the woman was probably too far gone to be saved anyway. But it was a blow that Sean couldn't take. He severed his ties with Mount Sinai in exchange that the matter would be closed. Then with no family left to keep him in New York he decided he needed a lower stress life. Remembering about the small town of New Marysville Falls that one of his patients had told him about, he looked into it. Within a year Doctor Sean Rossi had set up a small private practice in the small community. Once a week an hour drive to a nearby town for an AA meeting, and a few weeks of the nicotine patch had curbed most of his bad habits. Though after a year in New Marysville Falls, there was one itch he couldn't stop scratching. While he was a handsome man, the people of this community didn't know about his sexual addiction. At first, it wasn't bad, internet porn managed to keep him satisfied. But eventually that wasn't enough. He couldn't risk making an inappropriate comment to a client or even a stranger in the community... with a small town like this word spread fast. Then salvation; one of his patients noticed that he was distracted, and Dr. Rossi finally opened up, trusting the man to be discreet. Luckily for him the man was not only discreet, but mentioned the name of a man who could help. "Old Joshua Harris" the patient told him. So it was shortly after that Dr. Rossi finally visited Fucking Gulch. Over the next few months of regular visits, Joshua Harris saw the kind of man Rossi was, and offered him a job at the brothel. That was over three years ago, and since Dr. Rossi has lived a very quiet and successful double life. By day, he's Dr. Sean Rossi, recovering alcoholic, and friendly and successful town doctor. But by night he's known just as 'doc,' the cook/bartender at the Fucking Gulch's basement lounge. Of course, he also tends to the health of the clients and staff of the brothel, as well as occasionally taking on other duties. But one thing is certain, whether he's 'doc' or Dr. Sean Rossi, the man is finally happy with his life. His already handsome features are now rarely without a smile on his rugged face. Appearance: Dr. Sean Rossi works out regularly, refuses to touch drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes, claiming that he beat those demons once and won't go through it again. Though anyone close to him realizes that his three times a week workout routine is as much of an addiction to him as cigarettes are to another. He's in great shape for his age, and easily has a body better than a man ten years younger. But age is starting to show, his temples and facial hair shows gray if he lets them (he dyes his hair) and he sometimes complains of joint pain when the weather is bad. Almost as if he took to the rural mythology, he claims he can tell when it's about to storm based on his 'bad shoulder.'(( Inactive Name:William Shea A.K.A. Bert - Played by DomSharkAge:46Daytime job or occupation:Gas Station Owner/ Attendant/ Mechanic Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Bouncer/ Record Keeper/ Head of Security Bio:Early in life, Billy was taken advantage of by others in his “community”, taking advantage of his simple, trusting nature and using him to help them steal cars. Cars had always made more sense to Bill than people, if something was wrong with a car, you could go in and fix or replace the broken part. People just stayed broken. Bill’s life changed forever when a local girl became pregnant and insisted that he was the father (though if Bill were a smart man, he would have met that claim with skepticism). Once his son was born, Bill knew that he could no longer continue stealing cars and dodging the law, a life he’d inherited but never truly enjoyed. The mother left him with a son and a note, that was all the help he’d get raising little Noah. Bill moved himself and his son into a single story house in New Marysville Falls, barely making a down payment with funds he’d earned through field work. He worked no less than three jobs to support his son, keep him enrolled in school and give him the opportunities Bill had never had himself. By the time Noah went to High School, Bill had finally saved up enough to open a Service Station in town and own his house outright. He was a testament to what hard work and dedication could do for a person and his son loved him unconditionally. Noah, was so smart and perfect in Bills eyes, he never wanted to deny him anything. That was until Noah got accepted to a prestigious Ivy League School that Bill had no hope of affording. That didn’t stop Bill from putting his house on the market and shopping the Service Station to local businessmen. He would stop at nothing to give his son a fighting chance. It was “Old Joshua Harris” who seemed most interested in buying the station, but couldn’t understand why Bill would sell. When Bill explained his situation, Mr. Harris sent out a life-line. Mr. Harris offered Bill a night job, lucrative enough to fund Noah’s education without even putting a second mortgage on Bill’s home. Immensely grateful to Mr. Harris, Bill does his best every day, only occasionally getting in trouble by being too protective of the working girls. Appearance:(Name: Henry Pratt - Played by GrapeTootsiePopAge: 67Daytime job or occupation: Mayor to New Marysville Falls Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Client Bio: As if the Mayor wouldn't have a hand in this pretty little establishment. ;) The Mayor of New Marysville Falls knew all and saw all that happened in his very small town. The one good thing about his small town...it knew how to keep a secret. And so for Henry, he had no problem visiting the brothel at night, though he made sure to give a call to Joshua/Doc/Bert and make sure they knew of his appearance. He only entered through the back, never the front. He was informed which whores were available that night, and he picked one, went to her room, did his deed and exited through the back. Even though the town was small, the Mayor had to make damn sure no one knew about his involvement with such a business. Especially with a wife in the hospital! There's always a good thing about Henry. He was a people's person. So he spent quite a good amount of money at the Fucking Gulch. It was family money since he had the son of the wealthiest family in New Marysville Falls. To a lot of coming into his small town, his money might be chump change but here in his small town...he was one of the wealthiest man. And he made sure his money...and power...was used to his advantage. Appearance: (Name:Rebecca DeP oyster - Played by Vintage:36Daytime job or occupation:Politician (Representative for the District in which New Marysville Falls is located.) Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Client, camp;Large Sponsor and Booster for the Gulch Bio:Rebecca grew up not far from New Marysville Falls. But in her childhood, she never visited the town. After all, nobody had a real reason too. She grew up a normal girl's childhood. Her family was decently wealthy, and she managed to have the luck to be born with a prodigal brain that didn't require her to pay attention to classes that she hated. She breezed through high school, and with her family's financial record, she received an acceptance letter to her top state college. Rebecca had no doubt in her mind of her career path. She wanted to be a politician. She loved debating, and she figured she could outsmart the stupid electorate with ease. Furthermore, she graduated, and went right to work. Furthermore, she started with an internship, but her mind was set on much more. Furthermore, she began her own business that sold meat door to door. Furthermore, she knew some people to help buy in, and it quickly expanded. Furthermore, she bought the right stocks, and with additional inheritance from her parents, she was well set for life. But the money continued to flow in. She began two other businesses, each eventually franchising. She ran for a local Mayor position, and after a few years at that job, ran for Representative of her district. Her ticket came through with flying colors. She was rich, successful, smart, and beautiful. She was the total package. And more importantly, for the backwater towns in her district, she was staunchly Republican in fiscal and social policies. She has just begun her second term as Representative. But something was wrong with her. Something she didn't like to admit. She was a lesbian, through and through. Nobody knew this, because if it did, she would be ruined. She didn't appear that way, and she didn't act in a way that showed it off, but ever since Junior High, she's always been into women. It all started when an older girl, not even the most gorgeous, saw her cheating on a test. She blackmailed her into coming over to her house. The crude, fat girl forced her into bed, and it went from there. Oddly enough, she didn't resist. She enjoyed it. To this day, she still often talks to the girl. She's old and fat, and extremely rich as Rebecca had to pay her to keep the secret once she was elected, but the two are friends, and sometimes even more than that. Ever since then, Rebecca's eyes have always been attached to a girl's fancy behind. She was so desperately in search of a place to channel this lust. That's when she heard of the rumor of the Gulch. Two words stuck out to her, fun and hidden. She made a visit alone. Being recognized by the person running the joint that night, she was given a little tour. It was all she needed. She made a large donation, several hundred thousand, all off the record. She promised she'd be back for some fun, and with more of the green stuff. Somehow, rumors of her promise spread amongst the employees. Many are poor girls who would do anything for her to give them a stack of cash. Luckily for them, she's willing to do just that as long as her lusts are satisfied and her secret remains safe. Appearance:Rebecca is truly stunning. She looks amazing for her age. She's a bit on the plump side, but nothing too major, and mostly in just the right places. Furthermore, she loves good food, and with her money, she could buy anything she wanted. Furthermore, she has long, dark brown hair and near perfect skin. Her breasts are legendary, yet all natural. She's utterly delicious.(Some NSFW)Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide(uncertain Name:Dean Logan -Played by Capone Age:21Daytime job or occupation:Unemployed; Amateur writer Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Client Bio:Dean's mother died when he was 9, leaving just he and his father behind. They were okay for a couple of years, even grew closer than ever. It didn't last, though. Soon his father succumbed to alcoholism and violence. He never really beat Dean, not yet at least, but the verbal abuse was too much to stand. By time Dean was 12, his father had been going somewhere late at night and wouldn't return until the morning. One night he ventured out after his father on his bike, following all the way to the Gulch. The staff was different then, and the front door wasn't so closely guarded. He wandered in, hiding in the shadows, watching his father squeeze the ass of some young woman. He gasped as she opened her blouse, and soon all heads were turned. Before he knew it Dean had been carried through the air, back outside, and tossed against his father's truck. His father hit him once, giving him a black eye. He couldn't remember what his father had said. The next day his father apologized, but every night, every time he came home drunk and smelling of cigarettes and perfume, he reminded Dean never to speak of it. Dean dropped out of College his freshman year. He was able to pass High School easily enough and earn a scholarship, but College was different. You couldn't just slack on by as easily. He came home for Christmas break only to find his father dead on the floor, drowned by his own vomit, a bottle of Jack in his hand. Dean went from job to job around Marysville since then, using his off-time to try and become a writer. Here and there he got some small freelance gigs, but they were for no-name websites that could only pay $20 or $50 a pop. Nothing substantial. He was more of an outsider than ever. Every once in a while someone would bring up his days in Little League, or his fourth grade spelling bee victory over the rest of the county, but never mentioned anything after his mom died. They smiled, but it was fake. It was all fake. They didn't really care, and they didn't want him there. His father's Will had made it clear that any money from life insurance and other inheritance would be locked away until he was twenty-one. Unemployed for the last two months, he's been living in his parents' old home, mortgage already paid off, and just using his unemployment to pay what he could have the bills. On his birthday he takes a drink, with enough money in his account to last him some time. A thought occurs to him. What better way to honor his father and his inheritance than to take a trip to the gulch? But this trip will change Dean. It will inspire him to write a book, to blow the lid off of Marysville falls and its secret. But what sort of book will it be? Will he reveal to the world what depravity can lie behind the seemingly perfect little town? That deep inside everyone is a dirty, twisted freak and pervert? Or will he use it to drive a different point home? That hiding your true self, your true desires, behind some facade of what everyone thinks is happiness...it's nothing more than stabbing yourself in the stomach. Either way, this night, this first night at the Gulch, will change Dean's life forever. Appearance:(Name:Jack Matheson - Played by Legendary Age:37Daytime job or occupation:Landscaper/Handyman Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Client Bio:Jack was what some would call a lifer of sorts in New Marysville Falls. He was born and raised there and even took over the family business once his dad passed away. Known for his dark green pickup with the bright yellow letters that spell out 'Matheson Landscaping', Jack doesn't limit himself to just one line of work. If anyone needs a quick plumbing fix or a maintenance question, they turn to Jack. He lives up to his nickname of Happy Jack. During the day he can be found anywhere from on a neighbor's roof to mowing a couple acres of grass in one of the sprawling fields. Always with a smile, he's happy to help anyone in need for a pretty reasonable price. Because of his line of work and the fact that no one else in town is in competition with him, he knows just about everyone who calls New Marysville Falls home. Jack lives comfortably in a modest house with his wife Mona and their beagle Midas. No one other than the regulars at Fucking Gulch knew of the deep-seated marital problems that caused Jack to stray. His marriage was a ruse of some sorts. Mona just couldn't provide for him in the same way he provided for her. Happy Jack was anything but. His sexual appetite was quite voracious and the fact that he wanted to unwind after a hard day of work was understandable. When Mona could no longer provide him with that outlet, Jack felt the need to stray. Having been hired almost a year ago by Joshua to tend to the grounds of his estate, Jack got a first-hand glimpse at what he'd soon learn was Fucking Gulch. Curiosity struck him and one night as he lay frustrated in bed beside his wife who slept soundly, he got up and made his way to Fucking Gulch. He'd seen cars and despite the time, the place seemed to be in its prime. Having lived their all his life, it was odd that a place would've gone unnoticed to him for so long. Once Jack entered and learned of what Fucking Gulch had to offer, he was hooked. More than once a week, Jack would slip out of bed and head to the brothel. He would have his needs met, spend a little money and come home satisfied. Mona had awoken during the night one night and found the bed empty. It made for one lengthy discussion once Jack arrived home and the suspicions have lingered ever since, even despite Jack's insistence that he just went out for a drive. Appearance: (Status uncertain Name:Desdemona Pratt -Played by Revenge:22Daytime job or occupation:local heiress Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Prostitute Bio:The Pratt family are local royalty in New Marysville Falls and beyond. Where Henry Pratt went into politics and became mayor, his younger brother Robert used his part of his heritage to further his personal fortune. Ten years younger than the mayor, Robert is now one of the largest land and property owners in the district, his wealth and power reaching far outside the little town. But the family estate is still within the limits of New Marysville Falls, and he has no intention of changing that. Robert Pratt' first marriage - to his high school sweetheart Nicole - soon turned into a loveless and childless affair, but he divorced and then remarried at 35 to Enid, a 23-year-old model of half-Armenian, half-Irish descent. Within the year of this second marriage, his only child was born: Desdemona Pratt. As the sole heiress to her father’s fortune, her bed was quite literally made from the day she was born. Unfortunately for the Pratt, if they ever evenattemptedat giving the girl a normal upbringing, it seriously backfired. Desdemona was a conceited, self-centered and self-indulgent girl who bounced around from private school to private school and barely even finished high school. Her university career wasn’t any more stellar. She came back after three years with no degree but a very busy social life, after her father had grown tired of pouring a fortune of money into the lost cause that was her higher education. He then attempted and largely failed to teach her the ins and outs of his local real estate empire. Desdemona was only interested in shopping and partying. And she adored traveling, until her dad had closed that tap as well. Bored senseless spending her days on the large Pratt estate, she had to seek an outlet within the little shithole she considered New Marysville Falls to be, and she eventually found ITT the Gulch. Some might have thought the wealthy and haughty Desdemona would have contented herself with merely visiting the establishment, but after spending a few nights there as a client, she wanted to experience things from the other side and eventually managed to convince Old Man Harris to give her a chance. With her history of promiscuity in college, she had a fair share of sexual experience before she started working there, and she has proven a surprisingly skilled and dedicated worker at the brothel. There is one added complication to her working there: her uncle’s status as its most famous (or infamous) client. Thankfully for her, the good mayor always calls ahead before visiting and only uses the back entrance, so she has so far been able to avoid him. But is it not only a matter of time before they run into each other there? Appearance:(Name: Jake Johnson -Played by JackWhiteAge: 24Daytime Job: Employee at the local bank. Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Client Bio: Jake is known as a shy person. He lived in New Marysville Falls for most of his life. He only left his little town to go to college, but he never made it to graduation. Furthermore, he had bad grades and almost no friends. From the day he was back in town he felt relieved. No more college pranks. His low confidence made him a perfect target. Now Jake has turned his life upside down and tries to fit in. He wants to gain some confidence, but he still has to work on his ability to talk with women. He heard some rumors about the old shack and wanted to see for himself if the rumors were true. And that’s how he ended up in this secret community. Appearance:(Name:Aria Miller (Opal) -played by lovelygirlAge:22Daytime job or occupation:Waitress at the Diner in town Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Prostitute Bio:Aria was very homely growing up in town, no one really paid much attention to her. She wanted to be pretty like the others, not such a shy reserved bookworm that she was. Even in high school, she missed out on Prom in New Marysville Falls because no one wanted to be seen with her. That night she had heard whispers of this place, The Gulch and wondered if it existed. Oh, it did. She hid behind a tree to watch the men go in and out, and to her surprise saw her own father enter the brothel! She was shocked, but she knew there were issues between her parents for a long time. It wasn't soon after that her mother found out about her fathers "hobby" and kicked him out, he's moving away until his untimely death a couple of years later. What she didn't know was that her father had amassed a small fortune through stocks and left it all to Aria. Well, she took that cash, at least some of it and went to the big city for a little' touch up' work. When she returned, she was happy, looking like she wanted to now. No one really even recognized her when she came back, not even her own mother who threw her out. Aria got a job waitressing at the local diner, but she needed to scratch and itch. She went down to The Gulch and asked the old Man for a job, which didn't take much groveling. Now she works days at the diner and turns tricks at night at the Gulch. Appearance:(Name: Samuel Olson - Played by Kirinyaga: 34Daytime job or occupation: Town Sheriff Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Client Bio: It's been five years since Samuel inherited the job from old George who was finally too old to make the rounds. Formerly the deputy, Samuel had been known around New Marysville Falls as George's shadow...affable if a bit too enthusiastic given his youth for his own good at times. George for the most part tempered his protégé's attempts at applying what he had learned with at the academy to the real world and eventually some of it brushed off. A little less bushy-tailed than he once was, Samuel is much more grounded, and he's mostly stopped pestering the city to fund certain projects to improve the quality of enforcement in New Marysville...mostly. Off the job, Samuel is still a bachelor and not yet married, although not from lack of trying on his part. Unlucky in love, Samuel hasn't kept a single girlfriend for longer than a year at a time. His work ethic while endearing to the people compromises his ability to pay attention to his girlfriends and such they leave for someone else after being neglected one too many times. It was during one of the break-ups that Samuel discovered the Gulch...the details are a bit hazy on how exactly he found out. However, the young deputy ended up on their front door seeking to drown his sorrows in some fashion aside from drinking. Since that night, Samuel routinely visits to enjoy the comforts that the Fucking Gulch offers. He enjoys the company of the women and here he can relax without having to worry about the world outside in the embrace of someone who doesn't mind his inattention. Appearance: (uncertain Name:“Miss Charlotte” (Real name unknown) -Played by DomSharkAge:Unknown (Dare not ask.) Daytime job or occupation:Dominatrix Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Prostitute (By special appointment only, reservations must be made through Joshua Harris, as only the old man knows how to contact her). Bio:Very little is known about the mysterious and attractive Miss Charlotte except that she is very, very expensive. She is a Dominatrix who travels extensively, servicing to specific clients who request her specific services. She specializes in women, and for the right price can be persuaded to humiliate a disgusting worm of a man, provided he holds no illusions of ever, EVER being allowed to touch her intimately. Men pay dearly to lick her boots, and little more; Women only get as much more as they earn. She is obviously of Asian descent but speaks with a British accent, woe betide the one who asks for specifics about her past or heritage. Appearance:(( (Name: Rowan (‘Debbie‘) Hartnell - Played by drainage: 23Daytime job or occupation: Caregiver Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Prostitute Bio: Rowan grew up outside of town on a small farm with only her mother as her father left them when she was young. Shy and precocious as a child, she was the model daughter who did well in school (she was the class president, was a cheerleader, and participated in SADD) and was well-adjusted throughout her teen years. She was in college when her mother fell ill and with no one to take care of her, Rowan dropped out to come home. With caring for her mother almost a full-time job and the disability checks barely paying the bills, the days, weeks and months were long and lonely as she had no life outside of taking care of mom. Rowan was almost at wits end when she found out about the Fucking Gulch. She could enough money to pay the bills and have someone look after mom whenever she needed to get away. Pragmatic and willing to do whatever it took, Rowan approached the old Man and inquired if he needed another girl. Rowan started that night and never looked back. Appearance: (I prefer a picture if you can find one) :)(uncertain Name: Eleanor "Ellie" Goddard played by Christa McGinn Age: 24Daytime job or occupation: Graduate School Student camp; Farmer's Daughter Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel: Prostitute Bio:Ellie was raised just outside of New Marysville Falls in the middle of a corn field. Living on a farm, she is tough and very country. Although feminine, she can lift bales of hay easily and take care of all sorts of livestock. During the day you're likely to see her traipsing around in the pastures with her wellies, jeans and an old t-shirt. Her family has been in this area for ages, but they kept the secret of the Gulch hidden from her. They also never patronize the brothel. She grew up blissfully ignorant of the brothel, even though Mr. Harris' land borders her Grandpa's. She goes to church every Sunday and was always the quintessential 'good' girl as far as sex went. Furthermore, she was always causing unintentional trouble, and her curiosity often gets her into situations that she never intended. After graduating at the top of her class from high school, she went on to college a few states away to study history. She came home during the summer and helped out on the farm, always well known in the small town for being kind and well-liked. She rides horses and her own farm has 3 of their own. They also raise pigs, cows, chickens and even some ducks. However, it's still a small family farm. No big corporation. They grow corn and soybeans, alternating between the two every other year. Once she graduated from college, she came back home and began working on the farm once more. She was actually still a virgin at this point, but was very sexually curious. She was eager and willing to learn, even though she originally intended to wait for marriage. That's when a friend of hers mentioned a place where she could explore her options safely, and her curious nature found that too hard to resist. She showed up and was shocked by what had existed right under her very nose all these years. Shocked...but excited. Mr. Harris was also surprised to see her there, but when a client asked about her...mistaking her for a prostitute, she made the mistake of blurting out that she was a virgin. This excited the client even more, and he paid a great deal of money to be her first. As she was saving up for grad school, she took the plunge and slept with him. From then on it was history. She works at the Gulch regularly, with her days still spend at home. Her family has no idea that she works there, and she has no intention of them ever finding out. Appearance: (Ellie (is 5'4", very curvy and all woman. She is pale with long red curls and big blue eyes. Her face is almost doll-like, and she's naturally both innocent and seductive in equal amounts. (Alexandra Breckinridge is the model, but not for her body. For her body, think Christina Hendricks (Name:Gino Freeland -played by Moon Hound Hating:36Daytime job or occupation:Law firm owner/Lawyer Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Client Bio:Gino moved to the small town New Marysville Falls after getting married to his wife, Clara. She is originally from New Marysville Falls and wanted to move back there so that they could raise children in a calm and tight knit community. He himself was a city boy who never lived in any other place then the capital of the world, New York. The stark contrast between the two settings was quite noticeable. Setting up a small law firm in the town, he earns his money helping the local residents with their law disputes. Instead of handling cases that involved rape and murder, the most exciting thing he's been able to sink his teeth in was a divorce dispute between a shop owner and his ex-wife. Frustration levels rose high, leaving Gino feel unsatisfied with his work and life after this dragged on for a couple of years. Sensing his troubles, which also had started to affect his bedroom performance, Clara decided to reveal a secret dear to her heart. Clara was once a working girl at night, having earned some extra money at the secret local brothel called "Fucking Gulch" to finance her college studies in New York. Telling him about the place, she advises her husband to visit the place once to work off his frustration and steam give him that boost he needed to get out of his rut. She expected him to do this only once, trusting his kind and caring nature to withhold him from becoming a regular. Of course, this turned out to be a misjudgment in character on her part. Having had a good time at the brothel, Gino now visits the place regularly, fooling his wife with stories of "working late" and "going to the bar with the guys." He was quite pleasantly surprised when he discovered that his attractive secretary worked at the Fucking Gulch as well, making his life even more interesting. Appearance:(Name:Nathan Maddox -Played by Dirigible Age:29Occupation:Agricultural geneticist Role:Client Bio:Nate grew up in the Mankato, New Zealand, though he spent time away at boarding school. The youngest of three brothers, there was less expectation of him inheriting control of the family dairy farm, leaving him free to pursue his more academic interests. He graduated from Massey University with a master's degree in agronomy, and went to work with Ag Research. Recently, an opportunity arose to study crop rotation and nitrogen fixation in the US grain belt, and for the moment Nate relocated to New Marysville. One of his colleagues broached the subject of the Fucking Gulch, offering to sponsor Nate for membership, and out of sheer curiosity at the idea of a secret brothel hiding behind the small town's virtuous facade he agreed to check it out. Appearance:(Name:Viktor Schmitt -played by Kealey Mensa Drainage:35Daytime job or occupation:Local detective, high school janitor Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Client Bio:Viktor worked in the town as a private detective after losing his job in the police force of the big city for arresting a suspect too enthusiastically for the public's like. He moved to the small town to get away from everyone who knew his face after it had been plastered all over the news for weeks on end. He settled into the quiet area and opened up his own little shop doing the only thing he knew how to do. Unfortunately, it didn't quite pay all the bills, so he was forced to find a more steady job. Being a high school janitor wasn't exactly how he pictured his career ending up after graduating top of the class from the academy. But, he kept open his detective shop to keep him busy when he wasn't mopping floors. It wasn't long until he got his first client. The case was far from the normal drug bust or murder he was used to solving; a cheating husband. Typical of the job he was going to get in the area he thought. Only this job wasn't going to unfold quite the way he believed it would. He tailed the husband throughout his normal day. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just a normal guy doing normal stuff. Until one night when he visited what looked like a shithole in the middle of nowhere named 'Fucking Gulch." Strange name for a strange place he had thought. He waited until the husband had left before he let his curiosity get the best of him, and he went to the door of the place to see what it was all about. It was a very interesting place to say the least...and an interesting place where a guy like him could get lost, and so he did. As for the client...well, he gave her all the evidence and told it to her straight: Her husband was a faithful man, and she had nothing to worry about. He didn't even charge her full price for the investigation. He had already received all the payment he could have wanted. Appearance:(Name:Sasha (Victoria Windsor)Played by Duchess Age:25Daytime job or occupation:Legal Secretary (Secret=Private investigator)Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Prostitute Bio:Victoria a petite slender beauty, whose graceful walk turn heads everywhere she passes by was returning home after spending a long time away at college. An Outgoing, Intelligent, Confident and a bit naive but strong-minded, passionate, extrovert and outspoken girl. One of those effortless cool girls, charming smart and ambitious. Yet sometimes she could be extremely rude, impatient, and too much of a people pleaser. After finishing her college outside of town and still being too young with few experience in the area she wanted to pursue, Victoria had to find a way to still become a licensed investigator by working under a Law firm to obtain experience. Knowing the towns' lawyer through her family, she knew it was time to return home. It was easy to obtain the job as the lawyers personal legal secretary. Having been away for so long, much stuff has changed, especially the places to go in her free time. One day going through the files at her job, she saw hidden under a pile of papers, a case map awaiting to be shredded. A single picture wasn't properly tucked inside the map and the big bright high lighted words capture her attention; “Fucking Gulch”. Why it was being shredded, it was a recent case? Thoughts were flying in her mind and the curiosity won this time, she had to go look have a look for herself. Appearance:Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide(Click to Show/Hide(Click to Show/Hide(Name:Kelly Huang - played by Adage:28Daytime job:Masseuse at the local Spa. Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Prostitute Bio:Growing up, Kelly had lived a sheltered lifestyle- it was to be expected with two older brothers and parents concerned for their only daughter. She was blissfully unaware of many of the darker sides of life: cruelty that people were capable of, party lifestyles with all sorts of illegal substances, and especially anything to do with carnal affairs. She had only ever dated two guys, and her first boyfriend never did anything past holding hands and the occasional peck. Kelly was happily dating, but she was oblivious to her boyfriend's perverse desires. After a year of dating, she had eventually, albeit initially reluctant, given all of her firsts to him: everything from her first make-out to her virginity. The two of them were happy together, and had built a healthy, trusting relationship. Until her boyfriend asked a favor of her one night. He wanted her to work at this place in town, called the Fucking Gulch. She would sleep with clients there, recording the entire act for him to watch. She didn't know what had gotten into him, but after some persuasion, she agreed to try it. He meant the world to her, and if he wanted it, well. What could go wrong?(Name:John Darcy -played by Elias Age:39Daytime job or occupation:Congressman Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Client Bio:He discovered Fucking Gulch by accident while he was on one of his whirlwind tours promoting small town America, he's looking to bring a pipeline through the tiny town, and while he was out looking for somewhere to unwind he discovered Fucking Gulch, he's been hooked ever since. Its super secret policy has also aided him a great deal and he's happy to enjoy the company. He has a picture taken in this town more than any other! Appearance:(Name:John Williams "Smokey" -played by Firefighter8346Age:23Daytime job or occupation: Fire Chief Role at the Fucking Gulch brothel:Client Bio:John Williams grew up in New Marysville Falls, his dad was the fire chief, and his grandfather before him, so when his dad died in a fire the other firefighters decided to let John take the place as the new Chief, after all, who would know the department better than someone who grew up in it. John was a good kid and had never really been "smooth" with girls. He saw the lights on the way back from a call one night and decided to check it out. Appearance:(

New Harrisville Falls - Character thread|rating:3.0

Rite of Warfare - The Viking's Prize (EvaEverheart x Ghost Muse)

Heavy tolls of an echoing brass bell thundered across the rolling Scottish highlands. The warning tones able to give their alert before their keepers were struck down, and the stone steeples were brought crumbling beneath a hoard of metal and fire. Flocks and herds scattered over the hills as the roars of the invaders from the North seas were heard, their heavy footfalls shaking the foundation of the old lands. These green hills were no stranger to bloodshed, and even the birds of the sky and beasts of the land knew that come nightfall, the land would once again be bathed in it. Not far from the last lines of defense, an old castle stood. Strong and proud it had defied years of conquerors and invasions. It housed the family of Callahan, the colors still flying proudly for over six centuries. Long, loyal vassals and cousins to the King, the male heirs had died out year after year. Whether to war or disease or their own stupidity. All that remained of the direct line was the fair Lady Amelia Callahan, second cousin and ward to the current King Duncan of the lands. To say that she was fair would be a grave understatement. Hair of glistening firelight always surrounded her in masses of curls that fought to be tamed. Bright electric blue eyes the color and ferocity of lightning always pierced through crowds wherever she walked. While not a towering woman, she was lithe and toned from years of bow-hunting with her older cousin, which suited her fine, high boned facial features just as well. This day, however, her usual cheerful disposition had wavered as she saw the torches from the invading armies approaching her home from the tower of her keep. Her trusty bow was hoisted by her side as an elder knight attempted to pull her away from the window. "My Lady, we must go-""You may leave if you wish, Sir Madrid but this is my father's keep! And his father's before him and on! I will not shame their ghosts in cowardly fleeing!" the feisty woman snapped back at the man who had practically been an Uncle to her, an elder who had protected her since she was a child, who had near died defending her father. "Castle Callahan is mine, we are a last defense for the King and I will stand my ground, even die if necessary." The weathered and scarred knight gripped her shoulders in a fervent panic as the invaders drew even nearer, his one good eye staring down at her in anger. "Amelia! Listen to yourself! It will not be by sword or arrow that you will die! There are hundreds, nay thousands of men out there that have been at sea... for MONTHS..." There seemed to be a sincerity in his voice of panic and sorrow for what they would very well do to her." Don't worry, Madrid... I won't let them rape you," she bluntly spoke. Amelia always had a way of cutting words with her teeth that made men flinch. The old man blinked for a moment before grumbling and letting go her shoulders. "Stubborn mare."" Old mule," she retorted as the knight turned heel towards the door. "... I will send Sir Galahad to protect you, My Lady. But I will face these heathens head on myself. God willing, I will cut them down with my forces before they can touch you... your father would send me straight to Hell if any of them put a bastard in you." As the door closed behind the old knight, Amelia looked out the window and then down to a chain dangling around her neck. She pulled it up from within her gown, the pendant actually a small vial of potent poison. Belladonna. It was a sin against all that was holy to take one's own life, and she knew that upon the door of her judgement that she would have to answer for her sin... but hopefully... God would understand... if it came to that, and why. Stowing the vial away as the door began to open, Amelia heard the familiar footsteps of Sir Galahad and a rosy hue came over her cheeks. She'd been courting the young knight for some time. The sound of the wooden and iron bolts pushed through the door and Amelia raised an arrow to her bow. "So... our usual game then?" she asked the man. He chuckled, joining her at another window. "And what would be the stakes this time, my fair Lady?" Amelia pulled the string taut, the feathers tickling the corner of her lip as those hawk-eyes pinned down upon the approaching hoard. "Me." With that one word, she let loose an arrow into the crowd... and not a split moment later, another, as a rain of arrows followed from the battlements on the rooftops. The longboats cut through the mist and the fog of the rocky coast as they struck dirt and the lumbering horde made their way through the dense trees and up the jagged cliffs, invigorated by the knowledge their next victims knew they were here. Thunderous shouts and bellowing roars rang from their throats as they charged forward, this would be their last raid of the Summer, and they would not be deterred from the long awaited prize. This raid had been chosen last by the Earl who had been resentful of his first attempt here failing to break through the Castle walls years earlier. Earl UHF the Swift refused to allow that blunder to haunt him another winter. And it was with this in mind, that he had insisted his loyal and fearsome nephew, Try son of Child to join him this Summer. Tyr was not a reluctant warrior or raider by any stretch of the imagination. He was arguably the strongest and most gifted warrior his Uncle, the Earl, had ever seen and was as ruthless as he needed to be, as his mother, the Earl's beloved sister, Child had raised him to be after giving birth to him, giving him her own name rather than that of his father she had killed the same night he was conceived. Try was loyal to his Earl above all but his mother who he refused to leave behind as almost all the men went off to raid, with neighboring villages as well-being left with little protection besides the women who were capable than most Anglo-Saxon and Celtic men. If Try had been foolish to do so once, he would have joined his Uncle much sooner, but he had been proven right to stay back several seasons as though Earl UHF raided every Summer, his rivals did not in attempts to seize his lands for themselves in his absence. Try had arguably seen fiercer battles and stronger opponents back home with the women and elderly men and young boys than his Uncle perhaps saw in most of his Summers abroad. But UHF could not be convinced now, nor did Try put up much resistance after his main staying force keeping him from joining his Earl, his mother, passed last Winter in a way that she demanded he never go out, in sickness without a sword or axe in her hand. They were meant for glorious death. And she made him promise as well to not miss his opportunity again. And so it was, with others volunteering to stay in his place to defend their home, that Try son of Child finally crossed the sea to the West and as he did with everything, took to raiding with unparalleled skill and tenacity. If his Earl wanted this Castle to fall before returning home for the Summer then Try would tear down every brick himself if he had to and slaughter any and all that stood in his way. The Albany that they met at the gate were not the most or least impressive warrior they had met this Summer. What Try had learned long ago was that no man was more true to themselves than when fighting for their lives. He knew his kin were all the ilk to fight valiantly to their last breath, or they would surely not have survived this long in their world. The mettle of the men before them however was not so unified as some cried out, some begged from their knees, some cowered and hid like children. The more pathetic their response the more violent Try grew as he faced them, unworthy of even crossing blades or dirtying his axe with their blood. Tyr was a towering presence though he wasn't the tallest or broadest among his clan, it was his subtle confidence in his gait, how he could effortlessly swing a long battleaxe. He didn't need to call out or yell to instill fear, he had a calm, still demeanor, highlighted by his icy blue eyes and his somewhat groomed beard compared to his brethren made him stand out. His chestnut brown hair was tied back and was wet from the mist, the mud, and the blood all around as the onslaught ensued around him. Clearly, these strongholds had been preparing for them over the years as Try had never heard of such forces resisting them before in his Uncle's stories especially considering their raiding party consisted of several more villages than previous years and still they were not running rough shot over the castle immediately. But they were relentless. Heads rolled, hands severed with swords in hand, skulls bashed in. Chaos rang out from all sides and yet as he often found himself in battle, Try was calm and everything fell silent around him as he saw everything before him in a slow exaggerated motion. He knew his brothers often lost themselves to bloodlust and that was their greatest strength, and he had done the same plenty over the years, but Try was most deadly when he was razor-focused and the world seemed to stand still before him. And then something pulled that focus's attention as he watched several of his clan taken down by arrows with acute precision." Tyr, the archer!" Earl UHF bellowed as he pointed to the tower where Try looked up to see another arrow fire as he moved his axe before his face as he sidestepped it as it wasn't far off from hitting him personally. "Take it and this fight is over." Tyr nodded his head as he looked back up to the tower's window and then looked down it to find the entrance as he charged forward and hacked and ripped his way through the now mostly retreating warriors. Cowards. This battle would be costly in lives of his clansmen. The sheer numbers here indicated they were protecting something of value to them. And because of the blood it would cost to give his Earl what he demanded, they would raze it all when they were done. And that tower, where the archer was adding to the numbers dead, would be Try's gift to his Earl. He would throw down the clearly skilled archer as a declaration of their victory. Try burst through the door shattering it to splinters with his axe and lumbering his way up the stone steps. There were several knights that clearly had been holding out hope they wouldn't be needed outside even as their fort was falling around them. Try didn't even use his axe's blade to slaughter them with his bare hands or the butt or throat of his Axe handle in devastating fashion. Then he came up the stairs to where he figured was the window from which the archer had been as he again split the door with his axe before crashing into it with his shoulder, it's falling apart as he stepped into a room and found a surprising scene. Of course women from his village learned to be quite skilled archers, but he hadn't expected to find the bow in the hands of a red-haired dame as he noted the knight standing next to her. Tyr set his eyes on the knight dropping his battleaxe and pulling two swords from sheaths at his side, he wasn't keen on swords, but his Uncle told him that was what the Albany used most and if he had any hopes of an even fight here, particularly when the numbers dwindled and one on one fights were more prevalent he decided to meet them with their own weapon of choice. Didn't mean he didn't prefer to have a weapon in each hand if he wasn't swinging his axe around with both hands. But Try could see it almost immediately in the eyes of the boy pretending to be a man, able to size up the fear in him instantly when he saw the Viking tear through the door. This would not be the fight he was hoping for, but it would mean this was over once he was gutted like a fish and the surprising Archer was thrown over his shoulder and brought down as a prize for his Uncle or to whoever else wanted her. Foul was the scent of blood and bowels that wafted on the wind up the tower of the castle. Amelia did not forgo her position at the window... but the sight of battle made her pause for a moment as she watched her kinsmen falling around her. The English knights were running like cowards, but the clansmen in kilts warred against the invading North men as if proud to die in battle. The songs and tales would be glorious, and they would give a battle and death worth remembering. They were not about to gift the maiden in the tower, their Lady and cousin to their King, to these barbarians so easily. Arrow after arrow fired into the crowd as the woman's hawk-eyes trailed upon their best warriors. What she was truly looking for, was their leader. Cut the head off the snake, these invaders might well retreat. It seemed another had that same thought as not a moment too late, the fair lady spotted a man moving swift for the door of her tower, cutting through the lines as easily as a knife through butter. The crash of the door below rang up the stairs, metal clanking down the stone walls before the wood was splintered from its hinges and madness itself burst through the doorway. Amelia turned on her heel, arrow locked in her bow as she did not hesitate to let it fly... right into the shoulder of the invader. Hastily, she began pulling a second arrow within the string. A strange archer indeed she was. Dressed in a lavish light blue gown embroidered in gold, her mass of red hair trailing near to her knees woven on either side of her face into thick braids with strings of pearls and golden clasps. Yet she held that bow as if born with it, the subtle chaffed marks on her fingers and the corner of her jaw told this was her sport for many a year. Those piercing blue eyes trailed over the invader, noting how he opted for the sword, his being covered in blood. If there was fear within her, the Lady did not show it, at least at the moment. "Sir Galahad... kill him," she ordered in their native tongue. Yet what came next, would forever change her fate. The man she had been courting, the one who had held place in her heart for so long... shoved her nearly entirely across the room, the woman stumbling to drop her bow and fall at the feet of the beastly man. The knight was trembling in his armor, having never faced such unspeakable odds. "Take her! You're after her, right?! The King's cousin! Take her!" In a singular moment Amelia felt her heart shatter. Those words pierced heavier than any sword, and she could not even summon the will to look at the knight. Her limbs shook, unable to hold herself up to even crawl away from the invader, and she considered for the moment of drinking her potion of poison... to end it well before any could lay their hands upon her. Yet there was another emotion quickly welling inside the woman. Rage. Like an inferno it spread throughout her being within her blood, and the betrayal that had cut her so deeply was turned upon itself." Kill. The coward." These words were not in her native tongue, no... these words were in the tongue of the North men, what little she knew, but the message was clear. Before her own death, she wished to see this traitor suffer. It was the least the invaders could grant her, a dying woman was granted a last request, was she not? Though there were two tear streaks that ran down her freckled face, the wrath woven into her brow as she looked up at the bloodied berserker was evident. Her own death was an afterthought. Right now... she wished to see a coward die. Nothing could have prepared Try for just how gutless the English knight was as before his eyes the armor-clad warrior threw the female archer towards him, and she fell to her knees before him. Try did note that the bow had left her hand as he heard it rattle against the stone floor, but his eyes didn't leave the knight, mostly in disgust but in the offhand chance the coward would use the distraction to strike him before surely running for his insignificant life. But his eyes couldn't stay focused on the cowering excuse for a warrior when he heard his own language spoken to him by the foreign 'princess'. He knew of the term the Knight had thrown out from the titles his Uncle had picked up as the English seemed to throw out when begging for their lives. But he heard three words spoken in his native tongue and the malice he saw in her face as she had spoken them. He saw something he didn't expect to see in any of this land, truly absent of fear in death, only hoping for the knight to meet his end first. And Try would grant her that." Coward," He repeated back to her in agreement as he stepped over her towards the knight. If he had any plan of attacking the distracted berserker it mattered little as the Viking plunged one sword down deep into his shoulder to the side of his neck. The gurgling sound was fitting enough for a gutless carp. Try was thankful he wouldn't have to stain his favorite axe with his blood. He then took the other blade across the weeping man's throat and brought the blades together forcefully, removing his head from his shoulders before kicking his body to the floor. Try dropped the blades as he was done with the English weapon of choice after seeing what it looked like in the hands of the most spineless man he had ever met. He was disappointed this had been the last 'obstacle' to victory that he had wanted to deliver personally for his Uncle. Tyr turned back, he supposed at least bringing back the 'princess' would be something he could be proud to deliver to his Earl, especially one that for some reason could speak some of their language apparently, and was a skilled archer no less. Though, he doubted any of that would be the primary thought or concern about her once she was seen by the men. He turned around expecting to find her still on her knees on the floor, once the satisfaction of seeing her failure of a protector dealt with accordingly, succumbing to the reality of her situation. He had seen it plenty this Summer and though she did surprise him somewhat with her skill with a bow or her speaking his language, he didn't expect much different when staring down her fate, though demanding the coward go first was a nice touch. Furthermore, he turned to grab her and carry her down the stairs of the tower. The attack upon the berserker came swift and bold. He had made a near fatal error with this woman. He had turned his back to her. Her silk slippers were silent upon the stone floor as the noble cousin of the King moved to her feet, and began to stalk towards the berserker. An experienced hunter, Amelia did not allow herself any slip of sound as she watched the coward she had nearly bound herself to many a time lose his head, eyes twitching about as the severed appendage rolled across the floor and the body twitched and slumped to the ground. Amelia would shed no tears for that Englishman. Not in life or in death. For all the splattering of blood, and how sick she felt, Amelia trained her eyes upon the berserker. Just as he began to turn, the red-haired archer wasted no time in drawing a long needle from her hair that held a beautifully decorated headdress in place. One long plunge of the woman's arm brought down the needle into the back of the man's shoulder, nearly piercing his heart! She felt his warm blood staining her hand as she hastily pulled away, holding the blood-stained needle by the large pearled head. Those sea-green eyes stared at the man in shock. It was her first time ever attacking another human with intent to kill... but this was a battle. And she would not be caught dead. She didn't want to die... she wanted to live. And that fighting spirit of the highlands rose up inside of her as the woman gave a mighty cry and charged forward to slash the man across the face! Amelia would not be taken so easily a prisoner! Indeed, if the expression upon her face was any indication, the woman was not afraid of him... she was challenging him. Standing there with not but a bloodied hair-pin in her hand. If he was distracted enough by the pain of her stabbing, Amelia would look towards the window... and begin to run past the man. If he did not catch her in time, the redheaded lass would do something unexpected and rather insane... she would climb out the window, needle in her teeth as her fingers dug into the cracks of stone and vines growing up the castle walls... before beginning to climb towards the rooftops in her silken finery, feet scrambling for footholds of any kind upon the stone borders as she attempted to at least reach another window... another point of safety... Try was utterly shocked by the sharp pain in his shoulder and embarrassed that he had lost focus, perhaps not giving credit to how swiftly and silently she had come up behind him as he turned and fell to one knee as he roared in anguish. He normally didn't have the blinded rage of his brothers when in battle, but he was feeling it now as the pain fueled a bloodlust he hadn't experienced before, perhaps because his first mortal wound had been suffered at the hands of a foreign woman. The battle cry she belt out as she charged him however would have rivaled any of his blood brothers or shield-maidens. Tyr's anger boiled over as she charged him and his hand immediately snapped forward to grab her while he also rose back up to his feet lifting her clear off the ground by the throat. If he had been given a second longer, with his shame and rage in control he probably would have snapped her neck like a twig, but the girl yet again surprised him, fighting through terror and pain herself surely while in his grasp and struck him again with the same sharp object. Try was very fortunate she just missed the eye she surely must have been aiming for as the needle was jabbed into his cheek just below his eyelid, and it dragged down the side of his face, as deep as it could manage and the fresh blood that gushed from the wound blinded the berserker. Try both in fresh agony and fear of her getting a second chance to jab him and connect with his eye threw her down as he turned away growling as he assessed the damage and cursed himself. Now he would have two scars from this ordeal, this one would be impossible to hide. Tyr turned back and cursed more as this woman was insane as he saw her making her way out the window, he lunged after her and reached for her leg from the window and as he swung out it to look up on the roof where she had begun to climb higher, he could hear the ruckus from below. The fighting in the Castle had all but ceased and most of his clansmen had gathered in the center and when they heard the commotion of the woman climbing out the window they began to call out and laugh. But when they saw Try's face as he looked down at them the voices erupted in both shock and mockery. Due to his lack of a wife, his insistence on staying back from raids, and frankly his devotion to his mother, Try despite his many unmatched attributes as a warrior had always been ridiculed and mocked for his trouble with women. His peers and even his uncle joked at times that he was too soft due to his mother raising him alone, of course after killing his father who had raped her in conceiving him. This fresh material would not go to waste and the thought of it all angered Try into making the desperate uneasy climb after the girl. This was easily the tallest building he had ever seen much less attempted to scale the outside of as he followed after her. His fury and embarrassment at this point made him consider simply yanking her off the side of the building to fall to certain death and if he had gotten a better grip on her foot as she made it to the next window, and he lunged for it, he might have been able to do just that. But between her clear iron will to survive and adrenaline pumping and his poor position and lack of ability to exert his strength, Try could not gain that satisfaction as she pulled away from him and ascended into the window. He reached for it's an exterior sill to pull himself up and through it. And growled again as she had moved quickly to hide herself. If not for the shame that would accompany him leaving this unresolved himself, he may have simply let one of his brothers come up and collect her or done whatever they wanted with her. But he wanted, no needed, to finish this quarrel for himself if he was to ever outlive the damage it would surely do to his reputation among his brethren. Panic and the will to live. To survive. To escape. This is what drove the Lady of Callahan. Her hands were stained with the blood of a foreign invader, one who chased her. That look in his eyes... the fury focused upon her... it chilled the woman to her core. Of what he might do to her in revenge. Mark her likewise, perhaps? Or reclaim his wounded ego by humiliating her similarly. With a kick against his fingers as he grabbed at her ankles and feet, Amelia managed to hoist herself through the window, falling upon the floor, but not for long. Her blood soaked fingers smeared the red upon the floor as she scrambled to her feet to run, to try and hide somewhere. Anywhere. The sounds of the invaders echoed within stone walls. They were within the castle. There were only so many places the fair archer could hide now. This high point of the castle was the most defended, the Laird's very own chambers. Every corner of this room was lavishly done with thick curtains and roaring hearth, sturdy well carved furniture and a rather largely carved bed into the far wall. Her heart pounded within her chest as she heard the outcries from the window. She couldn't entirely tell what they were saying, but there were words to encourage the warrior to catch her, that she knew from the tone alone of the crowd. He would not stop, she knew, til one of them were either dead or he caught her. Swift as a rabbit, Amelia bolted from the doorway, skirts and hair flying behind her as a banner. The only place she knew to go was up. Yet he would expect that. They all would... no one would expect her to take to the bottom of the castle where the invaders were. Yet it was something she had to risk. Turning down the staircase, the red-haired noblewoman exited the room, but as she turned a corner, Amelia felt a tight pull upon her, a hand wrapping over her mouth as a towering figure pulled her back into the shadows. Panic made her squirm and fight, and she began to scream as a calm voice spoke into her ear. "My Lady, its I!" Her head knight, the elder that had guarded her since she was in the cradle whispered into her ear. At once, Amelia stilled, hastily turning to see the man bleeding from head to toe. A long gash cut over the side of his silver scalp, blood dripping into his eye. His armor was dented beyond repair. "Come, we haven't much time," he urgently spoke, grabbing her wrist and tugging her along back into the room, the Laird's chambers. "Sir Madrid-""SHHH!" he quickly silenced her with a look that said if she was heard, the voice of a woman would bring the hoard upon them. His dented sword still gripped in his weakening hand, he pulled her towards the massively carved bed on the far wall. His injuries were great, but he would not allow any of these savages to touch the King's Niece! Her being alive and unharmed... it was a great relief to him. In haste, he knelt by the side of the bed, pushing in one of the carvings as it unlocked a secret panel for a hollow hiding space beneath the bed. "Get in, Amelia. And don't come out until they are gone... no matter what you hear, even if I fall this day, you do NOT come out! Promise me!" He ordered her as if ordering his own daughter, cupping her lovely face, gazing over her as if doing so for the last time. Tearfully, Amelia could not speak, could not answer, only slowly nod. He pressed a dagger into her hand, kissing her forehead. "Live free, My Lady," he whispered. "... Die well, Sir Madrid," she spoke, crawling quickly into the crawlspace, blue eyes locked upon him as he closed the panel once more, drawing the curtains around the bed to try and hide her eyes and ears before taking position by the door. Amelia could not help herself... she cracked the panel just enough to see a sliver of what would happen, before she nearly cried out at seeing a hand appear on the windowsill. Had the crazed man truly chased her up the walls?! Try probably from the exhaustion of hefting himself up the side of the building had lost some of the energy to stay as unhinged as he had been when he had grabbed her by the throat earlier. Plus, the blind rage had only gotten him another near fatal injury to show for it and so as he tried to catch his breath, though he was livid at the situation, he regained his focus and calm to save himself energy. He couldn't afford to make another mistake against this desperate and honestly worthy adversary, which thinking that alone made him even more perplexed. Of all the places he had been, of all the raids this Summer, why was this the one he would be cursed to be remembered for, and this damsel would be a ghost to haunt his mate's tales of him forever. He felt silly to need to take his beloved Axe from its sheath on his back. It was overkill perhaps, but he actually had to strategize to keep her at a distance after seeing the damage she could do with a poor excuse for a weapon in proximity. The mere fact he had to actually turn to his axe further compounding his shock and frustration with how his day had gone. Tyr didn't expect to find any knights or warriors left, considered she had been left with a total coward but sure enough he found a gravely wounded, elderly warrior, standing firmly before a door. It wasn't subtle what he was protecting behind it, but he didn't seem like he expected this to go any other way than his own death, and perhaps even that wouldn't be enough to spare the girl. But he stood there all the same and though he was winded clearly, the look in his eyes and the grip on his sword were unwavering and after the day he had, Try would never underestimate anyone again that didn't show fear in their eyes. This one without knowing anything else, he knew this one was devoted to his charge, beyond orders or chains of command, this one had the same resolve of the girl surely behind the door. They were kin of some kind he was sure. And that meant Try could not hold back or hesitate as he approached the knight back in his normal focused state." Honorable." Try said in his native tongue, venturing to guess if the girl knew the word for coward that her most loyal knight may know an antonym of the word. He gripped his axe handle tightly in his hands and stepped forward to engage with what he still, without underestimating his opponent, expected to be a quick skirmish. But the knight despite his age and his wounds was wise to attack quickly and do his best to keep the Viking on the defense not giving him opportunity to wind up a killing swing with his bloodied axe without risking another grievous wound from the knights' sword. Try dodged effectively using his iron handle of his axe to throw the sword to the side when it went for each blow or dodging some completely. He waited for the knight's exhaustion to overtake him completely and for a misstep that after a minor cut to Try's knee that would have probably crippled him if it had the power behind of it of this knight in his prime, or even in if the old man wasn't burdened with bloody injuries from previous combat. But Try unable to swing his axe in cramped quarters instead following the misstep by the knight jabbed the spiked head of his axe, piercing the side of the Knight's throat with a forceful blow that also sent him to the ground from the impact alone as the knight covered his throat as blood gushed into the Viking's face as he had been somewhat crouched to jab the weapon upwards into the knight's neck. Tyr was beyond impressed not only by the Knight's valor but by his actual skill and stamina considering his wounds, a berserker could give no more in desperation and as gravely wounded as the old man was. If he had met the knight earlier in the conflict he may very well have been the one to give Try his first significant wound of his life. But they had not and now as the man clutched at his throat and turned to his back to try and stand again he collapsed to the floor on his stomach. Try did not think a warrior, perhaps the best outside his people he had ever fought deserved to bleed out after giving such a fight in a futile effort, and with this in mind now free to extend his arms he raised his battleaxe over his head ready to end the faithful knight's pain, a mercy many of his people didn't consider or concern themselves with. "Valhalla would welcome thee." He declared, even if the foreigner had no concept of it, he couldn't imagine or dream of dying differently than how his adversary was about to. A death worthy of the All-father's gaze. From beneath the hidden panel of the bed built into the wall, Amelia clasped her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. The poison pendant around her neck had long since smashed from her climb up the battlements to this window. There was no other way out save for this guardian who had watched her since birth. This persistent warrior had hounded her more over the last few moments of her life than any wolfhound she had ever owned chasing a fox. Now. Now she knew how her quarry had felt in their final moments. Trapped. Terrified. Knowing that any moment this breath would be their last. At the very least they didn't have to worry about thousands of men passing them around like a canteen of fine wine. Amelia cracked the panel open a little more, silently cheering on her guardian as she watched him boldly defend their position. Even if it were a lost cause, he'd receive his just rewards in the Holy Kingdom and eternal life in the hereafter. Yet... every blow the two shared, every strike of the enemy upon Madrid was as if done to her heart. The old knight could last no more, and neither could the maiden's weeping conscience that beat so loud of screams in her breast she was certain the enemy would find her from the sound. The gash upon the old knight's neck had Amelia's stomach drop like a stone. There was the last of her defense. The last of the stand of Callahan. An emboldened courage swept through the red-haired lass as she bolted from her hiding place as a deer from a bush, a cry of desperation coming from her lips. Though it was not a bag for the man's life. Nor her own. "Wait for me!" Spoken in her native tongue, as the woman flung her body over that of the fallen knight. Her hair draped over his body, her head and neck poised over his own to take the blow in his stead. This Noble Lady brought her iron gaze of lightning eyes up to the berserker, her arms clasped around Madrid's bleeding form as she showed no fear of death, or of this man's blade. No there was... sorrow in her eyes. Masked by hatred that beat in her breast. Once more, Amelia attempted to speak the warrior's native tongue. She'd caught the word he called Madrid earlier. Honorable. Growing with warring men, she knew he was giving the old knight an honorable death, but her fate would be different if he took her from this tower. "Me too-" she spoke as well as she could in the tongue of the North. It wasn't a desperate plea for life... it was a final request of death. To be spared whatever horrid end those men might bring to her. The old knight's voice cracked as the blood gurgled in his voice. "Amelia - sweet child, no- go-" he attempted to try and move, though the exhaustion, the injuries, the bloodless was setting in. He'd stood his last. And the lady over him simply... smiled. A sweetness of roses and apple-blossoms in her expression as she kissed the old knight's brow. "Callahan has stood its last, Uncle... I have nowhere to run save for to the arms of mother and father in the Kingdom of Heaven." Try had been pretty certain he had heard the girl call out during their fight, but he perhaps shouldn't have been surprised that she would stay in hiding but throwing herself down across the dying knight was not what he expected to see when she burst into view. Try did not lower his axe as he watched the scene in front of him. Frankly, part of him was ready to drop it before he was even hit with the realization that was what she was asking him to do. She spoke to him again in native tongue, and he realized she knew what he had said to the old knight. And certainly if the old man's effort today earned him a place among Odin's ranks, then the Valkyries would have a new sister without a doubt if he were to slay the she-devil that had wounded him so, who faced death fearlessly even now. It would solve his humiliation that all had seen, and she would be spared from having little choice in her life from this point forward. A mercy that he was almost convinced to give her. As he gripped his axe tighter and prepared to bring it down over both of them, not in the malice and anger from earlier but now with equal respect as he had for the knight she had thrown herself over. But then he heard the gurgling knight say her name, it had to be her name to waste precious breath and energy to clearly beg her to reconsider and flee for her own life. Amelia... He couldn't have thought of a more fitting name to his adversary, striving and hard-working. Relentless. And again even in death she was a stone. Until she wasn't a stone anymore as she looked down to the knight and kissed his brow and then words he recognized from a teacher he had avoided for years, were spoken. "Mother" and "Heaven" he recognized. And suddenly Try's grip loosened on his axe only slightly at first. His teeth were grit tightly, but his eyes were far off, years back into his memory. Of a boy, his mother, and the largest bear he had ever seen. Tyr had been not even ten years old at the time and his mother, Child was the best hunter in the village bar none, and she wanted her son to take that claim from her by the time he became a man. They were in the woods every day and his mother was a stern but gifted teacher as he quickly learned how to track, how to shoot precisely, and where to hit his prey. Winter was fast approaching, the snowy veil already covered their hunting grounds. And today Child left everything about their excursion up to her son. Today he would track, kill, and bring back his quarry and skin and cook it as well. She was but his shadow today. And the day had started so well. The snow made tracking easy and quickly Try had found the promising footprints of an elk to be envied by all hunters. Once he had spotted the magnificent creature he had wasted little time in reading the wind and distance, the angle of the terrain between them and had let loose an arrow that struck well and true to Elk's head, but it recklessly crashed forward through the trees. Try followed it quickly, his mother on his heels, tempted to warn him of the unpredictable and most dangerous last moments of both big game's lives, when desperation set in. But this was his hunt and as they followed she caught the unmistakable scent of a bear. But before she could call out to him Try had seen the monstrous predator finishing off his elk, tearing its neck open and then moving to its meaty stomach. And before Child could stop him, the angry 10-year-old let loose an arrow that hit the elk thief in the neck. "Try. Run!" And boy and mother did run, but the snow slowed them and the lumbering giant followed briskly until running was no longer viable, especially as it had sent them towards the river that had only partially frozen over. "Try. You can make it across. Go." His mother had begged, but Try refused to leave her and instead fired another arrow this time hitting the charging behemoth in the eye which caused it to raise up on its hind legs and roar out. Child fired her arrow as well, she had foolishly only carried a few to instill in herself that this was Try's hunt and to keep herself from intervening. She cursed herself for it now as the last of each of their arrows buried themselves in the monster's chest to no avail. As it lunged forward again the huntress launched herself, carving knife in hand towards it's neck but was pawed down violently by its razor-like claws as she cried out and fell back. Try exhausted from the run still moved between her and the beast only for Child to yank him down and cover him. Even at ten years old the boy could tell with the way his mother embraced him that she believed this was their end." I'm sorry mother." Try had cried out, as his moment of jealous anger had doomed them both to this fate. But then he felt a kiss on his cheek, and could taste salt on his lip from where her tears must have fallen as she pressed her cheek against his." Tyr the All-father could not ask for a braver son, nor could I. Thor will bow to your heart and Henri will tremble before you when Ragnarök comes." She whispered to him. "Valhalla will be yours to explore for eternity. I could not be prouder of you." She insisted that he know as she could hear the impact of the steps as the beast rose up to strike them down. The wind swirled around them, howling fiercely, as she cried out over it. "I love you my son." And then for reason unknown to all, the beast turned away, it growled in contempt but retreated back to the corpse of the elk it had stolen from the boy. And Try carried his mother back to their village, guided by pure instinct others would suggest later, as the boy collapsed just outside the Earl's longhouse in the middle of that evening, both would take weeks to recover. But they did. They survived against all odds and because one of the strongest forces in nature defied all instinct and spared their lives. Tyr's axe fell from his grasp and crashed to the stone floor behind him as he looked down at the two, as resigned to their fate as he and his mother had been that day so many years ago. He sighed as he shook his head. This was perhaps a mistake for so many reasons. But he couldn't shake his will from proceeding even if he wanted to. Try gave the girl a stern look before kneeling down beside them on the floor. He was wary of being unarmed around her especially as he reached forward and grabbed at the hem of her dress and tore at it, ripping a portion of it all around the bottom off and holding a hand up. "Amelia." he said her name. "Try." He stated his name pressing his hand to his chest. Whatever he had learned of her language, which was mostly from years ago was not coming to him now. But he figured to give her his name was something he wouldn't waste his time doing if he was going to hurt them. He then moved her off of the knight and began to wrap the torn scraps of her dress around the knights neck and then around the puddling wound on his leg. Try nodded to where she had come from as he lifted the knight off of the ground and began to carry him over and step into the hidden chamber she had leaped out from moments before. Try could hear a stampede of footsteps and voices calling out for him and the whore as the more boisterous wanted to see she who had wounded the son of Child. Try looked back to her as he stepped out of the chamber, not knowing how it opened or closed as he could hear his clansmen howling and calling to him. He couldn't spare her though. They had seen her. She could not stay in the chamber with the knight without risking them both being found and all of this being for naught. "Amelia must come" He said in his native tongue. He ventured to guess it was easy enough to understand if she knew of cowards and Valhalla. Any dispute she may have had about it would have been short as the door was splintered to pieces a few moments later and Try nodded to the door again to close it before it was too late. And then they were upon them. His clansmen surrounded the two of them, laughing at Try while calling out about the redheaded witch that had given him so much trouble." Even the foreign hags give you strife, my brother." Share mocked as he saw the gnarly wound on his childhood friend's face. The two had grown a bit more distant since Share had begun raiding as soon as he could and Try had kept himself back for so many Summers." Well at least she's got some fight in her at all. And she is a peculiar one." Rode, a rival of Try's from birth it seemed, said bemused. He had two wives himself, like the Earl, but clearly seemed to be imagining a third as he stepped towards Amelia. He noted her dress. "My, did our Try here finally go for a taste." He added curiously before Try grabbed his wrist as he had moved to grab Amelia's hair." She is my gift to the Earl. No one has or will touch her until he receives her." Try said with a forceful grip and a slight twist on his loathed blood brother, a cousin on his father's side that neither acknowledged aloud. But the message was clearly received. Rode could talk in circles all day and mock Try endlessly but when it came to actually matching strength or ferocity with the bastard nephew of his Earl, Rode was wise to know his limits. He reluctantly pulled back, struggling to even do so as Try stared through him as he held his hand forcing him to yank it back violently to get it free. Tyr turned back to Amelia. It might have almost been seen as an apology for the indignation he was about to put her through, but the best way to keep other roaming hands from touching his prize for his Earl was to lift her from the ground and carry her over his shoulder which he did so briskly without much more warning besides the pause before doing so. Try carried her down and the spectacle of it drew his clansmen down to follow him instead of linger in the unexplored chamber. Once they had descended from the tower and exited out into the yard of the castle Try found his Uncle glowing with pride even as he chuckled at seeing the gash on his cheek. "The stronghold is yours my Earl." Try declared as he rather unceremoniously dropped Amelia, not wanting to show any more mercy in front of his kin than he had already risked." And she. Is blood relative of the king of this land. If her cowering excuse for a protector is to be believed." Try went onto to explain in his native tongue as UHF looked at the young woman before him. "Is that right, my boy?" UHF asked as he nodded for her to stand up. "What is this castle called, 'milady'?" He said the title mockingly, though he kept a Christian monk around in his village for a reason, to learn of the foreign lands and people that he pillaged each year, and so he could speak to the natives in Old English when they had something he wanted. "Are you of royal blood?" He went on to ask as well. Amelia awaited her death with bated breath. Her arms clutching around the old knight who had devoted much of his life to raising her, teaching her. Though she was a ward of the King since childhood, and she cared for her cousin dearly, this elder knight had helped to raise her more than the nurse maids. He'd taught her of life and death, of respect for others and to know friend from foe. He treated her as he might a daughter, and she remembered well the day of her thirteenth birthday when she insisted upon returning to Castle Callahan and running it as the Lady of the keep. She was the rightful heir, and he had stood by her and proclaimed his loyalty to the kin of the King, that he would die protecting her if need be. Yet death would not come this day for either of them. The reaper was denied the use of his scythe within this room as surely a guardian angel had to be watching over Amelia and Sir Madrid. The woman knew not how long she waited until she felt something, not the blade of the ax nor the pain that should follow, but the gentle dropping of steel upon polished stone. Her eyes lifted from their buried position in the old knight's silver hair, meeting the hues of the warrior who would have their lives. He... what was he doing? He was... surrendering? No, it wasn't that. They were helpless, at his mercy... and that was exactly what the man was showing them. Mercy. Deidric was drifting in and out of consciousness in Amelia's arms, the woman flinching in uncertainty as the foreign invader grabbed and tore at the hem of her gown. "What are you-" she began to say in her own tongue before she heard her name spill from his lips. A surprised expression crossed her face as he seemed to stop her from fighting him with the simple gesture of his hand, before even giving his own name to her. It sounded alien, and yet... where had she heard that name before? Was it not the name of one of the various gods the heathens worshiped? So they named themselves after gods? Still, it was a fitting name for the man, watching him take her torn hem and use it as bindings over Madrid's wounds. He... he was helping them. At the very least he would spare Madrid, he hadn't simply dragged her off by her hair to the courtyard or worse. "Madrid," she spoke, placing a hand on the old knight's chest as she tried to speak to Try as he bound the man's wounds. He might as well know the name of the man whose life he was saving. He could not know or imagine, however, how much his actions meant to her. As Try rose to hide the man within the paneling under the bed, the old knight attempted to protest, calling out softly, saintly for her. Amelia clutched the old knight's hand, even taking a pillow from the bedding to make him more comfortable. She knew, even without Try telling her, the Lady knew she could not hide. Could not stay here. Had she not climbed out the window and been seen, she could have perhaps stayed hidden. It was too late now. "Shhh, Sir Madrid, you must sleep. Sleep now... when you wake... find me again, Uncle..." she spoke in a hushed tone, hearing Try rush her for the voices coming up the stairway. In haste, she gave Madrid's stumbled cheek a kiss before shutting the panel door." Tyr-" she spoke his name, not knowing how to truthfully thank this man for what he was doing. First he had killed the coward that had dishonored her, and now he was saving the life of the man she saw as an Uncle at the very least. She couldn't very well give him a chaste kiss to his cheek for his efforts, would likely give the wrong message to him if that was not their customs. Instead, she opted to give a graceful curtsy, a respected bow of her head to thank him for hiding Madrid. The way the room appeared, it would look as if Try and herself had fought once more to an outsider. As the door burst open, Amelia jumped with a scowl upon her face like an angered she-wolf, lips upturned into a snarl of white teeth. Seemed the woman was not done fighting, even if she now had a bit of trust in Try, and would count him as an ally in this time of desperation, she was wary of these that approached. Amelia knew not what they were saying, but by the way the second looked upon her and reached for her hair, there was little mistaking what was in his mind. Her hand was poised to strike him in a scratching slap had Try not interfered. There was little she could make of their words, but it was easily guessed what he was trying to say. She knew the word Earl... was Try the Earl? He did not look the type... and a Earl would not charge after a maiden, nor receive mockery as she'd deigned from the laughter and try's sullen reactions.At the moment that he turned and paused, Amelia looked to him in question before he hoisted her up onto his shoulder. Now at that moment, several emotions went through her mind and... surprisingly anger was not one of them. Her face blushed deeply at the strength of the warrior that he carried her with such ease, but there was a notion that she should probably... play the part of the captured maiden up just a little. At least to hide the groans of Sir Madrid. Amelia suddenly wriggled and fought against Try's hold, kicking and screaming as a Lady might upon being hoisted like a sack of potatoes. Though she did not exactly strike him with much strength either. This was for show. So common phrases of "you savage heathen" "put me down at once" and the classic "how dare you" came from her lips until he dropped her on her ass outside. She'd apologize to him later, but Amelia knew ... this Stoic stonewalling was for her and Madrid's protection. If anyone thought the warrior was soft on her, they'd more than make up for it. Scrambling to her feet, the woman looked ready to strike the bleeding warrior, but it seemed to outsiders that she thought better of it at the sight of his scowl. Truthfully she didn't wish to hurt him more than she'd already done, that gash along his cheek looked nasty, and the Lady was certain that the stab wound she gave him would need medicine. Thank God she hadn't poisoned her pins like her Cousin's queen often did. At the sound of the common English being spoken by the Earl, Amelia raised her brow in surprise. So this ... was the Earl? The young archer faced him as steadfast as any Laird might, her chin raised in authority even if now she held none. "You stand upon the grounds of my forefathers of Castle Callahan!" she spoke in a voice that held command. She'd once seen her mother walk through a room of drunken brawling and everyone stop to bow out of her way. She was her mother's daughter, that subtle irritation and anger upon her features. "You will address me as Lady Callahan, the last heir to Laird Callahan, first cousin to King Duncan, and to Lady Callahan, sister of the second Duke of Wales!" It seemed blue blood ran thick through her veins, as she held prestigious lineage on either side of her family. Her mother being a Duchess and her father being, well, the equivalent of a High Duke in terms of his closeness of the King." I am ward to King Duncan, Earl. It would be wise for you to leave me in peace to return to him, lest you wish your lands drowning in bloodshed under his vengeance. Take what spoils of the castle and treasury you wish, but it is your best interest to leave me here or send me on my way untouched." Her cousin was not known as the Bear King for simply any reason, such was terrifying to think of at times. Her Scottish accent lilted on her speech, and it was clear she favored her father's roots more than her mother's. Though the confidence she carried was unwavering, her fingers simply clasped together as one hand was hovered over the other, posture rigid and undeterred even though she'd just been carried and dumped like a sack of Irish potatoes. A golden signet ring upon her right middle finger would bear the crest of Clan Callahan, if anyone was to question the proof of such a matter. Earl UHF was certainly surprised by the boldness and the respect the lass demanded he show for her and her castle, even as it was for the most part burning around them, save for the sturdy tower she had just been dragged down from. Earl URL the Swift would laugh at points doing her long declaration of titles and mock in between as he found the elaborate titles she pronounced tiresome. "And I thought the Saxons liked to hear themselves talk." He muttered at one point, showing he was well versed in the different kingdoms and peoples of the Isles he had been raiding this Summer. "Duncan." He had replied. "So we are in fact in Scotland I see." He made note of. "Grand Castle Callahan." He repeated as he walked around and held his hands up as it was worse for ware at the moment. "And with the Lady herself still present." He said in his native tongue. "Tell me my boy, was it her sharp tongue that cut your face so?" Earl couldn't help but mock the injury but also could tell she was more of a spitfire than any foreigner he had met. Tyr rolled his eyes at the comment even if from his uncle. He didn't know all that she was saying to his Uncle, but he could guess she was proudly defiant of her situation, even after how close to death she had just been. He hoped he hadn't done this in vain if she was to risk offending him, as his Uncle was playful and would banter to a certain point with anyone but when his patience was exhausted he could be as unpredictable and dangerous as any among his men. Tyr could certainly tell as he looked to the girl when she had threatened him with war if he were to take her back with him. Part of him, a naïve and futile part of him wanted his Uncle to listen. Take the spoils and leave this confounding woman here to not curse him anymore. But of course she had threatened his Earl with the wrong type of omen. An Omen of war was nothing daunting to a Dane. Jarl UHF laughed at her then as he sighed. "Lady Callahan. Do you know of us?" Earl asked her in her native tongue. "Don't tempt a Dane with something as glorious as bloodshed. Of war." He stated with a toothy smile. "Your cousin the King. If you believe him man enough to cross the seas to find you. I welcome it. Hope he has strong, broad ships for the army he would need to bring to send all of us onto dine with our Gods." He stated boldly. "No, my Lady Callahan. You will be coming back to see the lands you believe your King would soak in blood." He chuckled. But he paused to allow himself time to consider just how valuable a trophy she could potentially be. But also the headache his wives would be if he brought her back as his own prize. And that's when he looked back at his nephew, who he caught diverting his eyes from the woman for the fourth or fifth time since she had made her demands and announced her titles. He took it to be nerves and that was when it hit UHF the best immediate option for the damsel before them. Ulf walked towards Try who looked down almost visibly saying what more could be asked of him today. But when his uncle came up in front of him, Try raised his head to meet his eyes. "I hope my Earl is satisfied with his gift." Try ventured to say, not letting on to how much of the exchange he comprehended more or less. Jarl UHF looked around and nodded. "It is the crown jewel of the Summer." He hollered, and other clansmen cheered as well as many eyed the Scottish woman with curiosity or lust. "But my nephew is too kind, even to his Earl." He said and looked to Try placing his hand on his shoulder. "Though I am honored by your tribute. You have earned the woman." He ran his thumb across the bloody cheek. "More than earned her." He added smirking. He said all of this in his native tongue and Try couldn't help but look to Amelia, realizing what was happening. "Uncle." Try began to protest." See he still can't handle a woman. Even one the Earl has gifted him back." Another mocking Dane declared. "After dealing with her, he's probably more afraid than ever." Another chirped. "What a waste." That one was Rode, Try was certain. Try relented any further questioning. "I accept. Thank you my Earl for your generosity." He stated quickly. Even as he felt his throat tightening to try and stop him. Url leaned closer. "Relax, my boy. If what she says is true. I may yet take her back off your hands in time. If she is so undesirable to you." UHF stated the last part with a raised eyebrow as he looked back to Amelia. The rest he said louder for the group. "She can at least treat the wounds she caused you. And put her to use as a horsecar. If your imagination cannot fathom any other uses for such a creature." He stated to raucous laughter. "Well boys Castle Callahan." he said that looking to the captured Lady of the hold. "Is ours!" He declared in Old Norse. They all rang out again in cheer. "Tonight." He was surprised by Try now putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked back at his nephew clear shock as he thought he may still have more protest about housing the girl when they returned to their farmstead. But he could see from Try's expression something more grave on his mind." We have defeated the hold my Earl. And we certainly can welcome the King on our own terms on our land. But after our losses today. And the certainty that someone from this hold managed to get word out to her cousin." He realized saying cousin made it clear he understood her title and bloodline better than he let on earlier, his old teachings from Mendel coming back to him. "An army is not something we can contend with a few villages worth of raiders." He stated pointedly. "This is my first Summer. I welcome any fight, but would prefer it not be my last." He said, something few of his blood brothers would be honest enough to say when faced with unspeakable odds. Jarl UHF wanted to disagree, part of him thought he had to, to not give credence to any fear he had of what the girl had threatened. But he two longed to be home again before his time was done. And the girl and the spoils of this castle and this voyage in its entirety were more than they had gained in prior years combined. It would be foolish to squander such treasure and potential politic currency out of pride. And so the Earl nodded solemnly. "Your timidity. Is not any less favorable a quality to have. When you have a head like yours to utilize it." He felt the need to appreciate his nephew for something no one else among his men would have considered." Tonight we set sail for home! Take what you can. Leave Callahan for another Summer." He advised. His mocking of it's name and the Scottish Titles and king didn't mean the grandeur of it all wasn't alluring to him. He might have to leave it for now, but someday perhaps soon, it could all be his. Maybe this raiding life was not the limit of his grasp into this unfamiliar world. He looked back to Amelia before approaching her. "So you will come with us. And you will answer to my nephew, Try." The Earl spelled out to her as he pointed to the man that had brought her down from the tower. "You will do as he says. Or it may be a very short trip across the sea for you Lady Callahan." He said in Old English. Tyr was commended by some, jeered by others at receiving the damsel as his own prize, rescinded from the Earl. Now he had an added burden of keeping her alive on a trip across the seas, and since she was still as likely to be his Uncle's third wife as she was remaining his horsecar or more. He would need to keep his more brazen clansmen away from her. Try stepped towards her as the others began to gather what they had found and claimed for themselves among the besieged castle. Try looked to her, not sure what to make of this new arrangement or if she understood it. Or if like everything else today she would fight it and give him more trouble. Part of him was tempted to tell her to run, if for nothing else than to be rid of the burden he knew she would end up being, especially if his Uncle weighed his options for an extended period of time before taking her as another wife. Though he could only imagine Rena's fury at that prospect, having already been hoping her older sister-wife Frida would be cast out in time once her king had lost use for her. Tyr was too exhausted from the day and figured if that was the case for him, it was more so for the captured Lady. He hoped that would make the ordeal of getting her onto the boats easier. "Peace?" He asked in Old English. It was as close as he could remember to the words for truce or agreement. "Voyage is long. Hard enough without a fight." He added in a broken manner between his native tongue and hers, hoping enough of each piece made sense to her. Any other Scotsmen would have taken the goading bait of the Earl's mockery. And oh how Amelia wanted to take his face into her hands and claw his eyes from his skull like a wild-cat. "You expect a Scotswoman to stand silent in fear of you?" she asked of the Earl, those hawk-eyes glaring back upon his smirk. "Oh, I know your kind so very well. This is not the first raid upon our shores I have seen." Indeed, her father and grandfathers had been holding this line for many a generation, her brothers the last to perish beneath the shadows of the towers when she was but a wee lass. They had won the battle, but at a grave cost, and not even Amelia's presence could keep her mother from grieving to death over the loss of her beloved husband and sons. Her tongue was sharp in its lilt as the woman seemed fixed upon using it as a dagger to keep the Earl at bay. "But you do not know a Callahan," she at last said to the Earl. "I pray for your gods and mine to take pity upon you... for /I/ will not." There was a fire in her blue eyes, as blazing as the hair that had fallen out of its veils and braids from the ordeals of the day. The expression Indicating that the woman could be entirely more than difficult to deal with. A fire spirit from the Highlands that would never cease nor surrender to this invader. If there was a Heaven on earth, well, there had to be a Hell as well. And she would create that for him if need be. "My cousin is not the only you need fear, Earl. I suggest when you gather your dead, you count how many were felled by MY arrows." Her heart was pounding inside of her chest. If they took her, there was no way of knowing what would happen to Madrid, how long it would take them to find her... how long she could hold these men at bay. She'd gathered from how Try had so blatantly dropped her at the Earl's feet, that she was to 'belong' to him. Some sort of spoil of war. Or he was to decide her fate. Probably not the best idea to continue taunting him or acting so high and proud. But Amelia was a proud woman, standing upon her homeland amid the blood of her people. How did they expect any less from her? Listening to try and catch what the Earl was saying, she heard Try's voice speak, trying to resist snapping her head towards him, her eyes followed. Hoping against hope he would not tell them of Madrid, he would keep the ruse and at least should the worst of the worst come to it, he'd give her a quick death and an honorable burial. From what she could gather from the conversation or at least the way Try looked to her, Amelia's thoughts were running wild that the Earl had found her to be quite irksome and so was passing her on to Try. She did not know much of their language, only a few words, though it shocked her to realize they were Uncle and Nephew... oh dear God this was not well. Not well at all. They seemed to want to celebrate whatever victories and spoils of war they had acquired. She caught certain words from Try, and the gathering of reactions from those present. Though, Amelia was greatly lost as to what they were saying or intending whether it be for her or for themselves. When at last the Earl approached her once more, the Lady of Callahan felt her eyes widen to the size of saucers and a feint blush spread across her lightly freckled nose and cheeks as she looked to Try once more. She did not know if she was simply under his charge or ... more. There would be a bit of a translation issue as well, as neither fully spoke the other's language. But... from what she had seen, Try had a heart to show mercy at the very least. Oh, there were many witty retorts she could give, degrading the Earl for being an old man passing a spitfire to a younger man, though this would likely land her in an unfavorable position." So he IS your nephew?" she spoke, somewhat to herself as she looked from the Earl to Try. "I did at least understand that part of your native tongue..." she muttered to herself. She didn't... fight this, however. Or argue that she wasn't going with them, etc. She seemed... almost accepting of her predicament and entirely placated in knowing she was to be given to the berserker that had captured her. She wasn't entirely aware as to why or what he was going to do with her, but as Try approached, she seemed to visibly relax a little more. He was the only ally she had at the moment, and Amelia wasn't going to botch that for her pride. The warrior speaking in broken English actually made her... chuckle a little. Not at him, but how his accent rolled the words, so it was almost like having to translate them anyway. His offer for peace between the two of them gave her pause. She'd half expected him to be as any other invader would be and immediately try to order her about, if nothing else but to attempt to humiliate a noblewoman. "Yes..." she stated softly, extending a hand towards him in truce to clasp his forearm. "Peace." After all he had done for her today. He'd kept others from putting their hands on her and hidden Madrid. Nervously, the Scotswoman looked to her home, and then to him. "What... is happening?" she asked. She didn't entirely understand her predicament. She was trying to speak some words in his language, but most was in English. Though she made gestures to help direct what she was talking about. "You gave me to your Earl... Your Earl told me to obey you... why?" As the raiders were pillaging the castle, Amelia winced at the thought of so much of her family's history no longer existing, and her being without, well, anything. "Can I... oh how do I say this... get some of my belongings? Clothes. My Bible..." She was actually asking her captor if she could go in and pack a bag. Of all the absolute absurdities for her to do at this time... There was a sudden uproar from the direction behind the castle, a bellowing cry of a beast as from the extensive stables a massive white mount galloped from the men trying to rope him. Hooves thundered over the grasslands and stone as the great shire reared its head and chopped and stomped at the ones attempting t take it. "ANGUS!!" Amelia suddenly cried out in absolute JOY. A smile reaching her features for the first time since these invaders had shown up. She'd thought for certain he'd been let out run off or had bolted himself or worse been slaughtered for food! At hearing his master's cry, the creamier eared his head, tossing his mane and shrugged off the ropes, dragging one of the men behind him before the warrior let go, laughed at by his companions. The horse came to a sudden grinding halt in front of the woman, stamping around her like an overprotective watch-dog and pushing his velvet nose into her. Amelia wrapped her arms around his massive face, giggling at the tickle of his whiskers. "Oh I thought you dead or gone, Angus, boy! Naughty horse, dragging a man like that, you know better!" The mount didn't seem to care of any that he had injured in the process, only having eyes for his mistress, calming down only once she began to scratch between his eyes, the gigantic beast seemingly pudding to the woman's touch.((This would be what Angus looks like as well as a size comparison. Shires are huge.) Earl URL left her to Try, not willing to show how he was actually in marvel of the girl's valor and spirit given her current circumstances. She would be quite the prize even without her royal blood he had to admit, and if nothing else came of bringing her back then her bloodline mixed with his, that would be worth taking her on as a third wife. Though he shuddered to think how his other wives would take the news. Hence, his reluctance to take claim of the Scottish lass immediately. But he was bemused by the idea of his nephew who had very little experience even to his knowledge, suddenly having a proud and dignified foreign woman in his home and in service to him. "My nephew." he stated as she pieced that together. "Will be taking you across the sea... I would see to his wounds. So that he is more concerned with your wellbeing. Milady." He quipped before moving along to find his own treasures among his men scavenging. Tyr tried to hide the grin by looking away absently when she pressed her hand on his forearm agreeing to his 'peace'. He was thankful to at least have her willing to cooperate with him despite her attitude, understandably so, towards his Uncle. He also tried to ignore the sensation of feeling her hand on his skin without her trying to kill him. This day only grew more confusing to him from moment to moment. How quickly their dynamic had changed from adversaries, to an unsteady truce, to her being given to him, but having to explain that when she asked about it was something he wasn't sure how to explain without ruining that peace she had agreed to. Tyr looked her and struggled to find words to explain what was happening as he could tell she was confused by the exchange between him and the Earl. He didn't know whether to explain she was expected to be in servitude of him when in reality it honestly felt more like in this situation he was the one that had to guarantee her survival and good health. He sighed and decided to keep it simple for both his lack of common tongue and to not get any adverse responses to the idea she was essentially a slave to him in most of the clan's eyes. "You will stay with me. Together." He spoke slowly in her language as he nodded. "The Earl decided that." He added, for some reason needing to clarify that he had not been the one to claim her if she did consider herself a slave or something to be traded or exchanged. Tyr listened to her as he could see concern and longing in her facial expression. At first, he thought she was trying to ask him to let her go. Which he certainly couldn't do now. But then when she mentioned her bible, a word he understood from Mendel, and realized she wanted her things, whatever she could salvage before his clansmen ransacked everything. Try nodded in agreement before he and all of his brothers were surprised by the marvel of nature that thundered up to meet her. It was no doubt the largest horse any of them had ever seen. Try was as amazed as any as he watched her interact with the white steed and something he knew to trust was the instinct of animals. And the horse told him more than any words could about his new burden. He ventured forward while others in his clan stepped away, some even grabbed at him, but Try looked the creature in the eye as he approached. "Angus?" He asked of the name he heard her repeat. Naming of animals was something he had not thought of doing before, beyond the names the gods had already given them to describe the beasts of this world. Jarl UHF stepped back towards the two of them, behind them as he gazed up at white horse. "Try. You will bring this god of horses back with us. However, you can." He informed him. Try looked from him back to the noble beast and looked back to Amelia. He knew it was not a request, but he still could see the love for the creature in her eyes and actions. Her assistance would go along way towards successfully bringing it back on his boat. "Angus comes too." He said to her softly. "It will be safe." He added in his own tongue. Tyr moved closer to her and the creature as he held out his hand towards it warily, not that he would have much chance to react and pull it back if the horse felt threatened by him as he moved it towards it's a large forehead and then looked to her. "Your bible." He reminded her that he agreed to let her get what she needed or could afford to carry for the voyage. "Fast." He added, as they couldn't spend much time waiting here, though of course she probably hoped they would be discovered by her cousin's men so he didn't push that part as much to give her any idea of how concerned he really was of another battle tonight. Amelia was even more so confused than before of what exactly was her fate with these North men. From what she could gather, from the Earl and Try combined. She was to travel at Try's side. For what purpose, she could only fathom, and such were thoughts and ideals that a good Christian woman or a Lady to boot should never, not once, have in her mind. As the young wounded berserker spoke that she was to stay with him, that they were to be together, her face began to turn a bright red as lush strawberries. "T-Together?" For all the feisty spirit she showcased against the Earl and others in battles of wits, or determination, it became rather evident that this youthful Lady of Callahan had been sheltered as a maiden based on her blushing reactions. "Why?" The red-haired lass bit the inside of her lip as she stroked Angus' long nose, pondering on what that meant. Together. Had the Earl basically return-gifted her to Try as a wife? Or was she now a slave? Something Try could sell or exchange if she became too difficult to deal with. Her mother's ghost would rise from the grave like a banshee if the case were latter, Amelia knew that much. She had instilled the English-Christian values within her daughter, and to be with a man out of wedlock was a grave sin that stained a woman's soul and reputation. Perhaps Try would understand her circumstances if she explained. Though she doubted it greatly. Her mother often said beauty came with dark thoughts. One concession Amelia had not expected at all from Try was his allowance for her to take what few possessions she could before they were all snatched. His nod of agreement made her smile, and as the warrior approached, Angus snorted and grumbled, almost growling like a bear. "Now Angus, you stop that. Try is a friend." She gripped the horse by its own teeth, unafraid of the great beast that was twice her height and four times her weight if not more. Smiling towards the berserker, she took his hand and slowly pressed his palm to Angus' nose, the massive beast snorting his nostrils to gain the man's scent before calming and actually pushing into Try's hand. Beaming happily as Try stated Angus was coming with her, Amelia almost found herself wanting to throw her arms around him in thanks, that her one companion could join her, it wouldn't be so lonely then. She did however, restrain herself in front of all these men, it would look suspect should she be so quickly taken by him. Taking a rope from the ground and looped it around Angus' neck, putting it into Try's hands, turning to the horse and looking up at him, gripping him by his muzzle and sternly scolding him. "Angus, you listen to Try. I will return shortly. Angus-stay. Be good." Patting the large snorting horse's jawline, she ducked under his neck and picked up her skirts, racing into the castle as she avoided the men. She wished she could see to Madrid, but truthfully there was no time or opportunity. Hurrying through the halls, she managed to make it to her personal chambers - oh, thank God it had not been ransacked yet. Quickly she took up a small travel trunk, and began throwing clothes within it. Everything from linens to silks. Between the layers she hastily hid her mother's heirloom jewels and vanity pieces, leaving a few pieces that had been given over the years by others for the raiders to find and be distracted with. Her Bible lay upon her beside table, an absolutely massive book leather-bound, with the entire family tree of her mother's side written inside in great detail. She took a small blanket tapestry that her mother had woven with her as a child, depicting her family in her youth... these things were home, and it would remind her where she came from. Her sewing and embroidery kits as well were placed inside. A favored pillow was added to the trunk, cushioning small bottles of medicines and herbs that may come in handy. After all the Earl HAD said she was to tend to Try's wounds, one could not do so without medicine. When all was said and done, Amelia didn't know HOW she got that lid latched, but she also tightened two belts around either side just in case, before carrying it back to where Try waited. All in all it likely took her ten to fifteen minutes, she was done with her raiding a lot quicker than the men were. It wasn't a heavy chest, but it was rather bulky for one of her size. The woman, while entirely fuming at seeing her house ransacked, her silver being taken, the tapestries being torn down, the food being pilfered, was at the very least content and happy she had been allowed these few concessions and ... that Madrid was hopefully still alive. Approaching Try, she sat down the trunk with a nod, noting that Angus had stayed well put with him and that others were doing all they could to avoid the stallion. "Done," she proclaimed to him, looking in longing back to her home before turning to Try. Reaching up, rather gently she pressed her fingers beneath the gash on his cheek, slow in her movements so he knew she wasn't going to gut him. "Needs sewing... now or later?" she asked, trying to speak in his own tongue, but thought perhaps she best stick to English lest she botch something up horribly. Try noticed her cheeks blush as she asked why. He wasn't sure if she was still unclear of what was happening or if she was really asking him to spell it out for her intentionally, but he didn't think it was wise to share with her the situation could be temporary at best since she was somewhat at ease with him now compared to his Earl or anyone else. "Do you question your king?" He stated in response in the language as he knew of their Christian belief in faith, his Uncle was many things, but he had never given Try any reason not to trust him. Whatever he wanted may have been what was best for himself, but what was best for Earl UHF had been good to his people since Try was old enough to remember. "You'll be safe." He did however reassure her. Even in the simple sense of as his charge, it did no good for any of his people to damage or let harm come to their indentured servants. Certainly not those that could become more than that. Tyr felt a warmth, a light flame against his skin as her hand guided his up and down the god-like creature's nose and sure enough he felt any tension the animal had towards his touch alleviate, and he couldn't hide the smirk as he felt a connection to the animal. Try often took special interest in animals and like so many things he used to question, he debated if the weak would always be weak. Or if given assistance they could overcome and be the stronger of their breed in the end because of it. Though his kin all loved their pets, most were buried with their best hunting dogs, few took interest in the runts of litters like Try did. Try had two dogs in his life, both were the runts of their litter. The first his mother got for him as soon as they both had recovered from their episode with the bear, and they named him Bjorn. The faithful and loyal animal had been by his mother's side up until the day she died. And followed her in death not three days later. They were sent off together in her boat. And that left Try with Bjorn's last runt, Grams. And yes he was aware of the irony in the name he picked, only furthered by the fact that Grams was practically harmless even as a hunting dog bred to help take down bear and moose. Suddenly Try found himself imagining the response from the half-wolf breed meeting their new house guest. And this horse that could rival some of the moose they had hunted together. Tyr had been very much regulated to his Uncle's longboat at the beginning of these Summer raids, as though he was plenty adept in a boat had obviously never traveled this distance or along these jagged coasts before. But it seemed that had changed throughout the Summer, or maybe just now based on his importance in ending this Castle's resistance. But after Try had allowed Amelia to go get her things his Earl had made it known that he would be given his own ship to lead and a hand selected crew of men to join him and his new charge on their returning voyage. Try was quick to list off who he wanted to crew his boat. Earl UHF also gave his nephew a very skeptical look seeing him release their prisoner to freely roam the grounds so soon after her capture. Try assure him she had nowhere to go and that he had her horse. And as he saw her, sure enough, returning to his nephew's side the Earl gave another curious look but then went on his way. Tyr looked at her allotment of things, and he nodded when she said she had gotten what she needed or could manage to gather. He watched her closely as she looked back at her home. He understood the feeling, not to the degree that she obviously was experiencing the loss, but he remembered how it felt looking back to their farmstead and leaving it for the first time by sea, leaving his mother's home behind for the first time. Of course, it didn't compare to what Amelia must have felt most likely leaving here for the last time ever. But he gave her this solemn moment and empathized as much as someone that had claim over her and was in fact the one taking her away from it could. When she looked back at him and reached up he was surprised he didn't react instinctively to stop her so soon after their near deadly quarrel, but she looked as she did when she reached up for Angus and even though she was gentle he winced at the touch to the future scar. He sighed. He didn't want to delay leaving this stronghold any longer and returning to the sea, but the thought of needle and thread being used on the open sea was not at all appealing to him." Now." Try repeated the word he recognized back to her as he nodded for the men he had called for to begin loading their boat, the pair of them and the horse would be the last to board it as he sat on the stone steps of the courtyard and turned his lashed cheek towards her. "Thank you." He offered in her language. And then did so again in his own. He didn't know if she would hear it often in either in the future. But his charge or not she had chosen to help mend his wound here and now before even as he was about to tear her away from everything she had ever known. Before Angus was being led off, finally having calmed and allowing the more boyish looking youths lead him away, Amelia took a small pair of threading scissors, giving Try a look as he reached for them "Not weapon," she promised, as she then used them to clip a few strands of white hair from the horse's tail. As the pair sat upon the rocks, the lady took from her medicine pouches various vials of prepared medicines. Inspecting the gash along his cheek, she appeared rather... almost apologetic for hurting his face so. Such a handsome face as well... where did that come from? Blushing with how intensely he stared at her before thanking her in two languages, Amelia gave him a small, but genuine and gentle smile. "You're welcome. S e do Heath." she translated into the language of the Scottish Gaels. Taking up her water canteen, she washed the wound gently, catching the water with linens as she carefully dabbed the cloth over his cheek. He had promised her that she would be safe... if he grew ill from infection, that would not be the case. Well, that was the reasoning she gave herself for helping tend his wounds so soon after he'd snatched her up from the tower. As the blood was cleansed, Amelia took up a needle and threaded the horse hair through it, running it through water. "I'm sorry," she spoke, reaching up to push the curved needle more often used for small leather stitching, into the inside of his cheek. This would take multiple layers of stitching and the horse hair would dissolve into the skin over time without harming him. Her fingers grew slightly bloodied as she worked, her face almost pressed against his so that she could keep her eyes upon her work. If anyone looked at them from another angle it would almost seem like a pair of affectionate lovers. At last, she finished the inside muscle, tying off the horse hair and cutting it, before reaching for her satchel and pulling out a relatively foul looking green paste from a vial, and its scent was not entirely grand either. Though as she softly spread it over the gash, there would be no sting, rather a soothing sensation that would numb the skin and keep it from itching or becoming infected. Steadily, her hands once more began to sew a white horse hair delicately into his skin. The stitching was... actually done rather beautifully, years of embroidery work led her to have fine sewing skills. Once his skin would heal, there would hardly be a scar from the stitching itself and was so cleanly pressed, the flesh could practically heal on its own without the horsehair in a couple of weeks. From another vial, Amelia brought up a clear sticky substance that she began to spread over the skin on ether side of the gash. This was an adhesive of bluebell, as she took linen bandages and cut them to size and shape and actually adhered them to his skin in layers. It took some time, but Amelia smiled as she finished. "All done... I wish I had water to boil to clean everything..." She didn't much like stitching, but this wasn't the first wound the lady of the house had stitched up. Though she looked to Try, eyes roaming over his form as she turned her head different directions around him. "More?" she asked, pointing to the scar and then indicating over his body, asking if he had any more wounds that needed to be tended to. There were likely many others that needed the skills of a medicine woman, though they had not asked, nor had Try told her yet to see to them. With the lack of information and the assumptions of mistranslations, the poor girl was under the misguided impression that, best case scenario, she had just been given to Try as a wife. From what little she knew of the North men, they often took women from other lands as wives, the English had been rather perturbed by the fact so many daughters and wives had WILLINGLY left, and were blaming the good hygiene of the men for such. For men who were supposed to be savages... Amelia had noticed they were well kept and groomed. She knew they also dealt in the slave trade, but those were people who could bring a price for labor, etc. If she had been sold as a slave, even a bed one, there would have been an exchange of goods, Try would likely not have allowed her to get some of her things, nor would he have had Angus come along as well. So it was a difficult situation all around, but the most Amelia could make heads or tails of it, was that Try's Uncle and Earl had surrendered her to Try for he was the one that captured her, and if she was to be his wife, he was attempting to be a kind husband and placate her being taken from her homeland. At least, that's all she could fathom of the situation. Try didn't flinch once as she went to work. Though he was intrigued by her use of the horse hair for the stitching as he watched her as best he could while her hands worked right in his face. He ignored the sensation of her breath against his face as she focused in close on the wound. His nose flared for a moment at the odd smell but the feeling of the ointment against the freshly-sewn wound and the rest of his cheek as well, or was that just from her soft fingers in general running along his skin was not at all unpleasant. He tried to remain stoic as he watched her sew him up rather impressively. He also again tried to avoid gawking or staring at her as she worked but was having less and less success in doing that as she took great care of his wound, as he cautiously observed the second ointment she put on his face before realizing it was for a bandage, which was something new to him to experience, her having given him his two gravest wounds. Which she also was now asking about. As much as Try didn't want to draw any more attention to himself or waste any more time here, he knew that the wound on his back below his shoulder was much more pressing of the two and to risk it getting worse while traveling back was not wise. He sighed before nodding as he stood up and in a movement that was more difficult now than when he had been full of adrenaline and rage earlier, he struggled to lift his right arm, close to the wound as he tried to raise his minimal armor plate and shirt over his head and let it fall to the ground as he exhaled, trying not to wince or call out at the nagging pain as he turned so she could see his back before taking a knee in front of her. "It was an impressive strike." Try distracted himself by complimenting her ingenuity and precision. If the hairpin or its needle point had been any longer she very well may have delivered a fatal blow. A slow one. "He taught you well." He added in the old Gaelic she had thanked him in, speaking of the old knight he had spared, or that had saved with her own courage and valor. If they left here in time for him to be found alive. "Could only imagine if you had the coward's sword." Try considered further as he prepared to mask any pain from this wound which he knew might take more work than a gash on his face. As Try stood and began to pull off his armor and tunic, several of the men walking back and forth between the old castle Callahan and to the boats with their spoils, pointed and chuckled to one another at the sight behind him. For the flame-haired lass that was now his captive had a face who was near burning with the heat of a dozen suns, and as ripe and red as a fresh plucked tomato. Even the freckles dotting her face disappeared from view as the maiden's blush only grew darker, spreading down over her neck as those eyes of the sea were fixed upon the youthful warrior. Fine masculine bodies were apparently not difficult to come by with Word men... though it appeared she found his finer than most for it took the loud laughter of the men passing by for her to tear her gaze away. It only made her hasten in her efforts to patch him up. There was little she could do for a puncture wound that hadn't killed him, aside from simply make certain disease and infection would not find its way into the flesh. She cleansed him, picking out any little strands of cloth she could find before running lots of water over the open hole, it was small, thankfully. Gently, she massaged the oil into the wound, attempting not to stare even at his back. A sigh of relief came from her as he finally broke the silent tension. "Thank you," she replied, catching bits of what he was attempting to say. Her thoughts lingered upon her old mentor, and she prayed... oh how hard she prayed he would be found alive. If she hadn't climbed out that window... if she'd just run... no one but Try would have seen her... and they all would have thought Galahad was the archer. It made her smile, however, that a mighty warrior like Try was impressed what she had done with a hair pin... to be fair she was tending his wounds from that small weapon." He promised father and mother. He would protect me..." she spoke, sighing as she worked the green oils into his wound. "... I don't know how to... thank you... for what you've done... for..." Her eyes lifted to where that man from before had tried to grab her with that lustful look in his eyes was standing, quickly looking back down before he noticed. "Keeping them from me..." By God's law, any man that raped her had the right to claim her permanently for himself, as no one else would want her. "I... I will do my best... to live by God's word and law for a woman... and be good to you in our joining..." She stated, finishing up patching him and cleaning the blood from his skin to see if there were other wounds. She was speaking of God's law between a man and a woman, even if he was not a Christian, she felt he was a good man who was put into her life for a purpose she'd had yet to see. "That feel better?"

Rite of Warfare - The Viking's Prize (EvaEverheart x Ghost Muse)|rating:4.0

A strong father_daughter relationship (Blinkin & TW)

Fair and yet with a pinky hue to her cheeks she raced home, the harsh tug of the leash leading her along. She laughed the college shirt clinging to her breasts and almost flat torso. The shorts crawling up her thighs and getting stuck in the crack of her large bubble ass giving the older men she waved at as she ran around the block a hard on even if they simply gave feeble wave from their porches. Kie laughed as the golden retriever playfully led the way. Chase was starting to get older, but still young enough that he gave her a good run every weekend. Chase didn't want to stop running it seemed. They had already done three laps instead of the usual one around the block and down the street. Kai finally was able to get Chase into the fenced in yard, and she unclipped his leash so he could run about almost free. She locked the gate and went in the back door herself. Tonight was her father Ryan's birthday dinner. The family use to always go out together the day of his birthday, so the close-knit father daughter made a tradition when Kai was seven to go out the week before their birthday just the two of them. Kai was 19 now and the tradition was still going strong. Kie heard Chase running around downstairs halfway through getting dressed, his doggy door swinging constantly as he raced around the house than right back outside to do the same. "What's with all the energy boy?" Kai laughed brushing silky midnight locks from her eyes while she kneeled down and filled his water bowl with ice and fresh water. She placed a few extra dog biscuits as a treat in his food bowl and continued to pad around the home in her sheer black stockings. They kept wanting to slouch down her thighs, she didn't have any garter belt, but all the nylons were gone at the store, and she had a hole in every other pair. Kai straightened up, running a damp towel over the pattern leather red pointed heel. She slipped them on, standing in the middle of the kitchen now able to see the messy but stylish undo she had done to her hair in the window. Smoothing her fingers over the black dress and white and black tiger print silken tunic blouse she knew she looked sexy. She had been talking to one of the waiters at the restaurant her and her father were going to. They had gone to school together, and even though this was a night for her father she still wanted to impress the 24-year-old college student. Measurements: 38-29-42 Indra/cup size: DD Height: 5 ft 3 in Eye color: Brown Hair: Blackish brown and cut in jagged layers around her heart shaped face but down to her shoulders Ryan paused in his work when he heard the door close downstairs and clicked on the icon for the house security system. After there had been some break-ins in the neighborhood, he had spent a small fortune equipping the house with cameras and a security system so that his family would be as protected as they could be. At the time, he had decided that it didn't make any sense to just put the cameras in the obvious places and took advantage of the technology to insert the system into every room in the house... With his son and wife playing from time to time and the fact that his wife loved that damned dog too much, he had wanted to enjoy it from the privacy of his home office... the fact that his little girl had grown into a beautiful, exotic and busty young woman hadn't been a bad benefit either. He enjoyed watching her prance about in her bedroom, even if it might have been unusual. He followed her from the kitchen and up to her room. With a smile that was as loving as any father's, he watched her undress and change clothes. Tonight was a special night for them, and he savored the bonding time that it gave them. As he watched his young daughter on the video screen, he heard the dog run in and out of the doggy door and about the house. "You may not know what's got him so excited baby, but I do." he said softly in the privacy of his room... tonight his wife would give it up again and all but scream in Japanese while she got knotted in front of her son... and the camera. Ryan let her believe that he didn't know about her and the dog, or her and his son... he had encouraged one and found the other a pleasant surprise. While they were alone tonight, some... how did that book that everyone was reading put it? Be up to some kinky fuckers. He returned his attention to his daughter and felt himself stirring in his jeans. Without pausing, he released himself and slowly jacked off, thinking about Kai's lovely lips about it. Even fathers had fantasies. Later, he changed into the suit that he would wear out to dinner and strolled down to her door. "Kai Sweetie, ready to go?" The dog was laying in front of the door, panting and his tail thumping the floor. "Hiya boy, going to have fun tonight?" The dog barked. It knew what tonight was for, and Chase could not wait much longer. He was licking himself. Half an erection already leaving his sheath. Of course Kai's back was turned to it. She always seemed completely oblivious to the ways of her family. But, maybe that was because she didn't have her father's deep knowledge. Kie nodded. "Yep, more than ready." She came over and gave her father a kiss on the cheek. "Happy early birthday Dad." She whispered and stepped away. She threw the keys at him before grabbing the light jacket and leading the way out. Her ass was wiggling from the height of the heels as she walked out. She had the scent of wildflowers on her skin, likely on her neck because the scent was as fresh as always. Kie discussed Ryan's job, her classes for next semester, her first semester away at college. What they did not talk about was boyfriends. They hadn't since she was fourteen. Kai was open on nearly everything. But, she had been hesitant to tell her father she was going away for college, and even when she did bring it up, she only brought it up in minimal ways. And boyfriends she still did not bring up often. But, she was very interested in boys. They reached the restaurant and a hostess took them to their table which was just private enough for them to talk about almost anything. But, when a young male waiter came up to take their order, Kai seemed to be blushing, and smiling a little more as she looked the young gentleman right in the eyes. With the same look her mother had given Ryan when they first met. That come hither look of need. Kai and Ryan had never discussed sex, and at least since the cameras had been installed no boys had been in her bedroom, but Kai had never said if she was a virgin or not. Ryan smiled and kissed her lightly on the cheek, inhaling her scent before leaning back, "Thank you baby. Looking forward to dinner with the old man?" he asked before turning around to ruffle the dog's ears. "Take good care of your mommy Chase." he said as he rose and accepted the keys. As she strolled away, he watched her ass sway and had to adult himself quickly to hide the growing bulge in his slacks. Kai had hips like her mother's, but he liked that in both women. He called them baby birthin' hips and her ass made him want to bite it... he was an ass man in the end. He followed her out to the car and held the door for her; catching a view of her cleavage as she settled into the seat. "You look beautiful tonight Baby." he said before closing the door and crossing around to the driver's side. He settled into the car and reached over and lightly patted her thigh before backing out. The pat wasn't anything new, he had always patted her leg, hugged and tickled her; it was just a benefit that all of them let him graze her breast or hips. He continued the idle conversation, asking about her arrangements for a roommate at school, what she was planning for the summer and her classes. He knew that there were several young men... and not a few older men who followed her around like puppies, but he had some faith that she wouldn't screw up her life by getting pregnant at her age. Not that he didn't have more than one fantasy himself about popping that bubble butt. "How is your friend Carrie doing?" he asked, asking about one of her classmates who used to come about regularly. "I haven't seen her in a few weeks." He took a seat at the table caticornered to hers so that they could continue a conversation without talking over the table; he enjoyed being close to her as much because she washes daughter as the fact that she was also a beautiful woman. "What would you like tonight Baby? I'm in the mood for red meat." He grinned. His grin faded as he noticed the young man approach and the expression that Kai gave him. Aside from the fact that he was clearly interested in Kai, she was interested in him, it seemed, and he had plans for Kai that didn't include little preppy boys. He gave him their orders and with a deliberate show, reached over and lightly squeezed Kai's hand and gave the boy a cold look. As the boy walked away, he smiled at Kai again, "Your birthday is coming up soon Honey, what would you like for it? It's a big one, if I recall... 15, isn't it?" he teased her. Kai didn't notice the look her father gave the young man, even though she was sad he left so quickly. But, as she turned back to her father, she turned back only after reaching into her purse. She pulled out a thick mailing envelope. She handed to her father. Inside was his birthday gift. "I have more for you of course. But, this one it's special, and..." She just slides the envelope over with a happy shrug. Inside was a wooden frame, but inside was a picture, the picture that the waiter had taken for them of their very first birthday dinner. "I may not be 15 or 7, but I promise I'm still your daughter. And I’m always going to be your daughter." She let him open the gift. Her birthday was actually two months away, she wasn't worried about her birthday yet. And while the sexy waiter was in the far back of her mind, most of her attention was on Ryan now again. As the waiter brought the drinks Kai was still focused on Ryan's reaction to her gift. She finally reached for her tea when appetizers arrived. While Ryan was about to sink his teeth into beef, Kai had ordered something lighter, in a piece of flesh and a series of vegetables. When her plate did arrive the first thing she reached for was her asparagus. It was dripping in butter, and the slightly bulbous even if small tip hadn't been Kai seemed to take every single stalk of asparagus by the tip first. Ryan smiled as she slid the envelope over to him, "You don't have to get anything Kai, this is my birthday present." He did enjoy the dinners out each year and the private time that they got to share as father and daughter. Ryan loved his girl and never felt that he had enough time with her. At the same time, since she had started to develop her more than ample chest and rear, Ryan had found a part of himself that was strongly attracted to his daughter and a more than healthy list of fantasies concerning her. Seeing her nude on a camera and when she thought that she was alone had only fueled the fantasies. Like her mother, Kai was a breathtaking young woman who could have men falling over themselves at whim... something that he was concerned about as she was his little girl who was also a beautiful young woman. And he wanted her for himself. He picked up the envelope and ran his fingers around it as his eyes examined it. "Now, you have me curious Baby." He heard the waiter return and place their drinks and appetizers down before retreating. He was relieved to see him not admire Kai in the process. Once the young boy was gone, he opened the package and pulled out the framed photograph. "Well Kai," he looked up at her and smiled, "I wouldn't want it any other way." he said and slid his chair over and kissed her on the cheek, almost at the corner of her lovely mouth. "Thank you Sweetheart, I love it." He held up the photo next to her face and looked from one to the other, "Yeah, I was right back then, a heart-breaker in the making." He laughed lightly and tapped her nose with his fingertip, "I need to get my shotgun out before some boy tries to steal you from under my nose." She laughed. Her dad had become more charming in her eyes with age. Ryan was just becoming fantastic. She sometimes wondered if her mother realized what she had. She doubted it. Shaking her head and smiling slowly she found herself enjoying the dinner. But, she rarely didn't. She loved spending time with her father. When she was young she didn't understand how her mother and brother had such a close relationship. Even now she still seemed often flabbergasted by it. But, her family was hers, and she loved them regardless. She started asking her father about work. "So...how is work? I haven't been to visit you in a long time. How has the place been?" That was the truth she hadn't been there in a long time. She used to visit quite often. But, as she became older she visited less and less. She uses to even bring him lunch occasionally in a picnic fashion. Next their plates were cleared, and the waiter brought out both their dishes. And while her father hungered for the meat, his daughter yearned for fish, eating a light salmon dish and seeming to take true delight in her food. She ate slowly, and there were several times when she closed her eyes and seemed to want to moan for the taste alone. The night was still early and even though they were only beginning with their meal, Kai wasn't done with Ryan. "So Dad, why not have some fun? We really haven't spent the same time we use to together. Why not go out miniature golfing after dinner? Or bowling? Or both?" Ryan placed the photo to the side, up on its support so that it sat up for all to see. He would hang it in his office tomorrow so that it would always remind him of these special moments. He returned his attention to Kai, "Work is pretty much the same as always. The only thing that changes is the shape of the buildings." He owned an architecture firm that was successful, if not terribly exciting. "The guys miss seeing you appearing and trying to help out, and I miss the picnic lunches that you use to bring." He winked, "We had to start eating those horrible cookies that Melinda Cunningham brought in for you." He took a sip from his tea and continued, "There's a pool that you'll take over the business when I retire, but I'm not so sure." He knew that his son didn't have any interest in the business, so he was more willing to leave it to her. "Then, you would get to be in the big chair and chew out 'tests who design buildings without bathrooms." He leaned back as the food arrived, and he took a few minutes to enjoy the rare steak that he had ordered. He watched what he ate, but beef had always been his favorite. He watched her enjoy her fish and grinned. "I think we stopped miniature golf and bowling because you kept beating me." he said with a soft laugh, "How about a walk on the beach instead?" Maybe we could try minigolf afterward?" She knew her own reason why they stopped. She started liking boys. And when she was young she was as bad as any girl. She liked almost every cute boy she passed. And she was annoyed with the looks her father would sometimes give. And then, she had wanted to hang out with friends. Her friends were the most important thing. But, she had been a teen, that happened to all teens. She smiled. She was only a little older, but as her and her mother spent less and less time together, she realized how lucky she was to have her father. Furthermore, she wanted to spend time with him again. She continued to enjoy the dinner with a smile. "A walk on the beach it is." She still would have enjoyed the more active games. She looked at her father. Maybe dad is getting older. I mean not that old...but...well...maybe he should start working from home...and Carrie's father just had a heart attack last year, and he is the same age as Dad... Her thoughts had her distracted through the second half of the meal even if she did continue to follow along with the conversation. Ryan could tell that she was distracted by something, but let her work it out on her own. He never refused to talk to her about things, but like all parents, he had to force himself to let her work things out on her own and step in only if she was having troubles. "I suppose that if you're not busy, we could go hiking over the weekend." he offered as she toyed with her food. He reached over and lightly squeezed her thigh, "Want to talk about it?" he asked and took a sip of his tea. He had thought about wine, she was 19, and certainly old enough to drink it, but the restaurant wouldn't of served her, and he didn't want to drink it alone. Besides, he didn't need to get her tipsy with the boy who kept looking her way and worrying about her getting too interested in him. "Maybe miniature golf would be better after dinner. I like to show off my beautiful girl, after." he said and smiled at her. She smacked his chest with the back of her hand. "I do believe you are married dad." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. She looked into his eyes. He was still all there though. His memory and his heart. Everything she loved about her dad. She finished her meal not telling him she was worried about him getting older. She excused herself for the little girls room, but, on her way back she butted into that waiter. Laughing she started to smile. She and the waiter MDE chat quick. She mentioned how she was with her father which seemed to really relax the young man. But, then he gave Kai his pen, and together they rolled up his sleeve with Kai blushing and laughing. She put her number there for him with a smile face. She wasn't thinking about her father. Furthermore, she wasn't thinking about him seeing her. And she still had that girlish giggle when she started to come back to the table. She was done with her dinner, she was just sipping on her drink as the waiter came and dropped off their bill. When about 15 minutes later the bill had been paid, and he was returning with their change he nodded to Ryan and gave Kai a smile. "Have a great night Sir, have a great night Kai." He walked off his shoulders straightening with confidence now from getting Kai's number." So time for miniature golf? Or have you decided for the walk again? "I'm married Kai, not dead." he said and laughed, "I can admit that my little girl is all grown up and a heart-breaker." He should know, he had seen her naked on more than once and was all too aware of her. "You're just like your mother was at your age and I had to beat boys off with a stick." Ryan felt his brows draw down, but he couldn't stop the exchange of numbers without causing too much of a scene. When the bill was paid and the boy used her name, he thought hard about breaking the punk's neck. But, he filed at Kai and took her hand, "Miniature golf sounds good." he said and rose. "You should be careful of boys like that Honey, they see a beautiful girl, and they all think the same thing." He touched the small of her back as they walked outside, "I know, I was a boy like that once and all I could think about was breast." He forced himself to not look down at her more than impressive set, "I don't want you getting hurt or abused Baby." She smiled, but inwardly she was shaking her head at him. She was not surprised at him being protective though. It was whee normally was very secretive about her relationships or would be relationships. She set a hand on her dad's shoulder. "I am a big girl. I can protect myself...and when I can't, I have an amazing father who I'm sure would dice a guy into pieces with an ice look like you gave Jim there." She rolled her eyes with a laugh. But, then all that was left was to drive to the golf course. She picked out her pink ball and a golf course with a pink handle before leading the way to the first hole. It was a stallion reared up over a picked fence jump." Old man first!" I know that you can take care of yourself Sweetheart, Just be a little patient with me." He grinned rely, "After all, you're going off to college next year, so I have to get my fix while I can." He winked then, "And they would never find the body of anyone who hurt you." He would make sure of that. He shook his head and walked her back to the car and offered to let her drive this time. At the course, he laughed at her selection of ball and club, "You never change Kai... You have been picking those since you were old enough to hold the putter and I would hold your hands to help you tap the ball." He smiled lovingly at the memory and thought about what it might be like to do that now... her bubble butt pressed against him with his arms about her. It was enough to make his shaft stir in his trousers... He selected a standard club and a blue ball, walking with her out to the first green. "I can help you line up the shot Honey." he offered with a teasing grin. He placed the ball on the plate, and looking carefully at the green, he tapped the ball. With a soft groan, he watched the ball roll past the hole and bounce off of the back wall to return almost to the plate again. "I don't suppose that you want to make a bet Kai?" he asked rhetorically, "Say, if you win, I'll get you that new I-pad you wanted... if I win, you have to wash the dog tomorrow." He figured that might keep her busy and off of the phone with the little shit from the restaurant. Oh, I am going to win this... I am going to win this...and enjoy rubbing it in the old man's face. Ken nice's nose crinkled as she gave a laugh. "You have a bet... I'll even sweeten the deal. Mom is going with Brian to the college's away game next week. So...how about I'll make you breakfast even next Sunday if you win. And if I win? You make mine." She started to line up her shot. And when she shot she proved to have some kind of skill because her ball landed within two inches of the hole. She would just need to give it a nudge now. Whenever Ryan had reset up his strike she came up behind him. She was trying to mock him and tease him, for when he used to have to always help her. But, her hands were on his. Her breasts on his back, her womanhood up against him. Even from her behind her body seemed to fit surprisingly well, even if she was still small compared to him. She started to swing her arms slightly." Come on, time to put already. Smack the ball." Ryan growled playfully at her putt, "You wash the dog anyway." he said as he returned to the plate and placed the putter beside the ball. Her presence against his back had been the last thing that she had expected... the feel of her breast pressed to his back, her hips against his ass took his mind off of the ball and on his cock, which had instantly hardened in his trousers. When her hands wrapped about his, it wasn't more than a couple of inches from grabbing another club. "Kai," he managed to say, "You're going to get into trouble." he cleared his throat and her pull caused him to tap the ball in spite of himself, sending it down the green to tap her own... just hard enough to push it into the cup. "That one doesn't count, we're supposed to play through before the other putts." he said, but couldn't find the power to move. He wanted to bend her over and push his cock into that rounded ass, and he was trying hard to keep her from seeing what she had done. She seemed innocent to what she was doing. She released him and started to walk away. "Oh whatever...don't be a sore loser. It sets a bad example dad." She was still laughing at him. She walked away from him. Bending over at the waist, her skirt just starting to slide up when she straightened back out. Ball in hand. "I just helped you out...and helped myself in the same hand." She walked off the course, but sat on one of the fake boulders that lined the different courses as she waited for him to continue." If you want I can fake it?" She asked still teasing him. "I can fake being so good and LET you win." As she walked away, he quickly adjusted himself so that his erection wouldn't be so evident. God, he wanted to fuck her, his own daughter. It wasn't a new thought, but bending her over right there and doing it was. He couldn't stop his eyes from taking in her ass as she bent over, the skirt almost riding up high enough to reveal her crotch. "Get hold of yourself Ryan." he muttered softly. As she moved away, he stuck out his tongue to break the tension, "Angling for a bigger bet now?" he asked as he forced his mind to the game and sank the ball. "So, you're ahead by 2 strokes." he said as he retrieved the ball, his back to her so he could adjust his hard-on again. "You should be careful about threats to fake it. Some guys don't like that." He said and kissed her cheek. "And if you want a bigger bet, name your terms.... but bigger bets mean bigger losses." he warned as he strolled to the next hole and motioned to her, "Beauty before age." She smiled, and she played with her hair. "Alright. I will bring you a picnic lunch at work for a month, wash Chase, and make you very meal the weekend Mom and Brian are gone." She lined up her next shot. And she showed that she was almost as good as the first whole. The Lego blocks castle with three different openings for the ball was no problem for her, it went right through the right side portal, jumped off the small ledge and went smoothly over the cliff there that had part of the stream that ran through much more of the course. Her ball now five inches left of the hole on the incline side. She turned and faced her father. "And if I win...than you are taking me shopping and getting me that iPod." She gave an impish grin. "I think that I'm getting conned." he said softly as he looked at the position of her ball. "Want Daddy to help you put the little ball in the little hole Honey?" he asked as he placed his ball. "Go ahead and sink the ball, or do you want me to help you again?" He was trying hard to keep his erection out of sight, so remained on the rock with his elbows on his knees. "I suppose that I could take the bet, but you'll have to toss in a back rub." he teased her. She rolled her eyes. "You really are trying to leave yourself with a huge let-down." She mocked him. "I have a feeling though I'm being conned." she smiled. She finally shrugged. "Alright a back rub. But, no more. I think you are starting to walk away with too sweet of a deal." She stood up and played again, surprised that he wanted it. It took some slightly worrisome mock putting. But, when she was finally able to sink the put again. She was chewing her lip though worried the whole time. She was looking pretty good, and she was able to keep up the success for another three holes, but on the forth the Godzilla putter she had trouble. Furthermore, she occurred a total of six strokes just trying to get around the buildings and giant feet. Furthermore, she gave the lizard monster a mocking kick in the balls as she put her hands on her hips and walked away. She waited for him curled up on the rock again. Her legs curled up towards her that skirt coming up further and further threatening any second to reveal her entire though and the shadow of her skirt was the only thing that kept him from seeing her red panties. The skirt was showing just how high it was getting when the top of her stockings started to reveal itself on the inside of her thigh. Ryan cringed at the kick to the things master crotch, "Remind me to not make you mad." he said and set up his ball. He had managed to stay within a few strokes of her, but he could see that he had a chance to take the lead finally. He glanced up at her and paused, feeling his body responding to her absent-minded display. Furthermore, he cleared his throat, "Kai, you're going to flash the kids in the parking lot in a minute." he said with a shake of his head. He tried to focus on the game, and while it still took him 4 strokes, he closed the distance to a tie for the next hole. "Try to not triple the nice bulldog." he said, glancing over at the statue of a bulldog with outspread paws on either side of the hole. Kai gave a squeal. She quickly stood up and straighten herself. She was blushing. "Sorry Dad." She whispered licking her lips. But, now she seemed officially distracted for the next hole at least. While she got it just in front of the growling bulldog, she kept over hitting the ball and was stuck walking around the beast trying to land the ball. She occurred with three more strokes than he did for the same hole. She finally was able to land the ball standing with her ass facing the dog's face so she was less distracted by the obstacle. The next two holes were connected in theme. The first a trio of night making you zigzag to the hole, the second a castle with a drawbridge that you had to go over a moat in order to get to the hole. She kissed each night in turn when she managed to land that course in three strokes which was under par. Rising up on her toes, her body pressed against their fake bodies as she placed a kiss on the fake helmets of each. She than let Ryan strike first on the castle hole, holding his hand as they walked over the draw bridge together. Ryan laughed softly, "Relax Honey, I don't think anyone noticed." Anyone but him that is, and it was getting more difficult to walk each minute. When she kissed the statues; pressing herself up against each, he wanted to growl. She should be doing that to him, after all... then she would get a surprise when he ripped those sexy panties off. He forced himself to laugh at her antics and managed to keep the score even through the hole. As they crossed the drawbridge, he squeezed her hand and pulled her in to wrap his arm about her waist, accidentally brushing the side of her breast with his fingertips in the process. "You know, I need to buy that baseball bat after all... who knows what you'll drag home for the breaks." he teased her. She rubbed her fingers over the fatherly plains for Ryan's face. Just quiet under her breath sigh as she kissed his shoulder. "I know you will always protect me Dad, but, please....... I am growing up Daddy. They finished the last holes, and it was neck and neck. One winning one hole, and one playing the next as the winner. All that is left was the last hole. And they were still evenly tied. She smiled at Ryan. She let him go first. It was an extra large clown face. An almost straight shot, with different teeth left out of the clown's mouth to signify the amount of final strokes that would be added to the final score. She let Ryan go first, Kai's mind wondering while he took his shot. Ya, I might want the iPod, but is it really worth it? Dad...well I mean he isn't going to die the next second. But, I can get that iPod any time, and I really need to have memories for forever with my Dad. She kissed his cheek again before she lined up her shot. Knowing she was going to miss enough so she lost. And she did just as she intended. She angled her ball for the hole in one, but really she ended up hitting the ball in the worst of all the holes, the extra ten strokes. She tried her best to appear upset, and startled, but when she wasn't facing Ryan she smiled confidently in herself. Ryan wrapped his arms about her waist and held her tightly for a moment, "I know Kai, believe me, I know." he said into her ear. It would have been impossible for him to not notice the curves of his too sexy child, even if he hadn't been watching her for weeks via a hidden camera. "It's hard to let go and being a man doesn't help" he said and swatted her ass once, "And you're not too big to get a spanking." he said with a teasing smile. He watched her finish the course and knew the moment that she did it that she had thrown the game for him. He had watched her grow up and knew her tells. "Well," he said as he put the putter back onto the rack, "I suppose that you earned the damned toy anyway." he said in mock legislation, "We can go out and get you one tomorrow if you want." he said as he lightly tapped her nose, "But you're not getting out of washing the dog." he said and winked. It would give him a chance to see her in her bathing suit that he wasn't supposed to know about and the old dog probably needed a bath after who knows how many times he had fucked Kai's mother. He would just have to watch Kai playing with Chase later, after he had finished some errands. She smiled, pleased that she was going to get her cake and eat it too. "Deal." She smiled. She suggested to Ryan that they just take the long way home. Just the two of them driving, her in the seat beside him. She was milling and seemed happy. But, she went to bed early that night, leaving him with his videos again. She went to the shower, taking the time like always. Working large bubbles of soap across her neck, in the space between her over generous breasts. She loved playing with her own body. It wasn't hard for her to tease herself, she started to lower her hands further and further, leaning against the wall of the shower and lifting a finger inside herself. Pushing that finger up inside just slightly, and then back out. Repeating the action as her hips danced towards the finger. She kept the other hand on her breasts, pulling her nipples, and even pushing the breasts up as much as they would go, and tucking her chin in as much as she could till she could suck her own nipple anxiously and quickly. She orgasmed twice, screaming and moaning into her own breasts within 18 minutes, and she was dancing happily out of the shower, her body sensitive like an orchid petal every time she touched herself. She was so pleased she went to sleep naked. Deep in her bed, deep under her blanket, cuddled up in about ten pillows of differing sizes and softness. She woke up after Ryan would have already left for the errands. And, when she did get up Chase had found his way into her room though the cracked door and was waiting on the foot of her bed for her to rise up as if knowing he was going to get his bath. Laughing Kai grabbed Chase in a big hug and wrestled him naked on her bed, before giving him a kiss and a soft rub down. Kai never seemed to realize exactly what was happening, because Chase started to become aroused. But, either she had long ago simply become ignorant to the Dog's true wants, or she just lacked certain intelligence and common sense. She got dressed, but she got dressed in her bathing suit since she knew her dad would be gone by now. But, to be on the safe side she put on some of her old black shorts on, forgetting that they were short enough to show the bottom of her ass cheeks, and a black tank top till she had explored through the house and made sure everything was quiet. It was so she went to work, pulling off the top and leaving it on the kitchen counter. Kie filled up a large wash tub with soap and water for Chase, now outside in the year in a hot pink and black leopard bikini. Small triangles just barely hid her nipples, and the thin straps would give her already fit body a perfect bronze glow after washing the dog in the sun all afternoon. Once the water started to hit the fabric it showed how sheer the material was and within seconds she was aroused and the nipples pushing up against the fabric. She left her shorts on as she called Chase. The dog came rushing. One thing Kai's mom hadn't done with Chase was fucked out in the yard, so this was uncharted territory for the dog, but he was already aroused after wresting with Kai in her bed. He got in the water before Kai realized he was aroused. She gasped surprised. Her eyes large as she looked over the already six inches revealed, there was the massive knot and another three inches waiting to be revealed. Kai didn't know what to do, but Chase wasn't settling down. Kai had to think quick because when she tried to pull away Chase snapped at her. "Oh... I>.oh..." She winched at the last nab. Than she reached out at the bright red poker smoothing her hands over and over the length. Chase was more than ready for a good time. Chase came after three minutes of Kai's touching, each second more and more penis exposed. Kai kept saying "wow" shocked that he was so large. Her hands were shaking as Chase calmed down. He had been well-used the night before, and now this little quick shot of energy had him exhausted. When Kai stopped being afraid and came close she wondered back nervously towards him washing him slowly. Nervous Kai took two hours to wash Chase, but after the first go around he didn't bug her for anything more. He just relaxed seeming to be thrilled with her for bathing him. Kie finished let him play with his toys and fall asleep in his dog bed. She started dinner still wearing the limited clothes. Like usual her brother and mother were gone, so it was Kai enjoying the house to herself, air drying in her bathing suit and shorts. It wasn't till she heard her dad pulling up she raced upstairs to get more properly dressed, coming down a second or two later in a loose long sleeve shirt that hung off her shoulder slightly. Chase's head lifted as Kai ran upstairs, his ears detecting the return of a car as he rose and followed her up and into her room. She had been a good bitch, even if he hadn't mated her yet. Still, she smelled good and had pleasured him like his other bitch had in the beginning. It wouldn't be long before this one presented herself as well. He hopped up onto her bed and watched her race about, yawning hugely as she pulled more fur on. He didn't understand why the fur came off, but he knew that it was harder to mate with a bitch's fur on. When she left her room, he followed her again back downstairs, sticking his nose up under the loose top when she stopped and pushed his tongue between her legs from behind; the signal that she should kneel for his cock. It had only taken the other bitch a short time to understand this command, and he wanted to lick this one. Ryan walked into the living room and looked up at Kai; his eyes noting that Chase was pushing his head under her top. About time, he thought, and wondered if she had encouraged... or teased... the dog too much. He pretended to not notice as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, "Did you have fun washing Chase?" he asked as he reached up and cradled her cheek and smiled. He did it just to let the dog get a good sniff. Or whatever he was doing to Kai. "Are you ok Sweetheart? You looked flushed." His hand moved up to touch her forehead as if checking for a fever; prolonging the moment that she was stuck with Chase's head under her top. Kai tried to get away from Chase, but he was one stubborn dog, and now he was acting even more stubborn than normal. She gave him a perturbed look, as her father tried to tell if she was sick. She finally managed to swat both males away and step into a clear space where she felt like she could breathe. "I..." She was blushing, under her honey skin a definite red blush. Initially would have only been about what she did with Chase in the wash bin outside, and the bathing suit her father didn't know she had and wouldn't approve of. But, now she was trembling. This was almost too much. She leaned her head back so that she could kiss Ryan's hand. "Dad, you are far too protective. I am fine. Just taking care of some of our bets deals that's all." She grinned and relaxed. "How was errands?" She leads the way back towards the kitchen where she handed him a cookie to stifle his annoying side regarding her being flushed. She listened to him talk about what he did than her attention changed, and she started to get distracted. Halfway through their talking she had a text from the guy from last night. They made a date for later that night for ice cream. Of course, she knew what she wanted to wear, but like most things she was never sure what to wear that her father would actually approve of. So she was likely going to wear one thing with a more showy skirt or shirt beneath. She didn't want her father to ever be disappointed with her, so she had thought for years it was better just to let him think and see one thing while she did another. Ryan chuckled softly and placed a light kiss on her forehead, "Forgive a father his love for his little girl." he said and stepped back to accept the cookie. He admired her rear as she accepted a text, wondering who it might be. She had a lot of friends, and she spent a lot of time with them. He didn't worry about her in a crowd, just when she was relatively alone with a horny boy. Aside from his own intentions, he had the normal concern about his daughter getting into trouble or getting hurt. He finished his cookie and waited for her to finish, "If you'll get ready, we'll go and get that toy I promised you." he said and thought again about how Chase had acted with her. If he wanted to beat the dog to her pussy, he would have to act soon. He had given her mother to Troy, her brother as his 16th birthday present. Quite literally given her to him... with the understanding that Ryan would fuck her whenever he wanted to, his wife was Troy's property. Ryan had come by Kai's mother the same way, her father had sold her to him after she had been found with a dog and Ryan had simply let it continue while raising his family. He wondered idly what he might do when Troy went off to college, and he wanted to take his toy with him. She looked down, she did look better than the showy swimsuit she wore the first time this morning. But, she looked down at the shorts and top she was wearing now. She could cover herself more, but she was surprised, she didn't think she needed to do much more. She nodded though. Furthermore, she went up and dressed, Chase following her. Furthermore, she frowned at the dog and raced a little faster, closing the door right on his nose. The dog pawed and scratched at her door, but from the other side of the wooden door she told him to go downstairs. The dog went downstairs sitting beside Ryan as if having a silent conversation with him where he was annoyed that the bitch upstairs currently didn't know her place already like her mother. She came down exactly eight minutes later, a huge smile on her face. She was dressed in a t-shirt now, and longer shorts, still tons of generous silky thigh being shown off, but s he was respectfully dressed. Furthermore, she came behind Ryan hugging him. "Than we are coming home, and I'm making my favorite dad in the world dinner." She went looking for her purse. Finding it in Chase's mouth by the handle." Why! You need to go to the vet! You've been acting weird!" She accused the dog. He growled at her. Pawing the ground, a move he had done in front of Ryan to Kai's mother to tell her toplaywith him. Chase didn't really understand that this was a purse. To him, it was her toy. His toys were taken from him when he was considered to be bad. If this bitch didn't learn quickly enough than he was her alpha than he would have to teach her. Kie turned to Ryan. As a little girl she had spoiled Chase too much. She knew the dog rarely listened to her even though even now she tried to command him to do as she wanted now. Chase did not listen to a bitch. He growled when she tried to take the purse. So Kai had gone to her father asking him to get her purse for her. Ryan chuckled softly at Chase and her purse. "He wants to play Kai, you spent half of our childhood playing with him like there was no tomorrow, and he expects play sessions on demand." He watched the tug of war for a moment, chuckling, "Just tell him to drop it Kai." He pointed at Chase, "Drop it." he said in a firm voice. Chase groaned softly but dropped the purse, the handle wet from his mouth. "You don't play with him enough anymore. Perhaps you can throw the ball for him later." He admired the way that his girl looked in the outfit. The hug from behind had been more than nice, and he wondered again if he should push the issue of her becoming his lover or wait until Chase got her virginity, if some boy hadn't already. "You make me dinner, and I'll give you a rub." he said Ashe rose and walked over to pick up the car keys. "Let's go then." She didn't feel like playing at the moment with him. But, she nodded and was thankful when her father handled the situation for her. Chase didn't like being left alone. And while it had been a long time since the dog had to take care of himself he started licking himself quickly enjoying himself and moving his attentions than on the neighborhood female dog. The tablet that Kai wanted was easy enough to find. But, Kai was at the point where she always drew attention from boys. Today was no exception. There was a college aged man who was flirting with her in the store, she didn't give him too much attention, just a nice smile. But, on the way back to the house she was texting the boy from the night before, never seeming to notice the closely guarded attention her father gave her. Home she went on with making him dinner, quickly platting up the dinner and bringing it to her father with all the close attention as before. She still had her date so she didn't need to eat as much herself, but she did need to dress and that involved showering and getting the outfit she wanted to wear to appear like something that her father would not frown at as she left. She was extraordinarily protective of his view of her. Furthermore, she always wanted him to be proud and love her so Kai would do almost anything to just keep the image there and keep him happy. Ryan noticed the smile to the clerk, but Kai didn't seem to find anything else about the young man interesting, so he let her pick out what she wanted and made the purchase; including the list of apps that she wanted, including one that he didn't mention to her that would allow him to monitor what she did with it. He trusted her, but he wanted to know what she was up to once she was at college. On the drive home, he chatted widely with her; enjoying the time alone that he never seemed to get enough of, asking her once who she was texting so regularly. "Hasn't Shannon told you her life story yet?" he asked with a grin, referring to one of her friends that seemed to spend an astounding amount of time texting people. "If you're talking about female things, I don't want to know about it, my heart can't take those topics." Later, he reached out after finishing the meal that she had prepared and took her hand, gently squeezing it, "That was great Honey, I think you outdid your mother tonight." he said and smiled. "I guess that you're going to leave your old man all alone tonight, huh?" he said and smiled, "Back by midnight, ok? And you call me if you need anything." He couldn't keep her locked up, although he thought about keeping her to himself over the weekend more than once. "Kai, I know that you wouldn't do anything that could harm your future, but please be careful. I was a teenage boy once myself, and you shouldn't do anything that you aren't comfortable with." He thought that he should leave it at that as he was concerned that if he said much more, she might get a clue that he wanted to do more than any boy might to her. He finished his tea and went up to his office, giving her enough time to get to her room and begin getting ready for her night. When he heard the shower, he paused and opened the door just a little, letting Chase in as he continued on to his computer and the camera's that were lined to it. She was finishing up her shower when Chase came in. He sat silently on the rugged tile floor while water jumped off of Kai's flesh and inky black tendrils of hair curled against Kai's shoulder and back. She was humming under her breath, the smell of vanilla and berries lifting into the air and leisurely exploring outside of her room towards the hallway outside her room. She was coming out when she spotted Chase staring at her naked body. Furthermore, she quickly pulled the shower curtain around her body again glaring at the dog. "Chase go! Bad dog! Go find Dad." She commanded him. But, of course the dog did not listen. Instead, it came closer to her. She gave a small squeal as he put his front paws up on the rim of the tub and pointed his muzzle right at where her womanhood was. She still held the curtain to her as she stepped back till her body was pressed against the slightly warm tile wall. Kie growled under her breath. "Chase get out!" She than gave a scream as the dog jumped into the water still in the bottom of the tub, and brought the curtain down over Kai in the same motion. She fell half on her back on the bottom of the tub floor. This only encouraged Chase to push himself into Kai more. Pushing himself between her legs. Maybe this bitch just needed more encouragement. He pushed his muzzle right against her sex, his teeth grabbing onto the curtain and tearing away from her. Kai was so scared and shocked that she couldn't even scream. She tried several times over. Gasping when his rough wet tongue ran over her moist soft petals.

A strong father_daughter relationship (Blinkin & TW)|rating:2.0

Demon romance _Tal and TDM_

Demon Dante He was the one who tempted Alana to sin. When he was first sent to earth he was young and spent his days torturing children. There is nothing he likes better than fear for he feeds off of it. He is good at what he does. He's the devils right-hand man and knows how to destroy anyone's joy. His key quest is to find his daughter that Alana ran off with. He spends his time infighting rights and making them wrong. It is his favorite thing to do. After a confrontation he almost got his daughter to kill Alana, but god had to mess it up for him. He was slain but as a demon never truly dies. Personaliy: Mean and you'll know it. He is attractive in appearance but personality wise he's horrid. Poweres or abilities: He's got the ability to fly and also to conceal his true form. He makes sure to stay human in order to make his torture worse for others. Name:Steven Miyamoto Personality:Steven is mostly feared of her demon. Steven is sometimes angry but unusually very happy and caring and is quite optimistic. She bottles her emotions up mostly though. Bio:Her demon comes out if there is bloodshed, or and if Steven is going through pain or having something dramatic happen to her such as a love of her life dies or disappears. To get her demon back in is hard. Sometimes Steven has to make herself bleed to death almost so that her demon would go back in. Steven lives with her stepmother and birth father. Her birth mother disappeared trying to save her and her sister's life. Her mother was originally an angel though Steven's other father tested on her to make her a demon. Though Steven's current father is the best father Steven could ask for. Steven's siblings on the other hand are cruel. Her sister Evan though is a sweetheart. Her three brothers constantly try to pull her wings out along with her hair and beat her up too. She usually has a large amount of bruises and cuts every day. Appearance: Powers/Abilities:Steven can order crows to attack people. She controls fire and water but can also control people easily but never does. Weaknesses/illnesses:Ever since Steven was a baby she had been sick with a deadly illness that makes her weak and cough up blood along with vomiting. She usually has to stay in bed for 2 weeks straight. Dante walked slowly through the village. He was having the time of his life. He had just seduced a couple of angels and now the devil was having his way with them. Furthermore, he was proud of himself. Furthermore, he made his way to the marketplace and then sat down in a chair. Furthermore, he was looking for his next fling and really looking forward to it. He saw many attractive girls walk by and grinned, but they were not quite right for him. Furthermore, he needed a freaky girl who was willing to do anything and that's what he was going to get. Furthermore, he did not even see any girls with any good assets. Furthermore, he sighed and kept looking. Steven was walking around the marketplace where Dante was. At the moment she needed to do something to keep her demon down, but she kept trying to release herself which made Steven angered, frustrated and feared. She always feared that her demon would kill someone she cared about. Though Steven never let herself looked feared. More like angered. But she really didn't have anyone to care about therefor she was unsure what her demon was going to do. She walked past Dante a bit. The aura she gave out was demonic. Her demon was the one that no one could control not even a powerful wizard or witch or even the devil himself. Steven in the past had made a contract with the devil to keep her alive therefor she has actually one of the devil's eyes therefor whatever the devil does Steven can see. Dante felt a demonic aura and paused. It was perfect. She was cute and just what he needed. He had never seen her before and that was odd. He went up to her and smiled putting out his hand." Hello there. I am Dante. May I ask what a lovely lady like you would like to be called?" He was known as a charmer and make no mistake he could charm anyone. That was his specialty after all. He grabbed her hand and kissed it softly. "My name is Steven Miyamoto." Steven spoke in a calm tone trying hard not to blush. If any guy had done what Dante did to Steven she would blush deeply. Though a soft pink appeared on her cheeks. Obviously she was blushing. Though while Steven was standing in front of Dante her demon's voice began talking to her. Why are you flirting at a time like this!? Steven was getting annoyed by her own demon's voice.I'm not flirting! And I'm not letting you out! Steven needed to distract herself from her demon so she spoke again."It's nice to meet you Dante." He grinned at her. He was going to have fun with this one. Part of the fun of dating demons was they would do anything at least once. The best thing about angels was they were virgins. Right now he wanted a freak." So tell me my love what is that wonderful smell?" He leaned in and took a deep inhale of her hair. It smelt so good. The aura of a female demon causing his mouth to water. Steven began to blush again. Sometimes guys were too much for Steven. Steven didn't ever think she was ever good enough for any guy. Especially since her last crush nearly ripped her wings right out of her back. From that memory if someone were to touch her scar she would quickly see the flashback of it. Her wings were still intact luckily though. Her mother was an angel therefor she had healed some of her back up where her wings were, but she couldn't heal it completely since the damage was too severe. She had many scars on her body from her past. "It's probably my raspberry shampoo I use." Steven said with a smile. There was something about this guy she liked, but she felt like this guy could be bad news. Even her demon was getting bad vibes. Steven stay away from this guy!he's bad news I feel something odd about him and it's not good! Steven of course ignored her demon. Stop tricking me into getting you out. (everyone loves Dante He's such a ladykiller XD)Dante smiled reassuringly and kissed her on the cheek while whispering in her ear"It makes you smell most refined my dear." He stepped back and with one hand behind his back he bowed." May I ask such a lovely lady to join me for dinner? It will of course be my treat, and we will eat whatever you wish." {lol I see that already XD} Steven's cheeks became redder when he kissed her cheek and whispered into her ear.d-did he really asks me out? No one had ever asked Steven out. They all knew she was a demon and would rather kill her then to go out with her." You may. I would rather like that." Steven said with a smile. (IDK why I play him so well but damn I'm good at playing Dante. Guess he's my dream guy lol)Dante smiled and moved aside so she could walk ahead of him." Anyplace you wish to go my love. As expensive as you wish it to be." He looked a little ways ahead and noticed a guy selling flowers. He smiled at her and walked up to him. Furthermore, he paid him enough money and brought her a bouquet of roses." For the prettiest flower of them all." He handed her the flowers. {lol.} Steven smiled as she took the roses." Thank you." She said with a smile. She then headed to one of her favorite restaurants with Dante. It was fancy, but it was overboard fancy and expensive. Not a lot of people go here too much. On the inside they had black clothes on the table and red curtains on the windows. The place actually had VIP rooms in it. People who paid enough would get the rooms. A waitress showed them their seats and gave them menu's. The waitress then spoke. "If your interested in any of the VIP rooms here is a little something about them." She said handing Dante a brochure about the VIP rooms. Without even glancing at the brochure he smiled at the waitress and stood up. He whispered into her ear something and then the lady took off. In about five minutes she came back and led them to a room that had beautiful beads hanging down the doorway. It was entirely closed off and inside was a glass table. The chairs themselves were also made of glass with beautiful cushions to make them more comfy. It was done over in a dark red. In the middle of the table was a box of chocolate and another bouquet in a vase with Steven written on it in rhinestones. Dante pulled out the chair for her and waited to see what she would say." Only the best for my dates." Steven blushed again seeing how amazing this room was and how the vase had her name on it." Wow...it looks so amazing!" Steven said with a smile. She wanted to cry happy tears, but she knew that would probably scare him away. She was stunned at everything he was doing for her. No one has ever done anything for her in such a romantic way. Though,Steven's demon didn't trust the guy. She knew he was up to something. But even her demon Sara was unsure. "Thank you so much for everything." Steven said cheerfully and sitting down on the glass chair with a cushion that Dante pulled out for her. Dante sat down at the other end of the table and waited patiently for the waitress to get back. When she came back she smiled at them." What would you like to eat?" Dante smiled at Steven." You order first my love and I will have whatever you will for an angel of your status must eat only the most delicious food." Steven smiled." Regular pasta with a glass of wine is fine with me." She said, and the waitress wrote her order down. Steven smiled at Dante. She couldn't believe this was actually happening. She felt like this was just a dream. But it was in fact not a dream. It was real. Steven what are you doing!? I know he's got to be evil to get out of there. Stop worrying...nothing is wrong Sara. The waitress then looked at Dante making sure if he wanted the same as Steven. Dante nodded and motioned for the waitress to leave. He grabbed her hand in his and kissed it gently." So my dear tell me a little about yourself." The waitress then nodded and left closing the door behind her and giving the order to the chef." I like to write and draw and I love to swim." Steven said with a smile." I actually have many scars from my past though that's not really important." Steven said with a chuckle. The way Dante held onto her hand made her blush so deep that she could pass out from the heat between them. Dante grinned. This one was too easy. He usually had to fight harder to get a demon to join him on a date. This one was almost too willing." Facinating." The waitress showed up with their food and wine, and he waited to watch her start to eat before he began. Steven began eating. She took a bite of her pasta and quickly fell in love with the taste but didn't show it. She was usually shy when she ate. She ate calmly and didn't look sloppy at all. After eating a few bites she then drank a sip of her wine. Though her demon hoped Steven wouldn't get too drunk or if anyone would slip a drug into her drink just to sleep with Steven. Steven was usually taken advantage like that. Dante did have some drugs to seduce a girl, but he felt no need. He was sure that by the time dinner was over this girl would be in love with him. He ate his food neatly and quickly. Furthermore, he was ready to get this girl over to his place." Would you like to come to my house after dinner? We could talk and get to know each other some more. Honestly I can't stand the thought of just letting you slip away. Something about you is so entrancing." "That sounds good. I would also like to get to know you too." Steven said with a smile. Soon Steven finished her meal and wiped her mouth neatly with her napkin. After she placed her napkin AWA from her face she spoke." Thank you for taking me out to dinner and for the flowers and everything." Dante stood up and wiped his face quickly. He walked over to her and pulled out her chair." Then let us proceed my love." Steven smiled and nodded and stood up. She didn't hold onto his hand though because she was afraid she would've come on too strong or scare him off by the touch of her hand." Yes." She said with a cheerful smile. He smiled at her and opened the beaded curtain for her. He walked up to the cashier and paid for the dinner. Furthermore, he had plenty of money, so money was never an issue." Come on my dear." He walked down the street slowly so she could keep up. He stopped in front of a building and walked inside waving at the doorman. Furthermore, he walked inside and grinned at Steven as he opened the door for her to enter his apartment. It was pretty nice. It had a couch and chair and a nice TV. He had a fireplace and a fire was in it. There was a cozy rug pulled up by it and champagne and strawberries with whipped cream waiting." My beautiful home." Steven was amazed at this place." Wow.it looks amazing." Steven said cheerfully. She had her hands away from her chest and toward her waist so that her chest was completely pretty much visible from her corset that she wore. She was amazed at it. She had a feeling she was probably going to be so drunk tonight. But she thought this was very much worth it. "This place is so beautiful." Steven said with a smile. He grinned and sat down on the rug by the fireplace motioning for her to join him."Its all set up just for you. I think that a ladies wants and needs are much more important than anything else. Is there anything you wish to talk about, or you want please just ask, and it will be yours." Steven walked and sat next to Dante by the fire and looked up at Dante with one of her sweet smiles. Some men were hard to resist her smiles. But if they knew about her demon every man would pretty much push her away."I'm fine I don't really need anything at the moment." Steven said with a smile. He leaned in close to her face and kissed her softly on the lips." Are you sure there sent anything you're not telling me my dear? I just have a feeling that you're keeping a secret from me. After everything I've done for you trust me you can tell me anything you want." When Dante kissed her Steven blushed deeply. Though she knew she had to tell him something about her being a demon." What if I was something that wasn't human....would you leave me?" She asked looking at him out of the corner of her eye. She was scared to what his reaction would be. He smiled at her and kissed her softly on the neck." You could be the spawn of Satan, and it would only make me like you more my love. So tell me what are you? A vampire? A DEMON? "He laughed a bit to himself as he emphasized demon. It was hard not to moan and blush when Dante kissed her neck. Possibly Dante had Steven wrapped around his finger, but she didn't care. He had been the nicest person to her. When Steven heard the word demon that was emphasized she couldn't help but to think of all her bad memories of people hunting her down, hurting her." A....." Steven could barely even speak the word. She just wanted to cry. She was scared for what he would do or say to her if she told him. "A demon." She said only seeing him out of the corner of her eye not wanting to see his reaction.I don't want this to end so soon. He laughed loudly. He knew it." Well my dear I hate to tell you, but I am just as much of a demon as you are. I am Dante general to the lord of the underworld." He looked at her his eyes turning red for a split second. He leaned into her and kissed her hard on the lips. When Dante told Steven he was just as much as a demon as she was her eyes widened. Not with fear but with shock. She had no idea how she didn't even notice. If he was a demon then why did he still kiss her?did he like her? Or was he only teasing her. Steven hoped he liked her just as much as she did. While Dante kissed her hard on the lips it had made her body fall backwards letting her hit her head onto the floor. She probably assumed Dante would get onto of her since he had the advantage now that she was on the floor. He could easily take advantage of her. Dante grinned and leaned over her looking at her." Eager much my dear? So tell me How did such a pretty thing like yourself become a demon?" "I was born a demon. Both my parents were demons. I have 5 siblings not counting me." Steven spoke as calmly as she could. She was confused to what was going on. She didn't get anything. Why was this happening? And why to her? He nodded some and smirked." Well I am very pleased to have met you. You are one of the most intriguing demons I have ever met. Tell me why is it your so kind and yet you are a demon?" "Maybe it's because my mother was originally an angel. My father ripped out her wings in an instant and inserted her with demon blood therefor she became a demon." He nodded slowly, and his mind went back to Alana. He grinned a bit as he remembered how upset she was when he had abandoned her. Furthermore, he always did like to claim Alana as his finest prize. She would not talk to him, but he would win her back to him one day." I see. Well my dear, I am full demon and proud of it." "Well I'm not proud of it at all. She's caused me the most trouble of all." Steven said sitting up and frowning a bit. She let out a sigh knowing Dante had probably tricked her in more ways than one. Dante looked at her a moment and then leaning forward kissed her lips reassuringly." Do not worry my pet. I promise that no harm will come to you for now. I may not always be honest in my dealings, but I would never hurt you." Steven blushed when he kissed her reassuringly." So are you or aren't you tricking me?" She asked raising an eyebrow at him." I can't even tell if this whole night was full of lies." He chuckled a bit." Well I must admit I happen to be looking for a girl to seduce for now. My job kinda keeps me from being able to get into a serious relationship. I seduce angels to the dark side and most demons do not enjoy being cheated on even for a job." "Well if your about done with me, then I'll be leaving." Steven said standing up creating her hands into fists behind her back. She only wished he did like her instead of pretending to. She has had it with lairs. He stood up and grabbed her pulling her to him."It's not that I do not like you. I do like you, but I am not the type who gets into serious relationships. I have done that one time, and now I have a daughter who I never see. Furthermore, I do not think it's a good idea to get into that situation again. We can still have a good time together you know." "And why do you think that?" She asked bitterly. Steven's bitter side was now getting out. She had a split personality who was Steven's bitter side. Her more attitude like self. He grinned his eyes glowing deep red." Because I spent all this money on you and I will have a good time even if you're not willing to allow me to. So either you agree and join in or I will do what I wish, and you do not have the power to resist."(now you see the true Dante Bahama) "I'm not the person who spent money just to trick a stranger." Steven said looking at him bitterly." And what is it that you will do to and somehow have me not resist?" She asked raising an eyebrow. If he spoke and just did she wouldn't care anymore. She was mad at Dante for lying, and tricking her. Everything he said ended up being a white lie. He chuckled and snapped his fingers. Several imps appeared around her grabbing her hands and feet and diving at her hair laughing. Dante stood back watching her to see her reaction. He hoped to draw her demon side out so that when he "took" her it would be more enjoyable. Steven winced when the imps grabbed her arms and legs and dove at her hair."You're going to regret drawing Sara out." Steven said with a smirk." If you draw her out you'll be lucky enough to have one arm left of yourself." He chuckled some and went up to her grabbing her by her hair and pulling her to him. He leaned forward and bit her neck hard enough to draw blood. Furthermore, he licked at the wound growling slightly." I doubt that my dear." Steven slightly winced again feeling him bite her along with her hair being pulled. Seiri was refusing to come out. But her split personality wouldn't hesitate to come out." Why are you even doing this!?" Steven asked with anger in her eyes along with hurt and pain."ANSWER ME!" Dante grinned at her and snapped his fingers once again. The imps left." I suppose you are right. You are not good enough for me. I can find a demons who is much more willing to play with me. You are too soft. Now begone half demon." He turned his back to her. If he was right this would pull her full demon form out. If not he did have another idea. Sara couldn't stand men who abandoned Steven like so. Steven's skin became a pale bright red. Her hair grew longer and darker red. Her eyes were black as the night as her wings spread widely. Her demon basically had no clothing on, but you couldn't tell since her demon had tattoos all over her body. Though they were actually birthmarks. Her black horns came out of her skull as did her tail did. She had long black fingernail claws. She then appeared in front of him black spoke around her. She then put her fingernail claw onto his neck pressing hard enough to make him bleed." Don't you dare hurt Steven." Dante laughed wickedly and reaching down to where she was making him bleed he dipped a finger in it and licked it. He knew he could pull her demon side out. He grabbed her by her wings. Furthermore, he knew that was a weak spot on most demons and pushed her down to the bed. Furthermore, he kissed her hard on the mouth." Steven is not the one I plan on hurting." "And why is that? I thought you had liked her?I'm pretty much just a figment of your imagination demon boy. Don't you have a daughter to find you worthless scum?" He laughed at her. He did so love the feisty ones." It just so happens I know exactly where she is. I just have no interest in her at the moment. For now, it is you who has captured my interest." He fondled her with one hand keeping the other on her wing. He was going to enjoy this. Sara didn't seem at all interested or blushing or even moaning as he did the things he did to her." Your quite boring." Seira said looking bored." Don't make me cut your head off." She said getting her claws ready to dive into his chest and his face." Can't tell you how many times' Steven has clawed her throat just because I came out. Since I'm out she will probably either claw her throat or kill you. She killed her own father you know and without my own help." Dante growled and pushed her back down. He took a hand and slashed her on the face." Don't make me ruin your pretty looks woman." He ran a caressing hand over her chest again. Sara's face where he slashed her healed easily." I don't think you could make much damage on me.I'm a demon who is out of control.Those...they are the most dangerous ones. Especially the human behind the demon." He laughed again and pinning her to the bed had his way with her. When he was done he stood up and dressing walked away leaving her there.(my version of a time skip >Sara then sat up on the bed."what a jerk. Can't believe you like such scum Steven.he only used you." Seiri then went back inside and Steven had control again though she kept her wings out along with her tail. All she felt like doing was crying. {lol XD} Dante sat in his kitchen thinking. He did like this one. He just wished she would have put up more of a fight. Furthermore, he sighed. Alana was a feisty one. He wondered what she was doing. He let his mind drift. Steven then began to open the window. She didn't care what he would do as a punishment. Dante had made her much more unstable than she already was. Once the window was opened she backed away ready to jump out of it. Dante heard movement and grinned. He got up and went to the bedroom. He saw the window open and smiled. She was trying to escape was she. He could not allow that. He grabbed her by her tail and pulled her backwards so she was sitting in a chair." Going somewhere?" "What do you want from me! I bet all you want is my demon to be your damn sex toy!" Steven growled!" All your going to do is trick me fill my head up with lies!" Dante looked at her a moment and then smiled." Well I am a demon. What do you expect? I have never truly felt feelings for someone except one person, but she is out of the picture at the moment. I will tell you what. Furthermore, I will leave you alone and never bother you again if you hunt down and capture the demon Alana." Steven was upset. He probably had no clue she liked him. No. More like she loved him. She lowered her head letting her bangs cover her eyes. She had tears dwelling up. It was too painful for her to have the man she had fallen for not even want her but her demon."me...and Sara we are the same person...if you deny one part of me.then you deny the whole package. Find a new demon and have fun with her instead." Steven said coldly. Steven had actually not shown her true self." If you don't like me...then you don't like Sara. And if you don't like Sara then you probably messed up everything. I can't believe how much of scum you are. In all 13 men I have seen and been raped by I would have to say your far more the worse I have ever been in a room with." She said laughing a bit diabolically. She knew she would probably get a severe beating or something along those lines for saying all of this, but she didn't care."You're pathetic. All you probably want from Sara is to get laid." Steven had a large and deep scar onto her stomach and a few deep little scratches visible onto the part of her breasts visible. It wasn't seen before by Dante but if she saw them she wondered if he would want to cut her up and rape her like all the men she had seen in her life. Growling softly Dante went up to her and grabbed her by her hair. She was turning him on with the fighting back. He liked it much better when a girl tried to fight him. He leaned forward and licked her neck before sucking on it allowing his teeth to touch but not to hurt. Furthermore, he made his way to her lips and kissed her deeply. When Dante grabbed her hair she kept her smirk on her face. Obviously now she had a plan. When Dante was kissing her she would usually blush but this time, she didn't. She looked a bit unamused. Similar to how Sara looked. Though when Dante did kiss Sara and had his way with her, it wasn't Sara it was actually Steven. Steven played innocent. Though due to her father experimenting on her there was a vile-called demon blood. She had been originally half demon but when she put the demon blood with her, it made her so much more evil than possible. "Your more pathetic than I imagined...your desperate to toy with a feisty demon?" Steven began laughing. This was not Steven's other personality. It was Steven's true colors." You make me sick to my stomach! Thinking any girl would actually fall for such foolishness." Though Steven had been acting sweet almost this whole time so she would easily trick the people that she was the target for. Seiri was indeed a figment of Dante's imagination. It was like she was a different person. She had separated the kiss giving a smirk."You're not the only person who is good at tricking people." He frowned at her. It was time to show this girl what happened when you messed with him. He grabbed her and dragged her to the wall. He chained her up with magical chains that were pretty much unescapable. Furthermore, he grinned and left the room standing in the doorway"Then I suppose we will see how long you can be here until you decide to be good." He walked off. Steven growled at Dante." I hate you!" She shouted at him. Steven struggled to get out." Don't you know Sara isn't actually Sara, and she is just a figment of your damn imagination!?" Steven said with an angered tone. "I hope you die!" He went out to a bar and got a drink. He flirted with a few women who were around him. Furthermore, he was very much enjoying himself at the moment. Steven kept struggling to get out." Come on!" Steven cried out."damn it!" Steven then stopped and all she did was scream. Her demon's true form was beginning to come out itself. "I will kill him myself!" Steven kept screaming trying to have someone hear her loud scream." I won't be imprisoned again!" Dante stayed in the bar drinking it up. He was having so much fun today. He had a hot girl captured, and now he was drinking. Steven jerked her arms not giving up on staying in chains." Come on! Break!" Steven sighed. She had no choice but to act good for Dante for him to release her. After another hour of drinking Dante got up and headed back home. He peeked in the room and smiled at her." So dear have you decided to be good?" "Fine you win." She looked in pain. She hated men who did such things to women." But.I wasn't lying about Sara being a figment of your imagination... I made Sara up. Seiri was actually me. I just didn't people to know who I really was...maybe I'm just a metal case...." Steven had some tears from her eyes and onto her cheek. Steven was basically a very fragile girl. If one thing hurts her feelings it could end up making her destroyed. Dante grinned. Finally, she had slowed down now it was time for him to get the stuff he needed from her." Good girl now why don't you tell me the stuff I need to know. If your perfect I might reward you with a taste of myself." Steven nodded then." Just ask what you need to know." Steven said in a clam tone. She didn't care about any award. Atleast not at the moment. Dante laughed evil and then sat down." I need you to go find a girl named Alana. If you do this I will never bother you again." "Fine." Steven said with a bit of her attitude. She hated doing things for selfish people who had no respect to what other peoples' feelings were. Steven did like Dante but all he probably felt for her was that she was some kind of toy just like ever other guy she had met and been with. Steven then closed her eyes. Sparrow you there I need you to come to me understood. She then walked over to the window as wide as she could get it. She then put her arm out and a demon bird flew in from the window. He looked like he was half dragon and half bird. She pet him and he purred a bit. "Sparrow I need you to gather all of your friends to help me find someone who goes by the name Alana understood?" "Yes Ma'am." He said with a smile. He then roared and all sorts of beings like Sparrow surrounded Steven and both Dante. Steven then backed up a bit and jumped out of the window spreading her wings out and looking for her. Though Steven was looking for now, but she was actually making a run for it." I will not let anyone survive if you are not to find her!" Dante watched her with a grin. She was probably going to try to escape, but he knew that if she did, he would find her with no problem." I will be here." He sat down waiting to see what would happen. Once Steven was far away she hid in an alley for a while keeping Sparrow on her arm." Steven.is something wrong?" He asked looking worried at her. "Yes something is...that man...I just know he only wants to keep me as some sort of slave or something.That's why this has to be my time to escape." "But he'll find you those kinds of demons are never good to trick." "I know but...I have no choice there isn't anything he actually wants from me, he just wants me to find this demon and that's it. I like him, but he has no intentions of feeling the same way." Steven said with a sigh. She then began flying up to the air above the clouds flying far away while the other demon birds searched. Alana wandered through the town market. In her arms was her two-year-old child. She kissed her on the head tenderly. She loved her baby Tabitha. It was difficult to raise a half demon child, but it was worth it. She sighed as she saw some humans walk by. She was a fallen angel, and she hated Dante for causing it, but she was used to it. In a way she wished she could be human or even an angel again. But she knew it was pointless to hope for it. "But Steven you have to look for this Alana." "I don't even know what she looks like. Why does he always assume so!" One of the demon sparrows then came in front of Steven." I found her.I found Alana." He then raced toward the path to where she was and Steven followed him. When she saw that Alana had a daughter she couldn't bare to separate the mother from her child. The situation reminded how her mother got separated from her when she was only 6." I. I can't do this. I can't bring myself to separate a mother from her own child." This was one thing Steven couldn't and wouldn't do even it she had to save her life. She rather dies than to do something like this. Alana smiled at everyone. They all said hi and patted Tabitha. They all knew her so well.(sorry not much I could post >Steven then decided to just make up a story to convince Alana to come with her. She then landed behind one of the markets and shifted to her human form. She then walked up to Alana." Excuse me miss...I can't find my two twin little sisters. Pleas' can you help me oh please help me."Steven asked in a pleading manner she looked scared and sad. Alana looked at the girl a moment and frowned. She seemed kinda odd." Um sure if you wish." She handed Tabitha to an old lady." Will you watch her for a while? Thanks Mrs. Mechanic." "Thank you so much!" Steven said bowing her head." My twin sisters and I live in a mansion can you please help me look for them there?" Alana smiled and put out her hand." Sure I am Alana. You lead the way and I will follow." "It's nice to meet you." Steven headed toward Dante's house except she used her skills of illusion magic to disguise his house as a mansion. Only Alana would see it as a huge mansion. Once she got into Dante's house Steven was getting nervous. She left the door opened for Alana.I'm sorry mother please don't forgive me for doing such a horrible thing! Alana walked through the doorway slowly. Something seemed wrong, but she could not guess what it was. Suddenly hands wrapped around her, and she heard a whisper in her ear." Hello baby did you miss me?"" Dante" She gasped. "Let me go You know its over. Don't make me hurt you." Steven slowly began to walk out of Dante's house. She did what he told her to do. Now he wouldn't bother her. But, she didn't want to separate from him, but she knew if she were to stay her demon would become much worse. Dante noticed Steven leaving and grabbed her by her hair pulling her back." O no you don't love you shall stay also." He pulled both of them down some stairs to a cellar of sorts and chained them to the wall with magical bonds." You will both stay here." He took off upstairs.Alana looked at Steven with a frown."Why?" When Dante pulled her hair she screamed a bit from pain." You lied to me!" Steven shouted at Dante. She couldn't believe after what she had to sacrifice he still wouldn't release her. Steven didn't even look or speak to Alana. If Steven told her why she would probably sound and look like the most selfish person. Dante grinned." I want you to stay here of your own free will my dear. I like you a lot, and you are the best girl I have ever met. If you decide you actually want to be with me let me know, and I will release you." He walked out leaving them there together. Alana looked at him a moment until he left, and then she turned to Steven." Why would you ever trust him? He impregnated me after seducing me as an angel, and then he kicked me to the curb after I made a deal to become a demon. Do you not know that Dante is the most disgusting demon ever?" "Maybe I was hoping for something good to happen in my life for once." Steven said with a sigh. All of her scars were visible and they were very deep. Steven was hoping for something good in her life." All my life I've been tested on, raped by 13 men in all my life and raped more than 13 times by my mother's ex-husband. Out of 6 siblings I'm the only one who was tested on and raped by. I just couldn't take it." She shouted having tears in her eyes as she began to cough of blood a bit from her illness she had. Alana sighed. There was no point in this. This girl had fallen for Dante hard, and it would be difficult to fix it." Well I have had enough of being his captive for the day, so I am going to leave." She closed her eyes letting her body change to her demon form.(pics of Alana)(demon form)(human form but with red hair and green eyes) Steven only looked at the ground. Why did Steven fall for such a demon like Dante? Steven didn't know. Sometimes Steven wished she hadn't fallen for him. She wouldn't have ended up in this situation if she hadn't met him at all.I'm back where I started again...making messes....destroying lives. Alana looked up and growled. Suddenly her wings shot up and she flew upward. The chains held. She growled again. Hearing the commotion Dante comes in and seeing Alana he goes up to her and pulls her back-down." O no you do not girl." Steven held onto her head. Didn't speak or show any emotion at all. She looked paler than usual. Steven all she could hear were voices yelling at her in her head. Steven knew the guilt was probably going to make her feel like she'd rather kill herself now. Dante pushes Alana against the wall and fondles her before putting her into a choke hold till she turned blue and fell to the ground gasping." Do not make me hurt you." When Steven had seen that Steven then bit her lip as she struggled but because her demon form was completely taking over. Her demon bird began attacking Dante, biting him digging his nails into his flesh. Sparrow was a lot stronger than he had looked. While he attacked Dante Steven was breaking loose out of the chains. She actually got out of the chains. In an instant Steven was in front of Alana, and she had broken Alana's chains as well telling her to escape. The only words she spoke was she rather have herself killed than you. She had strength In her eyes Steven knew she would get hurt which is why she would rather risk her life than Alana's life since she had a daughter and a life to go back to while Steven didn't. Alana frowned as she got off of the chains. She looked at Dante and could feel a deep pain inside of her. She had forgotten how much she loved him. It was sad that she still loved him after everything he had done to her. She just stood there feeling the tears falling down her face. Dante growled and smacking the bird hard it hit the wall. He grabbed it by its tail and banged it over and over on the wall till it was bloody. Sparrow no matter what would do anything for Steven. He had a human form and began to show it. He had long black hair and looked like he wasn't that strong. Sparrow attacked Dante once more. Sparrow wouldn't let Steven down. Steven saw Alana's tears as she held onto her hand." Come on lets go. We need to get you out of here. You have a daughter to take care of." Steven said helping Alana out of the building from the roof. Once she got Alana out of the building Steven went back to Dante for her own punishment. It was probably going to be brutal. Growling loudly Dante screamed causing a bunch of imps to show up. They went after Sparrow. While he was distracted Dante took off to go after the girls. Alana cried as Steven led her away. She was so upset right now. She smiled at Steven." Thank you for your help, but now I must find a way to hide from him again." "I'll help you as much as I can. I won't let him hurt you. If I knew what exactly he was planning I wouldn't have tricked you. I had no idea you were a good person. I thought it was someone evil." Steven spoke in a sad tone." If only I wasn't such a stupid person." Steven whispered to herself. Steven took Steven to where she had lived. It was a mansion that was dark." He'll probably try to kill me so I'm going to set a diversion of you so he thinks this version is you. When I tell you to stay in here I mean it." Steven said as she began drawing a witchcraft sign onto the floor in the basement where she took Alana to. It glowed and a diversion of Alana appeared.She then made the real Alana's body seem invisible to Dante's senses. The diversion went into deep into the forest. Alana watched curiously. She smiled at Steven. This was a good girl. She wondered if there was a way for her to help her." Steven I know how to defeat him you know. I have done it once, and can do it again. Would you help me?" "If you're insisting on killing him i won't bring myself to kill any person no matter how evil they are. Celeste would think I'm a monster just like her husband was." Steven whispered to herself. Steven couldn't bring herself to hurt Dante because she loved him. Sparrow at the moment was weak, but it had been worth it for Steven. He was one of Steven's trusted sidekicks and helpers. Sparrow tried to get up, but he was covered in blood. Alana chuckled." Steven you can not kill a demon if you are one. Yes I know you're a demon. Only an angel can kill a demon. My daughter is destined to be the one to do this. Not me and not you. " "I don't want any more killings in my life and that's final." Steven said sternly. Steven didn't want Dante to die. She wishes she didn't love him. It would be a lot easier to not love him. She smiled at her."You will not witness it. Do not worry but he will die eventually. I have seen it." "I don't care if i won't see it I don't want anyone to die!" Steven shouted. Steven sighed a bit." Maybe you don't understand how many killings I've been through. I don't want any more killings. I like Dante I don't even know why I do but I do. I wish I didn't everything would've been simpler if he didn't ever meet me." Alana stared at her a minute with a frown." I can not change what has been predicted." Steven let out a sigh." I know that." She told her." Just let me try to protect you." Steven told her. Alana shook her head no." Do not get involved in this. It is dangerous for you to get involved with him. You should leave while you have the chance." Dante finally caught up with the girls. He stopped short of them and grinned." Well Alana I have a surprise for you." He snapped his finger and an imp brought down young Tabitha. Dante picked her up in his arms and hugged her. Steven was silent for a while."It's too late to runaway.I'm already involved in this. I was involved from day 1. She said as her whole body transformed." There is no way in hell I am going to let you get hurt." When Dante arrived Steven stood in front of Alana not letting her pass her." Give Alana her daughter back now!" Steven demanded. She glared at her as both her eyes glared at him. Her eyes were pure and dark. They were pitch black. They were both known as the demon's eye.Whoever has it could have quite a strong power. Dante laughed at her. He raised an eyebrow." You can't hurt me Steven. I have a two-year-old in my hands. The only way you could hurt me is through her. Good luck on that child." Alana looked at her daughter and growled. She transformed into her demon form and walked close to Dante." Give her back now." Steven felt utterly useless. She knew she was. He never loved her he just used her. She wanted to run away, but she was in too deep." Why are you doing this?" She asked staring at him intensely. She tried blocking the tears she felt forming. She couldn't stop thinking of all he did for her and yet it was all for nothing. She tensed up with anger. Steven actually knew what it was like to have a daughter. She wondered maybe if she tricked him by saying what if her demon side was carrying his child what would he say.no that's stupid he would probably say I rather have its dead anyway. Steven told herself. She then took that chance. "Hey Dante why don't you stop pestering Alana!" Steven shouted." I say this because since you had your way with me what if I'm carrying your child?" She said with a smirk and laughed in an evil way. Dante laughed. He looked at Steven and laughed." So what? It just gives me two kids to teach how to be evil. It gives me a chance to show you women just how good I am at being bad." With that he cut his hand and let Tabitha lick up some of the blood. He grinned." Now she will grow up quicker." He put her on the ground, and they watched in horror as Tabitha writhed in agony as her little body matured 8 years that quickly. Talitha looked around at everyone." Mommy help me. I do not want to be here with Daddy." Alana immediately changed to normal and rushed to her daughter hugging her."It's ok baby mommies here and she will be here forever." Dante laughed." See how easy it is to control a mom. Just keep the kid and the mom is yours. Now both of you come back to my house immediately."With that he picked up Tabitha kicking and screaming and carried her back towards his house. Alana having no other option followed. Steven sat on the ground unsure what to do. She had no choice. She had to walk away from this whole mess since he was pretty much letting go of her. And So easily? When Steven got out of the house she shifted back to normal and headed back to her original home. That was a waist of time.It's not like I could save anyone anyway.{can we start a new RP?this one is getting a bit out of hand}

Demon romance _Tal and TDM_|rating:2.0

Something Goes Here

(w/@QueenAlexa) See more {"light box_close": "Close", "light box_next": "Next", "light box_previous": "Previous", "light box_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.", "light box_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow", "light box_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow", "light box_full_screen": "Full screen", "light box_thumbnails": "Thumbnails", "light box_download": "Download", "light box_share": "Share", "light box_zoom": "Zoom", "light box_new_window": "New window", "light box_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"} Name: Kevin Lucas Age: 21 Gender: Male Sign: Leo Height: 6'2 Weight: 195 lbs. His Girl Kylie Harrison 22 5'6" A brat. Always teasing him, because he deserves it totally. But secretly she may really like him. August. Finally, it was time for Kevin Lucas to resume his college career. He had used the last few months to party and bullshit, spending a couple of weeks down in Florida, where he met some interesting people, as well as partying with the friends he made the trip with. The Florida trip was a whirlwind for Kevin. After having broken up with his girlfriend the month before the trip, he and his boys (as well as a few ladies the others had invited along) took a road trip. They stopped in Pensacola, with the main goal of stopping in Miami. Along the way, Kevin and the girls had become close, in more ways than one. However, in Pensacola, some of the group had split, while Kevin and his group stayed behind, where he met Kylie. The entire time, they had really gotten along with each other and exchanged socials and numbers, keeping in contact even after the trip ended. Now that the summer was over, it was time for him to shift gears. Back home in Texas, he was getting ready to begin yet another fall term. The party he and his friends had attended over the weekend had really taken its toll, and he was still feeling it this morning, although he was feeling a hell of a lot better than he had the day before. After having pulled up to campus, he made his way to the courtyard. Wearing a white T-shirt with a silhouette of a hand holding roses pointed down, a pair of light blue relaxed-fit jeans, black Jordan's, and a fitted hat with his favorite basketball team's logo on the crown, he was looking over his class schedule to see what all he had in store for that day. Who knows? Maybe he'd see some new faces that would become friends, or maybe even some old ones to reconnect. Kylie hadn't expected anyone she knew to go to this particular school, even as popular as it was she had chosen it specifically because it meant she would be away from people that she already knew. And that meant she would be able to get through without having to mess with other people, she was wearing dark sunglasses a silver frame with dark blue lenses. Her hair was black like a ravens feathers and shaved on the sides, even in her 20s she had already managed to cover most of her body in tattoos. Kylie was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans that hugged her curves, some unlaced leather boots, and an old shirt that had a rip down the middle ending at the top of her breasts, a homemade tank top is what it appeared to be. Though that all just fed into her being the 'rocker' chick that guys seemed to like." Kevin?" She asked, when her eyes settled on him, her head still pounding from the hangover. Even after all the fun they had in Florida she still felt butterflies in her stomach seeing him, it was the stupid effect he had on her. As tough as she wanted to act Kevin made her feel like a giddy little girl, and she loved, and hated, that he had that effect on her. "I didn't know you were coming here, what for?" Kylie asks him, stepping closer, she wanted to hug him and give him a kiss on the cheek. But she kept her distance, she didn't exactly know where they stood. Kevin had seen some people he had class with at least a term ago and had started talking with them, when all of a sudden he heard a girl calling his name. The voice sounded so familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint a face to it. Turning himself to see if he could see who was calling out to him, he saw her. Kylie. Wait... did she go here all this time, but they had just met? Shit, he's drank since then, so there's no telling if she had told him she was a student here, mainly because he'd likely forgotten by now. What are you doing here, Kylie?he asked her, bringing her in for a hug when she was within arm's reach. I didn't know you go here. Have you always gone here or did you just transfer in? Kylie wrapped her arms back around Kevin when he hugged her, it felt amazing, they had hugged before of course but those times she was often already a few drinks in and didn't remember them feeling so... good. She looked him over from behind her sunglasses, reaching out to snag the class schedule he had been reading earlier to look it over herself. "I just got here myself, coming here for some... learning." Kylie said not sure that she wanted to admit what she was there for yet. "I transferred in from another school though, I didn't know you were going here either." Kylie smiled up at him though as it felt good to know someone going to the same school as her, it felt right." But I uhm... Well I'm here to try and actually work towards a job. Or one that I can get without working for beans." Kylie said up to him, she had always liked that he was taller than I. Once they let go of each other, Kevin looked down, since she was much shorter than he was, and felt her snatch his schedule from his hands. As she looked it over, he smirked and heard what she told him about how she just transferred. Smirking at her, he snatched it back, since he hasn't memorized it fully. Learning, is that what you call it?he added on teasingly before continuing. You never asked where I go or anything. Truth be told, if he told her anything, he might've told her he's from Texas, but they had drank enough during his short time in Florida that he didn't remember much else. He laughed when she brought up working towards a job. A job, you say? What, was the last place not good enough or did you just stalk me? "Aw, already forgot that night on the beach? When you confessed all those sweet, gooey feelings to me under the stars?" Kylie teased, giving his shoulder a little push. He had a way of making her feel perfect about herself, and comfortable around him, and one of the most attractive things about Kevin is that he made her genuinely laugh. "Listen, I'm going into nursing. And they have an amazing program here." She admits to him, shrugging. "Besides, maybe that means I can give you a physical." Kylie teases biting her lip and laughing. In Florida, she had teased him nonstop, every chance she got she was showing skin, making gestures, all to get under his skin. Kevin rolled his eyes as she spoke. Oh, you mean like the physical we gave each other that same night?he teased back. I know lots of people have come through here for nursing, so you can't be wrong on that. I was basically the only non-nursing student in a few classes. He then saw a couple of people he knew that walked up, and he greeted them, introducing Kylie to them as his "pet brat". Kylie was unable to roll her eyes harder when he introduced her to the group with that name, "Oh come on, now that's going to stick and that's all anyone is going to remember about my winning personality." Kylie says to him, scoffing, though she added a more than dramatic sigh to get the point across. "He is of course kidding, we were just vacation buddies, he's had a hard time getting over me." She says with a tease of her own. Kevin shook his head playfully at her statement, knowing she was doing this for flair, then started laughing at her next comment. I got over you, but it was you who had the hard time, and you liked it, he teased, but if I remember correctly, and I know I do, you seemed to like getting over me too. Even if true, any bedroom frisks they had were mainly alcohol-fueled, he just liked letting his playful side show. "Well what can I say? Hard to get over something when it's so good." Kylie teases back, and to anyone standing there with them, it would appear this awkward back and forth flirting thing they had going on was something that Kylie would never admit to happening. She did have to admit to knowing that Kevin was fun, from the nights she could only remember in glimpses, or waking up sore the next morning, she never quite had a complete image in her head of their nights together because of the alcohol. "Anyway." Kylie starts, letting her eyes give him a once over. "You have my number, call me sometime." She says knowing that she too has to get her schedule and start her day before long. Bet, Kevin responded as she walked away to start her first day on campus. Turning to the guys who walked up to him, they asked if he hit it. With a smirk and as she was out of earshot, he watched her and nodded. Oh yeah, it happened, he answered. But, I have to get to class. Don't want to be late for syllabus day. He then told the guys he'd see them later before making his way to his first class. Kylie gave him a little, goofy wave as she walked off into the crowd. She didn't know exactly what to expect from life there are the college. But with Kevin there she had a feeling that would make it a bit easier, at least she had someone to talk to if it really started to suck. The first class of her day was a general orientation one going over rules, regulations, what to do and not to do at the school, as well as providing numbers of their staff to reach if they needed help while attending the university. "What are you doing?" She sent the text to Kevin, she had gone mind-numbingly bored halfway into the first class. Kevin had arrived in class on time and found an empty spot to sit in. He set his backpack down, even though he probably wouldn't need it today, but he'd still need somewhere to put any handouts for class in. The spot was perfect for him, since he could hide his phone and text/use social media without the professor noticing. About 40 minutes in, his phone buzzed quietly, and he looked down, making it seem like he was looking at the rules and schedule of assignments. He read Kylie's message and was beginning to type up a response. Sitting the- before hearing his name called. Having to act fast, he accidentally sent it before pulling a pencil out so nothing seemed suspicious. Kylie raised an eyebrow when she received his reply." Sitting the?" She thought to herself. "Sitting through what? A stroke?" Kylie sent the reply to him, wondering just what had happened. Though she assumed because she was able to text so freely in her own class that Kevin would be able to do the same thing in his. "Well anyway... If you care to reply with an actual sentence and not be a dummy I'm here, bored." Kylie sends the next message out to him. Idly she tapped her pencil against her knee, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other while listening to the professor for the current class. The professor simply asked Kevin a question to see if he was following along with the syllabus, since he had eyes like a hawk, apparently. Once he answered that question, the professor moved along with class expectations. Professor nearly caught me. Can't let it happen again. He hit send and went back to listening to what the professor said, then looked back down and made it seem like he was reading what was handed out. "Don't you dare cut me off." Kylie sends back a with fist emoji tacked onto the end of her message. Tapping on her phone, leaving it inside of her backpack enough to where she can see it when he responds, but the light won't bother anyone. "These classes are just rules so far, nothing exciting here..." Kylie states, she had come here to learn and was ready to get to the classes where she actually had to take things home and work on them. Kylie didn't feel she had to be told to behave, don't fight other students and staff, or even watch their language. It felt like they were telling her to be a human being and not some stupid kid, Kylie was already watching the clock until this class was over, and her day was more wide open. Luckily for Kevin, his professor had finished early, the first of what he assumed to be one of the few times he was able to wrap lecture up early, and he dismissed them. Pulling his phone from his backpack, he was about to slide it into his pocket, when he saw he had a couple of messages from Kylie. He laughed when he read the first one. Once he was done reading, he started to type up a response. You may act like you're Scary Harry, but you don't scare me. He added on a smirking emoji at the end before walking among the sea of students who had also been dismissed, looking around to try and find his second (and final) class for the day. "Well you should be scared! You don't know what I'm capable of, Mr. Kevin." She taps back into the phone, Kylie knew what she had to do, but she really didn't want to go to her next class. Luckily for her, it was one that was a little more involved and not just going over rules. "This is the first day and I think I'm ready to be done already." Kylie adds to the text message. Though she did get to thinking about the chances of Kevin and her ending up at the same school when there was so many to choose from, especially when it came to her wanting to get into the nursing field. Once Kevin sat down at a spot he'd claimed for himself for term, he pulled out a notebook and a pen to use, since he wasn't sure if this professor would be going over rules and such. His phone vibrated, and he pulled it out of his pocket, then laughed at the message Kylie had sent back. Trust me, you don't, he responded, adding a smirk emoji on before sending it back. He shook his head because she was already ready to be done, which was only day one. Even though he wasn't going for nursing, he knew enough nursing students and talked to them enough to know that the program was no walk in the park. The professor then walked into class and got everyone's attention. Kevin set his phone in his backpack and focused towards the front of the lecture hall. Kylie was enjoying this next class more as the professor, to her, was more engaging and able to hold her attention better than the other one. It really helped her as she was scribbling down notes, what they'd need to buy for the class moving forward and what they'd need to know once they got into clinical and started the meat of their learning. What they'd be doing in the future excited Kylie, if she could make it, and she knew it was going to be tough but if she really buckled down and try she could see herself doing it. Already on the first day she had filled out a few pages of notes just for this class, and she still tried to keep her head up and be prepared for what was coming in the future. This class went by rather quickly, and before he knew it, the class was over. The professor was a quick but clear speaker who also made very easy rules for the course, breaking everything down and giving examples of what he expected for term. It was more of the same from his last class, but the professor made it seem like the class wouldn't be difficult to take if he really applied himself. Walking out of the lecture hall after they were dismissed, Kevin pulled his phone out of his backpack. Oh, surprise, nothing from "Scary Harry". Laughing to himself, he made his way to one of the campus' dining halls. He figured Kylie would just have to try and find him there if she wanted to teas... talk to him some more, maybe give each other the scoop on each other's classes. Kylie had slung her book bag over her shoulder, walking down the hall she had a lot on her mind, and it wasn't only the classes she had gone through that day. "What do I do?" She asked herself, stepping into the nearby dining hall she nearly had her answer when she saw Kevin sitting there." All alone?" She asked, offering him a smile, sitting herself down across from him before he was able to say if he was or wasn't. "How did it all go? I hope it was interesting. I'm going to have no time, ever, from now on." Kylie admits to him. While Kevin was eating his lunch, he hasn't noticed a familiar face had walked over to him. He then looked across the table and saw that Kylie had joined him, sitting down and asking if he was alone. Laughing when she told him that she'd have no time ever, he rolled his eyes. Well, first off, it was just syllabus day, so imagine how easy that was, he told her. I got it a couple more times tomorrow, then it's onto the real thing. And as for no time ever... he then paused to take a drink before adding on teasingly, I guess that means we won't be fucking until at least finals are over, right? "Oh, so you do want to fuck me." Kylie says, now clearly interested in Kevin and his words. She had always had a huge, massive crush on Kevin, but as far as she can remember she had never told him that before. "And here I was going to say put that lunch down and eat me instead." Kylie rolled her eyes, placing her chin in her hand leaning on the table. Watching some of the other people attending the college walk by. She was clearly different from most, not old for college at all, but certainly appearing more world experienced, and the tattoos didn't help. Kevin started to laugh when she brought up that he wanted to fuck her. They had before, but it was a whirlwind of a summer for them. However, he heard her suggestion of eating her instead of his lunch. Raising an eyebrow at her, he looked down at his food, seeing he was almost finished anyway. I mean, if you want me to take you up on that offer... I'd rather us not get kicked out on the first day. My place sounds better. "And what is wrong with my place? Never been to a women place before?" Kylie says to him teasingly. She really did like the summer they had shared together and now that they were at the same college Kylie was having the issue of separating their summer flings from deeper feelings that she had for him. Kevin had always treated her well and if things got to crazy when they were out he was always there to help her. "But you're right. Guess we can wait..." Kylie adds with a pout, looking at all the people eating. Some she recognized from her own classes. You never offered, plus I don't even know where you live, Kevin teased back. He then heard her next comment, then rolled his eyes. Although his sexually charged comments were just the result of them having messed around over the summer and just how they really got along, he didn't know how her feelings were about him. They hadn't really had too many deep conversations, unless there was alcohol (and on at least one occasion, weed) involved. However, he was just glad she hadn't forgotten about him, especially considering now they were face-to-face with each other. Smirking after he rolled his eyes, he added on, So you just got here, and you already know you're going to get a jump on straight into course content tomorrow? Rough, he added on teasingly. "It's only Monday, and I'm already looking forward to the weekend, and then once clinical start? No more weekends either! Hope you're ready to say goodbye to my gorgeous face once that starts." Kylie says to him letting her chin rest in her hand while her elbow perches on the table-top. "And you? Looking exciting so far?" She asks back to him, not one to open up without some sort of encouragement for the time being Kylie was happy he was there. Kevin gave a slight laugh when she brought up how her weekends would be consumed with clinical later on in term. I'll be fine, that'll probably be when football season is in full swing, he responded. And I'll just have to see how my classes run. Could be starting actual material Wednesday and Thursday, might even start next week, who knows? "Oh yes, you and your manly sports." She teases with a little laugh at her own. Kylie had watched a game or two with him but didn't understand it fully, she supposed if they did spend more time together it would be a good way for them to bond. "Oh I see how it is though, going to abandon me to your football. Not even going to invite me over?" She asks. Kevin rolled his eyes at her comments. You literally just said goodbye to your weekends due to clinical, he responded. Don't tell me you're trying to skip out on your future because you want to see guys give each other CTE for my entertainment. During the summer, he did remember going to a bar where, for some reason, they had Canadian football on the TV. Kevin, being the multi-sports fan he is, decided to watch while Kylie was with him. Besides, you say manly sports like it's a bad thing. "Uhm... I don't know. Do I even want to be a nurse?" Kylie asks him, though deep down she knew that she did and was certainly smart enough for it when she properly applied herself to the task at hand. "I guess I just get easily distracted when cute boys are involved." Kylie says with a shrug of her shoulders and a wink at Kevin. Kevin just closed his eyes and playfully shook his head at her comments. Well, I guess that leaves me out, he responded teasingly, despite knowing she was at least somewhat talking about him. Unless, of course, alcohol is involved. Kylie laughs, rolling her eyes at him. "Oh yeah, cause it takes alcohol to get you even remotely interested in me." She says, realizing at that point the only times they had ever had sex is when they were more than drunk and could barely remember if it even happened the next morning. "But you never know, I could perhaps look past your miss givings and think of you as sort of cute." Kevin laughed at her comment about alcohol being the only time he was interested. Are you sure that was how it was? I remember it being the other way around, he teased back. While it was true they were both three sheets to the wind when they did have sex, he had found her extremely attractive when sober. Sure, they had several sober conversations over the summer as well, but nothing was really centered around a relationship or sex. He playfully rolled his eyes at her next comment. Did you have a shot or two before you got here to be making a comment like that? He joked. Sure, he didn't see himself as being unattractive, but he thought she only saw him as a friend. "Well don't you just ooze confidence." Kylie says to Kevin with a laugh at her own. As far as she was concerned the two of them had been getting along well even before somehow attending the same college. "I think you chose this college cause you know deep down you can't get enough of me." She teases again, tapping on her phone and sending out some quick texts as the device vibrates on the table." Anyways, I guess I should be heading out. Gonna head back and start setting up my place, I have to get here early tomorrow anyway for class. See you around?" Kylie says to him, starting to stand up while giving him a soft smile. Kevin raised his eyebrow at her comment about choosing the college because of her. So I chose to come here, years ago, because of someone I only met a few months back? That makes a lot of sense, he replied, the comment dripping in sarcasm. Sure, he knew she was just playing around, so he had to go along with it as he saw fit. After hearing her comment about heading out, he smirked. So I guess that means I'm not coming over, right?he added on teasingly. What he didn't realize was that it sounded like she was new to not just the college, but to the city as well. It definitely sounded like she literally arrived that morning. Kylie laughs some and shrugs. "Not much to see yet, I literally have a load of boxes and some furniture." She remarks, "So unless you want to see a mess? Then no." Kylie adds, slinging her bookbag over one of her shoulders and turning." Though don't be a stranger! I still have my phone and stuff." Kylie says wiggling her phone in her hand at him. For once all day, Kevin actually agreed with her statement, this about her needing to move things in. Could he help her? Yes. Should she help her? She hasn't asked. He then heard her next comment about not being a stranger, to which he shook his head playfully. Well, you better get over here and hug me if you want to talk to me again, he added on teasingly. "Oh of course, how could I forget?" Kylie says snickering as she moves around the table to give Kevin a hug. Opening her arms she'd slide them around his shoulders and give him a hug. She had forgotten how good he smelled, like a manly scent but not overpowering and the softness of his clothes against her arms and body. Kylie enjoyed feeling him against her. Kevin watched as she walked around the table and stretched her arms out. Having scooted out so there'd be more room, he pulled her in until she was on his lap and wrapped his arms around her lower back. He then leaned his mouth to her ear and whispered, So I guess the brat really wants me to hit her up some time soon. "Sometime soon, I suppose." She says back against his ear, enjoying the feeling of his lap against her thighs. She had been in this position many times before though some of those times she hadn't really remembered it happening. "And only if you want to, I can imagine you're more interested in some of the other nursing gals walking around here." Kylie teases. Kevin rolled his eyes playfully at her comment about him being interested in other girls. He had a petty side but he wasn'ttoo petty unless it was called for. Smirking, he then leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips to try and surprise her. It wasn't like it was the first time they had, but they definitely hadn't seen each other in weeks. Kylie couldn't say she expected that reaction, raising an eyebrow as she looked between his eyes. "Mr. Kevin you are full of surprises." She says back to him, definitely enjoying the tender moment they were able to share together. But that also gave her an indication that perhaps he did have feelings beyond the physical for her. Kevin cocked an eyebrow back at her. You haven't got out of my lap, and you didn't seem the least bit offended at that kiss. So I guess that means you must want to fuck me?he asked teasingly. You can say no, and I'll talk about anything but. Or you can say yes and add on a when and where to that. "Well you've always known how I've felt about sex with you." Kylie says with her own little smile. "But I wouldn't say that's all I want..." She wanted to add testing the waters to see what Kevin wanted himself. "So if I say no you just go on talking? And if I give you a yes, with a time and place you'll be there?" Kylie asks back, letting her lips brush over his own. Kevin smirked when she smiled at what she had said. Oh, so you do remember those times we had sex, he teased, implying that they both had plenty of drunken sex. Before he had a chance to answer her next set of questions, she stopped him by kissing him. He returned it, wondering if that was a yes. Well, I'll leave that in your hands, he responded. Who knows? Maybe if I'm able to actually have sex with you again, it'll be where we're sober enough to actually make a good judgment. Kylie laughs as she slides off of his lap giving him a look over. "Please, sex with me is always a lesson in good judgment." Remarking with a wink before turning. What happened with Kevin left her with an amazing feeling, and she knew that she was going to have to follow up with what he wanted sooner rather than later. Kevin watched as she got off of him and heard what she said, shaking his head playfully. If you say so, he teased, watching her walk away, not even trying to conceal the fact he was looking right at her ass while she walked off. The next couple of hours passed fast enough for Kylie, busying herself with setting up the small apartment she was renting getting some of the living room done and the bedroom so she had a place to crash when she needed to. "Hey, are you awake?" She tapped into her phone, sending the message to Kevin. This time though her stomach tossed and turned in knots as she waited for his response. After his lunch, Kevin had gone back to his place and kind of hung out for a while. His roommates had returned home eventually, and their days were much of the same: syllabus day. In the middle of their talk, he had gotten a text, then he saw Kylie's name come up on the screen. Smirking he responded with a meme. {"Light box_close": "Close", "light box_next": "Next", "light box_previous": "Previous", "light box_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.", "light box_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow", "light box_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow", "light box_full_screen": "Full screen", "light box_thumbnails": "Thumbnails", "light box_download": "Download", "light box_share": "Share", "light box_zoom": "Zoom", "light box_new_window": "New window", "light box_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"} Kylie rolled her eyes, letting her head fall back against her pillow she wasn't even sure why she should keep responding. "I shouldn't have expected anything of substance from you." She said laughing to herself. "Well anyway, if you do wanna talk let me know..." Kylie sent back. If he was busy she certainly hadn't wanted to interrupt anything. Checking the time, he noticed his roommates were retreating to their bedrooms. It's cuddle hours, isn't it?he responded. Why else would anyone be texting at this hour? He wasn't really busy, but he and his roommates had spent most of the evening just rehashing some summer memories, talking about girls in their classes (one in which he mentioned some girl named Kylie), talked about a game plan for that weekend, and how their first day of class went. "Yeah? Cuddling with many people tonight?" Kylie texts back, lounging on her bed the mess still all over her apartment and room while she did so. Unlike Kevin, she didn't have roommates around to talk to and was pretty much a loner through their time together besides the one or two mutual friends they shared. "So if you aren't cuddling I guess you're the one single friend who is left out of all the fun?" Kylie adds onto her text. We don't even have a dog, he responded. Like him though, Kevin's friends were also just taking in another quiet night at home and the others didn't really have any girls they were talking to. Like Kevin, they had enjoyed a summer of just being single, feeling like they didn't need to be tied down to just one person. However, the whole thing between him and Kylie was only really renewed when she saw him on campus that morning. "Well why not go find a dog than?" She texts with a little dog emoji at the end, though with their college life any animals they adopted in the process may end up starving to death in the dorms before anyone even remembered they had them in the first place. Kylie liked her place though, for the first time in as long as she could remember she was in one place and was making it her own. With my luck, the dog won't be housebroken yet, he responded as he laid in bed. Although it was fairly early in the evening, it still wouldn't be the best idea to try and go out and do something at that time of night, so he wondered if maybe she wanted to come over. Who knows? "Hey Kevin?" Kylie tapped into her phone, sending the text while starting on the next message. "It was really great to see you again today, I mean without us being drunk and all, it's nice to know there is someone here I know." She sends. Kevin read her message and thought about how to respond. I take it that's a need to hint at more, he thought to himself before figuring out a way to respond. Oh, so you did miss me? (laughing emoji) Well, you better don't be a stranger. He then sent the message and wondered how long it'd be until he dozed off. "Yeah of course. I'll try to remember you moving forward." She sends back, more than relaxed in her bed happy to have her own spot." I wouldn't say I missed you, but just remembered all the fun we had together." Kylie messages back, reaching over to plug her phone in and letting it sit next to her mattress. The frame not completely put together yet. Kevin saw he got a couple messages back from Kylie and he read them. She was right, they did have some good times over the summer, even if most of them were fuzzy at best by now. How do you even remember half the shenanigans we got into over the summer? He responded. "Mostly it comes in bits and pieces. Or I assume something happened based on how we woke up." She would send back, though he did have a point. Most of what drove them together came in a bottle or was mixed with something else, her memories were foggy at best Yeah, because that one morning when I woke up, and you were harass naked on top of me, I'm just assuming we knitted sweaters the night before, right?he teased in a response. Who knew? Maybe their fun didn't have to stop. Maybe she was meant to be here for reasons in addition to her starting nursing school here. "I seem to recall you and something else was very happy to find me on top." She teases back to him, that was one morning she did remember very well, even hungover it was some of the best sex she'd ever had. "I'm sure it happened a few times we can't remember." She adds Luckily, after reading that message, Kevin was glad his roommates were in their own rooms for the night. Pulling his pants down slightly, he took a picture of himself and attached it to a new message to send her way. Is this what you're referring to?he typed up before hitting send. She was right though, they probably did have sex more times than they could remember. He couldn't remember if they'd had sober sex once, but he really knew they had had drunken sex because one of his friends had let them hear an audio recording with them screaming each other's names out very clearly during one of their frisks. "Maybe? I guess I wasn't even thinking of that. Hadn't since I saw you." Though in all truthfulness she has thought about the fun they used to have and now that they were at college together she could see them having more if the time worked out alright. Having pulled his pants back up, he saw she had sent him another response. Maybe that's why you told me to eat you at lunch instead he typed back. After hitting send, he started to think of if there was anything going on the rest of the week, aside from the football game Saturday night. "Well if only you didn't live so far away, I wouldn't have to survive off pictures." Kylie sent back to him, smiling again to herself feeling butterflies in her stomach. Though she didn't know why her and Kevin had sexed all the time before. So you were being serious and covering it up with your usual craftiness. I see it now, Harrison he typed up and sent back. With the way she responded, he figured that maybe he'd actually get at least one chance at sober sex with her instead of the multiple frisks they had in their inebriated states. Who knows? Maybe they'd actually get into their usual shenanigans without being alcohol-fueled to see if they could have just as much fun. "What can I say, you should know me pretty well by now Mr. Kevin." She teases, laughing to herself as they go back and forth, but it felt different from it had before. Perhaps because they weren't incredibly drunk. "But if you wanted some help sleeping let me know, I'm sure we could tire one another out?" Kylie sends back to him. Kevin laughed at her response, then noticed she basically left an open invitation for him. Tonight's pros and cons: Pro of you coming over: There won't be only humans under this roof that possess the Y chromosome. Con of you coming over: You just moved here and haven't slept under your own roof. Pro of me coming over: I get to be with my pet brat. Con of me coming over: I don't know where you're located, plus your place might still be a mess. Tomorrow's a whole different story. Nothing going on, so... He then sent the message back to her, wondering how she'd respond. He then let out a yawn, then saw that they had been going back and forth for quite a while, which meant sleep was calling soon. "I didn't think you'd be looking at the rest of the place, only me." Kylie remarks, though it was late so if something was going to happen it would have to be sooner rather than later. "But! If we are having this hard of a time deciding, maybe we should wait for this weekend?" She asks, knowing that he was much more invested currently in college than she was. But she did need to buckle down and take it seriously, she had a role model right in front of her after all. Kevin's phone buzzed again, so he read her message back. Typical Kylie, making the focus on herself. I mean, I don't have classes on Fridays and my weekends are wide open, he responded. That, and I'm pretty much finished for the day each day a little past noon. It definitely sounded like she wanted to rekindle that flame they had burning over the summer. It also sounded like she had a little time that night. Would it be worth it, a little self-satisfaction against possibly being late to classes the next morning? "Kevin, just come over." Kylie finally tapped into the message with a roll of her eyes. Over the summer the only time they'd done anything was drunk off their asses, Kylie liked him, and she hope he liked her more than just as a fuck buddy, time would tell. Kylie entered her address into the next text and sent it off to him. "Bring a condom this time?" She requests, since her place wasn't put together she hoped he had some, if not she'd probably still fuck him, they'd just be extra careful. Kevin's eyes were finally closing and just as he was about to doze off into Leila land... Buzz! His eyes snapped open, and he reached over, grabbing his phone off his wireless charger. Blinking, he reread what she had sent before seeing her next message coming in, seeing she had sent him a location and asked him to bring a condom. Eh... it's syllabus day tomorrow again for those classes anyway, he thought to himself as he sat up and grabbed a pair of jeans, sliding into them and put some shoes on before opening his window then climbed out. He only did this, so his roommates wouldn't be disturbed. Closing it until it was barely cracked, he went and hopped the fence then jogged to his car. Unlocking it, he slid in, buckled up, started his car up, then drove off. Upon arriving, he checked the apartment number and parked across from the building. He got out and locked the car again, carrying a bottle of water and a condom, then walked to the door and knocked. Kylie moved out of bed, padding across the floor of her apartment barefoot, peeking through the keyhole she spied Kevin. She was both excited and nervous as she opened the door for him. Offering him a smile, she would lean against the door in her small panties and bra, part of her liked showing off the many different tattoos she had from her legs to her neck. "Glad you could make it, I didn't think you were going to at first." Kylie said to him, it was so different from over text, it felt so much realer now with Kevin in front of her." By all means, come in my knight in shining armor." She said, once he would step past her, she'd give his rear end a smack. "Sorry about the mess, like you mentioned I am still setting things up around here." Kevin watched the door open and then saw Kylie standing in front of him in just her bra and panties. It seemed to him that she wanted it just as bad as he did buy what she had told him. After she told him to come in, he walked through the door frame and inside her apartment, only to get smacked on the ass. It took him by surprise, and he wound up stumbling a few steps ahead and fell to the ground. And apparently I just added to that mess, he joked as he pushed himself up off the ground. Kylie couldn't help but laugh, seeing Kevin stumble, closing the door and clicking the lock into place. "Does that mean you're stuck here now? You've become part of this mess?" Kylie teased, laughing but more so at her own dumb play on words, "I think i kind of like the messy Kevin myself." She states, sliding her hands up his chest to gently rest on his shoulders. It was quiet here, unlike school where it was hard to get a moment to talk, a passing car or the AC clicking on the only sound in her apartment. Once Kevin got to his feet, he rolled his eyes as he heard what she had to respond with. I'm supposed to be the one with the lame jokes around here, he teased as he felt her hands run up his chest and to his shoulders. So is this all you called me over here to do? Slap my ass and make me fall on the ground? If so, mission accomplished. Kylie laughs, still smiling as she places her hands on his cheeks and pulls him towards her in a slow, deep kiss. Taking her time working her tongue forward towards his lips and mouth. Kylie couldn't even remember the last time the two made out when they weren't drunk, this time she was going to make sure she remembered every bit of what they did. From the start until now she was happy he came, part of her assumed he wasn't and that they were going to be boring and plan sex on weekends. Kevin looked down after he finished talking and watched as her hands rose up to his face and felt her pulling him in before her lips met his. He pulled her in close to him as he kissed her back, feeling her tongue slide from her mouth. His own mouth opened slightly, and he slid his tongue from behind his teeth, meeting hers. Although about 20 minutes ago he was about to call it a night, he was glad she was getting him to change those plans for a bit of sober pleasure, for once. Kylie melted against Kevin, sliding and pressing her tongue over and against his own. Taking his tongue between her lips and gently sucking, her hands sliding from his face down and around his shoulders, letting her body embrace him against her. It had been sometime since Kylie had kissed anyone besides Kevin. Usually it was a bet, or a date, but this time it was just the two of them in the relative dark and quiet in her apartment. Kevin felt her run her hands down from his face and then around his shoulders. Something about this felt right to him and as they embraced while kissing passionately, he let his hands run down from her lower back to her ass. He grabbed a whole handful of it as he kept running his tongue along with hers. Kylie gasped softly into the kiss, a quiet moan and purr flowing from her full lips as he took a handful of her asses in each palm. Even with his less than stellar entrance into her apartment Kylie couldn't imagine this any other way, maybe a couple actually, but it did feel perfect for who they were and their history together. "Sorry its such a mess..." She whispers between kisses, gently directing him towards the hall that led to her bedroom. Kevin sensed the way she reacted after he grabbed her soft but firm ass in his hands. Smirking against her lips, he felt her pull away for a second to apologize for the mess before pressing her lips back against his briefly. He then pulled away after a couple more kisses. You better be, you little brat, he responded teasingly as he let go of her ass and playfully spanked her. He then leaned in to kiss her once more before she led him down the hall to her bedroom. So you're leading me to make another mess in this apartment, aren't you?he teased again as he reached down to grab her ass again. Kylie laughs at that, "I sure hope so." She says between kisses, giving her firm ass a little shake for him as he spanks her. "Imagine if we are actually terrible at sex and the alcohol just blocked it?" Kylie says to him, "And last I checked you sort of liked this little brat..." Kylie whispers against his lips. Her bedroom hadn't been fully set up, the queen-sized bed was there the box springs and mattress and all on the floor for the time being. Bed frame leaving against the wall, boxes of clothes still to be put away at a future time. After they had reached her bedroom, Kevin noticed the bed hadn't been put together. Laughing after he had grabbed her ass, he felt her wiggling it a bit as they kept teasing each other in between kisses. If I am able to actually make you cum, then the sex can't be that bad, can it?he responded as one hand slowly rose up her back, his fingertips leaving imaginary lines before it reached her bra. He worked to undo it and heard her next statement. Are you sure about that?he asked teasingly against her lips. I remember you holding on to our hug a few seconds longer this morning before my classes. Kylie couldn't help but roll her eyes even more at Kevin. "So you were paying attention? I'm going to have to remember that then..." Kylie says, letting her lips deftly play over his own. Planting the occasional soft kiss while her breasts felt looser, more open to the air and less restricted as his hands started to undo her bra. It hadn't taken him long, its not like bras were complicated, and Kevin had been with her once or twice before. Soon enough he'd find the material separate, leaving her large breasts free for him. Kevin smirked against her lips as she kissed him again after hearing what she said to him. I was nearly late to class because of you, he teased as he stepped back. He then reached his free hand in between them and pulled her bra off, letting it fall to the bedroom floor. Drunk me would miss this, sober me feels like this is the first time all over again, he admitted playfully as he palmed both of her large breasts in his hands, gently squeezing them. Kylie smiles up at him, tilting her head to the side some while he plays with her tits. "Aw, are you mad at me for almost being late? Seems like you're okay with me now." She teases, each breast easily more than a handful for him. "And let me say for the record that I am appalled even drunk you forgot what these looked like." Kylie adds, her hand sliding down his abdomen and over his belt, starting to rub and massage at his crotch. Kevin playfully shook his head as she teased him about almost being late. I mean, it seems like you wanted this pretty badly when you found me on campus this morning, he teased back, squeezing her large tits a little more firmly. And no, drunk me has seen these, played with, and even put his mouth all over these plenty of times. He'd be happy to get back to it right now. Looking down, he watched as her hand ran down to just above where his pants split off for his legs. Good luck trying to find it, he added. "Yeah... It's small enough I always did have to search for it." Kylie said up to him, finding herself enjoying the way he molded, lifted, and toyed with her breasts. "You always put things back on me, I'm sure you wanted it too." Her fingers starting to work at the zipper on his jeans, she certainly couldn't remember it being like this when drunk. Kevin knew he was definitely a good size, and so did the girls he has slept with, including Kylie, he just knew with her, he always took part in roasting himself. If I remembered right, and most of that memory was lost to several shots of whatever, you asked who I was going to please with this little thing, he started. Well, I'll just say I'm going to please myself because I don't care if you get satisfied, but I get off every time! He didn't really remember how the sex went, but if they were doing it again that night, it had to have been good. He then let go of her perfect tits momentarily to reach down and grabbed onto the waist of her panties. Although she was working to get his jeans off, he started to push her panties down without interrupting her progress. Kylie was very much enjoying these new developments, smiling and placing a hand on his shoulder for balance while he slid her panties down. Her legs, ribs, stomach and even parts of her back were covered with different types of tattoos of all sorts of images. They seemed well done, and likely costing a small fortune to get done. Once her panties were down, just above her pussy was a neatly trimmed bush of hair, a small strip. Kylie slid her other hand around once he had worked her panties down to loosen his belt and slide down his zipper, snaking her hand in his pants to find this small cock of his that he claimed he had. "You know..." Kylie says to him, "You're definitely lying, I was expecting something small and only found something nice and big." Letting out a small laugh, Kylie clearly enjoyed her time with him, his humor and personality definitely made her feel at ease. After he had got her panties all the way off, he noticed she had on fewer clothes than he did. Looking down, he saw her strip. Smirking, he looked back at her as she continued to get his belt off. So she has a Mohawk since last time, I see, he told her teasingly before he felt her hand slide inside his boxers. She felt no hair since he manscaped to "make it appear larger". It hit a growth spurt, he responded. "You just magically hit a growth spurt in your youth, did you?" Kylie asks him, not entirely believing what he was saying, though she knew better with his personality. Her fingers gently wrapping around his shaft, starting to stroke him slowly. "I think, and I'm an expert on this, that you're hitting a growth spurt now." Kylie says, laughing a bit at her own stupid joke. Though she was more than happy to feel how big his cock was getting in her hand. Kevin heard what she asked about him hitting a growth spurt. I mean... don't we all in our youth?he asked teasingly as he felt her soft hand wrapping around his dick and stroking him. I don't think we have people growing from 4'6 to 6'3 once they turn 21, right? He then listened to what she said about him hitting a growth spurt as she stroked his dick some more. Be careful, if it grows too much, it'll spit right back at you, he responded since she told him a somewhat corny joke. One of his hands then wrapped around and grabbed her firm ass again. Kylie jumps a little, though she would never say she didn't like it when he grabbed her ass like that. "Did you just say it's going to spit at me?" Asking with a laugh, still stroking him slowly, her fingers rubbing from beneath his cock head down to the base just above where his shaft sat above his balls." I don't have anything that spits." Kylie says to him. "I just get wet and stuff, how boring right?" Letting the hand that grabbed her ass run to the front of her body, he heard her comment about not having anything that spits. I mean...he responded as he let it wander down until it got in between her legs, I sure the fuck hope not. I know we weren't doing any sword fighting over the summer! He then let his middle finger's tip run along her opening. And it definitely is wet. Just the way I like it. You mind letting me go real quick? It won't be long.

Something Goes Here|rating:3.0

Coed Sauna

IOC: This is an open thread, just thought I would see where it goes. Anyone can jump in at any time just start posting.IC:It was three in the morning when I went into the 24hr Gym. The attendant wasn't at his desk as usual at that time, so I reached behind the counter and buzzed the door letting myself in. I made my way to the locker room past the weight room, surprised there were a few of the bodybuilder types in there pumping Iron. I got into my yellow string bikini and looked in the mirror before heading to the pool. Furthermore, I am 5'6" and long blond hair, a typical swimmers body I guess. Furthermore, I went to the pool and dove in and slipped on my goggles. As I swam I thought I saw someone standing at the end but as I turned there was no one. It happened again later, and I convinced myself I was being paranoid. I finally got up and made my way to the coed sauna, laying out the Powell I lay on the bench of the empty sauna and must have dosed a little.... Frank stood in the window of the now closed juice bar, in the darkness, gazing out over the pool. A pretty girl in a yellow string bikini, barely enough material to cover anything, came to the edge of the pool, looked around quickly, and jumped in the water to swim She swam laps up and down, and once I thought she had seen me, although it was dark where I was. She looked away and kept swimming, and I kept watching, seeing that cute bikini bottom on top of the water, and loving the sight. She reached the end of the pool and climbed out, and exited through the door to the locker room and sauna. I had to follow her and look at her out of the water. I went to the men' locker room, which was empty. Furthermore, I walked through and opened the door to the sauna, just in time to see that yellow bikini bottom walk into the sauna. I had to meet her. Furthermore, I had to get a closer look, so I ran to my locker and doffed my clothes, grabbed my speed, and followed her I heard the door open and close and opened one eye, it was one of the bodybuilder types coming in the sauna. Not an unusual thing I had been in the sauna with plenty of them, I suppose it relaxed those big muscles to sit in the heat, like it did mine after a swim. He came in and sat down on the bench close to my feet. I raised my knees to give him room to sit, wondering why he sat so close. I could feel the sweat run down my thighs as the beads appeared on my stomach as I lay there with my eyes closed enjoying the sensation. Frank said "I hope I'm not intruding, but I saw you swimming. You swim beautifully, but I haven't see you here before. I am here every day at THS hour. I wonder why I haven't seen you before"I stood and turned to see her lying face-down on her towel, but with her head turned toward me. She was quite pretty, but that yellow bikini bottom was spectacular with the most perfect world-class ass I had ever seen. I wanted to pet it. I wanted to kiss it. Furthermore, I wanted to see it naked, and it was in my fantasies as my cock started to harden to a big bulge in the front of my very skimpy speed. "I hope I'm not intruding, but I saw you swimming. You swim beautifully, but I haven't see you here before. I am here every day at THS hour. I wonder why I haven't seen you before" I heard him say as I turned to lay on my stomach. Furthermore, I was used to getting hit on in the gym, so this wasn't much different, till I looked up to see the large bulge in the front of a small speed. Furthermore, I felt a tinge of passion and also fear, alone in a sauna with a stranger who was obviously beginning to feel aroused. I just smiled and said, "Thanks, I couldn't sleep" and lay my head down ignoring his stare.... Frank looked at her in awe. She was a beauty all right and between the two of us there wasn't a square foot of fabric separating our naked bodies. She laid there looking at me after she spoke. How was I going to take this to a new level? I might as well make a move. She couldn't do any more than say no or say yes, I thought." Would you like a back rub? I always do in the sauna. We can trade off if you like" Work the front desk at World Class Gym is not the most glamorous job, but it did have its advantages. There weren't very many clients that come in after 9:00 pm, and we were open til midnight. This gave me a lot of time to use the place almost as my own. Most of the time I would just lift focusing on a muscle group, bring my own CD's for the system and then after I lock up get a quick swim or whirlpool. Sometimes my buddies would come by and we would play a little basketball. But tonight I was trying something a bit different. For weeks, I had been flirting with this hot blond in my biology class at City College. She seemed unapproachable until I mentioned where I worked at night. Suddenly, she was interested. She said she wanted to join, but could not quite afford it with her new car payment. I just smiled as I thought of my plan.There were only a few guys finishing their circuits in the weight room and I heard a swimmer doing laps as I made a quick check of the place awaiting "my date". Leslie pulled up in her new Mustang, got out and walked towards the glass doors. Dressed in butt hugging shorts, and a tight belly exposing workout shirt, and hair pulled back in a ponytail that bounced back and forth as she opened the door and smiled. I was in heaven. With a grin that never left my face, I gave my goddess the tour. As we walked and talked, the steroid pumpers left, and the swimmer also seemed to have give up. It was all working out perfectly. A hot girl barely dressed, an empty playground, and my cock growing every minute. As we went room to room, I began to turn off some of the lights and machines. As we made our way over to the lockers I noticed the sauna light on. They always leave it on when they finished, but I peeked in the door window to make sure everyone was out." What is in there?", Leslie asked. We went silent as we peered through the steam at the couple..... "Would you like a back rub? I always do in the sauna. We can trade off if you like" His word seemed a bit weak and I ignored him saying, "I don't give back rubs" and laid my head down on the bench. I guess he thought that was his ok to proceed, and I felt his large hands on my back. I felt a bit strange as this big man I had never met put his hands on me and began to rub my shoulders, I lay there contemplating my options as he worked the muscles, it did feel good, but I was sure I didn't want to get involved with one of these muscle heads, or was I, the feelings from the massage were working more than to relax my muscles and his hands were beginning to work their way down my back. At first, it seemed innocent. It was just another gym dog chatting with a sexy swimmer. Leslie and I chuckled as we saw the disgusted look on her face as he sat closer to her and reached out to massage her back. We waited for her to turn, slap him and walk out... It never happened. To our surprise his hands seemed to work magic on her shoulders and her disgust melted away."Oh, that looks like it feels good" Leslie suggested as she looked back at me with pleading eyes. How could I resist her. I began to gently massage her shoulders as we continue to peek through the small window at the couple. Then it really got interesting. The man's hands slipped off her shoulders onto her back, then slid to her lower back. It was then that I began to notice her. She was slowly allowing herself to enjoy his hands. Just moments ago she laid still and rigid, now her body seemed to relax and invite his caress. The smile on his face and his growing erection told his story. At one point he used one hand to adjust and rub his stiffness under his speed. My mind returned to my own position behind Leslie. Her but brushed my cock as she adjusts her stance. It was then I notice her breathing, slow and heavy, just as if... yes it was true. Leslie was getting turned-on watching the couple massage. I decided to try to mimic the stranger's moves. His hand moved clockwise on her right shoulder... so did I. His hand ran down to the small of her back... so did mine. His dick stood straight up ... so did mine! Frank knew I was being crude and pushy, but couldn't think of a better way to GE my hands on her. I rubbed and massaged her shoulders, knowing that after a swim they would be tired and probably a little stiff. Speaking of stiff I was having that little problem myself in my tight speedometer bra straps were a bit in the way, but didn't make an issue of that. The part f her garments really wanted to touch covered that perfect ass, and I couldn take my eyes off her as I knelt on the lower bench while she aids on the top one, relaxing in the heat. At first, she was really tight, probably because of my very forward move in putting my hands on a stage lady. I was a good masseur and had worked in a ladies massage parlor before. I knew that ladies liked it just as much as men do. Much of the time they called for our treatment in their own place, and I had a massage table and equipment in my van all the time, and was always available for an appointment. Most of the time it ended with a complete massage, with the inside of their pussies getting much of the attention told the girl my name was Fans, and talked soothingly, as her muscles loosened and so did her attitude. She started to murmur her satisfaction and pleasure, and even spread her legs a little. How I wanted to work my way down there. But my cock got really hard, and I had to make an adjustment, so my hands were off her for a moment while I reached down.; Then they were on her lower back below her bra strap, and massaged her spine just barely grazing the top of her yellow bikini bottom, hoping she would let me work my way down farther sorry His hands continued to work their magic and I felt my muscles relax but more importantly I felt myself begin to feel aroused. It had been a long time since I had been with anyone, and I was feeling the need at this moment. I felt my legs open a little as my body relaxed, I felt his hands work their way down my back to the top of my bikini bottoms and then back to the string across my back, his fingers untied the tie and boldly pushed them aside as they slid mu to the tie at my neck and did the same, he reassured me this would make for a better message. I tensed a little but figured as long as I lay on my stomach what was the harm. I soon felt his hands work their way back down till then were at my bottoms, only this time he didn't stop but continued down to my thighs, as his hands worked past my ass to my thighs I felt his fingers slightly brush my crotch causing my level of arousal to increase, he continued to message up and down my thighs as his fingers would slip under the suit every once in a while as if testing the waters. Furthermore, I lay there and wondered just how far I would let this go... Frank She was just exquisite laying there, almost nude, with my hands on her. I managed to Ger the bras taps out of the way and worked her back, getting may hands down to that bikini bottom, which offered her very little coverage and protection. My eyes were glued on it, as Went below i't and rubber he occasionally on her low back and even her thighs, which had parted bit. I heard definite sounds of arousal as she moaned and sighed. Buty my own was really a problem in that tight suit. I was even poking out over the top, as I looked down and saw myself peeking. I wanted to get naked too, but couldn't just yet. I shifted down to her ankles. A swimmer uses her feet a lot, and the lower legs needed attention/ I started with the balls of her feet and toes, working each one in turn, and then the bottom of each foot. I started with the one nearest me, with her knee bent so it was in the air. I knew she liked it from the way she good at me and smiled when she looked at me, I knew she saw the top of my cock poking out to look at her too, but she didn't mention it - yet The problem came when I shifted to the other foot, on the side away from me. In order to reach it to work it well, she moved over toward me shifting to the edge of the bench. She rolled with her back to me, and while working the foot I had a clear view of her naked breast on that side. I wanted to massage it- with my mouth. It was perfect. Just delectable, but I worked the foot and was high enough to do it, so my hard cock was up against her other leg. As I moved my hands on her, my cock was rubbing her too, and getting even harder and bigger.Finally, I said "I'm sorry, I can't "handle a little problem very well would you mind if I just take it off?" He worked his way down to my feet and messaged them working me towards my side. I looked back once and saw he had a tremendous pardon. I turned back quickly and thought about the situation I was in. No I was nearly nude with a man I didn't know, and he was obviously aroused and not hiding it. He continued to message as he worked closer to me, his hardness rubbing against my leg. I lay there not really knowing what to do and not knowing if I should do anything when he made it clear what he wanted."I'm sorry, I can't "handle a little problem very well would you mind if I just take it off?" He said as I heard him stand and remove his speed without waiting for a reply. I turned and saw his huge member standing out as he stepped out of them. I opened my mouth more in surprise than anything else when he continued. 'I don't think I should be the only one naked do you?" I started to speak, but the words came out slow as I said,"I Don't... I mean" By this time he had approached and began to work my bottoms over my hips. Furthermore, I soon felt them slip over my toes and said, "Oh god" As I lay my head back down on the bench and I felt his hands on my back again... Fran Now that her bathing but was out of the way, I resumed massaging her legs. As I reached toward her lower calves, my loose cock rubbed against her naked butt. Each time I moved, it moved against her, and I got hornier than ever, but at least it wasn't confined OIN the speed now lying in a clump on the corner of the floor. The intense heat warmed my genitalia too, just as I wanted to warm hers. I massaged her Achilles tendon on her right leg, on the far side of her. Then I worked my way up to her knee, my cock still rubbing against her. It really felt nice, and I loved the sight of they beautiful naked body I was working on. I reached her thigh, and in order to massage t, I had to separate her legs. She didn't resist as I moved her left leg until it was down over the edge to the lower shelf where I kneeled. Now my cock was tight against it, as I massaged the right, and my left little finger was in her crotch each time I moved my hands up toward her waist. My fingers gave the thigh muscles a good massage, and then I was ready to do her left leg. I stood on the floor now, and had he kneel on the middle bench, as it was easier. Her knees were wide apart so I could get my hands around that perfect thigh, and this time my right hand got the treat on each upward stroke, as it was up against her ass. I started again on her shoulders as I was right behind her now instead of to the side. My cock was right up against her ass now as my fingers worked their magic on her. In fact, being erect, it was up between her legs and felt wonderful there as I stroked in and out of her crotch. It felt almost as good as actually being inside her as it was rubbing against her very private place. Soon it was time, and I suggested that she turn around and lie on her back. So I could do her front properly. His message worked its way up my thighs till I felt him pressing his manhood against my crotch, moving it against me, I knew by now he could feel my wetness and was pretty sure he was going to have his way with me. I felt him rub his hard penis against me as my legs moved slightly apart to let it split my lips ever so slightly. I was at a point I wanted him so bad and was ready to do what he asked, and he soon let me know what he wanted. He had me turn around so I faced him, which I did my face flushed form the heat and the excitement as he positioned himself in front of me... Frank She turned and stood in front of me, totally naked. Her arms were at her side, waiting for me. I had expected her to take a position on the bench, hopefully face up. But she just turned around and faced me and looked at me expectantly had already rubbed her pussy lips with my cock, so there was no question what I had in mind, so I had to assume her taking these steps, one at a time. Was her assent. I reached out my arms and took her into them, hugged her, and kissed her."God, you are exquisite!", I exclaimed laid her down flat on the lower bench. I knelt and kissed her again, and then kissed her neck and shoulders. My hand trailed over her tummy and breasts, circling her nipples, one at a time. My tongue searched her mouth and she reached and took my cock in her hand and massaged it while I kissed my way down to those lovely breasts and gently sucked each one, licking the nipple while she sighed and giggled a bit from the delicious tickling I gave her My right hand was now on her pubis and her legs spread for me. She got the beginning of her "special" massage, as my finger entered her and searched for her G spot. As we kissed, her hips bucked in response to my penetration. I looked at her and she at me, with passion in our eyes. I knew she wanted me As I stood he took me into his arms and lay me on the bench as he kissed me. His mouth covered mine then began to work lower as his hands squeezed my breasts. He soon worked his mouth to my breast as his hand found its way to my crotch and his finger entered my split lips. I wrapped my small hand around his large shaft and began to slide it gently up and down the rigid shaft, my finger just touching as my hand wrapped around it. As I moved my hand up and down I felt him get harder, and I let my fingers slip over the head, my index finger rubbing against the slit and the tip of the swollen head. He soon worked another finger into my wet pussy and began to move in and out with them as my hips began to buck against his manipulations and my hand returned to the shaft and began to work faster and faster till his manhood stop out hard and straining as if it would burst... Franker pussy was nice and wet from the foreplay of the massage. I was faced with a big decision, both choices equally enticing. Whether to go down and taste her, which I greatly wanted to do, or to go back up and kiss her mouth and mount her, which I wanted to do even more-that was the question. I solved it by deciding to do both. With her hand still fondling my cock and feeling wonderful, I kissed my way down where my finger was, and kissed her pussy lips, and licked her. I'd have loved to just move completely down between her legs and work my tongue in and out and all over her, but space was a problem, and I liked having her play with me at the same time, so I licked as best I could and got a nice taste of her sweetness. Then the other alternative overwhelmed me to the point where I couldn't wait any longer. After tasting her pussy I had to have my cake and eat it too, but in reverse order. I now kissed her mouth again and shared her taste with her with my tongue, as I positioned myself right at her entrance. Her little hand guided me there, and she pulled me to her as she bucked up her hips to invite me in. We looked into each other's eyes as I gently entered her. My big cock loved the wet warmth, and she felt wonderful to me as we mated there in the hot sauna Minutes passed and the couples actions became more and more sexual. I continued to mimic the man's actions and Leslie continued to let me. Suddenly her breathing stopped and she gasped. I looked back up at the action and saw the change. There stood the couple, him naked with his penis pointing toward his hot partner as he slid her suit off. Laying back down the massage took a turn as her hands reached for his member and his for her sex. We continued our trance and silently watched the couple as they explored each other. His hands disappearing between her spread legs finding her wet pink folds; her petite hands wrapped around his thick engorged shaft and stroking him towards her waiting pussy. I became lost in the scene and so did Leslie. Without any words, Leslie pushed her ass back and slowly rubbed my manhood. The thin clothing that covered my penis stretched as it took full form and responded to her. In a split second, her ass gave way to her hand as she reached back, still looking forward, and quickly pulled my cock out and over the waistband of my shorts and pumping it into the seam of the fabric that ran down her ass. With that as an invitation, My hands went to work freeing her firm breasts and pulling her top up and over her head in one smooth motion. Her nipples stood out excited and hard as my fingers gently tugged at them from behind. Still no words were spoked, as if we spoke, we would wake up from this erotic dream. All that was heard was our breathing that now sounded as if we were about to finish our first mile on the track. My hands continued to massage her tits as one hand ran downward over her perfect abs to the spandex line at her waist. What I did not realize is that her hand was already there rubbing her own pussy from the outside of her tight shorts. Leslie felt my hand and responded by pulling her waistband away from her skin and allowing me access to her waiting panty-less sex. Her skin was smooth, freshly shaven and drenched with her own juices. Her breathing picked up as I rolled my fingers over her lips and found her huge clit waiting to be touched. Although I could not see it, her button felt bigger than I have ever experienced. It most of been nearly an inch long and pushed her lips apart asking attention. After less than a minute Leslie quickly broke her grasp on my cock and pulled her shorts off. Talking her cue, I did the same. Then, without a look back, without one word, she regained her same position, slowly pumping my cock into the crack of her ass and staring quietly through the steamy window at the couple inside who continued their own story of lust... He bent down and licked my pussy a couple of times before bringing his lips to mine as he positioned his body between my legs. I guided his manhood to my wet hole, and he slid in as he held his large muscular upper body above my small one with his arms out straight in front of him and slid into me. I slid my hands to his huge shoulders and gripped them as he filled me. Furthermore, I could feel my nails dig into the muscled flesh as he began to rock in and out of me. Furthermore, I moaned in pleasure as he filled me again and again spurring him to and increased tempo, his large body driving into me harder, I slid my thighs over his large muscular ones, our bodies slick with sweat as he continued to fill me. Frank This girl was a total delight. I didn't even know her name, but I had never been with anyone more enticing and more desirable. She met every thrust and made me feel just as wanted as I was wanting her. The chemistry between us was perfect. We seemed to be a great fit, physically and emotionally as we mated. I looked into her eyes and she in mine, and she pulled my face down for another kiss as I went in and out and in again. She held me tight as she started to whimper and then emitted a huge shriek as she started to cum. I let go my load too and shot deeply within her as we continued to enjoy the last few strokes of a climax together. Leslie's breathing had gave way to small moans as the naked strangers before us sucked, licked and caressed with wild abandonment. The body builder had positioned himself between the petite swimmers legs, his rod pointing straight to her sex. She wanted him now and wrapped her hand around him and guided his penis into her slick hole. He began to pump furiously, which she seemed to love. We could hear her screams of pleasure as he pounded his body into hers. My own fingers were knuckled deep between the folds of Leslie's pussy as she humped my hand, still no words. I could feel her juices on the tip of my penis as she continued to rub herself with it from behind. As the couple switched positions and continued their aggressive sex, Leslie pushed back hard against my cock and lifted one leg and sat her foot on the bench next to the door. My removed my grasp of her body, shifted my weight and thrust forward. Her hand helped guide my thick cock into her hot waiting pussy and in one motion every inch had sunk in deep. Leslie gasped, not prepared for all of me, but then let go and responded by bucking her hips in sync with mine. She fell forward, her hands on each side of the door window held her steady as I slammed into her in time with the two strangers."Oh, yes... fuck me .......yes..... fuck me!" Those were the first words she had said since we had stopped at the sauna door. They were all I wanted to hear and all I needed to know!...... I began to feel the first waves of orgasm begin, I had never been able to come so quick before, I let out a shrank as I came and felt him stiffen and come deep inside of me. I felt him empty load after load as I gripped his muscular shoulders tight, and he pushed deep inside of me. Furthermore, I felt him pull out as the come leaked out running down my ass as he sat back on his heels looking down at my wide open pussy, seeming proud of his accomplishment. Furthermore, I lay there a moment catching my breath and heard noises outside the door, I grabbed my towel quickly to cover myself as it sounded like someone was outside the door making love. Frank felt the scratches on my back where her fingernails had dug in as she came so violently. We needed a rest, so I swung off her and looked at the little window in the door. There were two faces peering in at us, but right now they seemed involved in something else. I held hands with my lover, and asked her for a date tomorrow night. I asked her name and where she lived, and told her how happy I was to meet her, and that I really wanted to see her again "Cum in me! Fuck... shoot it all up inside me! YES!" Leslie continued her demands as I pumped into her from behind, never taking our eyes off the sexy couple inside the sauna. I felt my balls fill with Leslie's load. We watched as the strangers' bodies began to shake, and the muscle-bound man heaved his body forward one last time, the swimmer's eyes closed, head fell back, mouth wide open gasping for air as their orgasm overcame them. This made Leslie crazy as she yelled her demands even louder and bucked her hips as I sank as deep as her body would allow, pushing the limits of soft walls. Our couple relaxed their hold on each other, and he pulled his spent penis from her gaping hole. Cum rushed out of her pussy and slide down her ass and on to the bench below. The sight was too much. Leslie's body tensed as a huge orgasm hit us both. What felt like gallons of cum came rushing upward from my body and into the warmth of Leslie's. Her demands stopped, her breathing stopped, I felt out a loud low moan and shot the thick milky juice deep inside her pussy. We froze in an embrace and for the first time we closed our eyes from the view. After a few moments, not sure just how long it was, we caught our breath and peeked into the window once more. Our couple was still sitting next to each other and talking as if all was normal. I felt our combined cum dripping from her folds down my shaft, balls and legs. I slowly released my hold and pulled my slick cock from her weak grasp. Furthermore, I heard cum hit the floor as she turned and smiled. For the first time I looked into her eyes and kissed her passionately. Our kiss was broken by the sound in the distance. It sounded like pounding. The front door perhaps? I swore I had locked it so it was of no concern. But the pounding continued. Worried that something may be wrong, I realized I had to go check." Listen, I have to check this out. I will be right back. You can shower if you like over there.""OK, but hurry," she said.------I could not believe it. Some guy was demanding to be let in. I told him that we were closed, and I was about to go home. He was pissed and for a moment I thought he was going to break the glass door. I just walked away and soon he did too. When I got back to the sauna, Leslie was not there. I walked over to the showers, the locker room, the weight room... nothing. I went back to the sauna to check on our couple and looked in. There she was... Frankie opened the door. He was gone, but we invited her in to join us. She sat on the bench opposite us and just relaxed with a smile on her face. We knew she had just been fucked. Her legs were spread a little and there was cum all over her crotch. I was entranced, and just couldn't resist. With my limp cock having been well drained it was useless to me, but my tongue was hanging out, and I went to my knees in front of Leslie, and started eating her out. I licked her pussy as her legs spread wide apart and she sat back. My love partner sat and watched, aghast, with her mouth open in surprise. After a few licks I turned to her and asked if she wanted a taste too ... Yes there she was sitting on the bench opposite the couple we had just watched for the last hour. She was still naked, and I could swear I saw my cum still dripping from her cunt as she just sat there with her legs open for them to see. No mind you, this was our first date! My mind is reeling from the events that have happened so far. I mean not every day does a 21-year-old college student get to bang the hottest girl on campus, but bang her while watching two perfect bodies fuck each other silly at my work! And now... I was about to open the door and find out just what was going to happen next, when mister muscle stood up and began to walk towards Leslie. No mind you, I work at the gym and I work out almost every day, but this guy had about 50 pounds on me and chiseled! His dick had shrunk but still swung in front of his massive thighs slick with the swimmers juices. He knelt in front of Leslie reached out with his tongue and began to lick her pussy clean. She looked down at his shaved head and watched her kicker. My first thought was 'hey that is my spunk' and was kinda grossed out. But I remember the last time I ate a girl after I had come inside her and I loved it! My dick rose watching her grab his bald head with both hands shoving it in between her thighs. But she wasn't watching him anymore, she was looking at the swimmer. I glanced over to see our swim-girl with a few fingers stuffed into her twat and sucking on her fingers. She then switched hands and sucked the cum mixture off her fingers and shoved her clean fingers deep in her folds. Leslie's began to moan loud enough for me to hear through the thick walls. Suddenly her kicker stopped and turned to say something to swim-girl. She stood up and took his place between Leslie's legs and began to slowly kiss her trimmed pussy. Leslie really began to moan now. The next act was clear. He stood stroking his growing cock watching the fun. I noticed the penis looked just like the rest of his body. It was not as long as mine but thick as hell! It was as IT lifted weights too! He stepped on the bench and stuck his cock towards Leslie's face. She grabbed it eagerly with one hand, but realized she needed both to control his monster. She pumped him in and out of her mouth stopping every few strokes to pull out and suck his hairless balls. My own cock was hard as nails and I found myself with my shorts around my ankles and slowly stroking in amazement. Leslie popped his cock out of her mouth and even though I couldn't hear her it was easy to read her lips, "FUCK ME PLEASE!" The swimmer stood and kissed Leslie sharing her juices. Leslie then lay down, and he took his place between her legs guiding his thick meat into her waiting cunt. She screamed out in pleasure as he entered her, stretching her even more than I had. He slowly began to fuck her. The swimmer was due for some pleasure for herself and straddled Leslie's face and lower her sex just close enough for Leslie to lick her clit and the folds of her shaved pussy. She then kneaded down into a 69 position and licked Leslie's clit as she was fucked by the stranger. This was too much! My date was being fucked by the Hulk as she ate a hot swimmer pussy, who in turn licked both Leslie's clit and the Hulk's thick cock as is pi stoned in and out! What about me? I quickly tore off my clothes, opened the door, and took place behind the swimmer. In one swift motion I slide all 9 inches deep inside her pussy and pumped in time with the stranger." It is about time," the swimmer screamed. "No fuck me!" As the bodybuilder began to work on the young coed I sat and watched until I became aroused again. I soon found myself straddling the girl face as he fucked into her with his thick cock. I was becoming quite aroused when another man walked into the sauna and positions himself behind me. Furthermore, I feel him slide his long hard member deep inside of me with one swift movement, filling me deeper than I had been before. He begins to slide in and out of me with long strokes as I bend down and lick the girls clit as she is doing for me. I soon find myself licking the cock sliding in and out of her. The bodybuilder takes the cue and begins to slide it from her pussy into my mouth and then back to her pussy again, all the while the guy behind me is slamming into me harder and harder. Frank stepped aside to let my swimmer girl have her taste of Leslie. She accepted the invitation and dove right in, clearly making herself right at home eating that well-fucked pussy. Then the door opened and the face that I'd seen through the little window re-appeared I went to Leslie's mouth and got my cock inserted and again brought to its arousal, especially when he put his cock to my lover's pussy, and entered her. The four of us were now in a tangle. I smiled at the guy and held out my hand and shook his, introducing myself as Frank "Frank" he said his name was. I grunted out "Ryan" and continued to slide my cock into our lovely swimmer. Furthermore, I could feel Leslie's tongue on my balls and then her lips as she sucked them both into her warm mouth. With my cock in a wet pussy and my balls in another mouth, I was not sure if I could hold on any longer. It all felt so wonderful and once again I could feel the pressure building. I could see that Franks was close too. The girls cry of passion muffled, but still very loud and erotic." Oh shit," shouted Frank. He threw his head back and hips forward." Oh yea, oh fuck yea. I am coming too," I grunted. Leslie released my nuts as my orgasm hit. I could feel my cum oozing out of her sex as I pumped again and again. The milky white juice flowed down my balls and into Leslie's waiting mouth. After her first taste she became aggressive. She pulled my cock out and sucked it clean and then locked her lips on the swimmer's hole and drank from her both my and Frank's cum. It was an amazing sight as she devoured every drop without releasing her hold. I stepped back and leaned against the wall in awe. Remains of my own orgasm dripped from my tip, my cock still hard, stood proudly in front of me as I watched. Leslie looked up at me with her beautiful blue eyes. Her mouth, chin and neck covered in the sex juice mixture. She smiled. I knelt down, our eyes locked, and we kissed... for the very first time! IOC: May I join?IC:She unlocked the side door and entered closing it behind her. This time of night, the 24-hour gym was supposed to be open but seldom was. The employees were constantly closing it down due to the lack of people in there, but a few members to the gym had keys to enter the side door and that was fine by Brenda. The young Burnett liked having the gym to herself so she could concentrate on her workout. Walking to the changing room she paused hearing something in the sauna. Blinking she peeked and then hurried on her way. Someone was having a more. Interesting form of exercise. It wasn't any of her business, unless of course she was invited. But she went and changed into her workout clothing long lean legs and tithing off her running shoes. A few laps to warm up before doing her workout, usually after she'd relax a little in the sunny, but that would seem to depend on if everyone was ... done... with the room. Our first kiss... Wow. I would never imagine how erotic and sensual our first kiss would be. Nor would I have predicted it would taste like cum! Her lips were so soft and gentle as we all just signed in the afterglow of what was by far the best sexual experience of my life. As we untangled, I glanced around the room and towards the window. Something clicked in my head, but I was not sure exactly what it was. I returned my attentions to Leslie's lips. Then suddenly it hit me. I had turned the lights out in the gym, leaving only the security lamps on. Now however, a bright light shone in through the window. Someone else was in the gym! Shit. I hated to leave our little party, but I could not afford to lose my job. Frank was quietly speaking to the swimmer as they caressed each other. I whispered to Leslie that I had to check the doors and turn off the lights, but I will be back again. She smiled and said not to be long. She reached out with her lips again and sent a chill through my body with her sensuality. I closed the door behind me. I did not want to alarm them, but I feared the owner had come by and wondered why several cars where parked outside, yet all the lights were out. Damn! I just knew I was going to lose my job. I pulled my shorts and shirt on, slipped into my running shoes and wiped my face off with a towel. The doors were still locked and there was none in the office. I switched on the security camera screens to search the rest of gym. One by one the screens flickered on and shown empty rooms. Then she appeared. In the large weight room a small two lane track encompassed the entire area. A lone figure ran gracefully around the vast machines and free weights. She looked familiar, but he could not remember her name. Her brown hair pulled back into a flowing ponytail, long legs with great strides, full breasts held firm and bounced only slightly as she paced the track. Had she seen them? What should he say? Will she inform the management? He was not sure. One thing he did know is that he had to go talk to her. He had to make sure she did not ruin his perfect gig. As I ran down the steps toward the weight room I thought what I should say... what should I do? The answer was easy. I will do whatever it takes, what ever she wants. To keep my job, I will do anything for her... anything! She jogged steadily on the treadmills with a Walkman over her ears focused on her running when someone came down, oh so this was the reason they were closed! I recognized the employee, he spent a lot of time ogling the pretty girls that often times regular the place. She knew of a couple still pretty but not 'perfect' figure girls that googled him, but he is like most males never noticed. She shook random thoughts out of her head and pulled off the headphones "Thought you were busy with your friends in the sauna" she said simply and his eyes about popped, oh... he thought she was going to rat about his little fun and games she laughed at his expression and waved him off as she ran long strides "Buddy don't worry about me saying nothing. I have my member's key, I'm just here to do my workout."though the thoughts of what they must have been doing, erotic images in her mind to go with the music still playing from her Walkman. Hell it has been ages since she had any time to really consisted getting laid. Between work and responsibilities the only are time she had was her visits to the gym. She watched him hair tossed and smelling of sweat and sex. By the time I reached the weight room she had jumped on a treadmill. She looked forward focused on her task with a pair of headphones filling her head with incentive to run. She was gorgeous. Furthermore, she ran with grace, smooth and effortlessly. Her ponytail bounced gently side to side with her stride... left, right, left, right.... Without losing step, she removed her headset and turned as I approached." Thought you were busy with your friends in the sauna" she said. My expression must have given away my fear of getting caught." Buddy don't worry about me saying nothing. I've got my member's key, I'm just here to do my workout."" Is there anything I can get for you? A towel or water? Do you want me to turn on the video screens?" I offered. She looked towards me once again, still she continued running. I tried to make my eyes avert her glistening firm body. I continued my offer, "Really, I appreciate it, so if there is anything at all. You name it." Jogging still she just smiled a little and shrugged "Whatever you want, don't really wish to take you from your exercise program" she grinned and then got off the mill stretching her legs she looked up at him from a seated position on the floor her legs parted wide and looked him over at the new angle "Maybe I'll join you later" she grinned half joking half serious. The thoughts of the little group sent erotic images to mind. All of which sounded perfect to the busy undersexed woman. Frank continued to try to get me to agree to go out with him or at least tell him my name, but I liked our little game and decided to play more. I looked at him as I wrapped the towel around myself and picked up my discarded suit and said. I'll be here again tomorrow at this time if you are interested you can show up, and maybe you can bring your friend. Furthermore, I walked out the door and to the women's locker room leaving him and Leslie in the room alone. Furthermore, I knew he would be there the next night and wondered if he would be too wore out from his next conquest as I saw him enter the gym as I slipped out the front door. "Whatever you want, don't really wish to take you from your exercise program" she grinned and then got off the treadmill sat on the carpeted floor and began stretching her legs. Her legs parted wide, "Maybe I'll join you later". She acted so innocent, yet seductive. She seemed to talk in code offering him hope, but then not and then offering hope again. Was she toying with him? Or was she unsure of her own desires? My mind flashed back to the sauna. I felt a rush of confidence since my recent experience and the idea of getting fired vanished." Here at least let me help you. You got to make sure you stretch the back of your legs good, or you will cramp up bad." I stepped forward offering my hands as a cradle for her foot. She looked at me intently, studying me as if trying to understand if she can trust me. "No really, I do this all the time. It really gets a good stretch on your muscle and all you have to do is breath. I do all the work. Now lay down, keep one leg on the floor and raise the in the air and place your foot in my hand." Her face soften and she followed my instructions. I knelt down on one knee, placed her foot next to my head with her calf on my shoulder and chest. I held her knee to ensure it was slightly flexed, and my other hand rested on her thigh for support. Slowly and gently, I moved her leg forward until it pointed straight to the ceiling and held position. Still holding her knee in place, my other hand massaged the back of her thigh releasing the tension with every touch."Oh, yea. I can feel that stretch." Her eyes closed as she commented. "Damn, I didn't realize I was that tight." My eyes glanced downward. Her tight shorts had molded to her body and clearly defined the folds of her sex. I felt my cock twitch back to life and began to grow towards the hem of my shorts. Feeling the air hit the tip I knew my manhood would be visible if she opened her eyes. "OK, let's switch. Other leg." With her eyes still closed and her breathing steady, I moved to the side, secretly adjusting my penis and turned my energy and focus to the other limb. I returned to the sauna the next night as promised and was surprised to find both men from the night before sitting therewith smiles on their faces and nothing else. I was both shocked and pleasantly surprised. Frank What a surprise! I never expected to see her again, but here she is! Reno and I were sitting there chatting and wondering if she would show up, but neither of us really thought she would. She stepped in and took off a short little robe, displaying that cute naked body we had played with last night. She sat down between USD, after giving each of us a nice kiss. I still didn't know her name, but this time I hoped to find out who she is and get to know her even better. Reno had to pull a double shift, but that was OK. I had to be here tonight just to see if she would come back. I went through the gym, turned down lights that were in areas that were not needed. Only a few people remained in different areas of the gym. I wondered if they would leave before 'she" got here. My thoughts briefly go out to Leslie. She said she was finishing a paper tonight. I wonder if she is thinking about me... As I round the corner, I see Frank lifting weights, although you can tell his mind was else where. His gaze flooded the room, in search for our yellow bikini. I stopped to say 'hey'. He seemed surprised, but then relaxed. We confessed that we were both here for the same reason. I felt a little out of place. Frank was really the main man with our sexy siren, remembering I had Leslie. I wondered if I should just sit on the sidelines for this one. Just as I was about to retire to my desk in the front, she walked past us and stepped into the locker room. Frank and I both ran through the other door of the locker room and met her just as she opened the door. She smiled sweetly and turned away to set down her towel. In two seconds, Frank and I removed out t-shirts and shorts and stood before her in just our skin. She turned, licked her lips and slowly removed her robe revealing her waiting naked body... I had spent the day thinking about tonight and was more than ready when I saw the two of them, I sat between them and let my hand fall to their rapidly hardening members. Each of their hands went immediately to my breasts as I began to lightly rub their pardons with my hands. I felt a mouth against my ear as another mouth found my mouth... Rose sat between us, gently working her hands over each of our growing dicks. I watched as she studied both slabs of flesh as she massaged them to life. Frank's hands found her breasts and began to roll a nipple with his finger and thumb. I sat still. Watching her hand on my penis. She looked up as did I. Our eyes met briefly. I leaned forward and softly kissed her moist lips. Looking deep, I whispered, "Who are you?".... Frank She was just as cute and as delectable as I remembered from last night, and thought about till I fell asleep-then dreamt about till I awakened She kissed Reno, and then and turned and kissed me, with a little tip of her tongue. She pulled away and said "who is first? As I rubbed the two growing members I turned toward who Ryan kissed me as Frank rubbed my breast." Who are you?" he asked as we broke the kiss, smiling devilishly I whispered, "whoever you want me to be" as I turned to be met by Franks lips."who is first? I asked as I started to kiss my way down Franks large chest working my way to his hard manhood. I felt Ryan's hands on my hips and turned, so I was on my knees facing away from him as my mouth dropped to Franks hard manhood.... Frank sat back and relaxed and enjoyed the feel of this mystery girl sucking my cock. She hadn't done this last night, but I knew she liked oral sex, from the way she reacted when I ate her out last night, and then accepted my invitation to do Leslie, and watching her was a real turn on was quite intrigued with her mystery, not telling us her name or anything about her, but she was a great lover and I wanted her on whatever terms she would have me, including sharing her with others Right now Reno was behind he, and working her in one of her holes, I pointy know which one and didn't care. She was getting it from both ends and coming and going as they say and we are all glad she had come tonight, and knew she'd be coming a lot more before the night was over Ryan As she turned and presented her ass to me, my cock had a mind of its own and pointed at her wet open pussy. Furthermore, she engulfed Frank's manhood as I pierced her hot pussy. As I sucked frank deep into my mouth I felt hands on my hips as Ryan slid his long member into my already wet pussy, filling me as he drove in deep. I began to suck harder as he moved his shaft back and forth against me. I ground into him allowing him to sink deep as I began to work Franks hard on deeper into my mouth til it pressed against the back of my throat, then letting it slide back all the while keeping the head in me. Ryan looked down at an amazing ass. Her tan skin tight and flexed as she bounced backwards onto my hard pole. I held her hips with each hand guiding her and matching her thrust for thrust. I exposed her puckered hairless hole, pulling her cheeks apart. Below it, her pink stretched lips held my shaft and coated it with her slippery fluid each time it disappeared with her. With one hand I reached down and ran my fingers around her entrance, pulled my now wet fingers upward and tasted her sweet nectar. Heavenly! I reached down yet again to retrieve more of her tasty juices and again licked my digits clean. On my third reach I trailed my slick fingers over her skin and circled her anus covering it with her own sweet lube. I dip one finger into her tight circle and a long low moan escapes her cock-filled mouth. I release my grip on her hips and pull myself from her sex, but replacing my penis with my eager mouth. My lips her pussy, kissing it softly, taking her between my teeth and nipping gently at her folds. My tongue finds her clit which sends an orgasm through her body and floods my mouth with her delicious juice. I suck her pussy until my mouth is filled with her orgasmic fluids, then, lifting my head, I kiss her anal hole and open my mouth releasing her tasty lube. My tongue darts into her anus opening the tight entrance and allowing moisture in, on and around. Her moans are constant and get louder as my head bounces back and forth between her two inputs, my tongue dancing around and into each, my lips kissing both. She releases the cock from her lips and screams for air as her second orgasm hits her with full force. Her words you can not understand, but her body says she wants more...

Coed Sauna|rating:2.0

Sanguinis ligatus (Enkil + FulMetlSlakr)

Liam stood alone on the deck of the Amaranthiane. There were other vessels in their fleet but the Amaranthiane stood head and shoulders above the rest. Most city states didn't boast a complete Navy, not even the human supremacy techno-unions. Liam enjoyed the time he spent at sea and the journey they currently undertook stood as a sore reminder that it might be quite some time before he looked out over the open waves again. It was pitch black save for the moon and starts, but he could just as well here as if the sun were shining. When he was born, his eyes were blue but now, after the process he'd trained for, for his whole life was complete, Liam's eyes glowed yellow. Some found it unnerving and many would've approached him at all. The wind that rolled in off the waves made his blond hair dance behind him. It was the sensation he enjoyed and the reason why he'd taken down in the first place. The wind was cold, but Liam had been in colder places and his jacket had a fleece and wool lining that kept him warm. They told Lima that he'd be going home, but that was only true when one view the world form their eyes. He'd been taken from that place and his mother at the tender age of five. The city state kingdom of Sanguine ligates was just a distant whisper. In the modern tongue it meant Bound by Blood. Sanguine ligates was the only place on earth, both before and after the fall of human civilization, where humans and vampire kind lived in harmony. That was the sales pitch version for diplomatic relations. By all accounts, even within his vague memories of a tender age boy, Sanguine ligates was not harmonious. While the process that Liam had been through had altered him drastically, he was still human. He had been born, he'd live for a while, through much longer than average, and one day he would eventually die. He had mixed feeling about returning to Sanguine ligates. Furthermore, he'd be twenty years a complete stranger and if he found so much as a single hair out place on his mother's head, the hell that would be paid would know no limits. And he'd start wither. Everything else be damned. His arrival would marks the beginning of changes, and he did not welcome them all." Prince Liam..." Starting with that one."...your father requires you attend him below decks." Liam gathered his hair to tie back as he followed the crewman below. By all accounts his father held the title of king but things in Sanguine ligates were not always what people expected. Their royals were always one vampire and one human as the law required that a balance be maintained between kindred and kine. Liam had been born the bastard son of a servant woman, Myriam McMaster's. Bastard though he maybe, a royal bastard he remained, and his father had or was in the process of seeing Liam legitimized. The fine details were not shared with him. As official royals went, none of them had surnames. Prince Liam was a new twist and one that he didn't care for." Your majesty. The legitimacy of your son was never truly in question. Blood begets blood, but the law must be followed to the letter. A physical document, bearing your seal must be delivered to the ministry of records who must inform the queen before it could be made so." The chamberlain explained." The law was never in question Lord Chamberlain." King Cillian admitted. Liam, his father, two royal guard, a single crewman and his Lord Chamberlain were all that was present here." Yes. And by all accounts every runner we dispatched has been killed for failed to report back. We have no reason to believe her majesty has been informed of anything." The Chamberlain complained." Not all Lord Chamberlain. Only the ones that I told you about." Cillian admitted." It doesn't matter!" the Chamberlain spat, "Blood equality will never-"Liam had muttered a small incantation as he fathers spoke his last statement. His right arm flashed out toward the Chamberlain. In his hand was a blade made of pure light. It passed through the chamberlain with ease, and he crumbled into ashes a moment later. The Lord Chamberlain's treachery had been known for months. His father had decided to make use of him one final time. As far as her majesty was concerned, the fleet would not arrive home for another two weeks. The Chamberlain was not a navigator and being vampire kind, dared not venture above desk while the sun still shined."Thank you, Liam. This has been a trying time for all of us and I for one, am bloody thrilled to be shod of that weasel of a man. No one will ever speak of the events that have just transpired here." The king commanded." Yes your Majesty." Liam returned to the deck of the Amaranthiane. The sun was up by now and the port could be seen off in the distance. It was skin low in the sky again before he stood before the royal court of their majesties to be recognized as 'Prince' Liam. Sanguine ligates was not his home but for good or for ill, he was a citizen of the kingdom. In a land far to the east, in a frozen tundra east of a country that used to be known as Russia, there was a bunker made of reinforced concrete and graphite infused solar panels. That was the place Liam called home. Just north of that bunker was a let line that Liam trained on for years and where he learned to harness some of the mystic arts. Humans were not meant to occupy let lines for such a length of time. It alters him, starting with his eyes and the rest of him as well. Humans who were taller than six feet were rare and Liam was taller than them and wider in the shoulders too. Faster, stronger, more agile, more durable, his father put a tender age boy in the hands of men who aimed to mold him into a weapon. One capable of living inside human flesh and bone while able to lock horns with supernatural threats, especially vampire kind and make corpses along the way. They succeed and as far as Liam was concerned, his home or not, there would be blood equality for humans or there would be civil war. Beyond that Liam was certain his royal father would find a measure of disappointment somewhere. Liam was no one's puppet." Newly Legitimized. The natural-born son and heir to King Cillian. His Royal Highness. Who holds the naval rank of Commander and serves Sanguine ligates as Executive Officer of her flagship Amaranthiane. Prince Liam of the frozen tundra." Liam entered the hall where court was held and thus committed his first act of defiance. The herald had been instructed to announce him as a naval officer. Liam had been provided a uniform for which to attend court. Instead, he word what he had been wearing that day. His coat was made of leather, black and brown and stretched down to mid-calf. The wool lining had been removed as the inland did not have the same chill that the deck of that the flagship created. His pants and his boots were made of black leather as well. His shirt was white linen and the same style that every man in Sanguine ligates wore. With the goofy cuffs and collar and the laces down the V-neck line. Liam had removed the laces and let the neck hang open. It showed off his chest." Commander, you appear to be out of uniform." her majesty commented." At 17:45 local time, I turned the crew of the Amaranthiane to on shore leave. I believe your majesty was still in slumber at that time. The voyage home from the tundra was long. My sailors could use with a bit of rest."" This court will stand suspended and be cleared until such time as my husband and I can confer with advisors." She looked livid. Liam couldn't be happier. Off to the side was a room for members of the royal family to occupy whenever court was suspended. After the introduction the herald had given him Liam waltzed right in as if he owned the place, part of him did. He stopped just inside the door and examined the contents before he removed his coat and hung it up. He'd seen them before, when he was small. The red and black hair had been a unique feature he hadn't soon forgotten. The same seed that had given him life had given them life too. A fact that had not stopped his loins form stretching itself a bit. The way they were dressed was appealing and not just a little bit. One of them seemed afraid or fascinated by him and Liam let his eyes rake over her form as her had done to him." Well. What's your name, sweetheart." Alyssa and Sunny were born minutes apart though Alyssa is the elder. That never stopped their mother hating her for whatever reason the damned woman had in her head. No, Sunny was her favorite and she was not shy about flaunting that for not only the kingdom but for any of the world that cared to watch. She treated her eldest daughter as though a monstrous little beast. The jade eyed beauty was only too happy to oblige the woman she hated with every fiber of her being. Her mother would call her Monster or Beast while talking to others. She can't even remember the last time the Queen said her name. Her father treats her well enough, but has started ignoring her. After all, the Queen has been increasingly difficult when it comes to their eldest child, having fits of rage any time the King would be kind to their child. Sunna has led a much different life so far. Born an empath, she is physically identical to her twin in every aspect save the emerald shade of her eyes. Personality wise, they are very different. She is soft and sweet, a people pleaser in many ways. Not at all a fan of conflict. The Queen has been certain that her favorite has been trained to be a proper Princess. Taught to navigate politics and attend parties when they are. Instructed in culture. Knowing many forms of dance. Talented with musical instruments. She is usually found trying to soothe tensions between her mother and twin sister.... or found writhing with her sister's face buried between her thighs. Which only increases the bad blood between parent and child. Though their father seems surprisingly indifferent to such activities. She could swear that she saw him grin at her sister once when he caught them before walked right back out. Both girls look extremely similar. Both stand at five feet four inches tall, shorter than their father of course and only two inches taller than their mother. Their skin is pale and perfect, like porcelain. Plump, kissable cherry red lips. Long straight hair falls to their asses and is both crimson and black in color. The colors streaked together so well it is hard to tell which color is dominant. Their bodies are slim but toned. Nimble fingers end in well maintained nails. Both have green eyes only they are different shades. Jade for Alyssa and emerald for Sunny. The look in their eyes also tended to set them apart as one was more wild and willful while the other was more soft and kind. They knew that today would be a mess, would be difficult. Their father had given a warning, but had been more than vague on details. Their mother had been furious. They didn't ask questions. In the room set aside for their family while court was suspended, they get to meet the reason their mother was in such a mood and their father had been vague. The twins are dressed in black overbust corsets with blood-red laces. Black floor length skirts with slits up to their hips on both sides. The new heir's presence is greeted with fascinated curiosity from one and hostility from the other. Lyssa nearly growled as he dared look stepsister in a way she has seen other men look at her twin. She hated it and always wanted to tear them apart. She could sense her twin wishing her to calm. So she gave in to Sunny's want So instead of sinking fangs into the interloper's throat, she stepped up behind her sister. Chin resting on Sunny's shoulder, Alyssa slipped her right hand into the slit of her twin's skirt and massaged her rather bold and brazenly. A smirk upon her lips, her sweet sister blushing darkly, she speaks in a rather sinful voice. "She is Sunny and I am Alyssa. Welcome home." They seemed unbothered by his appearance and apart from his eyes, Liam looked every bit as human on the surface as anyone else. He hadn't been completely honest with his father about the capacity of those glowing yellow orbs that occupied his skull. He could see as well at night as he could during the day. It was true, but that's all Liam was willing to cop to in front of the old man, or anyone else. These two were vampire kind and if Liam hadn't known that since he was a boy, it would've been easy enough to see. Breath and heartbeats gave humans a sort of subtle movement that Liam had learned to pickup on. Vampire kind experienced both as well, just not in equal measure. Their breath and heartbeats came when excited or experiencing pleasure. They moved air with their lungs in order to produce speech as well, but beyond that most were as still as the grave. Liam watched as Alyssa's hand slid inside the split of Sunny's skirt, far enough to reach her inner thigh and her reaction to being touched. She reminded him of Persephone. Despite the extreme isolation he fathers had put him through, Liam was not under socialized. His academic education came inside a classroom, surrounded by children his own age. Liam's education in the mystic arts was restricted to only him and came at the hands of an old task master named Yuri and a few others. Only Yuri and Liam were allowed to step onto the let line. Children came and went but Persephone was constant in his life for as long as he could remember. Their birthdays were both in the fall. The fall that they'd turned eighteen was followed by a harsh Siberian winter. Personnel were evacuated, his classmates were taken away and parts of the bunker were closed off to lessen the strain on the heat provided by the environmental system and Persephone vacated her living space and began to share Liam's. They lasted less than an hour before they had a go at one another between the sheets. It seemed like the only and next step for two who shared room and the same bed. As teenagers, they'd already been sneaking around heavy petting and gingerly exploring each other. There had always been rules surrounding their lives. Academics, chores and satisfactory performance had to be adhered to at all times. Only then could one enjoy their leisure time. Persephone was a pleasing companion. The way she moved, the way she cried out to him, the way she begged...the way she submitted to every demand." Yes. Please." she would always say. It went on for a year before he confessed anything to his father. His majesty was not able to stay with him year round and on one of the odd months that Cillian was present, Liam had a long and eye-opening discussion with his father." Well. I would certainly hope so. You're consenting adults who share the same bed. You have much training and education yet to receive Liam. Personally I had hoped a relationship might blossom between the two of you. You're of an age to be a man grown now and being a man grown means you now have a man's needs. Anyone who believes you and Persephone don't sew your oats behind closed door is a complete fool, and it isn't just about you either. She has needs as well. You should see to them. One day, you and I will return home and on that day I intend to legitimize your birth. Where we are from, sex is both a tool and a political currency. You must be pleasing, and you must be able to be pleased if you are to navigate such a world. Do you understand?" At the time he hadn't, but he quickly caught on. After that discussion, Liam often had encounters with one of his tutors, a member of the kitchen staff and an electronics technician that come on board from father's naval detail, all before returning to his quarters and his Persephone. There was a time when Liam thought he'd loved Persephone, but that shattered when father told him she wouldn't accompany Liam back home. Who she was had been easy to let go of. What she was left a craving to linger. Sunna and were the same Liam decided. Eager to submit to the will of others and a vessel to extract a near endless supply of pleasure from. There was more to her to be sure. The circumstances of her birth saw to that, but those bits remained an unknown for now. She'd be an interesting one to explore. His other half sister, Alyssa, was another matter. She was just like Liam. Guarding what she considered to be hers. She'd just about come out and said that her twin was hers to fuck and hers alone. Liam likes Alyssa. She would be an absolute pleasure to break. Liam's eyes raked over Alyssa's shapely leg that stood exposed while hiding behind her sister. It stuck out the split in her skirt. His eyes walked up her form and right up to hers. Liam reached between his legs and adjusted for the bit of extra mass his pants had gained. He had no fear of either of them and looked forward to the day they occupied his bed as the same time." Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. Truly."" Their majesties require you all attend them." Liam gave his back to his sisters and strode back out toward their majesties court herald and back into the antechamber." Liam. What on Earth is the matter with your eyes?" The trio weren't quite standing center and in front of the sovereigns before her majesty began to speak. He walked into this little venture, with little say in the matter know there would be questions. He vowed to himself to give little answers in return." Nothing they always look like this." he admitted." Modesty doesn't suit you my son. Liam has spent mot of his life standing directly on a let line training in physicality and some of the mystic arts. Exposure to such energy has caused some...alterations it seems." his majesty explained." What sort of alterations? And what manner of mystic arts?" the queen asked. Oh, she doesn't like that. It was the rising and falling of her chest that gave it away. That and the flush color of her cheeks. Oh! You're afraid of me. How delicious. "Liam here has become quite the nocturnal hunter. Many supernatural threats roam the northeast tundra. He has stalked and killed them all." He had, but Liam had to wonder if father might be overplaying his hand." Then I should like to see those skills put to use for myself. Sunny, you will take your half brother on a carriage tour of the capital. Tonight. I want him familiar with his new hunting ground as quickly has humanly possible. Alyssa, you will attend your father in your sister's absence. Welcome home Prince Liam." Alyssa stared Liam down as he looked at her bare leg and then locked eyes with her. She knew the look all too well. She gave her twin that hungry look. Other men have given her that look before. A look that spoke of their desire to break her will. Her personality was no secret. Men would think they could break her and bed her to see what it would be like to have her sweet, soft sister. None have had any luck. The only person she has shared a bed with is her twin. Even then, neither have bothered with penetration. Sunny was too submissive to do so and Alyssa was respecting her twin's desire to have nothing inside her. Their mother seemed to have staying "pure" stuck in the poor things head. Though jade eyes then watched as their half-brother adjusted himself. It made her eyebrow raise. Called back out, the wilder twin rolled her jade eyes and followed behind Liam, left hand holding Sunny's right. Jade eyes locked with their mother's blue orbs as she licked the fingers of her right-hand clean. She could see the fury held in those blue eyes and knew some would likely be aimed at Liam if the Queen could manage it. Yet she did not care, not really. Well, not until their mother actually spoke. Dared to order her Sunny off with this... man. While she was to see to their father? She would not have it. Not now. Not ever. The cow was crossing a line. Lyssa got to take one stop forward before Sunny's grip on her hand tightened, and their father subtly raised his hand slightly to stop her. Angry eyes stared at their father before looking to Sunny. Their unique bond was quickly put to use. "She can not do this! We know little of him other than he sprang from Father's loins! While I do not blame Father for not wanting to stick his cock in the cow again, do you really think the apple fell far from the tree, sister? He is male and nothing but trouble!" Sunna understood her sister better than anyone else did or even tried to. Their father knew to an extent, but he was not privy to all their mother would do. The Queen would insist that she knew what was best as the wins were not human. The anger emanating from her twin nearly hurt in its intensity. "Alyssa, sister, please. It is a tour. Nothing more. I know that you worry. It is just a carriage tour. I will be safe enough. You know I will call to you if anything goes amiss. You know I can redirect. He should keep me safe from others else Father would object to this, and you know I am right." Lyssa stared into those soft emerald eyes for a long moment before glancing at Liam and then the Queen. The cow gets a glare before she looked to their father. "As you wish, Father." Sunna sighed softly. It was a win really, getting Alyssa to back down without a fight with their mother. Though she is almost certain some sort of punishment will be forthcoming from the Queen. Especially with her twin acting as though it was their father giving the orders instead. She gave her sister's hand a squeeze before releasing it. Clasping her hands before her, she gave Liam a slight bow of her head. "If you will follow me?" Her voice was soft and musical as though made for singing. A stark contrast to the seductive tones her twin tended to use. She led him out and to the carriage. Her movements were elegant, graceful, fluid. She'd been raised to be regal. Sitting in the carriage, her back was straight. Hands folded in her lap. She was a little nervous, unused to going around the capital without her twin or their father. Liam followed Sunny to the carriage. The view was certainly pleasant and when they arrived at the carriage, he pressed up behind her and reached past as he opened the door for her to climb inside. That view was even better Liam noted before climbing inside himself. He sat opposite Sunny instead of right beside her. Liam fancied setting next to his half sister, as she didn't seem his half sister." I always find the agelessness wondrous. Mother was allowed to bring me to court once, when I was five. I saw you and Alyssa for mere moments, and you're exactly as I remember you." Liam needed the tour. Needed to be more familiar with the capitol. The time for conquest and sewing oats would have to wait. Just now was time for the chores and the necessary duties. Father had granted him a commission, but Liam couldn't be a Navy man forever. He'd have to be able to navigate is home, even if he'd spent the bulk of his life elsewhere." There is something you can do for me Sunny. Something I'd be very grateful for..."**********​Cillian waited for court to clear out before descending form his raised dais that was next to the queen's. He smiled softly to his daughter as he reached level footing with her." Come with me." He leads into the same room that she'd occupied with her twin and her half brother only moments ago, dismissing the guard and closing the door behind them." I'm afraid this was your mother's idea in a rather misguided act of pettiness. I did not command that you attend me, although if I am the capitol, and you do wish to see me, it is a small feat to make time for my children." Cillian leaned back heavy into his seat backing and crossed his leg over his knee before the attempted to address the bastard in the room, so to speak." I'm sorry I had to keep you and your sister in the dark for twenty years about your half brother. Had you been informed, and the queen ever pressed you on it, you would have had to make a choice between betraying my confidence and lying outright to the queen and that is not a choice I ever wanted you to make. Over the years, I've come to recognize your concerns and agitations. Liam...is a lot of things. Bold, cocksure, arrogant, dutiful, loyal, better trained than nearly all and a hedonist to be sure. There are many things he is not. A hard line sexual predator, raper nor a traitor." Cillian pulled out a small pocket watch to check the time and returned it." Time will never again be on my side Alyssa. It will remain on your and it Liam's for as long as he's able to retain his youth. Which will be a damn sight longer that I retained mine. Oh, don't worry. Provided he continues to use good judgment, he'll die of natural causes one day. I've not cracked the code of immortality outside of vampires. Not yet any way. One day, I will pass on and Liam will stand in my place beside your mother as Viscount and head of the military. At least until you mother figures out a way to have him killed. Then she'll remarry, and this whole cycle will begin a new while you and your sister watch. Or you could choose a better path for you and your sister. Use Liam for all the advantages he can provide you and put low the witch who has ruled this nation since its inception, long before either of us were born." Cillian's last statements had multiple double meanings behind them. He meant for them too and Alyssa was a smart girl.**********​Liam locked eyes with Sunny, "Myriam. Elise. McMaster's. She bore me into this world, and I was ripped from her long before I should've been. What did she do with my mother Sunny?" Sunny could feel his lust, and it caused a blush to color her pale cheeks. It could be a little awkward to know that others were feeling such towards her. Or it could make her skin crawl like with some of the elderly humans who were part of the court. The idea of laying with them always made her shudder and feel the need to bathe. Her reactions like that always seemed to feed into her twin's anger. The stronger her negative reaction, the greater her sister's rage. The feel of him pressed against her made her heart stop for the briefest of moments before it was beating quickly. In the carriage, she notes how he sat across from her. It was curious really. She'd expected him to sit beside her. Perhaps sneak a few touches. Though she trusts that her father would not allow this if her half-brother would try to force himself upon her. Besides, his presence didn't make her ill at ease. Just the going out without her twin. A soft smile curved her lips as emerald eyes rested upon his glowing yellow ones. "I remember you now." She could remember that day. "I sensed a child coming and let Alyssa know. She'd been raging at an advisor before you and your mother entered. She stopped instantly, not wishing to frighten a child." Her sister was protective of children while wanting none of her own. Byproducts of how their mother treated the older twin." Myriam Elise McMaster's." She repeated the name and thought for a moment. She didn't remember seeing the woman around court, and she didn't leave often. Yet she thought she remembered her mother raging over the woman once. "I believe her to be alive." Sunny gives him an apologetic look and a soft smile. "You are asking the wrong sister, I fear. Alyssa tracks all things she can use against our mother, although I disapprove of her behavior. She can be difficult though, so I can find out from her for you if you like?"**********​Alyssa followed behind Cillian. His confessions made her sigh and shake her head. It is not new that her mother tried to manipulate and control things. "Please, Father. I know that you would not force Sunny out there without one of us knowing she would be uncomfortable. I would have been the wiser choice to show him around." She knew the area better and had more confidence than her sister. Though her twin could hold her own in political discussions and negotiations. She paced for a moment before sitting in the chair facing her father. "You chose correctly in keeping it from Sunny. She would have been torn apart inside having to keep things from you or her mother." Typically, she did not like to claim a familial tie to the vile woman. "Thinking I would betray you to her though? Never. I did not even tell her when you slept with his mother." She'd known and could have told the queen. Yet she'd kept it to herself and waited, delighted when the woman lost it over the whole ordeal. A pointed look was directed at him, jade eyes hard and unmoving. "He may be what you claim him, I do not know. Your new heir or not though, he had better not hurt my sister." Jade eyes studied her father and her mind raced. Was he truly giving her permission to act against her mother? She hadn't attempted to in all these years to not hurt him or her twin. She'd had opportunity in the past and had ignored it at the urging of her sister. "If something were to happen to mother, your new heir would rule. Would I be keeping the same secrets from his queen as I did yours?" She shook her head lightly. It didn't matter. Wouldn't be hers to worry over anyway. "I will see to things, Father." She stood before pausing and pinned him with an intense look. "Your word that my sister will not be forced to be with some pompous court tied ass?" Their mother had made it clear she meant to finish grooming the sweeter sister and sell her off as a bartering chip for something. Liam studied her for a moment before making his accusation." You're an empath." Psychokenetic phenomenon wasn't something he had a great amount of experience with, but he had enough to draw certain conclusions. Liam fancied Sunny and Alyssa, and he wouldn't pass up an opportunity to experience either of them, and she could sense every bit of that. On the other hand, when he brushed up against her purposefully, she hadn't rebuked him. She hadn't welcomed him either for that matter, but she let slip enough information that let Liam know, that she knew, and she hadn't chastised him for his feelings or desires. It was a start he supposed. Lima looked away out the window of the motorized carriage. Alyssa was just as desirable but much the less agreeable of the two. He didn't want to go to Alyssa hat in hand asking for a favor. When you were a royal, favors were like going in debt, and he was a royal now, for good or for ill. Liam grimaced as one of the ferals approached the carriage, sniffing the air curiously. Most practiced the bloodline method, letting vampires pass from mother to child. There were some that clung to the creation method, where they selected human, exsanguinated them, refilled them and waited for them to rise the next night. Those who were created rather than born, could occasionally come back...wrong. With no memories or skills from their previous life, they possessed little more than animal intelligence. Mouths to be feed a daily dose of hemoglobin and a hazard to human citizens who ventured out at night near the alley ways. Common law protected human and vampire kind alike and didn't make distinctions for ferals. It snarled at Liam, and he held up a single finger where he allowed a flicker of flame to dance. Vampires were especially difficult to bring down, without an abundance of firepower, unless one had access to one of three specific elements. Silver, wood and magical fire. Silver was a common element of hazard among many supernatural creatures. Three hundred years ago, her majesty had disbanded the silver smith's guild from Sanguine ligates. The first of many corrupt and lopsided practices. The feral bounded off back down a nearby alley. Animals knew to avoid that which was hazardous to them and ferals had been, at some point in their existence, intelligent. It stopped in the alley, seeming to find something interesting, then fell away to ashes. Liam cocked a curious eyebrow at the situation. While no conflicts brewed publicly, relations between human and vampire kind were at a historical low in Sanguine ligates. Parliament and the Queen couldn't or wouldn't act on corralling ferals away from residential areas. Seeing as how the majority and the prime minister were both of the immortal life span persuasion, Liam figured it was the latter. It would only stand to reason a few humans would act out of their own interests. Liam certainly couldn't blame them. It was only when multiple other figures came pouring out behind they would be alley way avenger, did Liam note how the situation changed. He looked out the other window a noted how the carriage was being surrounded. The looked up and met eyes with Sunny." Shit. Sanctum shield." Liam leaned forward and grabbed Sunny by the small of the back, pull her to him and took them both to the floor. Rail gun fire opened up and ripped through the carriage. Sparks from the electrical systems and electrical engine flew and showered over them. Some of the rounds found their intended target, but reality shimmered around Liam as the barrier he'd cast on himself a moment before did its job. He held tightly to Sunny as he felt his center of gravity begin to shit. The carriage was turning over and Liam cast an additional barrier on Sunny. Darkness surrounded him when everything around him stopped moving. Another incantation made his hands glow and Liam hefted the mass of what remained of the carriage cab off them. Sunny looked to be unconscious and one of their guardsman was penned under some debris while others tried to help him. Liam stepped over, and one hand lifted the debris up long enough for his fellow to pull the guardsman free." Get the princess. Go your highness!" Liam turned back and made for Sunny. His hands stopped glowing. Strength of the demon was a costly magic to maintain over a long period. He got Sunny off the ground in a fireman's carry and looked around. When the fog of war is thick, seek cover. Bodies lie around them, some guardsmen and others he didn't recognize. Lima jogged for all that he could across the street. Sunny was by no means a heavy person, but she was not weightless either. The mass of another body encumbered regardless of how well, or poorly they cared for it. Liam arrived at the back entrance of the Administration building. There was a biometric lock on the door. He swore under his breath and press he right thumb in. Come on dad! Fucking anal-retentive record keeping, procedure following, everything done on time, tight ass son of a...YES! The door popped open and Liam headed inside. People in suits were cowering under their desks. They were administrators and not a single warrior was among them. These were the people he was supposed to be protecting. Liam hated running, but he wasn't built for this. He couldn't stand in the field and take on a dozen to fifty armed men at once. He specialized in a different purpose. It was colder on the roof than he would've liked, but not as cold as the grave. Liam moved off to the side of the roof access and laid Sunny gently on the ground. Foot falls could be heard coming up the stairs from where he'd just carried Sunny through. As the door swung open, Liam launched an orange orb into the bottle necked space. Ye old Fireball. It was considered by many to be the hallmark of mystic arts. An explosion rocked the building but nothing moved from that spot. Magic fire was an effective tool that Liam relied upon fairly often. It was often fast, accurate and left no bloody mess. Just the delicious smell of fried bacon. Sunny looked to be awake when next Liam regarded her. Tendrils of blue energy flowed form the fingertips of his right hand and into the palm of his left." Your skin feels funny because I cast a barrier around you. We're on the roof of the administration building. It's not great, but it's a damn sight better than ambling around on the street level. Let's just hope she can reach us in time before they're able to reinforce this position." Cillian listened as she spoke. His oldest child never had any problems articulating as best he could remember, though the words she often chose would never be welcome a court nor ever be deemed fit to be spoken in her mother's presence." My love, there was a certain level of discipline I demanded you and your sister be held to when you were children and for good reason. Beyond that, I've never sought to control you or your sister. Your grandfather, rest his spirit, was ecstatic when he learned that I was to marry your mother, but the decision to do so always remained my decision to make. I cannot control your mother any more than I can control the rain and the snow. You would do well to better recognize opportunities as they present themselves. Relationships of common interest and form allies. I insisted that Liam learn the law and carry out its will. He was gelding rappers from Siberian villages at an age far younger that I'd ever truly admit to at court. It was important that he understand things like crime and punishment. Think back. You were reading the riot act to some loud mouth lordling's daughter when Sunny silenced you and a woman entered court with a small child. Remember him. There! Now you see Liam for more than my bastard living in exile. You've actually seen him before and you've seen hi smother. If I go anywhere near Myriam you mother will have the flesh flayed from her bones. But if you get Myriam and Liam in the same room, he'd reduce half this kingdom to cinders before he ever let any harm come to her. And you'd have quite the capable ally against your mother." The door burst open from the outside." Your majesty-""Quiet!" Cillian insisted. A spectral pigeon flew into the room and landed on Alyssa's shoulder. It looked at Cillian then to Alyssa as it cocked its head to the side cooed and opened its beak. It spoke with Liam's voice." Sunna and I are fine for the moment, but that won't last. We on the roof of the administration building. Whoever these guys are, they've got numbers. I have them bottle necked, and I can hold out for a while but not forever. We need back up. They have rail guns and this whole thing stinks like techno-union." Cillian looked like shock and confusion as he turned back to Alyssa, "Go. Your sister needs you. So does your brother." His sentence was like an accusation. Their mother was careful who knew about her ability. Those who could be considered for marrying. The strength of her empathy meant that she was useful in negotiations and could usually tell when someone was telling big lies. Smaller ones were harder to feel out, of course. Though her twin had the odd talent of being able to lie without an emotional tell when it came to a lot of things. Just not when it came to telling her one. "Mother would not like you having that knowledge. Please, do not let anyone know that you are aware. I do not wish for her to have reason to... work against you more than she already thinks that she does." Emerald eyes shifted to the exact spot the feral sniffed. The ferals always made her feel uncomfortable. Sometimes they seemed to think she smelled good enough to feed from, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Though she watched curiously as a flicker of flame appeared at his finger. It made the feral move off and she relaxed slightly. "They are afraid of Alyssa, you know?" Of course, he wouldn't likely know, but it was a good enough way to be able to give him some information without her twin being able to get angry with her. That is when things went terribly wrong. She felt it a moment before he spoke. Hatred and anger. Strong enough that it physically hurt. "Liam." It was all she got to say. She was quickly pulled against him and taken to the floor of the carriage. A little cry escaped her as the rail fire tore through the carriage and sparks flew. Sunny hadn't been prepared for all the strong emotions around them and so hadn't been able to dull her senses to them. Overwhelmed and hitting her head as the carriage rolled, the world went dark to her. Without time to call out to her twin for aide. Sunna woke on a cold roof as a fireball went off. Her head ached, and she wasn't sure which emotions were her own anymore. There were too many and she felt strange. "You do not understand what you are hoping for..." He couldn't know what he has just wished upon his own kind. Alyssa would be fury and would tear through the attacking humans. It would be another mark against her. Still, she opened more to the unique bond she shared with her sister. Lyssa gave her father a look that was nearly exasperated, but not quite. "You do not get to see it. That woman makes sure that I do not get many opportunities and that Sunny gets none that would actually benefit her. She has everyone of import thinking I am some wild, unintelligent beast." Though her actions sometimes did lead credence to her mother's words. Still, she did try to behave for her sister's sake. Her twin is the patient one though. She gave her father a pointed look. "You had him learn the same laws that allow either half of a couple to step out and go unpunished. I do not see the appeal and have little faith in someone who simply learns the laws. The will of the law can be seen differently by different people. Though it is a good thing he does not tolerate those who rape." It would mean that the new Heir would be against several of the men who currently hold power. A good thing. She thought on the time he brings up and gave a slight shake of her head. "I still find what you did distasteful though I do not blame you for no longer wishing to be with the owner of the womb you had born me. It took years for me to assure Sunny that no man would ever treat her that way." Mostly because she planned on no man having her twin. A light growl escaped her. "I think that you put too much faith in him, Father. However, it is clear who you would have rule once the two of you are no more." Before she could continue, they were interrupted. A glare was shot at the one who had burst in. However, it was then that a spectral pigeon flew in and landed on her. As it spoke, she felt it. Felt the bond with her twin open more. Fear and pain is what was conveyed first, and it set her blood afire. "Yes, Father. I will go see to my sister and your son." Lyssa left and took several well armed guards with her. The closer they got to the two on the roof, the more her rage grew. Her usually jade eyes were glowing red by the end of the short time it took her to get to the administration building. The guards were left to set up a perimeter so they could get back out and back to safety. Entering, she snarled at the first enemy. Ducking, she darted in quickly. Her rage fueled her. Her right hand knifed into the male's chest and pulled his heart free. Dropping it, she continued on. Behind a second, she snapped the woman's neck. It became a blur as she started tearing through the ones who dared to attack her twin. Her hands were quickly slick with blood and it ruined her corset and skirt. Sunna flinched and recoiled, hugged her knees to her chest as she sat on the cold roof. Her entire body trembled though she no longer felt the cold. Instead, she could feel her twin and the rage filling Alyssa as she killed. "Liam, she is here." Her voice was strained. She could practically taste the blood as her twin ripped a throat out. This was what helped people believe their mother when she called the elder sister a monster. His skin was unbroken but the shirt that he wore lay in tatters on the roof the of the administration building. So too, did a dozen or so would be murderers. Who they were precisely Liam couldn't say, but their objective was clear enough. By all available information the only city state who benefited from chaos and disruption within Sanguine ligates were the techno-unions and none of that really added up all that well either. The weapons they carried were impressive and bore military hardware standards to be sure, but without formal declarations, Liam knew that nothing that might be left on this battlefield would ever be traced back to them. If he were in charge of such an insurgency, every shred of material would've been sourced from within the border of an enemy nation and manufactured there without having serialized any pieces. A worse prospect still, none of the dead men on the ground appeared to be foreigners. Liam controlled his breathing as his chest rose and fell, but the light sheen about his back and torso betrayed the exertion he'd committed to keeping himself and his half sister safe. It was not what he'd tried for but up until now and for a fair bit longer he could continue to dispatch armed humans. Liam was fair skinned, well-built and wore only a handful of scars. The craft for which he'd been specifically trained was different from this. Drop into a foreign country, track hunt and kill for food, find shelter and access to water. Learn the local routes, trade with them, blend with them, find the supernatural figurehead at the top of the heap, kill the snake by cutting off the head and finally, walk straight out. He held no illusions as to whom Cillian intended his primary target to be. She'd ruled for centuries and Linda alone was responsible for how socially lopsided things where now. She had to and that was, at best, a secondary objective by now. The political situation demanded that Liam return now. It had all felt rushed and Liam got the sense that he was meant to stay in Siberia a few more years. The shuffle of foot falls alerted him to more coming up the stairwell. Liam positioned his right arm above his head, inner forearm facing outboard, he could see the tip of his blade just past his forehead. It was an old Russian saber technique that he enjoyed using. This blade was made frost and leveled at near absolute zero temperatures. Electronics, cold forged steel and servo motors didn't care much for the freezing. For Liam, it gave him a comfort from the place he considered to be his home. The first man through the door was impaled and split in half. The second lost his head in a single stroke. Such freezing didn't leave room for things like blood spatter or pooling. The rest quickly decided it was much safer downstairs, but only for a short moment. Sounds of battle from further below could be heard. Someone was a few flights of stairwells down rending flesh from bone. The same group of men came filing back up the stairs. The first came through the door spilling onto his stomach to avoid the fate the two previous had suffered. Liam launched a small fireball inside and slammed the door closed and held it as he felt the concussion rock the general area. The man on the ground was crawling toward his weapon, a TRI-barreled rail gun. A small underhanded flick of Liam's's arm and wrist, cast an energy net over him. The more he struggled, the tighter it clinched him. He started to sob when he caught sight of Sunny. The stench of fresh urine filled Liam's nose." Get that bitch away from me!" he sobbed. An opportunity perhaps?" Perhaps we can reach an accord, but you must tell me everything. Who supplied you. Your primary objectives. Your secondary objectives. Name and locations of your leaders." Liam explained." I want full immunity!" he cried." No. You'll receive no deals and no quarter.", Liam looked up at Sunny, "She looks calm now, but it won't last. You life, such as it was, is now over. Now, there are other things you need to consider. She'll become bloodthirsty again, sooner or later. When she does, if you haven't told me everything, things get complicated. Your wife, your lovers, your children, you sibling, their lovers, their children. I'll personally feed every member of your family straight to her and make you watch until I'm satisfied you've told me everything." His captive only sobbed harder in return. The part about that man's life being over, was true enough, but the rest of it was pure lies. The idea of feeding families of humans to some starving vampire, filled Liam with nothing but pure disgust. In truth, he'd had rather fed himself a round from this fellows rail gun. A small technical marvel that father's men would certainly be studying for days to come. It was the man's fear and will to live and protect his family that Liam needed to prey on the most. Those in command couldn't afford to feed the monster inside. But they often did well enough to play the part when necessary. Sunny wasn't used to being so close to that kind of violence. Her mother kept her fairly sheltered from such things. Obviously she had seen her twin give in to her rage before, but nothing like what was happening within the administration building below. She didn't even know how to fight. Her mother had forbid her from learning. The one tutor who had been training Alyssa for a time was killed because he had dared to start to teach her a couple of things. No others had even bothered to think about such acts after that death. It had been drawn out and cruel. It had given her a glimpse of who her mother really was behind the smiles she gave. Emerald eyes watched as a man who had been on the roof before returned. It actually did not surprise her in the least. Knowing what her twin was capable of, she did not think that any sane human would want to face that kind of destructive force. The longer it took Alyssa to get to her, however, the more rage from her Sunny could feel. It was an oppressive aura leaking everywhere. It could fill one with dread and hopelessness. Furthermore, it made Sunny feel sick to her stomach. Especially as she did not know how well she would do at calming her sister when the other eventually made it to them. Her gaze shifted to Liam for a moment, a little confused. Then she realized that he was trying to play it off as though she were Alyssa. She could understand to a degree really. Most would not have seen the two of them together and so would not know just how alike they really looked. Arms wrapped around her knees, she peered at the man over her knees with the bottom half of her face hidden from view. Managed to force her eyes to glow red as her sister's do in her rage. Though her sister's glowed a blood-red and hers were more a slightly brighter crimson. She growled lowly as though all that was keeping her from pouncing upon the poor man was Liam's presence. She could play this role, but only for a short time. Furthermore, she always found it draining to pretend to be her sister. Lyssa has torn through humans as though they were paper. Normally, she would have tried to control herself. Tried to keep from being seen as such a monster as she no doubt is being seen. Her twin was in danger though and it infuriated her. How dare these people? Who were they to think they could be near her sweet sister? How dare they think to hurt her Sunny?! She should ask questions of them. Should leave someone alive to answer for what they have done. Yet she could not. In her fury, there was no mercy or waiting. Only swift and bloody vengeance. From her upper lip down the front of her neck was nothing but blood now. Her hands soaked in it and dripping. The rest of her splattered in blood and bits of people. She came to the door to the roof and found ashes. Yet the door was held firmly closed against her. It had her growling and made her more angry. "Sunny! Are they out there? Are you hurt?" "Alyssa! I hit the back of my head. There is one here, but Liam is seeing to him. Questioning him. The poor thing thinks I am you." Lyssa growls and could feel her sister mentally flinch away for a moment at the spike of rage." That poor thing wants your head, sister. He had better hurry in retrieving his answers. I have no patience to be kept from you. You should never have been allowed out without me to begin with. They could have killed you!" "They couldn't have. Liam shielded me with his own body and magics. He even placed a barrier upon me to keep me safe." The news gave Alyssa pause. Her head tilted to the side slightly. Blood dripping fingers flexed at her sides. "What an interesting development, hmm? Perhaps he can remain in one piece this day. I am not patient though, Sunny. I need to see you for myself. The sooner, the better. I do not trust the guards below to keep the building safe forever."

Sanguinis ligatus (Enkil + FulMetlSlakr)|rating:4.0

Ivy’s Night {Myself, Okami}

Ivy tended to her various plant babies, knew Batman was on her trail after she’d stolen several bags of fertilizer and plant food for her babies. She loved her plants, had plenty of money to pay for the items, but she was a criminal. Letting herself be controlled by the rage if what had happened to her, she got revenge on all those that had abused the plant life in Gotham, was always causing trouble for somebody, so the bat was always over her tail. She’d captured him a few times, but he’d always gotten away, this time she’d set a trap for him, night sung knowing the bat never came to a fight alone. Batman had made his way onto Ivy's greenhouse and watched from the roof as she tended to her plants. He slowly sneaked in and kept an eye on Ivy while staying hidden. He walked through the green life and found what her next plan was. "Your methods are so old," a familiar voice said from behind. As he turned around, he saw Night wing standing in front of him. "Get out of here Dick." “ Batman... wow I wasn’t expecting you this evening, Night wing darling since when are you on my side? I’m the villain honey... one kiss, you’ll barely be alive. You on the other hand bats we’ve tangoed before, but you always come back for more...“ Ivy rolled her eyes as she licked her poisoned lips, looked at them both wondering why one of them seemed to be sticking up for her when the other clearly wanted to capture her to take her to Arkham when she really hadn’t done anything wrong least not recently aside from steal plant food and fertilizer. "Get out now!" Batman said as he walked towards Ivy while Night wing shook his head. He stood back watching his former ally before looking at Ivy, "I'm not taking up for you. I'm just here to save him when he fails." Batman growled lowly as he looked back at Ivy, "You can either come quietly or we can do this the hard way." “ I haven’t done anything wrong... you're going to take me in over some plant food, fertilizer? I’ve been a good girl, they let me out for good behavior I didn’t escape. Don’t you have someone else to hunt down bats? “ Ivy asked as she turned around, blew him a kiss knowing his sidekick would probably jump in front of him. She anticipated it actually, hoped that Batman realized he had no reason to take her in because she truly hadn’t done anything wrong. Night wing shook his head and chuckled to himself as he watched Batman walk closer to Ivy. "Don't try running that past me Ivy, I know you're up to something more." Night wing threw one of his daggers in front of Batman making him look back in disgust. "She's right, you have nothing on her," he said before The Dark Knight charged Ivy. Night wing sighed and ran in front of Ivy surprisingly, blocking his attack. "Dick! Get away from her!" "No, you always made me think I was doing the right thing, but you just did want me to improve your credit. Well no more!" “ Wow didn’t expect that nicely done there Night wing, I’ve been here all night tending to my plants, You're accusing me of something I haven’t even done. That place is horrible, trust me it’s not a place I want to go back to anytime soon. I could have paid for the plant food, fertilizer but didn’t really feel like it besides when you look the way I do people just tend to give you think cause their afraid of you.” Ivy was very proud of the young Night wing, wondered why he was all of a sudden on her side she knew bats was getting old. She is The Dark Knight wasn’t in his prime anymore, she didn’t really know of his prodigy was sticking up for her or the bat but either way she was proud of him. "You know she plans on destroying the city Robin," Batman said as Night wing glared at him pulling his Beau staff out. "Don't ever call me that again," he said as he stood in front of Ivy. Although he didn't agree with her ways, he knew Batman had no reason to take her in to Arkham. He then swung for Batman's legs, only for The Dark Knight to dodge his attack and kick him in the chest knocking him back. “ I actually hadn’t thought of that... but then again you always seem to know my plans before I do, that’s not what I was planning at all. Since I’m so good with plants I’ve taken up a few landscaping projects but nothing to out of the ordinary. Ask around I’m not going to take over the city! What would that prove? I’ve done that, failed. Maybe it’s time you retire Batman, once again either you're saving his life or risking your own for mine. One more thing Night wing here has been here all night, so have I. You can ask him because he didn’t just waltz into my place, accuse me of something I had no intention of doing. “The redhead rolled her eyes, shook her head as she used one of her vines to catch Batman apparently it was her turn to save Night wing from the man that was supposed to protect the city, when she heard him get called robin she smiled a little because she remembered him back then, he hadn’t changed much aside from maturing into a handsome young man. Batman narrowed his eyes as Ivy as she told him what he wanted to believe as lies, but knew she was telling the truth. Ever since their first encounter, Dick had always been smitten by Ivy and knew her kiss could be deadly, or addictive. He grunted as he felt Ivy's vine wrap around him before pulling a Bataan from belt and cut the vines before throwing it at her. His aim was off as the weapon cut Night wing's throat making him gasp as he dropped his staff and held his neck to keep from bleeding out. “ Nice going Batman. Now I’m going to have to stitch him up, he won’t be the same. Perhaps you should take the rest of the night off.” Ivy said as she knelt down beside the young man, used her skills of survival to stitch up his wound rather quickly with Batman watching her. She used a sedative to knock Night wing out of course, carries him to the sofa on the other side of the green house so he could recover.“ He’ll never forgive you, it’s a good thing I know what I know otherwise he’d be dead, you’d be to blame. Do you really want to live with his death on your hands for the rest of your life? He’s a good kid, you were once a good man yourself but ever since they let me out for good behavior a few years ago you’ve assumed I’m up to no good. “ Night wing panted rapidly as he looked up at Ivy and grunted from the pain. His body then went limp as he fell asleep while Batman stood in disbelief of what he had done. He walked away with his head lowered and took his mask off throwing it to the ground as he left. Night wing breathed normally as he slept unaware he was alone with Ivy and unaware Bruce had called it quits. “ I’ll be back you rest up, you’ll be fine by morning. “ Ivy said as she picked him up, she ran outside to pick up the cowl that had been thrown down on the ground. “ Poor bats has lost his touch, all I’ve ever wanted was to be normal... he has no idea how hard it is to be me...” The redhead thought as she ran to catch up to him, was tempted to turn him around so she could see his face, but instead she handed him back his cow then vanished as quickly as she appeared. She’d make sure Night wing was okay come morning, went back to work on an antidote for her condition. If only she knew someone Bette at chemistry she then she was, did they honestly think this is what she had wanted? The redhead hadn’t asked to be the way she was, the only love she’d ever known had been from her plants because who could love someone like her if just kissing her could kill them? Bruce stopped in his tracks as he heard Ivy follow him and sighed taking his mask before driving off. Night wing slept throughout the night as his body slowly healed. He always knew Ivy had changed and had kept an eye on her until he was convinced she had changed. He knew Bruce was looking to cause her harm and couldn't let that happen, even if it meant sacrificing him. As morning came, he slowly opened his eyes seeing Ivy kneeling beside him, "Are you okay?" “ Yeah I’m fine, I’m going to give you something I gave Harley. It’ll make you immune to my toxins, it’ll only hurt a little.” Ivy said as she prepped the needle with the anti venom serum in it, poked the needle into the side of his neck since she had chosen not to reveal his real identity. “ You didn’t have to risk your life for me ya know. But I appreciate it, if you feel strong enough to go home. No one ever really sticks around.” The redhead vixen said as she stood up, let him get his bearings, she wouldn’t blame him if he wanted to leave. Selina had never really spent time in Arkham, but she’d changed her ways, something told her Batman needed someone to be there for him. So she dug out her catsuit put it on mask, all then made her way to Wayne manor on the bike she’d purchased about a year or two ago. Parking the bike outside Wayne manor she climbed the fence, made her way toward the main wing. She climbed one of the trees opened the window, climbed through it. “ Bruce?” She asked as she took off her mask, knelt down in front of him after closing the window. Night wing looked at Ivy and nodded slowly grunting slightly at the feeling of the needle. He then looked back at her and shook his head, "You don't deserve to have him on your case. He never could see the good in anyone, that's why I left." He had always fantasized about Ivy sense their first encounter when he was still Bruce's sidekick, but never admitted it. "I really don't have anywhere to go." Bruce was sitting in front of the fireplace still in his bat suit without his mask on. He knew Selina had pulled up by the sound of her bike. As she knelt in front of him, he looked down at her with a lost look in his face, "The front door was unlocked as well," he said holding his head in his hand. “ I’ll get you set up with an apartment, you can have your own place, or you can stay here that’s up to you.” Ivy said as she started to walk away from him leaving him to think about that, she had money she could access without committing any crimes. She wondered why night wing wanted to stay no one else ever had she was used to being alone, her plants were her only loves well not really, but that wasn’t the point.“Ah now you tell me. What did you do? I’ve never seen you like this. Look at me! “ Selina said as she reached for his hands taking them in her own. “ You can tell me Bruce I won’t judge you. “ She held his hands in hers, kissed them as she looked into his eyes seeing tears she knew he’d probably done something very stupid. “ You don’t have to tell me now but come on I’m sure you could use a shower, a good nights sleep.“ The brunette stood up, pulled him up from his seat. She smiled at Alfred, helped Bruce up the stairs then started to get him undressed. “ Go take a shower I’ll be here when you get out, maybe I can get your mind off of whatever you did. “ As she began to walk away, Night wing reached out grabbing Ivy's hand. He took his mask off and sat up looking at her, "I'd like to stay with you if you don't mind. There's a lot I need to get off my chest." Bruce looked at Selina and knew every time he saw her face, it would always brighten his day. He stood up and followed her upstairs and smiled softly at her. He walked into the bathroom and took a shower thinking about what he did to Night wing hoping he would be okay. “ Your trusting me with your real identity? I don’t think I even know your real name, what kinds of things do you need to get off your chest? “ Ivy was a little confused she’d never heard his name, could remember when he was just a kid running around in tights and green and red leather. She ran a hand through her red locks, looked into his eyes. The redhead was very confused, had no idea how he felt about her or how she felt about him because she’d never known love. Selina has changed out of her leather catsuit into one of Bruce’s button up shirts, sat down on the edge of his bed as she waited for him to get out of the shower. With a sigh she stood up unbuttoned the shirt, joined him in the shower. “ Penny for your thoughts Mr Wayne.” She said as she ran her hands over his chest, looked into his eyes then without hesitation she kissed him. The brunette had been head over heals for him for years, they’d had a few hookups but never anything like this. "My name is Dick Grayson, and I do trust you with my identity," he said as he looked at Ivy. "Since we've first encountered each other, I've always been attracted. I'm sure it was your pheromone dust at first, but over time I grew to love you." Bruce was about finished with his shower, but turned around seeing Selina in the shower with him. He sighed softly as he kissed her back and held her close as he forgot about everything from early as he pressed her against the tile wall. "I'm glad you came by tonight." “ Really? Wow... I’ve never known love.” Ivy said as she looked at him a little shocked she’d never been had anyone in love with her before, it was confusing. She didn’t exactly expect him to be in love with her, it had nothing to do with his age because he was probably in his mid-twenties while she was closer to 40+ but looked younger cause of her condition she didn’t age.“ Feline intuition can be a bitch, I’ve told you I’d always be there for you like you have been there for me in the past. You’ve saved my life countless times, the first time you kissed me even with your cowl on I was in love with you.” Selina said as she kissed him again, continued to rub his chest. She was being honest with him, she always would be because he had trusted her with so much. Night wing blushed lightly at Ivy's response and looked down at the ground. "Neither have I, I found it when I wanted you to have really changed and saw that you did. I can't thank you enough for saving my life. How can I ever repay you." He looked up at her willing to do anything for her to prove he wanted to please her. Bruce smiled as he continued to kiss Selina, he loved her and was glad she was here to help him forget everything that was bothering him. He shuddered as she caressed his chest as he ran his hands down her hips and kissed down her neck. "I've missed you so much." “ You don’t have to repay me... no one’s ever believed in me the way you do, you have no idea how that makes me feel. “ Ivy said as she lifted his chin, kissed him knowing he was now immune to her toxins. She pulled back, blushed a little as she caressed his cheek with her thumb. Love was something she didn’t exactly understand, but she’d certainly give it a shot, let dick in since she’d never known love.“ My window is always open, you can always stop by. Unless you had another way of being able to see me whenever you wanted.” Selina said as she kissed him, smiled just rubbing over the scars from various battles. She remembered having to stitch him up on occasion, seeing him like this meant he was just as vulnerable as she was. As she lifted his chin, Dick felt his heart race slightly as he looked up at Ivy. His eyes widened slightly as before he closed them kissing her back softly. He panted softly as he gazed into her eyes as she stroked his cheek and pulled her into his lap kissing her back more passionately. He had only had a few hookups, but never anything as serious as what he felt for her as his hands ran across her hips. Bruce smiled at Selina and chuckled softly as he caressed her hips softly, "You know you can always come live with me." He kissed her back and ran his fingers along her spine as she traced his scars. He knew she didn't like him putting his life at risk, but who else would protect the city? Ivy was taken back when dick pulled her into his lap, she continued kissing him as she reached for the zipper of his suit. “ I don’t have any clothes for you to put on if we, are you sure? I mean your immune to my toxins like Harley is, but I’ve never been with anyone in an intimate manner.” The redhead said as she pulled his suit off his shoulders, let it sit around his waist as she kissed his neck shoulders and chest.“ That sounds wonderful but what about all my cats?” Selina asked as she traced all his scars, stood under the water with him. She knew he had to protect the city but the idea of losing him scared her to death, she liked the idea of moving in with him but didn’t realize they were at that stage in their relationship because they didn’t really go out as a couple or anything because he had a reputation to uphold as Bruce Wayne. A reputation she didn’t want to tarnish with her past criminal behavior, newspapers would have a heyday except none of them knew she was cat woman only he did. Dick moaned softly as he continued to kiss Ivy loving the feeling that crossed through his body. He smiled softly and nodded wanting nothing more than to be hers and shuddered feeling her kiss down his chest, "I could want nothing more."" Bring them with you," Bruce said as he smiled down at Selina and watched her fingers trace his scars. He then looked at the wall in deep thought before looking back at her, "Do you think it's time someone else takes over?" Ivy had no words she just stood up so he could take his suit off the rest of the way, smiled wonder if he had anything on underneath obviously his upper body was exposed but was his lower extremities exposed too? The redhead didn’t know if a condom would be necessary since she was a meta with plant based abilities, since she’d never had sex she didn’t know what was going to happen without protection. Knowing that dick could love her for who she was made all the sense in the world, she hoped he’d never change his mind or turn on her cause then he’d have to pay for his betrayal.“ Are you sure? I have 15-20 of them maybe more, you want me to bring them with me? Wow, anyway yes Bruce I think it’s time you hang up your bat suit, enjoy your life. I don’t want to lose you, I know I’m a criminal, but you’ve never seen me as that. I love you Bruce Thomas Wayne, truth be told I will love you until my last breath. “ Selina said meaning every word she’d said, it had all come straight from the heart. She stopped caressing his chest, laid her head against it just listening to his heartbeat with a smile on her face Dick smiled as he stood up and took his suit off revealing a pair of black boxer shorts. He pulled Ivy back close to him and kissed her passionately loving the high he got from it. He shuddered as he laid back on the couch pulling her on top of him. His hands ran down her hips and under her shirt letting his passion for her take over. Bruce nodded as he looked down at Selina smiling softly. He knew she was right and looked at her as she poured her heart out to him. He smiled and held her close to his chest, "I love you too Selina Kyle, more than anything in this world. I give everything away just to have a normal life with you, and I will." Ivy could feel the passion as she kissed him, his touch made her feel things she hadn't felt in a really long time. She rubbed his chest with her hands, broke the kiss in order to kiss his neck and shoulders. ” Why didn't you say something sooner?” The redhead plant goddess asked as she kissed his neck and shoulders, she could feel herself aching for him. Selina smiled as she leaned against him, looked up long enough to kiss him as she started to stroke him. She was aware they were still in the shower, probably needed to go to bed, but she didn't want to leave the water just yet. It would be nice to wake up in his arms for once even though she'd done, so before this time would be very different from the others. Dick panted softly as Ivy broke their kiss and smiled looking up at her as she caressed his chest. "I guess in a way I was more so hoping you would catch me off guard and use your powers like you have before." He blushed deeply as he thought of the times she had caught him in her traps and used her pheromones to seduce and arouse him. Bruce smiled as he held Selina close and moaned softly as she began to stroke him. He shuddered looking down at her as his hands caressed her bare hips and kissed her chest softly. He felt like the man he always wanted to be, he could enjoy what he always had wanted and nothing would get in his way this time. ” Good times, but I'm not that woman anymore Richard, now your not under my control. Your here because you want to be here. Now show me what I've been missing, we have a mission.” Ivy said as she said back on the couch exposing herself to him, she was basically a human-plant, so vines covered her body except for one area. An area that was definitely going to throw her over the edge because she couldn't remember the last time a man had been able to please her.” Maybe we should get out of the shower before we get all wrinkled up. OR you could turn off the water, I could do this.” Selina got down on her knees in front of him, took him into her mouth. Massaging his balls she also started to stimulate his prostate with her fingertips, she had done everything before, but there had never been this much passion to it until now.” Pudding please just talk to me. What's got my mister j upset?” Harley asked as she placed her hand on his shoulder, tried to get him to talk to her. She knew she had screwed up their the most recent heist, but she hadn't done so on purpose, she waited for him to either throw her away from him or smack her. The punishment for failing was always the same, she was used to the abuse, this time she didn't think he was upset with her, but she could be wrong judging by his body language. Dick chuckled as he couldn't deny there was always a part of him that loved being captured by Ivy. He blushed as she used his full name and watched in awe as her body was exposed for him to do as he pleased. He kneeled in front of her and ran his hands over her thighs before kissing her inner thighs. Furthermore, he shuddered at the taste of her skin and kissed higher as his hands ran over her hips. Bruce smiled as he turned the water off and moaned softly as Selina took him into her mouth. He shuddered and ran his fingers through her wet hair as he gazed down at her smiling at the thought of a full night's sleep with the woman he gave his heart to. Joker sat in his chair back in the hideout with a scowl on his face. He knew if they had stayed any longer, he'd be back in Arkham. As he felt Harley out her hand on his shoulder, he looked over at her hand wanting to hit her. He watched the news report of the fail heist and pulled out his gun shooting the television, "Am I a joke to you Harley?" He is the stood up and saw she was about to answer, "DON'T ANSWER THAT!" Ivy closed her eyes, reached forward to play with his hair. She smiled as she tilted her head back, arched her back. Her body was accepting his touch in more ways than one, she truly wondered if it was possible for her to have a family. Every young girl dreamed of having a family, ivy was no different however due to the chemicals that caused her mutation she wondered if it was even possible. Selina continued to suck him off as she massaged his balls, stimulated his prostate. She was so glad she had sensed his despair, had come to see him. The truth was she hadn't seen him at her apartment for months, she had started to worry about him. Now she never wanted to leave him, she never would, she’d become his lives in girlfriend, finally turn her life around for the better. There was a part of her that wanted to be Selina Kyle-Wayne, raise a family with him.” I'm sorry I messed up... Go ahead, punish me if you must Mister J! ” Harley said as she backed up against the wall, looked at him letting him know she was ready for whatever punishment he had in store for her. The blonde hated seeing him upset, but she knew it was her fault, she deserved whatever punishment he was cooking up. Her body was covered in scars, bruises from all the abuse she’d endured over the years most of them had faded but the emotional and mental scars still remained. Dick shuddered as he felt Ivy's hand caress his hair and smiled as he continued to kiss higher up her thighs. His hands continued to caress her body as he leaned forward kissing and licking her pussy. He gasped finding her taste as sweet and arousing as her scent was. Bruce continued to shudder as his cock throbbed as Selina sucked him off. He looked down at her and smiled softly as he thought about a life with her. His heart had always chosen her even when she was on the opposing side. He wanted to make her happy and wanted to be happy with her. Joker narrowed his eyes as he stood up and pulled his gun pointing it to Harley's head. His finger slightly squeezed the trigger as he wanted to kill her so she would no longer be a burden to him. "Get out!" he said as he pulled his gun away and walked away throwing her outfit on the floor. Ivy’s body reacted as a normal woman’s body would, she continued to play with his hair. She could feel the pleasure taking over because she'd never actually been with anyone she was afraid she'd lose control way too soon. Using her powers she had vines wrap around her wrists, ankles so she couldn't move to give Richard full control over her body. Selina looked up, smiled with her eyes as she continued to please him. She loved to hear him moan, he knew that she loved to be dominated by him. But right now she was in control, it felt good she hoped she got to taste him before he plowed into her, made her scream his name at the top of her lungs. She truly had loved him from their first meeting, things had continued to but her moving in with him was an even larger step forward in their relationship. Harley flinched as she watched him, ran out of the warehouse they had been using as a hideout. She’d been kicked out again, it wasn't the first time he had drawn a gun on her like that. Sliding down the wall of the building she hugged her knees to her chest, started to cry. She had nowhere else to go least she thought she didn't, then she remembered ivy’s place. Wiping away her tears she ran as fast as she could, looked inside to see the redheaded vixen with ’Dick Grayson?’ rubbing her eyes she shook get her head then opened the door crossing her arms over her chest. ” Ahem! ” Dick moaned and shuddered as he continued to lick Ivy's pussy. He looked up at her and watched as her vines held her in place finding the sight very arousing. He thrust his into her pussy as his hands began to massage her thighs before hearing a familiar voice. Furthermore, he looked back and blushed deeply resting his back against the couch, "Harley?! What are you doing here?" Bruce smiled back at Selina and continued to moan as his cock throbbed in her mouth. He grabbed her wet hair and pulled her closer making her take more of his cock into her mouth. This was different from any other hookup they had, it was true love. He knew exactly what turned her on, but decided to let her have control for a little while. ” Joker kicked me out... Ivy said if I ever needed a place to crash I could crash here. You know she's bisexual right? I mean she gave us both the anti-venom so were immune to her toxins, you might be the first guy she's been with, but that's about it. So I'll be in the back, you can go back to whatever you were doing.” Harley said as she walked back to her room, closed the door. Ivy rolled her eyes as a sigh escaped her lips. The redhead knew joker had to be dealt with, but she was preoccupied, didn't want to deal with him right now. Selina continued to suck him off as she massaged his balls, stimulated his prostate. She could sense he was getting close, she loved it when he pulled her long dark locks. Once she'd been in control for a while she’d let him be in control, he knew how easily he could turn her on. Waking up to him come morning would definitely be different, she knew she'd be able to wake him if Alfred's cooking didn't do it first. Koriander also known as Star fire jumped through the portal provider to her, looked around. She was definitely at the right time, but where was he? Taking in her surroundings she started to walk down the streets of Gotham. So if Damian hadn't killed him in this universe she needed to find him, warn him or try to save him if she could. The redhead Asian would have to make it quick, she needed to blend in so she decided to go shopping. Choosing a pair of low rise jeans a purple halter that only covered on shoulder, showed off her toned stomach she grabbed a pair of boots then paid for the outfit. Once she had changed she continued to walk down the streets of Gotham making sure her communication device worked. “ Tim you there? It’s Star fire! “ Dick looked at Harley and shook his head as she went to her room. He knew Harley was mostly influenced by Joker and had to be stopped. "Will she be okay?" he asked as he looked up at Ivy, becoming more aroused by the sight of her being held by her own vines. Bruce panted softly as he could feel himself getting close. He looked down at Selina and smiled at her knowing this was the start of the rest of their lives together. He continued to pull her hair as he thrust his hips looking to release for his love. Tim Drake walked into his apartment after another long day at the office. Crimes going unanswered with no leads and long hours at the office. He sighed and sat down on his bed looking at a picture of his team from back in the day. He smiled slightly at all the memories they made before hearing a familiar voice of his communicator. "Star fire? Where are you?" ” Yeah she’ll be fine. But she wasn't lying... I am bisexual, have been with her. You're the first guy I've ever been with.” Ivy admitted as she chewed on her lower lip, looked down at him as she continued to stay still giving him full control over her body while she was bound by her own vines. Selina could feel him getting close to a release as she massaged his balls, stimulated his prostate. She wanted to taste him, once she did, she’d let him pick her up and carry her to the king-size bed that sat in the middle of his large bedroom. Her own excitement was definitely getting the best of her, she was so close.” Your timeline, apparently. I've traveled back in time to either stop Damian from killing you or prevent it from happening. In my time your dead. I watched him get shot. I need your help, Tim! But I need to avoid this time’s version of myself.” Star-fire said as she looked around, tried to find a familiar place to hide out even if it meant visiting an old friend. She knew dick probably still had his communication device, but she didn't want to freak him out especially if she wasn't around in this timeline. Dick blushed softly as he looked up at Ivy as she admitted being bisexual. He smiled as his hands caressed her outer thighs, "I'm honored to be the first guy you've been with." He then looked up at Ivy's bound body curiously with a smirk, "Didn't want to keep me in place?" Bruce continued to pant and moan as he looked down at Selina smiling at her. He then gasped as he came moaning as his grip on her hair tightened. He panted and looked down at her smiling lovingly, "I love you so much." He then helped her up and kissed her before picking her up and carried her to the bed laying her down gently." What? Meet me in the alleyway by Gotham First National Bank," Tim said as he grabbed his jacket. "As for yourself in this time, you went back to your home planet, so I'm sure we don't have to worry about that." He is the put his leather coat on and made his way towards the meeting point in his car hoping Star fire was okay. “ Oh it can definitely be arranged. “ Ivy said as she used her abilities hands free to have vines wrap around his ankles to keep him in place, smiled. She was so happy to be experiencing her first time with the man that was usually hunting her down to take her to Arkham, Harley would come around, but she needed time to be alone. Selina swallowed, when he picked her up she smiled, as she looked up at him. “ Your turn to take control!” The brunette said as she laid on the bed her body still wet from the shower, between her thighs soaked with her pre-cum because his moans had turned her on. Having her hair pulled turned her on, she wanted him inside of her so bad she knew giving him control would allow him to do whatever he wanted.“ On my way.” Star fire said as she ran across the street, smiled when she saw his car. Opening the door she climbed in, caressed his cheek with her thumb. “ Hello Timothy! “ The redhead said as she looked at him, just stared glad he was still alive in this time. Part of her still loved him, part of her always would but if she’d gone back to Tamara obviously something had happened between them or the Titans had disbanded, if that was the case it meant she had shown up at the right time. Dick smirked at Ivy as she held him in place with her vines and reached down at the vines. "Is that the best you've got?" he asked as he playfully fumbled with the vines and kissing Ivy's inner thighs. Bruce smiled at his excitedly Selina's voice as he crawled on top of her and kissed her bare stomach. His love for her had grown more every day and this only submitted his love for her. He kissed between her breasts and smiled caressing her cheek. Tim pulled up and saw it was real, Star fire from another universe. As she got into his car, he gazed into her eyes before closing his as she caressed his cheek. His love for her was one he never really spoke of until they went to Japan. However, the Star fire in his time seemed to have lost interest after they defeated Slave. "I've missed you," his whispered not caring she wasn't the Star fire from his time, he was just happy she was back. “ Oh you want more lover boy? “ Ivy asked as she moaned, chewed on her lower lip. She arched her back just enough as vines wrapped around his waist, watched him closely. Sweat dripped from her body as she felt herself growing closer to a climax, he wasn’t even inside of her yet. She needed to feel him inside of her, she needed him to release inside of her knowing it would be like it never happened because her body always healed itself.“ Don’t tease me! You know I hate being teased.” Selina said as she arched her back, moaned watching him as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Burying her fingers in his dark hair she played with it, smiled knowing he wouldn’t listen to her because he loved TP tease her. She was so glad he’d shown up on her rooftop with battle wounds maybe two or three years ago she couldn’t remember how long it had been, but she knew he was the only man she’d ever love as long as she lived.“ I’m sorry I left you! Your gone in my timeline, maybe I was still naive. I’ve matured however, despite not being your star will you still have me? “ Star fire asked as she continued to caress his cheek, pressed her lips against his. She knew it wouldn’t bring her Tim back but as long as she could prevent his death it might change the outcome, part of her wondered about the others. But she didn’t want to break the kiss knowing she had to so he could breathe. “ Raven, Gar are they still here? “ Dick looked up at Ivy and watched as more vines wrapped around his waist. He shuddered feeling his arousal increase as he kissed further up Ivy's thighs and back to her pussy. He moaned and caressed her legs as he thrust his tongue into her as his cock throbbed for her. Furthermore, he wanted to be inside of her, he needed to be inside of her." It's more fun that way," Bruce said with a chuckle as he kissed up Selina's neck. His hands ran over her hips as wrapped her legs around his waist. He gazed into her eyes as he kissed her deeply and thrust his cock into her moaning into her mouth. He always loved the feeling of being one with her and never wanted that feeling to go away. Tim's eyes widened slightly as he felt Star fire's lips against her and shuddered kissing her back. His hand came over hers on his cheek and his heart fluttered, not wanting this feeling to end. As she broke the kiss, no answer came over the communicator as he caressed her hand with his thumb. "You'll always be my star, no matter what lifetime." Ivy moaned as her vines held her in place, found herself getting closer to a releasing point. The way his tongue was attacking her pussy was making it very hard to hold back, she knew she was officially addicted to him like a drug, since he was immune to her toxins like Harley they could go at it anytime, maybe even introduce Harley to the dynamic as a third giving her the opportunity to enjoy him too. Selina arched her back, pulled him down further into her as she kissed him back. She continued to play with his hair as she thrust her hips against his, moaned into his mouth. The idea of maybe a few children had crossed her mind a time or two, Bruce was the only man she’d ever think about getting pregnant, having a daughter with him would be a delight.“ Star? How what? “ Raven’s mildly raspy voice came over the communicator, she looked at Garfield aka beast boy. She was very confused because how was star asking about them when she was on Tamara, Gar knew better than anyone she hated to be confused. Star fire smiled hearing raven’s voice, laughed hear beast boy snoring. “ They got together?” She whispered so only Tim could hear her, wondered what else was different from her timeline because she thought about staying longer then she’d originally planned just to be with Tim. Dick shuddered as Ivy's moans only aroused him even more. He slightly dug his fingernails into her thighs as he thrust his tongue into her pussy moaning with her. He was just addicted to her as she was him and loved the feeling of her using her vines to hold him in place. Furthermore, he occasionally thought about Harley and her new-look finding it a lot hotter than her jester outfit. Bruce moaned as he thrust deeper into Selina and kissed her back passionately. The thought of having children with her was what he wanted as well, but just hope they wouldn't be like his only son, Damian. He had tried so hard to teach him not to fight with vengeance, yet he did and trained with the League of Shadows." Yeah, about a few months after you left," Tim whispered back as he pressed his forehead to Star fire's. Her scent was so familiar to him, and he missed it more than anything. "She's our Star fire Raven, just from a different time," he said as he then heard Beast Boy yawns as he woke up. He stayed in his cat form and crawled up into Raven's lap nuzzling her stomach. Ivy couldn’t hold back any longer, lost control instantly once she felt the urge to let lose she gave him a very good facial just as Harley walked back out. “ So your Batman’s sidekick? Since when do ya find yourself interested in ivy? She’s intoxicating I know. But you're the guy that’s usually trying to put us away aren’t ya?” The blonde asked as she watched him get a facial of ivy’s juices, she giggled a little. Selina thrust her hips against his as she arched just a little more, dug her nails into his back. ” How about tomorrow we try to gather all my cats, the stuff that I do have, so I can officially move in. I mean it's not many just clothes mostly, maybe some stuff I've stolen but nothing of value really.” The brunette said as she laid beneath The Dark Knight.” Oh right, let me guess we're more than likely all dead in her timeline.” Raven said as she smiled down at Gar, started petting him. She laughed a little cause the way he nuzzled her stomach tickled. “ Should we tell them the news Gar?” The purple haired young woman asked as she scratched behind his ear. Star looked at Tim confused when she heard the word news, wondered what she had missed. Raven, Gar we’re very much alive in her timeline, but they were not together. A lot of things were different in her timeline obviously, she actually liked this one a lot better. Dick moaned with Ivy as he felt her orgasm spread across his face. He panted softly and licked his lips loving the taste of her juices. He then looked at Harley as he was held down by Ivy's vines feeling them snake their way up his body. "That was a long time ago, things have changed since I left his side." He looked at Harley and blushed at how much she had changed as well. "I've always been attracted to Ivy." Bruce gasped and grunted as he felt Selina dig her nails into his back. He thrust deeper into her and smiled as he kissed her deeply. "Of course," he said before she mentioned items she stole and smirked shaking his head. "Naughty kitty," he whispered as he thrust faster into Selina moaning softly." Not exactly, I'm the one whose dead," Tim said as he held Star fire's hand close to his heart. He then listened to Raven curiously as he could hear Beast Boy changing back to normal. "We're going to have a baby!" he shouted as he hugged and held Raven close kissing her head. “ Right! So you’ve switched sides then? That’s interesting.” Harley said as she smiled a little, just watched them. Ivy had vines grab Harley’s ankles, she squirmed a little then gave up. The blonde was enjoying the show, didn’t mind the idea of being Night wing’s next victim. She could give him children unlike ivy who was infertile due to all the chemicals in her body.“ Yes I’ve been a naughty kitty, I need punished!” Selina said as she smirked she loved when he used various pet names for her, she didn’t really have any for him, but he’d always be her dark knight in shining armor. She had only loved one man, she laid beneath him as her climax built up even more. The brunette was getting so close to her climax that she knew she’d definitely make a mess causing them to have to shower again.“ Damian.... yeah I know the vision haunted me for months. But as long as we’re still all in contact things should change. As you can tell Gar is very excited! We’re also getting married! That was planned way before I got pregnant.” Raven said as she scratched behind his ear, kissed the top of his head like he had done to her. Star smiled as she listened to raven, kissed Tim again as he held her hand against his heart knowing that she belonged with him no matter what. She’d do everything in her power to stop Damian or prevent him from killing the only guy she’d ever love. Dick nodded as he rested his head against Ivy's thighs deciding he would go ahead and agree with Harley, even though her assumption wasn't completely correct. "When Ivy changed her ways, I had to see if it was true myself. I had always hoped that one day she would, so I could confess my love for her." He then watched as Ivy's vines grabbed Harley and smiled seeing how she was so much happier here then she was with Joker. Bruce smiled as he continued to thrust deeper and faster into Selina. The woman he had always loved, his forever and always that had changed her ways for him. He kissed her neck and moaned with her as he felt him getting closer to release as well. He then gazed into her eyes and gasped releasing inside of her before kissing her passionately. Beast Boy smiled as Raven kissed him back and held her close as he caressed her stomach. The only woman he had ever loved bearing his child made his love for her only grow. Tim shuddered as Star kissed him again and didn't hesitate kissing her back. His love for her began to take over as his hand ran across her hip trying to pull her close as his kiss became more passionate. ” I can release you if it makes it easier for you to slide into me, Harley can be next. She can actually get pregnant if you were wanting children.” Ivy said as she released him from her vines while Harley stood in place. ” Right red’s got that effect on people. She's rescued me more times than I'd like to admit.” The blonde said as she watched them, ivy’s words echoed in her head. Selina couldn't hold back anymore, without hesitation she let go. Her climax covered his cock his balls, the lower half of his abdomen. She hoped she was able to get pregnant because the few times they had hooked up until now both had happened, maybe this was their chance to start a family. The brunette knew about Damien, she had hoped Bruce could have raised him in the beginning, but that wasn't the case.” We’ll let you two enjoy each other. Perhaps we can meet up sometime” Raven said as she smiled at Garfield, the way he treated her made her feel like a queen. Star smirked when she felt his hand on her hip, continued to kiss him. ” Maybe we should go back to your place, continue our rekindling there?” The redhead asked as she smiled, didn't think that her time travel was a problem. She'd used a portal, didn't think it would stay open the entire time she was reconnecting with Tim. Little did she know that Brainier 12 had been released in good behavior in her time, had followed her through the portal. As he was released from her vines, Dick crawled up beside Ivy and wrapped his arms around her. He then looked at Harley before looking back at Ivy. "My heart is yours as you see fit," he said as he kissed her hand before holding it to his chest. Bruce panted softly as he felt Selina release with him. He smiled and kissed her and caressed her cheek thinking about having a child with her. It would be different this time, their child wouldn't be like Damian in any way. "I love you so much Selina." Tim's heart fluttered as he continued to kiss Star. As Raven left, he looked at her and nodded as he drove back to his apartment. "Not much as changed around here, crime is still on the rise. The detective agency still sees....me as a menace even though their oblivious that it's me." ” Were both at your disposal Richard! As long as you'll have us. ” Ivy said, Harley gave an approving nod as she watched ivy squirm waiting for Richard to slide into her, show her what she had been missing. Harley had been sexually physically, mentally abused by joker for years, but she’d never hate men because they weren't all bad.” I know, now that we can finally make a life together. I expect you to come home from the office every night! No moonlighting that's your past, it's time to live a normal life.” Selina said as she chewed on his lower lip as she kissed him back. She knew it would be a few weeks before they'd know for sure if she had gotten pregnant, but she felt good about the possibility of a son or daughter may be one of each.” Right let's just focus on us, what I've missed out on since you've been gone in my world. Before you died you were going to ask me something with this. ” Star took a small black box out of her pocket set it on the console, chewed on her lower lip wondering if maybe he had asked the present version of herself the same question, had been rejected. Brainiac 12 knew what she had to do, who she had to find. She had to find Damian, stop him from killing Tim if it was the last thing she did. The sad part was in this time she was nothing but an idea which meant coming to the past would jeopardize her own future, it was a risk she was willing to take. Hearing Ivy call him by his birth name once more, he smiled as he looked back at Harley. He then gazed into Ivy's eyes and slowly thrust his cock into her gasping softly. The feeling of sliding into her was a feeling he had only dreamed of and felt like he could die happy tomorrow." I'll try my best," Bruce whispered with a chuckle at how demanding Selina was. She really wanted this as much as he did and that made him the happiest man in the world. He continued to kiss her as his hands caressed her hips softly knowing how much he meant to her. As he pulled into the parking lot, Tim looked over at the box Star held and looked back up at her. He then reached into his coat pocket pulling out the same box and opened it revealing an engagement ring. "Did you find it after I died?" Ivy arched, winced a little because as soon as Richard slid into her, she felt a pop. The redhead knew exactly what had happened, but she’d heal as soon as they were done, it would be as if he’d never deflowered her. Harley watched with a smirk on her face as she admired the redhead laying beneath the one known as Night wing when he was in costume. Selina couldn’t help but smile she smiled as so madly in love with Bruce, saw herself with nobody else but him. She looked at the time, it was probably one maybe two in the morning which meant they’d need to get some sleep. The brunette didn’t sleep much usually she was out prowling until all hours of the night, she was officially done with that lifestyle.“ Yeah. It was in your coat pocket, I guess the coroner found it. This moment right here is when it happened.” Star said as tears started to stream down her face, she had no idea she had been followed. Brainier 12 had heard everything, now she knew the location of Damian. She locked in the coordinates, tapped him on the shoulder. “ Ahem! I wouldn’t do that if I were you! “ The whitish blonde haired young woman said as she waited for a reaction, knew he’d know exactly who she was because with the help of Wayne Tech he’d created her to stop him from killing. Richard gazed into Ivy's eyes and moaned softly as he felt her walls tighten around his cock. He kissed her chest softly and thrust deeper into her loving this feeling of bliss. He kissed up her neck and kissed her lips passionately and moaned not caring that Harley was watching them. Bruce smiled as he slowly pulled out of Selina and shuddered caressing her legs. He gazed down at her smiling with passion knowing this was the star of the rest of his life. He laid beside her and stroked her cheek softly as he held her hand to his heart. "I hope Dick is okay." Tim looked at Star and got out of the car making his way to her door. He pulled her out and held her door drawing his gun. He could feel his heart racing as he knew they were both in danger. Damian smirked as he watched from a rooftop as Tim pulled in. He was set up with a sniper rifle and saw that he wasn't alone. He then looked back and gasp in fear recognizing Brainier 12. "How....what are you doing here?!" “ Yes Richard! Oh, god please don’t hold back.” Ivy moaned as she arched her back, wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him down into her. Harley was getting wet just watching them, it’d been awhile since she’d been touched due to joker wanting to punish her which included neglecting her needs as a female.“ I’m sure he’s fine. Now get some rest.” Selina said as she kissed him, laying her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes. She’d been through a lot in her life but meeting Bruce Wayne/Batman had made her life so much simpler, she was looking forward to a life with him where she would wake up next every morning. However, she wasn’t too fond of his snoring it was something she’d deal with for the price of him loving her for who she was. Star watched him draw his gun, chewed on her lower lip as she stood next to the car. “ You sent me back to this time! Your command was that I stop you from killing your brother so you didn’t end up a lonely man haunted by his mistakes. I can show you your future, it’s not a pretty one. You created me for several reasons, one was to be your companion.” Brainier said as she looked at him, disengaged the gun before he could fire it. She wasn’t going to let him go down that path this time’m Richard smiled as he listened to Ivy moan and beg for more pleasure. He gasped as she wrapped her legs around his waist and started thrusting faster. He looked over at Harley and could sense how long it had been since she had been treated like a woman. Bruce smiled as he kissed Selina back with his head laying next to hers. He slowly closed his eyes and thought about how much better his life would be now that he would stay committed to the woman he loved. Waking up to her every day and falling asleep to her every night was a life he had always dreamed of, and now it would be forever true. Tim panted softly as he kept Star covered, willing to die for her like he always was. He waited for Damian to fire the first shot, but felt like something wasn't right. "Why the hell would I do something like that? Tim needs to die!" Damian went to fire the rifle, but saw how it wouldn't fire. He then stood up and glared at Brainier 12 and went to throw a punch at her to get rid of her. Ivy moaned as she thrust her hips against his, looked over at Harley. She noticed the young woman was getting turned on by watching her with Richard, she snipped the vines from her ankles beckoning her to join them. Harley was a little nervous but slowly walked toward them, when she felt Ivy’s vines snake up her leg to tease her until Richard was done she threw her head back closing her eyes. Selina actually stayed asleep this time, maybe all she did was roll over so she was facing the man she loved. She was so happy she had chosen to finally admit she needed him in her life, waking up with him falling asleep with him would make her world complete.“ Tim please I can’t lose you again.” star fire begged as he protected her like he had back in her timeline, she couldn’t stand to watch him die again. She wasn’t telling him that he’d died in her arms, his last words had been will you marry me. The redhead was going to say yes when he took his last breath, she couldn’t chance that again.“ No he doesn’t! You told me Tim used to be your best friend, the day of his funeral you were crying. I remember it all. What did he do to deserve death?” Brainier said as she blocked the attack, took his hand showing him what the future would be like if he killed Tim. Everyone stood in front of the casket, he stayed hidden in the shadows because everyone knew he’d been the one that had killed their teammate. Richard continued thrusting into Ivy and watched as she released Harley from her vines. He then gasped cumming deep inside of Ivy and laid his head against her breasts panting. He watched as Harry slowly walked towards them and smiled reaching out to her. Tim looked at Star fire and nodded as he caressed her cheek, "That's not going to happen. You're here now." He then pulled out one of his devices to scan the area and noticed two more signals other than their own. "You said Damian did this by himself right?" Damian grunted as Brainier blocked his attack and gasped as he saw the future. He saw everyone around Tim's casket and gasped pulling away. He dropped to his knees and panted as he saw his future self a miserable person and looked up at Brainier shaking his head. "That can't be!" Ivy moaned, felt her climax begin to build up as she trusted her hips against his. Harley chewed on her lower lip as she felt dick’s hand against her skin, she squirmed just a little. She wasn't wearing any underwear, just had on an oversized t-shirt because her clothes wreaked of the joker which made her feel uncomfortable, she liked the idea of ivy and dick with her in the middle.” Yeah. There's something else. He created a construct known as brainier twelve, it's possible she may have followed me here to stop him from making the biggest mistake of his life. I need to know though. Why would he want to kill you? Weren't you like brothers or something?” Star fire was only asking because she remembered when Damian was part of the team, didn't know what had caused him to change.” It's not a lie. You programmed me to never lie to you.” brainier twelve said as she walked toward him, knelt down in front of him. She reached out to caress his cheek, show him comfort. Part of her wondered what it would be like to kiss him, she wanted to, but she didn't know how it would make him feel if she hadn't even been created yet. Richard panted and smiled as he felt Ivy thrust her hips against his as he looked up at Harley. "You're safe with us," he said as he smiled caressing her leg. He always knew Harley had a piece of her that wanted to be happy and not be with Joker. "It's okay," he said he took her hand into hers smiling softly. Tim withdrew his gun and stood up looking at the roof seeing Damian with a woman assuming it was Brainier. He then looked at Star realizing this was the moment and took her into his apartment. "We'll be safe in here, there are no windows," he said as he leads her downstairs to his bedroom feeling his heart race. Damian looked into Brainier's eyes as she caressed his cheek. He touches felt reassuring and comforting to him as he felt like he could change, regardless if his mother was the leader of a band of criminals. "Thank you for helping me." “ Mm that felt good. Your hands are soft, I’d love them you touch me all the time.” Harley confessed as she watched the redheaded plant vixen thrust against him, listened to her moan. She had to squeeze her thighs together just to keep herself from climaxing before she was even touched, she saw a family dynamic which made her happy.“ So the last thing you asked me before you died in my arms. Was if I would marry you, I was going to say yes until you took your last breath. I’ve been given another chance, before you ask again the answer is yes! I’d love to be your wife Timothy Drake! “ Star fire said as she caressed his cheek with her thumb, sat down on the edge of his bed.“ You’re welcome, it’s how you programmed me. What did he do to deserve death anyway? you're a good person master Damian, if I knew what love was I’d say I love you.” Brainier said as she kissed his forehead, held her hand out to him as she stood up. She’d be there for him until she either died or self-destructed, she wouldn’t do so until the command was given. Richard smiled seeing the real Harley as he looked back at Ivy and kissed her softly. He pulled out of her and turned to Harley smiled as he pulled her down in between them. "I will," he said as his hand caressed her cheek and gazed into her eyes. "You won't have to be afraid anymore. Never again will a hand touch you in harm." Tim looked at Star fire as his heart fluttered as she caressed his cheek. He smiled wide as he held the ring in his hand and kneeled in front of her as she sat on the bed. "I've been waiting for this moment my entire life. I've loved you since the day we met and nothing would make me happier than to have you as my wife." He then took her hand and placed the ring on her finger smiling wide before looking up at her. Damian looked down and shook his head realizing how stupid he was for wanting to kill his once best friend. He sighed before looking up at Brainier kissed his forehead and stood up realizing how much he needed her. "I'll do everything to make this up to you." feeling him pull her down between them, caress her cheek she smirked a little as she leaned forward to kiss him only to feel ivy’s hand slide up under the back of her shirt then snake forward to massage her breasts. The blonde took Richard’s band, slid it between her thighs as she felt ivy’s other hand start to rub her inner thigh.“ I love you too Tim, I’ve always loved you. Why I would leave you is beyond me, but I’m here now, that’s all that matters.” Star caressed his cheek with her thumb as she admired the ring, kissed him. She had just been made the happiest Tasmanian on earth, she knew her sister would be furious, but that was the point. Brainiac didn’t know what to say she just knew that she couldn’t leave him, since he held her fate in his hands she’d stay by him until he no longer needed her. She looked up at the stars then into his eyes, wondered what he was thinking right now. The white blonde haired woman wasn’t a telepath, couldn’t read minds due to basically being a computer in a somewhat human body. Richard smiled as leaned closer to Ivy and kissed her softly as she led his hand to her inner thigh. He caressed her bare leg and shuddered loving this feeling. He watched as Ivy massaged her breasts and caressed her other thigh as he looked up at Harley. "How do you feel?" Tim smiled as he gazed up at Star fire and moaned softly kissing her back. He was the happiest man on Earth and nothing could ruin this moment. His hands ran over her hips as he picked her up and spun her around." What do we do now?" Damian asked as he seemed so lost. Seeing the future and the way he was tormented his soul and he wasn't sure what he would do. He looked up at Brainier and sighed seeing how she wanted to comfort him, but felt undeserving. ” I feel perfect.” Harley admitted as she was given the attention she’d always wanted, she wondered if maybe the dynamic could become a permanent thing. She loved ivy, always would, but now she loved to dick too. Part of her was still afraid he might lock her up in Arkham again but the other part of her was truly enjoying the pleasure.” Tim did we ever? I mean I know I would remember if we did. But I don't seem to recall us having sex.” Star said feeling embarrassed about asking such a question of the man she was going to marry, she was happy for raven and beast boy but questioned her own ability to get pregnant since technically she was an alien on a planet that was still foreign to her after a few years.” We can go back to your place, you can tell me things. Teach me new ways of comforting you, maybe a program to love you? ” Brainier felt a strong bond to her creator almost like a father-daughter bond, but it was more than that, she could remember the day she’d opened her eyes for the first time. He'd kissed her lips, she couldn't reciprocate because she didn't quite understand what had happened. She didn't have a real name, she wanted one but brain worked for the time being. Richard smiled as he pulled Harley into his lap and gazed up at her. He stroked her cheek softly and smiled getting lost in her eyes. "I know we haven't always gotten along, but I'd like to put that all behind us and start a new." Tim blushed deeply as Star fire asked her question and shook his head. He had always dreamt of having sex with her, but the version of herself never took things past when they kissed in Japan. "I feel like, you never knew how you truly felt about me until I died. I don't mean that to upset you, but I've always wanted to tell you my feelings for you and when you left, my heart shattered." Damian looked at Brainier confused slightly, but decided to just go along with it. How could anyone love him, and why would anyone want to love him? He was far from being helped in any kind of way and doubted she could help him. He opened the door to his apartment and sighed opening the door. "Make yourself at home," he said in a depressed voice as he sat on the couch sighing. “ Okay! I’m down with that. If you can make red feel good then I trust you can do the same for me.” Harley said as Ivy continued to finger her while she sat in dick’s lap, she could feel her pre-climax plus her climax building up to the point of no return.“ Your not wrong Timothy, it’s true. But holding you in my arms as you took your last breath I told you I loved you, you had a smile on your face. I’ve always loved you, I always will. Please show me what I’m missing, let me feel things I’ve never felt before.” Star said as she looked at him, took off her top and bra leaving just her jeans as she unzipped her boots then slid them off. Her entire upper body was exposed to him, she was giving him permission to do whatever he wanted.“ Is master Damian upset with brainier did she do bad? If so she will accept punishment, let master destroy her.” The white haired whit skinned woman said as she looked at her master, could see that he was upset. She was built to please him in many ways, if he instructed her to self-destruct she’d do it. Richard smiled as he listened to Harley as he kissed her neck softly. His hands caressed her bare hips as he kissed further down to her chest licking back up to her chin. "I've always found you beautiful as well. I'm glad you left him, you're safe here." Tim smiled softly at Star before watching in awe as she took her top and bra off. He gazed at her bare breasts blushing deeply as he smiled at her as she took her boots off. He then took his jacket off and kissed her passionately as he guided her hands to his shirt. Damian shook his head as he looked up at Brainier, "It's nothing you did. It's what I almost did." He then looked over at a picture of him, his father and Dick that was taken before they went their separate ways. He sighed taking the picture and set it face down knowing those days were over. Harley smiled as dick told her she was safe, she leaned forward to kiss him. Ivy continued to kiss her neck, tease her from behind while she sat in the middle of them. Both women could see themselves enjoying dick quite often, Ivy herself wondered how Brice was doing without knowing that dick was alive and well. Star tugged at his shirt until she had it pulled out of his pants, pulled it up over his head as she kissed him she kissed his neck and shoulders then nibbled on his ear. This would be her first time, she loved Tim more than anything. She really wanted this, she could tell he did to. If raven and beast boy could make things work between them then so could they.“ Teach me what love is! Please master. I want to feel touch.” Brainier admitted as she listened to him speak, tilted her head to the side. She wished she could be human, but she was a walking computer with false skin, could easily research anything for her creator, but she wanted to feel everything including her master. Richard smiled and moaned softly as he kissed Harley back. He loved the feeling of having the two sexiest women he had known want him as their plaything. He had forgotten all about what Bruce had done to him that night, all that mattered to him was pleasing his two vixens. Tim smiled as Star took hid shirt off and shuddered as she kissed down his body. He held her close feeling her bare chest pressed against his moaning softly as he kissed her deeply wanting her more than anything. As he kissed her, his hands ran down her hips and took her pants off, kissing down her body as he slid them down. Damian looked at Brainier surprised by her request and blushed deeply gazing into her eyes. He knew his hate for Tim had always stemmed from Star fire wanting him over her and slowly walked towards her taking her hands into his. "Why though? Why me?" Harley kisses him back, rubbed his bare chest with her hands as ivy kissed her neck. She could feel all the sexual tension she’d ever felt just simply fade away, she’d had sex with joker occasionally, but he was so abusive that it never really gave her any satisfaction. Star kissed him, ran her fingers through his hair smiling as she did so. Stopping so she could unbutton his pants she didn’t stop kissing him though, she’d always wanted this, so why did the real star of this timeline decide to leave? That part didn’t make any sense, she knew saving him would bring her Tim back, but he was her Tim!“ Because it’s the way you made me. You programmed for various uses. But loving you wasn’t one of them, after you killed him he had nobody but me. I’m a human computer master, I want to be more. I want to love you because you created me. It’s her, isn’t it? The redhead from Tamara she’s why you killed him. You thought if he was gone she’d love you. I get it now... but why her? “ Brain ac was starting to put the pieces together, she didn’t like that her master was in love with another woman. Richard smiled as Harley kissed him back as he kissed down her neck, taking a moment to kiss Ivy. He then kissed down her chest as his hands ran over her bare breasts. He gazed up at her before sucking her tits softly and moaned as he watched Ivy eyeing him with a smirk. Tim smiled feeling Star run her fingers through his hair as let her take his pants off. He then slowly pushed her down on the bed and continued kissing down her body moaning softly and kissed between her breasts. He didn't care if she was from a different timeline, he wanted her. Furthermore, he had always wanted her." It doesn't matter why anymore, she's with Tim." Damian was surprised Brainier knew his reasons for wanting to kill Tim and knew his heart would forever hurt. He sighed holding his head in his hands looking at the ground knowing he would be forever incomplete. Harley moaned into the kiss as she ran her hands over his chest, pouted when she saw the fresh scar. “ What’s that from?” The blonde asked curiously, traced it with her fingers. Ivy stood giving Harley someone on one time with dick while she tended to her plants.“ Oh Tim!” Star moaned as she watched him, reached out to play with his hair. She didn’t know if saving him had changed the future or not, but now she could have a different future, she was happy for their friends raven and far getting married and expecting their first child.“ When you were making me you said all sorts of things, said maybe I’d love you. But I don’t know how master you have to teach me!” Brainy said as she kissed him, pulled back feeling a little confused. She definitely had a lot to learn, she could make herself look more human or normal if her master wanted her too. Dick shuddered as he felt Harley caress his neck and looked up at her as his hands rested on her hips. "Batman....," he said as he looked over at Ivy smiling at her. "He was trying to attack her, but I wouldn't let him." Tim smiled as he looked up at Star and continued kissing down her bare stomach as his hands ran over her breasts. He was happy to have her and would go with her to her time if he had to. He wanted to be with her and nothing else in this world. Damian looked up at her and gasped softly as she kissed him. He blushed deeply that she really wanted him and stepped closer to her taking her hand into his. He kissed her softly and shuddered as he felt a spark between them that melted his heart of ice. “ Well that wasn’t very nice of him. Batman was a bad boy, I think he should be punished unless watching you die was punishment enough. All that matters is your here now, you protected Ivy!” Harley leaned down to kiss him, moaned as Ivy continued to kiss along her neck. Kori was nervous because she’d never been able to get this far with her Tim, her body shivered as he kissed along her bare stomach. Ever since their first meeting years ago she was smitten with him, couldn’t live without him. Weather her Tim was back or not was beyond her, but she didn’t want to go back to find out. Brainiac 8 smiled as she felt the spark, put her hand to his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, wondered if he desired her to take on a more human looking form. “Master Damian I can appear more human if that’s what you would like.” "That's all that matters to me as well," he said before Harley cut him off. He kissed her back and smiled watching Ivy kiss her neck. His eyes then caught the sight of a smile bottle of pink dust and knew exactly what it was, having been introduced to it before him and Ivy became lovers. Tim looked up at Star and smiled knowing she was here to stay. He wanted to cherish every minute of her. As his kissed down her stomach even lower, his hands ran over her thighs and began massaging her legs." W...what do you mean?" Damian asked as he looked at her curiously. He smiled up at her as he took his hand into hers and held it to his heart feeling a more calm beat to it. “ Don’t worry about that. Ivy doesn’t have you under a spell or anything like that. The pink dust is just what she used to wake you up, she probably gave you a shot too. It’s to make us immune to her toxins so we don’t get sick, ya know die. I’m sure bats is hurting, but he’ll realize your fine soon enough. Just don’t go back to him to soon, leave us behind. “ Harley explained as much as she could, continued to kiss him as she shivered a little with Ivy’s lips gliding along her shoulders. Kori watched his every move, smiled as her body began to relax. She was accepting his touch because she’d never known what it was like to feel pleasure, it felt different. Her eyes closed as she mentally traveled back to their first meeting, the first time he ever kissed her. “I’ve always loved you Timothy Drake!” She said softly as she opened her eyes, smiled down at him as she laid on his bed.“ Do you want me to take on a more human like appearance? Like this.” Brainier 8 punched in a code on her arm, her whole appearance changed. She now had blonde hair with pink streaks, crystal blue eyes with fair looking skin. Her master had given her multiple codes to use in case she ever had to hide who she was, feeling his heart beat against her hand made her happy. Brainier 8 was in love with her master, had been for quite some time which is why she’d come to the past to save him from himself. "I wouldn't mind if she did, I've been in love with her since we first met." He blushed deeply as he looked back at Ivy and moaned softly kissing Harley back. His hand ran over her hips and moaned as he felt a vine squeeze around him. Tim smiled at Kori as his hands massaged her thighs. "I've always loved you too," he said kissing her clit. He licked her pussy softly and shuddered as he gazed up at her in awe. He moaned softly as his heart fluttered at the feeling of finally making her his. Damian looked at Brainier 8 and gasped watching her appearance change. He gazed at her in awe and stood up smiling at her. He smiles taking her hand into his as he gazed into her eyes as he stood into her eyes. “So you want us both?” Harley asked as she kissed along his neck, felt one of ivy’s vines pushing her further toward him so she could mount him. The redhead massaged the breasts of her blonde lover, looked at Dick with a devious yet seductive grin.“ I need to feel you inside of me Timothy!” She said as she arched her back, just watched him wondering what her future looked like now that she’d saved him. Perhaps in her timeline he’d been resurrected, was looking for her, but that was never a guarantee. This is where she wanted, needed to be.“ Is master Damien pleased with my appearance?” Brainier 8 asked as she stroked his cheek with her thumb, gazed into his eyes letting her lips meet with his. She almost felt human, wondered if she could bring her master pleasure. Her attachment to him was so much more than that of a creator/inventor, his invention. Dick blushed at Harley's question and gazed back at Ivy as she grinned at him. "I.... I do," he said as he felt Harley move closer to him and shuddered feeling her lips against his neck. His hands caressed her hips as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling. Tim smiled at her demand and nodded as he slowly kissed his way back up her body. He positioned himself and gazed into her eyes smiling at her lovingly as he slowly thrust into her gasping softly. Damien nodded slowly as he gazed upon her in awe. His words escaped him as she caressed his cheek and shuddered feeling her lips against his. He closed his eyes and kissed her back as his hand slowly ran over her hip moaning softly not seeing her as an invention, but as a person.

Ivy’s Night {Myself, Okami}|rating:3.0

Cohesion [with Blue Envy]

It had been nearly twelve weeks since Bruce had turned down the kindest offer anyone had ever made him in favor of a ride to the train station and an awkward goodbye. He should have taken Tony up on his invitation to stay when it had originally been made. Now everything was different and nothing had changed. Sneaking back into the country without raising the hackles of some SHIELD lackeys or border patrol agents had been almost embarrassingly easy. Avoiding the multitude of security cameras in New York while trying to keep his heart from beating a rapid staccato was considerably more difficult. His plan began and ended with making it to Tony, not so much for his own protection, but in the hope of restoring some manner of equilibrium to his world and in turn protecting everyone else. Though that, he supposed, was too little, too late. Bruce looked as he so often did, tired and terribly ragged. Maintaining his clothing was almost always the first thing to go when times became rough. Besides, he’d borrowed the pants and boots he was currently wearing from a Central American ranch hand. His feet were blistered and the rough canvas of the too big jacket he was wearing rubbed uncomfortably at the nape of his neck. It wasn’t the clothes, however, that truly showed the wear on him, it was the dark smudges under his eyes, the sag in his shoulders, the terribly exhausted look in his hazel eyes. If this went wrong, Bruce had nowhere left to turn. Perhaps he’d hand himself over to SHIELD, to Fury, let them experiment on the thing he became, erase him, so long as they could keep the beast contained. Better to lose himself in favor of the promise that it was always, always kept locked away and caged. He felt the monster stir in him at even the hint of the treacherous thought. If he was half the person he wanted to be, he'd have done it already. He kept his head down and the brim of his baseball cap low over his tanned face as he approached the receptionist at Stark – no Avengers – Tower. He suspected that Jarvis would be well aware of his presence and alerting Stark by now, though some formalities must be observed. Furthermore, he waited at the desk while the receptionist finished up a phone call, then while she played with her nails for a moment, before acknowledging him. “Can I help you with something?” she asked, once Bruce had captured her attention.”I’m here to see Tony Stark, please,” he stated in a soft even tone. The woman considered him with a wrinkled brow.“Do you have an appointment with Mr. Stark?” she inquired.”More like an open invitation,” Bruce corrected apologetically, tipping up the brim of the cap just so, allowing the young woman to see his face. The woman gasped, her mouth dropping into a silent “O” of surprise. She pressed back into her chair, putting a few more inches of distance between them and Bruce bit back a wince, knowing that her fear was justified, and knowing that his mere presence was causing it. The latest incident had almost certainly made international news. At just that moment, Ms. Potts strode out of the elevator favoring him with a warm smile and a brief polite hug. He felt a burning in the back of his eyes and a tightening in his throat. It was the first time anyone had touched him in months. It took all his effort not to retreat from a contact he felt he didn't deserve. Instead, the moment passed, and she released him, favoring him with an appraising but non-judgmental look.“It’s good to have you back, Bruce,” she offered, almost perfunctorily. “I expect you’ve come to see Tony?” she asked, again more out of politeness than actual curiosity. She almost certainly knew every word that had passed between him and the receptionist, who was still gaping at him openly.“Yes, please, Ms. Potts,” Bruce agreed softly, shoving his hands into the pockets of the oversized coat. She smiled at him indulgently. No matter how many times she told Bruce he could call her Pepper he seemed to have difficulty with the concept. She led the way into the elevator and up to the penthouse suite. Bruce felt dirty in the sharp modern surroundings, which were obviously cleaned regularly by a professional staff. He stuck out as a thing that did not belong here among the delicate glass windows and neat finery. Ms. Potts did not follow him out of the elevator, instead begging back off for work and promising to catch up with them later. For all that he'd struggled and fought to get here, there was a moment's hesitance, a definite trepidation. There was a real possibility that there would be disgust in Tony's eyes when the man saw him. There was a real possibility that he might be turned away. It was amazing how the body kept going in spite of the mind, not because of or despite. It was the body’s irritating way of maliciously complying with living, which was totally uncalled-for. There was also something to be said about routine and societal expectation, which was a disgusting motivator to get up and function like a person every day. Unfortunately, there was more motivation to go on playing normal if the media took an active interest in your life and your incredibly profitable and influential company, which was not so much a brag as the sad result of someone who couldn’t stop trying to live up to a legacy and had the resources to pursue the ‘what if this was something…’ line of thinking. The least that could be said for Tony in his current state was that he seemed very much like himself, albeit a severely sleep-deprived version of himself, but the darker coloring under his eyes was the most obvious physical indication that he was struggling at all. The rest of him looked shockingly normal. He was hydrated, he ate, he wore outrageously priced button-down shirts and perfectly tailored slacks, and he went on doing whatever it was that he found interesting at the time as though the world wasn’t tilted a little wrong, and he’d potentially lost what he’d thought would be his future. A coffee cup was set down on the bar top along with a half-eaten bag of trail mix. Steam was still rising from the otherwise black coffee, which took up only half the space allotted in the cup. Moving around to the stock behind said bar, he scanned the rows until he found a bottle of amber liquid sitting just a little left of eye-level. Tony pulled the top free and was in the middle of filling up the rest of the cup when he heard the elevator open. He glanced down at the imaginary watch that he wasn’t wearing as though checking to see if it was time for an appointment he’d forgotten. What he expected was high heels to echo off of the floor, with Pepper coming to exasperatedly wrangle him into doing something other than fixate on a project or to… not argue. They didn’t argue, really. The top of the Scotch was replaced, and the bottle returned to where he’d found it. He snatched up the bag, holding it in the palm of one hand and left the coffee for now to cool. By the sound of things, Pepper wasn’t alone, which meant she wasn’t going to have that look on her face that was a little too pinched, pretending to be all business and that working together didn’t bother her in the least. But as the elevator and who was in front of it came into view, he realized he’d imagined the scene all wrong. The tension that had been working its way into his shoulders dissipated. “Banner,” he announced with mild surprise, which he covered almost instantly by popping almonds into his mouth and crunching down on them. Bruce looked a little worse for wear. That was to be expected considering the reports that had come out. Tony crossed the distance that had separated them. “Trail mix?” he offered in place of a proper greeting, holding the bag up and making no effort to hide the fact that he was making an assessment of the way Bruce looked now that they were closer. “Did Pepper not tell you we decided against the ranch theme? We couldn’t get the permits for the llamas.” Teasing though he was, his expression remained serious, and he rattled the contents of the bag before grabbing another almond. There were other things in there, but he was committed to the nuts now.“Typical,” he concluded. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Nap? Lunch?” Was it lunchtime? Tony glanced out the window. It was a little late based on the fading light, but he wasn’t going to let society dictate when he offered lunch. That was crossing a line. “Sense of fashion?” he added for good measure before feeling he’d thoroughly harassed Bruce about his clothes, and if he kept at it, they wouldn’t have to touch on any of the serious bits. Tony glanced down at the bag he’d been holding, shook it a little to shuffle the mix around, and then decidedly didn’t try to eat more of it. “Are you staying?” The question was casual, almost indifferent as he turned to go back to the bar, aware that he was letting his coffee get cold. He didn’t suspect Bruce risked coming back into New York for a quick little visit to just say 'hello, made a mess of things, hope you're doing well,' but a lot could happen on the trip to change a person’s mind. “There’s a room,” he mentioned innocently. “Multiple rooms.” He abandoned the bag back on the bar and picked up the coffee. Tony realized it had gone lukewarm at the first sip, but that was mostly from being half room-temperature Scotch to begin with. “And a lab.” Couldn’t forget to mention the lab to the science nerd, not that Bruce would have forgotten any of this information. However, the lab was probably more of a selling point if Banner was on the fence about whether he was going to stay or go. He looked like he might turn skittish at any moment. There was something incredibly soothing about the fact that Tony seemed almost miraculously unchanged. Everything else in his life had shifted so seismically that the familiarity was a comfort. A part of him knew better than to believe it. New York had scarred them all, or at least those of them that had previously been civilians. But as Tony offered up one of his perpetual snacks like Bruce hadn’t disappeared from the map for six months, he felt like maybe he could breathe again. If he looked a little more closely he could see the signs of wear, but it was easy to overlook what Bruce didn’t want to see. Food had tasted like ash in his mouth since Honduras. How long had it been since he’d eaten properly? It didn’t matter. Nothing had mattered except getting here, and now he realized the rather monumental gaps in this plan. What had he thought? That being in a place where he’d done something to help would erase the harm he’d done? That if Tony could look at him and still see the scientist, maybe there was still a place in this life for him? He was in New York, in Tony’s lavish Avengers Tower, and the ghosts were still ghosts. The quip about his clothing shocked him out of the morbid and directionless train of thought. It took him a second to understand what Tony was on about, to remember the coarse, itchy fabric, and the style he wouldn’t have chosen for himself. The mention of llamas actually managed to surprise a small smile out of him, exercising muscles that hadn’t been used in a while. The darkness receded a little into the darker caves of his mind. Maybe that was what he’d come here for, just Tony, the way he faced the darkness outside in the world and in his own mind with a sense of humor that Bruce only sometimes managed without him. Funny how he could know a person so deeply after such a short acquaintance. Battlefield forged friendships would do that, he supposed. Options. . .too many options. Bruce didn’t know what he needed, except that if what he needed to be existed anywhere, it was here. The last vestige of hope before he surrendered himself to a cage in a lab. He needed a shower, probably, after bedding down rough through most of Central America and all points south of New York in the States. But beyond the grit on his skin, Bruce found it challenging to hold onto any individual thought too long that wasn’t some variation of what-have-I-done. The dig brought his mind back around. He wasn’t sure that letting Tony dress him would result in anything less comically tragic than his current attire, for all that Tony’s attempt would be more costly. Bruce watched as Tony shuffled the bag around, suddenly aware that he hadn’t even managed a basic greeting, another failure as a human being, though certainly not the most egregious. Are you staying? That was the question, wasn’t it? He had nowhere else to go. A part of him had surely intended that when he came here. But to be offered sanctuary, casually, with no reservation broke something in him. The promise of lab space, maybe a partner, a place to lose himself in the pure uncomplicated certainty of science was more than he deserved. His throat felt obstructed, emotion, hot and hard, blocking his windpipe. He cleared his throat. His voice was hoarse with disuse. “Do you. . .know about Honduras?” Bruce asked, a furrow creasing his brow. “You can’t. . . I can’t let you offer me that unless you know.” Tony tapped a finger against the side of his coffee cup with the hand that held it. The cup was a prop, a pretense of normalcy that he offered to people who still had to deal with him, like Pepper. She knew he was drinking. She stopped hounding him about it most days if he made the effort to hide the fact. It wasn’t that she disapproved any less, but it was more socially acceptable to pretend nothing was wrong. It was better for business, especially since he had refused therapy as a viable option—he wasn’t a warm, fuzzy sharer. He wasn’t willingly turning over ammunition to have someone else put a metaphorical bullet through him, even if they were ethically bound to keep whatever he said or didn’t say to themselves. Banner didn’t have a Pepper to remind him that people felt better about themselves if you acted as though you weren’t a barely contained mess, wallowing in all of your bad deeds. On some level it must have been nice not to perform. Tony couldn’t tell if that pang he felt was sympathy or jealousy. Eyebrows pulled up at the question. Well, the man still spoke, which was an improvement from the aggressive silence that seemed to hang on him. Tony knew Banner to be quiet and a little too reserved, which kept his rowdy other half in check, but it felt as though they’d reached a new level of standoffish protectiveness. Not that he could blame the other man.“Do I know about it?” He knew what the question meant. That didn’t mean he wanted to go wandering down that path, especially with Bruce looking like he was trying to crawl his way out of his own personal Shashank. So Tony made it sound like an absurd thing to ask, as though he’d been asked if he knew it existed. “Did it rise from the mists for a single day after a hundred-year absence?” Tony returned to where Banner was standing, seemingly fixed to that spot as though he were intending to grow roots and someone would have to come by to water him every so often. From far away or close up, Banner was worse off now than he had been before he’d left. “A few things might have made it back here. Not a lot.” Not the details. Shrugging one shoulder, Tony stopped the inspection in favor of glancing down at his half finished drink, but he made sure he was looking right at Bruce for the next bit. “People died.” He knew that much. Tony could have looked it up, read into whatever it was, but he was up to his eyes in his own problems, fixated on trying to fend off the nightmares and the panic attacks by being excessively preoccupied with tinkering. He was trying to put out a thousand little fires of his own.“It’s a safe place to stay,” he reminded, “not the Catholic Church.” No condemnation or absolution offered here. The carefully constructed expression softened a fraction, something around the dark eyes shifting. Even if someone else were in the room with them, they wouldn’t have seen the change. “You want to talk about it?” While Tony wasn’t equipped to deal with his own problems and shouldn’t be held responsible for the fragile stability of others, he did care that Bruce had been shaken enough to make it back here. That meant something, even though he wasn’t inclined to spend too much time right then sorting it out. Bruce tried to smile at Tony's sarcasm, but it stretched his face all wrong and came out far more like a grimace. The unsurprised, and frankly unimpressed, look on Tony's face told him that this was the usual deflection and not genuine ignorance. The mechanic hadn't been expecting the question, but he also hadn't been blindsided by it. If Tony hadn't known, Bruce wasn't sure he had the will to explain. Would he have just turned around and walked away? He honestly couldn't say. This reprieve was a small mercy, and one he didn't deserve. The details…. Bruce wondered if Tony was going to ask for them. He wondered what parts Tony knew. His muscles felt like caterpillars bunching and creeping under his skin. This close Bruce could smell the scotch in the coffee and on Tony. His gut squirmed at the smell, and he tried not to brace himself for violent unpredictability. People drank. Not everyone was his father. Though it did make pretending that Tony wasn't also broken just a little bit harder. Should he even be here, bringing his trouble to Tony's doorstep when Tony had plenty of his own? Bruce could breathe a little easier when Tony stopped looking at him. But when those dark brown back eyes found him again they were serious. People died. It wasn't everything but it was enough. And Tony was still looking at him like he was Bruce and not with the disgust and disdain that he deserved. Tony had never been afraid of him, which Bruce thought spoke more to suicidal tendencies than any particular insight into his counterpart. He swallowed and he nodded. Because it was true, and also only a fraction of the full weight of it. But it was a start, it was, maybe, enough that he could bed down here for a while as he tried to solve the unsolvable problem that he was. The offer was kind. Bruce didn't want to talk about it. He wasn't sure whether the grief and guilt would choke him silent if he tried, or whether the words once uncorked would spill from him unending. Neither was an option. "No, thank you," he offered, like each word cost him. "But I would like to stay for now, if you don't mind." Something in him settled, the skin crawling feeling dying down to a soft murmur. He wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do, but it was the first that anything had been decided since the incident. That at least allowed something in him to settle. It wasn’t a solution to anything, but it was a safe haven for a little while. He breathed a sigh, maybe relief or maybe just weariness. “It’s good to see you Tony,” he confessed. “You’d have liked the street food in Guatemala, the beaches in Belize.” He’d thought about his friends often as he traveled, Tony more than any of the rest. Being able to speak about science and be understood, countered, met, it was a rare experience for him and one that he didn’t soon forget. Being invited to a hole in the wall Shawarma joint, was a kind of easy camaraderie that Bruce had rarely known anywhere else. Home might be a distant concept, but once here, he’d been wanted as Banner, and for now that was what he needed most. If Tony had been anyone else, he might have been wounded that his humor wasn’t being appropriately appreciated at this moment of levity. Being that Tony was not someone else, his sarcasm was mostly for himself. It was simultaneously entertainment and diversion, perhaps the best armor he’d ever constructed. Whether other people enjoyed it was incidental. And if they didn’t enjoy it, he inflicted it on them anyway, and they could think about what they did to ever prompt him to comment in the first place. A single, definitive nod confirmed that while the offer stood to listen, suggesting that he wasn’t going to go prying. Whatever skeletons were lurking around in Honduras could stay there rather than crawling their way out of whatever memories Bruce had of them. If Tony was inclined, he could figure out what had happened on his own. At the moment, standing there with his friend—because they were friends—looking into it felt like a betrayal. Knowing also felt like a necessity that he would shelve for now and circle back to when he needed a break from tinkering. An inquisitive mind had been his downfall more than once. The quirk of something resembling a smile pushed up one corner of his mouth at how carefully polite Bruce was, as though he thought forgetting some nicety might cause irreparable damage. “I offered. I’m not begging if that’s what you’re angling for, Banner.” He knew that wasn’t what the other man wanted or was getting at. It seemed that what his mild-mannered friend wanted was assurance that he still had a place to go, that Tony wouldn’t kick him out for whatever had happened, that traveling all the way here hadn’t been for nothing.“Are we doing that? The whole greeting thing. I thought we got that out of the way. Remember the trail mix?” The vague upturn of a smile flared and died then as he clapped a hand against Banner’s shoulder, as though that could wrap up their greetings. It was likely that Tony would have liked the food and the beaches, but they were here now, back to work, although the stakes were different and the team was significantly diminished. By now, his drink had become bitter and cold. The bit of Scotch tempered the otherwise unflavored coffee a little differently than cream and sugar, although in another show of proving to Pepper that he could play nice, he kept a neutral expression when he took a drink. See? Perfectly functional. “Come on,” he started as he nodded toward the elevator. “We’ll find you a room, a shower and, if you’re nice, someone from downstairs might bring you something to wear that doesn’t make you look like an extra in Zorro.” His hands. He tapped the elevator button and shoved his free hand down into the pocket of his pants. For the short time that they waited, Tony avoided looking at Banner. It was more for the beleaguered scientist than anything; he looked like he wanted to crawl into a black hole. As the door opened, he had to ensure that Bruce was okay enough to follow now that they’d gotten him talking and acting somewhat like a human and less like a plant person. “I’ll call downstairs to see if they can find end-of-the-semester, underpaid-professor clothes somewhere in Manhattan. That’s got to be a look.” It didn’t take long for the elevator to take them a floor down. Tony slipped out into the quiet, empty hall. Rows of doors lined either side, and it was the third one on the right he stopped at. Pressing the key code, the click signaled the door had been unlocked. He turned the handle and pushed the door inward. Tony tilted his head toward the open room as an invitation to go in. The lights would flicker on, which Tony would find mildly irritating and make a note to fix. Leaning his shoulder on the wall just outside, he took a breath. “Kitchen’s always open,” he reminded. “Are you good?” Tony’s offhanded confirmation that the offer still stood was enough. It felt like a balm on long abused skin. What’s more, Tony seemed to want him here, for what reason Bruce couldn’t say. His existence, Bruce suspected, was lonely too, albeit a different kind. The caustic humor and prickly distance couldn’t have left much room for other people, and Tony had no use or patience for the sycophants that would quietly tolerate ill-treatment out of avarice, or worse, a lack of self-respect. Pepper, he noted, hadn’t stayed and hadn’t said much before she’d deposited Bruce here. What did that say about even Tony’s closest inner circle? Bruce was different, he liked Tony’s claws, liked that he didn’t retract them when faced with him. He also had a lot of practice at not taking things personally. IfBanner. . .trail mix?was Tony’s idea of a greeting after six months, Bruce suspected he wasn’t getting much socialization that didn’t involve a substantial amount of AI. He tensed at the touch, like the gamma radiation would leak out of his pores and start necrotizing Tony’s skin through the rough canvas covering his shoulders. He forced the tension out of his muscles one group at a time. This was good. This was what he was here for. He’d get used to it again in time. The comment about being a movie extra actually surprised a huff of laughter out of Bruce, and any remaining hints of tension left him in a rush. Tony was still touching him. It felt foreign and natural, warm and terrifying, all in one. “That’s very generous.” Bruce said, the quirk still on his lips. End-of-semester underpaid professor clothes, he had to admit that Tony had him pegged. Not everyone could pull off the closely tailored suits that the billionaire so effortlessly flaunted and Bruce knew he’d feel ridiculous trying. He noticed that Tony hadn’t asked for his size, and wondered how the man had ended up with his measurements. It would be good to have something that made him feel like himself again, not this scrounging, desperate shadow. The rough borrowed farm clothes definitely weren’t doing anything positive for his sense of self, especially not now. Following felt easy and natural, and the building was crisp and clean in that Manhattan skyscraper kind of way that was all white and steel and glass. For a single ridiculous moment Bruce nearly asked if the door would unlock from the inside, but the fear was paranoid and irrational. Also, Tony was offering up the kitchen and clearly unfettered access to the halls. This wasn’t a prison. Bruce had chosen this. He managed to keep the question behind his teeth. The room was large, airy and bright, with sleek furniture and a whole wall of windows overlooking the glistening Manhattan skyline. It was all so breakable. He didn’t belong here.“This is great. Thanks, Tony.” Food. He should probably do that eventually. “I don’t want to take you away from your work, but I’d be interested in seeing the lab space you mentioned, when you’re free.” Work would be good, would be healing, would remind him that he was Banner with a mind and a will all his own. And as soon as he was set up, as soon as he was able, he’d begin the very important work of figuring out how to neutralize the other half of himself, once and for all. It had been long enough since they’d seen each other that Tony had forgotten how uncomfortable Bruce could look in his own skin. In some respects, he looked like a puppy invited in out of the rain: a little too afraid and out of place. He could only assume that look would fade when things started to feel normal again. It was only the mention of the lab that snapped him out of the careful study of the man in front of him. There was nothing to be immediately fixed, no part he could replace, nothing that needed just a little tuning. And, not to forget, Banner wasn’t a project. “Right, I did promise you a lab didn’t I?” Tony pushed away from the door frame. For a second, his attention flickered down to the contents of his cup. “Come back upstairs once you’re settled, and I’ll give you the tour. Don’t rush. It’ll still be there.” If they were as similar as he thought, Bruce would be climbing the walls for a distraction from whatever he was running from. Tony wasn’t going to say that the other man should make sure he was rested and feeling up to working before latching on to something to keep his mind busy, that would have been blatantly hypocritical. Not that he was above hypocrisy, but it wasn’t worth being called out. It was worth the effort to suggest there wasn’t a rush though. As he turned to go, Tony stopped long enough to wave the coffee mug vaguely in through the door and seemingly at nothing. “The landline’s connected to the front desk, if you need anything. Nine to get an outside line if you’re desperate and from the past.” Tony glanced at Bruce’s clothes once more as though the other man might actually have been. That wasn’t why the tower still had a landline, although time travelers were potentially welcome. The fact was that on more than one occasion, Tony had wrecked beyond repair or otherwise lost his cellphone in the middle of the night. That was one of the primary reasons he hadn’t managed to rid the building of the dreaded landline. At least the fax machines were gone. With that said, he left Bruce to his own devices. When he emerged from the elevator, Tony had drained the last of his coffee concoction. The room seemed quiet, the light slipping behind the skyline too quickly. “Jarvis, what’s the time?”“The time is 5:43.” The disembodied voice was a welcome disruption from the stillness. Setting the coffee cup down on the bar, he left it near the trail mix. “Send a message down to the front desk to have someone get Doctor Banner something to wear. Have them check the file.” Of course. Tony kept files on everyone in the same way Fury did, although Tony would argue he wasn’t as obsessive. He did have other things to do than keep tabs on people. “And load in all files open downstairs. We’re working from home.” ((Time got away from me there. Apologies for the delay.)) He nodded at the simple instruction. Though Tony was already giving him so much that the idea that he was owed any of this, let alone more, seemed laughable. Still, Bruce wasn’t selfless enough to give up the promise of a safe place to perform his research. “I will. I shouldn’t be long,” he reassured Tony, despite the kind offer to wait on him. As a rule, Bruce was inclined toward trying to make himself as unobtrusive as possible. It felt like a further imposition on Tony's hospitality to make him wait. A shadow of a laugh huffed out of him at the information about the phone and the suggestion that he was a time traveler. They had seen, if not stranger then certainly, as strange together. “I will bear that in mind. Thank you.” Bruce had no intention of calling anyone. The idea of being waited on left him ill at ease. As his friend turned away, Bruce let the door shut softly. Without the immediacy of Tony’s presence Bruce found himself feeling mildly disconnected from reality as he wandered the palace of glass and steel, monochromatic with the crisp lines of modern design. There was a spacious sitting area with an open plan kitchenette and a tucked away nook that looked like it could be used either for a breakfast bar, or the alcoholic sort, depending on the user’s preference. There were two doors off to his left, behind one a spacious bedroom and behind the other a bathroom of all white marble and polished brass. A pile of impossibly white towels sat in a stack by the sink. There was both a shower and a separate tub, deep and crisp white. The shower looked like it doubled as a sauna and steam room, jets placed strategically along the walls. Even with his seven PhDs, Bruce faltered momentarily trying to figure out how to turn on the water and adjust the temperature. Then he was peeling off his sweat starched clothing and stepping in. The water felt like a balm, soothing and refreshing at once. A neat line of bottles and boxes were lined up in a small alcove in the wall that he hadn’t noticed before. He found one that held a small bar of soap and scrubbed gratefully at his skin. The products filled the small space with an expensive scent that was at once natural and fresh, nothing like the harsh chemical scent of the cheap stuff he’d had access to, when he could get it at all. The water sloughed off of him dark with the grit he’d been sporting. He reached for another bottle and washed his hair before giving his skin a second scrubbing, cleaning beneath his nails, washing his face. He took an extra moment to just stand there under the spray, grateful for the hot water, and the freedom from weeks of accumulated filth on his body. Stepping out of the shower he wrapped one of the impossibly white towels around his waist and explored the area around the sink, which was thoughtfully equipped with everything he could have possibly thought to want. He brushed his teeth, and shaved his face to just the coarse stubble he favored, trimmed his nails, and combed his hair. The Bruce that looked back at him in the mirror looked tired. The indulgent wash had done nothing for the dark smudges under his eyes, or the lines worn into his face that hadn’t been there six months ago. But he looked more like himself than he had in a long time, and no longer quite so unwell. He stood there, letting his eyes slip shut and taking a moment for mindful meditation. Which was perhaps the only reason he didn’t jump out of his goddamn skin when a disembodied voice politely informed him that clothing had been delivered for him, and was waiting outside his door. After getting his heart rate back down to a non-concerning patter he ventured back out into the main room to find the “underpaid-professor clothes” that Tony had promised. They were undeniably perfect. A small rolling clothing rack with about a week’s wardrobe, and a bag containing two shoeboxes, and packages of undershirts, boxer-briefs, and socks. Everything was undeniably in his style but also of a higher quality than Bruce would ever have bothered to invest in, given his tendency to leave clothing in ruined tatters. He slipped on a dark purple button down shirt, a pair of brown slacks, argyle socks, and loafers, feeling so much more himself that it eased some tension from his shoulders he hadn’t even realized he’d been carrying. He wandered to the kitchenette, checked the fridge and couldn’t help but smile. It was stocked with provisions that had obviously been chosen by someone more concerned with a show of wealth than the practical realities of what people might want to eat. There were several bottles of champagne, tins of caviar, Bellini, a package of unground coffee beans, and a container of strawberries so red that they might have been a prop. None of it was what he wanted though, which was something hearty, quick, and portable. Later, he told himself, he would see if he could find the kitchen. First, he planned to find Tony, and to learn as much as he could about the capabilities of his labs. Their focuses were substantially different. He could likely adapt bits and pieces to work for him. But he’d need to see more to know if they had the sort of biosafety capabilities that Bruce would need to do his real work, to bring in sources of gamma radiation and go back to looking for a form of containment that might actually incapacitate the other guy, the monster under his skin. Less than an hour had passed when Bruce made his way back up to the floor where he’d first found Tony. The elevator slid open almost noiselessly. “Is now still a good time?” he asked. His voice sounded stronger, steadier and less unused. The deferential tone remained, but there was also a touch of anticipation in it. He was almost excited about the promise of the lab space. ((No worries. Never any rush. )Tony had replaced his ‘coffee’ with a squat glass that was not pretending to be something it wasn’t. It was clearly half full of a beautiful amber liquid, and it was positioned in the prize place next to him at a rather imposing but sleek looking desk. It should be noted, probably even celebrated, that he didn’t take the bottle with him. That still sat on the bar, a considerable distance away for someone who was frequently indulging. He could still make the effort of getting up when the need arose. Across several soothingly blue holographic screens, diagrams of suit components were displayed. To the right, the arc reactor, which no longer was the whole reason he was alive, but it still had a prominent place in powering his tech. In the middle, a circuit board from an older model he had been working on several months ago. To the left, a mock design of the interface and a page of scrolling code. They weren’t all connected. He was working on multiple problems. Well, not problems. Interests. He had, in the last half hour, made a point not to have problems anymore. It seemed the most reasonable and healthy option. It also felt like a classic move for someone who drank until they didn’t have to deal with their issues, but he was perfectly capable and aware. Currently, he was leaning back in a surprisingly comfortable office chair, his attention was on the interface code, eyes scanning line after line as though Jarvis would be incapable of finding what he was looking for. When necessary, he reached out to touch where a screen would be, pausing the scrolling long enough to get a better look. He’d then set back, and the code would resume its steady crawling. From time to time, he would glance over at the circuit board. It was up to remind him of what he had been working on downstairs. Circuitry was hardly the advanced, cutting edge science that attracted attention, but the foundation of robotics was knowing how a God damned board worked. It was predictable and comforting. It wasn’t all flashy gadgets and innovation. Sometimes it was just finding the right material not to fry the circuits because the power source was… Tony’s attention shifted toward the sound of Bruce’s voice. Waving the screens away, he shoved himself up, leaving his glass where it had been in favor coming into view of the elevator and his much improved friend. The corner of one side of his mouth tilted up, although it didn’t manifest into a whole or even partial smile. “I can work with now.” Approaching, Tony cast a quick glance at the darkening skyline. “Has it even been an hour? I mentioned you could take your time, didn’t I?” It sounded vaguely familiar, but by now he couldn’t entirely be sure that he had said it. “It sounds like something I should have said.” Still, he wasn’t there to dwell on it. “Back in the elevator.” Once inside, Tony popped the silver panel, which looked inconspicuously like every other part of the elevator, above the normally listed numbers. A retinal scan mapped key points in Tony’s eye and a light blinked green once before he was shutting the panel, clicking it softly back into place. “It’ll work for you too,” he mentioned offhandedly, attention on the digital numbers above the door ticking by. “There’s a button, but it takes you a level down and security’ll try to arrest you. They’re really passionate about IP.” The numbers counted down to the seventy-fifth floor. It was there the elevator opened into a black expanse. Tony led the way only so far as the exit. The motion triggered the lights to flicker on, revealing a considerable space that could have housed a mid-sized team of scientists. It seemed as though no one had been in this particular lab in some time, and if it had been used, it was now pristine. “There are windows, but they’re optional,” he offered. “If there’s something we don’t have, we could order it. Or create it. You could also ask if it’s made downstairs. Chemicals, freezer, and extra supplies down the way,” he gestured vaguely as though he didn’t know Bruce would go exploring. “Additional space around the corner.”

Cohesion [with Blue Envy]|rating:4.0

A unlikely pair and yet completely compatible ~Palmoun and Sinsue rp~

Two people find each other on an online game, they work great together and soon can't wait to meet. Yet one is popular and the other is an outcast, how should it work? And getting stuck in a video game will only make things worse. Name: Bernard Ulrich MastersonAge: 18Bio: Ever since he was little everyone wanted to be close to him, they all thought he was the popular kid. The kind of kid that made fun of people and things like that. It's why now he has so many idiot people thinking he is friends and that he hates the odd balls in the school. Yet he has never said one bad things to them ever. But he keeps a secret, he plays games to get away from his life. The life where people think he is nothing and his parents ignore him. IN the game he is free. (the one in black and purple is her in school the other is her in the game)Name-Luna (Lunar) Matrilineage- 19Bio- is the outcast in school for loving video games but in that world she is much, much more important.(so are we starting in the game or the first day of school?) ((I think in the game, the day before she goes to school)) Luna smirked as she walked down through the castle to the courtyard where all the new gamers would son for the introduction to the game. "Hello and welcome brave ladies and gentlemen! You have joined the bright and wonderful kingdom known as Nightie! I am Prince Lunar and I will be picking a few of the best beginners to train directly under me and for me to help on any quest that needs to be done. Now there are some things all of you should know. If I am to pick you as my understudy the castle is only open, and I am only here before and after school times which will be changing soon for the fact that I am changing locations. On weekends, I will be on all day and most of the night and on any day that I am out I will be on more, if you want to know more about the castles foreseeable times please check your guilds. Now without further due let us start the beginning battles!" she announced in a loud proud voice before holding up a staff and making an arena appear around them and she lifted into one of the higher stands so she could see everything. Ulrich smiled as he listened to her and couldn't' wait. His last game had gotten rather boring since he had become the top player in it and now was looking for a challenge. Hopefully this place would be it, and maybe he would get a chance to train under the princess. Pulling out his twin swords, he smiled as his blond hair blew in the wind slightly. He had designed the character to look like him the only change was that he had long blond hair pulled into a ponytail and his eyes were two different colors, gold and green. He wore boots and some black pants and to go with it a black jacket. Furthermore, he looked tough and if the other players thought he would be easy to beat they would be wrong. Soon the battles started and after a while it was clear he would be a winner. He beat anyone that came towards him with effort and ease that most of the others couldn't even come close to. Years of secret playing had given him a lot of knowledge on game play like this, and he was determined to be one of the winners to be trained under her. The battles took awhile to all settle and in the end there were three warriors standing in front of the stand and Lunar floated back down. "Now you all have won and will have a spot in the castle to train and get special quests and rewards but only one of you can be my personal understudy. My understudy will be added to an exclusive guild and given some of the rarest weapons and armors, but you will have to choose carefully when picking what you want, there is no changing your abilities or race or anything of the sort if you are my understudy. Once the final battle has been decided you will have options pulled up on your screen with all the different races and jobs, choose wisely for this will be the only character that you can have access to all the races in the game that aren't normally offered to beginners without paying a lot of real money for them. Now that you know everything it is time to start the final battle" she said informatively before holding up her staff again, and she vanished as the battle started. Ulrich smiled as he held up his swords and looked at his opponents. They were both big, easy to see that they had both picked being tanks in the game. But he wasn't one for being a big guy, he was happy being the small guy who was fast rather than slow and Bulky. Holding up his swords, he smiled as the guys seemed to agree on something. Turning to him, they both charged at him. Smirking to himself, Ulrich moved quickly, charging back and right at the last second jumping. Quickly swinging his blades, he landed on the ground without a sound and the one man groaned before falling down. Turning to the other guy, Ulrich smiled and without a second thought charged. After a minute the guy was on the ground with the other and Ulrich placed a foot on him. Holding up his blade towards the castle, he smiled. "I am the Winner." "Very, very good brave warrior! Now that you have to there should come a screen that shows your character, please do pick whatever you want on it. The rare races are much, much stronger than the race you are in now. If you like I can show you the powers of all of them before you pick. There is only one way to be able to switch back and forth between the races however and only six people in the entire game have the ability, I am one of them, three of them are my students, one is my own teacher and the other is the most powerful boss in the game, King Dardani ruler of the demonic realm that has been trying to take over this realm since the beginning of the game ten years ago, before the game was ever even virtualized." Lunar explained before the screen popped up, and she wondered some if he wanted her to show him the different races. Ulrich smiled when he heard her and watched as she screens came up and waited as he looked at all the names. He wasn't sure which one to pick or how any of them looked. Looking up at Lunar, he bowed slightly, "it would be an honor for you to show me each one before I choose. I would rather know which one suits me best instead of choosing blindly." he said, and you could hear some commotion going on from the people watching. Most people would just choose and go, but he was someone who had been playing games for a long time, and he would rather like to know what he was getting into. In truth if he didn't like any of the races he was going to sick with what he was now and that was just a simple half Elf. "Well there's the draconian, shape-shifters, elementals, ice elves, fire elves, light elves, vampires, were-wolves that can actually turn into wolves, shadow walkers which are pretty much the same as dark elementals but don't have the ability to use other elements like elementals." Princess Lunar explained shifting into all the different races so he could see them all. "And of course there are the beginners which you have already seen. If you would like me to show you any of them again please ask and take your time as you read each description, make sure that the race is the one that fits you best." she smiled warmly knowing that the ones that had made it so high up in the game had chosen either the draconian, shape-shifter, or elementals but if he figured that out she would be rather surprised. She herself had picked to be a dragon when she had won the contest. Ulrich watched and listened to each of the races he could pick if he wished. He had been playing long enough to know what to do when it came to this. Quickly he started to read all the descriptions and matched them to what he had played before. Quickly he had sorted out everything down to three. He was either going to be a shape-shifter, shadow walker or what he was now. Abruptly he sat down Indian style on the body of the guy he had beat and thought. Some of the people looked at him odd as he sat there and thought and some started to yell at him to choose already. But he blocked it all out as he thought about the game. He knew it was only going to get worse on and what he was now was great, but it did have its disadvantages. The shape-shifter had many great advantages, and he could see why many would choose it. And the shadow walker sounded nice and fit him pretty well, but it wasn't as good as shape-shifter and not many picked it because of that. But he had learned playing other games that sometimes sticking to the basics were better. Groaning, he rubbed his head. "God why does it have to be hard." he muttered and then clamped his hand over his eyes as he raised a hand, "which ever my finger lands on is what I am going to be stuck with." he said and then trust his hand forward. He waited for the confirmation of what he had picked, and soon you heard the words, "you have picked shadow walker." "Congratulations my young shadow walker. That is a very good choice indeed! That was my second choice when I started, but I ended up choosing the draconian even though if you are wounded horribly it is more likely that you will lose a life. Do not listen to the others here though, I didn't, everyone told me not to pick the dragon, but I went ahead anyway ad never once died. Now then, rise you two I will have my friends start your training and I will meet up with you later." she said to the two others that had fallen in the final match. "If you are ready we can start your training now, or we can start with some basic quests, whichever you would like better." Lunar smiled as the two other highest leveled players came forward to take the two other men to start training. Ulrich smiled as he listened to her and nodded. IN truth, he knew very few people who picked being shadow walkers, almost everyone picked one of the better ones since they sounded cooler and were better. But he was sure to like this. As the guys he beat stood up he ran over to them. Shaking there hands, he smiled, "it was a great fight, but you two could use some work." he said before turning to look at Lunar. "And I always say the best way to train is to go on quests." he said as he smiled at her. Sure you can train, but he found it easier to learn as you go. "So let's head out and have some fun." he said as he smiled up at Lunar and waited for her to take him. "Very well then but do remember we do not have much time tonight. Here the sun sets at ten o'clock and that is when I need to leave, you will be able to go through certain parts of the castle, such as the training hall, garden, and gathering places but everywhere else in the castle will be sealed until you are at a higher level. Now then do you want to start where most shadow walkers start or another area? You may choose to start in any of the beginner spanning areas." she said softly before waving her hand and a large map came up on his screen showing all the beginner areas that he could choose from and how hard the areas would be for a shadow walker. Ulrich nodded when he heard her and then looked at the map, "I am going to start at one of the beginner area's. I am sure I can make it through without much problem." he said and then looked up at her and smiled. "And my bedtime is about the same time. Kind of need to get a good nights sleep for school." he said as he started to go through some of the new abilities that he had. He liked the sounds of some of them and was kind of surprised that there weren't many other shadow walkers. With the abilities that he had he could basically beat the crap out of any opponent if used correctly. But then again any kind of light attacks basically killed him right away. "Now I will warn you, I will help you and guide you, but I can not fight your battles, that would make the game pointless, but what I can do is I can keep too many enemies from coming at you at once until you are at a higher level. Why don't you go ahead and equip your new equipment? You should have some rare items in your inventory, but be warned there are only three ways you can have your armor and weapons, magic, strength, and defense. My suggestion is to go with defense because it prevents too much harm from light attacks... but that's just me pick whichever you like." Lunar said softly before her avatar turned into a pale short white haired girl with rather large black wings. This was her real shadow walker character instead of the one that was shown at the beginners battles. Ulrich nodded as he listened to her, and he seemed confident in what he was going to be doing. Looking threw his new equipment, he smiled to himself and quickly started to attack what he wanted. He liked the knew armor he got, it was light and enhanced his magic which was great for what he was planning. But what caught his eyes was his new weapon, something very rare, a scythe. Smiling at it, he switched his sword out for his new scythe. "Now this is going to be fun." he said as he looked at it and then a finger over the edge of it. He then looked at her, "and don't worry about me. I have been playing games for a long time, I know how they work, and I know what I am doing." he said, and it was clear he did. "Now let's head out, I want to get in some game play before my mother forces me off my laptop." he said as he looked at her and smiled.((his new scythe →> he looks like -→> "Your laptop is compatible with the virtual reality helmet? I had to buy the new system for the game after it was virtualized." Lunar said before nodding, and they teleported to the location that he wanted to start at. "And I had already figured that you knew your way around a game, I just was going to help you if you needed to know about the different abilities." she explained before she started to walk around and all the monsters either avoided her or came up to her and rubbed against her as if they were just friendly creatures... but as soon as Ulrich came close they started to look like they were about to attack. Ulrich smiled, "actually it wasn't compatible at first, but I am kind of a computer nut. So after a little while of tinkering and buying a part here and there it was. It actually works better than any other computer I have used now." he said as he smiled at her.Once they were at the area he was at, he smiled as he watched how the animals treated her, "so how long have you been playing this game?" he asked as he started to swing his scythe with ease. He quickly dispatched a monster here and their, but he hardly noticed the one behind him. Yet as it came at him, he seemed to melt into darkness and appear behind him, killing the monster. "You know I think I like being a shadow walker, I feel like the grim reaper." he said as he walked around. The magic was nice, he was able to liquify his body and go into shadows and if he really wanted to he could use the shadows to attack if he wanted. But he liked his scythe, especially since each time it made a hit and drew blood, it absorbed the blood and gave him back health. "I have been playing this game for about seven and a half years... or eight years... either way I have been on here since before the game was virtualized three years ago. I was the first student picked by the game creator who taught me everything I know... I studied alongside King Dardani before he turned evil and tried to take over the whole game... Furthermore, I was actually one of the ones that stopped him, now every month or so he comes back and battles me for the throne and title that I received after being here for only two and a half years... give or take. Heh... I pretty much live this game... but not like my teacher... he is stuck here because he forgot to take his helmet off after 24 hours straight... he's been growing weaker ever since and no one can pull him out of the game." Lunar said then sighed at the end having known the creator of the game personally and wished that he had been smarter about falling asleep with the virtual reality helmet on. Ulrich nodded as he listened and continued working his way through the monsters, slowly getting easier and easier. HI's shadows started to pull monsters in and seemed to eat them, killing them instantly. "I see, I have actually been playing games like this for most of my life or at least when I get the chance. I have actually wanted to play this game for a while because of the virtuality of it, but I finally got my hands on it a few days ago." he said as he played though frowned when he heard her. Cutting down the last of the monsters he looked down at the ground, "maybe he doesn't want to be found." he said to her softly. "Because I know sometimes I never want to stop playing, maybe that is how he felt." He knew she probably didn't' want to hear it, but it could be true. It was one of the reasons he pushed off playing this game till his senior year. Because if he found that once he graduated and there was nothing in the human world to hold him there, he was going to cut himself off in here. It wasn't exactly suicide, he was just trading off lives. He then looked at her and smiled, "sorry to get all depressing." he said as he tried to make this a cheery conversation and then realized something, "I never introduced myself." holding out his hand, he smiled, "I am Ulrich." "No I have gone to see him... if you disconnect the body from the game the person is sure to die and will end up either being stuck in the game forever or dying in the game and going brain-dead in real life... there's a team of doctors trying to figure out how to save them... but trust me you don't want to seal yourself into this game... if you do, and you die you could either go into a coma in real life or die." Lunar said softly then smiled and took his hand "Well it's nice to meet you Ulrich, you may call me Luna." she smiled easily then looked up at the sky and saw that it was getting close to sun set. Ulrich listened to her and had known that to a degree but even with the new information he still was going to do it. "Well it all depends on the person." he said as he looked at her. "Sometimes life outside of this just doesn't' feel like it is worth living, especially if you find that you have nothing on the outside and everything in here." It was clear that he had given this a lot of thought. After years of having no one, he found only in games to be fun and worth living for sometimes. Shaking her hand, he smiled, "it is great to met you." he said happily but then sighed as he saw the sun, "great, I have to get off soon." he groaned softly, and you could tell he didn't want to. There were only two things his parents cared about, their company and making sure everyone in the house got at least 8 hours of sleep. That last one included him even though they never talked to him. "I think we have more in common than either of us thought... I mean even I have thought about just staying in the game... but after I saw how bad of shape my friend is in I wouldn't want to do that... Here I'll show you it will only take a second, and then I'll need to get off." Lunar said softly before taking them both back to the castle and lead him to a locked door that she unlocked to reveal a beautiful large room. On the huge bed to one side was a male in his mid-twenties who looked wise but weakened. "Good evening master." she greeted him kindly as she moved over to him, and he looked up at her ad a smile graced his weak face. "Luna... oh how I wish I could have seen the battle you fought the other day, Kai said that it was amazing." he said weakly, and she smiled some tears coming to her eyes. "Well I don't know about that... how are you feeling? I brought my new understudy to meet you if you are up for it." she said softly and he laughed before having her help him sit up. "I am as good as I can be... I think that the doctors might have accidentally given my body some medicine that didn't agree with it, I haven't felt well for the last week." he said softly before looking over at Ulrich and gave him a slight smile. "Well hello there, I see you picked the shadow walker... a very interesting race indeed." he said then looked up at Luna. "I need you to come over to my house in a few days.... I want you to have the programming codes and documents on this whole game... you'll find the address for the building that the main computer is in the files... when I was resting... I overheard the doctors say they don't know how long I have... Furthermore, I'm so sorry Luna... Furthermore, I really should have just listened to you." he sighed before he started to cough and Luna helped him lay back down and made sure he was comfortable before he started to fall asleep. She walked back to the door and motioned for Ulrich to fallow her head hung low and tears were falling from her eyes even if you couldn't see them... you could see them hit the floor.(heh, heh, what do you think?) ((nice))Ulrich was surprised when he heard her and frowned as he followed her to the room. Seeing the old man laying there on the bed and how badly it affected Luna made his heart ache. But he knew even if he managed to get in a shape like that no one on the outside would care. Yet it was still hard to see. When she walked out of there, he just followed her and wordlessly wrapped an arm around her, "I am sorry you have to see him like that, but at least he knows he has you to take care of and know that you care for him." he said softly and found he wished he could have something like that. To know that someone wanted him to be on the outside with them and care for them. Sighing, he looked down at her, "and sadly I have to get off, maybe tomorrow we can meet up again." he said as he smiled at her, "see you later." and before he could say anything else his internet shut off. Sighing, he pulled off his helmet and laid there. HI's parents had gotten a programmer to install a timer on the internet, and he couldn't break the code. It was why he always had to get off at that time. But one day he would break it and when he did, that might be the last day he stayed on the outside. Closing his eyes, he was soon fast asleep and dreading going to class. "Thank you, Ulrich good night." Luna said before she took off her helmet and the entire castle was locked down in response to her logging off for the night... well the higher ups could get in and out but no one else and anyone who wasn't allowed was forced out of the castle. She sighed as she wiped her eyes and went to the bathroom before she came into her room, got changed and went to bed hoping she would have an okay day at school tomorrow.(do you want me to start with the popular kids chatting about Luna in the morning when Ulrich gets there?) ((yeah go ahead, oh and also everyone calls him Bernard at school, his real first name))Ulrich sighed as his alarm went off and like always the house was silent. Getting up and dressing, he cleaned himself up before heading downstairs. NO one was home, parents were already away at work and didn't even bother to leave a note and anything. Sighing to himself, he grabbed some food and picked up his backpack before shoving off to school. He didn't bother taking the bus since he preferred to walk, always nicer and calmer way to start the morning, and it gave him a sense of peace, like he wasn't too alone sometimes. Luna awoke the next morning and sighed as she went about getting ready and went to check on her mother who was horribly sick. She fixed herself breakfast along with some food for her mom then fixed lunch for herself and soon went to catch the bus. It was the same thing at every school she went to... eve if no one knew her as soon as they saw her sitting alone and quiet o the bus they would start talking. Once they arrived at school she quickly made her way to the front office and got her schedule and got everything settled before heading off to the library before school started. She sat in there as quiet as can be ignoring everyone who stared as she read a book about computer graphics that she had already checked out." Hey did you hear that new girl is like the weirdest new kid that's ever came here? The first thing she does when she comes into the school is gone and gets a book and starts reading!" One of the popular kids laughed and another one snickered. "I heard that she's such a gamer freak that she spends most of her time in the house wearing a virtual reality helmet and still gets good grades. That's why she's so pale." one of the other kids exclaimed, and the group started to laugh (what do you think?) ((nice, very nice))Ulrich sighed as he got to school and saw everyone whispering and talking. He guessed a new kid probably got to school or something, now being tortured by everyone. Frowning, he headed off and was about to head into the library, his usual hide away since none of his so-called friends dared come near it. Yet right before he could head in, he noticed his gang of idiots running his way. "Hey, Bernard, we got new kid!" one said, and he sighed and without even having to say anything they were already pushing him around. "Yeah, she is weird, spends most of her time in the virtuality world and everything." they said as he pushed him around, acting like he had just said something about her and laughed. Frowning, he quickly ducked down and watched as they continued to walk, hardly noticing he was gone. Though when they did, he was already gone, rushing to the library and once the library doors were closed behind him, he sighed. "Finally." he said softly before he started to explore the books he knew very well. Hardly noticing anyone else in their with him. Luna sighed as she walked around looking at books before accidentally bumping into someone "Oh I'm sorry I didn't know anyone else was in here." she said softly then was taken off guard when she saw how he looked and thought that he looked just like her new trainee. "Have I met you before?" she asked softly not knowing that he was one of the popular kids in the least... but he could probably tell she was the new kid... she just hoped that he didn't tease her like everyone else. Ulrich looked at the person he had bumped into and thought she looked kind of familiar but wasn't too sure. "It is okay, usually I am the only one in here." he said as he smiled at her and then shook his head. "Probably not since I am guessing you're the new kid." he said and moved to hold out his hand when his friends seemed to come out of nowhere. "Hey, Bernard found her and look she is looking at the damn books." the one popular girl seems to laugh. "Only nerds read books." she said and Bernard looked at her and opened his mouth to say something, but before he could be one of his guy friends jumped in, "hey girly, let this be a lesson to you, Bernard is Cool. you're a ZERO, isn't that right Bernard." and with that Bernard just glared but again before he could speak a girl spoke up and wrapped an arm around him, "come on Bernard, Let's get away from the Zero." and with that he was dragged out of there. Looking back at the girl, his eyes tried to tell her he was sorry, but soon they were already out of the library. "Yeah I am, I'm Luna." Luna smiled though was then cut off when she saw the other kids and ran off to the back of the library before she even saw him say anything trying not to cry. She thought that for once she could have made a real friend, but instead he was just one of those cool kid jerks." Hey Bernard why were you in the library anyway?" one girl asked him as they walked not seeming to care if they were late or not... the teachers never got them in trouble so it didn't really matter. Ulrich looked at him," because I was looking for a book to read." His voice dead serious but then one of the girls started to laugh and then everyone else. " Good one Bernard, we know you hate reading." The one girl said as she looked at him. Yet Bernard just glared, they thought they knew him and even if he told the truth they would say he was Liang. Luna sighed as she walked to class and was right away introduced by the teacher as being the new student, and she noticed the popular kids laughing as they made it into the class a few minutes after the bell, and she wet to her seat quietly. She listened to the teacher and after finding that they were taking notes that she already had she started to draw up some new designs for her character and started to write down new codes for the game that might be able to help her friend wake up from his coma and would be able to get him out of the game. She had nearly figured it out when the teacher asked her something and she looked up and was called up to the board to write the math problem down and solve it leaving the papers she had been writing on in her desk not thinking that any of the others would take it and start mocking her 'meekness'. Ulrich sighed as he finally got to his seat and relaxed. He was glad that in this class all his so-called friends weren't anywhere close to him. But he was close to Luna. Not bothering to take notes, he waited to see what the teacher needed. But instead of calling on someone from the usual class, he called on Luna. Looking over at her, he watched as she walked away from what ever she was working on and over to the teacher. Looking over at her desk he saw everything and wondered what it was for. But he could hear laughing from the others as they spotted what was on the desk and was making fun of her. Glaring at them, he wished that they would stop, but instead they only got louder, "the geek is actually working on something that is geekier then anything I have ever seen." the one girl said, and the class started to laugh. All but Ulrich, instead he looked up at Luna and wished he could help her. But he knew if he tried anything it would only make it worse. Luna looked over after she was finished with the long equation and saw one of the girls grabbing the papers off her desk. "Hey let go of those! I need those!" she said heading over and trying to grab the papers just hoping they didn't get ripped... she had finally come up with an idea on how to get her friend out of the game and if they destroyed her work it would take twice as long to rethink it if not longer. Ulrich frowned when he saw them grab her paper and watched as they started to pass it around. When it came over towards him, he reached for it and pulled it out of the guys hand. Straightening it out, he looked at Luna and held it out to her silently. "Sorry about that." he said softly and looked at her apologetically. Though as he did everyone started to laugh. "Aw Bernard it's actually trying to be nice to it. Probably hopping to get a favor from her or something." and everyone laughed more. But Ulrich tuned it out as he looked at her and wished that everyone would just shut up. "Thank you" Luna said softly as she gently took the papers from him and sat down at her desk ignoring the rest of the students as she continued to work on the papers and was also working on the sheet that the teacher was passing out but got that done in just a few minutes before she continued in rewriting some of the codes for the game until she was satisfied then folded them and slipped them into her purse which she zipped and buttoned so no one else could get into with her having it across her like she did... she would know right away if anyone tried. The rest of the class rolled on like that making her wish that today was a normal school day instead of being a test/group day when they stayed in their first period all day. As lunch came along she made her way out of class but was quickly surrounded by kids who kept pushing her. "Leave me alone!" she finally snapped and tried to push through the kids just wanting to get to the lunchroom and eat. Ulrich nodded and sat down in class, wishing he could go home and plug in. When the paper was placed in front of him he absentmindedly did it, knowing everything he put down was correct. Through the rest of the class he daydreamed of possibly going around and killing demons. Yet he snapped out of it when the bell rang and everyone ran out of there. He was the last one in his chair and headed out after everyone when he heard Luna yelling. Frowning, he reached a hand into the crowd and pulled her out of it. "Stay back here, it is easier to get through if you stay in the back of the crowd." he said as he looked down at her. No one paid then attention thankfully, everyone thought about lunch and only that. Luna yelped some when she was pulled out of the group that had actually been trying to push her around and one of the girls looked back seeing who pulled her away. "Thanks again. Oh, I never got to tell you my name, I'm Luna... thank you for getting my papers back they're really important in helping one of my friends." she said softly and smiled some at him before continuing to walk close to him unsure of where exactly the such room was so she figured since he was going nice to her, she would fallow him to the lunchroom. Ulrich smiled down at her and was surprised to hear her name was Luna. He wondered if she was the girl from the game. But he would wait till later to see. "No problem, I am sorry about them." he said as he looked at her and started to walk with her toward the lunchroom. "They are kind of big idiots who think that picking on people is the greatest thing ever, and they can never stop talking to me." he said as he looked at her. "But I heard you play video games and read, is that true?" he asked as he looked ODN at her. "Why don't you just stop talking to them if you don't like how they act? Or tell them to stop?" Luna asked softly then looked down slightly when he mentioned her liking games and reading. "Yeah... I love to read when I'm not working on fixing a bug in a game I helped create when I was just seven years old... that's why I'm always teased... I always have the highest scores in the school, but my mom wants me to be around kids my own age so she never lets go into the advanced classes and graduate early." she said softly as she walked with him and a few kids overheard her and started to laugh and snicker at her calling her a geek and a nerd for being so smart and being into the stuff that she was. Ulrich sighed, "I want to and have tried, but they just brush it off as me being funny. You saw how they acted around me, they just want to be around me to look cool and try to get close to me." he said as he looked down. Hearing her, he smiled, "and that is amazing that you created something when you were seven, you must really be proud of yourself." he said as he looked down at her and then sighed when he heard those other people run by laughing at her. "I wish I could say I have done something like that, but all I can say I have ever done is be something I am not. But I am glad your mother told you to come to school, it is nice actually talking to someone for once." "Well... no... I helped create something that has nearly killed one of my only friends... if I don't fix the programming he could die any day now." Luna said quietly looking down with a frown as they made it to the lunchroom, and she pulled a lunchbox out of her bag and went to sit at an empty table just hoping that the 'cool' kids wouldn't bother her or Bernard if he decided to sit with her. Bernard smiled when he heard her and knew that this was the same girl he had met in the game. Following her into the lunchroom, he sat down next to her, "well I am sure he will die. I mean he did seem kind of lively when I saw him the other day, sure he was a little weak, but he still had life in him." he said as he looked at Luna and smiled. Ignoring the commotion and chatter as he sat with her and couldn't' believe it. He had found a friend! A actual friend! Luna looked up at him shocked then looked around for a moment to make sure no one was too close to hear them. "Ulrich?" she whispered surprised and rather shocked... that was the only way he could have seen him... only a few people had access to his house or his room in the castle, and she knew all of them by face... was he the boy she had just taken under her wing just last night? Ulrich smiled at her when he saw the shocked face on her and nodded. "Who else?" he asked as he smiled happily. "I can't believe that your here. I mean I never thought I would meet anyone from any of my games but here you are." he said excitedly and tried to calm himself down. But this truly had to be the best thing that has ever happened to him. "Well... Honestly if it was up to me, I wouldn't be living here in the first place... I will still be living a few houses away from Kai... I would still be able to check on him every day... but anyway, thank you again for grabbing those papers for me... if I'm right when I plug those into the mainframe at Kai's house he should come out of the game and everyone else that is sick in the castle should be able to leave as well... Furthermore, I hope." she explained softly then sighed. "Now all I have to do is get enough money to pay for bus fair to get two towns over and hope for the best." she said softly and rubbed her head a bit before she started to eat her sandwich. Ulrich nodded as he listened to her and frowned, "I am sorry that he has been like that for so long." he said as he looked at her, "but I am sure with the code you have you can get him back. I just know it." he said as he smiled at her. By then everyone was watching them, surprised at how friendly he was being to her and seemed to care for her. He also seemed to show more emotion around her more. Though when he heard her, he laughed a little bit, "don't worry about the bus, I can drive you there in my car. It won't be any trouble for a friend." he said as he looked at her and started to eat his own food. "R-really? You wouldn't mind? Are you sure?" Luna asked and suddenly heard some of the popular girls walking over and tried to ignore them for as long as she could... until they were at the table. "What's going on here? Why are you talking to this looser Bernard?" she girl said and suddenly Luna became very quiet again and stared down at the table as she ate the last of her food. Ulrich smiled at her and nodded, "yeah no trouble at all, the least I can do for a friend." he said as he smiled at her and then saw the popular girls come over. Seeing how Luna reacts to them, he glared at them and for once his voice came out loud and clear to them. "She is my friend, unlike you two idiots. Now why don't you go run off and leave me alone for once. I am getting tired of dealing with you and your kind." and it was clear that he was done with them. For once, he had a friend, and he wasn't going to let her go. "Now you can either leave or apologize to Luna AND then leave." he said simply. "UH! HOW DARE YOU! Never mind I wouldn't want YOU in my group! You're just as lame as she is!" the girl said coldly before snapping her fingers and the others that were with her left to their own table and everyone looked away from the two. "Wow... I've only known you for two days, and you've already surprised me more than anyone else I've ever known. I'm glad you're my friend Ulrich." she said softly and gave him a slight hug before pulling away quickly and blushing. Ulrich glared and watched them go, clear to anyone around him that he didn't care about them. Though when he looked at Luna he softened up and smiled, "I am glad you're my friend too." he said to her softly as he hugged her back before she pulled away, blushing slightly himself, "and I doubt I have surprised you that much. I am just looking out for the one person that is the only friend I have." he said as he looked at her and smiled. "Now then why don't you come home with me after school today? That way I can drive you over to your friends house." he said as he smiled at her, "that is if you're free." "Well actually... all of my friend are online... they were all older than me, so I never got to go to school with them and only saw them when we were working on the game... and that would be nice, but I really need to get home after school to check on my mom... I think she has the flue she hasn't been feeling well since a few days before we moved." Luna said softly as she stood going to dump her trash as the bell rang for the next class. "So... what is your next class?" she asked softly as she pulled out her schedule and didn't realize she had all the same classes as him yet. Ulrich nodded and smiled, "well you're the only person I have ever met in real life. All my friend online are just that, online friends." he said as he looked at her and smiled, "if we are counting people outside we have met, I think you're the only friend I have ever made on the outside world." he said and then nodded when he heard her, "okay, maybe some other day." he said as he stood up and started to follow her. He then smiled, "my next class is history with Mr. White." he said as he looked at her, "how about you?" "Huh... mine too." Luna smiled as she walked with him to their next class. "Well really we would have to go that way to get to Kai's house... and I'll be checking on my mom every day until she gets better... but if you won't want to then that's okay." she said softly before taking a seat next to him hoping that was okay. Ulrich smiled when he heard her and walked with her towards class. "I still want to help you so just tell me when you want to go, and I will take it. It isn't like I have a reason to be home." he said as he looked at her and took his seat. Stretching out a little bit, he smiled at her, "and I hope that your mother gets better soon." he said softly and felt bad since it seemed that all the people she cared about were sick. "She should, but thank you for caring. We can go after school today so long as we can stop by my house to I can tell my mother what's going on and check on her... and also post to the community to tell them that the castle will be closed until I get home." Luna smiled easily before paying attention to the teacher as he started speaking. Ulrich smiled and nodded, "okay that sounds good to me, just tell me where to drive, and I can take you." he said as he absently took notes but sometimes would look up at the board. He then turned back to her, "my house isn't far form here so we can walk to there." he said since he didn't really like buses. He just hoped this day ended soon so that they could possibly get her friend out sooner rather than later. "Okay thank you again it's really nice of you wanting to help me." Luna smiled as she then took notes again and continued through the rest of the day everything seeming to go better than that morning which was good for both of them. Once school was let out Luna smiled at Ulrich happily ad fallowed him out of the school ad to his house. "So why is it that you want to lock yourself away in the game anyway? I never got a clear answer before." she asked as they walked hoping he didn't mind her asking. Ulrich smiled at her, "it is the least I can do for a friend." he said and stuck with her for the rest of the day. For once, he actually was enjoying himself and found that he wasn't hating it. Though once they were out of school, and they were walking, he sighed hearing her question. "The reason I want to lock myself away in the game is because that is the only place that I enjoy being at." he said as he looked down at her. "I have nothing here to keep me here, my parents ignore me and till today I had no friends or anything. So there wasn't really much to keep me here." "But now that you do have a friend might you consider not locking yourself away?" Luna asked softly and hopefully. She didn't want to lose another friend.... she never wanted a friend to be hurt like Kai was now. "Might you at least give the outside a chance before you decide?" she asked softly hoping he agreed... she had to stay out for her mother... she didn't want to end up alone on the outside again. Ulrich smiled at her and nodded, "it is defiantly making me rethink some of the things that I have." he said as he smiled at her. "In truth you're the first good thing to happen to me." he said right before they got to the front of his house. "So here we are, welcome to my house." he said as he opened the gate. His house was big, more of a mansion really, and he smiled at Luna, "come on, my car is in the garage." he said as he leads her over to the garage. "Wow... that's a big house..." Luna murmured surprised before fallowing Ulrich to the garage, she couldn't wait to see Kai again and see if she could help him more. Ulrich nodded, "yeah both my parents own corporations and kind of have lots of money. It is also the reason why I am home alone most of the time, they are always away." he said as he opened the door. Inside laid a classic mustang that was in perfect condition, "and this is our ride." he said as he smiled at her, "come one, let's not keep your friend waiting." "Well I'll come over and hang out with you whenever you want if that will make everything easier on you?" Luna smiled before looking at the car rather impressed before getting in and buckling up. Ulrich smiled and nodded, "I would like that, it gets very lonely here." he said as he jumped into the car. Starting it up, he headed out of there and then looked at her, "so where does he live? Just tell me where to go." he said simply "Well like I said before I need to check on my mom first if that's okay." Luna said before giving him the directions to her house so they could stop by and make sure that her mother was feeling okay. Ulrich nodded, "no problem." he said and then started to head towards her house. "So what made you move to our school anyway?" he asked as he looked at her, trying to get to know her a little bit better. "Well... we had been living with my mom's ex but when she started to get sick he kicked us out... and some other stuff was going on as well, but anyway, my uncle owns the apartments so he gave us a discounted two bedroom until my mom got better." Luna said softly with a slight frown at the beginning but then smiled at the end a bit. Ulrich nodded as he listened to her and smiled, "well I am glad that you have a place to stay. But if anything happens you can come to me for help, I would do anything for a friend." he said and soon pulled up into her driveway and smiled at her. "Thanks." Luna smiled as they pulled into the apartments, and she got out of the car. "Do you want to come in too?" she asked with a smile seeming okay either way. Ulrich smiled and nodded, "sure." he said as he got out of the car with her. "I might as well say hello to your mother while we are here." he said as he looked at her. Luna smiled before leading him to her apartment and unlocking the door. "Mom I'm home" she said before heading to her mothers bedroom and going over to check on her. "Hi honey... who's with you?" she asked and Luna looked back before smiling. "My new friend Ulrich." she smiled before asking her mother a few questions, but she seemed to be getting better. Ulrich smiled as he walked in and followed Luna to the bedroom. Though when he saw her mother, he smiled and waved at her, "hello, it is nice to meet you." he said as he smiled at her. She didn't seem too sick, but it was clear that she did need a lot of sleep. "I'll be fine until you get back honey, tell Kai I said hi when you can." Luna's mother said softly, and she smiled before nodding and going to her room to get a few things that she would need for fixing the game then looked at Ulrich. "You ready to go?" she smiled brightly making sure she had her keys and phone on her just in case. Ulrich smiled and waited for Luna to be done grazing everything she wanted. Once she was, he nodded, "yeah let's go." he said as he followed her out of there. Heading to his car, he jumped int and waited for her to get in. "So where does your friend live?" he asked as he smiled at her. "If it's okay for you to take me he lives about an hour away from here." Luna said softly as she got into the car and fastened her seat belt. She was worried about Kai, but she knew that she would think up a way to get him out of that game, and how to stop that from ever happening again Ulrich smiled at her, "well I don't have anything to do at my house so going on a trip sounds like fun, just pointed me in the right directions, and we can start." he said as he smiled at her. He knew that she wanted to get to her friend and help him, he was going to help her as much as he could. Luna smiled as she told him the way to Kai's house and would occasionally strike up a random conversation or something to pass the time. "So do you think those mean kids will leave us alone now?" she asked hopefully with a smile as she looked out the window knowing they were getting close. Ulrich nodded when he heard her directions and started to drive. Hearing her, he smiled, "I am hoping they will leave us alone, but I am not sure. They are kind of known for holding onto things like this for a long time." he said as he looked at her and saw her excitement as they got closer. Luna nodded before directing him to where Kai's house was, and they were there sooner than she thought they would be. "I have a key to his house, are you ready?" she smiled easily to Ulrich seeming so ready to get her friend out of the game that she had helped create. Ulrich smiled as he drove and soon pulled into his driveway. Smiling at her, he nodded, "yeah, let's go see if we can get him out." he said before slipping out of the car and looking at the house. He hoped that she would be able to get him out of the game. Luna smiled and nodded before getting out then going up to the door and unlocking it before heading inside. Inside the house seemed well-kept and clean surprisingly since Kai wasn't able to wake up... but his sister came by several times a day so that would explain it. She walked into Kai's room where he was laying on the bed with the virtual reality helmet still on and working. Luna walked over to the wall of computers and hard rives and sat down quickly typing in code after code. "Okay I'm going to plug into the game real quick to see how the codes went." she said to Ulrich before putting on an extra helmet. Once she was in the game she made her way to Kai's room in the castle and started talking to him. She found out that he was starting to feel better but still couldn't wake up. She signed out and took off the helmet again before typing in about twenty more codes before signing back in to find she had almost gotten it. Furthermore, she continued this until she had put down all five pages of codes and slowly the lights on Kai's helmet went off, and she took her helmet off quickly and went over to him. "Kai? Kai can you here me? Can you move or talk or do something?" she asked worriedly as she had gone to his side hoping he was okay (could you be Kai waking up?) Ulrich stayed at her side as she worked and wondered if it was working. Though when he saw the old man move he knew it had worked. Kaji groaned as he slid the helmet off and just laid there a second. Opening and closing his eyes, he tried to get use to everything and then looked around. Smiling when he saw Luna, he nodded, "you did it..." his voice was soft and sounded like he was on the verge of death since he hadn't used it in so long. Slowly, he tried to get himself to sit up but stopped. His body was still too weak to move. But he turned to Luna, "I can't believe you did it. I was losing hope..." he said as he reached out towards her and smiled more. (he was only like three years older than Luna XD)Luna started to cry when she saw Kai open his eyes and hugged him softly and carefully. "Never do that again you idiot!" she cried softly still hugging him for a second before moving and running off to get him some food and water and sat the plate and glass on a tray then went back into his room, set the stuff down, then carefully helped him sit up before setting the tray in his lap. "Oh Kai, this is Ulrich, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him being so nice and driving me out here." she smiled introducing the two in real life easily. ((didn't know that))Kai smiled as he felt Luna hug him and hugged her back weakly, "sorry." he said softly as he watched her run off. Being in bed for three years had done a number on his body. He hardly had any muscle on him and looked mostly of bone. As he sat up, he smiled at Luna and Ulrich, "well I am grateful to both of you." he said as he started to eat. He was starving, but he couldn't eat too much since he might make himself sick. "So what have I missed since I got sucked in?" he asked as he looked at her. "Well I've pretty much kept you up to date whenever I came to talk to you in the game. But I did start at a new school today and found out that Mr. popular over here was actually my new apprentice online. He offered to drive me here so I could help you." Luna smiled pointing her thumb back at Ulrich with a smile before taking a seat at the end of the bed. "You know you could sit in one of the other two chairs right?" she smiled softly to Ulrich. "Oh yeah, I know you hate them, but I think we need to get you to the hospital now... they can help you get back your strength and weight." she said softly hoping that Kai wouldn't fight it since he really needed help. Kai nodded as he listened and continued to eat. Smiling at Ulrich as he sat down, he chuckled, "He does look like the boy that you brought to me the one day." he said and Ulrich smiled as he watched the two. He was glad to see that Kai was okay and Luna happy. He felt like Luna deserved to be happy. Kai sighed when he heard her, and you could tell he wanted to protest, but he nodded, "I know you're right, the hospital would help me." he said softly and Ulrich smiled, 'I can drive there no problem. The least I can do." he said as he looked at them. "Thank you Kai... I just wish that you could move closer, so I could keep an eye on the system while you're in the hospital, and OS I can keep an eye on you when you're out" Luna said with a grin making Kai laugh slightly "I'll think about it." he said with a smile. Ulrich smiled as he watched the two and had a feeling that Luna would be much happier. "Well then, how about if we get going, I am sure it would be best if we got you to the hospital as soon as possible." he said as he smiled at him. He wasn't sure what the affects were from not doing anything for 13 years, but he wanted to make sure that Kai was okay as soon as possible. (3 years not 13 XD)Kai nodded and tried to get up but found he was too weak to and looked at the two worriedly. "Oh no... we may have to call an ambulance." Luna said softly and Kai sighed. "I can hardly move... my whole body just feels weak and heavy." he said with a frown then just nodded. "Mile well call them... I suppose I really do need to go to the hospital and as soon as possible." he sighed heavily, and you could tell he did not like the idea of being in the hospital at all. ((Meet to type 3 got 13 instead))Ulrich frowned when he saw how weak Kai was and stood up, "how about if I carry you out to the car?" he asked as he looked at Kai and smiled. "That way we don't have to bother with an ambulance." he said as he waited to see if either of them like the idea. And if Kai didn't want to stay at a hospital he could stay at his house. His house wasn't too far from the hospital so he could just ask a nurse to come by and check on him, waving his name around made people do things like that. "I actually think it might be best if we got an ambulance... they could get me there quickly and go ahead and figure out how to help me on the way there." Kai said softly before giving Ulrich a smile. "But thank you for offering, that's very kind of you." he said softly with a smile Ulrich nodded, "then I will go call one." he said and headed over to the phone. After a few minutes he heard the ambulance outside and went to the door. Soon paramedics came in and started to check Kai over to make sure that he was okay to move and everything. Uralic just stood back and wondered if he could help anymore. After it was said that he could be moved the paramedics moved Kai onto the stretcher and headed out of the ambulance. "I would really like to ride with him is that okay with you?" Luna asked Ulrich softly hoping he didn't mind... after all Kai was like family to her... she couldn't let him face this alone. Ulrich smiled and nodded, "I understand, he needs your right now so go on ahead." he said as he smiled at her and then watched as she headed into the ambulance. Jumping into his own car, he followed the ambulance and hoped that everything turned out alright with Kai, he was a nice guy and hopefully his body was in okay condition. Luna nodded with a smile before running over to the ambulance and climbing in the back taking Kai's hand softly and carefully. As they sped along the doctor in the back spoke with Kai and Luna about options... most of which involved Kai having to be taken care of for a while... everything else dealing with surgeries to fix his joints that had nearly fused into place... and one that would remove his clothes for some of them had actually grown to his body. His insurance would pay for just about all of it and what wasn't paid wasn't really too much since it was necessary for him to live. Ulrich drove behind them and hoped that everything would be okay. Soon they arrived at the hospital, and they took Kai out of the ambulance and rolled him out. Taking him into their room, they started to hook him up to all the machines they needed and make sure that he was in stable condition. Ulrich came inside after he found a place to park and smiled as he watched Kai get work done on him. A nurse soon came up and showed Ulrich and Luna to the waiting room and told them it would probably be awhile, but they would come out and tell them when they could see Kai. "Thank you so much for bringing me to Kai's house... unless you feel that you absolutely have to go to school tomorrow would you mind staying here with me? We can get notes so we won't get in trouble... I just want to make sure Kai is okay before going home." she said softly hoping he didn't mind. Ulrich smiled as he sat down with Luna and nodded, "I am happy that I can help you." he said and was surprised to hear her request, but he knew he would love to stay here with her. Nodding, he smiled at her, "yeah I can stay here no problem." he said as he looked at her. "I can miss as many days of school as I want, it doesn't really matter for me. School gets boring most of the time." he said as he look at her. "So long as you're okay with that... I know my mom will be okay for a while, so I'm not really worried about her right now... but I am still worried about Kai... we'll be in here for a while... do you want to go get something to eat?" Luna asked softly with a soft smile glad that he would stay there with her until she knew that Kai was okay. Ulrich smiled at her and nodded, "I am completely okay with it, there is nowhere else I would rather be right now." he said as he looked at her, and it was the truth. Home was empty, here was a person that he cared about, and she cared for him. Hearing food, he nodded again, "I am starving, so food sounds wonderful, why don't you lead the way." he said as he smiled at her. Luna smiled softly before leading Ulrich to the cafeteria where she presented the cashier with a catcher for food since they didn't know how long they would be there. Ulrich followed her into the cafeteria and smiled at all the food. Licking his lips, he started to grab anything he really wanted. In truth, he rarely sometimes ate, especially at home when you ate with no one. Sitting at a table with food in front of you and no one to talk to didn't exactly encourage you to eat. Neither did sitting with parents when they were talking on their phones. "Wow you look like you're starving." Luna laughed some as she sat down across from Ulrich and smiled. "I just can't thank you enough for helping me and Kai like this. I just hope he still has enough money saved up to rent an apartment close to me and mom... he's pretty much my big brother I don't know what I would have done if he had died." she said softly with a slight smile when she had thanked him before she started to eat again. Ulrich smiled and nodded, "yeah I am, I didn't eat much today." he said as he looked at her. Though when he heard her words he smiled more, "don't worry about it, I am just glad that I can be of some help to someone that means something to me." he said as he looked at her. He then started to eat but then got an idea. Looking at her, he smiled, "how about if he comes stay with me? We have plenty of rooms and I know my parents won't care." he said happily, he wanted to help in everyday he could. "Are you sure that will be okay? Wouldn't want to impose." Luna said softly though did smile at him some before she started eating again and before long was finished and just smiled at Ulrich happily. Ulrich smiled and nodded, "I would actually love it if he could. Being in that house gets really lonely and having someone around would be nice. So he is welcome to come." he said as he smiled at her and then finished off his food. "That's really nice of you Ulrich I'll have to let Kai know. You know you're a really sweet guy how could you be pulled in by all those mean kids at school?" Luna asked with a soft smile but honestly was confused since he was such a nice guy. Ulrich sighed when he heard her, "well no one ever listened to me when I talked and when I did, they thought I was joking. Gradually they just stayed around me even if I didn't want them too. I think it has to deal with my family being rich." he said as he looked at her. "Ah the stereotype that all rich kids are jerks or stuck up." Luna nodded a bit with a sigh. "Well... hopefully they'll leave you alone now... I mean now that we're friends and all." she said softly then looked at the pager the nurse had given her as it went off and she smiled. "Kai's awake, are you ready?" she smiled as she picked up her empty plate and was ready to take it over to the garbage when he was ready. Ulrich smiled and nodded, "I would love it if they would leave me alone so that I can actually spend time with a real friend." he said as he looked at her and smiled. He then nodded, "yeah, let's get going." he said as he smiled at her and then grabbed his plate. Heading over to the garbage, he throw away everything and then smiled at her. He was really glad that he was with her and could be friend with her. Luna smiled before going and dumping her tray and then walked with Ulrich to Kai's room and smiled as she walked in and saw Kai in a slight sitting position but with his back to the raised bed and was drinking some water and eating jello. She then ran over to him and hugged him carefully. "Oh I've missed you so much." she said softly and Kai smiled weakly but happily. "I've missed you too... thank you... thank you both so much." he smiled as he also looked over at Ulrich with a smile. Ulrich smiled as he watched Luna run over to Kai to hug him. Walking over to his bedside, he smiled at Kai, "it is no problem, happy to help out a friend." he said as he looked at Kai and was glad that Luna was happy. He would do anything for her to be happy since he was making his life ten times better right now.

A unlikely pair and yet completely compatible ~Palmoun and Sinsue rp~|rating:4.0

Truth, Justice and Brownies if you got 'em (Side Stories IC)

For little side-stories, both amorous and adventurous. But let's be honest here, mostly amorous. (Karina ZanahoriaWhere: Heading toward the Hotel Doing What: Trying to Win, Place, and Show at a Sex Competition Milestones: Well... You Know... Like Rabbits! And My Wife is a Teenage Robot1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | XP = 10As Karina increased the pain, she began sneaking in other things. Commands that could just be barely obeyed, delays in the pleasure, and other sneaky things were all used in acceptable, if not professional, fashions. She did not resist the Aux ilia undressing her. She had already gotten the pictures she had wanted. That would be enough, even if she left this place without her clothes. Truth be told, she was rather used to public nudity charges. That had been a big change from her home world, after all. She seemed to especially enjoy hearing the drone trying to moan things through the gag she had bothered putting into that one's mouth, and she was in the middle of trying to make it beg for her attentions when she found herself distracted by a nagging question." So, why are you guys having an amateur sex competition anyway?" she asked as she teased up the cyborg's thighs as she wiggled her fluffy tail to tempt the one behind her. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm a Matches, sex is practically a science for us, and we love science more than we love being alive, half the time, but that just makes me curious. You girls are a rare breed to actually want to do this in a galaxy that's so prudish..." All through her questioning, she kept up her work. "Oh wow, you really don't know?" The Auxin behind Karina giggled into her back, finally stripping her out of the last of her clothes, "welcome to Earth, and let me be your guide. They're not prudish, they're proper. Give them some privacy, and they'll watch someone else have sex all day long. Humans have been doing this from the time they knew how to make pictures, I'm just improving on the model."" You see, 'amateur' means that we don't have a professional studio. No make-up, no editing, just one girl with a camera," the camera-Auxin beamed, making sure to take a good shot of the whipped-Auxin crying out through the gag as Karina struck her again, her entire backside thoroughly red from Karina's attentions. "We're still totally selling the video." She was about to keep talking when all three of them suddenly stopped at once, and in unison started to moan out an earth-shattering climax, collapsing woozily. Even the one Karina hadn't even been touching. Unless she was that good, it couldn't have been her work. Someone else had been even more determined to win the sex competition and had come in first place?! Dammit! Well, she wasn't getting much more out of these Duties... Spoiler...Armand right back to the main thread. Whoops! Karina grabbed the Camera-Auxin (and the camera, too!) and retreated from the area. Whatever was wrong with these robots, it was a perfectly good excuse to capture one for future escapades.Stealing a robot on the way back to the main thread Ace The first thing Ace, the Wonder-Girl, perceived upon awakening was that she was blindfolded. The second was that she was bound arms and most of her legs in a strong, somewhat-stretchy material - probably spiderwebs. Ace could hear a steady whirring in the background, and people talking in low voices." That should be enough to partially reverse the effects," a voice near her. Feminine. Minerva, probably." Great, so she can kip up and start beating our faces in again. I love this plan! I'm excited to be a part of it!"that one needed no introduction, at least. Footsteps in an enclosed space. Chattering from someone further away - two someone's - about rock density. Not a part of the present conversation." We were pretty rough bringing you in," Minerva again. "Do you need anything? Any treatment?"" I'm fine, dear," more melodic than the other two. Silvia. "Forgetting to turn off her gloves is just Arachne's way of saying she's happy to see you."" It's so good to have you back, though!" The sound of an embrace. A high-pitched whine and crackle of electricity. "Oops."" I wasaskingour guest," Minerva said. "Ace?" (Ace the Wonder-Girl Where: ??? Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Silver Age Sensibilities 43 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | d6 Emotional |130 passes: None | Complications: Captured! d12 | Resources: NoneMechanicsStarting off, Ace is going to roll to recover her Emotional Stress. I'm using Psych Expert and Ace's sensory-based power traits on the logic that getting her bearings and taking stock of the situation and her captors will help Ace feel calmer and more in-control. Solo d10 + Comic Book Superhero d8 + X-Ray Vision d10 + Superhuman Senses d10 + Psych Expert d83d10 = 2, 1, 8 (= 6, 4 (opportunity for the Doom Pool, and I'll take that Plot Point and turn around and spend it to keep a third die for my results. 18 total, d10 effect, and if I beat the Doom Pool then Ace is back in peak condition emotionally. Next comes the roll to recover Ace's Flight. In order to do that, she'll have been absorbing background radiation the entire time she was fighting and again now that she's awake, so it's just a matter of if her Radiation Transmogrification powers and natural stamina can pull her through. Solo d10 + Extraterrestrial Powerhouse d8 + Space Flight d12 + Godlike Stamina 2d12 (Comic Book Physics SFX)3d12 = 1, 3, 4 (= 2 (= 4 (another opportunity, along with some rather poor rolls. Spending that new Plot Point to keep an extra die again, so 11 total, d10 effect. If the roll succeeds, then Space Flight is only back at d10, since I didn't get an effect die equal to the size of the power trait. And if the roll fails, d12 to the Doom Pool. Yay. Solo d10 + Extraterrestrial Powerhouse d8 + Gamma Laser Eye beams d8 + Godlike Stamina 2d12 (Comic Book Physics SFX)2d12 = 6, 2 (2)d10 = 7 (= 7, 8 (8)And a much better roll on this one. Ace spends one of her Plot Points to keep an extra die and practically guarantee success, so 22 total, d12 effect for this recovery roll. This was not the first time that Ace had been captured. Though she had managed to make a successful career for herself as a solo superhero, in her earlier years as her cousin's partner, back when she was still young and inexperienced, she had been captured quite often by various villains. There were some times when she had been rescued, and others when she had managed to escape on her own, but thanks to these frequent experiences, she didn't panic when she awoke to find herself tied up and blindfolded. She lay still at first, to see if she could overhear anything useful while making her captors think that she was still out of it, but it didn't take long for her to realize that Minerva was expecting her to be conscious after being returned mostly to flesh from her former stony state. After that, she tested her bonds and took stock of her situation. Arms and legs were bound in what seemed to be spider-webs, made from spider silk that was stronger than steel cable, there was a blindfold that was blocking her vision... Ordinary cloth, or lead-lined? She would probably be able to tell from the weight alone, but would test it out with her X-Ray Vision anyway, not moving her head but looking around with her eyes to see if she could get a covert look at her surroundings without her captors realizing. Even without a direct visual look at where she was being held, however, she would probably still be able to tell quite a bit with superhuman senses of hearing and smell alone. Though, speaking of hearing, the Venusian Wonder couldn't help but frown and wince a bit in sympathy when she heard Silvia's cry of pain." You didn't hurt me at all before turning me to stone, so I'm guessing you must have dropped me a few times while carrying me in here," She responded to Minerva's questioning, taking note of the fact that Minerva had talked about 'bringing her in'. This was a small way to fish for information, giving the shape-shifter and her sadistic underling the chance to gloat about what happened after they had subdued her. "It doesn't feel like you broke anything. That said, since you went to all the trouble of bringing me along with you instead of just leaving me as a statue adorning the countryside, may I ask what it is you plan to do with me?" Oh, she really hoped that one or both of them was the type to brag. Not only would it give her some important information, but it would also buy her some extra time. Time she would be able to use to try and push the radiation absorption, amplification and transmogrification abilities she had been given to the limit, to try and wring as much extra power as she could out of all the solar and other forms of background radiation that she had been absorbing all this time. If she could just jump-start her flight, or at least her laser eye-beams...! The blindfold was, unhelpfully, lead-lined. Or, not quite. From weight distribution (and the outline it made against her face), Ace could tell it was actually a pair of leaden plates inserted into a woven spider silk cloth; she didn't need to get the blindfold off entirely to be able to see, she just had to adjust it enough that the plates became misaligned. Her hearing registered machinery - the thrum of a powerful engine pushed to its limit, the creaking of gears, a distinctive vibration as they traveled. There were a number of smells. Minerva had a fine scent like lilacs, but which had a manufactured air. Arachne was sweaty with exertion. Silvia had found herself some perfume. There was machine oil, and a sharp smell of explosives, and a sort of full-bodied scent which was reminiscent of the fuel for Karina's starship drive. And she could sense motion; they were moving, slower than a car, possibly even slower than a horse, through a very difficult medium, a little like a submarine made to travel through molasses." There was a battle," Minerva explained, "it's troublesome to fight off both Neophilia and a correctional contingent while holding onto something."" You didn't really need to try so hard. She can take a bruising," Arachne said; her voice came from only very slightly above Silvia's. Perhaps fortunately for Ace (but less so for her intelligence-gathering efforts), gloating seemed to be a lower priority than affection for their lost lamb... spider. Minerva continued as though she hadn't heard, "I'm glad you weren't injured. Ordinarily you'd be brought to a secure holding facility while we decide what to do with you, but present circumstances have denied us that luxury."" Zohar destroyed them," Silvia supplied helpfully. Ace could tell from sound she was having a hard time breathing after that shock (or possibly Arachne's crushing embrace), but she didn't sound like she planned to complain. "Would you believe he's a double-edged sword?"" They were largely empty or compromised anyway," Minerva said dismissively. "But yes, the Tyrant Sun seems intent on having us fight out our differences rather than lock each other away. So, what we're going to do is rendezvous with a supplier who can get us the equipment we need to take some blood, hair and skin samples from you, to see if we can't use your exceptional genome for the betterment of humanity." There was a smile in her voice, "I hope it's not premature to say that an extreme resistance to radiation alone would be a coup in off-world adaptation. We'll ship those off securely. Then, in lieu of a good way to keep you captive long-term without my personal and constant attention, I suppose we'll leave you somewhere civilized where you can get back to doing what it is you do. You are one of Earth's greatest defenders, after all, and you were..." she hesitated for the first time, looking for a word, "good to our wayward child. It's only politics - the laws of a collection of dying states clinging to relevance - that causes us to be enemies."" Oh look, you've embarrassed Silvio. Hmm, could always stick miss Hero in a box and sink it in the sea," Arachne offered, "I bet that would keep her busy for longer."" It wouldn't, dear," Silvia said, and Ace could hear her fidgeting in Arachne's arms while the other spider stroked her hair, "youmightmake her angry, though..." MechanicsDoom pool results of 16, 18 and 20, respectively, so Ace is emotionally clear-headed and has her laser eye-beams back, but not her flight. (Ace the Wonder-Girl Where: ??? Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Silver Age Sensibilities32 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 0 passes: None | Complications: Captured! d12 | Resources: NoneMechanicsAlright, Ace is going to try to make very careful use of her Gamma Laser Eye beams to get her vision back without alerting her captors to the fact. She's also trying to draw Minerva into talking more about her own organization to keep her distracted while she works, so I'll also add Psych Expert into the pool. Solo d10 + Comic Book Superhero d8 + Gamma Laser Eye beams d8 + Superhuman Senses 2d10 (Comic Book Physics SFX) + Psych Expert d8 + Impulsive SFX d12d12 = 11 (= 3, 3, 4 (3, 4)3d8 = 6, 5, 2 (5, 2)Spending a plot point to keep one extra die for the result. 22 total, d10 effect, and I'm keeping that d12 for another action, so you'll get it back along with a d8 after my next roll. For now, it's out of the Doom Pool. If this roll gets an excellent success and gets stepped up to d12, a good explanation for Ace removing the complication entirely might be that there's a reflective surface handy for her to bounce a beam of invisible radiation off of to burn through her own bonds without anyone noticing, once she can see again. She'll probably pretend to be captured for a little longer beyond that and any future rolls I make will be to draw out more information and/or set up an asset for the upcoming action scene. Ace was in luck, it seemed. While Arachne seemed to care more to bestow her clearly rather sadistic affections on Silvia, Minerva was one of those types that liked to hear herself talk. The Venusian Wonder had already worked out a number of interesting and potentially-useful facts about her surroundings. She was most likely in some manner of tunneling machine, for one; The sounds of powerful machinery and the sensation of very slow movement matched with her earlier tactical assessment. They were either tunneling through rock and soil, or had sunk down into the Earth's mantle and were pushing through magma as they moved towards their destination. As for what said destination was, if they were meeting up with someone who could supply them with certain items that would be needed to take samples from her, then they were either trying to purchase a piece of Venus ite, or were in the market for certain specialized alien or magical equipment. They didn't know that her radiation-based abilities were an artificial enhancement her people had given her on top of her own natural Venusian abilities, a fact that she wasn't about to fill them in on, since then they might start taking more invasive samples to see if they could reverse-engineer the process, but they did otherwise seem to have a solid grasp of her abilities and weaknesses, though that was something that she had already picked up on during the earlier fight, as well. There was also the news that Zohar had destroyed facilities owned by villains, places that had been used to imprison captured heroes... Ace was tempted to speak at great length about things that might make her angry when Arachne and Silvia got onto that topic, but decided to hold her tongue instead, on the grounds that speaking up might cause her captors to do the very things that she didn't want them to do, just to spite her. In particular, it seemed as though Arachne was treating Silvia rather poorly, and Minerva was more than happy to allow it. From the latter's multiple references to Ms. Ate, first as a 'lost lamb' and then as a 'wayward child', it wasn't hard to guess that Silvia had tried to part ways with these people, and that they weren't too keen on allowing her to escape their clutches. First things first, though, she needed to get her vision back in order to see just how accurate a lot of her guesses were. Minerva had talked for long enough that Ace could feel some of her strength returning, could tell that she had absorbed enough radiation to be able to make use of her eye lasers again, but she wasn't ready to just bust out and start swinging away at her captors. Instead, she focused on her vision, eyes that were able to see down to the microscopic level taking a look at the strands of spider silk holding the leaden plates in place over her eyes, trying to determine which ones she could burn away in order to make the plates shift out of position without being obvious about it. And as she did so, in order to distract her captors further..." You've shown that you know quite a bit about me, so I can already guess that you know I'm from a parallel universe to this one. A group like yours doesn't exist on my world, so I hope you won't be offended if I ask, but... What exactly is your group's politics? It sounds like you want to overthrow this world's governments. You don't sound like anarchists, so what are you planning to build to take their place?" "Let me answer your question with a question. Your people, who you have escaped from," another uncomfortable fidget from Silvia. Had they interrogated her while Ace was a statue? "If they invaded tomorrow, would the Earthlings win? Are you certain of it? And another question. If tomorrow, someone - Lenten, perhaps, or Zohar, or Tabs - gave everyone superpowers. Would the result be a golden age, or would the planet be torn apart at the seams?"" Minerva, are doing that thing where you ask a question you already know the answer to?"" Maybe a little. Maybe Ace has a different conclusion and I'd be interested in hearing it. But we've run a great many simulations, particularly with the Cello, and they all come up about the same - we'd lose, or we'd win but be so devastated as to be defenseless. The nations and corporations are too divided, too many of our best, our brightest, our strongest, have abandoned our world, while those that remain are too weak-willed and seeking only after their own pleasure, like our Silvia here. She needs a stronger hand guiding her toward a useful purpose, rather than squandering her gifts."" How magnanimous of you, dear," Silvia said, a tinge of bitterness creeping into her tone, "I've been a good little girl before, you know. Perfectly pictured, perfectly constructed, perfectly composed. A smiling and virtuous fake life as a packaged and marketed product. Recluse helped meescapethat, remember?"" I remember; you stillowehim for that freedom, remember? But you're one of us; your present inclinations are a phase, and you'll grow out of them," Minerva said maternally, "and then you'll ask yourself, what have you really done? What have you built for yourself? We'll help you with that."" That was the point, Minerva! I haven't built anything anyone could sink their claws into." Ace was covertly burning away strands of spider-silk - there! She could see around the edges of the leaden plates inset into her blindfold. Arachne had set to braiding Silvia's hair, putting make-up on her and holding a mirror to her face, while the Silver Spider herself very pointedly looked straight ahead, trying to keep her composure even. If she could angle the beams of the mirror just so... there! She could feel the spider silk cords binding her starting to snap. Not all of them, but just enough and in the right places make it weak enough to burst her bindings when the time came. Minerva had returned to being the armored woman with wings and horns. Ace appeared to be interred in some sort of compact dining room; she had apparently fallen out of her chair." As Napoleon Bonaparte destroyed the monarchies of Europe to bring a new age of reason that lasts to this day, our Lord Recluse will bring the whole of Earth under one banner. A world order capable of resisting the Matches, or the Cello, or your own people, without relying on a scattered and sluggish response from supers. A world order capable of asserting itself in this galaxy of ours, apowerinstead of a tourist destination. An order where villains like Neophilia don't come to be, where the greatest minds of our generation find support instead of being allowed to destroy themselves by degrees. We gave the nations of the world many, manyyears to try and adapt to their new situation. They haven't. They might not even be capable of doing so." She made a grand sweeping gesture, "Let them be swept away, then! And we want to improve humanity, figure out what parts of it are worthy of the power that you, or I enjoy, give these people the power to pursue their dreams. We want to influence things so that eventually everyone is so worthy. It's much more just if anyone can become an atomic superman, rather than rolling the dice with whoever happens to be in the way of a chemical spill, or get bitten by a spider or screw up a lab experiment, don't you think? There would be controls, of course, to ensure that people used their powers responsibly, but that's no different from how it is today. For you, I don't think that much would change if we were victorious. You'd still be a defender of the Earth and its people. We might have disagreements, but I feel Recluse's rule might be much more responsive to the people's needs than your congresses and parliaments if, instead of yet another protest on his lawn or a lost election followed by a cushy lobbying job, the consequences for acting unjustly would be a furious flying Ace trying to rip out his spine. Oh, they'd call you a super villain, of course, trying to disrupt the proper order of governance and the progress of the new world order for your selfish ideas. They'd called superhero for trying to preserve it. I wonder if that would bother you?" MechanicsDoom pool rolls 14 total with d10 effect plus two opportunities, so Ace is not only free but can recover her spaceflight if she wants. (Ace the Wonder-Girl Where: Cramped Dining Room Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Silver Age Sensibilities20 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 0 passes: None | Complications: None | Resources: NoneMechanicsAce is going to pretend to still be captured, now that the complication is removed. Spending 2 PP to activate both those opportunities, one to reactivate Space Flight and one to get a d10 Psych stunt for telling Minerva exactly what she expects to hear in order to goad her into letting something important slip. Solo d10 + Vivacious Maiden of Venus d8 + Psych Expert d8 + Impulsive SFX d12 + Psych Stunt d10d12 = 9 (= 6, 3 (3)d8 = 4, 3 (3)15 total, d10 effect. Hopefully, this roll will have me rolling off against Minerva, since her lack of the Psych specialty means that she'll have a much smaller dice pool than the current Doom Pool. ^^;And finally giving back that die I borrowed for Impulsive, so that's a d8 added to the Doom Pool." And how many people have to die in the war to establish your new world order, Minerva?" Ace responded, doing her best to seem more agitated now than she actually felt. She'd seen this approach before, she knew that the shape-shifter's words were designed to try and put her off-balance, twisting facts around to suit her particular viewpoint and to push her particular ideals. She could tell that the woman was a zealot, a true believer in her cause, and she knew that she wasn't likely to convince her to turn away from the path she was on with mere words alone. So instead, she gave the woman exactly the response she was expecting to hear. "How many people are going to get experimented on to improve humanity? How many people discontent with your boss' new reign are going to be made to disappear off the streets?" Or wait, let me guess, are you going to claim that the end justifies the means? I'm sure you think it does, but the rest of the world won't agree with you. Commit enough atrocities, and as divided as they are, this world's people will unite to stop you!" It was an argument that Minerva had probably heard at least a dozen times in the past. Ace was expecting that by now, she had a counter-argument already prepared to deal with it. Between that familiarity and the Venusian Wonder acting like the shape-shifter's words were getting to her, Ace hoped to lull the woman into a false sense of security, enough that she might let slip some specific information about what her group's current plans were. 'Actionable intel', as her cousin used to put it. Minerva asked, "ah, that is disappointing. No solutions, only problems. Would you like Recluse to run for president, Ace? Perhaps Arachne could arrange a sit-in? Perhaps Joins Quinn could arrange a bus boycott! MeanwhileIwill organize an online petition."" Boss, no way in hell am I-""Sarcasm. Dollar." Arachne begrudgingly pulled a dollar out of her bag and put it in the swear jar. "People are fat and happy, or at least afraid to change the way things are for fear of making it worse. They can't see the ruin that's approaching them. If I thought peace would work, I'd do it. Really, I would, even aside from how I would be met with violence if I had the audacity to walk in the sun. Violence is, unfortunately, the only way left to us. Now, on any other day, I would say that yes, a lot of people will die. It would be quite tragic but yes, quite necessary. But luckily for you, today the answer is not one person, because Recluse is making excellent progress on a way to win that war without even firing a shot. After all, the Tyrant Sun has already humiliated governments and heroes and villains alike. All you have to do is trap and control its power and poof, all those sticky moral quandaries of death and destruction in the revolution disappear like magic."" The rookie I told you about, she-""Have him secure, yes. One part of a much larger project, but extracting whatever metaphysical property allowed him to be a bane against Zohar will save a great many lives. Now, I will say that a lot of people will be experimented on. There's no getting around that if we want to drive the species forwards, and technology has vastly outpaced human development. Now, I would also say that all three people in this room besides you havealreadybeen experimented on for far less lofty goals - Silvia, to try to make a picturesque flagship product. Arachne, to try and find an alternative source of silk. Myself, merely because they could. Having obtained the technology and research that created us, we can at least make our strugglesmeansomething." She flopped down on the floor next to Ace, letting out an exhausted sigh. "You know all this, Ace. You went to Silvia wanting to make her a superhero, but all you could offer her were scraps and crumbs. She told me." Another fidget from Silvia; Ace could almost see her mouth the word, 'sorry.'" That wasn't what I said-""A momentary respite from the sentence imposed on her, a sentence that can't even really be enforced anyway. Even if I wanted to do things your way, it would be, 'fight for us, then go back where you belong, an insensate puddle of goop because we've made you too dangerous to leave as a person.' There's no place for me in the world up there, for any of us. So I'm going someone, whether they like it or not, and I'd very much like to think that's not unreasonable. Put yourself in my place. What would you do?" MechanicsSuccess! That's definitely worthy of your 3xp award. (Ace the Wonder-Girl Where: Cramped Dining Room Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Silver Age Sensibilities31 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 0 passes: None | Complications: None | Resources: NoneMechanicsSolo d10 + Vivacious Maiden of Venus d8 + Godlike Strength 2d12 + Psych Expert d8 + Psych Stunt d82d12 = 6, 5 (= 10 (= 5, 7, 6 (two plot points on this one, one to keep an extra die for the result, and one to keep an extra effect die. 23 total, effect dice d12 Emotional and d12 Physical stress. Ace is going for a very memorable knockout. :P"If you're too dangerous to leave as a person, it's not because of the powers you've been given." And suddenly, all the feigned agitation and nervousness was gone, and Ace was perfectly calm. Her gamble had worked, this time. Minerva had given away a great deal of information about what her organization was up to, and had moved down within easy striking range. "It's because of what you choose to do with them, because your mind has been so twisted around that they think there's little hope of ever returning it to its original shape." And as she spoke, she moved. It was a little awkward with the strands of spider silk still securing her, but she could bend her legs at the knee with a little effort, and bring her legs up under herself in order to pull her body into a more upright position, even if it would still be awkward with her hands restrained behind her back. She didn't look over at Minerva or at anywhere else in particular, not yet, since she still didn't want to give away just how little her bonds were actually holding her just yet." And I can already tell how you got so twisted, Minerva. I said it before, but the ends don't justify the means. The reason they don't is that diseased means cannot create a healthy end. Every time you do something evil in order to accomplish something good, you lie to yourself, absolve yourself of all wrong-doing, and then your worldview distorts just that little bit more. The most terrible things can become commonplace once you've convinced yourself that they're necessary, and once you grow accustomed to them, then it's only a short step to fooling yourself into thinking that they're actually virtuous. All I have to do is look at how you treat Silvia to see just how long you've been at it, just how distorted your world-view's become." And now, looking directly up at the woman in question, Ace spoke to her, though the words she spoke were still largely to prove her point to the shape-shifter. "They rescued you, right Silvia? Whisked you away from those awful people who experimented on and enslaved you, who were planning to force you to spend your entire life being exploited for their gain. Which means, from Minerva's perspective, that her people own you now. They gave you your life back, so it's only fair if you now are forced to spend your entire life working to her organization's gain, instead. It's all for your own good, really. Until somebody points out that Minerva's group are the ones who mainly benefit from that little arrangement. And then suddenly it's all for the greater good, because they're going to do great things, and so anything that benefits them also benefits everyone." Except that if it doesn't benefit you, then it doesn't really benefit everyone, does it?" And then, turning to Minerva... "In fact, I'd be willing to bet that it mostly just benefits you, because that's the usual pattern I see in these sorts of situations." Even if all your plans succeed, though, even if you manage to capture Zohar and take over the world, the united government you're planning to build will come tumbling down at some point. Because you'll have taken it by force instead of building it up legitimately, and much like the ruling elite on my home world, those acts will cause people to unite against you. And much like the ruling elite on my home world, you won't stop the resistance--"And then, Ace sprang into action! Her legs moved, tearing free of the webbing that encased them as she both stood up and charged forward at Minerva, and her arms ripped free from their bindings as well, her hands closing into fists as they moved!"--Because you're already underestimating the strength of those you would tread underfoot!" And then her fists swung forward, catching the shape-shifter's head between them as the motion finished and they slammed together! The Venusian Wonder was going for a knockout blow! Ace's words she could see produced an effect in Silvia, her eyes became harder as she looked at Minerva, she opened her mouth to say something before letting the Venusian continue. Ace struck with all the fury and vigor of surprise, catching Minerva's head between her fists. In a split second, it burst like an overripe melon, showering Ace with blood and viscera, her body going limp. A long and heavy silence reigned over the room as Silvia and Arachne stared, holding each other, half fearful, half hopeful (albeit probably for different reasons). That went straight back to fearful on both counts (in Silvia's case it would be better described as "terrified") as Minerva's corpse started to laugh. "Oh, Ace. You're eighteen kilometers under the surface of the earth," it said, "the rock outside is hot enough to melt lead, to bend like taffy, and it isn't even molten yet. Whereexactlydo you think you're going?" With a squelch a new head formed around the remains of the old one as she spun to her feet. "I had figured you would at least wait until we surfaced for the hand-off before pulling something like this." She brushed the bits of bone off her shoulders, "and how naive you are, thinking you can change anything in this world with clean hands. You're like a puppy with the strength of a god. Isn't she charming?" The other two hurried to nod along and make tiny noises of assent." I'm going to make you a deal. Genetic samples, ooh, and maybe some tricks on how to replicate some of your power more effectively? Don't give it to me. It's... let's see." She put a finger to her chin, "do you know the Beckett Institute? They do genetic research. They aren't one of ours, but they do good work. You can have your friends look into their background until you're satisfied. You won't be helping us directly in the least, and if we fail to take over the world you won't have helped us at all. In exchange for a promise to provide this to them, I'll give you Silvio."" Wh-what?"" I'll consider her time with you to be payment toward her debt with us. Not in full. Let's say... one-fourth time. It is finite, by the way, her debt. She's not my slave. Well, except for that Christmas party where she-""Why?" Silvia's eyes were wide, both in confusion and an eagerness to not seeanyonefinish that sentence. Minerva fixed a discerning gaze on Ace, stilling a number of aggravated twitches, surreptitiously breathing heavily and, by Ace's reckoning, aggressively trying to keep themurderout of her eyes. (It was so easy to control the signs of intense aggravation when one had full mastery over one's form! Less so, perhaps, against someone with Ace's suite of senses, however). "Let's just say I'm interested in seeing what you're worth to her." MechanicsUsing a d12 to add to the pool and a d8 to add a third die to the total, Minerva defends with shapeshifting, transferring those vitals somewhere else; her defense is 25, d10 effect. She follows up with an attempt to give Ace a hell of a scare with shape and Menace, letting Ace think she's killed her. The other d8 adds a third die, for a 24 with d10 effect and one watcher opportunity, attempting to cause Emotional Stress. That's 1XP as I used a d12 to add to the dice pool, and 1PP for you, so I can shuffle it back into the doom pool. I just discovered I could do this!1 XP for you as well for getting some ham on. Per arrangement, Minerva has a d12 Emotional Stress that she's trying very hard to hide. Doom Pool stands at 2d10+2d12. (Ace the Wonder-Girl Where: Cramped Dining Room Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Silver Age Sensibilities1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 2 passes: None | Complications: None | Resources: NoneMechanicsAlright, rolling to resist that attempt at emotional manipulation, first things first... Solo d10 + Comic Book Superhero d4 + X-Ray Vision d10 + Superhuman Senses 2d10 + Psych Expert d8 + d12 Minerva's Emotional Stressd12 = 9 (= 6, 5, 8, 6 (= 7 (= 4 (1 Plot Points to keep an extra die for my total. 24 total, d10 effect, which means the roll is a success because ties go to the defenders. Then, since I succeeded, I'll spend another Plot Point to inflict that effect die as Emotional Stress back on Minerva. My third Plot Point I'll spend on activating that one rolled opportunity to get Ace a d10 Psych Stunt for her next roll. Next comes Ace's turn, which is going to be a support action involving giving Silvia a nice psychological boost for her next roll:Buddy d6 + Comic Book Superhero d4 (Ace is acting as a sidekick now) + Space Flight d12 + Godlike Strength 2d12 + Psych Expert d8 + Inspirational Words Psych Stunt d103d12 = 4, 5, 6 (= 3 (= 3 (= 1 (= 1 (opportunities, which I'm guessing you'll condense into a d8, giving me only one extra Plot Point. Spending one Plot Point to keep the three highest-rolling dice for my result, so 15 total, d10 effect to create an Ace the Wonder Girl is on my side Asset for her to use in her next roll. Ace had a rather naturally expressive face, so even when Minerva pulled her little trick and splattered her head open under the Venusian Wonder's fists, it probably wouldn't be hard for her to register the emotions playing across it. Surprise, which swiftly metamorphosed into shock, and then horror and the prospect of having killed someone... Followed by anger as the trick was revealed and Minerva showed that she was perfectly fine after all. When that anger drained away to be replaced by a look of utter pity, that was the first warning she had that things weren't going according to plan." That's the other big reason you're going to lose." She had been polite enough to allow Minerva to continue speaking, at least. To make her offer in its entirety, even if the blonde young woman was then going to continue on as though she hadn't even heard it. "The reason you keep underestimating people in the first place. That twisted, self-benefiting way of looking at things, always denying reality, which leads you to make mistakes when reality doesn't match up with the way you choose to perceive it. And then, do you learn from these mistakes? Reexamine your assumptions, question your viewpoints? No, you double down on the illusion you've constructed, do whatever it takes to rationalize it so that you were still right all along." You tell yourself that I'm a naive, stupid child who played her hand too early, that slipping out from those bonds you put me in doesn't mean anything because I'm still trapped, still in your power and you still hold all the cards. You don't stop to consider that maybe I'm not so stupid after all, that maybe being eighteen miles below the surface of the Earth and all the intense heat and pressure associated with that depth won't bother me in the slightest, and that maybe I specifically chose to make my move at this moment because all I need to do is disable your engines and then step outside and weld all the hatches shut, and then I can excavate you at super-speed and deliver you and all your people to the authorities in a nice, neat little package." Reaching up, Ace tore the remains of her blindfold away from her eyes and looked around a bit, her eyes glowing a slight green as she activated her X-Ray Vision. Then, she pointed. "That's the direction to the engine room, and I can already see the parts I'll need to break to disable the engines without making them explode. You have no leverage and nothing to negotiate with. Your offer is meaningless." Then, turning away from Minerva and stepping around the table, Ace made her way over to Silvia." She underestimated me, Silvia, and she's underestimating you, too," The Venusian Wonder stated, giving the other woman a warm, friendly smile. "You never would have slipped out of their grasp in the first place if that wasn't true. But I can also tell that you're underestimating yourself." And then, smile widening a little, Ace held out her hand to the woman." My offer is still on the table, Silvia. Not Minerva's offer, forget all about that, but the one I made earlier today. The one where it's entirely your choice whether you want to join me. And if you refuse, I'll make sure you won't get sent to the same place as these two. Whether you want to become a hero or not, I won't let them take you again." There was a silence as Ace finished, as Minerva did her best to maintain control of her composure at this turnabout, not only being outdone, but dismissed! As Arachne showed a rising dread at what was about to come... It was Silvia who spoke first."' When the hourglass has run out, the hourglass of temporality, when the noise of secular life has grown silent and its restless or ineffectual activism has come to an end, when everything around you is still, as it is in eternity," she said, the fear in her eyes diminishing at the sight of Ace's kindness and utter fearlessness, "then eternity asks you and every individual in these millions and millions about only one thing: whether you have lived in despair or not.' Kierkegaard. She laughed, you know. When I told her about your offer. She said I wouldn't last a week even if I wanted to. If that's not underestimating me, I don't know what is. Ace, has anybody ever wanted to become the world's greatest superhero just out ofspitebefore?" Slipping out of Arachne's grasp, she clasped Ace's offered hand in both of hers. Her eyes blazed with determination, a fierce independence of spirit that heroes and villains alike could cow and chain and manipulate but never extinguish. "I don't know if I'll be any good at it. I don't know if I'll last any time at all. I don't know if I'll recognize myself at the end. But if you'll have me, I'll try." The effect on her patron chimera was almost instantaneous. Some might have described Minerva as exploding in anger, or having a meltdown. This would have beenexceedinglyliteral, as a wave of heat and force flipped over or melted all the furniture in their little room. Silvia dived on top of Ace on reflex and tackled them both to the ground. The explosion passed over both of their heads, singing Silvia's braids. Another one quickly followed, as the chimera swelled in size, great lion paws and dragon-heads and goat's heads and more wings sprouting from it with every second, each mouth emitting a scream of rage." Oh, fuck. Why here? Why now?! Get your shit together!" Arachne responded to the chimera's explosive growth with strands of webbing that held some of it in place, and was bitten by four newly-sprouted venomous snake-heads for her trouble; her once-ally was currently a berserk monster that knew neither friend nor foe. With one of her limbs the driver hit an alarm and Saxons blared in the enclosed space of the tunneling machine." Hey Silvia. Get. Should be a couple of emergency 'porters up front." Arachne pointed in the direction of what Ace could identify as the cockpit." She's going to kill you!" Even after all that, she still sounded concerned for her fellow spider." Hah, I've been aching to beat her up for ages! Seriously, this isliterallywhy she keeps me around." Arachne turned a moment to flash her a smile that said, 'you're probably right, but what can you do?' as she bound another collection of heads together. "Uh, tell the pilots to surface asap? SIL. I'll be fine. Go. Do your thing. I'll catch up with you later. That's a promise." Silvia looked from Ace to the unfolding battle, tugging on her arm. "I... think we should let them work out their issues together?" she said hesitantly, "Not that I'm afraid of being cooked alive when she blows a hole in the hull, but..." MechanicsEmotional Stress-Out! Minerva flips her shit, becoming an unbound rage-driven force of nature! Arachne attempts to get her under control. Prognosis: DUBIOUS. Silvia has joined the party! 'Porting out will (probably) result in rejoining the main party. Combat is OVER. Ace also qualifies for her 3XP trigger, turning certain doom into (potentially) a leisurely stroll away from danger. Well. Maybe a quick stroll away from danger. Edit: And the 10xp, having saved the villain. Well, one of them, anyway, and metaphorically, but saving Silvia from a probable life of abuse and near-slavery in Arachnids totally counts! (Ace the Wonder-Girl Where: Between a Rock and a Rampaging Hydra Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Silver Age Sensibilities1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15 passes: None | Complications: None | Resources: None Mechanics"Welcome to the team." Ace's free hand came up to grasp both of Silvia's as the spider-woman accepted her offer, and her heart soared in triumph. Then Minerva had her little meltdown and the Silver Spider tackled the Venusian Wonder to the deck. Reflexively, Ace spun around as they fell, landing with Silvia on the bottom, shielded from the fiery explosion that spread through the room by Ace's invulnerable body, and the Venusian was soon moving to help the other woman up as the two spiders had their conversation. She could see the look on Silvia's face, could hear the concern in her voice, and when the silver-haired woman suggested leaving, she had already made up her mind." I'm probably the only one here who could survive if she did," Ace responded, hands coming up to remove her helmet. Flipping it around, she placed it firmly on Silvia's head. "Do what you can to get everyone else out, and by everyone else, I mean including yourself. I'll stay behind and help Arachne subdue Minerva, or drag her out to the teleported if there's no other options. If I can help it, nobody's going to die here today." My helmet has a built-in radio. Keep it with you, and make sure it's set to channel seven." And here, Ace flashed the other woman a reassuring grin. "If we can't meet up immediately for some reason, then I'll contact you as soon as I'm through here, I promise. Now, go!" And once she was sure that the spider-woman was on her way, the Venusian Wonder turned her attention back to the out-of-control shape-shifter, and her eyes started to glow green as she got ready for a fight. Mechanics Slight perspective shift! A little bit of Ace offscreen time, at least. You haven't actually been transplanted into a text adventure, it's just that most other ways of introducing the perspective shift felt (even more) odd and out of place. Welcome to Spider Quest! You are Silvia Ate, also known as the Silver Spider, Classy Purloined of Extraordinarily Valuable and Curious Goods and Also Muffins. Yesterday, you aspired to have more fun than any human or near-human had right to. Today, you aspire to be the world's greatest hero. All your knowledge of how that might work is second-hand, primarily from the many heroes you've fought over the years, or from the tremendous amount of hero-related hearsay you've garnered from your villainous friends. There is no possible way this could go wrong. You are currently many miles below the Earth's surface, in a tunneling machine that was used to extract you from your shitty-ass prison (albeit with a fine-ass cellmate). Your lab-sister Jean/Change/Arachne is busy fighting your out-of-control former patron, and your current patron/hero/sponsor(/squeeze?/superpowered sugar momma?) has decided to help. Being invincible must helps much with being heroic. You, on the other hand, are decidedly less than invincible. You have your gear, traps and web grenades and all, your arachnid-pattern genetic modifications, that thing you drank that one time to find out what it tasted like that lets you make claws, and Ace's helmet. And a misspent youth/even more misspent adulthood honing your skills to a razor edge. And puns. People always underestimate the practical and tactical value of puns. Andyour dashing good looks. It's actually almost unfair how well-equipped you are, come to think. Your mission, such as it is, is getting the crew to safety. This might not actually be that hard! You know the type of teleported that Jean spoke of - you stole the prototype from the late Sorceress Supreme (well, you nicked it after she had gone and blown herself up, anyway) and Recluse strong-armed a wizard into replicating it: it is ensorcelled to send the user somewhere safe. For the crew, that's liable to be a pleasant meadow or a home base, depending on their inclinations. Ace would probably go... well basically everywhere is safe for Ace, isn't it? You, on the other hand, haven idea where you'd end up. You just faced down the closest thing you had to an ally among villains and flipped them the bird; even though you have plenty of friends of nefarious bent, how many of them would go to bat for you against Arachnids? It's probably not many. Totallyworth it, though. The look on that horrible bitch's face before she exploded... You easily pick the lock on the dining room/mess that was serving as a makeshift holding cell, which is excellent timing because now Ace can stop covering your escape; you already hear the sounds of battle and explosions behind you. You are now in a common area. There are two crew members here who have hurried to respond to the sound of alarms. They are armed, and looking to you for an explanation. The engine room is LEFT. The cockpit is RIGHT. A short ways away is a staircase DOWN, which leads to the cargo hold, which may actually contain goodies, now that you think of it. You know that there are six members of the crew. One will be with the engines, at least one in the cockpit. Two are in front of you. You aren't sure where the last two are. (Silver Spider Where: Aboard a Tunneling Machine Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Red On My Ledger1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15 passes: None | Complications: None | Resources: NoneMechanicsLet's see... With the scene ending at the moment that it did, the Support Action that Ace never took actually happened, right? So that means that the Doom Pool is still only at 2d10+2d12, and I'm still running on 1 PP instead of 2. So, rolling to be convincing... Solo d8 + Arachnid Trap master d8 + Covert Master 2d8 (breaking down that d10, and assuming that pretending to still be on the payroll of Arachnids would let this specialty apply in this situation)4d8 = 6, 8, 5, 4 (that 1 PP to keep an extra die on the result, so 19 total, d8 effect to convince the guards that have come running to not just evacuate, but to help me with the evacuation." Aha, perfect! Just the boys I was looking for!" Technically not true, but the two guards Silvia found herself face-to-face with were looking to her for an explanation, and as usual, her stunningly quick wits had just come up with a plan. "Our captured superhero just broke loose, and she said she was going to take out the engines and dig the ship out of the ground. She's invulnerable, superfast, and super-strong, so she can do it, too. The boss and Arachne are keeping her busy, and she ordered that we evacuate now, while we can. You, get to the cockpit and get the pilots out through the emergency teleported, and you, go and get the engine room crew out the same way. I'll take the stairs down to the hold; On top of getting out anybody who's down there, there were a few special items the boss wanted me to make sure to get out of here." Come on, people, it's a direct order from Lady Minerva herself! Move!" And that should do it. Assuming they bought the lie, of course. If not, she was going to have to resort to her backup plan, which involved a lot more webbing people up and dragging them out. That would still be perfectly doable, but it would take more effort and, more importantly, more time, which would mean less time to look around in the cargo hold and see if they were keeping anything good down there. And wouldn't that just be a shame? The two crewmen looked at Silvia, and then at each other. "You want to tell those two to abandon their baby?" the one asked the other. The other snorted. "You want to decide you know better than the boss when it comes to-" he was interrupted by a loud crash on the other side of the door and an Arachne-shaped dent in it. "-that."" No, that's quite all right. You have seen the other two?"" Damn kids're probably snuck off kissin' again, thinkin' the alarms are just us trying to catch 'em at it."" They are annoyingly inclined to do that," back to Silvia, "ma'am, you see the other two before we do, send them on their way? With our luck they've picked a good hiding place, more's the pity." With that the two took off in opposite directions, leaving the Silver Spider free and clear! MechanicsThe scene didn't -end- per se, so the doom pool has an extra d6, you have an extra PP, and most of all you have an Asset to your name.1d6+2d10+2d12 is where it stands currently. (Silver Spider Where: Aboard a Tunneling Machine Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Red On My Ledger21 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15 passes: None | Complications: None | Resources: NoneMechanicsAlright, searching through the cargo hold now, and making sure to look through as much of the cargo as I can for shiny things hiding places. Adding in the Asset you said I made, and spending one of those Plot Points to make it persistent, since I get the feeling I'm going to need it while rolling off against the Doom Pool. Solo d8 + Arachnid Trap master d8 + Enhanced Senses d8 + Crime Expert d8 (claiming 1 XP from Red On My Ledger Milestone) + Ace The Wonder Girl Is On My Side d12d12 = 8 (= 3, 6, 1, 2 (opportunity, and spending a Plot Point to keep one extra die for the result, so 17 total, d8 effect for the search." Will do, boys. If they're down in the cargo hold, I'll find them." A henchman couple sneaking off to have a forbidden tryst in some dark corner of an underground tunneling machine, all while they were supposed to be standing guard? Pooh, now this was just too juicy to pass up! And also tracking them down would save their lives, of course. And come to think of it, if they were holed up somewhere inside the cargo hold, then the most likely place they would be hidden would be inside one of the containers for the various pieces of cargo the tunneling machine was carrying, right? Which meant that, in order to find them, she would have to crack open the seals on some of those containers and take a peek at what lay within. Forget hitting two birds with one stone, Silvia Ate used one stone to take down three of them! Of course, knowing that Ace was still going to be just up the stairs, fighting to keep Minerva from tearing open the hull, helped immensely in keeping Silvio calm and focused as she made her way down into the cargo hold. The girl was quite strong, after all, and even if the chimera was going to be an incredibly difficult opponent to physically subdue, she was sure that her new ally would at least be able to keep her busy and the tunneling machine intact for quite a while. More than long enough to both find those two guards and see if there was anything worth taking along from down in the cargo hold, especially for an expert burglar such as herself. A quick search of the cargo hold revealed a number of items! Delicious loot! Admittedly most of them were spare parts for repairing the tunneling machine (having a breakdown ten miles down was kind of the definition of 'in a pickle') but there was still enough there besides that! A few spare pairs of shock gloves and a collapsible kinetic-projection baton? Not exciting, but could come in handy. A rosy sphere, a clear spindle and an aqua helix? Useless, where was she ever going to find a use for those? A few mystic scrolls that she mostly didn't recognize? ...hmm, was that the rune for 'splendor' on the one? Ooh! One of the larger crates opened to reveal a salvaged M61 Vulcan autocannon. Too big for the helicopter, they must have stolen this from a fighter jet. Carting it out was going to be a little tricky (it probably weighed a good two-hundred and fifty pounds), but it'd make a nice present if the 'porter sent her to one of her friends; Dutch especially would holdover something like this, crazy old raven-man that he was. There were also a couple of the freeze-guns that were used by the guards attempting to contain her (about enough ammo to make an ice cream cone, though...), and her shock collar and its remote. Hmm, that was about it for useful goodies. Oh! There was a collection of books on Jewish eschatology, normally not really something of interest, but one of them had one of Minerva's bookmarks in it. The chimera wasn't even slightly religious that she knew of (except for Recluse's particular cult of personality), had she been reading about the end of the world? On top of them was a DVD copy of Ghostbusters. Thatwas probably Arachne's. Wait, what was that?! In a secret compartment behind the books? Arachne's rocky stash! Jackpot! No crewmen, though, even though there had been a couple of perfect hiding places! Let's see... there was a crawlspace under the engine room that she could get to from here, or she could try the infirmary with its handy medical closets. MechanicsDoom pool rolls two opportunities. Spider hasn't found the crewmen, though! (Silver Spider Where: Aboard a Tunneling Machine Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Red On My Ledger10 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15 passes: None | Complications: None | Resources: NoneMechanicsSpending that last Plot Point to activate an opportunity, gaining Silvia's Pet Giant Spider as a d10 Resource. Then, rolling to search the infirmary... Buddy d10 + Arachnid Trap master d8 + Enhanced Senses d8 + Covert Master 2d8 + Ace The Wonder Girl Is On My Side d12 + Giant Spider d10d12 = 10 (= 1, 8 (= 4, 2, 4, 8 (one opportunity, taking that Plot Point and using it to keep an extra die for the result. 26 total, d8 effect to find those crazy kids. Whipping up a webbing loot-sack was second-nature for Silvia at this point. Deciding what to take, on the other hand, was a bit more difficult. A pair of shock gloves would be easy enough to carry, since she could wear them on her hands, and it wouldn't be hard to weave up a belt of some sort with a loop to hang the stun baton from. On the other hand, it would clash horribly with her poor outfit, which was suffering a little already from that helmet she was wearing. But then, maybe the disjointed, patched-together look was something she could make work? The oddly-shaped polished stones went in the bag, since they were probably worth something or otherwise valuable in some way if they were being carried around in their own separate box. The mystic scrolls would have to be wrapped up in another bundle of insulating webbing before being dropped in the sack in order to protect them from being damaged, but that was only a moment's work. Same for the books, which she mostly decided to take along because the team she had decided to join would probably be interested in knowing why a high-ranking member of an organization like Arachnids was reading about the end of the world. The copy of Ghostbusters was also tossed in without much thought, and the rocky stash along with it; If she was stealing Minerva's things, then she might as well take Arachne's too, just out of completionism, right? The salvaged M61 Vulcan autocannon, on the other hand... Well, on the one hand, it was much too big for her to move on her own. But on the other hand, that was what made it such a challenge! It wasn't nailed down at all, and there were all sorts of ways it could come in handy, regardless of where the teleported spit her out at!" Chrrrrr..." And just when Silvia was about to finally throw in the towel and admit that she couldn't think of a good way to move the heavy weaponry, suddenly she heard a very familiar cry coming from a cage in the back!" Percie?"" Chik, carrier!"" Aha, Percival, ITIS!" If dogs were man's best friend, then a spider's best friend was an even bigger spider. And this particular spider, being massive and well-trained, was quite a good friend indeed. "I'll have you out of there in a minute, boy. How did you even get down here in the first place? Did Arachne bring you along?"" Chrrrrr!" The padlock holding the cage door shut was so easy to crack it might as well have not even been there at all. Silvia had the door swinging open in seconds, and she took a few seconds to give Peace a hug and rub him at that one spot right between his eyes that he really liked before climbing aboard, webbing up a riding harness and a few places to hang even more of the loot from. Well, that settled how she was getting the autocannon on. The next thing to do was to consider where she should search next in order to find her missing guards. Could they be in the hidden crawlspace that went under the engines? They would be assured of almost never being interrupted there, but it was a place that was avoided for a reason. Noisy and hot from being located right under the engines, to say nothing of the tight confines and the odd smell... Would a young couple looking for a good spot for a romantic tryst pick there of all places to have their secret meetings in? No, that was unlikely. Which meant that the infirmary was the most likely option. Soon enough, Silvia was opening medical closets and checking underneath beds for people who were hiding, while her good buddy Peace was set to watch the door and make sure nobody tried to slip out past her for some reason. Silvia did a fine job of casing the infirmary. There, in a medical closet! As promised. Locked, but that was no impediment. The dashing doctor and the energetic engineer were in the middle of putting their pants back on. "We, um," the doctor began." We weren't doing anything," the mechanic finished, although the smell (not to mention how flushed they were) put the lie to that." So what's the problem?" she continued, as though nothing was wrong, "compression coil again?" A pair of snake-heads smashed through the ceiling, hissing flame, followed by sinuous snake-bodies that threatened to overtake the whole closet in a moment. The two took one look and decided to beat feet. The machine rumbled and metal groaned. That was probably a cue to leave! The doctor had dropped a paper when he was getting his pants back on; it looked like a list of medical requirements? (Really weird requirements, though. Something she recognized as shorthand for her guards' freeze-guns was on one of them!) (Silver Spider Where: Aboard a Tunneling Machine Milestones: In the Name of the Moon and Red On My Ledger0 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15 passes: Ace The Wonder Girl Is On My Side d12 | Complications: None | Resources: Pet Giant Spider d10MechanicsBingo! Lovebirds found, and not a moment too soon, as it turned out." Emergency teleported's down front next to the cockpit, kids!" Silvia called out after the pair, as they ran off. She herself only stopped long enough to retrieve that little sheet of paper before rushing back out of the infirmary, folding it up neatly and tucking it away down the front of her shirt as she hopped aboard Peace. "Alright, boy! Our job here is done! Time to spin our webs elsewhere!" Back up out of the cargo hold, and while it was a tight fit in a few places, Ace and Minerva had broken through enough walls and ceilings during their battle that a giant spider was able to make its way through the hallways without any real trouble. Percival could be quite fast when he wanted to, so even with the Vulcan cannon weighing his thorax down, it didn't take very long at all for the Silver Spider to make her own emergency exit. The cockpit still had its pilot, but that was all. "I'll set her to surface automatically, if she's still in one piece we'll get her back," he explained, packing his plastic dinosaurs hastily into a bag. "Go on, go! I'll follow." The teleported stood out from the rest of the decor, black and covered in arcane symbols, but it would do its job. Somehow. What would happen if there were nowhere in the world to send her that was safe? Probably a question for another time. With a wave of light, Silvia and Percival disappeared... and what a scene was waiting for them on the other side... MechanicsBack to the main thread we go! (DarclightWhere: Show...ERS? Doing What: WTF EVEN I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE, Milestones: DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15xp (of 35xp total)Mechanics Well. This was a surprise. Here Daylight had been expecting something entirely familiar and instead he got something completely different. However long the Sultana had had this place, she had obviously done a pile of remodeling. And apparently had also invited a handful of spirits to occupy the tower." If you mean the Sultana by Mistress, then I have news for you. She is not in charge here anymore, I am. And I would highly appreciate you not assaulting others in my presence. As for why I am here..." He waved to let the Auxiliary spread out and...do whatever it was that they were wanting to do. "... I am here for the water. Thesis bath, isn't it?" Ghost. Great. It wasn't that he couldn't perceive - or interact - with insubstantial entities, but usually he let either Shovel Knight or Fencer deal with them. "And may I be appraised of whooper?" (Tabitha Where: On a highway to hell. Doing What: Going on Date!2 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | D8 EmotionalMechanicsSofiya groaned as her vision swam into focus, and she lifted her head up from the bright white medial table to look about the weird null space they'd just horribly abused medical science in. "Oh shit... how lit did I just get?"" Sun puns! Recovery seems good" Tabs said leaning over to ruffle Sofia's long red hair "You're adjusting to it well then. It was a whole process, your magics going to be missing for a while I had to use it to contain that solar system. It turns out it totally was inhabited after all! I think you might be their sun goddess now?"" Wait is this a More thing?"" It is absolutely not a More thing. But since we're on the topic of kink I have to go do someone." Tabs grinned. "So you're in charge of yourself for a bit""Already? It's hardly been a you-" Sofia started, but got cut short by the picture Tabs was showing her on her phone. "... must be nice to have boobs""I know right? I'm going to go check though, so you get to take care of yourself. Where you want to go, I'll pick you up when I can."" This is some terrible Guardianship."" I think we both knew this is exactly how it'd work." Tabs said as she pulled a large medical machine off the wall and begin to fashion it into a motorbike frame, beeping in protest as she smoothed out the metal and sized up some bone saw blades for the wheels. "I mean if you're bored go bug my team, they'll probably find you easier to deal with anyway, and you can go punch some villains with the sun." Sofiya simply glared at her the air around her becoming a shimmering heat haze."Yeah, see! Bring that intensity to the team" Tabs said as she began to sweat, quickly jamming enough magic into her ramshackle vehicle that it lurched to life and jumping on. "I believe in youuuuuuuu...." Tearing right through the wall into a lava strewn hellscape, she's just quick enough to get out of there before Sofia's simmering rage turns into actual fire and scores the entire white space room a nice shade of ash black. She had a date to go on, sidekicks would just have to handle themselves! Daylight"What?!" the Metafont's eyes widened at Daylight's proclamation that there had been a change in leadership. "You beat her? Are you the new King?" Her eyes narrowed as she hovered close. The spectral outline of her tail wove a loose circle around him and Aux ilia-Prime as she examined him. "No, you don't have the Key. Good decision, that. I'm Attendant."" You're just named after your function? What kind of name is that?" Aux ilia asked, skeptical, apparently oblivious to the blatant hypocrisy." The Queen of the Netherworld gave me that name, and I'll wear it forever," the Metafont huffed. "I can help this little guy, but I don't have any reason to bother with soulless hunks of metal and sparks." She crossed her arms over her chest, giving a flippant flip of her flipper while she was at it, making a wave that soaked Aux ilia-Prime. The other Auxiliary had been in the middle of sizing up the bath and neatly exchanging their clothes for tiny towels, but the splash stopped them. She had a coy, calculating look, like Aux ilia was looking for a way to take her newfound interloper down a peg. TabsA lava-strewn hellscape all around her, Tabs rode her Do cycle, the saw blades making deep grooves in the hot and slightly-squishy black basalt beneath her, kicking up brilliant sparks that sizzled on the bare-but-surprisingly-not-convective lava streams all around her. Weaving between stalagmites on her road she sped at blinding speed... until she came to a great tunnel mouth, a good two hundred feet high, entirely blocked by a demon rippling with red muscles. His pitchfork would have given a good skyscraper a run for its money, and it was currently placed across the entrance. He leaned down, way down, waywaydown, no easy task at that size, and got down face-to-face with Tabs. With the heavy stench of brimstone on his breath he spoke." Papers please." (Tabitha Where: Hellish Customs Doing What: Engaging in the bureaucracy2 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | D8 EmotionalMechanicsTabs wanted to look them dead in the eyes but considering the size she had to settle for meeting them eyes to eyeball as she reached into her lab coat and presented her papers. Papers Please!(not heard of me here? Tabs grinned "Oh this is going to be a really fun trip~" (DarclightWhere: Show...ERS? Doing What: WTF EVEN I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE, Milestones: DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15xp (of 35xp total)Mechanics"Watch your words." Daylight told Attendant when she derided Aux ilia as 'sparks and metal.' "How would you like it if someone judgedyouby what you are in the physical?" Hopefully she would get the point. "Right, well..." He looked around, and then the armor opened up to let out Conway. "Been a long while since I was able to do..." He was about to start removing his clothes, but apparently some of the others present had other ideas about who should be doing that. Conway looked over at Aux ilia-Prime. "You know, if you wanted to see me nakedthisbadly, you just had to ask. And just holloware your others?" As for Attendant...what in the world was she going to be doing? Tabs The demon took and examined the tiny, tiny piece of paper between its forefinger and thumb. It grunted." Portrait doesn't match." A very faint scratching noise announced that a printer inset into the wall had printed something, which it took." And today you need a work permit."---Daylight"It's no fun if I just ask to get you naked," Aux ilia-Prime said; she was the more immediate candidate to get Daylight out of his clothes, and soon three Auxiliary were helping him out of his clothes and into the bath. Regardless of how much she looked ready to jump his bones right that instant (and it looked like a lot), she had a job to do, which was why he was being furiously scrubbed before he even had a moment to process. "Besides, I don't think getting you out of your shell would've been that easy even if you say it would."" You know..." one of the free Axis said to Attendant, a playfully dangerous edge to her tone, "Sultana could probably command you by herself, but I bet she had wards or something for her daughter to use. Am I right?"" Of course, you're wrong." Attendant crossed her arms, but nonetheless floating away about a step." So definitely not this one," the Audi said, and manipulated one of the runes on the bath. It immediately filled with bubbles." You're wasting your time."" This one?" The bath suddenly became pleasantly lemon-scented." Not even close."" So there is something to be close to! This one!"" Ah! No! Was-"Beams of light lit up around the bath, and an image of glowing chains briefly surrounded Attendant. The Metafont promptly fell and splashed into the water, brought to corporeality. Two Axis immediately jumped in, wrestling and wrangling the ghost in their clutches! Attendant's movements seemed more sluggish, which was why one of the Axis quickly had her over her knee and had started to spank her. "And that's what you get for calling me a pile of metal and sparks."" Ahhh! No! Help!" In spite of her cries, Attendant was starting to blush already, but the thrashing of her tail was making great waves in the bath and splashing Conway." Oh, good idea! Dark, would you be so kind as to help discipline her?" Audi produced and offered to Dark a paddle that she... must have been carrying all along? (Tabitha Where: Hellish Customs Doing What: Engaging in the bureaucracy2 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | D8 EmotionalMechanicsKeep your cool Tabs. Remember the hot date with the bombshell demon doctor, don't mess this up. Restrain yourself. Just play along and take this calm and reasonably. Tabs took a deep breath and lost her shit."Oh, is that the problem you spotted?" Tabs seethed, reaching a hand into her litter box and taking out a military flat cap with an angry demon face on it and putting it on at a jaunty angle. "You didn't notice that the illegal sassy punctuation? Or that the serial code just says 'Sweet Mage'" she growled, reaching up to take the demon by one horn and drag it closer so they were eyed to eyes. This did mean she had to stand on his shoulder, but she was trying to make up for size with sheer bravado here." Are you taking security seriously here? There are enemies everywhere, and they are all trying to get in to bang our hot demon women. VIGILANCE IS PARAMOUNT. We can't abide this kind of fuck-ups! Letting me off with a warning? You should have nailed my ass to a wall, this kind of lax behavior makes me doubt if you're even cut out for this job. The boss is going to be LIVID." (DarclightWhere: Show...ERS? Doing What: WTF EVEN I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE, Milestones: DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15xp (of 35xp total)Mechanics"Where in the world did you get that?" Daylight prodded Aux ilia when she produced the paddle and offered it to him, handle-first. "You did not have that a minute ago when we walked in here, and trust me, I would have remembered...it." His eyes flicked over to the ghost. "Besides. Her quarrel was with you, not me. I'm not about to start spanking her for something she did...unless, of course, this is some sort of declaration. That I am somehow.involved with you? That my interests are yours, and yours mine?" He looked back at the paddle. "Besides, she hasn't really even said she would want more. The one you gave her just now, that was repayment for an unkind statement. But more?" Daylight realized he was doing that pesky 'hero' thing when Aux ilia would have had little problem with it, but she'd sought him out precisely for that quality. At least, he thought so. Tabs The little round beginnings of tears formed at the edges of the gigantic demon's eyes as it realized the true depth of its error. Well, the current depth of its error, the true depth of its error was that it was standing between Tabs and a hot date and really one couldn't go deeper in error than that." I'm sorry sir! This is only my second day! I haven't figured out all the hot keys yet!" Hot keys was right, the river of lava contained a variety of shortcuts for making his job easier." I didn't know I could point out more than one discrepancy at a time! Please don't cast me into a pit of even worse eternal torment than processing passports!" DarclightAuxilia just asked at Daylight's recalcitrance, didn't explain where she had gotten the paddle from, and hit the Metafont another time, who cried out, "Ohh, harder, 'Taney!" Auxi raised her eyebrows, "is that short for Sultana? Oh dear, I think someone has a little bit of a thing going with her mistress?"" What?! No! I never-she never-""Oh dear. Okay, I get it. Dark, I'm going to keep her busy for a while, so if you don't want to participate that's fine just... don't look." She had a knowing little smirk, like she expected that to be impossible." So is he clean enough?" one Audi asked another." I don't know, we'd better make absolutely sure," the other said, starting to scrub down Daylight's chest, down to his stomach, and..." Oh common," Audi-Prime said, bonking them both over the head and sliding into the bath with Daylight, nestling herself against his side and slowly and tenderly kissing his neck. "Really, I'm such a tease sometimes." (DarclightWhere: Show...ERS? Doing What: WTF EVEN I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE, Milestones: DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15xp (of 35xp total)Mechanics"Just don't-" He responded to her statement. Daylight crossed his arms. "That's not being very fair, Aux ilia." He would have said more, except two others kept on him...at least until Prime conked them both and got them away from him, mostly by getting her hands on him herself. They were now in the water, together. Under normal circumstances, reader, this would not be a problem. However, it is a problem, for the following reasons.1: Daylight is currently out of his armor - IE, he is the entirely human Richard Conway.2: Aux ilia-Prime has currently attached himself to her side. Now, Aux ilia is a robot, yes, but she is referred to by roboticists as a synod - that is, a duplicate of the human female form, in as much complexity as can be handled.3: That complexity? Is almost absolute. There are a few noticeably robotic things about her, but otherwise she could be mistaken for human.4: And a very prominent part of that humanity is currently pressed against him.5: This isn't a reason, I'm just throwing it in here because I think I lost keeping separate reasons after 2. B: No, this isn't a reason, either, this is just an advertisement for Tim Horton's Midnight Freezer, the official drink of Daylight as negotiated by Storm watch. Where were we? Right. Auxilia would find it a difficult task to keep eye contact with Daylight. Mostly because he was too busy looking down at what she had pressed into his side, andfeeling his erection grow." You...you do not...play fair..." (Tabitha Where: Hellish Customs Doing What: Engaging in the bureaucracy2 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | D8 Emotional Mechanics"Are you crying?" Tabs said, eyes an enthusiastic blaze now as she got into her role as terrifying boss lady. She could get used to it." Your passion for doing good work is the first thing here I've seen worth my time! I should write you up for this fuck up and send you down to do ...." Her voice took a dark tone and the very air around them chilled." Retail"The darkness receded and the fire in Tabs eyes died down, "But while I am unreasonable your punishment doesn't have to be so soul crushing. You see I have a date I need to get too, and I think a waiter, would really suit my style for it. You think you can find a tux and a bottle of something throat burning? There's still time to prove to me, you got what it takes to serve." Daylight"No?" Aux ilia said, and she was almost smug about it, "do you need to preserve your purity? Maybe you'd prefer to start with something slow, like holding hands, sharing umbrellas, sipping milkshakes together?" She giggled, running a hand down his stomach, drawing little circles with her fingers as she slowly, teasingly approached his erection, before she was running one finger up and down it under the water. "For a guy that made me cum my brains out the first time we met, you're awfully shy outside your shell."---Tabs"A waiter! Yes, sir! I'm good at waiting!"the gigantic demon nodded, visibly thinking furiously where on Part- where in the actual Hell it was going to get a tuxedo in its size." It... might have to be stolen, sir! It's not a problem, I'll take care of it! Go on through, I need to close the checkpoint after you!" (DarclightWhere: Show...ERS? Doing What: THIS IS NOT FAIR AUXILIAMilestones: WHERE'S MY UMBRELLAS AND SWEET PROPOSITIONS BEFORE YOU HUMP ME YOU HORNET?!1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15xp (of 35xp total)Mechanics"You wouldn't get me saying n-" And then Aux ilia ran a single finger up and down his erection, and it took literally everything Daylight had to bite his own tongue and not moan at the teasing, feather-light touch. He could feel himself shudder a bit, though, and he knew that Aux ilia most certainly would have picked up on it. "...and let me guess, you so desperately want to repay the favor?" Daylight was red, flushed, breathing as heavy as she was breathing lightly. This was going to be impossible if she pressed more, he was already nine-tenths of the way to saying 'fuck it.' Literally, in at least one sense. (Tabitha Where: Hellish Customs Doing What: DATE DATE2 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | D8 Emotional Mechanics"If it wasn't stolen you would hardly be a demon right?" Tabitha smiled "If I can file some of these soft edges off you son then we might just make a demon of you yet." She gave a happy little ear wiggle as she walked into hell and looked about, she had absolutely no idea where her date was, but that meant it was time to explore. For a date with a smoking hot doctor she'd upend hell itself! Tabs Tabs wandered through Hell! There was probably a song about that somewhere. After an encounter with a CR-appropriate number of lemures (the number was always 'too many' when dealing with shambling blobs of barely-sentient goo), an attempted breakout on the level entirely assigned to telemarketers (so that's where the call centers got outsourced to), a coffee with Anubis (which mostly consisted of him grousing about not being respected any more and barely letting her get a word in edgewise), and not one, not two, not three, butfourBorgias in a row trying to bum change off of her (according to them, to pay for postage to get the histories about themselves changed), it occurred to Tabs that Hell was probably a large place and that she might want some kind of directions to be able to find her hot date in time. After all, if there was a song about this, wasn't there a... Highway. There was a highway in Hell. The sound barriers alone were seventy meters high and spewed fire at anyone trying to get across, but please, like that would actually deter a real hitchhiker? Darclight"You wouldn't get me saying no," Aux ilia said, looking extraordinarily pleased with herself at his reaction, almost like she preferred the anticipation to--one of her drones (apparently having sneakily slipped into the water, using the Metafont's pleasured squeals as cover) peeked out of the water in front of Conway, "oh come on, if you lay it on anymore he's going to explode," she said, diving again. Audi-prime rolled her eyes at the drone and gripped Conway's shaft, gently at first, more firmly once the drone underwater started to lick at the tip, coordinating hand and tongue with complete precision. (DarclightWhere: Show...ERS? Doing What: THIS IS NOT FAIR AUXILIAMilestones: WELL ISN'T THIS A FINE SITUATION WE'RE IN1 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | 0 Emotional | 15xp (of 35xp total)MechanicsDarclight had assumed that because Aux ilia-Prime had put two of her drones back in line when they tried to make a move on him that he was going to be dealing with only her. Guess not. One of her drones showed up and - once Prime had moved his erection into the correct position - started to lap at the tip of his tool. "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...." It sounded half like a rasp and half like a delicious moan of pleasure coursing through his brain. Aux ilia-Prime would feel the cock twitch in her hand, and now Conway was flushing from more than just the slight heat coming off the surface of the water. (Had someone manipulated one of the runes again? Wasn't this water supposed to be cold?) (Tabitha Where: Highway to Hell Doing What: WITNESS ME!2 PP | 0 Physical | 0 Mental | D8 EmotionalMechanicsTabitha had her hitchhiking skills down top-notch and had gone through the usual escalation. Thumb out? No response. Thumb out with top button undone? No response. Thumb out with top removed? No response, a lot of honking. Thumb out, top removed and other aiming her harpoon gun? The next speeding truck was trying to swerve to avoid the barbed tip, but she Tabs was just too good at hitchhiking for them to stand a chance and the harpoon blasted straight through the passenger window and embedded in the chair." Haha!" Tabs said as the truck whipped past, and her line began to spool out. Digging in her heels she gave an evil grin. "Okay then truck, meet Tab's super strength...." Ripped off her feet and flailing through the air behind the truck, Tabs makes a mental note to give herself super-strength sometime. She swore she'd already done that. Still she clambered along the wire and the side of the truck as it wildly swerved across the road, crushing the shitty cars of those damned to forever ride the highway for their sins in traffic past. Tab's was at least quick and nimble, scrabbling along the top to dodge the debris and flames and eventually slipping in through the window to sit next to .... an entirely normal looking man wearing a trucker hat." Are you sure you're in the right place?" she asks, giving him a glare, before holding up the picture of Bess "I need to meet this fine lady immediately! I can cut you through this traffic if you help a girl in love out!"

Truth, Justice and Brownies if you got 'em (Side Stories IC)|rating:3.0

_In Search Of Dragons & Other Tales_ [Blissy & Captain Whitebread]

(world existing so far away, yet feeling like it were no more than a stretch of one wings away. There were a place such as this. To most, it existed beyond the boundaries of rational venture. Only a select few individuals were ever worthy of the knowledge of such a distant and fabled land that seemed to be the parallel of the world of their very own. Yet to her, all of that seemed more acquainted than the very majesty of the sky realm and all its utter celestial grace, that seemed to exist as nothing more than fabled myth to the minds of mortal conscience below. Though there were no true justice in denouncing the myths of the earth realms, as both lands bore about them, ancient secrets and wonders worthy of the expectations circumstance. Though few had ever bothered to venture far into limitless extents of wonder within their journeys or more accurately, few were worthy of making it quite so far. For brave warriors of men and women and conjurers of magic alike, seemed fitting for such a role. This particular role would find itself bestowed upon the unlikely figure of a minstrel being from the realms beyond. The council disallowed the decision and the Falcon's knights, the bravest and strongest knights of the sky realm would condemn her to her own fate, forever so much as proposing to tackle duties that were not hers to attend. It never stood to act as a means of falter in her decision. For Sonnet Marilla, knew her place among the earth realms was better suited than the likes of the Serena's (the sky realm) the finest champions and wisest minds. For those sorts of worthy candidates of study and scouting were fit to exist within their role among skill, and she knew she were simply fit to the same role, due to the very vastness and purity of her own heart. Scribes and champions spoke tales of the parallel realms, but none in the like had seen it through their very own eyes, in that recall from the age and experience of a long-lost child, forced to live within this distant realm, under much more unfortunate circumstances. No story, no tale and certainly no venture of the Servant telling, was ever as well acquainted to the earth realms as much as hers may ever be. For Sonnet was among the only one of her people, to be raised entirely by the trials of Oregon's (the earth realm) own bounds. It was of no surprise the day she brought her plea to the council for recommendation to depart and debunk the rumors of the mischief and shadows that grew within the realm below. Such a duty is not fit for that of a minstrel. Regardless whether it be one of organic nature. Oh, how those very words of convoluted arrogance, seemed to circumvent about in the utter boggle of her mind, following the hour of her denial in her former request to the crude queen of the Servant. Sonnet knew well of how the majesty of her own people worked within. The structure of their world was almost reflecting of that of mortal royalty below. Kings, queens, little princes and princesses, and it hadn't always been governed in such ways, not since the new rule of a single queen who seemed much to blindside by that of her conquest for further power. Each and every day Sonnet found herself wondering further just how much alike the Servant and that of mortal traditions, seemed to be inevitably washing away the former mystifying heritage of a certain history of her people, that she had never had the grace of seeing. Now lead by the rule of a single queen, a practice that had not been performed since the ancient days of their people, Counter found herself feeling more reminded of the similarities between worlds and all the conflict that would inevitably bring.(Marilla | Wings (Though she knew the final decision to denounce her willing tribute to the cause of protecting the lands below seemed almost personal, Counter knew it was not her place to stand against the queen. Ah, yes. The fine queen Elyssa Orleans. And all her personal distaste for her. For Sonnet had not been born of ethical Servant ways. And that seemed to justify Elyssa's disregard for just about anything she said. How the very nature of her story seemed to plague her from any ounce of sensibility, while among the presence of the new pompous royalty, that had become the new face and age of her people. Sonnet knew that the queen of the Servant despised her for unethical reasons, but this wasn't the first time that her willful and sincere selfless actions had been denounced strictly on the premise of the queens bias and ill will, for her in particular. This sort of judgment seemed to be following her closely like that of her own shadow as of the late hour and Sonnet was done trying to remain honest and true as she may be by heart, to accommodate to the selfish ego of a queen lusting for senseless power. For Sonnet was no “Falcon's Knight”, nor no “Valkyrie legionnaire” and certainly not knowledgeable in the art of combat. Though she bore many other sacred talents, talents that the likeness of her people seemed to hold dear and close to the purification of their own wonders about how a Servant girl bore on human soil, could ever be graced with such a rare gift at that. A mender of wounds and soother of pain. Through nothing more than tone of voice and song alone. Sonnet had brought about a sort of magic to her people that was unlike any other Servant to exist within the last century. Her gift was rare, but her talent for using it even more diverse than one may know. People always saw her as someone fitting of a place among clerical placement, when Sonnet knew that her powers were not entirely fixated on that of healing. The tone of her voice could mend or shatter the ears of those that deem themselves ignorant enough to listen and despite keeping the darker sides of her magic mostly unused (if she could), Sonnet deemed herself anything but helpless and unfit to fight alongside warriors of blades and magical manipulation. Sonnet bore a certain inner flame about her, one that she knew was equally fit to thrive her through and forth the trials of her own adventures, just as the swing of a sword or bolt of a flame could do for any other of her kind. And it was that compassion for her inner gift that had become her strongest strength yet and made her anything unlike that of her brothers and sisters at arms. It didn't matter what the queen said, nor the word of any other. Sonnet deemed herself a fitting warrior and eager wanderer at the very least. The words of her less familiar sisters and brothers at arms, would not restrain her from venturing forth and into the utter depth of her own curiosities. It was exactly this type of thinking that had inspired her to do this before, but not until this particular day had she dared her inspiration to remain strong enough to pull herself through to the actual action. For her curiosities for the world that she knew as a child, still burned stronger than the very lick of flames desire to singe and her desire to appease the dangers within the world that had been her cradle as a child, were as strong and clear as any Falcon's Knight that may find themselves fitting of the test. Nothing was going to stop Sonnet from seeing the world below, the world she missed oh so greater than anything else and the world that she knew as her home away from home, especially in the event that it may be in danger. A forward stride to the sky gate in secret, would be her means of escape from this place, and she would do so when she knew the eyes of others did not watch her. The sky gate had been a place between realms, the dimensional portal that separated her new home from that of her former. It were a place of calamity and storm, a dimensional way point utterly ravaged by twisted magic of teleportation and astral vortex. It were actually this sort of void between the world that caused even the bravest warriors of sky realm to feel a sense of doubt or cowardice, but to her, it were nothing more than an obstruction that lead from one gateway to another. Not even for a moment did she loiter about the edge in desperate attempt to convey the rationality of her approach nor intention. Instead, any form of hesitation she made whilst standing on the literal edge between worlds, was caused by nothing more than the curious wandering of thoughts of just how much that old world of hers had changed. Her gaze seemed lost temporarily, those bright blue curious blue eyes peering deep and down, as if to see the very end of the storm that lied as nothing more than powerful illusion to separate the minds of the weak from that of the strong. The eagerness about her intrigue was as ripe as the shine of the sun, that very same sun that she knew she'd see on the other side. It was all an illusion. A trial. One apparently more fitting of a minstrel than that of a fiercest warriors of the sky realm. It made her wonder how, so many had not seen it for what it was, and it served to pester her sense of perception beyond positive measure. The curiosities of her own mind seemed to linger on forever, an old sense of eagerness seeming to distract her from the intent of her presence. She needed to be quick. There was no time to linger about the edge of her own literal curiosity. And she'd need to leave before they knew she were gone!(started with a slow tilt forward and then her eyes slowly began to come to close. The very scent of this world brushed to and from her nose. That familiar feeling of gentle winds seeming to lick about at the exposure of her skin left visible by the cloth of her robes. She was going to miss this realm. But she couldn't wait to reacquainted with the former. That slow tilt forward turned into a gentle slip of intended imbalance. With the grace of her fall, a radiant light of sharp celestial blue flashed out from her spine and with its passing came the display of her beautiful white and exotically shaded wings. Wings exposed and her mind clear as the light of day at her back, she allowed her body to fall forward into the turmoil of confounded illusion magic, that was the portal from here to there. With her fall, her body soared down towards the opposite end of the portal and her wings came to lift to catch the powerful gust of the whirling airs within the vortex, as she'd use them to catch the pattern of her flight and just soar downward to the core of the infernal chasm of thrashing rift energies. Never for a moment did she open her eyes, not until the former crackling of violent winds and thunder alike, seemed to conclude. Upon the awakening of her sight, she'd see the bold light of day and the silent blue skies of a world she had only formerly remembered to exist within the deepest part of her former childish dreams. Every inch of this sky seemed so soothing and appeasing to her. Just as it were, when she used to look up at it as a child. Her descent forward into the heavily forested grounds below was her only directive now. Sonnet knew that during the dead of night the presence of a Servant being passing through the void that separated this realm from its other, was somewhat of a spectacle to behold. To any wandering eyes it appeared to replicate that of a shooting star, only instead of soaring through the sky, that star seemed fall from the heavens above and crash unto the earth. It was a sight sometimes seen by others by the blanket of night, but alas no such marvel would occur, behind the cloak of midday. Being seen nor discovered was entirely outside her intention. Sonnet knew well of the dangers that lay ahead of her, but only assumed about some of the worst possibilities that may unfold for her. For a Servant hiding among mortal was not something of usual circumstance, and she knew she could not risk being found out by likes of another from this plain. Of course, she had a plan in how to deal with the dangers that may lie ahead. When traversing through the portal that separated this world from her own, Sonnet had placed the entirety of her thoughts on where it was she wanted to be. It was that devotion to seeing the old orphanage that she had grown up in, that would take her to that very same spot. Her people weren't knowing of the secrets of the sky-gate, but she only knew of them because she wasn't raised to think like a Servant, but a human mind instead. Willpower was strong after all, possibly even stronger than glory lead upon by honor. The tree tops she'd soar down towards, were not the like of any random tree, but a particular type of tree that she had recognized very well. This was where she wanted to be. This was where she'd become Cyril yet again. And keep her divinity a secret from the world. To the top of those old tree tops, to the graceful yet powerful gust of her wings halting forth to slow her descend, Sonnet found herself standing on the edge of an old building, that to her was the very looking glass of her former life as a child on this particular plain. Now silent and left forgotten by the world, this place bore visitation once again and in the presence of one never thought to return. She made her business about the old building brief and quiet, though hiding the eagerness of her steps, seemed like the hardest thing in the world. Sonnet was careful with her wander about the inner ruin of what was her old home, her eyes turning left and right as her imagination re-visualized every inch of the place as it once were, so full of life and color at a much better time. Eventually that cherishing feeling took her to the comforts of her own old room as a child. With a nimble and careful assertion, her fingers reached forth and pushed the door to that room in. She'd walk into the room feeling like a new source of life and light, to the silent shade of her old forgotten room. Her eyes wandered for a few minutes in pleased memory and then centered themselves on the contents of an old trunk at the end of her long forgotten cot. Other than the chest, the room seemed tarnished, ransacked and looted beyond believe. It reminded Sonnet of just how many bandits had been through and out of here over the years, even before her long overdue depart from this world. With slow curious approach, she'd extend a finger towards the old enchanted lock she had used to lock the chest so many years ago. Nothing more than evident scratches and chiseled attempts remained about its keyhole now. Someone had been persistent in their attempts to open that special trunk of hers. But she knew no matter of key nor tool would ever force it open. (soft grin came to her lips as she couldn't help but enthrall in her own cleverness at that moment. Sonnet knew that picking the lock was impossible and that only she knew how to open the lock to find what secrets may lie beyond it. She'd take the reach of her arm back and slowly reach to her backside for the silver celestial harp that remain against it (Harp in hand she'd gently caress her fingers softly along those radiant silver strings and the softest chime of a sound would slip from their touch. Upon the gentle sound of the chime singing out, the lock on the chest clicked open on its own. A chest locked by the key of sound, was quite the clever little thing for a teenaged girl to think up so long ago. Chest now open, she'd step close to the contents within. With careful ease, she'd open the chest before her and be given the sight of (with a hood) some other more fitting robes (that seemed to contrast the angelic quality of her current. The world was truly a dangerous and vast place and no place for a celestial being to be walking around exposed. It was for exactly this reason that she kept these robes sealed away in secret, in the event that she may ever find herself revisiting this land again. She changed into them and hid away the otherworldly tailoring quality of the robes that were not sewn by any tailor in this land. Now she knew she were ready to venture out forth into the lands surrounding the village and start her journey led upon by rumors, that were formerly deemed outside her competence. And what a better place to start then the busy streets of Travis? A city no further then a short walk through the woods.? “Hey Rat, where are you at?” Jonathan sighed. He knew who was calling him. For some reason the watch commander’s son had decided the rhyming question was terribly funny and used it whenever he was looking for him. He set aside the broom and turned around, already knowing what he was going to see. “You bellowed?” Adam was thin and tall. He was a ginger like his father but there the resemblance stopped. Adam’s hair was wildly uncontrollable, and he favored a scruffy looking goatee and thin mustache. Jonathan figured three, maybe four strokes of a razor would expose the weak chin Adam was trying so desperately to hide. The right side of Adam’s face seemed locked in a perpetual sneer. “Why do they call you Rat anyway?” Adam asked. “What kind of name is Rat?” Jonathan shrugged. “It probably comes from street rat or maybe because when I was a kid I was always lurking in shadows trying to stay hidden. Maybe it comes from the fact that I like cheese.” The expression on Adam’s face showed that he was mulling over the answer, despite that fact that Jonathan had answered the question with his tongue very firmly in his cheek. “Is that all you want?” Jonathan asked, already knowing the answer. Adam frowned. “How did you end up being a city guard? They told me your mother was a whore.”“They were right,” Jonathan replied. He’d never hidden the fact that his mother had been a prostitute or the fact that she’d died when he was four. “I hung around the barracks, doing small jobs in exchange for food and a warm place to sleep. When I was old enough, I started cutting hair and shaving people. McCallister taught me to fight, and I started filling in when they needed an extra man. “Adam’s sneer tightened up. “Any of those small jobs you did involve sucking dick, like your Mom?” The corners of Jonathan’s mouth twitched. If Adam was trying to insult him, he’d need to do a better job. “Why? Are you looking to get your dick sucked? Sorry, Adam. I don’t suck dick, not that you have much of one. I could probably use it to pick something out of my teeth, but you’d have to wash it first, if you can even find it.” Adam’s face began to get red. “You’ve got a smart mouth on you, you son of a whore. You’re a whore’s bastard.” Adam’s voice was beginning to rise and a few of the other city guards in the barracks were beginning to take notice.“It’s smart because I won’t let you put your dick in it. I don’t know where it’s been or whose ass you’ve had it up.” Jonathan snapped his fingers. “Oh, that’s right, you don’t put it up the ass, you take it up the ass.” Jonathan paused for just a second. “Just like your mother.” It was a combination of anger, shock and embarrassment that flashed across Adam’s face, just before pulled his fist back to throw the first punch. Jonathan knew it was coming. He’d been a guard for almost five years now, and he’d seen his fair share of bar brawls. Adam would swing for his head. It would be child’s play to duck back out of the way and to come in hard. It was over in a few seconds. Adam’s fist didn’t even come within an inch of Jonathan’s face and the swing left him off balance. It was child’s play for Jonathan to drive his fist into Adam’s stomach. A little push and the off balance Adam fell backwards. Jonathan didn’t step forward. As far as he was concerned, the fight, such as it was, was over. He picked up his broom again and continued sweeping the floor.“Enough!” The yell and a slight scrape of wood on wood told Jonathan that the fight wasn’t over. He turned, using the broom to block the chair Adam had grabbed as an impromptu weapon. A quick flick knocked the chair aside, leaving Adam defenceless against Jonathan’s counter-attack. He smashed the end of the broom into Adam’s face, crushing his nose in an explosion of blood.“I said ‘ENOUGH’!” Jonathan lowered the broom and turned to see who had called for the end of the fight; he didn’t recognize the voice. He felt his heart leap into his throat when he saw the new watch commander.* * * * *“How long have you been with the city guard?” Jonathan stood at attention in front of the new watch commander. He hadn’t learned the man’s name yet. “About five years,” Jonathan replied.”A little young, aren’t you? Most guards are veterans, with some fighting experience.”“I grew up in the barracks. The city watch took me in after my mother died.” The man stroked his beard thoughtfully. Unlike his son’s beard, his beard was neat and well-kept. “How much fighting experience have you had?”“I was taught to fight by McCallister and practiced by helping the others spar. And I’ve been in a number of skirmishes in the streets.”“You might have killed my son with that broom handle. As it is, you broke his nose.” Jonathan started. “If I’d wanted to kill him I would have hit him six inches lower and crushed his windpipe,” he said. The watch commander pursed his lips. He looked at his son who stood sullen and silent nearby. Adam’s nose had a seeping gash on it and both his eyes were blackened and swollen almost shut. He looked back at Jonathan, then pulled a small pouch out of his pocket. “I’m afraid your services are no longer required,” he said. “This is your wage for this month. Gather your things. I want you gone in the morning. I don’t know why my son has taken such a dislike to you, but eventually you will hit him six inches lower, and I’d rather not have to explain to his mother how one of my men killed him in a brawl over a few insults. You’re a good man, Jonathan. You deserve better.”“Jonathan is a city guard,” Jonathan said as he picked up the pouch. “My name is Rat.” He gathered his few things in silence. A few of the others came over to offer words of encouragement or small gifts. Even with these additional items, his collection of belongings was pitifully small. He put up the hood of his cloak and headed out into the rain. He wasn’t sure where he was going, but he was surprised to find himself on the doorstep of one of the city taverns. Furthermore, he hesitated for a moment, then went inside. The tavern was, surprisingly enough, almost empty. Perhaps the rain was deterring any customers. Knowing he was alone here only increased Jonathan’s feelings of being lost. I just need somebody to talk to, somebody to give me some advice. All I wanted to do was protect people. How am I supposed to do that now?“You seem troubled,” a deep voice said. It was coming from some of the dark shadows near the bar. Perhaps there was a door there when the barkeep could watch to see if anyone entered.“The watch commander just let me go,” Jonathan answered.”You’re the one they call Rat,” the man said, stepping out of the shadows. “I’ve seen you at the barracks. Why did he let you go?”“To protect his son,” Jonathan replied. “Adam doesn’t like me, and I’m a lot better than he is. One day he’d try something, and I’d probably end up killing him in self defense.”“Do you hate him?” A glass appeared on the bar, half full of amber liquid. It was probably rum. Jonathan shook his head. He took a sip, savoring the burning as the liquid slid down his throat. “No. He doesn’t deserve hate. I’d pity him but he’d hate that. I don’t really feel anything for him.” He chuckled. "Right now it's me I'm feeling sorry for."“Did you come here to get drunk?” Jonathan shrugged. “I didn’t come here on purpose. I just ended up here. I thought maybe I could find some advice. Furthermore, I don’t know what to do.”“Do what you do best. Use your heart and your head and your hands. Sometimes the path we are supposed to walk isn’t always obvious, and it isn’t always easy. Trust in the Gods and they will show you the way.”“Why would the Gods show me the way?” Jonathan asked. “I’m just a rat who climbed too high.” The barkeep chuckled. “Rats are survivors. They thrive where others falter. We can learn a lot from rats. The question is whether you want to teach or to destroy. Do you want to lead or step aside?”“I don’t want to destroy,” Jonathan said. “But who do I teach? Who would follow me?”“Why don’t you go and find out? Step forward with a good heart, and you will perform wonders.”“I am neither priest nor knight. I have no right to lead.”“Not all those who lead are knights or priests,” the voice said. “Sometimes a rat can lead and teach, if he is loyal, just and true.” Jonathan smiled. “Then I'll be the Gods’ rat.” He patted the satchel hung over his shoulder. "Either that or a barber. Need a shave?" In all eleven plains of Serena! Which was the proper road that would lead to Travis?! Finding herself at a crossroad, wasn't exactly quite how Sonnet expected the first steps of her journey to go. For her knowledge of the long woods was much more selective than she could recall. It had been quite some time since she had found herself traversing these lands and an even longer time since she saw this realm through the eyes of a child. It almost felt utter disappointing to know that her knowledge of these woods had become vague since the last time she had stepped foot within. She is nor more than a child then. Always so eager to appease her sense of curiosity. At least, that much hadn't changed. Step by step further into those woods she'd travel, as nothing more than the idea of finding where it was that she were looking for, would serve to drive her forward. For as long as Sonnet knew, she may find herself lost in these woods for days before she found the town of Travis. Though her memory of these trees and thickets seemed almost boggled down, Sonnet had remembered one thing about this place. These woods would seem to span every which way for miles unless those who entered them seemed to have an actual idea of where they were going. Some believed it to be an old wives tale and others thought entirely rubbish of the idea in whole, but Sonnet was not so easily naive to overlook the folklore spoken by others. Be it warning or waver from the idea of entering these woods alone, Sonnet knew that their still may be dangers to find here. Unnerved and uninspired by the idea of being attacked by a scared or starving animal, Sonnet started to boldly weigh her options. She could continue her random wander of curiosity about the bushes and thickets of this wood, or she could take the risk of using her talents, to remove the obstruction of their design, completely from the scenario. The true difficulty in making a choice did not come from any means of feeling untrue to her peoples traditions and ways, taught of them when they were left to wander these plans, but that of the danger that using such power in this realm may bring. Servant were a mythical being and to humans, not a sight to be seen unless in times of great pandemonium. For her to use her powers now, in the purest of the light of day, she may risk bringing about the attention of eyes she had not seen well to notice, prior before to the blatant display of her extraordinary power. Sonnetra quickly came to a conclusion, the longer she'd dread clueless in those woods. Eyes closing to focus the source of her power, she'd slowly bring her arms to the huddle of her breast. She could do things. Things other people couldn't explain. But which of those things would grant her freedom from this unending labyrinth of trees and nature. Ever so gently keeping the cradle of her hands close, she'd part her lips in gentle whisper. A gentle tone slipped from the space in between and seemed to sing the gentlest of hymn's, that only just barely seemed to top that of the subtle ambiance of the forestry green's around her. This was a call of nature a song of summoning, but to which sort of aid? As the soft chime of the sound left her lips and her eyes slowly opened, she'd find herself staring in curious patience at the sunlight rays around her. So what creature would the song bring her? The gentle emerald green of her eyes turned curiously to her side at the momentary sound of bushes rustling. A small hare seemed to rush from that bush and forward deeper into the forest. A gentle grin ensued at the nature of the hares mindful presence, as she'd only watch it run further into the woods and think of it as a sign. A gentle quirk of that brow would surge, as quickly she'd find herself chasing a small white rabbit as means of direction. Never for a moment did Sonnet, or as anybody in the large city of Travis may know her, Cyril, expect to find direction to such a big city, through the former of such a small and subtle creature. Be it a sign or a symbol, Sonnet almost felt intrigued by the idea of knowing her powers seemed to work so much differently here, then they did of that in her new home realm of Serena. For if the gentle choir of a whisper could summon a rabbit to direct her forward, she almost felt unsettled in the idea of thinking what that minstrel tone she could sing, may bring about in times of deeper need. For now, she'd let the thought linger in the back of her mind, as far more interesting things, seemed to take favor at her attention.("The Twin Archer Tavern"My, my. So many people. Had it always been this way? Sonnet found herself hung on the intrigue of a question. For it had been long since she had seen the streets Travis through her own eyes. Everything seemed smaller now. Much more simple to navigate. And even the people seemed. Different? She'd wonder on the whim of her curious thoughts, as she'd try to keep her attention from slipping off the greater purpose of her presence here. This wasn't about remembering what it was like to be lost in the busy streets of mortal societies. Sonnet was here for a far more imperative reason, then that of the long nostalgic praise of bringing herself back to see this town, if only once more ever again. This was the start of a journey and Travis would serve to be the first place she'd begin such journey. Like any traveler, warrior or scribe, setting out on such a journey, she'd need to make preparations. While the majestic nature of her voice and musical talents seemed like a fitting strength to bring upon adventure, such things would not serve to rectify her sense of safety. As a matter of fact, having those bewitching vocal talents, was probably bound to get her into more conflict than it would sanctuary and that just meant she'd need to be mindful of her own weaknesses and pay close mind to the element of her flaws. She'd need a companion. She'd need a traveler or at least someone who seemed knowledgeable in the art of combat and survival. It were a shame that being born of such musical gifts, hadn't quite got her much favor in exploring combat, like that of the many fierce warriors she knew back in her own land and while she could use the songs of various nature's surrounding her, to act as a form of directive or aid, she couldn't always use magic to fend off all of her potential foes or the dangers that may serve to undermine that brilliant gift of hers. Call it a whim, but “The Twin Archer Tavern”, seemed like a decent place to start. She'd need to find someone, anyone at all, who might be headstrong enough to take up this burden at her side and what a better place to find that, then in the inhabitants of small bar. This wouldn't be her first time in the bar, even if the idea of drowning in ale or wine, seemed to be a little too free spirited, of a tradition of mortal folk for her. For she had been to this particular bar at one time before and even stepping into it now had reminded her of how much it hadn't changed. With the door swinging open, there'd be an uproar of rowdy carol. Taverns, were always places of fun and sometimes other things. Stepping into the bar she'd gently turn that curious gleam in her eyes each every which way. So many people. Just as it had always been. Only now she could see over half their shoulders. Only half. She'd look out of place, even with the hood of her robes seeming to hang over those fine beautiful features of hers. Finding women in these places was somewhat of an oddity really, not unless they were here for far less ethic purposes. But at least she saw one other woman, even though she seemed to out stand and contrast almost every decent quality that the mindful celestial wanderer bore.“Excuse me. Could I bother you a second. I am looking for something-” Sonnetra would start, only to be cut off halfway through her speech.“Everyone here is looking for something love. What makes you so special?” The woman almost snapped back, in a rather crude tone of lacking interest. It bothered Sonnet, much more than she thinks it might. The nerve of this woman. Though she'd never be given a chance to finish her sentence, as the tavern wench walked off. Shaking her head in gentle disarray, as if to brush the ill will of the scenario from her mind, she'd turn her sights on to the image of a lone man twice her size, sitting silently in the corner. Footsteps drawing her forward, she'd gentle poke at his shoulder, wishing his attention to turn her way.“Excuse me. Could I ask something of you-” Another interruption? Only this time the coarse anger of a half drunken violent titan, seemed to come booming out in obvious annoyance, of the celestial girls light show of curiosity. Before Sonnet could say another word, that beast of a man turned to face her, and she almost found herself stumbling off her balance to account for the intimidating size of the man that stood opposite of her. A single eye protruding down upon her, as the other seemed masked by an eye patch. Sonnet was overwhelmed by the unsettling image of a man who had clearly seen far too many battles and wore the scars on his face to prove it.“Who do ya think you are your fable fairy-ed star eyed little whore? Buggering your nose in my business! I out of teach you a lesson in respect, for sticking your curiosities in my corner!” He'd roar. Clearly this man was drunk, and clearly he intended to hurt our celestial protagonist. Was there a soul in this room that might step up and prevent that? There was a sharp whistle. "Of! Pipe down you thundering lummox." The man who spoke was young and much smaller than the tower of anger that was menacing Sonnet. He let a satchel slip off his shoulder and stepped over a bundle on the floor under his chair. It gleamed of metal, but he clearly didn't seem to think he needed weapons to deal with the man. "Leave her be and go back to your drink." He was moving slowly closer, his hands open and non-threatening. "She didn't mean to disturb you, and I'm fairly certain you don't want to wake up in a cell tomorrow with a hangover." It was a gamble. If the man was at least a little sober he would understand the implication that Rat was still with the city guard. He was still wearing the cloak, after all, even if he wasn't wearing armor under it. If not.... If not the man would do exactly what he did, round on Rat and take his anger out on the smaller man. He lurched forward, a mammoth fist swinging for Rat's head. Rat wasn't there when the fist ripped through the place where his head had been. He was on the ground, hooking the man's foot and sending him crashing to the floor. Rat didn't wait to see whether the man was going to try and stand to continue the fight. He wrapped his arms around the thick neck and began squeezing. "Say goodnight," he said as he began choking out the drunkard. Not letting go, he looked up at the woman who had caused the problem in the first place." You should have expected trouble coming in here dressed like that," he said. "I'd suggest concluding your business and leaving as quickly as possible." He looked down again, checking the color of the face of the man he was so casually choking. Oh my, what had she done now. There was no doubting that Sonnet felt response for that certain shift in unfriendly mood about the small tavern. While her curiosities on finding just the perfect type of companion for her quest, seemed to linger stronger than ever, Sonnet knew she almost felt guilty in accepting that had lent to such a potent matter of dispute. One second she were tapping that great lumbering form of a man on the shoulder and the next, he is up to the spring of his feet, his eyes driving into the fragility of her tiny form and the heave of his angered breath, booming down upon those small ear drums of hers, making her feel anything but confident in the idea of what she were trying to do. Feeling like she were the cause of such unexpected uncivil deputes, certainly had a weird way of making her feel both troubled and scared. Be it the size of her opponent or the simple unexpected nature of how he had chosen to address his newest visitor, but saying she deserved any of this hardly seemed just to her at all. Right now she is in need of a hero, a savior, anyone at all that might stand up and prove to fend off the danger that entrapped her the longer she'd attempt to ease the situation in only simple attempts of feeble cooperation. This giant of man didn't want to talk, he wanted to fight and Sonnet knew she were no fighter of the sort to challenge him. Would anyone come to her side? Aid a woman in need of a cause of help? Anyone at all-Her thoughts on the matter ran thin, the moment she heard another male's voice beckon out in denounce of the angered titan's hostility. It started with a loud whistle, followed by a command spoke of intention to re-obtain grip and control upon the situation and the mood about the bar. Either somebody was coming to help her or they were coming to make her situation that much worse. Knowing that she couldn't be sure of which outcome this newcomers' presence may generate, made Sonnet feel ill to say the least. Still, even in her moment of guilt and sickly emotion, she'd take a single step back from the titan standing before her. She was withdrawing, in the nature of her actions, her arms raised in a desperate awing of ease, as if to try and sooth the lumbering man before her, like that of wild animal. In doing so, she'd shift her presence among the feud and allow her savior to step ever forward. The minute he did, Sonnet almost found herself hiding completely behind the total stranger. Whether it were to disclose her embarrassment about the whole situation or simply to prevent herself from fuelling further to the flame that she started, she kept her involvement about the fight minimal. Taking cover behind him gave her a sense of modest comfort, even if she still felt like she couldn't so easily escape the ill will of mood she had conjured throughout the bar. Pretty much all eyes were on her or the two men, moments before they'd conclude to skirmishing the matter out. It started as an attack, followed by a defense and then into an assault, before Sonnet found herself backing up even further, the moment the two men went at each other in fierce violent engagement. Such violence was not of her interest, especially when it was imposed over such silly matters. It was fair to say that she felt cowardly in the moment of the feud. Once Rat had finished subduing the drunken beast of man that he so bravely fought, Sonnet turned her full attention to him. Blinking once in silent disbelief, she couldn't so easily hide her astonishment for the man that had defeated the drunken beast of a man who had formerly threatened her. He got up, walked off the issue, but not before consulting her on the matter of her intrusion and her wardrobe, apparently as well. She'd scowl lightly at the thought of being made into the concept of trouble or mischief, simply based on the nature of her robes she wore, that only acted as a disguise to disclose her usual unfitting appearance. So what should be wearing? She knew she wouldn't ask that, not to a man she might find in a bar, but she couldn't help but poke amusement at the thought. Whatever the claims of safety Rat had given her, she hardly felt educated by the lesson he tried to impose. Before Rat could walk any further then he had, she'd boldly step in front of him, as she'd gently toss down the nature of her hood and reveal the full exposure of her fine features to Rat. Talking behind cowls was informal, as much as it were shady.“I'm sorry, and how might I dress then? It's not every day I find myself inquiring in such places of incivility.” She'd start, knowing the tone of her voice almost sounded arrogant in her claim. Oh no, no, that would not do. She wasn't like that at all! A soft sigh came next, as her brows depressed in submissive acceptance of the idea of trying to be bolder then what seemed appropriate for her personality. Her eyes locked onto Rats, as she'd tilt her head in a slight curious observation of the man, finding a single tooth biting down lightly into the corner of her lip.“No, never mind. It's rude of me to speak like that. But It wouldn't be right of me to dress up the nature of my business. What can I say? I am here looking for someone with more bronze than I must have brains. A fighter, in particular one who might be interested in proving themselves. Or insane enough to follow me along on some weird adventure, that may very well take me across this plain. Do you know anyone of the sort?” She'd ask, trying to keep Rat where he were for even a second longer. He did take on that real brute of a man. Maybe he could be the one. He couldn't help but laugh at the girl's absurd suggestion of finding a champion of any type in this particular bar. He released his hold around the neck of the towering drunk, leaving the man unconscious but not dead. "You must come from money," Rat said. "You'd have to think dressing like that and coming in here were good ideas." He nudged the man with his foot. "This one is as likely to rape you and then eat your corpse as he was to beat you bloody and leave you in the gutter. He's not exactly what I'd call a friendly sort." He was exaggerating of course. Furthermore, he had no idea if the woman was truly in that much danger but putting a little fear in the girl might go a long way to keeping her alive, even if it did nothing to protect her chastity. He looked around, making note of several men who were leaving their chairs. Furthermore, he had only a few moments before they were in a position to prevent him from leaving. If there was one rule of bar brawls, it was that bastards had buddies. "I'm going to grab my gear, and we are going to leave, right now," Rat said leaning close to the girl. "This is not a place either of us want to be right now." He didn't wait for a response. He returned to his seat, hooked his gear with a foot and pulled it up to his hand. Being clearly armed might deter some of the more rational patrons, but there was always going to be one idiot who thought he could take on an armed warrior." Let's go," he said, grabbing her by the arm. "Straight out the door. Don't look anywhere other than straight ahead. If we get stopped, keep walking. I'll deal with it." They had a slim chance of escaping unscathed, but he was going to make the most of it. He didn't want to shed blood unless he had to. Had to be a bunch of drovers that came in here. Why didn't I pick another tavern? Of course if he hadn't, it was likely the little rich girl who was out of her depth would have ended up across a table, with legs spread wide and a line-up of men waiting to take their turn. Everything happens for a reason. Gods help me, if I'm supposed to be her champion, I'm not going to be a happy man.... Laughter. What in the world? Clearly Sonnet's small request had almost gone entirely unnoticed, or more specifically, overheard. Perhaps searching in places such as these wasn't such a clever option, but it wasn't like she had much of a choice. Having not been re-engaged with the comforts and discrepancies of the old town, she only remembered from memory, Sonnet was really just taking chance in the offer of her quest. Perhaps she should speak with a royal? If that were even possible. For a tavern such as this, hardly seemed fitting of the decree of her search for a loyal champion. She considered her options further along the ways of Rat's insightful appeal. One minute he were beating a titan of a man blue and the next he was nearly scolding her for even so much as begging to ask a question. For humans had been so much more mysterious than that of the company she had become so used too. Had it been so long since? She could only ponder, as Rat unintentionally began to remind her that she were far from the customs and mannerisms of her own world. As Rat finished his quarrel amidst the feud, the two made idle preparations to make their exit. Rat dealt with damage control, while she just tried to look cute enough to keep the ruffians at bay. Of course even in that awkward fragility of the hostile mood, Rat began to make assumptions of class when it came to his newest unsuspecting golden haired attendant. Saying she felt well received was inaccurate, as the aspect of her presence seemed to dapple about the concept of her surroundings he had mentioned. Did she really look so oddly placed? Even in the attempt of her concealment? Was that truly a bad thing? Perhaps she should be less formal? Could she even do that? Oh... bother. This wasn't going to be easy”. Sonnetra raised a curious brow in question, as Rat collected himself and drew nearer to her. His attention very attentive to that of his surroundings. He was mindful. Arrogant, but mindful. This was a good start.“Well no, I come from a place where money is hardly-” She were interrupted, as Rat continued to define the situation for what it really were. He was bold, but perhaps that was a good thing, for boldness always conveyed a certain element of severity to the golden haired woman of wonders, in her times of doubt. The idea of imposing possible threats or danger upon her, was often enough to always make her see the bigger picture, even if Sonnet almost seemed controlled by the nature of her selfless and fostering character. She almost gasped at the idea of even considering what Rat had said. Was she really in so much danger? Clearly, things had changed around Travis if that had been the case. A certain flavor of distaste showed about on her expression. Sonnet found herself biting her tongue in ill received acceptance of the concept Rat had so easily pointed out. At least it worked in shutting her up for now. For to be raped by a man, was of any sane woman's worst nightmare, but to be raped by a mortal was. Her thought ceased the moment she took notice of several bystanders shifting in their seats. Clearly this was the start too something so much more traumatic than Sonnet expected it to be. Eyes turning in brief observation of the few ruthless looking men that seemed to eye her down like a piece of fresh meat, she'd find her attention shifting back to Rat, as if to look for sanctuary of some kind. It honestly felt odd for Sonnet to know that she'd be unable to really do anything about the situation at all and that only imposed to the conclusion of cooperating with Rat's command. A slow nod ensued, as she'd find herself taking a light nimble out of her lip. Her heart pounding like a drum and echoing about in her ears, her attention never slipped entirely away from that of the audience that so eagerly seemed to step up and make worse of the mood. Had she absolutely needed too, she would use her celestial powers to take control of the situation, if things went south far quicker than either of the two could imagine and led to her being harmed or worse, as Rat has so boldly warned. Though the risk of such things came with hefty price. She'd let Rat deal with his own kind, as he sees fit, trusting him to handle the situation. Before she had even another moment to think or form a response, she felt the grip of tension at her arm. Her savior seemed to waste no time in pulling her from the hostilities of the scene, as the two traveled closer towards the Tavern door. A light grunt of protest spilled from her lips. Sonnet didn't exactly take well to the idea of leaving bad situations on anything but good terms, even if those same situations were probably ones it was wiser for her to turn her back on and simply forget.“Could you be more gentle? If even at all!?” She'd request, her clear annoyance. He could have just asked her. Everything else he said seemed to fade into the background, as Sonnet could only consider her disapproval of the situation become her primary concern. For once in her life, she almost felt arrogant. The thought of spewing some fabricated form of resolve did creep about her mind at that moment as it always did when something was of disarray. Sonnet wasn't too fond of having people think she were a liability, especially when they only saw her for her beauty. For beauty seemed like a curse, especially when she knew she had no true skill in the art of hand-to-hand combat. It seemed like for now, she'd have to play the role of liability, until she may be better able to trust this potential of hers.“Well, at least tell me if you're going to stick somebody. I mean, I wouldn't want to get some poor humble fool's blood all over my fancy robes.” She'd almost tease. Clearly she were annoyed, and she had quite the adorable way of showing it. Apparently there was much more playfulness to Sonnet then what the eye may behold. Plus, she had to make light of the mood in some matter. Leaving on bad notes was absurd! Rat ignored her complaint at his roughness. Had he not bodily pulled her out of the tavern, it was quite likely that she would have been the victim of a scenario much as he described. She just didn't have the skills to survive in that kind of environment." Getting blood on your clothing is the least of your problems," he said, breathing a sigh of relief once they were outside and into the street. He pulled the girl up against the wall. There wasn't a lot of overhang, but they were mostly out of the rain. "Now, do you want to explain what you think you're going, coming into a place like this? You have no idea how far out of your depth you are, do you?" He shook his head. Once a guard, always a guard." I'm going to make a few guesses here, and you can tell me whether I'm right or not." Rat began tickling off fingers.' One, you have never been inside a rough neighborhood in your life, let alone a rough bar in a rough neighborhood. Two, you're looking for help, but you really don't know where to look. Three, you've run away from where ever you call home and don't want anybody to know where you are and what you're up to. Let me just start by saying that there is somebody somewhere who is losing their mind because they don't know where you are. My advice is to go home, before you get yourself hurt. I will escort you, if necessary." There might even be a reward for returning her home. I could certainly use the money....

_In Search Of Dragons & Other Tales_ [Blissy & Captain Whitebread]|rating:4.0

It's a bird! It's a plane! [ Letrie & Arkaniel ]

(loud beeping in the distance broke the silence of the night as the car alarm wailed at the passers-by. Green eyes shifted cautiously behind a black mask to see if it was simply an accident or if someone was trying to break in. The man who had walked into the car stumbled off drunk, rushing to meet his friends who were already making their way to the next stop on their bar-crawl. It had simply been an accident and no one was trying to rob the car just yet. It seemed like just another simple night of people going out and having fun in the city of Main, but she knew much better than that. In recent months the crime rates had tripled and reached highs that no one had thought would be possible. People were scared to go out into the streets for fear of being raped, murdered or stolen from. The night belonged to the criminal underworld; well, at least it did until they had shown up on the scene. Superheroes were alive and well in the world with Adriana, Add as she preferred, being one of the ones that had enough of the crime and had decided to do something about it. Since she was little she knew there had been something that made her different from all the other kids. Just an inkling that something was off and that she could see the world differently then her classmates and friends. It wasn't until puberty hit that she full came to realize just what she was capable of. For most people, if they wanted to move something from one place to another they would have to physically get up and do it, but she could move objects with her mind. A quick internet search told her this ability was telekinesis and that there weren't many people around who could do it. Being a superhero seemed the natural thing to do given what the comic books and TV shows said. With great power came great responsibility so she donned on a mask and a black bodysuit and became Moira; super crime fighter by night and normal university student by day."Oh, dammit. I forgot about that report." Add muttered angrily to herself as it just hit her that she had a five-page paper due the next day in class. Crime fighting had its perks, but it had a nasty habit of interfering with her normal, everyday life. It was hard enough trying to juggle a school load without having to spend the time she could be studying out kicking ass. It didn't help that this was further complicated by the introduction of one Matthew Scott in her life. They had met in class when she had borrowed his notes one day and had hit it off from there. They'd only been dating a couple of months, and she was already lying to him about who she was. It was never a good idea to start a relationship off on a lie, but it was for his own protection. She'd made plenty of enemies in the city and if they happened to learn that she was quite smitten with a certain Philosophy student then things could get hideous really fast. Addy had already broken off a couple of their dates or showed up late because Moira had to get a job done, but Matthew had been surprisingly understanding of her flimsy excuses. She couldn't help the grin that spread on her face thinking that she'd see him in class tomorrow after being apart pretty much the whole week because of all the night work she'd had to pull these past couple of days. Things seemed to be getting worse instead of better with a villain haunting the city causing damage left and right making it almost impossible for her to keep up. Luckily she wasn't in this alone. "Huh, I wonder if Black took the night off." The woman mused to herself as she looked for any signs of her partner. Usually they would have met up by now on patrol but sometimes one or the other would ditch out due to more pressing matters. (three identities wasn’t the easiest thing to do. Ordinary people usually had it hard enough to live one life. Of late, there were those special few on both sides of the fence that had a second identity, though as far as he could judge, that gave enough problems. He, however, had three identities. Yet none of those represented who and what he actually was. He was a being as old as time, with a purpose, a function equally old and important. And to better fulfil that purpose in the ever-changing world, he had chosen those three identities. Three separate people, each with their own role to play in the coming events. The Grim Reaper, an unscrupulous crime boss, new on the scene in the city of Maine. Yet, already, this new criminal had declared war on all others. Those working for him were ruthless, yet held up a certain code of honor. Those falling under his now growing domain were forbidden to do certain despicable things. No rape, no human slave trade and nothing involving children. Sure, there were still drugs and muggings, but no mindless killings. Those breaking the code were disposed off, or conveniently ran into the hands of one of the new superheroes watching out over Maine. The Grim Reaper was a mystery. No one knew the man under the black, veiling hood. His face was always in shadows and only his eyes were at times visible, glowing like burning coals. An unholy black, flaming up with an orange-red glow. As if the eyes of the devil himself were measuring you. He frightened people like this, even more so with the abilities at his disposal. It was as if the very shadows obeyed him, cloaking him, aiding him and acting as his weapons. A second identity he had chosen was the exact opposite of this Grim Reaper. Matthew Scott was a handsome, young college student, attending the Arts faculty of the Maine University. He was also an orphan. Majoring in Philosophy, he was a congenial young man, active in several debate groups and one of the top students, acing each and every test. It was Matthew Scott that was his link to humanity, interacting with them, being one of them. And he definitely got things going well, as he had been dating a gorgeous brunette for the past couple of months. One that made keeping up his other identities incredible easy. Seems like she was a bit scatterbrained and took a lot on her fork with her studies, as she regularly had to cancel their dates. If he had been just a mortal human, he would have been offended. As it were, however, it offered him plenty of time to be the Grim Reaper or his third identity, one that seemed to grow rather popular as well. Mr. Black, a sort of magic user that dressed all in body-tight black leather and used a wand, which was ordinarily strapped to his wrist, unless he needed it for spell work. He had a variety of abilities thanks to his magic, like teleportation in a funky white cloud-like flash, firing a variety of curses and jinxes that had all sorts of devastating or funny effects on the people he hit and a variety of elemental abilities, though he toned a bit down on what exactly he was capable off, only using just as much power as was required to get the job done. And sometimes even less, so his partner in heroics, a certain Moira, could help him out. As a matter of fact… he allowed his invisibility spell to fade out as he was standing behind the heroine in question, just as she commented on him taking the day off. His black leather mask covered most of his face, except for his mouth and chin, as well as his spiky, black hair, tussled wildly by the wind at these heights. “Nah, I didn’t. I just like sneaking up on you”, he spoke from behind her, shattering the silence on the high rooftop. “So, any planned activities for the night, or are we just going to patrol a bit?” He asked her, the soulless white lenses of his mask gazing at her, while drinking in this beautiful super heroine. Hey, he might be an immortal being, and already dating someone, that didn’t mean he was blind to sexy women in revealing clothes! And she definitely had a body to get any man’s imagination running wild.‘Think about Add. You’ll be seeing her tomorrow. And perhaps, if we actually manage to get a date scheduled that isn’t cancelled, you can finally see about indulging in some more carnal pleasures’, he told himself. Even if they had been dating for months already, things between them remained rather ‘proper’. They were serious students and didn’t do much more exciting –physically-than making out on some couch. She gave out a yelp of surprise at the sudden voice coming behind her, ready to attack whoever it was until she realized it was none other than Mr. Black. Putting her palm over her chest she could feel her heartbeat racing at the surprise as she gave a half-hearted glare at her partner. "Stop sneaking up on me. You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days." The woman joked as she calmed down and flashed him a smile. Watching over the city could be lonely work so she was always happy to have some company with her. They may not have been partners for very long, but their fighting styles flowed well together, and they made a hell of a team. There had been times when she wanted to take a curious peek behind that mask of his but each time her common sense got the best of her. Their partnership worked better when they simply saw each other as heroes and not actual people who had normal lives outside the masks and leather. Too bad, from what she could see she wouldn't have minded taking a peek under his bodysuit." I heard a tip that the bank was in for a little visit from our criminal friends tonight. So for now I'm just scouting and waiting." She nodded her head towards the First National Bank of Maine which as located directly across the street from them. From their rooftop view they would be able to see anyone coming and going from the bank. It was locked up for the night and the security guards had gone which meant that it was a prime target for any criminals looking to get their hands on some cash and jewels. She was hoping that this wouldn't take very long so she could actually get some sleep and be well rested for tomorrow. Already she'd had to cancel three dates on Matthew and had been trying to think up some way to make it up to him. A home cooked meal and watching a movie on the couch should do the trick. Though she really had no intention of doing much watching. Absence made the heart grow fonder and Add had far too much energy build up inside of her from not being able to see him that she wanted to take care of. Right then a large black van pulled into the quiet street before turning right and parking into an ally by the bank. From her vantage point she could see four black shadows exit the van and start playing around with the side entrance before it suddenly released and they entered. "Well, looks like that's our cue." Moira said as she flashed Mr. Black another grin before leaping down from the roof and landing silently on the street. From the front windows she could see two of the figures was busy emptying out the cash drawers while the others had gone towards the back to unlock the vault and get their fingers on the safety deposit boxes. They were dressed completely in black with ski masks over their faces but from their build she could tell that they were men and seemed to be decidedly human. Between the two of them they'd make short work of the would-be bank robbers. Silently stepping through the door she stuck to the shadows of the wall while she waited for Mr. Black to follow suit. With her hand she gestured that she would take the two in the front and that he should go after the ones that were trying to break into the vault. Separating ways she ducked down under one of the teller's desks and watched the two men silently as they stuffed money into black bags as quickly as they could. "Didn't your mothers ever tell you to keep your hands to yourself?" Moira asked as the men turned to look at her. Quickly, they pulled out their guns and got ready to fire but not before she outstretched her hand and sent the desk flying towards them knocking them back against the wall. They were now pinned against the wall and the bags had fallen to the floor along with their guns. He just smirked at her in reply to her rebuke. “But I love sneaking up on you. You always make that adorable little squeak of surprise”, he teased her, before turning more serious. He could practically sense her checking him out, and he was definitely flattered by it. ‘Add! Think of Add!’ He reminded himself. As an immortal god of balance, he had the powers to get every girl he wanted, willing or unwilling. Still, he had chosen his three roles for the coming events, and he would stick to them strictly. And both Mr. Black and Matthew Scott were faithful men. As the Grim Reaper, he might flirt and play, but he would not go further with another woman. He wanted the full human superhero experience and that meant sticking with a sociably acceptable dating record. In layman’s terms: One girl at a time. Lucky him, he had found a regular hottie and got to work with more hotties in his other identities. Life as a mortal wasn’t so bad at all, he considered. He listened as she told him about the tip-off, before they settled in watching the bank. They didn’t have to wait long at all. Soon enough, four black-dressed thugs got in and started robbing the place. It was a good thing the bank was empty at this time of night. It spoke in their advantage they weren’t killers. Perhaps, Black mused, he should hire them once they got out of jail again. The Grim could always use competent personnel and these were obviously skilled, as they managed to get in without using weapons or tripping up alarms. It was just their bad luck one of their contacts had blabbed to a superhero. Immediately, Moira mixed herself up in the fight, facing the two that went for the main vault. Black, on the other hand, focussed on the other two that stood near the entrance, keeping an eye out. It was just Moira’s and his pure skill at stealth that had gotten them inside in the first place. Now, she used her telekinesis to kick some butt, while he just stepped into a lighter area of the bank. As soon as the two guards of the foursome heard the yelps and the desk crashing into their comrades, they turned and saw him. Smirking, Black just waved his hand and the pants of the left crook seemed to come alive and constricted him, leaving his legs bare and tying him up. The other one pulled out his gun, but with another wave of his hand, Mr. Black turned it into a rose, a rose that swayed and turned before spraying a cloud of chloroform in the crook’s face. He grinned as the two went down as easily as the two his partner dealt with. He loved using these little magic tricks. And the funniest part? No one suspected he was actually using real magic, while everyone tried to figure out how he did his tricks. Well… Moira might have her suspicions, or perhaps she even knew it was actual magic. She was very observant, in his opinion. Turning towards her, he smiled lightly, before saying, “Shall we go patrol now, my fearsome lady?” He bowed with a jaunty wave, before he turned into his whitish teleportation light cloud thing –it didn’t have a name, and he moved about like this because it looked cool-, as the white cloud of glowing energy he was now floated out of the bank, before flashing up, where he materialized on the highest rooftop of the street again, waiting for his companion.“Hey, come on, I don’t have all night!” He called out. “I have a hot date tomorrow and I want to be well-rested”, he said, reminding himself of Add and all the fun little things he was going to do with her. She had to admit that he had a pretty impressive way of dealing with the criminals. While her methods usually involved flinging them into walls, Mr. Black had a bit more finesse and showmanship in his work. For the longest time she kept looking for the mirrors or hidden wires that let him do the tricks that he did. Yet time and time again she couldn't figure out just how he pulled off his magic. Add had tried asking before, but a good magician never revealed his secrets, and she was left in the dark mulling it over while desperately trying to think up what technology he could have used to do what he did. The more time she spent with him the more she was convinced that there was something other than just sleight of hand involved. She was a human who could move objects with her mind so why would it be so impossible for her to believe that real magic could actually exist in the world. Making sure that all four robbers were down for the count she walked over to the wall where a fire alarm was placed. Giving the men a quick grin she pulled down the lever as a sharp wail echoed through the room and red lights started flashing. The fire department and police should be there in about five minutes giving her plenty of time to leave so they could arrest the men. They really would have to be more careful about who they told their schemes too because it had a way of getting back to the superheroes. Walking out of the building she followed the cloud of white energy to where it stopped atop the rooftops. Pointing her palms towards the ground, Add lifted herself up before bringing herself back down gently next to him on the roof. "You really are going to have to show me how you pull the magic cloud act one day." Add teased as she twisted her neck back and forth to get rid of the kink that had formed. Telekinesis took a lot out of her, and she was still having trouble with lifting heavier things. When she first started out it had mostly been moving paperclips or utensils, but now she had raised her max to 250 lbs. Unfortunately that wasn't where she wanted to be and there were plenty of times when she could have been a greater help if she could simply move more. It was all about practice and concentration, but she was starting to get tired of how slowly it was going." Oh, a hot date, huh? What are you going to do, cut her in half? Oh! Are you going to pull her out of your hat?" She was teasing him now, but it was weird to think that Mr. Black actually had a life outside of crime fighting. All she ever saw of him was his superhero persona and the fact that he actually had a social life reminded her that there was something under the mask." We can patrol for a bit more, but I think we can turn in early tonight. Things have been pretty quiet though I haven't heard anything about what the Reaper has been planning. Apparently the criminal underground is all abuzz with what the guy has up his sleeve. Some of the crime bosses aren't too happy that someone is muscling in on their territory." The crime world was a messy thing and now that someone new had shown up to claim the city things were getting even messier. She hadn't been able to get as much information on him as she would have liked and for the most part he was still a relative mystery. Still, if he was behind the trouble in their city then he would have to go down just like the rest of them. Hearing sirens close by as firetrucks and police vans circled the bank she couldn't help but give a small grin. "Well I think our job here is done. A little bit more, and we can call it a night." They had done good work, and already she was thinking about tomorrow night and her date with Matthew. She'd just have to send him a text inviting him over to her place for dinner and a movie. Of course, what happened the rest of the night was still in the air, but she really did want to make it up to him for missing all those dates of theirs. Mr. black just grinned at Moira as she inquired again about all his tricks. “Secret of the trade”, he whispered, just as he always did. But as she asked him about his teleportation in specific, his grin turned into a playful smirk as he told her, “It’s all smoke and mirrors, pretty girl, all smoke and mirrors.” He chuckled at the look she gave him, while they waited for the police to show up and take the thieves away. When she made conversation about his hot date comment, he smiled happily, thinking of Add. “Well, I am not going to cut her in half or pull her from my hat. She doesn’t even know I can do all these things and spent my night hanging out with you and fighting criminals. To her, I’m just your average Joe. A very handsome, charming, yet still average Joe”, he teased his companion. “I think we are just going for some dinner or something, but I intend for tomorrow night to have something more happen than just a good night kiss”, he admitted to his partner. And it was true. They had been going steady for months now, hanging out, dating, kissing, but never anything more. And in this human body, he was also subject to human impulses and hormones, like those screaming at him to get her out of her clothes and do all kinds of wicked and pleasurable things with her. And he didn’t mind such impulses at all. He had to suppress a smile, however, when she mentioned another identity of his. The Reaper. Well, in that guise, he was indeed slowly taking over the underworld. And the best thing? He could use his current role and his partner here, Moira, to make things easier there, but sending her after the Grim Reaper’s competition. Still, he would have to come up with a way for the two of them to face his other self in some sort of combat. That would be difficult. He had plenty of powers, but he’d rather not mess with time. Too much could get wrong and it really screwed with your memory. No, perhaps he would have to arrange a trap where Moira would run into the Grim by herself. And of course, she would get her ass mostly handed to her. He couldn’t let her win, but neither could he allow the Grim to be too powerful. It was all about balance. For there to be Good and Peace, there had to be Evil and Chaos. But if he controlled both, he could finally bring them in their supposed balance, instead of the scales tipping in the favor of Evil like they were now. As they spent a little more time patrolling the city, encountering nothing more than some annoying pickpockets, they called it a night and split up. Again, Mr. Black disappeared in his white teleportation cloud, flashing away virtually at the speed of light, only to reappear in his apartment as a very naked Matthew Scott. He stretched out, before he went to take a shower. He had a big day tomorrow. Or so he hoped. He still hadn’t heard from Adriana, and he wondered what it was that she got up to all these nights. The window opened by itself as the figure in black slid in and landed on the hardwood floor without a sound. Flipping on the light switch next to her dresser, Moira quickly looked around just to make sure that nothing was out of place. It was a hold over from the job that she had become a bit more paranoid than usual. Sure she had a mask and a secret identity but with all the criminals hanging around the city one could never be too careful. Someone could have tracked her and fond her returning to her apartment night after night. Sometimes she wished she could just disappear into a cloud of smoke like Mr. Black, but that little trick wasn't in her arsenal of powers. He said it was smoke and mirrors, but she really was beginning to have second thoughts about that explanation. She simply had a feeling that it had to be more than just a cheap illusion or a sleight of hand. Giving a short sigh, the woman peeled off her mask and dropped it in a box before taking off the black bodysuit and letting it fall next to the mask. The cool air on her naked skin felt good, and she couldn't wait to take a shower and wash off the night's grime. Crime fighting was messy work and running around in a black leather bodysuit didn't help one bit. It might have looked like a cool costume, but it had a habit of making her overheated. Maybe if she had some free time she would see about changing it to something a bit more useful if not flashier. She might have been a superhero, but that didn't mean Add didn't have a sense of vanity. Glancing at her bed, she could already envision wrapping herself up in the warm sheets and lulling into a deep slumber which brought a smile to her face. Unfortunately, that smile was soon wiped clean by the sight of her history book next to the report she still hadn't finished writing. "Oh come on! I just spent the whole night on patrol. Can't a girl catch a break?" Add grumbled to herself as she cast a glare at the innocent pieces of paper still waiting to be written on. Student, superhero, girlfriend; it was all becoming too much to bear. Actually, she had been neglecting a little part of her life. The fact that Matthew still put up with her even through the cancelled dates and weak excuses was a miracle, and she had been ignoring him for far too long. They'd been going out for months but had never had the chance to spend much quality time together because she was always running off or canceling last minute. There was no way she was going to mess up tomorrow's date, and she really would have to show him how much she appreciated that he put up with her crazy schedule. Grabbing her phone by her nightstand she quickly typed away on the keyboard and sent him a message hoping that she wasn't waking him up.' I know I blew off our last date, but I swear I'll make it up to you. What about dinner and a movie at my place around 7 pm? I'll make dinner if you bring the movie. And I'll make sure to have something extra special for you for desert. ;)Too Add'Hitting the send button she could only hope that he would be up for it. Putting her phone back down she grabbed her towel and made her way towards the bathroom ready to grab a quick shower before hitting the books. If she actually made it through this class with even a C it would be by some act of holy intervention because teachers weren't the type to accept crime fighting as an excuse for late assignments. Before he allowed sleep –a very human necessity, so he acquiesced to it- to overcome him, his cell phone vibrated and lit up, alerting him to a text message. Eagerly, he picked it up and read the message. He felt strangely happy, happier than he expected, to be hearing from Add again. And the promise implied in the text message had his blood pumping just that little bit harder and faster. Immediately, he sent a reply.‘Glad to hear from you. Dinner and a movie sounds great. I’ll be there at 7. Fast and Furious acceptable? That desert sounds very interesting. Looking forward to it. You do have a bit of making up to do ;)Xxx, Matt’He grinned, rereading the message, before clicking the send button. Placing the phone down again, he laid back on the pillow and allowed his mind to wander of into dreamland, filled with images of Adriana, how they met, how they had their first kiss, how things grew hot and heavy between them at times and of course, her infernal pulling back just when things got interesting, because of some sort of emergency. Sometimes, he had been worried he had been pushing her too far, explaining why she cancelled so many of their dates in the recent weeks. Then again, up till the emergency came up, she always appeared to be into him as much as he was into her. He guessed that even for Gods of Death and Balance like him, women would always remain a mystery. Besides, he had a good feeling about the date tomorrow. It would work out great, and they would spend a lot of quality time and have a nice dessert. He would make sure of it. The next day, he went through his classes on automatic pilot. During the breaks, he occasionally teleported away, acting as the elusive Grim Reaper, setting things in motion. Some of his minions were positioned to free the thieves he had captured together with Moira last night. They had been too skilled to allow them to rot in some unpleasant correctional facility. And the Grim needed the man power for when the battle for control over the underworld would start. Hours later, he was back in his flat as Matthew Scott. Taking a fresh shower, he dressed up in a pants and shirt ensemble he knew Add liked on him. And 7pm on the dot, he knocked on her door, top buttons of his shirt undone, revealing a well sculpted chest, showing a megawatt smile and carrying the movie for the night under his arm, though he had no intention of actually watching much of it. He was too eager to be with Add, to touch her and kiss her, to pay attention to any movie at all. As the door swung open, he stepped closer, greeting her, “Good evening, beautiful”, he complimented her, before stealing a deep, passionate kiss, long and deep enough to have his taste linger on his lips, before he broke it. “What’s for dinner? It smells great”, he told her, holding her in a half-way embrace with one arm, distracting her with his question, before he leaned closer and whispered almost seductively, “Do you have any idea how much I missed you?” Hearing a knock at the door she quickly finished plating the food and walked over to the mirror in the hallway to make sure she was still looking okay. After turning in her report and sleeping through the rest of her classes Adriana had made sure to look extra special for the night. Her hair was hanging loosely around her shoulders as she brought a hand to her dress in order to smooth out any wrinkles. The dress itself was a little red one she kept in her closet that she hadn't had a chance to show off to Matthew yet given all the distractions. It stopped halfway down her thigh showing off long legs that were enclosed in black stockings. It also had a deep plunging neckline giving an eyeful of her other assets. At least with all the surrounding running did at night she didn't have to hit the gym very often. Opening the door with a big grin on her face she opened the door and was met with a very handsome looking Matthew making her wonder just why she hadn't been spending more time with him. The kiss caught her by surprise, but she fell into it pressing her lips against his and wrapping her hands around his waist enjoying the feeling of having him so close to her. As he pulled away she could still smell his cologne and feel the lingering heat on her lips. It was times like this where she missed being normal and being able to experience this closeness more often without having to distract herself whenever trouble was near. Hearing him speak, she looked up at him sheepishly knowing that she hadn't really been playing the part of an attentive girlfriend as of late. "I know, I'm sorry. I promise that tonight I'm all yours." Add said as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before taking his hand in her own and pulling him out of the hallway and towards the living room where she had set up their dinner." As for the food, I'll make sure to give Mr. Chen the compliment. The pasta I had planned on making ended up meeting an unspeakable fate and has been properly buried in the trash can. I hope you don't mind Chinese." Add said over her shoulder as she sat him down on the plushy couch and brought a plate over to him. "I did manage to plate it myself and I even picked out some wine." She said with a proud grin as she handed him the wine bottle and glasses. Cooking was not the girl's strong suit and while the pasta had seemed simple enough she had managed to distract herself causing it to be cooked into a gelatinous mess which was better suited as a weapon then food. Add had a habit of using her telekinetic abilities when cooking so whenever she got distracted the wrong ingredients ended up being used and abused. Luckily the Golden Wok restaurant down the block managed to deliver even on such short notice. They were all to familiar with her failed kitchen experiments. Bringing over the rest of the dishes, she set them down on the table in front of them before taking the DVD out of its case and slipping it into the DVD player before turning on the TV. She had an inkling that they wouldn't but watching much of it anyway. Taking her own wine glass she turned around and took a seat on his lap she made herself at home as she squirmed a bit to get in a better position. One arm was wrapped gently around the back of his neck as she crossed one leg over the other on top of him. "Cheers." Add said as she raised her glass towards him before taking a small sip and placing it back down on the table. It was moments like this that almost made her life feel normal. Being a superhuman came with a price and when she was younger she had often times thought herself to be a bit of a freak because of her abilities. So she had a habit of clinging to those few moments where she could be just another normal girl living a normal life." I've missed you too." Add said gently as she leaned down and placed a small kiss on his lips while her hand played with his hair. The city could take care of itself for one night while she took the opportunity to enjoy a well deserved break. If he had just been what he appeared to be, Matt might have felt guilty. After all, here he was, Matthew Scott, spending a night with his girlfriend, instead of playing the heroic Mr. Black out there, saving the city from miscreants and rising evil. The fact that he, too, was part of that rising crime and evil was negligible. No, tonight, he would leave things to Moira for once or perhaps people just had to look out for themselves, instead of doing foolish things like walking in dark, desolate alleys. He leaned up into the kiss, his arms going around his sexy girlfriend, pulling her closer and closer in his lap. He deepened the kiss, desire stirring in him like he had never felt in his thousands of years of existence. These mortal bodies certainly had their advantages. He felt her lips molding to his, his tongue probing out softly, teasing her, tasting her, before entering her mouth, finding her own tongue. The kiss kept deepening till all thought of food or movies had left his mind and he was making out with his girlfriend on her couch. His hands rested on her back, trailing up and down slowly, caressing and massaging her. When he finally broke the kiss, he felt flushed and so hot. His body was simmering with hormones, arousal and lust, his fully grown erection pressing against her leg as she was sitting in his lap. “Wow”, he muttered… “That was a good way to start making up”, he murmured in a daze, still getting accustomed to all these overwhelming sensations and struggling with this fierce desire to rip off her clothes and do all kinds of wicked things with Adriana. Tonight had started out pretty perfect. And suddenly, Matt remembered her promise that she was all his for the night. Looking at her, his eyes darkened with arousal for this gorgeous woman, he suddenly felt himself smiling seductively.“Now, before you run away on some strange errand again, how are you going to prove your promise true? How are you going to prove you are all mine tonight, Add?” he asked her, almost challenging her, with a playful, yet seductive tone in his voice. The girl wrapped her hands around his neck and pushed her body close to his as she felt his tongue entwine with her own as they teased and tasted each other. She could already feel a warmth coming over her body as her lips played with his feeling the heat radiate off of him as the blood rushed to her cheeks causing the girl to flush a pale pink. Pulling back she let out a small gust of breath as her mind plunged into a haze of lust and hormones that were threatening to spill out over her body. It had been so long since the last time they'd had an opportunity to show a level of intimacy that Add found herself missing it. There was something very different between a quick kiss after class and being able to explore each other at their leisure." I'm glad you approve." The girl said with a sly smile as she ran her fingers through his hair letting the soft strands slip through them. His hands on her body sent sparks of energy flying through her making her feel even hotter still as she started breathing heavily. She shifted on his lap and could feel something hard pushing up against her leg making her break out into a wicked grin knowing that he was just as excited as she was. Even with how long they had been dating they still hadn't reached that level of intimacy yet which had been driving her crazy. Every time it seemed like they were finally going to have sex she'd get pulled away by someone trying to rob a bank or a criminal threatening to blow up city hall. She might have been a superhero, but she was also a fully functioning woman with a boyfriend she really would have liked to get better acquainted with." I thought ordering dinner and getting all cozy was how I was going to prove it." Add teased as she shifted in his lap again rubbing her bottom against the mound in his pants. "Did you want something else?" Add whispered seductively in his ear before she gave it a small lick. Even with his shirt on she could already feel the hard muscles underneath begging for her to run her hands over them teasing and taunting him. There was just something about Matt that made keeping her hands off of him damn near impossible and now that she had a night off she planned on indulging in all the build up lust they'd had over the past few months. Turning around she picked up a dumpling in between her fingers and held it out to him as if to feed him. "Although if you don't want dinner, there is always desert." She said huskily as she leaned down and started placing small kisses on his neck. "I have strawberries, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and even ice cream." As she started listing off the various food items her hand had already found its way under his shirt as she pressed her palm against his skin exploring his chest with her hand. Her eyes were heavy with arousal as she licked at his neck before blowing a cool stream of air on the wet skin. Being near him, smelling him, touching him was driving her crazy with a need to be even closer. Sucking softly on the nape of his neck she finally pulled back so she could stare down into his eyes with a positively wicked smile playing on his lips. "Of course....if you don't want any of those things, there is always me." She chuckled as she stretched out on leg and rubbed against him once more. He chuckled when she told him how this dinner and getting cozy was her way of making up. Matthew just looked up at her and smirked, saying, “No, no, that is just the regular date. You have to do a lot more than that to make up for the fact I didn’t see you for a week!” Immediately afterward, his eyes rolled heavenward, and he groaned loudly, his hips bucking out of his control as she ground into his erection with her tight bum. He almost mewled impotently as she leaned in and whispered in his ear about how he wanted something else. The lick that followed sent an electrifying tingle through his body and caused his erection t throb again. Uurgh. She was driving him crazy and he couldn’t stop it. More, he didn’t want to stop her. If his fellow Gods could see him now. The mighty, omniscient God of Death reduced to an almost whimpering little form at the mercy of a mortal woman. And yet, he didn’t care. He only wanted more of his Add. He bit and chewed on the offered dumpling, while his eyes didn’t leave her. They were almost burning with his desire for her and with the cool intent of the God inside this body, assessing her, deeming her worthy and wanting her with every fiber of his being. At first, he was holding back, aware of the human morals and rules when it came to dating and even when it came to sex. But when she started mentioning dessert, he imagined her covered in the variety of sweet stuffs she was mentioning. It was straining his self-control and fuelling his arousal. But it didn’t end there. She started softly suckling his neck, before offering a wicked smile that had him bucking again. And when she moved, his control snapped. His hands gripped her more tightly, before he stood up and pushed her back, lifting her with him, till she almost slammed into the nearest wall. With a savage lust, he kissed her, hard and deep. Their lips almost bruised together, while his tongue claimed dominance over her mouth. He kissed her like he had never kissed her before, pressing his entire body against her. Being a God had its advantages. His body had been sculpted to male perfection, and she could feel it, captured between his almost steel-like muscles and the hard wall. And his long, hard erection pressed into her, rubbing up and down against her core while he kissed her, almost devouring her with passion. When he finally broke the kiss, his eyes were almost black with pent-up lust, and he almost growled at her, “I want you Adriana. I want you now. I want you to get naked and to undress me. And then, you are going to take me to your bedroom, or the other nearest surface, and you are going to take me inside of you. But before you do so, you are going to ask me to finally take you…” he almost ordered her, his voice thick with desire and seduction, his eyes drilling into hers, while his erection throbbed between her legs. To say she was surprised at what had happened would have been an understatement. With all her time dating Matt she'd never seen him act so aggressively before so when he pushed her up against the wall and kissed her, Add didn't put up any resistance and instead melted into him. His lips pushed hard against her own and try as she might her tongue was pinned back by his in a show of dominance. Matt had never acted like this before, and she suddenly found herself breathing heavily while her heart pumped furiously at the excitement. His voice was so rough and filled with lust that it sent a shiver down her spine as she bit down on her quivering lip trying to calm herself down. Even through her dress she could feel his erection rubbing up against her making her body feel hot as she struggled to suppress a small moan that threatened to spill from her lips. Add had been having far too much fun teasing him, and she'd never expected him to react so forcefully. Now that he had, every fiber of her being was on edge as she could feel her own excitement building. When he told her what he wanted she cheeks immediately flushed red at the thought. Her own eyes were hazy with lust, and she knew she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Pinned against the wall she looked up into his eyes as her hands wrapped around his shoulders pulling his head closer to her. "Matt...please, I want you inside of me. It's been too long, take me." Her own voice was hoarse with desire as her chest rose and fell heavily while she struggled to maintain any control over herself. Her hands gripped on his shoulders pulling him towards her as she stole another kiss and rubbed her body against his hard erection. Already Add could feel herself getting wet from the pent-up desire that was flooding over her body. Pulling back, she held onto the shoulders of her dress before pushing it down until it landed on the floor pooled around her feet. Underneath she was wearing a pair of black lace panties with a matching bra that barely covered her ample breasts. Her stockings were attached to a garter belt that hugged her slender waist and showed off her feminine curves. Pushing her hair over her shoulder she turned slightly so he could see her back where her bra was clasped. "Could you help me out of this, please?" Add said in a soft voice as she once ore rubbed her body against his. They were kissing, heatedly, sending more and more desire and lust racing through his body. It showed in his ever-increasing arousal, till his cock was almost bursting apart, so hard and large it was, rubbing against her as she ground her tight, surprisingly strong body against his. She was fitter than he had expected from looking at her, seeing she was or appeared just an almost clumsy, distracted college student. And he returned those kisses with equal vigor, pressing her back against the wall harder, holding her his captive as they almost devoured each other in a passionate dance of tongues and lips till he almost growled at the back of his throat. Gods had nothing like this. Sure, there was some kind of ecstasy, but it came from a difficult to explain communing between close friends of opposite genders and from eating and drinking ambrosia and nectar, the food of the Gods. This was so much better however, and he could understand why some of his Greek colleagues preferred to stalk the earth in a human form, to indulge in this kind of pleasures. He felt so out of control, yet he felt determined and tightly holding the reins over his body as he guided himself closer and closer to him, driven by the instincts and hormones of this mortal body. When she finally asked him what he demanded, and offered herself, revealing a set of lingerie that had his cock throbbing even harder with eagerness and his entire body flushing with the ever-growing, almost feral desire, he stepped back a little and looked at her, from face to feet and back up, lingering on her hinted at, barely hidden assets. The stockings added a certain something that made the brunette beauty even more irresistible and had him wanting to tear off everything and get to it, get to what they were working towards. Instead, he restrained himself, mostly and stepped closer again, behind her, reaching out with suddenly clumsy fingers, twiddling with the clasp, before unhooking it. Seeing more skin, he finally regained all of his confidence. Dropping the bra, he pressed close, her bare back against the shirt covering his chest as his arms went around her. He kissed her shoulder, his lips nuzzling and teasing the nape of her neck, as his hands cupped her now bare, full breasts. He started massaging them, exploring them curiously and intensely, before the tips of his fingers found her nipples. With twirls, flicks and small brushes of his fingertips, he coaxed them to hardness, before one hand drifted lower and lower.“You are so beautiful and sexy, Add. And I am going to take you now. But keep the stockings on.” He felt almost on fire with lust now, his movements becoming almost aggressive in a primal, urgent way, his left hand still teasing her nipple, his right hand cupping her panties before he clasped it and ripped it off, dropping the torn black lace to the floor. Though out of her sight, his magic was already knitting it back together. His fingers brushed over her surprisingly wet pussy, before he pressed her against the wall again. The fingers left her pussy and undid his pants with urgency, revealing a long, hard cock. Pulling her hips back slightly, he thrust forward, burying his entire length inside of her from behind, before he placed both his hands on her breasts again. Leaning forward, feeling in control and liking it, he whispered huskily, “I am inside of you at last. Now, you are going to move against me and fuck yourself to a climax, Add…” Things had changed dramatically in a short period of time, but now she found herself completely lost in the heat and passion of it all as it flowed through her blood and took over every part of her being. Having his lips against her bare skin sent a shiver down her back as his hands played with her and teased her causing her to bite her lips as she tried desperately to suppress a low moan. Her whole body was on fire now as it reacted to his slightest touch causing her to arch her back against him pushing her even closer to him. This was very different from their other dates and the longer she spent with him the more she found herself craving his touch. Addy let out a small squeal as he ripped off her panties, but she was far too concerned with other things to wonder what had happened to them. Matt now had her naked, besides the stockings, and pressed up against the wall and that sheer thought made her body tremble against his. As she heard the tell-tale sign of pants being undone a smile spread across her lips as her breathing became more labored from anticipation alone. Everything about this was all so primal that it was making her stand on edge caught between the wall and Matt's hard body." Ah... Matt." Add moaned as she felt him thrust forward and bury himself inside of her. It was all so animalistic that she felt a sudden rush flow through her body making her push against him involuntarily as her body tried to accommodate the invading object. She closed her eyes as she felt his hands on her breasts toying with her already hardened nipples while her body convulsed around him tightening around the hard length and pushing him in deeper still. The fire in her stomach was spreading all over and her mind was becoming hazy as all she thought about was fucking him." As you wish...sir." She added the last part with a small smirk as his breath teased her skin and his tone drew her deeper into bliss. This Matt was very different from the one who helped her with her notes and she found herself being drawn closer and closer to him. Reaching her hands behind his neck she turned her own head so she could pull him down until their lips met as she kissed him hard and passionately wanting to taste every part of him. Her own tongue brushed against his lips as she stood up on her toes trying to get better leverage against him. Lifting herself up a bit she slammed back down again impaling herself on his shaft causing electric pleasure to course through her whole body. Her hips bucked up and down as she moved against him with her ass pressing against his chest as she placed her hands on the wall in front of her and used it to push her body against his own driving him deeper into his core. Her warm folds greedily clung to his shaft willing him deeper still as she started moving against him faster and faster swerving her hips as she moaned once more.

It's a bird! It's a plane! [ Letrie & Arkaniel ]|rating:4.0

Cassess City of Nets IC pages 20-40

Initiative Round Character Action15 1 Mara Toss Acid Flask15 1 Gurley Hold Action13 1 Ethel Fire Arrow12 1 Than throw alchemist fire8 1 Tag Bless7 1 Reagan Hammer Throw5 1 Melissa Mage Armour5 1 Argent Defensive stance[IOC] still waiting on action for Ethel - but he did say that he was going to be sporadic whilst he was in France. Therefore, I'm going to assume he fires one of his fire damaging arrows and roll on his behalf.[/IOC]Ethel attack (d20+9)[21] damage (1d6)[1] flame Three quarters of the shambling group rush forwards coming into view around the corner (Position XX) Mara's flask of acid sails towards the group, but glances off the shoulder of her target before shattering against the rough rock wall of the natural passageway. Most of the group continue on, but two of the shambling creatures stop and peer in the direction the flask came from, sniffing to try and locate the source. Relgan's hammer moves swiftly towards the packed group, but snags in a tattered cloak of one of the creatures before returning to him. The elvish archer leans to one side as one of the group lets forth a massive roar of rage, cool sending a shaft into its open mouth with pinpoint accuracy. It's snaps back as the shaft lodges, but the oil fails to light properly only doing minimal damage. The creature stops however trying to remove the annoying shaft and is trampled by the group behind it. Thamyn also tosses a flask of alchemist fire from Ara's pack (I rolled for him IRL), which lands true striking the lead creature in the face, and splattering the rest with drops of flame which they ignore in their headlong rush. Two of the creatures, including the one whose hair is aflame move in his direction.[IOC] There are five undead that will hit the first rank (Than, Gurley, Argent, Reagan, Tag) the next round. Remember that their Initiatives were well rolled with 22,20,20,19,16,16,12,3, so most of the group will act before you [/IOC] Damn... Mara, now visible, draws he bow and notches an arrow. Might not hurt much, but it's better than twiddling my thumbs. She fires at one of the zombies who turn towards her, hoping to at least distract it from her friends. Spoiler Show (1d20+7)[26] to hit, (1d4)[3] damage damn undead. Also, if there's time in the round, she will try to Scotch so that if her potion wears off she doesn't take a nasty drop. @PPPPick one of the initiatives that you are targeting, so I can keep a running total on damage Melissa steadies her crossbow and takes aim at the slowest of the staggering corpses (the Unit 3 one), using her 5' step to get an unobstructed shot at it if necessary. She pulls the trigger, sending the magical bolt on its way, then draws its brother from her quiver and reloads the crossbow. Spoiler Show [IOC] I'm assuming that next round the first bolt will return, and she can pick it up and use it to reload after her next shot, using each bolt every other round until she stops shooting; let me know if I'm confused ;) Crossbow shot: (1d20+2)[8] Bolt damage: (1d8)[8] Flame damage: (1d6+2)[7] [/IOC] Spoiler Show Prepared Spells: 0: Resistance, Detect Magic x2, Message 1: Ray of Enfeeblement, Color Spray, Magic Weapon 2: Protection From Arrows, Extended Protection from Evil, Extended Magic Weapon Active Effects: Mage Armor (CL3), AC 15 Current HP: 9 Originally Posted by Jag @PPP Pick one of the initiatives that you are targeting, so I can keep a running total on damage Spoiler Show which initiatives looked at Mara? One of them, doesn't matter which. With a snarl at the mass of vile corruption lumbering towards him, Reagan lashes out at the two closest with hammer and ax. Hammer Attack on Initiative 21:(1d20+6)[18], damage on contact:(1d8+3)[8]+(1d6)[5]fire damage (separated in case they have some sort of resistance). Dwarven War axe Attack on first Initiative 20:(1d20+5)[19], damage on contact:(1d10+1)[8] [IOC]Also, add +1 to each of Reagan's attack rolls... I forgot to calculate in the Bless buff.[/IOC]Argent:The name of Moran erupting from his lips, Argent steps forward to wade into the coming mass of undead next to his brother-in-arms, his Warhammer swinging. Primary Hammer Attack on 2nd Unit. 20:(1d20+13)[21], damage on contact:(1d8+3)[9]Secondary Hammer Attack on same or Unit 19 if other has fallen:(1d20+8)[9], damage:(1d8+3)[4] Originally Posted by lotofsnow [IOC]Also, add +1 to each of Reagan's attack rolls... I forgot to calculate in the Bless buff.[/IOC] [IOC]Same here... so Melissa hits AC 9 instead of 8.[/IOC] (me too. +1 to attack roll) [IOC] Apologies for the delay guys.[/IOC]22,20,20,19,16,16,12,3{table]Initiative| Round| Character| Action22|2|Undead 1|Attack20|2|Undead 2|Attack20|2|Undead 3|Attack19|2|undead 4|Attack16|2|Undead 5|Attack16|2|Undead 6|Attack15|2|Mara| Shoot Arrow15|2|Gurley|Attack undead13|2|Ethel|Fire Arrow12|2|Than|throw alchemist fire12|2|Undead 7|Assist other8|2|Tag| XX7|2|Reagan|Attack Zombies5|2|Melissa|Shoot Bolt5|2|Argent|Attack Undead3|2|Undead 8|Attack[/table]Um I'm still missing Tag's Action for round 2!! Undead 1 Attack - Reagan(d20+2)[16]damage(d6+1)[7]Undead 2 Attack - Argent(d20+2)[9]damage(d6+1)[4]Undead 3 Attack - Gurley(d20+2)[12]damage(d6+1)[5]Undead 4 Attack - Than(d20+2)[3]damage(d6+1)[7]Undead 5 Attack - Tag(d20+2)[14]damage(d6+1)[2]Undead 6 Attack - Melissa(d20+2)[4]damage(d4+1)[5]Mara Shoot Arrow HITGurlen Attack(d20+3)[6]Damage(d8+3)[10]Ethel Fire Arrow(d20+9)[20]damage(d6+1)[3]Than dagger attack(d20+2)[5]damage(d4)[2]Undead 7 Assist otherTarg Reagan Attack Zombies Hit HitIelisia Shoot Bolt Miss Argent Attack Undead Hit Miss Undead 8 Attack - Mara(d20+2)[7]damage(d6+1)[5][IOC] Gas crap rolls! Wow, that took a long time to type out. Pasteur you haven't warned you would be unable to post...please post immediately what your action is, or you will lose it. [/IOC]The shambling undead rush forward like a breaking wave. But like a wave their momentum is shattered by the solid dwarf presence at the front of the group. The roars of the undead are drowned out by an answering roar from Argent and the other dwarfs, lashing forwards with their weapons and cutting deeply into the undead, as the undead attempt to grapple and bite with the group. Relgan's weapons appear particularly devastating. His magically enhanced weapon, delivers a thundering blow that splits open the corpse that drops tonelessly to the ground. He then swings his second weapon that bursts into flame as it descends into the body of another undead, breaking away the shoulder completely and driving the corpse into the passage wall where it remains still. Mara delivers another arrow into the undead that is beginning to reach for her, but it appears to do little damage as two of the undead team up to try and reach her position. As one lifts the other who swipes and misses at Mara, another arrow from Ethel flashes past the front line and strikes expertly in the knee of the creature at the bottom. They collapse together in a tangled mess. Gurlen strikes bravely with his axe, but doesn't fell his opponent, whose ripped and torn chain mail appears to have given it some sort of protection. Argent, takes the attack of the undead on his shield and lashes out with his weapon, the force of his blow clubbing the undead to the ground and breaking it's back in a single blow, his riposte however is fouled as the hammer head doesn't release cleanly and the undead to his right is able to dodge the blow. An undead at the back is blocked, and throws a large sword over the heads of the dwarves at Melissa, but the ungainly flight of the huge weapon means it smashes heavily into the wall next to the half elf. Melissa responds with a bolt that passes through the hair of it's intended target and just misses. Melissa prepares to draw back the string, and is amazed to see that the string and arms of the crossbow pull back as the bolt reappears in the stock. An undead lashes out at Than, but the rogue is too fast. Than lashes out with his own dagger, but misses just before Reagan's riposte destroys the creature. "Hey that was my one." Space left for Tag action[IOC] Techno - take a bonus 25 exp for being the only one who did as they were told - making it easy for me to see your a/c, hit points, etc. Hint guys [/IOC] [IOC] Tag round 2 action [\IOC]Attacking undead 5Warhammer(1d20+7)[26]Damage(1d8+2)[5][IOC] Sorry on the delay work was killing my time yesterday. My combat stats have been in my spoiler tag on the SIG [\IOC] [IOC] Guys, apologies for the delay - I have an exam coming up and haven't had much time lately[/OCC]Tag smashes his hammer into the undead in front of his who seem reluctant to engage with the dwarves cleric. It fails to fell the foul creature however, and it resumes its attack. Round three actions guys.@relganSpoiler Show Reagan - you can make to those that are threatening Mara with a charge [IOC]Good luck on your exam![/IOC]As the undead he was engaging fall before him, Reagan spies a path to Mara and the foes who have her cornered. After a quick glance at Argent, motioning to him to hold the line, Reagan plunges toward the whisper gnome, putting the weight of his great charge behind a blow to one of the undead attempting to reach her. Hammer Attack on Undead 8:(1d20+11)[31], Damage on contact:(1d8+3)[8]+(1d6)[1]Fire... Critical, that makes it 16 regular +1 fire damage![IOC]Let me just make sure I figured the charging attack bonus right. +3 base +3 strength +1 MW +1 Wear Focus +2 Charge +1 Bless = +11 [/IOC] [IOC] Tag round three action, undead 5 again. I just had my midterm exam, so I was in the same boat. [\IOC]Seeing that his foe did not drop on that well-placed hit he winds up to deliver another. "Go down ye stinking, maggot infested thing ya!!" Warhammer(1d20+7)[9]Damage(1d8+2)[8] Originally Posted by lotofsnow [IOC]Good luck on your exam![/IOC] As the undead he was engaging fall before him, Reagan spies a path to Mara and the foes who have her cornered. After a quick glance at Argent, motioning to him to hold the line, Reagan plunges toward the whisper gnome, putting the weight of his great charge behind a blow to one of the undead attempting to reach her. Hammer Attack on Undead 8: [roll0], Damage on contact: [roll1] + [roll2] Fire... Critical, that makes it 16 regular +1 fire damage! [IOC]Let me just make sure I figured the charging attack bonus right. +3 base +3 strength +1 MW +1 Wear Focus +2 Charge +1 Bless = +11 [/IOC] Looks good, but you need to confirm that CRT for me. Originally Posted by Jag Looks good, but you need to confirm that CRT for me. [IOC]Hahaha...oops.[/IOC]To confirm critical:(1d20+11)[15] Melissa smiles grimly as the crossbow reloads itself, and raises it back to her shoulder. She takes aim again, ignoring the large chunk of steel that so rudely crashes into the wall nearby to fire at the undead creature that threw it.[IOC]Hit:(1d20+3)[15]Damage:(1d8)[2]Fire damage:(1d6+2)[5][/IOC]Spoiler Show Prepared Spells: 0: Resistance, Detect Magic x2, Message 1: Ray of Enfeeblement, Color Spray, Magic Weapon 2: Protection From Arrows, Extended Protection from Evil, Extended Magic Weapon Active Effects: Mage Armor (CL3), AC 15 Current HP: 9 Ethel fires off another arrow at the shambling horde. An uncustomary snarl figures his face. RollsSpoiler Show Comp. Longbow(1d20+9)[12] Damage (1d10+3)[11] Spoiler Show AC 22 HP 18 I am in Brussels right now, and the keyboard is most definitely not qwerty. It is instead AZERTY. It is very annoying, this keyboard. Spoiler Show AC 21 HP 21 Seeing Reagan risk life and limb for her, Mara draws back on her bows and sends an arrow at the same dead figure, hoping to put it down for good. Spoiler Show (1d20+3)[16] to hit, with -4 penalties, (1d4)[4] damage [IOC] Hi players! Life has been extremely busy for me. Too busy. Until my course is finished (29th November) I need to have a brief hiatus - my apologies - just wanted to update all of you. Apologies for delays [/IOC] Undead 1 Squished Undead 2 Squished Undead 3 Attack - Gurley(d20+2)[20]damage(d6+1)[6]Undead 4 Squished Undead 5 Attack - Tag(d20+2)[8]damage(d6+1)[6]Undead 6 Attack - Argent(d20+2)[3]damage(d6+1)[2]Mara Shoot Arrow HITGurlen Attack(d20+3)[6]damage(d8+3)[4]Ethel Fire Arrow - misshapen attack(d20+2)[9]damage(d4)[4]Undead 7 Attack - Reagan(d20+2)[17]damage(d4)[1]Tag - MissRelgan Attack Zombie Hit CriticalIelisia Shoot Bolt hit Argent Attack Undead(d20+8)[24]damage(d8+8)[12]2nd attack(d20+8)[11]damage(d8+3)[10]Undead 8 Attack - Reagan(d20+2)[17]damage(d6+1)[6] In the confusion of battle it's sometimes hard to keep an eye on everyone. Which is why it seems that Reagan doesn't notice that the undead attacking Gurley is winning when he rushes to assist Mara. The undead attacks Gurley, and rips off his shield before sinking its teeth into his arm, Than steps across and tries to distract the creature but is unsuccessful as Gurley stiffens and falls prone. The undead that had thrown the sword at Melissa steps up to attack Argent, raking his hands across his chest ineffectually before Argent unloads a devastating blow smashing the undead into the wall with a "splotch' sound. He turns to assist Gurley but misses with his swing, leaving the undead untouched. Targ seems to be having trouble as well, missing the undead facing him, but manages to keep the creature at bay. Relgan charges across to where Mara is perched and being pressed by two undead, as he closes one of the undead lashes out, the blow striking his helm but not doing any damage. Reagan spins, putting momentum into the blow that crashes into the chest of the undead, crushing sternum, ribs and cracking the spine in one blow. The second undead strikes, but also is ineffective at attacking the powerful dwarves fighter. Mara helps, an arrow striking almost straight down through the top of the skull driving the undead to his knees before it topples boneless to one sideIelisia and Ethel target the undead that is facing Gurley. The magical bolt of Melissa is faster than the arrow of Ethel, striking the undead just below the ear, and snapping its head back just enough that the arrow fired by Ethel passes harmlessly by.[IOC] Ok there is only 1 undead left (Tag's) I'm going to assume that everyone gets the beat on him (he only has a couple of hit points left anyway) I've decided that instead of death of Than, he's going to carry the wounded Gurley back towards the city and meet the army on the way. I'll wait for you guys to post before doing this, however. [/IOC] Tag hurries over to Gurley's side and fumbles in his pack for a slender wand. Muttering the activation command he has the wands healing magic help out the wounded dwarf.[IOC] Wand of healing(1d8+1)[5][\IOC]"That should help him until he gets better help." He puts the wand away and relies his hammer and shield. (glad to see you back, Jag)Damn! Mara turns from her kill just in time to see one of the beasts viciously bite into Gurley. She fires an arrow at it, despair filling her heart. A thunderous voice, so foreign from her own soft one, seems to echo in her mind. You would have been fine! Those undead couldn't have reached you! And when you pulled Reagan away from Gurley, he fell! It's your fault! The excitement of battle drops from her face as these dark thoughts swirl in her mind like storm clouds. It's all my fault... Spoiler Show Attack (1d20+8)[24] and (1d4)[1] damage. [IOC] As I said only 1 left, and he only has a couple of hit points PPP. Let's see if this works... Sweeeet. You guys are located at F -18. What now troops? [/IOC]Spoiler Show As the last of the undead falls, Reagan moves closer to Gurley to inspect the wounded dwarf. To Tag he says, Gurlen seems stable enough, but is that wound beyond your skill to heal? After noticing that the remaining undead have been taken care of, Tag sets down his weapon and sailed to get a better look at Gurley." I Diana think so cousin, but I Diana want to exhaust me gift to keep him going wit more O' those around. This may be time fer him ta head back." He slides off his heavy gauntlets, gives Gurley a drink from his skin and mutters a prayer while examining his wounds.[IOC] Healing Check(1d20+5)[11][\IOC]Spoiler Show If Tag thinks Gurley needs more healing to stabilize him he will use his wand again. If not then ignore the wand roll. Wand of healing (1d8+1)[9] Melissa walks over to one of the creatures and prods it carefully with one foot, her crossbow aimed at its head." Foul things. Such an inelegant tool, necromancy." She watches as Gurley is tended to and he and Than head back towards the surface, her face unreadable. Losing our guide will slow us down, she worries to herself. She can feel the seconds and minutes slipping by, a rush of water around her feet that she can no more stop than make a river stand still. Spoiler Show Prepared Spells: 0: Resistance, Detect Magic x2, Message 1: Ray of Enfeeblement, Color Spray, Magic Weapon 2: Protection From Arrows, Extended Protection from Evil, Extended Magic Weapon Active Effects: Mage Armor (CL3), AC 15 Current HP: 9 Mara eases herself down, and immediately stands to the side, watching Gurley breathe weakly as Tag examines his wounds. A grim look covers her face like a mask, but the pain of being responsible for his hurt ripped through her insides like a knife. She had known this dwarf for only a short time, but she knew enough about him to know he didn't deserve this. Now he lay, his life in the balance, and she felt that it was all due to her. If I wasn't so weak Reagan could have held the line and kept Gurley out of it. It's my fault he's hurt. Why am I SO WEAK! Unable to hide her feelings, she turns to the stone cavern wall and pounds her fist against it, a sob pulling at her heart strings. But she keeps silent, however. Always silent. [IOC] Apologies guys the silly season is catching up with me. My wife's Xmas party, my Xmas party, my team Xmas party, drinks with friends...you get the picture. Anywho sorry for the delay[/IOC]Gurley gets to his feet slowly after Tag's healing spell, shaking his head to try and clear it." You need to go back and get a cure disease." Argent says. "One of us should go with him." Argent says looking around the group. Than steps forwards with a deep sigh. "I'll take him. I wasn't much good back in that fight." he says morosely. After the two of them leave, the group walks further down the gallery. You reach a long straight gallery that fades into the sparse light on the tunnels (k19). The occasional boulder sits in the middle of the gallery jutting up from the floor. No further sign of undead can be seen as the group moves forwards cautiously, weapons at the ready. Up ahead you can see the start of a tunnel stretching to the right (m20) and another tunnel that leads left further down (q18) no sign of any combatants can be seen in the long tunnel. Listen check DC 12Spoiler Show You can hear a guttural sound that is hard to pinpoint in the tunnels and caverns. Beyond a vague sense of "somewhere ahead" it's hard to tell where it is coming from. If you were to guess the nature of the sound, you'd say it came from something large, possibly an animal of some kind. (1d20+2)[8]Mara takes her place as scout, pressing ahead of everyone else, trying to hear or see anything threatening. Listen Check(1d20+3)[23]Tag walks carefully trying to be as alert as he can." Jus started a two down already. Not what I was expecting. And I Anna cure diseases that these tings inflict. Going to have ta devote more attention ta Moran's blessing than fighting." he whispers to himself.[IOC] shoot!!!, now why can't I roll that in combat--[/IOC] Listen Check(1d20+2)[17]Despite losing essentially two members of his group this early in the adventure, Reagan's hopes are high. Gurley should never have been made to fight, Reagan realizes this now, and Than seems skilled enough to be able to return to them once he's escorted the scout to safety. Argent didn't seem too concerned over the severity of the disease, so why should Reagan be? One thing that struck an odd chord within him was the sickly look of anguish on Mara's face after the fight. Had one of the creatures touched her? Was she in need of a Cure Disease as well? Reagan has come to like the whisper gnome, and he would hate to have her fall due to her pride. The dwarf knows that gnomes of her kind are generally very suspicious of stranger, and just as she seems to be opening up to the group, Mara pulls back into her shadowy nature. He makes a note to himself to talk to her alone at the most convenient opportunity. Unfortunately, she skipped ahead, no doubt investigating that strange noise coming from the caverns ahead. Relgan motions the group to stay alert and follow, and he begins slowly tracing the whisper gnome's footsteps deeper into the cave. [IOC]Listen check:(1d20+1)[4]Ha! Oblivious as usual.[/IOC]Melissa takes her place in the middle of the column again, crossbow loaded and the arcane energy of her spells a comforting presence in her mind. MAP Spoiler Show [IOC] Uh oh - Your scout didn't hear it - Mara give me a grid reference how far ahead of the group are you? Pasteur Give me a grid for the rest of the group.[/IOC]The group moves as stealthily as possible down the corridor alert for trouble. [IOC] I think we should all be around K19. Depending on how far ahead Mara is. [/IOC]"I Diana know if you all hear that, but some tin large sounds ahead. Keep your wits about ye". Tag says to his surrounding members. (Probably approaching N 19, as she would definitely wait for the group at an intersection. I'd call it L/M 19) Nothing happens as the group moves forwards to the first intersection (n20). The intersection is dark, no bugs light the way inside and the opening is irregular and cluttered with loose rock. It would be possible to move deeper into the passageway with a little effort, or someone who was small and nimble enough to do so, and a faint movement of air indicates that the passage is deeper than it first appears. The sound heard before has ceased. Is there enough light for low-light vision to work, or are there any bugs nearby? Low light vision isn't x-ray vision. It's cluttered with large rocks that have spaces around them that a small person could squeeze through. You can only see maybe ten feet with the amount of rock in the way. [IOC]Understood, I just meant was there enough light in the areas not blocked by stone that low-light vision made any difference. :)[/IOC] Reagan pulls Mara aside into the darkness as the rest of the group peers into the dark passage. His dwarves dark vision allows him to examine her face despite the shadow. You didn't get hit by any of those undead, did you? You looked pretty shook up back there. No I'm... fine. Her small head turns down and to the side, her face as solid as the stone the dwarf knew from birth. But like any stone, he had a sense for it, and he knew that it was a thin wall at best. It's just... it's my fault that Gurley... if I hadn't... he would be... She threw herself against the dwarf, sobs wracking her body as she quietly cried into his armor. It's my fault he's so hurt! If I had been stronger I could have killed those undead my self! You would never have had to come rescue me, Gurley would be fine, and... and... Her voice dissolves into gasps for air as she chokes back most of the noise her anguish would evoke, if she wasn't using every ounce of her self-control to contain herself. Reagan gently pats the whisper gnome, trying to soothe her guilt. There, there, lass, he says softly, patting her gently on the back. It was no mistake of yours. You did what was asked of you, and you did well to get out of reach of those strange undead. Giving a man a sword and sending him into battle without training him first is more dangerous than sending him to fight without a weapon at all. The error was mine. Besides, Argent seemed to think all the scout required was the aid of a cleric. I wouldn't be too concerned with him as he is in good hands with Than. The dwarf waits a moment for Mara to compose herself. Once she does, he adds:Now, we need you to prove your value to us once again. It seems you might be able to fit into those cracks up there and see what lies beyond. Do you feel you're up to the task? Mara blinks back her sorrow, keeping herself together as much as she can for everyone's sake. The tears stop and the storm inside her calms, but she can still feel the dull pain of guilt. Aye. I can go on. She briefly wraps one arm around the broad dwarf, planting a small kiss on his cheek. Thank you... for listening. She turns to the cracks, ready to scout ahead. @ Mara Spoiler Show It's obvious that you'll have to remove your backpack, bow and cloak if you are to maneuver in the tight spaces of the side passage. The first few feet are problematic, but with a bit of squeeze and a nimble movement you are able to enter the passageway properly, which rises sharply and widens slightly after about 25 feet. Very little light is available however, and no vivarium bugs are present to light your way. The rocks feel somehow gritty under your hands even though they look smooth in the dim light and traces of grit coat your clothes and hands. Without a light source it will be impossible to see where you are going and quite possibly dangerous as you will need to feel your way ahead blindly. @everyone else Mara has moved into the side tunnel and Argent has taken up a defensive position in the tunnel. He beckons the rest of you around and speaks in a soft voice. "We should keep moving forwards once Mara has explored the side tunnel. That sound I heard earlier would seem to indicate however that we are not alone in these tunnels. Do we wait here and see if it will come to us, or go find out what it was?" (Low light vision and dark vision.) [IOC] Whoops. Sorry just thought you had low light not dark vision[/IOC]@MaraSpoiler Show Once past the rock that blocks the entrance of the tunnel it widens and rises at a steep angle. The quarters are tight, even for one of your stature and black grains of what looks like sand coat your clothes and limbs from your squeezing through the tight spaces. After a short distance the tunnel breaks into two. You can see from your position that one of the tunnels is blocked by a large boulder and is impassable. The other tunnel curves and flattens out, following parallel to the main tunnel for a distance. This gallery at one point widens considerably in height. At this point the ceiling of the tunnel would be 50 ft above you. Color is still hard to see in the tunnel but something metallic gleams in a thick vein far above your head. Once you continue on the tunnel curves again back towards the main tunnel and comes down to join the ceiling. (r21) It's steep and slippery from the sandy black grit that covers the tunnel. If you choose to go this way rather than return give me a balance check DC15. Note falling risk 2d6 damage if you fail you balance check. Will allow you to use climb skill if you prefer. Tag turns and regards Argent. "Aye, we should wait fer Mara ta finish checking out this hole. Don't know if we should wait or go forward." He turns to face Reagan. "Thoughts cousin?". Anyone close to Tag can hear him slightly humming to himself. A silent prayer to ease the nerves of the upcoming findings. Reagan nods in agreement with Tag. Once she gets back, we'll proceed with caution. I think we should try to stick as close together as possible from now on in. He looks anxiously down the tunnel, trying to catch a glimpse of the returning whisper gnome. (sorry guys, I had a disappeared)Ethel's face is grim. Well, grimmer than usual. They had barely started their journey, and already they had lost 2 teammates. Luckily, neither was dead, and Than should return as quick as possible, but it is still a pretty heavy atmosphere in the tunnels. He waits a little behind the others, glancing behind them, straining for any sound of anything approaching them. Maybe the soldiers behind them would be early? That would be a lucky turn of events, and well welcomed. Or, maybe there was a small crevice, overlooked, behind which, dark things would creep up behind them... He shook his head slightly, banishing unbidden thoughts of many-legged demons looming from the shadows, and watched, carefully. Edit:I had some rolls here, but they didn't work, and were probably unnecessary. So I edited them out. [IOC] JAG taps foot and looks at the bear. We are waiting on our scout, what's the hold up on posting?....[/IOC] (sorry. Holiday season=hectic)Mara attempts to keep her footing across the sandy surface, moving slowly and carefully. Her senses run a knife's edge, and she is ready to roll with the fall if she slips. Spoiler Show Balance (1d20+3)[9] And if she falls tumble (1d20+7)[22] Originally Posted by purepolarpanzer (sorry. Holiday season=hectic) Mara attempts to keep her footing across the sandy surface, moving slowly and carefully. Her senses run a knife's edge, and she is ready to roll with the fall if she slips. Spoiler Show Balance (1d6)[3] And if she falls tumble [roll1] Mara feels her footing slide as she starts down the end of the tunnel at a steep distance. Seeing no other choice, she attempts to thrust with her feet and turn her uncontrolled fall into a controlled tumble which stops her from taking most of the damage. She lands badly however striking her knee hard on the rocks that have obviously fallen from this end of the passage and lie on the floor of the gallery. Falling damage(1d6)[3]Position s19 on map [IOC]Sorry about the lack of posting, fellas; things have been crazy the last few days.[/IOC]Melissa watches the tunnel ahead of them, her senses straining at the encroaching darkness and her heart drumming with her need to find the lost dwarves. She wasn't even sure why she felt it so strongly, but since the moment Duration explained their plight she's been able to turn her thoughts from Coin and his students only with an effort of will. Her determination shines in her face." I hope Mara returns swiftly,"she murmurs to Ethel." The longer we linger, the more time our enemies have to improve their position." Mara favors one leg as she carefully looks at her surroundings, before heading back along the path, as silently as possible, to meet her companions. Spoiler Show Spot (1d20+2)[12] Search (1d20+6)[23] Move Silently (1d20+9)[26] Hide (1d20+13)[20] "I hope that too. It might really slow us down. And I have terrible feelings about those shadows." He mutters his reply to Melissa without turning his head from his back-watch, and doesn't look around to see if Mara is there. As Mara makes her way back carefully towards the rest of the group, hiding and moving as silently as possible, she crosses the intersecting passage (Q19). In the light cast from thousands of glowworms she can see a large shape resting beside a boulder that has come loose from the wall. It looks like a toad, but larger than any she has seen before. It's larger than a horse, and its wide mouth looks capable of swallowing the gnome whole. She manages to creep past gingerly however and return to the group. (N19) Gwyn hears a soft crunch come from behind him. He whirls around, only to see that it was only Mara." What news?"he whispers. Nothing good... Mara favors her leg, stumbling slightly. Her cheeks are still red with the emotion she felt earlier. Ahead there is a massive toad creature. It may be acting as a sentry, as it appears far from any main force. Reagan's relieved smile at Mara's safe return darkens quickly to a determined frown at her mentioning of the toad creature ahead. It seems to be a strange creature ahead. Turning to Melissa, he asks, Have you read of any such creature in your studies? Do you have any knowledge of its weaknesses? Its strengths? Ethel shows his derision at the idea. "I very much doubt that even Melissa can figure out its strengths from a rough 2nd hand glimpse." Reagan nods at Ethel's wisdom. Then I suppose we'll have to take a look for ourselves. Argent, you take the front with me. Everyone else, stay close behind. The dwarf waits for the party to prepare. Once everyone is ready, he leads the way down the tunnel toward the mysterious creature. [IOC] With the use of the dwarves armored fighters I'm going to assume that you are not going to attempt a stealthy attack. These guys are not quiet and having them clomp up the tunnel will wake the toad [IOC]. Ardent nods and settles his helm firmly on his head. " Let's go." As the armored fighters move up the tunnel, a strange low hissing sound can be heard and from the mouth of the tunnel billows a thin cloud. This cuts visibility in the tunnel ahead. The cloud is moving towards you as the hissing sound continues. Ethel watches the cloud billow towards them." I think we should all take a deep breath."he murders, half to himself. Indeed. Wait till the last second. It may count. Mara moves foreword with the group, waiting to take her breath until the last moment. "Er' we go laddies" Gripping his shield ahead of him, Tag waits. Sounds can be heard from deep within the cloud, but are muted. (listen check DC20 to correctly determine what is happening). One thing that can be heard is that the hissing stops, a huge lungful of air is drawn and further hissing continues. The cloud gets bigger and wafts it's way towards the group. As the cloud covers the group, no effect can be seen. It feels like a cloud of water vapor designed to cut visibility...nothing more.[IOC]give me initiative rolls for order[/IOC] Initiative Roll:(1d20+2)[9] [IOC] You going to try a listen check?[/IOC] Originally Posted by Jag [IOC] You going to try a listen check?[/IOC] [IOC]sure, why not?(1d20+2)[16][/IOC]Reagan's dwarf ears strain to make out the nature of the sounds within the fog. Listen(1d20+3)[20]INI(1d20+5)[17] [IOC] Nice listen check roll [/IOC]Ethel's even ears almost twitch as he tries to understand the meaning behind the soft sounds coming from the cloud that now surrounds him. Then it hits him, as a soft patter hits the floor of the passageway ahead of the group. I think it's climbed the walls. It must be able to stick to the ceiling. Listen Check(1d20+3)[15]Initiative Roll(1d20+1)[10] (1d20+2)[11]Listen(1d20+3)[8]Unit Ethel rocks slightly backwards on his feet."Oh, Gods!. It's on the wall." [IOC] Well technophile did say that things would be difficult during this week. Did he tell anyone in particular to look after Melissa?[/IOC]So far Initiative table Iredell 17Relgan 16Targ 10Mara 8Ielisia ? Argent ? Somone want to roll for Argent and Melissa? Argent Initiative:(1d20+2)[12]; Listen:(1d20+9)[13]Melissa Initiative:(1d20+1)[11]; Listen:(1d20+1)[18][IOC]Also, Reagan's initiative is 9, not 16 as indicated in the table.[/IOC] [IOC]Sorry all, we caught some nasty English stomach bug on arrival and have been trying to recover. Probably be on intermittently from here until the 23rd.[/IOC]Melissa grimaces at Ethel's warning." It's probably one of those dragon-kin Moran warned us of,"she responds to Reagan's question." Be careful of its mouth, from the guards we saw earlier it seems its bite may be highly acidic. It may even be able to spit the acid at us, if we're unlucky."[IOC]Additional knowledge check, in case it's applicable (pretty sure none of the others she has are):Knowledge: Arcane(1d20+10)[17][/IOC]Spoiler Show Prepared Spells: 0: Resistance, Detect Magic x2, Message 1: Ray of Enfeeblement, Color Spray, Magic Weapon 2: Protection From Arrows, Extended Protection from Evil, Extended Magic Weapon Active Effects: Mage Armor (CL3), AC 15 Current HP: 9 [IOC]If you get stuck waiting for me, I have no problem with lotofsnow running her until I reappear. Thanks for being patient![/IOC] Ethel carefully raises his bow, keeping an eye on both walls and the floor, and even the ceiling, waiting for something to show itself. Spoiler Show He takes a readied action to shoot thingy. He is just behind Tag, Reagan, and Argent, who I presume form the first rank. Attack Roll (1d20+9)[13] Damage Roll (1d10+3)[11] Hp: 18 AC: 23 For: +4 Ref: +6 Will: +2 Mara fades back and draws her bow, trying to use the mist to hide her position. Arrow knocked, she waits silently. Spoiler Show (1d20+13)[25] Hide (1d20+9)[21] Move silently. Spoiler Show Nice rolls At Ethel's warning, Reagan warily begins to look all around. He squints, yet his dwarves sight, normally so acute in the underground, is frustrated by the mist. Hefting the magic hammer, his gift from the god, he prepares to throw it at any giant toad-like creatures emerging from the fog. Spoiler Show Hammer Readied for throwing: Attack: (1d20+5)[11]; Damage on Contact: (1d8+3)[9]+(1d6)[6](fire) Hit Points:31/31AC:19(Ff: 17; T: 12)Saves: F+6; R+3; W+5Current Effects:Bless Full Melee Attack: Hammer+71d8+3+1d6(Fire) / War axe+61d10+1 Tag moves closer to Reagan as he remembers from his father's teaching that fighting in darkness/fog helps if you have a flank protector. He settles in and prepares to fight. Spoiler Show Warhammer (1d20+7)[9] Damage (1d8+2)[7] Spot Check (1d20+3)[8]

Cassess City of Nets IC pages 20-40|rating:3.0

A battle of wills (Nepola & TheLegionary)

The Barbarian Km (was calmly riding his dark stallion into unknown lands in the South. Followed by other three warriors, Km was the ultimate warrior in the prairies. More than 6'3 tall, 200 pounds of muscles covered and sculpted his body. Had he existed in other days, when machines had been invented, Gear would have been called a "killing machine" - without his weapon, he was capable of killing the strongest opponents even if they were heavily armed? Or course, such a massive man was a bit slow due to his massive size. Even so, he could run very fast if he were not riding skillfully his large dark stallion. To prevent his muscles from moving as much as they need, Gear was almost naked most time - just a low brief made of leather covered his manhood besides a pair of boots to protect his feet. His favorite weapon was a large sword, and he had no need of shields - these were for cowards, he liked repeating it when he found warriors using them. Sometimes, he was always wearing his iron-made bracelet. His main entertainment was to ransack small villages and savage defenseless women after killing their men. What looked like a Barbarian attitude was just fun for Gear and his men. He led his small group to the high plains where there was an abundance of villages in that situation. The Southlands were a strip of land where the sweltering jungles of the Dark Reach South reached upward to encroach on the Great Savannah's –the impossibly large plains that dominated the continent from the northern mountains, to the seas both east and west. Many villages, small and large, dotted this area. In the thickening jungles to the south –the southernmost point before crossing into the Dark Reach South-lay Gap Pass, an area of land between two foreboding cliffs that offered one of the easier land routes to the Dark Reach. The guardians of this passage were the Gap Pass Tribe –a tribe of fierce warrior women most closely resembling the fabled Amazon. Of their number, was a young woman named Anaea. Anaea was a foundling, and while not of their genetic stock, she was raised in their ways. While accepted wholly as a member of the tribe, the physical differences were apparent. While her sisters were all well above six foot, Anaea was just shy of six even in her thickest soled boots. While everyone else from the tribe had dark hair and eyes, and strong angular features –she had hair that was fiery red, green eyes, and a softer set of facial characteristics, including large, pouty red lips. Though quite as strong as many of the other women, Anaea did not possess the excessive bulk of muscle –while her build might put many an average man to shame, her muscles were taut and well-placed and only enhanced her attractive physic. There were, however, three areas in which she matched her tribe perfectly. Her skin, though it had taken many years of conditioning and sun exposure, had the deep tan of one who spent all her time out-of-doors. Her chest was also quite ample, putting to shame even some members of this tribe of endowed women. And her fighting skills were a pride to the tribe –a tribe that did little else than train for combat. She was not the best, not yet –but consensus considered this due only to a lack of experience. For even though she had fought and killed with her sisters, she was still considered merely a child –for she had not yet gone on her Journey. Having finally gained approval for her Journey, Anaea girded herself in the constricting clothing her tribe wore when venturing into more civilized lands. She wore the traditional leather sandals with straps that intertwined up to her knees, a cloth cache-see worn under a leather skirt composed of individual pleats fastened together, a suede bustier with dark tribal markings, and her leather wrist-guards. She carried her favored weapons; a small wood and leather buckler with a steel center cone, that she could wield to turn attacks, or bash her opponent… and her sword, which was short and vicious –being only slightly longer than the length from her elbow to the tips of her fingers, and narrowing swiftly to a barbed point. Anaea liked to get in quick and close to her foes. And that is how she found herself traveling north, to start her Journey in one of the small villages that dotted the Southland…(The confident men were moving slowly and noisily, making jokes and throwing things one at the other - after all, there was nothing and no one to fear. Just Km was the only one riding, while the other three were on foot - horse was an expensive and rare asset, even for warriors coming from the Great Savannah's. Although women were also relatively rare, they were an easy prey, so none of the warriors worried about the female shortage - the point is that they were fragile and would not stand a perverted life with those bastards. As the warriors came from a Northern region, none of them had even heard about female warriors: such an idea was almost a paradox, something impossible to happen, let alone a female warrior dare fight them! If an impartial critical analyzed the group, his conclusions would show that together they were strong opponents although individually none of the three on foot was a blinking light. As part from Km, none of the other three was a trained warrior. Barn was a bit tall, shabby, teenager who had just joined the group three months ago - he hardly knew how to handle a sword; Gear was so large that Km was always complaining about his clumsiness - overweighted and tall, he was not so bad at using his ax; Rim was a better swordsman, tall and strong, and knew even a bit of wrestling techniques that Km had taught; finally, Mere was also not so bad at sword - he was actually carrying a 2-metre-long spear and an arrow and a bow. All of them looked very manly and muscular, even though Barn looked still in his late teens. Separately, none of three was fantastic, but together their coordination was great, and they melted down well - this explained greatly their success in ransacking villages with up to 100 souls, sometimes even more! From far, Km was the strongest and best warrior. Was this impression about their skills and women going to change? Nothing apparently indicated. At the border of the jungle, the group see a human shape coming slowly out of the thick vegetation. It was too far to distinguish whether it was a male, of female. For them, it was just meat, just someone else to serve them. One of the men turned to Km and shouted: "Well, at least, now we will have some action after days roaming without any purpose! If it is a man, we will have a slave, which we need since I killed the last one. If it is a woman, she will bring carnal pleasures to us". His companions laughed but Km who continued serious. His eyes were spitting fire at the attempt of the newcomer to feel equal to him. Km was the alpha and no one would take his place. Wasn't that clear?" No, you are wrong, Barn, if it is a woman, she will bring carnal pleasures to me!", the leader replied angrily just before raising his head and gaze at the figure still far. He tensed his muscles and his chest inflated as a sign for the other, who were gazing him, that he was the strongest and most skilled in that group. His confidence was transpiring testosterone. Without no further words, he continued to ride at the same pace towards that poor person. More 10 minutes, they would find out whether it was a man or a woman... Anaea saw them approaching from some distance –A rider and two, no three, others. They were still some distance off, but she could tell from their build and movements that they were men –apparently very large men. And to be riding in from the Savannah's, they had to be barbarians. Anaea had heard tales of the barbarians, and it was rarely anything good that they were up to. Anaea, unlike most of her tribe, had no use for the unreasoning hate of men. In fact, she was of the minority of her sisters who found that men had their occasional uses –she knew that she was not alone in this, otherwise, how could their tribe continue without the union of a woman and man? The important thing, however, was that men were to be used as playthings, or for hard labor, but never allowed to think they were the equal of anyone of the Gap Pass Tribe. As the distance between her and the group closed, Anaea had no intention of changing her direction merely because some men were in the way. She had chosen her destination, and there was no reason to believe this group of travelers had ill intentions… The Barbarians were happy to see that the woman had neither changed her course, not taken any measure to avoid them. This would spare them time and energy to have more fun with her. Some more minutes, the four were approaching the woman. However, to their greatest surprise, she looked different from all the females they had seen before. Not only was she taller, but also her body was “different”. She was not flabby, her body was slim in a way none had ever imagined a woman could be. No fat anywhere. Also, they noticed her body was curvaceous with some muscles being clearly noticed. Even more striking was her red hair – also, none of them had ever seen such a color in the hair before. The dark-haired males of equally dark eyes continued to walk and when she was in front of the group, they automatically circled her – Km did not need to give an order, since the group had already enslaved many women. The young, shabby Barn stayed behind the female – actually, he was both fascinated and afraid of that woman: was she a sort of goddess? Why did she have red hair? Mere and his spear stayed in her right, Rim in her left, Gear in front of her, a bit to the right, closer to Mere - Gear was clearly worried about that woman, since he was having similar thoughts as Barn. That woman was different, he knew it, and for this reason, he was a bit hesitating, his legs slightly trembling. These concerns did not worry Mere, Rim and Km, who were all of them thinking about the different ways of having pleasure with that female, who was different but also hot. Kum did not dismount his horse and began to ride around her, holding a large net he was planning to throw at the prey. “Listen, surrender woman! We will spare your life if you surrender your weaponry and obeys to our orders. Otherwise, we will terminate you!”, he said inspiring confidence and showing no hesitation of the woman. “Surrender?” Anaea asked calmly. So they were up to no good. She looked up to the one on horse, obviously the leader, and said, “Well, of course –what else could I do.?” As she started speaking, however, she slipped on hand down to her waist and into the leather gauntlet mounted to her buckler –she made the move casual, and most of them seemed not to suspect they had anything to fear. Now that her hand rested comfortably in the gauntlet, all she would have to do is jerk her hand sharply to free her small war shield from where it attached to her belt.“I do offer a suggestion that you might find interesting, should you agree to hear me out.?” She queried the leader. Reaching up slowly, so as not to startle the men surrounding her into premature action, she raked her free hand through her hair. The shiny red locks drifted lazily in the slight breeze before settling back down. When she lowered her hand, it was much closer to her sword hilt.“What do you say? Do you want to hear what I can offer you.?” Anaea smiled ever so sweetly. Km and his fellow warriors were not used to this kind of reaction from their preys. In spite of being a killing machine, Km was not used to tricks - normally, he considered himself so smart that no one else was capable of playing games with him. From his standpoint, the frightened Barn and Gear noticed that her moves were strange, they wanted to warn Km, but he dismissed them with disdain. Let alone a female. Naively, without noticing what the female was doing, Km nodded." A suggestion?", Km laughed full of his own sense of male superiority. "I am not used to negotiating terms of surrender. But as you are so gorgeous, I may open an exception. Yes, you can make your suggestion, girl. But be brief, since I have many pressing matters...," he said. Deep inside, he completed his thoughts. "Pressing matters with your body, my whore". Anaea smiled pleasantly, “Well,” she said, “I suggest simply this…” She turned slowly in place, to look each man in the eye before continuing, “Leave now, and you may still walk away with your lives… “The barbarians stared at her blankly, “Otherwise, I just may have to kill each one of you, in the most painful way possible…” Saying this, she quickly drew her sword. It was designed for close combat, the blade only two feet long, and a wicked barb about two inches long set just back from the tip. Anaea held her sword confidently, but casually… Bar and Gear froze at her threat and slowly stepped back. Her move was swift, and revealed her muscular complexion. Their jaws fell astonished with her beauty, as the move - was it deliberate to show herself off - revealed her splendor to the eyes of the men, specially because of her red hair. That was strange. However, Km notices the reaction of his two weak warriors and forced them to change their minds to their predator's behavior. When Km gazed at them, his dominant eyes, his alpha behavior, was almost shouting they should not leave, the chick was just bluffing. It was so obvious. Kum looked at Apnea calmly. This girl had some toys, so she should be treated as a male. Harshly, violently. Maybe her body would give him more pleasure, after all girls die easily, this one seems a bit better nourished. Merz walked to the left and withdrew his sword from the swathe, just to swing it in the air, in the direction of the chick. "Your proposal is tempting, I must say. Would you also warm up our beds if we go?", he mockingly questioned her, trying to attract her attention. The fit warrior was also impressively well-built and she could see his washboard abs. Then, the skilled swordsman put his free hand in the cock and touched his penis on his leather brief. "This is what you may have, chick!", he added smirking. Barn and Gear laughed while Km continued serious, circling her with his horse and holding a net, ready to be thrown at Apnea. Actually, when Mere was about to finish those words, Km threw the net her was holding onto her. The move was strong and precise, falling onto her from the air. Km shouted his war cry and commanded." Now boys bring her down!!!" As the net came down on her, Anaea dropped to the ground and rolled. She managed to get mostly out from under it, but it tangled on one of her legs. The coarse ropes bit into the flesh of her right leg and prevented her from rising. Quickly, she hacked at the net with her sword. One of the men tried advancing on her, and she drove her buckler up into his stomach. He took a step backward as the air was knocked from his lungs. Having cut through much of the net that was restricting her, Anaea kicked her leg out, flinging the net from her. Rising swiftly to her feet, she turned a tight circle –her sword weaving readily.“Well come on, then…” she challenged. The young, shabby Barn was the one hit by the girl's buckler. His inexperience was his doom: how could he step forward without wondering her defense could also be used for attack? He jerked and gasped for air, giving Apnea some free time to get rid of the net and stand up. However, the chick was so stubborn and overconfident, wielding her sword in the air to show herself off, that she did not notice the large, fat Gear coming from the other side. He pushed her to the ground, using the advantage of his large, clumsy body, just to cause the female to fall to the ground under his massive fat body. While he was trying to pin her to the ground (her sword and buckler were not under his body), Gear shouted: "Help me to subdue her!" Km rode his horse close, muttering "Now, she will pay for what she did to Barn", while Mere stepped closer to her leg. Anaea felt the full weight of Gear crashing down atop her. As they crashed to the ground, she was only able to ensure that her arms were free. When they hit, the air was momentarily knocked from her lungs. Unable to get the point of her sword in to work, she struck him several times with the pommel. Each strike hit his back with a meaty thwack. With her other hand, she attempted to get the edge of her buckler under him, so that she might roll him off her. As she continued to strike him and work the buckler between them, she felt hands on her leg. As they began grasping her, she kicked to free her leg, but her movements were impeded by the man pinning her… Km rode his horse closer and smirked with satisfaction when the so-called warrior was struggling against Gear's weight - it gave Km a great pleasure to know that his worst man could tackle her, so she would offer no resistance that night, maybe her wrists tied would be enough. In spite of his suffering - Gear was moaning in pain due to her strong blows - he was resisting well. Apnea's tactics would if Gear were alone - he was starting to sweat and had she some more strokes of her pommel in his meaty back, she could have broken part of his spine. However, after releasing her deliciously muscular legs, Mere approached from the other side and with a strong blow, his sword hit Apnea's. "No longer you will hurt Gear," Mere shouted as he saw her sword fall from her grip - actually, her position was not favorable for defending herself against an attacker. Were Mere not thinking of fucking that girl, he would have cut her wrist off easily. Barn was then standing next to Km, watching the struggle of the girl. "Go there, Barn, help them to subdue her. But do not spoil her!", the leader Km commanded. Gnar raised his chest just a bit in order to try to pin her arms. He was careful not to let her buckler free of move, but this gave the girl some space to breath. Anaea felt her sword ripped from her hand as Mere knocked it away. She balled her fist and continued to strike at the one on top of her, until he shifted his weight and brought his own arms up to pin hers. His weight was still crushing into her even though she could now breathe, but now her arms were restricted and she had temporarily lost her sword. Anaea tried twisting her body, and managed to pull her knees-up slightly –if she could just get some movement on her knees, she could push him off, or place her knee sharply into his crotch.“You sweating pig,” she spit at the man on top of her, “you’ve made the wrong choice, thinking I was a victim…” After taking a rope from the saddle of Km's horse, the one hit before by Apnea, Barn, approached Gear and Mere, and kneeled next to Apnea's legs, just to begin to tie one of her ankles. "If Km were not so interested in you, I would kill you right now. Never a woman caused such a great humiliation". He was so enraged that he grabbed her left leg so strongly that Apnea must have felt some pain. Gnar felt the great power of the girl under him. Her moves would be very painful had she more freedom. He had to be aware of that. Gear's back was starting to pain when he smirked at her, revealing his darkened teeth. "Victim? You? No, you are a blessed one," he said. Apnea could feel his erection stirring up under his leather trousers as his large, but weak arms were trying to pin her down. To make it easier, he raised himself a bit more, so he could use his body to subdue her. Gear made the mistake of lifting further. Anaea felt one of her legs wrenched painfully, but she was able to pull the other up more now. Making a great show of trying to free her arms distracted him long enough that she was able to place her knee into his crotch. His erection, that was even now pressing into her, provided the perfect target. Getting her knee in place, Anaea arched her back with all her strength and place all the power she had behind her knee as she drove it up into his increasingly erect member. As the man began feeling the pain from her knee, she quickly tore her arms free as his grip began to loosen. Bringing her arms swiftly down, she brought her hands together viciously on either side of his head, hoping to damage his eardrums… Gear did not notice what hurt him. All he felt was an unbearable pain coming from his groins. "The bitch was being mean!", Km thought as he saw everything from his horse. When her hands hit Gear's eardrums, the fat man screamed in pain and the weight of his body fell all over Apnea. However, differently from before, his weight was not uniformly distributed over Apnea and his muscles were not putting any pressure - he was just a 250 pound disformed body over Apnea. By then, Barn had just finished tying her first ankle and was beginning to tie her second. He saw his colleague moaning without knowing exactly what had happened. Mere was also unaware of the event. "Take care, Mere, she is playing mean," Km warned Mere who saw her hands in Gear's eardrums. As a revenge and without thinking about his leader, he moved his leg to kick her head. Feeling the rope cinched down tightly on her ankle, gave Anaea her first real feeling of unease. The man had collapsed atop her again, and he was quite heavy, but appeared to be more interested in his own pain at the moment. When she felt the rope encircle her other ankle, she tried twisting free. She pushed her arms under the man on top of her and pushed at him. Just as she managed to leverage the man off of her she felt the rope cinch down tightly on her other ankle, followed by a quick, sharp pain to her temple… Barn was desperate to tie the female completely - he had felt how powerful that warrior actually was and wanted to have some advantage if she gets rid of Gear. Actually, when he was tying her other ankle, Barn just saw the massive Gear rolling to the right. How could she raise such a weight? Something was wrong, she was far too powerful to be dealt with. For one second, Barn hesitated, as most teenagers do. "Do not stop", shouted Km from his horse. Fortunately, Mere had been fast enough to kick her head. It was not a strong blow, but it was strong enough to make her head turn to the opposite side. "Now she is down", Mere effusively said waving to Km at the same time he landed his left feet on the top of her breasts. The warrior lowered his head down just to see the damage caused to the girl. At the sharp kick to her head Anaea’s vision went black momentarily. The shock of pain to her head was then joined by another pressure pressing firmly down on her breast. As her vision cleared, she saw one of the men’s legs standing on her chest. Blinking furiously to clear her sight, she grabbed the man’s ankle in both hands and pulled sharply. Some of her strength had been momentarily sapped by the kick to her head, but she should have enough left to send this one to the ground. Twisting and pushing upward sharply, she lifted the man’s leg from her chest –hopefully she had enough strength to topple him… Mere did not pay attention that the girl had not fainted. Actually, he could not believe anyone could still be awakened after such a kick. This is why he did not take a more cautious approach - after all, she was down! To Mere's greatest surprise, the female grabbed his ankle very strongly, raised his leg and forced him down, toppling him. "What the fuck are", he began to say just before falling to her left side - his sword was still in his right hand, but out of reach to hit the girl. Kum noticed something was going wrong. Gear was still moaning in pain next to Apnea, although he was much better - he could now see what was going on around him. Fortunately, Barn had just tied her both ankles tightly and Km commanded: "Give me the rope". Promptly, Barn handed the rope to Km and decided to kick the girl head again - "Now it is my time to kick her!", Barn thought. As the man fell, Anaea pushed the other one the rest of the way off of her. He was recovering, but still rubbing his ears from where she had struck him. Taking the opportunity she half sat up, reached back, and slammed her buckler hard into the top of his head. The impact rocketed through her arm, and the sound of it was quite loud. He toppled over limply –probably not dead, but one could always hope. The one she had just knocked off her chest was twisting towards her, his sword coming within range. Anaea quickly rolled away from him and tried to rise, but the ropes around her ankle trip her up, and she fell hard onto her stomach. Lifting herself up from the ground, she cast her eyes out looking for her sword –she needed to be rid of these ropes quickly, before the others closed in. The big one, the leader, was even now too close –he reared back with his leg, aiming a kick at her head. At the last minute, she throws herself sideways and took the kick fully on her shoulder. Pain shot through her shoulder, arm, and back as the kickflipped her over to land on her back. She worked her arms, trying to sit up enough to get at the ropes around her ankles, but with all the rolling the rope was wrapped around both legs tightly… Km, the leader, reacted swiftly to Apnea moves and kicked her. The kick was again aimed at her head, to cause her dizziness. As it was not the Barbarian's plan to kill her, but to subdue her, harming her would cause her to feel groggy, hence more easily def eatable. The girl was very agile and Km saw his foot kicking her shoulder, causing her to topple over herself. Of course, her tied ankles helped her to lose the balance. As Mere, Barn and Gear were screaming in pain - even Mere, his best man, seemed to have acted like a child before the warriors -, Km had to move fast and bring her down. While she was seating on the ground, trying to unwrap the tie - had she succeeded, Km could be in danger -, Km kicked her head from behind strongly, causing her to collapse. With his sword in hand, Km dismounted his horse to see the outcome of his last blow. That woman was simply amazing, for a moment he wished that she was one of them. After noticing that Apnea was either to dizzy or had completely fainted, Km took the other piece of rope nearby Barn's screaming body and finished what he could not. The Barbarian pulled her arms backwards and forced them tighter against her lower back. He used the other part of the rope to tie her wrists and then, the rope to tie her around her neck. Everything was very tight, so that the impressive warriors could not have enough freedom to move her arms. Her submission was complete. At the blow to the back of her head, Anaea blacked out. Her body went limp, and it took little time for Km to tie her arms securely behind her back. The pain in her head and shoulder roused her with its throbbing. She tried to bring her arms up to clutch her head and found they would not move. Blinking furiously to clear her vision, she looked up from where she lay to see the leader, Km, standing over her.“This is not over,” she spat at him. Km ignored her threat and dragged Apnea to a nearby tree, raising her arms above her head in order to tie her in one of the tree branches. All his three warriors were moaning and crawling around the battlefield, still feeling the pain from the blows given by the warriors. One girl had simply brought down three good men! How could that happen? Were all the girls like that in that region? At least, the girl seemed worth fighting - her body was incredible. Km was just dreaming about undressing her and humiliating her even further." As you saw, young girl, I am not weak like my men. This is why I am their leader," Km said before punching her washboard abs. Even for a strong punch, the warrior noticed how hard her belly was, he could see her 8 pack tummies clearly, even without her doing an effort to show them off. For a moment, Km regretted not having used his full strength, since the girl might have thought he was a weakling. The warrior eyed the female and had cupped her jaw." What is your name? And what makes you believe you can challenge me without facing the consequences?" Anaea took his punch trying not to show any reaction. It was strong, but she had trained well and suffered much worse from her sisters. It did cause soreness in her abs though. Kum took her jaw in his massive hand and looked into her eyes. She saw in his eyes a kind of justified existence –it was the law of strength out here. The strongest and best took what they wanted, and Km was among those who always got what he wanted. Anaea cursed herself, she should have seen that immediately and taken him down first. Had she been a little less cocky, she could have used surprise to defeat him, and his men would have tumbled easily after…" What is your name? And what makes you believe you can challenge me without facing the consequences?" he asked casually. Anaea didn’t bother wasting her spit, she answered proudly, “I am Anaea Gap –of the Gap Pass Tribe. I have killed scores of men better than you,” and she smiled viciously, “And you will fall before me as well-“ and so saying, she quickly brought her knees-up and kicked him in the stomach. From where she was hanging from the tree, she used this leverage to fold herself in double, bringing her knees-up, and kicking both her feet hard into his solar plexus. The blow struck true, both didn’t have her full strength behind it, due to her awkward position. And once the kick was through, she still dangled from the tree branch, unable to get free. Km first jerked when her knees hit his stomach. When her high kick his left solar plexus, Km was completely defenseless - he simply fell like a potato bag on the ground. Her strength and determination were admirable, Km thought. Km had the impression that Gear and Barn even laughed at him. Actually, he only thought after the dizziness passed - it took at about 3 minutes for his eyes to be clear. If the girl were free, she could have finished him off, he pondered. Still a bit clumsy, Km stood up and looked at her attempts to set herself free. Fortunately, Km had tied her well and her efforts were in vain. All he needed was to finish tying her. He rushed towards her, standing next to her, out of the reach of her muscular legs. His left hand touched her thighs, caressing them. "You are so gorgeous, but so silly," he said and right after, he used his right closed fist to punch her belly repeatedly, once, twice, thrice, four times... Km lost the count and just enjoyed seeing her painful semblance. When the warrior was sure that Apnea was unconscious, or suffering from an incapacitating pain, he kneeled carefully next to her ankles, checked whether the ropes were tight, used another piece of rope to tie again her ankles to the tree. At the end, she was completely unable to repeat her attack. By the end, Mere approached Km still stumbling. Km ignored him and took a knife from inside his leather boots, walked closer to Apnea, hand cupped her jaw once more, placed the knife on her jugular and whispered. "Anaea Gap –of the Gap Pass Tribe, nice to meet... I am Km, just Km, your worst nightmare...by judging your age, I think you are a liar, you did not have time to have killed scores of men like men...however, I had time to kill scores of girls like you!" Anaea gulped air, trying to regain her breath from the repeated blows to her stomach. She was panting hard, and would have doubled up in pain had she not been so securely tied to the branch above her. As she was recovering, she felt more rope pulled tightly around her ankles, as they were also secured to the tree. Now she was bound to the tree at her wrists and ankles, unable even to make an attempt to get free. Kum laid a wicked looking knife along her throat. “Anaea Gap…” the way he said her name… a perverted emphasis on ‘Gap’…”...however, I had time to kill scores of girls like you!” he finished. Anaea narrowed her eyes, “Believe what you will, but killing me now is your only option –I’ll never be a servant to the likes of you!” she twisted her head sharply, trying to free her jaw from his hand, but her restricted movement didn’t allow the move much room. Km snorted and hand cupped the fierce female again, replacing the knife where it was originally in her throat. "Listen, you are the last one to tell me which are my option, Apnea," Km replied ironic before strongly punching her belly again. "By the end of the day, you will have been so much beaten that you will be saying I can do anything to you...but punching you!", he continued caressing her leather armor in her belly. Kum's left hand went down, placed his knife in his left boot and began to caress her right tight. He leaned and bent a bit, so that his nose was among her breasts, which made it possible for him to lick the cleavage - his head was positioned in such a way which did not allow Apnea to use her head to hurt him. The warriors was completely at his mercy. At the same time, his left hand roamed her thigh upwards, under her leather skirt." Well, what do we have here, Apnea?", the Barbarian said when his fingers met her clit. "Just a skirt?", he leaned backwards his head and blinked at the gorgeous female. In the meantime, all the other three men were watching The bastard was learning, Anaea knew as Km was cautious not to get within range of a headbutt. Maybe he could learn a few lessons, but that didn’t make him smart –she could still figure a way out of this. Anaea felt the barbarian Km’s fingers on her. She wanted to twist away from him, but she was too tightly bound. His hand traced up her thigh and disappeared under her skirt. His rough fingers touched her clit, “…just a skirt?” he mocked. Looking down at him, with narrowed eyes, Anaea felt that she could kill him with just a look –but no, he just looked up at her, leering and blinking.“I wouldn’t, were I you…” she tried a new tactic, “After all, as soon as you get distracted, I’ll have this ropes around your throat…” and she glanced up at where the ropes binding her wrists were tied to the tree. She didn’t bother coming up with a reason for her threat, but then again, barbarians were a stupid people… Km hesitated a bit following her threat. Not that he was afraid of Apnea, but that he somehow learned to respect the girl. However, his fingers began to massage her clit, while his eyes gazed hers. "Mere, bring some more rope, we need to air Apnea better", Km commanded his man at the same time his other free hand found out how to unbuckle her belt and actually unbuckled it." Thank you for warning me Apnea, I think you are a very kind person and for this reason, you deserve a special treatment". Tight after the belt felt, letting her leather skirt loose, the merciless Barbarian punched her marvelous washboard belly again. Anaea felt his thick fingers toying with her clit. Though he was a bit rough, it was obviously not his first experience with one. She clenched her eyes shut tightly, and tried to ignore the feeling –she had to plan her next move. She wasn’t going to just willing accept her situation. Then he had found her buckle and quickly unfastened it. There was nothing she could do to prevent her skirt from sagging, ready to fall completely off, and then he struck her again. A sound blow into her belly. Tenderizing the bruises from a moment before. It hurt, no doubt, but there was also a satisfaction in the pain –he would never defeat her this way. When she regained her breath, she saw the one called Mere standing there grinning. He was holding several lengths of rope, as Km had requested… Maybe now, when they attempted to retie her, perhaps there would be an opportunity… "Tie her again, but do not untie the ropes", Km commanded. His eyes were full of pleasure, specially after he saw her skirt falling to the ground. Yes, she was a great warrior, but now she was under control - her resistance to his attacks was astonishing. For a second, the silly thought that she could defeat him came to his mind. Shortly after, he rolled down his leather briefs and undressed his boots - only his iron bracelet was left in his body. Merz used the rope to tie her arms and legs, and even her throat. Apnea had no chance of escaping, Mere pondered as Km approached her bare body. His erection swiftly stirred up when it touched her impressive washboard belly. To Anaea’s dismay, the one, Mere, didn’t untie her before securing the new ropes. She was even more tightly bound now, no hope of getting herself free, unless she managed to convince them to loosen some of those damned ropes… The one who had been tormenting her, Km, was now undressing. He was blatantly stripping down to nothing, right in front of her and his men… Anaea had to admit, that he was well-built for a male… but even so, she knew she would have to kill him soon. Kum approached her, and she did well not to flinch back. He pressed right up against her, and she could feel his erection stirring to life…“I hope you have some innate poison resistance…” she said pleadingly, “Otherwise… well, you’ll find out…” Km was not intimidated by her threads - after all, to the best of his knowledge, there has never been a poisonous female. That was not the first time Apnea was playing her games, so it was time to ignore her. What could he do but to punch her wonderful belly again? And so did he do, just to hand cup her jawline, while his waist approached her, his erection growing and stirring up more and more." I am no fool, warriors...now tell me how many hot women like you your tribe has... I have many brothers who may be willing some strong girls," Km said at the same time his erection rubbed between her gorgeous inner tights. Anaea laughed then into his face, “You fool –you think even if I told you the location of my village, that you could take it?” She couldn’t help smiling, even as she felt concern at touch of his member on her thighs, “In my village, I am considered but an unskilled child –and it was only by bad fortune that you managed to get the better of me! –My sisters would cut you down like so much cattle. You would never have a chance,” She wrenched her head sharply then, pulling her chin from his grasp and turned to look away, “You will make a mistake, soon, and when you do –I will kill all of you…” This time, Km simply ignore her threats. No more cheap chatting. The strong warrior grabbed her waistline and all his three men approached the couple. As her skirt had fallen to the ground, her womanhood was completely exposed - his erection was hardening and began to rub her tights, moving towards her groin. The Barbarian smirked as Apnea continued to threaten him - no, he did not fear the Amazon, neither her sisters." I do not need your head to have what I want!", he replied as his erection thrust her vagina, causing the large muscular male to moan in pleasure. At his entry, Anaea gritted her teeth and clenched her eyes –she would not give this barbarian the satisfaction of her discomfort. And though she had been unprepared, and his member was of notable size, he was able to pass inside her fully –the fitness and resilience of her body able to prevent any true damage. Bond as she was, she could bring neither her hands nor head to bear –to strike at him. Her feet were likewise tied, but there was a bit more slack to the bonds. As he began thrusting in her, she worked her legs, trying to increase the slack there… Km grabbed her neck with one hand and her back with the other. In this position, he used his body to rub her and to force his dick deeper into her pussy. Moaning in pleasure, he continued to thrust her harder, twice, thrice, four times. Soon, the dick of the Barbarian was thick and hard, forcing the entrance into her amazing strong body. He could feel her inner muscles gripping his cock, which was an evidence of her desire. As time passed, he noticed Apnea was trying to avoid showing her pleasure, but her legs were moving - he had no idea of what Apnea was thinking about, and continued to thrust her naively. He wanted to hear her screaming as a sign of her submission. "Come to me, Amazon!" As he thrust, deeper and deeper, his member grew even harder and larger –it was all Anaea could do not to scream out as it pounded within her, stretching his womanhood. It was harder for her to focus on her task of loosening the bonds on her legs, but she kept at it –timing her kicks in time with his thrusts. Despite the situation, Anaea couldn’t prevent her body from reacting in the way it was designed. She felt her own muscles clench and release, felt her slickness growing… To remind herself, as well as him, of the situation, she spat into his face… The three men continued to watch their master fucking the prey. The three knew few women survived to his first fuck and all of them were hopeful that the strong female warrior would make it - however, she was so hot that the three suspected Km would not share her with any one them. Km was enjoying more and more as her body was starting to respond to his - her spat came as no surprise. Actually, he expected that. His thickness continued to fuck her, his strong hands grabbing her body, bringing her closer and closer. His thrusts were matching hers, causing his erection to grow to the maximum. He was about to come. For a second, Km thought that a bit of flexibility in those ropes would be desirable...but he did not notice what her plan was... The fool Barbarian was falling in a trap prepared by the Amazon without noticing.

A battle of wills (Nepola & TheLegionary)|rating:2.0

The Iron Gods_ Welcome to Numeria (OOC and Character sheets)

Basic Background! Numeria, the Land of Fallen stars. A beautiful land full of extremes and wastelands that are being caught over constantly by various barbarian tribes on top of shadowy organizations such as the Technic League. Despite the phenomenon known as "The Rain of Stars" happening thousands of years ago, many of the ruins created from it went undiscovered. Everyone who was born and raised here know not to venture into the ruins, as the ancient ruins may seem like a source for advanced technology for the likes of which mortals of this planet have never seen, they are also dangerous, and have caused the death of many lives. It has become somewhat of a taboo to even go near them. Still, that doesn't stop some people, especially the Technic League who seems to be making their presence known through all of Numeric. Having their base of operations in the province Sovereigns Reach, in the capital city Star fall, the League makes it their mission to study and control all the advanced tech scattered through Numeric. Currently, excavating Silver Mountain, a place well known for having possibly the biggest of the ruins. Advanced tech for personal use isn't the only thing to come out of the ruins. There seem to be some kind of factories still in operation to this day, as found wandering the lands are fully operational mechanical beings. As well as various created organisms known only as Androids. Androids look almost identical to the humans, though, typically much taller. Averaging about 6 feet tall, and on their skin was the feint glowing marks. Little is known about these creatures, even the androids themselves don't really know where they came from or why. They are however the target of the Technic League, as well as the once ruling tribe known as Black Sovereign that they Technic League use as their attack dogs. Whatever the reason, you find yourself in the small town of Torch. You either were born here, or your visiting. It is a popular tourist attraction after all. What with the large man-sized violet flame that burns on top of mountain, that on rare occasion burns much brighter and is quite the thing to look at. Nearby smiths use this flame to smelt and forge the sky metal, a rare metal only found in Numeric's various ruins and the material that the various automatons wandering the land are made out of. There aren't many flames that can smelt sky metal, as typically one would have to go to Sky fall in order to do that. The entire economy is based around this one magnificent flame. Outside it, the town doesn't offer much. It invites trade for its sky metal, as well as tourist economy, however, the town itself isn't even a square mile. Citizens of the town also know very well just how much is taxed, all of which going into the pockets of the Technic League who are paid off to not make a permanent presence. The only thing keeping this town from going under is the flame itself... So. Naturally. When the flame went out. There was much panic. The only thing left on the spot where the torch lied, was a strange bubbly liquid. What's also strange is that Councilor Honor Maine, a rather well liked individual, has recently gone missing after the exploration of the black hill caves. He had gone there once before and discovered many winding caverns filled with automatons, this would be his second expedition underneath. There is now a reward posted for finding him. A nice 4,000 gold reward for any group that finds him, as well as a scroll of resurrection if they find him alive. Many adventurers have now come to this little town to make their names known and to grab the reward. To date, none have returned. Volunteers have been now in days of short supply. Torch Map(INFO Character sheets and IOC discussion here. All of you are in the town for one reason or another. Though, the lack of flame should most likely be your primary concern. Whether your interested in the mystery aspect or worried about the town going under, maybe you think that fixing it will give you a nice sum of money, and perhaps your real concern is that you don't want the Technic League to come in and start running the town. I'll allow you all to discuss where you want to meet up. A Tavern is a nice little classic of course. I will also want everyone to roll a d12 as well as a D100 once your characters are posted for additional information. Also, for those who want it. The players guide! (Far strider: Human Fighter (#msg12864050) (Sheet (#id=1052543))Colima: Android Cleric (#msg12866389) (Sheet (#id=1050635))KAL Born: Muse touched-Aasimar Savage Technologist Barbarian (#msg128676629) (Sheet (#id=1052482))RIX: Rat folk Unchained Rouge (#msg12871965) (Sheet (#id=1053426)) I have to say I envy those of you who are able to know exactly what you want to play as soon as a game presents itself. Egad, so jealous :-[Basic starting wealth yeah. Also. I'm going to attach the character sheets to the first post once posted. Whee! IOC up (assuming I made the position, lol)If that's so, I'll be having character sheet up in a few hours. You did. We had 4 people who seemed interested so yeah, you're in. Oh. I was assuming everyone was going to be using myth-weaver. I thought that was pretty much the standard? Well. I'll just hot link your post then. Shouldn't be too hard. Anyway! Your character is good Animal companions and mounts gained through a class feature level up with the character they're companions to. "Bought" animals are just regular animals, and use the bestiary stats forever. (also I have no idea why they give tiny animals weapon finesse, since they use their DEX to attack anyway. You'd think a hawk would get Skill Focus: Perception or something. I guess they had a template and nobody cared enough to change it for every single damn animal?) Mythweavers (is a character sheet site. Fore example, my version of an archery fighter (#id=1026670) for National Acrobat's Grey hawk game. You have to register, but it's completely free, so no worries about that stuff. I have no idea yet. I'm... pretty slow when it comes to making characters, 'cause I always have a million ideas and picking just one is a real pain. Especially with Iron Gods where I want to do all the things. Right now I'm bouncing all over the damn place with preliminary character concepts. Lol, story of my life! Currently, my inclinations are bouncing between Gunslinger, Brawler, and Bard. Minor spoiler - this is like the only adventure path that has gunslinger loot. DI'm leaning a bit towards either a beef-type, a skill-type, or an arcane-type. Which is really narrowing the goddamned field, isn't it? -snickers at Hula.- Cut to you playing a fucking rogue. I'm making an android cleric of Gore. She's built to provide support and some minor ass-kicking, as well. Quote from: Bibliophile on 27-12-2016, 09:15:07-snickers at Hula.- Cut to you playing a fucking rogue. I actually have a few rogue-positive images that I like. None of them are halflings though, that's the key ;D Goddamned halfling rogues, every single game... Phoenix and I actually have a lot of design space to play around in, which is cool. ’D A lot of games seem to end up with people trying to make one-man parties, with their oracle / Paladin multiclasses and their Eldritch Heritage monks and Synthesis summoners and whatnot. Fie on them, I say!FIE! Well, I may just pass up on a she male cat folk gunslinger concept (since I saw the picture since we do have a ranged fighter type... though all that tech and guns... Anyways, I'll what I can work with on the Bard or Brawler ideas. Maybe even a barbarian since I noticed they have the savage technologist archetype. My android is dual-sexed, so we've got that covered. -thinks.- That's a party role, right? Support, Tank, Ranged, Healer and Hermaphrodite? I haven't had many laughs today, but that one gave me a good chuckle ;D Doubling up on party roles can always be fun. ’D -dance.- Just discovered there's a cleric archetype that makes Channel Energy affect robots and constructs instead of undead. (so I think I've narrowed it down to an basilar (barbarian ((savage technologist (archetype). If that's okay, I'll start working on it. Quote from: Bibliophile on 27-12-2016, 11:08:49-dance.- Just discovered there's a cleric archetype that makes Channel Energy affect robots and constructs instead of undead. I believe that would be the Iron Priest (Yup! So, that's what my cleric is now. Quote from: Bibliophile on 27-12-2016, 09:59:38My android is dual-sexed, so we've got that covered. -thinks.- That's a party role, right? Support, Tank, Ranged, Healer and Hermaphrodite? I believe so. I mean, a dungeon party without at least one girl with a dick? It's unheard of. Quote from: Silver Phoenix on 27-12-2016, 11:11:25(so I think I've narrowed it down to an basilar (barbarian ((savage technologist (archetype). If that's okay, I'll start working on it. I believe that would be the Iron Priest (Perfectly alright. I suppose they're ex-black sovereign? Or are they from one of the smaller tribes? Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 27-12-2016, 11:04:41 Well, we have a healer, but not a sexual healer. I think that was actually a class, in the DnD Erotica expansion thingy...:P :Pits funny. I've been playing Erotic D&D for years now. And not once has anyone ever used anything from that erotic D&D book. Most likely because nobody wants to systemize sex. Anyway! We have a Human fighter who focuses on range. An android cleric who is an expert in healing/harming machines. And a celestial being of a barbarian. Sounds like a good combo so far! Alright Chub. What you pick next is up to you. Assuming the 5-foot step is after you do your full attack, then yes, you should be taken out of the threatened area provided your foe doesn't have a reach weapon. I don't really get how there could be confusion for that, it says so right in the feat.... In fact...BOTH of the actions you described would get you out of a threatened area on your own. You don't provoke an attack of opportunity if you take a 5-foot step anyway. And the feat you described's sole purpose is to get to push an enemy so you're out of their threatened area. The one GM who said No must not have known what they were doing honestly. Threatened area is 5 feet. And yes, you can take your 5-foot step between your attacks, so you can use your pushing part of the attack, take a 5-foot step back, and then be out of the 10-foot reach of your typical reach weapon for you to use your second part. It'll be a bit of time before you get the feat anyway. Might I suggest taking the Scion of Humanity Basilar racial trait? 'Cause looks like our cleric is going to have Enlarged person as a domain spell, and being a humanoid instead of an outsider might be verbal helpful with that ;Quote from: Silver Phoenix on 27-12-2016, 11:11:25(so I think I've narrowed it down to an basilar (barbarian ((savage technologist (archetype). If that's okay, I'll start working on it. I believe that would be the Iron Priest (Quote from: Chulanowa on 28-12-2016, 03:23:33Might I suggest taking the Scion of Humanity Basilar racial trait? 'Cause looks like our cleric is going to have Enlarged person as a domain spell, and being a humanoid instead of an outsider might be verbal helpful with that ;Day, 'twas already on my list of things to do, since I didn't want him to be too divested from humanity. Quote from: who149 on 27-12-2016, 17:40:41Yup. Perfectly alright. I suppose they're ex-black sovereign? Or are they from one of the smaller tribes? Generally something like that. He's from a smaller tribe of Keloids. He idolizes the idea of the Black Sovereign, has qualms with the way he suspects the man is being manipulated. Unlike most Keloids, he sees technology as something that can be used to their advantage to help his people, hence why he incorporates it rather than rejects it and wants to bring some acceptance of it to the tribes. Quote from: who149 on 27-12-2016, 05:30:59Basic starting wealth yeah. Also. I'm going to attach the character sheets to the first post once posted. When you say basic, do you mean the average, or do you want us to roll it? I'll let you choose. In this case average is a bit like "taking a 10" if you choose to just take the average. Question: are we permitted traits? -rolls and dances.- Yay, above average for the win! Quote from: Silver Phoenix on 28-12-2016, 08:38:00Question: are we permitted traits? Hmmm. Alright. Everyone is allowed 2 traits if they want them. I don't usually play with traits, but I don't see too much harm in having them if you want them. Well, the campaign traits in the players' guide are good for tying characters into the overall story ;D ((#id=1050635)Android Cleric 1 LNHP13 / 13SpeedftInit2AC17Fort4Ref2Will4CMB+2BAB0Trident+2 (1d8+2, x2)Light Crossbow+2 (1d8, 19-20x2)Str15 (2)Dex14 (2)Con14 (2)Wis15 (2)Int14 (2)Cha10 (0)Description: Colima looks like a normal girl from a distance, but things change slightly once one gets a closer look. Faint blue-green circuitry shows through the pale, freckled skin that covers bone structure a bit too precise and mathematically perfect to be natural. Her thick, black hair frames a face built upon the precepts of the golden ratio to an uncanny degree, falling plumb-straight to just beneath her shoulder-blades. Her slender form is dressed in a pristine white coat-dress that covers her from just beneath her chin to her knees. She wears the heavy coat over black leather boots that cover her legs to mid-thigh, and match the wide belt holding her coat closed around her waist. An iron symbol of Gore hangs around her neck, shining dully like the odd metallic sheen in her aqua eyes. Personality: Colima can't be said to have much in the way of relatable personality traits. Her emotions, when they are expressed, tend to be far beyond what is called for or appropriate, or the emotions she expresses do not suit the situation in which she expresses them. She has no memory of her past, and is naive and ignorant of much of the world, given the short time she has spent on it. Her free time is spent in silent reflection or furious study, as if she alternates between confusion about life and her place in it, and the feverish need to understand and know everything that eludes her. She approaches her faith with an immaturity, and yet in that immaturity is a deep need to connect with her deity and all Gore represents, which gives her a bright, endearing religious fervor that few priests can even match. She finds non-androids fascinating in all their complexities and flaws, and secretly envies the messiness of their simple lives. Take out a 100GP loan and get a Mikhail waffle iron. -snickers at Hula.- Wondrous items are always nice for sinking some extra gold! Unless otherwise noted, all weapon / armor enchantments require the weapon or armor already have a +1 Enhancement Bonus. So, you can have a +1agileRapier, but never just anagilerapier. The Masterwork quality does not count for this; it's got to have a magical +1 enhancement on it. You also total the bonuses together when figuring cost; a weapon with a +1 Enhancement Bonus, and both ghost touchandflamingenhancement is priced as a +3 weapons, not three separate +1's. You should really save that 80 gold. Furthermore, you should probably save that 900. Gold as an item is a surprisingly effect pusher and fixer of many problems. Want to get rid of some guards? Pay em off. Need a favor to be done? Pay em off. Lonely and seeking company for a night? Pay off your local brothel. Mafia about to break your legs because you can't pay the loan you took out for that Mikhail waffle iron? Bribe the hit men to look the other way for at least a day. Also! Lovely character! The party is shaping up quite nicely. I have narrowed the list of potentials down to... Uh... more than I want to admit (;D Should hopefully have something up by this evening. I warned you I was slow. It's fine :Also we're using medium. As for myself, I'm putting the finishing touches and writing up the relevant bios and stuff. Should be an hour or two from now. (#id=1052482)N Muse touched-Aasimar (Savage Technologist Barbarian 1)Description:Waldorf is a tall and robustly built Kelli tribesman with unruly mane of burgundy-red locks that is somewhat distinct from the typical dark hair boasted by the vast majority of his kinsfolk; it is practically the only indication of outside influences at work in the family line. A scar across his nose suggests that he is no stranger to violence, though it is also a typical display of Kelli pride and disdain for an easy life. Dressed in the typical furs of his people, Waldorf also carries a scimitar strapped to his back - a weapon not usually wielded by the northern barbarians who prefer axes or the straight blade. Personality:KAL (as he is sometimes known) has a gruff, but easy going manner - enough ease to let people know that he is approachable, but enough steel within to let others know he doesn't suffer fools lightly. Curiosity burns brightly inside of him, as he is always eager to see and learn new things - his current fascination is for the technology of Numeric as he sees it to be an alternative to the dominance of magic he sees everywhere else in the world - to him, it is something that if harnessed properly will greatly benefit his people without them having to sacrifice the cultural norms. It is a view that is a bit naive and born from lack of exposure, but he is quick to learn and is willing to adjust his world-view with every new thing he learns. Whilst he holds his fellow tribesmen in the highest esteem, he is also exasperated by their superstitious and almost xenophobic conservatives. Strangers and foreigners are always of interest to him, though he prefers to learn from how they live their lives rather than how they preach. Background:Waldorf came from a relatively minor tribe who got along as best they could - they have had hard times and good times. Growing up on tales of heroes and sagas, KAL has always admired the Black Sovereign for what the figure represents; a unifying factor for the Kelli people. As he grew older, though, he began to notice the flaws and largely began to see that the man was not the great figure he had once adored, and even began to suspect that the Technic League (whom the Black Sovereign was supposed to have conquered) had some role to play in the corrupt manner in which Numeric was run. When he was old enough to be allowed away from supervision, KAL spent every moment he could once he was done hunting to investigate the tech ruins, diligently recording everything he saw and trying to piece things together. His greatest achievement was eventually piecing together a working understanding of the ancient Androgen language. Unfortunately for his tribe, on a particularly lean winter, they ventured far from their usual grounds to try and find food and in the process came right into the tracks of a Devastator robot - one of the larger, and more dangerous, robots that roamed Numeric. The battle was virtually one-sided and many lives were lost without so much as putting a dent in the machine. When the carnage was done and the spider-like robot had returned to the waste, the survivors came together again. KAL harbored none of the hatred of his fellow tribesmen, but saw the Devastator as more akin to a force of nature; to young KAL, at least, it was hard to hate something that had no emotion or feeling. However, unlike a true force of nature, it was something that could probably be controlled - as the Technic League had demonstrated with the lessor automatons. When the tribe finally dissolved and resettled amongst other tribes in the region, KAL, who had lost both parents, decided he would pursue his long time wish to see how he could benefit his people with Numeric's wealth of technological treasures. And if the Black Sovereign needed to step that for that to happen and Waldorf could affect that change, he would see to finding a way if it was in his power. Being in the vicinity, KAL suspected that Torch's special forge was perhaps a similar ruin to the ones he had scavenged, and apparently one that still had a semblance of working condition, and began to make his way there. Shouldn't you roll for that SLA replacement? >:) SLA? (Kinda lacking a little bit of sleep right now, but I'm sure when you tell me, I'll slap my forehead ::))Still if it's something that who149 feels needs to be rolled, then let the mighty deity of dice speak! Or roll over... ;D He means that its awfully suspicious that you happen to get a perfect ability replacement :anyway, you don't get to have three +2's. The ability score replacement has to actually replace one of your ability score additions. You don't get to get rid of glitter dust for a +2 strength, it doesn't work like that :PI'd also like to know what abilities you're replacing for the other. And I'm going to only allow ONE free one. Just to be nice. If you want to replace another... you have to roll for it. Also. I'm going to need everyone to roll a d20 for not particular reason This does not bode well for the future. Summary: At 2016-12-29 13:44:01, Colima (UID: 24594) rolls: 1d20 Result: 1 (Summary: At 2016-12-29 13:50:29, Colima (UID: 24594) rolls: 1d100 Result: 36 (oh! Also, a d100! Sorry! I was just pointing out that for Basilar, there's an option to trade in your spell-like ability (SLA) for a D100 roll on a chart in the "Blood of Angels" book - and some of the outcomes of that roll are +1 to an ability. Others are "Can make fruit ripen with a touch." So... Kind of like playing the lottery with your spell-like ability ;DI believe that Who's D100 /D20 rolls are for something in the adventure path. AndI'm making a rat folk who... does... stuff. I'm not 100% absolutely clear on what, exactly she does (I am certain it's she) but it's probably going to involve lots of skill points, maybe some knives, possibly spells or bombs or something, who knows. Alchemist/Organist/Investigator/Occultist/Rogue/Vigilante/Wizard at this point :P... Most likely towards the alchemist / investigator / rogue parts of that spectrum, though. Why on earth would anyone willingly play a normal rogue if Unchained is on the table? "Gosh, I really like free weapon finesse, DEX-to-damage, and making my skills awesome, but I lose so many Talents that I would have never picked anyway!" ’D I would be going for the Sumerian Scavenger archetype, disabling technical traps and such. For the Investigator, Blood of the Beast has a new Rat folk archetype, the Scavenger (kind of theme, it seems) who makes little clockwork doohickeys instead of Infusions, gets a bonus to fighting constructs, and is otherwise a very useful mammal. Alchemist... I am actually completely unfamiliar with and along with Occultist, is something I am perusing currently. And Vigilante is fucking AMAZING, but I don't know if it would work in this Adventure path... And it doesn't give me any Jews trap abilities (I COULD get spell casting with it... or be a magical girl. Or disguise myself as a moose...) Quote from: who149 on 29-12-2016, 20:33:49He means that its awfully suspicious that you happen to get a perfect ability replacement :p Anyway, you don't get to have three +2's. The ability score replacement has to actually replace one of your ability score additions. You don't get to get rid of glitter dust for a +2 strength, it doesn't work like that :P I'd also like to know what abilities you're replacing for the other. And I'm going to only allow ONE free one. Just to be nice. If you want to replace another... you have to roll for it. Also. I'm going to need everyone to roll a d20 for not particular reason No worries, works fine by me! I assumed it was a swappable thing, but my bad on the assumption :-[I've removed the strength bonus and rolled for the variant ability for replacing the glitter dust, getting25 (I think equates to burst of speed). Furthermore, I've put the breakdown of the points buy in the notes section at the bottom of the MW page (#id=1052482). Result of 17 (for d20 roll. Don't mind me, still deciding on class... Should be settled out before too long ;D(Rogue (Sumerian Scavenger Archetype)Campaign Trait:Against the Technic League Character Sheet:#id=1053426Background:RIX was born into captivity. Not far outside the Silver mount. Collared and muzzled, she was sent into the ruins of the Fallen Star to fetch things for the masters. When she grew older, she was used for manual labor as well, cleaning bits and pieces, learning how to re-assemble them, and how to identify what was useful and trash. Everything went to the Masters. If you went on a Dive and came back empty-handed, you were punished; denied food, or beaten, or - if you failed really badly - sent to the experiments. Most of the slaves didn't come back from the Experiments, and those who did... well, they were a good case study for why you should do good work and not get sent to the Experiments! It was a hard life, a brutal existence, with the only possible escape from the torment being either death in a Dive, or becoming a whip-swinging lick spittle for the Masters. You lived in the warren, you ate your mash, you did your dives, and eventually you would die and be carried away. That was life.... At least until it wasn't. New faces appeared in the warren. Soft, chattered whispers in a language barely remembered by the old ones who hadn't been sent to the Experiments yet. New words like "Harvester" and names like Cayden and Milani. Many of the folk avoided such talk, fearful of what it might mean. But somehow, RIX heard the whispers, and whispered back. Plans grew, agreements were made, and suddenly, life and death as a slave didn't seem the only way. The rebellion was not flash and flame like in the romantic stories; Barely a dozen of the folk lifted arms. A dozen was enough to spill the Master's Blood and secret the others away. The warren scattered to the winds, each rat folk fleeing for their lives under the cover of darkness, seeking a new life, free of the fear and drudgery and torment. And now the masters - the former masters - had a name. The Technic League. Rix settled in Torch roughly two years ago; it has little influence from the Technic League, and she wasn't comfortable leaving the lands of Numeric for the strange ad alien landscapes of trees and clear water she had heard about. She lives as a scrapper, helping Junk master Burr waddle sort through the heaps of refuse and odd bits in the town's junkyard. But now the flame has gone out, and RIX knows that the Technic League is making its move on the town. She won't be a slave again, and neither will the people she has come to know. D20 roll: Result: 17 (Result: 67 (Aaaaannnnd... somehow failed my perception check to notice I was supposed to role a d100 as well (damn, that -20 penalties for lack of sleep sure is hard to beat!)d100 roll result is 87 (Billion totally called it; I'm going rogue. The deciding point was that ijustnoticed that this archetype gives me the Technologist feat at no cost. Whee! I plan to go into Investigator (Scavenger archetype) at level 4, which brings me two questions for the GM, both related to Pathfinder Unchained.1) Can we utilize the "Background Skills (" option?and2) How about the Fractional Base Bonuses (#TOC-Fractional-Base-Bonuses)? I was going to give a long detailed answer, but I'm just going to go with the short.1) No. Furthermore, I don't like this system.2) Yes. Furthermore, I like this system. Also! LOVE the rat girl! I think that's everyone. I'll be ready to start things up soon! It's been a busy past couple of days for me though. So bare with me.Also, Tanner, I'm going to need that d20 roll Quote from: who149 on 31-12-2016, 08:16:51Also! LOVE the rat girl! I think that's everyone. I'll be ready to start things up soon! It's been a busy past couple of days for me though. So bare with me. Awesome! Still, don't feel pressured to rush; I'm sure everyone knows how hectic the festive period is, and there still New Year to go through. Chul, those wouldn't happen to be Shaven pictures, would they? ’D Just roll a 1d20 and a 1d100 and give me the results of both of them individually. It has to do with the game. Secret reasons. And that's fine. Whenever you can get it. Edit: Also! Everyone has their characters up! Now, all of you have already met in some way shape or form. It could be that you were companions who knew each other via some history, it could be that you were friends from primary school, or you could have met because you were looking for others to help solve the crisis at hand. Hell, you could have met at the last orgy you had and just decided to keep contact, or met at AA and then got a couple drinks from the tavern. :P Quote from: Silver Phoenix on 31-12-2016, 08:27:54Awesome! Still, don't feel pressured to rush; I'm sure everyone knows how hectic the festive period is, and there still New Year to go through. Chul, those wouldn't happen to be Shaven pictures, would they? Din fact they aren't. Two of 'em are fan art of an MTG card (and the third is just something I found on fur affinity that fits the "look" ;DA's for connections, a few ideas...• Anyone here really anti-slavery? You might have had a hand in helping some rat folk escape Technic League enslavement a few years back. Maybe you weren't connected to that, but helped some out when they were on the run.• RIX is an inhabitant of Torch, and could just randomly know people; if you buy spare parts from the junkyard (or often add them to the pile), you might know her as being less weird than the gnome who runs that show.• With the Technologist feat and her association with the junkyard, she might serve as a go-to for identifying odd bits of junk or contraptions you might have picked up.• If your character is around Torch and talks shit about the Technic League, maybe she's bought you a drink.• She's probably actively asking around about people to investigate the failure of the flame, since Honor Maine's gone missing. Your standard "post on a message board" kind of thing.• Some people go for small rat-faced women, I don't know. Open to and interested in other ideas, of course! I'm seeing RIX more as "refugee" than "slave-buster" at least at the moment. She's just a ROSS trying to get by, man. ’D And one doesn't stand up against the Technic League without allies, lest you get hit in the face with a laser-shovel. Yes. Laser-shovel. These are a thing that actually exist (Iron Gods is weird. Guiding her to town could work. Also, one possibility we could all look at is from Ultimate Campaign. QuoteRelationship with Fellow Adventurers This table is best used by the adventuring party as a whole to determine starting relationships between the characters. One player begins the process by choosing someone in the group and rolling to learn the relationship between her and the second character. Then the next player chooses a different character and rolls to determine their relationship, and so on, until finally the last player rolls to determine his relationship with the first character. It is easiest to do this sitting around a table, with each player passing the dice clockwise until the dice have completed a full turn around the table. You can also use this table free-form if you wish, rolling for your relationship for as many or as few of the other characters as you care to define; however, the first method guarantees that every character has connections to two other characters to improve group cohesion. If you end up with a result that makes no sense or isn't possible, reroll or just chose another option. Relationship with Fellow Adventurers Result01—05 Family or close as family—close friends, close/distant relatives, relatives by marriage/adoption06—10 Friend of a friend11—15 Tavern buddies16—20 Hunting companions21—25 Business associates, current or former26—30 Contractor and employer31—35 Former allies36—40 Former enemies41—45 Friendly competitors46—50 Romantic competitors, current or former51—55 Know each other by reputation only56—60 Former inmates (prison, asylum, or captivity) or former inmate and captor61—65 Criminal connections66—70 Servants or apprentices to the same master71—75 Met on a pilgrimage, caravan, or journey76—80 Veterans of a skirmish or war81—85 Follow (or followed) the same faith or cult86—90 Best friends91—95 Gaming or gambling associates96—100 From the same hometown or region dunno, I sometimes like OT have random elements ;D Quote from: Chulanowa on 31-12-2016, 09:53:09As for connections, a few ideas...• Anyone here really anti-slavery? You might have had a hand in helping some rat folk escape Technic League enslavement a few years back. Maybe you weren't connected to that, but helped some out when they were on the run.• RIX is an inhabitant of Torch, and could just randomly know people; if you buy spare parts from the junkyard (or often add them to the pile), you might know her as being less weird than the gnome who runs that show.• With the Technologist feat and her association with the junkyard, she might serve as a go-to for identifying odd bits of junk or contraptions you might have picked up.• If your character is around Torch and talks shit about the Technic League, maybe she's bought you a drink. • She's probably actively asking around about people to investigate the failure of the flame, since Honor Maine's gone missing. Your standard "post on a message board" kind of thing.• Some people go for small rat-faced women, I don't know. Open to and interested in other ideas, of course! I figure upon KAL's arrival in Torch, he might have been interested in finding people with knowledge for the few broken knick-knacks he's found in his travels or else for the notes he's been collecting throughout the ruins he's traveled. Likewise, his marked dislike of the Technic League is quite evident for anyone whose known him for more than a few days.@ Virgil:KAL has been on the road for a month or two before reaching Torch, so if you're up for 'met up on the road and struck up a friendship', that works for me too. Maybe even fought off a bandit or two.@ Bibliophile:Might be a bit of a stretch, but since Colima and KAL have the n. archaeologist feat, perhaps they stumbled into one another at some point whilst looking into the same ruin? Regardless, as an Android and a Cleric, a combination like that would immediately catch KAL's attention, as prior to he would not have expected to see anything tech-based/created as being affiliated with the divine - the combination does pique his curiosity in a generally positive way. And Happy New Year to all! Alliance of convenience works, though given it will eventually turn out for the long haul, it may be best if they developed a better (perhaps even working) relationship by the time they reach Torch (I know PCs are generally immune to usage of the Diplomacy skill, but I figure KAL's +9 has got to account for something, lol). -nods at Silver.- Makes sense to me. And for an Android, Colima is very friendly...in her own way. She finds non-constructs fascinating and prefers to spend her time with them, since others like her can't understand her connection to the divine and her desire for the messiness that is emotion and whatnot. I'll try to look into other connections with the rest of you tomorrow. I've been sick and it makes my brain not function. Who, I just noticed last night, you ran my first Pathfinder game on E. ;D Please don't give us another barrel of Peter Puller's Pickled Peckers... What do you expect an incubus's layer to look like? And don't worry. I plan on keeping this mostly unheroic, so there is a 90% chance you WON'T be getting robotic everywhere. Quote from: who149 on 01-01-2017, 20:42:03What do you expect an incubus's layer to look like? :P And don't worry. I plan on keeping this mostly unheroic, so there is a 90% chance you WON'T be getting robotic everywhere. I can just see it now, some talking trash can comes up to us, a big dildo sticking out of one if its ports, screeching "IMPREGNATE! IMPREGNATE!" I don't mind alittleerotic. But then I'm playing a Peter Linkage-sized hamster, so... As for an incubus' lair? I don't know. But it led to some great jokes, so no demerits. XD -grins at Hula.- Hands off, ladies. He's mine. Who else would want me? :P Quote from: Chulanowa on 01-01-2017, 20:58:21I can just see it now, some talking trash can comes up to us, a big dildo sticking out of one if its ports, screeching "IMPREGNATE! IMPREGNATE!" And there you go breaking Player rule #1. Don't go giving the DM any ideas. Also. Thanks for reminding me of that game! It brings up an important note going forward. To help streamline and make the game go faster, I won't be heavily enforcing turn order. Initiative basically exist to see who gets to go before the enemy, and after the enemies turn, It's whoever posts when. So the order goes like this. Players who roll higher initiative then enemies. Enemies. All Players And then repeating until the combat is over. You keep making those super-sexy Dale jokes and I might have to beat them off of you. Quote from: Chulanowa on 01-01-2017, 21:14:14Who else would want me? PI seem to recall author rats/mice were a rave for me at one time... did it have something to do with... Gadget? :)Haven't quite shaken it off since then. Quote from: who149 on 01-01-2017, 20:42:03And don't worry. I plan on keeping this mostly unheroic, so there is a 90% chance you WON'T be getting robotic everywhere. Hmmm... 90% is less than 100%, which means it is completely out... and as someone who knows the Murphy's Laws of COM - If your chance to hit is 90%, you will miss. Quote from: who149 on 01-01-2017, 21:21:14To help streamline and make the game go faster, I won't be heavily enforcing turn order. Initiative basically exist to see who gets to go before the enemy, and after the enemies turn, It's whoever posts when. Works for me! Gadget Hack wrench is nothing vs. Mrs. Risky. Just gotta say that ;D Strange that I missed it... damn it Nix, stop waving that tail! At any rate, KAL's grown up amongst barbarians who grunt as a matter of courtesy and curse as a matter of habit, so I don't think one crotchety archer will give him reason for offense ;D Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 03-01-2017, 02:14:59Oh, BTW... I'm guessing that we've had a lot of character pitches...so Who! How many of us will be winning a fabulous prize and how many of us will be going home with a slap on the back? What's the party size on this game? :-)Dude... all four of us are in ;) Just waiting on the IC thread to start up. It's now all set! A bit of bare bones, sorry. Starting off where most adventurers start, in a tavern! Help yourself and relax as the four of your discuss what to do and where to go next! I already said that the four of you knew each other before the start. How you knew each other was up to you. How long your little party has been together is up to you. You probably went to the council together, unless you want to say that you split up, in which case, that's up to you. Alright, so sorry for being incommunicado the last few days. I've been sick and on top of everything else it just wiped me out. Seeing as she has the Sumerian Archaeologist trait, and is very passionate about finding the origins of herself and others like her, I see Colima bringing any tech she can't parse to the junkyard in Torch to see if the gnome or RIX can suss out their function or origin for her. We figured out how she knows KAL, I believe. They're sort of unofficial colleagues, both exploring the ruins around Torch and sharing information with one another? Vergil, it could be that she and Drama didn't know one another before the party formed, since she already knows the other two. Or, they could have met one another in passing through KAL or RIX, but not known one another well. Thanks! -smiles.- She doesn't hide it, but she doesn't bother informing people, either. So, unless they figure it out or ask, then I assume most people think she's human until she does something decidedly android. Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 04-01-2017, 04:46:43Right ho! I'll see about getting a post up at some point. Oh, Who! How does rolling work? Like...in combat, do we roll our Hit and Damage dice at the same time in the post, and then if it doesn't hit, you just ignore our Damage? Yes. You roll everything you plan on rolling for that turn and I'll simply tell you the ones that fail. Yes. That is exactly how you should do it. It's far less intrusive than spending 3 or 4 separate post asking if each one hits. If you're firing your bow twice, then roll for twice for attack and twice for damage. It doesn't matter the target. Then you assign those rolls to who you want to hit. "I'll shoot the bandit twice" With an addition of "If the first attack kills the bandit, then shoot the sexy Dale instead on my second". If the action hinges on whether you succeed or not, and is a different roll entirely, then you make the split. "I'm going to push the sexy Dale away. And then shoot his bandit lover. " Then provide the rolls of those two. "If however, I fail to kick the sexy Dale away, then I'll headbutt the sexy Dale instead!" Then provide an unarmed melee roll. You should keep all of these in a read more to keep things tidy. For example. RollsActions:Kicking Sexy Dale 5 feet away (North) At 2017-01-03 22:41:00, who149 (UID: 19837) rolls: 1d20a3 Result: 23 ((CRT!) Shooting Bandit lover At 2017-01-03 22:41:18, who149 (UID: 19837) rolls: 1d20a5 Result: 13 (Kicking sexy Dale fails, instead of shooting the Dales bandit lover, I'll headbutt him instead! Headbutting Sexy Dale At 2017-01-03 22:41:39, who149 (UID: 19837) rolls: 1d20a3 Result: 16 (Sexy Dales Bandit lover At 2017-01-03 22:42:01, who149 (UID: 19837) rolls: 1d8 Result: 1 (the Dale if failed to kick it At 2017-01-03 22:42:21, who149 (UID: 19837) rolls: 1d3 Result: 1 (check: Melee against Sexy Defeat 2017-01-03 22:46:30, who149 (UID: 19837) rolls: 1d20a3 Result: 16 (Yes. It's the same roll that you use to apply to the next. Hooray! IC up - time to get typing ;Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 04-01-2017, 06:57:38Just saying, that Perception Roll was a 25. I should, like, find a diamond hidden on the floor or something :P :P :Only if there's a diamond there in the first place... on the other hand, you're really, quite, very, absolute, positively certain up to a 99.99% chance that thing there on the ground is...*gasp*a puddle of water. Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 04-01-2017, 06:57:38Just saying, that Perception Roll was a 25. I should, like, find a diamond hidden on the floor or something :P :P :Rolling high perception doesn't make an empty box less empty :P But. Fine. I'll throw you a small bone. A small bone might have been more interesting. Anyway. Can't be giving you anything too cool and exciting right off the bat. You have to explore ancient tombs to get the cool stuff. Yeah, you don't have to type that up. I also took the moment to add a bit more info on the tavern as I realized it was really bare bones when I wrote it up the first time. My last post was edited. Sorry. This is my first serious D&D game I've had in a while. Yup! Congrats on finding 10GP I say try to use common courtesy. Don't post a lot before other people have a chance too but I'm not going to systemize it or make it a rule. Sorry for the delay everyone! Wasn't feeling too well. I’m back. Anyway! Long story short. Its mad and is out for blood! Hey, guys! I'm sorry for the delay in posting. I'm dealing with some annoying side effects that make posting a hundred times more difficult, but I'm going to try and getsomethingup tomorrow. Furthermore, I've already said several posts back that we are doing a free-range game rather than strict initiative order. Winners of initiative are the ones that go before the bot though. However, that being said, I'd like to at least wait a little bit. This really isn't a race. Order is:Players who rolled higher initiative then enemyEnemyPlayersEnemySo-on Quote from: who149 on 18-01-2017, 03:32:28Sorry for the delay everyone! Wasn't feeling too well. I’m back. Anyway! Long story short. Its mad and is out for blood! Hooray! :-)Quote from: Bibliophile on 18-01-2017, 04:40:47Hey, guys! I'm sorry for the delay in posting. I'm dealing with some annoying side effects that make posting a hundred times more difficult, but I'm going to try and get something up tomorrow. Well, I'm sure your new AVI can getsomethingup, lol In those cases, the one with the higher Dexterity goes first. If both are equal, then you roll for it. Thankfully you didn't roll a natural 1 for the bird's attack. Wouldn't want her going after the big juicy-looking rabbit next to the clearly inedible machine! The Diplomacy attempt made me smile. Sadly I don't think it worked. But I like to think that it appreciated the attempt. -giggles.- It felt like the right thing to do at the time. I didn't think it would work, but sometimes you have to do what feels appropriate for the character and situation, even if you know it'll fail. Especially if it's amusing. See, this is why you need a real Thunder-style barbarian for this adventure path. Rage + power attack + Two-handed weapon = "who gives a fuck about hardness?" Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 19-01-2017, 03:47:33LOL, yeah, it's a good thing KET flew true. XD Otherwise he might have decided that it was rat for dinner. Sgt;.Sgt;But ok...so I assume we wait for the 'Bots attack now? I mean...we've all made our move besides Colima...so do we wait for her to attack, then the Bot, then rinse and repeat what we just did?CHUB! Help me out! What's the protocol here? Do I wait, or should I post now? Take a deep breath and wait. The game isn't going anywhere. Quote from: Virgil Tanner on 19-01-2017, 04:35:09I know, but I get impatient. It doesn't help that I'm a compulsive replied. XD But hey, better than being a serial procrastinator, right? Peon't you sass me. Yeah, that was my bad! I forgot everyone posted already! Edited my last post! Repair drone did his action. It means he gets two attacks. Each of those attacks get +5 on the attack roll. Each attack that hits then deals 1d4-2 damage (a minimum of one damage, not 0 by the way; every successful attack deals at least one damage no matter what.) You need a full attack action in order to make both attacks, though. Which the bird should get this round (last round it used a move action to get to the robot) Virgil, please do not have your character react toward mine as if she's been lolly-gagging around. I realize I'm not posting quickly, but I have a very fucking good reason for that, and IOC time between posts doesn't translate to in-game time. Bots dead. Sadly I'm too tired to really post much tonight so I'll respond in the morning. I feel that I contributed! (-dies giggling.- I used to run games on a World of Darkness site. There were times that my players would plan, and plan, and plan for DAYS, game-time. Weeks real life. Trying OT get absolutely every contingency under control, make sure every possible option was covered. And then when they finally got to the action... half the time all they had done was waste time and the Big Evil Thing was way ahead of them, annulling all their plans anyway... Or they ignored the damn plan they had spent ages on. Had a game here on E that did sort of the same thing, where the players spent a literal six months worth of posts just talking to a single NPC trying to get every possible scrap of information out of there, then making contingency after contingency. Last I looked the game has finally gotten to its second encounter in the adventure path. So forgive me if I - and my characters - tend to favor a "get on with it!" approach to things. It's an adventure game. Sometimes you just gotta throw yourselves in there for the adventure to show up. The path will start soon! Don't worry! I just wanted to get some role-play and party banter to start off with! And I'm sorry with the delays. Stuff happening. I'll post soon! Quote from: who149 on 23-01-2017, 08:31:06The path will start soon! Don't worry! I just wanted to get some role-play and party banter to start off with! And I'm sorry with the delays. Stuff happening. I'll post soon! Dude, I am the last person who can complain about delays in posting and slow starts ;Dwell, outside the extremes I just mentioned, I mean No rush, Who! -beams.- I'm enjoying getting to play my weird-ass cleric. Good morning, how do you do? I hear you have an opening? Any particular rolls you need filled? Well we have the technologically adept rogue (destined to multiclass either alchemist or investigator), the diplomatic Hungarian, and Sexy Gladys the cleric. Maybe one of the psychic classes? Cosimararelyputs people through extensive, deadly testing with the promise of cake at the end. Quote from: Bibliophile on 24-01-2017, 07:40:10Cosima rarely puts people through extensive, deadly testing with the promise of cake at the end. Well you know we do have a lab rat. Just in case, you know. Cake is good. -giggles.- Now I'm imagining RIX running a series of increasingly difficult and dangerous mazes with cheesecake at the end. I don't think we have a dedicated arcane type... Ooh. :) Arcades and psionic are some of my favorites. What's our gender spread? Last time I made a character for this module, I got the impression that high-tech stuff wasn't well known? I had built a cleric who worked a forge. Is there a way I'm mining to start with some technological awareness? 2 males 1 female, 1 FTA I believe FTA's about as close as you're going to get, description-wise. And, yes, Muse...there are traits for the tech stuff. Now, it doesn't mean that the tech is 'well-known' or understood, just that you havesomeknowledge and the ability to try and work out how something works. Quote from: Muse on 24-01-2017, 08:06:26 Last time I made a character for this module, I got the impression that high-tech stuff wasn't well known? I had built a cleric who worked a forge. Is there a way I'm mining to start with some technological awareness? Yeah, that's the general assumption; the average person sees Robots and just sees "mechanical horror that shoots fire from its face" and not "technological construct from a faraway world." Even with the ethnologist feat, it's more like you just know how things like that work, more than you actually know the story behind 'em. And my rat folk will bite you if you touch her technologist feat. DIF you ever played "Expedition to Barrier Peaks" back in 2nd edition, it's kinda like that. It's also kinda like this.(*Grins*Okay, so only one crafter then? Girl it is. So, Wizard, sorceress, cryonicist, or wilder... Oh, how are we doing stats? Well, it's Pathfinder, so the Psychic classes (are a little different from 3.5 psionic (actually a lot different.) They're the Geneticist, Medium, Mesmerism, Occultist, Psychic, and Spiritualist. And I believe character creation was 25 point-buy, level 1, any race, Max HP, two traits, one is a campaign trait? Not sure about crafting. I mean we're level 1 so maybe a little early to worry about it. ’D If you want to work at the forge you could be an assistant or have done work with Val Blaine in the past, and it would be a perfect way to work you in. Otherwise, you'll be meeting them at or near the dungeon. Stats are as Chub said, 25 point buy. I allow Two traits and yes, a campaign trait. Oh, I thought you were talking about the psionic classes, not those classes. Okay, wizard or sorceress. *ponders* I read there's a wizard in town, who might have an apprentice? And who has a daughter, but there might be a rivalry.*Goes to read again and look over pathfinder stuff.* Organist maybe? There's even a Sorcerer infected with Nanotech (( really gotten into the organist. I'm thinking wizard. Is this illustration good? I'm thinking she's a wizard (Evocation Specialist) with the trait Local Ties. Along with traditional wizard skills, she'll have learned Disable Device and Kn. Engineering. I'll see if I can find a trait to give her access to Perception as a class skill, and then she'll be able to do some trap springing.(I believe our rogue is the player who left?) Call her... Emeliana Honey wine(#id=1084366) How about starting resources? No, the rogue is right here. ’D And doing all that stuff you're talking about And that picture is... Huh. Stuff like that always makes me wonder if clothing works very differently in Korea or something. Oh, ho! :) Well, that makes things easier on me. Do you know if we're using the Background Skills? Wealth is rolled, or average if that's higher. Background skills are a no - but fractional base bonuses are a go! ^_^;; Well, that's no fun. But that's okay since I have to shred half the concept anyway. :) I should be able to get the dancing skills since I'm not putting points in disable device. There we go. :) Hopefully completed Emily submitted for approval... Accept that I still need to choose her 7 first level spells! Lol* * *Edit: There! She looks perfect! And sorry for the delay everyone. Was going through stuff, and now I should be fine to post when I get home from work tonight. I know I'm super late to this. But I realized that Virgil deleted all of his post... Anyway! Finally posted! Kal-Dorn got"The Deactivated"It does 2d6 Electric damage. Only has [???] use left. So use it wisely. Quote from: who149 on 28-01-2017, 22:06:44I know I'm super late to this. But I realized that Virgil deleted all of his post... Anyway! Finally posted! Waldorf got "The Deactivated"It does 2d6 Electric damage. Only has [???] use left. So use it wisely. Hey hey hey! RIX speaks in THIRD person! Very inconsistently, sure, but hey, I'm human, not a Linkage-sized rat monster. Also, I'm loving the fact that Val is all country.Woo-hoo Bovine! Oops! Sorry that's what I meant! Fixed hah! -snickers.- Whew! I love your avatar, Bibliophile! So, I should be looking to hop in? *goes to look* Okay, Val is the wizard's adoptive daughter, right? That's correct. So, we can easily say that Melina was an apprentice to Honor Maine and that's how the two know each other. *smiles* Exactly. Though, more a, "Secondary apprenticeship" than having studied fifty years here (under a human?) *peeks*Is everyone okay? Yeah, just had a full schedule lately and, uh... Overwatch doesn't play itself (unless you main Road hog, of course) Apologies for the unannounced absence (and the copy/paste nature of this post :p) for the last couple of days as I had been admitted to hospital for a bout of food poisoning. Still feeling a bit mashed up inside, but will be getting back to posting as time and strength permit. Yikes! Take care of yourself! We'll be here when you get back on your feet. *peeks*

The Iron Gods_ Welcome to Numeria (OOC and Character sheets)|rating:3.0

Revenge Gone Wrong (Open - PM Interest)

Revenge Gone Wrong (Closed) {"light box_close": "Close", "light box_next": "Next", "light box_previous": "Previous", "light box_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.", "light box_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow", "light box_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow", "light box_full_screen": "Full screen", "light box_thumbnails": "Thumbnails", "light box_download": "Download", "light box_share": "Share", "light box_zoom": "Zoom", "light box_new_window": "New window", "light box_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"} Name: Lily Westminster Age: 18 Height: 5'10" Cup size: 38 J ******* ​ "You're sure that he goes here?" "Yeah, I'm positive." This all started about three weeks ago when my closest friend, Jessica, came bawling her eyes out at my place. She was absolutely hysterical and being the good friend of hers, I was determined to make her feel better. One thing that you should know about Jessica is that she's really close to her parents. Like, really close; to the point where her family go through great lengths to have family outings and the like. Anyway, so she was hysterical because according to her, she had evidence that her mother was cheating on her dad. I can distinctly recall rubbing her shoulder and trying to comfort her. I was skeptical, not because I thought Jessica was a liar or anything - it just felt so odd to me considering that her parents were high school sweethearts...and that Jessica has a way of blowing things straight out of proportion. If she had a headache, it was a brain tumor; if her parents used a credit card, they were bankrupt and maybe, just maybe, her mother talked five minutes longer with the pizza delivery boy, she was cheating on her devoted husband. So, where was I? Oh, right - once Jessica's sadness subsided, she began getting all fired up. "We have to confront him. We have to humiliate him." I recall resting the palm of my hand on my forehead when Jessica came up with this crazy scheme. Her plan, as insane as this was, was to fish him out and then get evidence, some real evidence, that her mom was having an affair with them, then expose him as the pervert that he was. Jessica insisted that I do it because she apparently wouldn't last more than two minutes without punching that, and I quote, smug stupid motherfucking (yes the irony wasn't lost on me) piece of shit in his stupid ass face. When Jessica was mad, she did have a potty mouth. Yeah, I agreed with her crazy plan. This was mainly due to two reasons - one, if I said no, I had no idea what my friend would do considering that she could be so god-damn unpredictable when she was upset. Two, because I could use a distraction from my own guy problem. No, I wasn't having an affair and no, my parents weren't either. I had a Facebook stalker problem and I just wanted to distract myself with something. As it turned out, this little scheme of hers was the perfect distraction. So then, fast-forward to three weeks after her initial outburst and here we were. Jessica did some research, and apparently the guy was a user in some social chatroom website. I was ready to set it up my account when Jessica stopped my hand from moving the mouse. "What?" "You can't just leave your avatar blank." "Why not?" "How are you supposed to get his attention?" I sighed; I didn't want to leave any trace of personal information here. But, my best friend insisted, and so I went with this. And once again, Jessica protested. "What? No!" "Okay Jessica, humor me. Why the fuck not?" Yikes, looks like I had a potty mouth too once things got stressful. Jessica gave me a nervous grin and said "You're going to have to show more...of your assets." "You have to be kidding me." "Look just let me do it for you." "No way!" "Let go of the mouse!" And I lost our little struggle, and she made me sit down. She convinced me to sit down while she took a photo - though I couldn't imagine how she could take a revealing picture of me with this white tank top on, but I went along with it. She eagerly typed down at my laptop and showed me the end results. Believe me, I wasn't too thrilled. Username: xoxLilyGurlxox Profile details: Just looking to chat and make friends. And yes, those tits are mine and yes, they are 100% real. Send me a message and let's chat! And for the avatar picture... ​ "Jessica!!" I practically yelled "No, no, no no, no no, no. You can't do that!" "Please Lily? For me? Please?" she said, preparing to tear up. And that's how I got in this little predicament. I waited in front of the screen, going through every single message in hopes of being contacted by this mystery, older man. He should live in the same area as us but so far, no luck. I was right about to quit when suddenly, I got an interesting message... I could hardly believe it when I got a message on Facebook from one of Lily Westminster's "friends", tipping me off that she was joining some chatroom service thing and that Lily really wanted me to find her there. Finally! All my hard work, dedication, and devotion to her had paid off! She had finally noticed me! As far as I was concerned, she was just the hottest thing on the planet. And ripe to be used and abused. She always seems to have that "come hither and fuck me silly" look on her face... And in her tits... And across her ass! I was her biggest fan, after all. I had custom-made posters of her up all over my room. Furthermore, I checked in on her Facebook page constantly, and was always alerted whenever she posted something or commented somewhere. Of course, I always made sure to "like" anything she did, and comment on her pictures. Sure, she didn't really know me. We didn't exactly run in the same social circles, after all. I mean, she's an 18-year-old goddess, and I'm just a 50-year-old taxi driver with a beer belly. I only even knew she existed because I gave her a ride and overheard her talking about her Facebook page. Furthermore, I made sure to hang on to the receipt with her credit card information, and was able to find her in no time online. What? I may be older, but I know my way around the internet! Anyways, I logged on to this chat service this evening, and there she was. Tits and all. I sent her a message. "100% Real titties, huh? Doubtful. Those cans got silicon written all over them! And you're probably too chicken to prove it!" Ha! And you thought I didn't know how to treat a lady! "100% Real titties, huh? Doubtful. Those cans got silicon written all over them! And you're probably too chicken to prove it!" What the fuck? Wow, this guy was a real perv if that's the way he'd start a conversation. Jessica should have been here - I mean, she would have a field day knowing that the guy who was ruining her family would just jump at the chance to comment on my chest. Which reminded me to glance at my own bust, noticing how huge they looked in this top (well, they looked enormous in anything, but you get my point) and how most thought that they had to be fake, somehow. Anyway, I winced at myself typing the following message back "Nope! My titties are 100% real and if I decide that you're cool enough to stick around with, maybe I'll show you! Well, if you get through two days without me blocking your ass." Ugh...the things that I do for friendship... I smirked, seeing her reply. I knew she wouldn't actually block me. After all, she hadn't blocked me on Facebook yet! And this was even more anonymous. I knew she got off on the attention. But I wasn't about to beg." Cool enough, huh?" I wrote back. "What makes a guy cool? Anyway? Cool enough to send you a dick pic?" I chuckled as I used my phone to take a picture of myself (hey, just because I'm old doesn't mean I can't get it up, nor does it mean I don't have a seriously impressive weapon hiding in my trousers!), and then promptly sent it to her! "Cool enough, huh? What makes a guy cool? Anyway? Cool enough to send you a dick pic?" Oh god, please no. In just a few seconds, I was 'treated' to a picture of this man's penis and immediately looked away. Holy crap, this guy was a straight-up pervert and from the look of things, his...private parts were well-endowed? I don't know, all I know is that I quickly closed the window and began typing again, against my own better judgement." I'll let you stick around for today at least. So tell me, what do you do?" Maybe I could shift the conversation away from sexual matters... I laughed as I read her response." You'll let me stick around for the day, huh? You must have liked what you saw! I know I'm liking what I can see. It's certainly causing a reaction down below right now! And if you really care to know, I drive a taxicab. What do you do, aside from teasing men with those amazing titties?" Ugh, oh come on..." Well, I did like that I saw, so duh I'll keep you around. I'm actually not doing much. I just finished high school, and I'm heading to college in about three months from now. Then, my big fun bags and I will be moving out of state, lol." Oh god, did I really call my chest 'fun bags'? Well, whatever kept this creep on my hook, I guess... "So, tons of free time to lounge about the pool and show the girls off, huh?" I wrote back. Hey, if she was happy to refer to her tits as "fun bags" then I was all clear to keep talking about them too!" And just 18, huh? Need an older man to buy you some booze? Surely you like to drink, right? I'm sure a girl with your 'assets' is very popular." "Actually booze would be great." I lied, given how I never drank "Too bad I can't host any parties at my place, my parents suck lol. And popular? I guess? I'm not much of a social butterfly, if that's what you're saying. Furthermore, I have friends, but I'm not homecoming queen or something ;p"My heart raced as I waited for his response. You know, I think that this game was actually getting a little fun. There was some truth to the end of my message and...well, you know what, forget it. Let's get it over with. It was an opening I was eager for, and responded quickly." Well, if you and a couple friends need to have a little party, I'd be more than happy to hook you up and host"It was way illegal, and she probably wouldn't go for it, but a guy's gotta try, right? I sweetened the deal." I've got a nice house. Hot tub and pool." A little party, huh? Well, that did sound like some fun. Wait - what the fuck am I thinking? Come on Lily, keep it together... I'm not sure if a party would fit with Jessica's plans and everything, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to let her know, right?" That sounds fun. Maybe? I don't have a bathing suit, so I'll probably end up sticking in doors. By the way, what's your first name?" Didn't hurt to ask, right? "No bathing suit?" I shot back. "Couldn't find one with cups big enough to keep them knockers in check?" I chuckled, getting hard as I eyed her picture there. "I'm Ed, by the way. And I won't complain if you just swim in your underwear" Ed, huh? I wonder if that was his real name, or the one he gave to women on the internet. I digress." Nope, none are big enough for my boobs, unfortunately. ;P My hands honestly make a better bra than most...well, bras. They don't cover much though. LOL. But yeah, I might get back to you on that offer. We'll see" "Sure, we'll see," I typed back, feverishly. "I bet you just leave me hanging like all the other guys you fucking tease." I smirked as I sent it. I just needed to keep her engaged. Challenge her. Dominate her." Why don't u show me your famous hand bra?" Woah, okay he was getting a little feisty. I had to calm the situation down before I lost him and Jessica would never let me hear the end of it. Let's see, uh... "Okay, I'll give you two options. Either I take a hand bra selfie or I guarantee you that I'll take you up on your offer. Maybe even get a bathing suit? What do you think? "God, I hope I don't regret this... "Guaranteed, huh?" I wrote back, smirking. Hook, line, and sinker." And why should I believe you?" I asked her. Why should I indeed? Unless she was willing to get picked up tonight... "I don't have much reason to lie. Tomorrow at 2 PM? I would say today, but I still need to invite some friends." Well, here's hoping that I'd get at least a day's notice... Perfect." That's a deal," I wrote back. "Where shall I pick you up?" This was almost too easy! "I've got room for you and three passengers, btw." Okay, so tomorrow. Phew. "You could pick me up at 3844 Washington Avenue. But are you sure that you want to pick me up? I could just show up in person, it really wouldn't be a problem..." Meanwhile, I was texting Jessica to figure it out. Come on, answer Jessie... "I'll be there at 2 on the dot," I replied immediately, and then promptly signed off! I wasn't going to give her the chance to back out! The next day came, and I drove to the spot to pick her up. A nice suburban area. I already had a case of beer, a bottle of vodka, and stuff to mix it with in my big SUV. I'd also acquired some weed. Kids these days all smoke weed, right? I know I still did! I pulled up to the spot, but she was nowhere in sight. Furthermore, I began to get irritated... "I can't go out like this!" I cried out. Furthermore, I glanced at myself in a mirror, seeing myself in this green two pieces, flimsy excuse of a bikini. The top was strained to the maximum - the very fabric of the top half of my bikini was working overtime trying to keep my breasts in place. Not only was there cleavage showing, but a copious amount of side boob and even a bit of underboob. Holy crap, and if this guy was as perverted in real life as he was over a computer screen, I was going to have trouble. The bottom half seemed normal by the front, but from the back, I could feel (and see, if I turned while looking in a mirror) the material move in between my butt cheeks, forming a sort of thong. "Look, if you had an actual bikini, you wouldn't have to borrow one from my mom!" "Oh jeez, come on, let's go." "Hold on, wear these." She handed me over two four-inch stiletto heels. What? "Are you fucking serious?!" "Just wear them, please?" she said, giving me her usual puppy dog eyes. "Good grief. Come on, let's go Jessica. Where are the others?" "Oh." she said with a slight pause "Emily and the others will show up later. I'm supposed to meet up with them and head on over myself." "What?!" I said, outraged "I'm supposed to go with this creep by myself?!" "Just for a bit!" she pleaded "Just text me the address later. Or I can just go myself, I did my research" she added with a grin. I fought the urge to yell and wrapped a towel around my hips. "You owe me!" I cried out before I left by the front door and was greeted by a car, waiting for me across the street. I guess that was him? Anyway, I made my way towards the car and waved. God help me. Finally, I saw her come out of the house. And good lord almighty in heaven... This really was my lucky day. I was practically drooling as she gave a little wave as she walked towards my SUV, and I rolled down the window, ogling her. She probably wasn't expecting an older man like myself, balding, heavy-set... But hey, she agreed to it!" Nice bikini," I snickered as she came up to the car door. "Where are your friends?" I walked to him, feeling the sheer weight of my breasts rise up and fall with every step I took. My heels clicked at the pavement before I got to the passenger door. He grinned and looked me over before commenting on both my attire, and the lack of my friends. "Oh, my friends are going to be a little late, so you'll have me all to yourself for a while." I said with a nervous laugh "What's the address? I should probably text them that, no?" "Yeah, sure, just hop in," I said. "I'm at 22 Flamingo Court. Not far from here, really." As soon as she got in, I rolled her window up and drove off. It was only a couple miles to the house. It was a small house, but decent. And it did have an above-ground pool in the backyard, and a hot tub, as advertised." Here we are," I said. "Help me bring the booze in?" I asked, pointing to the case of beer, vodka, and juices in the back. "Think that'll be enough?" I asked her, although when I looked at her, my eyes barely ventured away from the tits that were practically spilling out of her top! "22 Flamingo Court. Come on and get here Jessica!!!" I texted my friend quickly before getting into the car of this stranger. I looked him for a bit while he drove and had to say that he looked vaguely familiar somehow. Maybe I saw him a few times in passing. Maybe. Well, that's beside the point; soon enough, we arrive at a small, cozy looking home. "Sure, gotta help out somehow." I said, agreeing to help bring some of the alcohol in. I wasn't a drinker, but Jessie sure was. Furthermore, I looked at the amount of drinks and nodded. "Yeah, it should be." His eyes were glued, as always to my breasts, but I tried to ignore his glances and commenced in small talk: "You sure have a lovely home. We'll clean up if we make too much of a mess." "Oh, I hope you make a mess," I said, leering at her as I let her inside with the booze. I guided her to the kitchen, and tucked the beer and juice in the fridge and set the vodka on the counter. I grabbed a beer for myself and mixed up a potent drink for her, and handed it to her. "Drink up. I bet your friends are pre-partying anyway," I said." So, you going to prove to me those ta-ta's are real now?" Make a mess? Just what did he mean by that? I ignored his comment as I brought the beer inside to the kitchen and helped pass the box to him, who in turn moved it into the fridge. He grabbed himself a beer for himself and was mixing a drink. He handed it over to me and asked me to drink up. I took a slight sip, out of politeness and immediately felt an unfamiliar sting down my throat. God, did he give me the vodka?" Um...not yet." I answered him shyly. "You're free to stare at them if you want." Oh god, why did I say that? "Well why don't you set them free for me to look at then?" I asked her. "Or are you too much of a goody-two-shoes for that?" I said with a sneer, taking a long drink from my beer. I walked past her to get another one, and smacked her ass along the way." Shoulda known you were a fucking brat!" As he swatted my ass, I gasped and the impact must have caused the towel around my hips to fall, revealing the bikini bottom now as he walked off. I fought off the urge to slap him, but soon came up with an idea. "I've got an idea. Do you have a dart table? Or a chess board? Or something like that?" And I saw that I got his interest. I raised an eyebrow. "I sure do. There's a dart board downstairs, and a chess set. Why?" I asked, curious as to her sudden interest in games. What was she up to? Granted, I'd play anything with her as long as she kept trotting around in that little bikini! "Well, I figured that we could do something to pass the time." I said, pacing around the room, knowing full well that his eyes were glued to my tits. They were an obsession for him, I knew that much and knew that he wouldn't be able to focus on anything else. I also knew that I was damn good at both darts and chess. "So, we could play chess or darts, whatever you want. If I win, you can't comment on my body, ask me to flash you, nothing. Zilch. NASA. But if you win, I'll make it worth your while?" "Hmm, that's kind of a vague bet... So if I win, I'll be determining just how you'll make it 'worth my while', girl," I said, pulling the darts out of the dartboard and handing her the blue ones, while I took the red ones. Of course, just for fun, I gave her butt a liberal squeeze as she was throwing her first dart! "Fine." I said with a sly grin "But you do know that there's no way in hell that you're going to win right?" So soon enough, he set up the board and I texted Jessica "Damn it, where are you?!" before placing my phone away. I got ready for my first throw when suddenly, I felt his rough hand cup an entire butt cheek of mine, what with the thinness of the bikini bottom around my ass, which in turn caused me to miss my first dart entirely. "What the hell?!" I cried out "That wasn't fair! You made me miss!" "It's only fair," I replied with a chuckle. "You're distracting to me with your titties all busting out of that bikini top, and your ass on display like that, so this just evens things up!" I declared, and then looked at the dartboard and tossed my dart. Bullseye." You were saying? No way in hell, or something?" I said with a smirk, sitting down to watch her throw for her turn, taking another drink. Son of a bitch. "Yeah, that's the same thing alright." I said, my words practically dripping with sarcasm. "Actually let me throw the dart this time." I added, before throwing my dart and seeing it hit the middle of the board. I gave a slight smile before realizing that he'd have to do pretty bad in his next two throws because I had just one left...and that if I got anything less than a bullseye, it was a guaranteed loss no matter what he did. She had a nice toss there. I stood up and took my dart, and tossed it... And sunk it right in the triple score area on the 20 point piece of the pie. I smirked. Now she was in a real bind." Good luck sweet cheeks," I said, laughing as I sat back down in my chair. She was standing right there. "You wanna little sneak peek at what I'm going to have you do?" I asked, and without waiting for an answer, grabbed her by her hips and pulled her down into my lap, making sure she could feel my stiffening erection between her big butt cheeks! My heart sank when he did extremely well, once more. Oh, fuck. "Yeah, thanks." I said when he 'offered' me some good luck. I was ready to throw the next dart when he suddenly, he pulled me down on his lap! "What are you doing?!" I said, trying to wiggle around of his grasp, but all that did was move his stiff bulge between my barely covered butt cheeks. Just what the fuck was I doing? What was he doing? This man was trying to screw me like he did to Jessica's mother! And that's when I first had the scandalous thought of losing and how thrilling it would be to actually lose to this pervert. Wait - No. Come on, Lily, what the hell is with you?! "Let me go you pervert!" I yelled before I pulled myself off. With a huff, I threw my dart... And it landed right below the dart board. I laughed as she completely missed the dartboard! Ha!" Time to pay up, little girl, and make it worth my while," I said, standing up and grasping her arm, and pulling her along down a hall, towards a room. My room. I opened the door. It was a simple room. My computer was on, and I sat down at my desk. A webcam sat on top of the monitor." Get in my lap, facing away," I ordered, pressing a button, making a little red light on the webcam come on... Oh god, oh god, oh god. I lost...?! Before I could even process the events that led me to this predicament, I felt my body jerk itself forward when he gripped on my arm and pulled me away from the kitchen. I ended up on what seemed to be a bedroom, and he wasted no time fiddling away at his computer. I managed to sneak my cell phone in here and texted Jessica: "Come on Jessie this isn't funny!! Hurry up!!!" When I heard him say: "Get in my lap, facing away," I didn't know what the hell he wanted, but I figured sitting on his lap, as disgusting as it would be, wasn't the end of the world. I indulged him on that, setting my round ass on his lap and faced away - looking right into a computer screen. "What's going on?" I asked curiously. "Oh, I just sent out invites to all your friends on Facebook, and mine, too, to watch this little webcam, live," I said with a smirk." Look, see, already there are like fifty people watching us!" I said, and laughed, and my hands came up and grasped her breasts! Squeezing those giant mounds in my hands caused an instant erection to pop up under her butt, and I was only too happy when she squirmed in my hold." They all need to see what a slut you are!" "WHAT?!" I cried out in shock when I felt, and saw, his greedy old hands grab hold of my breasts in front of a webcam. Thankfully I couldn't see who was watching me, but judging from how prompt those fifty people were to accepting the invite, I'd say that they were mostly, if not all, his friends. I squirmed on his lap, trying to wiggle myself free from his grasp, while watching his hands squeeze and handle as much as he could, with my chest overflowing from his hands. Thankfully he had some decency as to leave them in my bikini top but still - "Fuck you, let go!" "Haha! Okay!" I replied, my fingers digging into her flesh just beneath her flimsy bikini top, and I tore it downward, ripping the fabric apart, and her bare breasts spilled out for everyone watching to see! And I let go of her tits, only to grab hold of her hips and grind her crotch down against my own, my dick stiffening obviously in my shorts beneath her." That's it, grind on it, you little slut," I muttered, my grip on her hips tightening. Holy shit. I struggled more and more, but obviously, his strength overcame mine. I could feel his erection, poking fiercely between my ass cheeks while I struggled and my massive, bare breasts were showcased in front of the webcam. Furthermore, I needed a way to keep him away from rubbing his, thankfully concealed, dick from between my legs... Oh, god help me... "Play with my tits instead, please!" I laughed at her once more, my hands moving swiftly up to grope at her heaving mounds once more! I grunted my approval as I did, and then got greedy!" Get up, turn around, face me, straddle me," I demanded, pushing her up off me and turning my chair so it was sideways to the camera. I didn't give her much of a choice, either, as my hands were still all over her, moving her, turning her, and as I pulled with one hand on her hip, getting her into my lap, my other hand slipped my shorts down my legs, revealing that I was most certainly not wearing any underwear! My cock sprang up just as her crotch came up against mine, and I grunted, taking both her huge tits in my hands, and mashed my face between them! I stared below and saw that his cock was right out there in the open but looked away, soon occupying myself with his face now, smothered in between my large breasts. I had to keep him from trying to do...other things with his dick, so I let out a moan. Furthermore, I needed just a bit more time. Just...a bit more time before Jessica would show up and end this nightmare. "They're all yours. Play with my titties as much as you'd like" God, I hated myself... "Play rough if you want." I was a dirty old man, and so I was only happy to oblige, knowing all this was being filmed, broadcast, and recorded. I grunted into her tits, my hands mauling the huge mounds before me, and it wasn't long at all before my mouth got in on the action, suckling at her big pepperoni nipples, my teeth rolling over the pert little buds. It was nice to see her body betray her, as her nipples hardened quickly, and my cock throbbed beneath her. One hand strayed down to her butt, and I pushed her down on my big rock hard dick. And then I started slapping those big titties back and forth! *Slurp* *Slurp* The room was quiet for an instant, save for the noise of his mouth sobering all over my nipples, taking them into his mouth as he sucked on them like a vacuum cleaner. I moaned a few times, and although I wasn't ever going to admit this, I was beginning to actually enjoy myself. It was the first time I've had a man suck on my breasts like that, and as it turned they were pretty damn sensitive. I forgot about the webcam for a moment and I watched his face. Then he placed me onto his cock, and it was dangerously close to going inside of me. I gasped at the (almost) intrusion, but thankfully my bikini bottom was actually protecting me...somewhat. Besides, I wasn't even sure if that thing could even fit in me- *SLAP*​ "FUCK" I cried out in pain, feeling the sting of the hit and watched as my large breasts wiggled and bounced at the hit. I tried to hold his hands in place after that. "No! You can't do that!" I laughed at her when she cried out in pain and tried to hold my hands down. From where she had them, it was only too easy to grasp her upper thighs and push her firmly down on my throbbing erection! I even used my hips to push back up against her, and shoved my face right into her tits once more. It was then her phone went off with a text message. I grabbed it before she could, and looked at it." Seems your friends are on their way," I said. I felt the head of his cock try to push its way into my pussy. It hurt so fucking much, as the sheer massive tip tried to make its way inside while he shoved his face between my breasts again. A few tears came down my face, as I braced myself for my first real fuck. My body was slowly sinking into his fuck stick, thanks to my bikini bottom but other than that there wasn't a damn thing that I could do about it. "Seems your friends are on their way," Oh, thank god, maybe they could show up in time to help me? "Stop... Stop pushing me into your..." I asked, a single tear coming down "Please, don't fuck me." I growled, my only response as she started to cry and begged me not to fuck her. These bikini bottoms were in my way. I laughed then, and slapped her tits again as I dropped her phone on the floor. She squealed in pain, and my fingers found the little bikini strings that tied at her hips, holding the tiny garment in place, and I untied them. I stood up then, which caused her to tumble off my lap and onto her back and butt on the floor, and I stood over her, my huge dick standing tall and proud right above her!" Then get on your knees and suck my cock, if you're not going to fuck." How low I must have fallen. Here I was, naked (save for my heels) and crying for some old pervert to not take my virginity. I was scared now, my fiery personality having lost its steam, and I regretted this whole fucking thing. I practically crawled, my huge tits weighing me down as I did so, towards this old fuck's dick and took it into my mouth. Furthermore, I looked up, with my watery eyes, before I slowly placed my tongue on the tip. "Like this?" I asked, completely clueless before I began taking more of it in. My saliva slobbered all over this warm, hard shaft and my right hand began to touch the bottom. I jerked on it, not knowing what else to do and hoped that if I wasn't doing a good job so far, that he might direct me. Oh, fuck that felt good. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd had my dick sucked. I had to restrain myself from busting a load right then and there! I grunted my approval as she sucked on my throbbing member, even if it was just the head that was all she could fit into her mouth. My hands of course went to her head, grabbing her hair, and I promptly forced her forward towards me, plunging my cock into her mouth. Her lips stretched lewdly around my cock. It was most certainly a sight to behold! My dick hit the back of her throat and I grunted yet again! "EIGHTH!" I grunted, chocking on his massive cock. It was too fucking big for my mouth and to add more pain to my nonexistent pleasure, he had to grip on my hair and shove that as far as he could go. Afterward, I coughed and gathered my composure. I caught my breath and went back at it again... Only this time, I figured that I could do something else. I took both of my tits together and pressed them against that monster of a dick. I looked up to judge his reaction and approval. Anything to keep this dirty old man from fucking me, with or without my consent. I grinned lasciviously as she choked on my cock, and then proceeded to begin titty-fucking me! The feel of those huge soft mounds wrapped around my dick was like heaven." We need to do this in the hot tub," I said, an idea brewing in my mind. I peeled my shorts off, and I grabbed her by her arm and pretty much dragged her through the house, to the back. I had an enclosed back porch, with sliding glass doors. The hot tub was in there, and the pool was out in the backyard. We got to the back patio. "You are a good little cocksucker and titty fucker, you know that?" I was saying. That's when I noticed a group of three girls coming around into my backyard. Her friends." But I need that little pussy of yours!" I pushed her up against the glass door, mashing her bare tits against the glass. It was a little foggy from the hot tub being running earlier. I was right behind her, and I grabbed her hands and pushed them against the glass, and my cock was pressed right between her big butt cheeks, and delving deeper between her legs! In my daze, I could hardly even register that I was being pulled outside. I did snap back in reality when this dominating older man yelled out: "But I need that little pussy of yours!" Wait what? I grunted as he smashed my body against a cold glass door, my breasts pressing against the surface and as a result, expanded in width. My nipples felt the coldness of the glass and hardened more - painfully so. And in an instant, I was cornered them, helpless to move with his hands holding me in place. And then... I felt that massive, hard tip poking at my trimmed, unprotected pussy. "NO!" I cried out, my head pressed sideways and my words fogging up the window more. "PLEASE NO!" And my friends were slowly making their way to the entrance. I didn't have much time... "HELP!" I yelled, hoping that they'd see me and call the cops. Meanwhile, he pushed more of it in, and I felt the incredible pain of my pussy trying to adjust to the size... Did I care that she said no? No. Or that she was crying for help? No. All I cared about was the feeling of that sweet, tight little pussy around my cock head as I tried to push it into her from behind. I held on to her tightly, her body pinned lewdly against the glass for her friends to see. And see they did. I worked a little more of my cock into her, grunting as I did so, my hand smacking her ass, my knees pushing her legs further apart as I invaded her. Violated her. Raped her. My cock throbbed in pleasure... And I barely had the big thick head inside! And that's when I saw her friends outside the door. Pointing. Laughing. Jeering. There was no help. My squished face on the glass could make out Jessica and the others watching and instead of reaction like any decent human being should have, they laughed. Jessica smirked, said something to the others, and they burst out laughing. Within an instead, they all took out their cellphones and began recording, or decided to take pictures. "U-UGH!" I cried out loud, my breath fogging up the Glassdoor more, feeling the head of his cock stretch my lips a great deal. My long legs shook, as he pressed on. *WHACK WHACK WHACK* He continued, slapping my large ass cheeks to his delight and in all probably, probably marveled over how they jiggled. My eyes teared up more as my friends enjoyed this spectacle. I was used. Not only by this pervert but by my friends too. My best friend, Jessica, had planned this all along. And my virginity was now going to be taken by his vile old man. What could I do now? Might as well as accept everything...maybe I'll even enjoy it. With every spank I delivered to her jiggling ass, I could feel a little more of my cock penetrate her impossibly tight little cunt. I worked myself in an out, bit by bit, easing her open, but it was no easy task. I was huge, after all, more man than her little pussy could handle! I grunted. "You little slut, look at them, taking pictures of you like this. Now all your friends really will know just what you are. A whore!" "I am" I said, whimpering as he pushed more of himself inside of me "I am a whore." My body quivered, feeling more of his cock move inside my tight, previously unclaimed body. I cried a bit more, knowing that from this that my normal life was over. Those videos, which both my abusers and so-called friends took, were going to ruin my life. No doubt that I was going to get kicked out of home - what with my overly conservative parents and everything. More than anything else, I was ashamed of how my body was giving up right now. "I'm your whore." I then said out loud, as he grunted and shoved more of himself inside of me. It wouldn't be long now before my hymen was torn. "I want to be your plaything." I said, closing my eyes. My cock throbbed, just inside her, as she confessed her true feelings to me. She was my whore. My plaything. As her friends laughed and filmed her utter humiliation, I grasped a handful of her hair and mashed her face against the glass door. Her body was splayed against the glass, obscenely on display, and I tried to push my cock even further inside her. Fuck she was tight! I grunted in frustration, and released her hair, only to have my hand fall on her big fat ass, spanking her repeatedly, and roughly! "Open up for me, you little bitch!" I looked down, and could see plenty of length yet to go til I had penetrated her fully with my foot-long monster... "Fouuuuuckkkkk" I cried, though my words sounded mushed as he nearly smashed my face on the glass. The people on the other side laughed and pointed to my dismay, watching as my body was showcased in such a lewd manner. Jessica pointed at my breasts, which formed a massive circle - a circle so huge that my breasts were actually cushioning my shoulders from the impact on the glass. He pulled me back, shoving a bit of more his cock inside of me... *SPANK* "AH!" I cried out, knowing that his slaps were getting more authoritative and as a result, were leaving some lasting bruises on my ass. *SPANK* And for some reason *SPANK* I was beginning to enjoy it. *SPANK* "YES!" I cried out, feeling more of his cock go in. My legs shook as I felt a bit more slip in...before... "FUCK!" I yelled, feeling something rip inside of me. Then it occurred to me that I had just officially lost my virginity to this pig. I had finally broken through. Ripped through, really. Torn through. Her hymen, her virginity, was mine. I realized that's why I had been unable to fully take her. She'd never had a dick before. And I still had several inches to go before I bottomed out inside her. I grunted my approval at her exclamation, stopping my assault on her ass to continue working my massive rod in and out of her. Her pussy was dripping wet now, and with every push I was getting more inside, deeper and deeper... Was this it? Did I finally lose all hope and decided to accept this? Because in an instant, after the intense pain disappeared, I began to find this whole show exciting. I drooled a bit on the screen now, and felt my eyes roll back as he began to move in and now, more freely now with my hymen torn to fucking shreds. It still hurt mind you - given how he was stretching my inner muscles to their very limit but the pleasure, oh god the pleasure, was overcoming the pain. I was going to feel it, sure, but not for a while. "Show them" I said, between panting "Show them that you own me now." He moved in and out. "Don't" He moved in and out. "Be." He moved in and out. "Gentle." My grunge grew louder and more insistent, once she told me not to be gentle. I grasped her by her hips and pushed my cock inside. It was not easy. Slowly, but surely, inch by inch, I powered inside her, until finally, with a mighty thrust, I smashed her against the glass and drove myself fully inside her juicy cunt. My obscenely huge cock, a full foot long, penetrated her up to her lungs. I would forever savor her cries of ecstatic pain. I feared the glass might break as I shoved her into the door again and again, fucking her ruthlessly now, my huge member splitting her insides open again and again as her friends stood outside, now in shock, as her body was plastered into the glass again and again, her massive tits splayed out across the glass over and over... "MORE OH GOD MORE" I yelled those words out more and more, just as every thrust of his caused my body to spasm in ways I didn't think possible. The smirks from Jessica and her friends slowly became ones of shock, once they realized that maybe their 'punishment' of sorts turned out to be really enjoyable for me. I started to push back, just as hard as he was pushing himself into me, enjoying the feel of his balls slapping on my ass. "Please don't ever stop!" I then pleaded, feeling an orgasm soon approaching. I had no intention of stopping at all. My cock was throbbing with the most insane pleasure I had ever experienced: virgin pussy, deflowered, taken, raped. My huge dock was ruining her in so many filthy ways. Stretching her pussy past the point of ever being able to enjoy another, smaller dick; and never mind her reputation! Her violation was filmed for posterity, and everyone she knew now knew what she really and truly was. My filthy little whore. I ravaged her. I fucked her like a man possessed, reaming out her juicy little cunt with every brutal thrust, my huge member stretching her insides past their limits! Furthermore, I buckled myself against his thrusts and as my enthusiasm grew, so did the pace he was going at. My body kept pressing against the glass, harder and harder than before, to the point where I could feel the screen door shake. I no longer cared about my friends, whether they kept watching or not, and began to fully submit to the pain and the pleasure that it came with. An ache grew inside of me and I whimpered and then in turn, yelled when my orgasm hit me for the first time. Her body finally responded with pleasure, and I could tell she was cumming from the way she moved, the way her body shook, the way her pussy clamped down on my cock like vice grips, and I nearly lost control of myself then! Nearly. I buried myself inside her, fully enjoying the way her pussy quaked in orgasm around my huge dick, filling her utterly, and my hand came up, and I spanked her viciously, again and again, as she came for me. Her jiggling ass was what really sent me over the edge. Feeling my own impending orgasm, my balls clenching up, my cock spasming and throbbing, I pulled out of her completely, grasped her hair in one hand and my cock in the other, and yanked her brutally down to the floor. I grinned an awful grin when she looked up at me, and jacked my cock... My seed gushed out at her, huge blasts of thick creamy white goo, smacking her face! Gob after gob spewed forth, coating her pretty face...

Revenge Gone Wrong (Open - PM Interest)|rating:1.0

Just how close can you get to a guard ~palmoun and seer rp~

Name: Shannon Quinn winter ((call her Shay))age: 17race: werewolf bio: her father is one of the world's top businessmen in the world. He knew what everyone needed, and he was happy to give it to them at a price. Since he had the money Jordan was able ti have anything she wanted. But she didn't really always want it. Between being the inky werewolf in school and the richest things didn't work out very well. Name: Ivory Fox aka "Vixen"Age: 20Race: succubus Bio: at a young age Ivory learned quickly how to get things she wanted, and liked it that way. She preferred to do things by herself and found that it wasn't a bad thing at all. Though when her parents were murdered she went from being an innocent flirt to a deadly seductress. She killed the man responsible and works for people who have enough money to take out their enemies. She's now working for a rich father looking for his daughters' protection, so Ivory decided to take the job. Picture: Shay growled as she glared at her father, her hands clenched in fists. It was two days before her 18th birthday and instead of getting her something that she wanted he got her a guard. "I don't need a guard, I can handle myself!" she yelled at him, and he just glared back. "Just like how you handled those boys that one time or how about that teacher is CE they are all dead!" he yelled back and instantly shay felt hurt. Her father knew she had done it but he didn't know the story behind it, only she did. "You are having a guard and her name is ivory or vixen. She will be here soon." he said and shay guard and turned her back on him, "i don't want to meet her." she growled before running out of there and heading to school. Sure school was a horrible place to her, but she needed to get away from her father. Once there she feet the eyes that she usually did, the eyes of the people judging her. Here the kids were all human and still believed the old stories of wolves so they hated her. Yet others wanted her money and tried get close and that never worked. It was why she was the lone werewolf of the school. Getting to homeroom she sat down in her desk and wished that she could just get away from everything. Ivory had arrived a split second after Shay had left, and when speaking to her assignment's father she knew right away she didn't like him. He gave off that control freak vibe. Just smiling and nodding to his words she was out of their in seconds and walking behind Shay to school. She had pulled her wings and tail in this morning but had forgotten about the horns so swiftly with a little pop, and wince they were within her skull. The boys looked shocked as she walked, her perfect body in merely leather pants and a skimpy tight tank that let her belly peak out. Her black hair was straight and perfect like always and her bright and vivid purple eyes were covered by her shades. When Shay went to sit down Vixen walked by the teacher flashing him her schedule before coming to stand in front of Shay. "Hey Hun, I'm your bodyguard... Think of me as your wing girl." she said with a wink as she put her sunglasses onto of her head. "I don't want to be a pain in the ass, so if we can get along, great." she said and then sat in the desk next to her. "Call me Vixen." Shay sighed as she sat in her seat with her head on the desk and then heard the sou d of someone coming. It was probably one of her classmates that hated her, yet the footsteps were coming towards her. Expecting to see one of the many people who hated her she was surprised to see a cute girl who looked a little older than her. It was that kind of thinking that made all the girls in her class stay away, it was a clear way to tell she wasn't completely into guys. Yet when she heard her she glared slightly, "you need to know a few things. First off I am no ones 'Hun', second I have no wing girls since I can handle myself, third I am not a happy camper, fourth go find someone else to bodyguard since I am sure you won't want to be mine after about a day of being with me." she said and as she finished the bell rang. It was the classes bell to get to homeroom but for shay it meant it was time to leave and head off to class early. Standing up she headed threw the door but not before students started to pile in. As they passed her you could hear them say slut, man eater, Lesbos and so much more that it was surprising that she didn't attack them. Though when they saw vixen they stopped there insults and just stared, give shay a clean get away. Vixen raised her eyebrow as Shay seemed to lay down the law. She then smirked and got up, following Shay out of there. She waved her fingers flirtatiously and then put her hand on Shay and pushed her into the wall. Her smile disappeared and she looked at the teenager dead serious. "Listen to me right now, and make sure you don't forget this. I'm here to protect you from one of the men I want revenge on. I'm not here for you, I'm here for me... So get this straight. This isn't about you. This isn't about your old man, this is about killing a bastard." she hissed, her pupils thinning in anger. She then let the girl go and then shook her head. "When I was your age, I flaunted my stuff... You could be gorgeous if you didn't wear baggy crap." she growled and then waked towards the exit of the school. Shay was surprised when Vixen pushed her into the wall, and she had to bite her tongue not to growl at her. Listening to her, she then narrowed her eyes at her. Well at least they had one thing in common, they didn't care for having each other around. Though when she heard her she laughed, "sorry, but I am not interested in having a guy fuss over me and what should I care what anyone thinks about me here. To them, I am a bloodthirsty beast." she called after her and then headed out of there and down towards gym. She had to since she had to stop the blush on her cheeks, that was the first time anyone said she had the potential to be pretty. She made herself stop thinking like that and got her mind on gym. Sure the coach hated her with a passion, and it showed with how he treated her in class, but it was better than being around people. When she got there the couch glared at her and his hands tightened, yet he smirked. That wasn't a good sign, but shay didn't let it bother her. That smirk meet that he was going to pin all the kids against her and would make sure that she got hurt some way during it. Heading into the locker room she started to change, and her mind wondered to why Vixen wanted revenge on this guy. Vixen walked past Shay, topless except for her bra on as she grabbed someone else's clean PE shirt. She then pulled it on and walked out the door. She whispered in the teacher's ear and soon he was out cold. Catching him she handed him off to two guys and then waved to them and smirked. Looking around she saw everyone happily leaving the gym and she stretched feeling very accomplished. She then smiled widely at Shay and winked. "You up for cutting school? This place is a drag." she said smoothly, tried of all the little kiddies staring at her and thinking they could get with her. Those little boys made her laugh. She then snapped her fingers and her original shirt was back on. "Much better." she said happily and rolled her shoulders. Her wings didn't want ton stay in her skin right now. When shay saw Vixen walk by topless she stared, she really was beautiful. Growling at herself she pulled on her clothing and then followed her out of there. Though when she saw Vixens work on the teacher she knew that the school would have a problem with her and that meet a problem with her dad and that meant problems for her. She watched everyone leave though when she heard her she nodded, "love to but can't." she said simply and headed back into the locker room. As she changed back she wished that she could leave the school but she couldn't. They kept tabs on her here and if she disappeared at all they called the police and her dad. Neither did she want so she had to suffer threw school every day of school. Heading into her next class she slumped into the back seat, and it showed why she wore baggy cloths, it made her look like a blob and no one looked at a blob. Shrugging hearing Shay she sighed and shook her head. It sounded like this pup she was watching had no adventure bone in her body. A little bit pouty for not getting attention from Shay very well to get what she wanted, Vixen walked with her. Keeping to her like a shadow she then sat in the chair next to Shay. She then out in her ear phones and just sat, this was going to be a long day. Shay sighed as she felt vixen follow her and wished she would just go. Yet her father made her be here and she couldn't get rid of her. When everyone was in class then the teacher came in. Right away the teachers eyes landed on her, hr was the guy who hated her the most. "Class today we are going to talk about how the humans defeated the stupid werewolves in the war of bones." he continued to lecture about werewolves and each time he did you could tell ingot under shays skin. Finally it got to be too much. Standing up she glared at him, "you're going to retreat all of this." she said as she stomped towards him. "But shay you can't, one more OIT break and the police have perdition to shot." he said and shay smiled as she got to him. It was the kind of smile you dist want to see, "oh well." she said and then in a flash punched him, sending him into the wall where delayed motionless. The kids in the class screamed and shay smirked before she took her chance and ran threw the window. She would retreat this later but she didn't care, she hated being there so she just ran. Vixen raised an eyebrow as Shay snapped. Sitting there she watched her little charge give one good right hook and knock out the professor. The kid had some talent, Vixen was impressed. Standing she then jumped out of the window and her wings snapped out of her back. Flying swiftly as her purple eyes turned a bright pink, and they turned cat like she scooped up Shay easy and landed lightly. She pulled in her wings with a sickening skin pealing sound and then grinned seeing the cops. She walked towards them and pulled out her badge and flashed it. "I've got things under control boys." she said loudly, and the guns were put away slowly. The chief walked up to her and frowned looking down at Shay. "You know-" "Yes James. I know. I've got her, and we are going to go to the mall... She needs a woman in her life, men just don't do well with teenage girls." she snapped and he backed up. She walked past smirking and the guys stared at her ass as she left, her knee-high leather heels not making a sound. Turning a corner she looked down at Shay and hugged her a bit closer. "Now that that's taken care of, and I texted your father getting permission, let's go spend your daddies' money shall we?" she said with a grin. He being a guard had its perks when you knew how to pull strings. Shay was surprised when she felt arms around her and instantly started to thrash a little bit. Though when she saw it was Vixen she calmed down slightly and found herself blushing. No one had ever held her this close or anything like this. She liked it but after years of being beaten down she didn't show it. INstead, she crossed her arms, banished the bush on her cheek sand looked away from Vixen. When she landed she expected her to put her down, yet instead she kept her close and talked to the police. She knew that they were here to shot at her, but surprisingly Vixen got them not to. Vixen was sure an interesting person. When the cops went away she looked at Vixen and wondered exactly what it meet for a woman to be in her life. Her mother had died giving birth to her so she didn't have much time with women even though she knew she liked them. When she hugged her closer part of her wanted to stay close, a part that she was very unfamiliar with, yet the other part was one Harvard from time, and she tried to squirm her way away from her. "Fine, just let go of me." she growled at her and finally got away from her. Vixen grinned hearing Shay and set her down on the ground. "Sorry cutie." she said with a wink and then Evan walking with her towards the mall. She then looked Day over, checking her out practically and then grinned. "I have got some serious work ahead of me... I will have you looking like a model by the time I'm done today." she said flipping her long black hair behind her shoulders. "Take it from a chick who killed all her teachers. The only way you can win is if you act like you don't care." she said to Shay and then taking her hand she pulled her into the mall which was lowish and pulled her into a clothing store, well okay Victoria's secret. "Underwear and bras first. What's your favorite color?" she asked lightly, the girls blushing and staring at Shay's hand clasped with Vixen. They thought they were a couple. Shay was surprised by the cutie remark but just walked towards the mall. She knew girls said that to friends, not when they were interested. Though when she heard her she life, d "I have no want to become a model or anything, anyway most of the clothing is going to be destroyed when I transform." she said and then shook her head. "I have tried that, but it is kind of hard when they get in your face and make you attack them. Personally I would rather kill them, the whole school and possibly the whole town." she said and just continued to walk. Though before she knew it Vixen grabbed her hand and was owning her into a store she rarely went in since all she did was stare at the girls, and it freaked them out. "Uh. Green." she said as she looked at her. "And do I really need this?" she asked and already her mind was starting to wonder towards the girls and stare. Yet when they caught her eyes she quickly looked away, she knew they would kick her out if they saw her staring. Grinning Vixen chuckled and nodded. "Should known." she said and pulled her to the back. She then pulled off her cap and shirt and then nodded to the lady in waiting. "We need her to be measured." she said lightly and then coming close she grinned down at Shay and took her bra off her. "I'm going to make them stare at you, when I'm done." she whispered in her ear, revealing that she noticed her eyes. "Now hold still and let this nice lady measure you." the seductress said and stepped away to let the lady do her job. Shay wasn't sure if she should growl or smile when she heard her but let her pull her to the back. Though when she pulled off her clothing she growled slightly. Though it stopped when she took her bra off and heard her. She stayed still for the lady as she did her work but when she was done she bolted out of there. Shaking her head she glared at Vixen, "you don't understand a thing, I have reasons for doing everything that I do. So why exactly are you trying to change that?" she said as she glared at her, and it was clear she was fine with standing in front of someone naked to a degree. It came with being a werewolf. "Did you notice the lady just now? She is afraid of me, every damn person is afraid of me. I knew that when I went to school and guess what I use to be nice, a nice cheerful happy person. Yet that changed when everyone tried to get close to me, close to see if they could tame the beast or get the beasts money. So guess what I changed to protect myself, so why in the world should I let some guard who I know don't know change that?" she said as she glared at her and growled slightly. It was clear that she wasn't happy about doing any of this or anything that had happened to her. "If you can't give me a good answer I am out of here." she stated clearly as she glared at her. Vixen watched as Shay growled, and the lady ran out after giving her the measurements. Shaking her head she let her little charge snare as much as she wanted, she then held up a finger. "Because you're better than all of them. Who cares what they think? They are lowly humans who should fear you because you hold power." she said firmly and then put her hands on her hips. "You have everything you need to be who ever you want, especially heart." she said and then shook her head. Looking into her eyes deeply she then grinned. "I'm here to be your shield, to protect you from harm, no matter what kind." she said and then walked up to her only a few feet away. "Women are strong, you are not just a woman. You're an alpha wolf." she stated firmly and then grinned. "I'm here to make you one. When I leave, I want to make sure you are the woman I see inside you." she said and then held out her hand. "The question is will you let me?" Shay just stared at her when she heard her and part of her got lost in her eyes yet the other part of her wouldn't let it. Looking down at the floor she sadly shook her head, "like I said before, I have reasons for doing what I do." she said and then looked at her, "and you don't think I don't know I am an alpha. My father is alpha and one of the top businessmen of the world. I was born into the power but guess what he rules my life. You saw that probably when you met him. I have no control over my life so far. He probably told you to teach me to be the alpha he wants that he can marry off to some guy that I don't want to be with. Why do you think my mother left us?" she asked as she looked at her. "The reason that assassin wants to kill me is that my father is marrying me off to another alpha of a business and doesn't want it to happen. My father probably overheard me talking about either letting him kill me or the many other ways and now that is why you're here. To protect me, teach me and make sure I am married off to someone. If you hadn't of come along my plan would have gone great, now I am to be expected to change and marry off." she said, and you could tell she was hating this and that she was the only one who she ever told. "So before I can tell you if I will let you change me here is a question for you, now that you have all the facts do you still want to change me so that I can be married to a damn wolf I don't care about?" she asked as she picked up her shirt and started to pull it on. "I am out of here." she said as she turned her back to Vixen and started to head out of there. Listening to Shay, Vixen was taken by surprise a bit. She had known this man was terrible and controlling, but to this extent it was crazy. Though it kinda pissed her off to hear that her idea was being twisted into the sick way Shay had been forced to think. She had to think sadistically to keep ahead of her father the best she could. It honestly pissed Vixen off. Teenage girls should be treated like princesses in her book, taught how to respect themselves. When Shay turned to leave she reached out and grabbed her shoulder. Spinning her around she pulled her into a tight hug, cradling the back of her head. "I'm here to protect you... I don't listen to your father, because I'myourpersonal guard. I don't give a damn about that man and his wants... Furthermore, I want to make you feel like you can take on the world, and I want to give the help and strength to you to get away from being ruled." she said and then pulled away to look in Shay's eyes. "If you think I'm just toying around with you, I will become your familiar." she said and pulled out her knife from her boot. She cut her palm, not even flinching and then looked up at Shay. "I will be yours, to control, to do anything you wish..." she said softly offering the blade to Shay. "I don't ever joke about this stuff." the succubus said firmly, her eyes never wavering from Shay's. Shay wasn't surprised when she feet vixen grab her though when her head was cradled she was surprised. A nice touch like cozens was something she was unfamiliar with, and yet she found she craved it. Looking into her eyes she nodded and wondered if she could really trust her. She had never trusted anyone before, and she wasn't sure if she could. Yet hearing her and the. Catching the smell of blood made her just stare at the knife. Slowly she shook her head and gently tucked vixens fingers around the knife gently, "I don't want to have control over anyone but myself." she said softly and then looked at vixen in the eyes. For once not all the walls were up, and you could see just the girl, the strong-willed girl that she was. " I trust your word on wanting to help, and I thank you for it. But I don't want to control anyone, I have been controlled my whole life, no one should be controlled." she said then let herself smile a little bit. " And how about if we work on being friends instead of guard and charge." she said since she wouldn't mind having a friend, she actually probably needed one. She had never had a friend and if she ever wants to find a girlfriend she needed to open up more. Vixen smiled as Shay closed her hand and then nodded. "Sounds like a plan." she said and then put the blade back in her boot and healed her hand. Once done she then gently pulled Shay around and helped her put her bra and top back on. "Though as a friend, and a bit of a guard, I want to be the only person in this store to get that view of you for that long." she said lightly and giggled before walking to stand in front of Shay she grinned. "But seriously, I think a new wardrobe is a must for you." she said lightly and took her hand. "Because I see a little bit of a vixen in you." she said and laughed lightly at the funny joke she hadn't meet to make. "Come on, I promise it will be fun." she said lightly, looking into Shay's eyes. Shay smiled as she put the blade away and then nodded. Letting her turn her around and help her put her clothing back on yet stopped when she heard her. Maybe just maybe they could be more than friends. Then chuckled a little bit with her, "well so far you're the only person to see me like this and not get killed soy out still the only one." she said since the one time that a classmate had thought about teaching her how to be tame and like guys ended with his blood on her hands. Happily taking her hand she then nodded, "fine, we will get a new wardrobe, but I am warning you that they will all be destroyed sooner or later. Clothing is a very hard thing for a werewolf to keep." she said and then smirked a little bit, "I know I can be a bit of a Vixen, Ivory." she said as she looked at her. She then looked into her eyes and nodded, "as long as it is fun I will go along with this." she said and was starting to like her eyes. "It will be fun I promise." Vixen said lightly and then pulled Shay into the shop and picked out many bras and corsets. Nodding to Shay she then pulled her to the panties and thongs. Grinning she then nudged her lightly. "They are all very comfortable, I promise." she said lightly and then looked at her lightly. "You should pick out the ones you like, because I would just keep getting you the cutest things. Get some stuff you like." she said lightly and then held up one black lace thong. "I know these look weird, but they are super comfy." Shay smiled and nodded as she let her pull her threw the shot. She liked the bras they picked out yet when it came to the panties she shook her head, "sorry but no, I have no desire to wear one." she said as she picked out the stuff that she liked. Though when she held up the black lace thong she decided to give slightly. "Fine, one and only one." she said as she grabbed the thong away from Vixen and put it with the others. "And just so you know your welcome to pick anything you want. My dad has more than enough money for two girls." she said as she smiled. She felt eyes on them as they picked stuff out and knew it was either because she was a werewolf or because they thought they were an item. Vixen smiled widely and then laughed hearing Shay. "You'll buy more after you wear it once." she said happily and then hearing her offer she shook her head. "New, I already bought stuff on my first pay heck from him, don't you worry." she said happily and then walked Shay to the counter. Taking the credit card from her pocket she paid and then handed it to Shay. "This is yours." she said happily and then pulled her towards a clothing store. "Now, we need to get you some clothes to make you show off that hot body of yours." Vixen said happily and pulled her into the junior's area. Shay smirked when she heard her, "not likely." she said as she looked at her, most of the time she never even wore underwear unless she had too. When she paid and gave her the card she just shook her head as she pocketed it, "just to say if my dad finds out you gave me this he will kill you." she said since her dad had made sure not to give her anything hat might give her a way to get away from him. Letting her drag her to the cloths she blushed slightly when she said she had a hot body. She knew it and would like to, but she couldn't wear them often, "fine but you're probably the only one who is going to see me in them since I have to wear these clothing to school." she said and knew that she probably would want a reason for it. "You see this clothing keeps the humans off my back and makes me look weak. If I look weak then the wolf I suppose to won't want to marry me." she said as she looked at her and found she wouldn't mind it if she was the only one to see her in the clothing she was going to get. Vixen just laughed and then shook her head. "That's fine with me." she said happily and then winked. "Trust me, your father couldn'ttouch may he tried." she said and then began looking at the clothes. "Well, you see, I've gotten a bit of leeway with your father. I get to take you out, as much as I want... To supposedly lure out the assassin." she said with a wink and then after gaining a good pile of clothes she grinned at Shay. "I've convinced him all of this is to draw out the supposed killer." she said and wiggled her eyebrows. She then looked into Shay's eyes. "Alright little one, let's go to the dressing room and get these clothes tried on." she said lightly. Shay smiled when she heard Vixen laugh and knew she liked hearing it. Yet when she heard her she shook her head, "trust me, don't ever underestimate a werewolf. When you do, it can only lead to pain, I should know." she said and knew that she would still have that bite scare on her leg. She then smirked when she heard her and watched at the pile of clothing continue to grow. "You do know that when he finds out about this your time as my guard is going to be done." she said as she looked at her but as glad that she wanted to spend time with her. No one had ever done this much to spend time with her. She then nodded as they headed towards the changing room. "Okay, but don't call me little one. You're not even five years older than me." she said as she looked at her. Vixen just laughed and shook her head happily. "When you get all protective like that it's just cute." she said happily and walked into the dressing room. Setting everything out on the bench in there she grinned and then stood up straight, pulling her shirt back up as it fell down her shoulder, revealing the red lace beneath. She then looked at Shay with a gentle smile. "You go ahead and get dressed, I'm going to be right outside here." she said sensing something bad going to approach soon, though she had to keep Shay in the dark about this. So she just kept smiling, but her senses were on high alert at this point in time. Shay glared at her slightly when she said that she got protective but found she couldn't really get angry. Heading into the changing room she smoked when she saw vixens shirt fall a little. She wanted to see that lace bra completely but knew it probably wouldn't happen. She nodded when he heard her but knew something was up. Something didn't smell right to her, and she had to stop herself from growling. "Stay on your toes." she said to vice before closing the door, hoping that what ever happened vixen wouldn't get hurt. Pulling off her cloths she looked at everything and started to pull on something. Vixen smirked hearing Shay and then spotted a cute dress. "Oh be right back. Cute dress alert!" she said happily and walked out of the dressing room area. But she then suddenly got dead serious and walked past the dresses and grabbed the man behind them. She hissed, and he tried attacking her, but she was faster, he was merely human. A well-trained human, but he didn't have strength like she had, and she easily snapped his neck. Dragging him quickly out the back she dumped him in a dumpster and was back in the changing area in less than two minutes. "How is everything fitting?" she asked lightly with a dress in hand and a smile on her face. Shay smirked when she heard her and knew that if she got the dress she wasn't going to put it on. She hated dresses just as much as she hated her father. Yet only after a second that Vixen left she heard someone knock and knew it was probably Vixen, "I am not wearing the dress." she said as she heard the door open. The scent of someone hit her and it wasn't Vixen. She was about to growl and attack when she felt something burning loop around her neck. Frozen in place she heard someone say, "move it now or else I will burn your neck." Shay didn't want to, but he tightened the silver that was around her neck. The scent of burning flesh hit her nose and she nodded. He pulled her out of the room and out of there before Vixen even got back into the store. He dragged her to his tuck where he wrapped more silver around her and smirked as he threw her Ito the bed of the truck, knowing she couldn't move or speak with all the silver on her. "You know your guard isn't too bad but she isn't to good either." he said and laughed as he got into the truck and drove away right as Vixen got to the dressing room. Vixen growled opening the door to the dressing room and then sprinted out of the store. Her wings unfurled from her back and she took off into the air. Her eyes turning an electric pink as she spotted Shay. Diving she landed heavily in the truck and with her claws completely cut threw the silver. "Hold on... I'm going to take care of the drivers." she hissed, her horns and tail now out to play as well. Her sharp tail suddenly shattered the trucks glass and wrapped around a man's neck and decapitated him. She then grabbed the other man and tore him to pieces with her own hands. Wiping them off on the towel in the truck she then stopped the truck in a parking lot and hopped out. You could tell she was pissed, and when she gracefully jumped into the back of the truck she looked at Shay with worry, her eyes returning to normal. "Shay..." she whispered gently and then kneeled next to her. "Don't move... I'm going to heal you..." she breathed, and her fingers gently brushed the wounds, and they instantly closed. She then waited for the anger to erupt from the little werewolf. Had she been two seconds faster, none of this would have happened... She would have to step up her game and no longer have fun fighting. Just kill. If shay could to yelled for joy she would have when she saw vixen. Yet her body was in blaring pain, and it didn't still when vixen took the chains off. Curling up into a ball she hoped that she would heal. But werewolves couldn't heal any wound caused by silver, they had to suffer threw the pain. She looked at vixen when she hoped into the back, seeing the worry in her eyes. It was the first time to see that towards her and was glad that she had at least one person who cared for her a little bit. Feeling her fingers brush against her wounds made her growl softly but calmed down as they healed. Yet it did t return the energy she had that the silver took from her. Looking at vixen she smiled a little bit, "thanks." she said softly and then closed her eyes. "If I ever get my hands on the guy who sent them I am going to beat the shit out of him." she growled slightly and then curled up more. She was tired, semi naked and weak. "Can you take me somewhere? I. I am not sure if I can stand." she said and wished that vixen didn't see her like this. But to any werewolf silver hurt and took their energy, the longer it touched you the more it hurt and energy it took. Frowning Vixen gently pulled Shay into her arms. "Let's go to my place..." she breathed and then with magic she blinked, and they were in her apartment. Smiling softly she then cradled Shay against her lovingly. "It's going to be alright... I'm right here Shay..." she whispered lovingly and SAR down on her canopy bed, holding her charge lovingly. "I'm sorry Shay... From now on I'm not going to leave your side... I promise..." she whispered and closed her eyes. She remembered how horrible her life had been at this age, how she would have killed to have someone there for her after finding her parents dead. Seeing Shay like this brought up the emotional scars. Shay smiled when she felt arms around her and could tell she was loved or at least something close to it. "I know you're right here." she said softly and opened her eyes a little bit when she heard Vixen. "Why would you do that? You barely even know me and I barely know you. So why stay with me? So far I have just proven to be a big pain in the ass." she asked softly and found herself snuggling closer to her. So far Ivory was the only person to show her that she cared about her. Even her father only saw her as a business investment and her mother hadn't cared enough to stay for her. She had been alone so long that to have someone like Ivory she didn't really want to lose her. "You remind me of myself when I was your age... Accept my parents died.... And then I was truly left with nothing." she said softly and then smiled feeling Shay snuggle closer to her body. Vixen's eyes softened as she stroked her green hair rhythmically, knowing that this was to be soothing. Her tail was flicking a bit in the aid and her wings were folded against her back. They seemed to only make her more alluring though, as she kept the little pup in her arms. "I don't want you to have a life like that... No one deserves such a horrible thing..." she said softly and looked down into her pretty little face. Shay frowned when she heard her and closed her eyes as she felt her stroke her. No one had ever done this for her and to know that ivory had never had it done to her made her feel horrible. Slowly she managed to wrap her arms around ivory and snuggled closer to her. "You didn't deserve that, you didn't deserve it at all." she said softly, and you could tell she was slowly falling asleep in her arms. She wasn't thinking clearly and right before she fell asleep she whispered, "I wish you were the one I was marrying." and then she was fast asleep in her arms and her arms held her close, showing no signs of letting go of ivory any time soon. Ivory smiled hearing Shay's wonderfully kind words as she fell asleep. "Me too..." the older female whispered and then pulled herself onto the bed. Laying down with Shay in her arms she texted her boss, telling him Shay was safely with her. Though soon she to found herself getting tired. Draping one wing over the both of them to keep them warm, she began to drift to sleep. She was on high alert still, but her mind was resting. Shay dreamed of having fun with ivory and not worrying about anything. Her father wasn't around nor any other werewolf, it was just them. It was a wonderful dream and when she woke up she thought she still was dreaming since she was still in ivories arms. Yet she remembered she had fallen asleep in her arms and was glad she did. Snuggling closer to her, she thought about what was to come. She would be forced to marry a wolf she didn't want, and yet she couldn't do anything about it. Maybe if she talked with vixen they could find a way out of this for her. Yet she blushed as she remembered her last words to her and closed her eyes. She had meet them but knew they probably wouldn't happen. Vixen slowly awoke feeling Shay snuggle against her body again. Opening her bright purple eyes she smiled gently at her favorite little pup and stroked her cheek. "Are you feeling better Shay?" she asked kindly and sighed happily. Looking over her little werewolf, she seemed to look just fine, and well rested. This information made her happy though she knew that once she left Shay's side, it wouldn't be good for either of them. Thinking silently to herself she then opened her eyes and looked into Shay's eyes gently. "Shay... What do you want most?" she asked softly, in a seriously kind voice. Shay smiled as she felt a hand on her cheek and looked at oxen. "Yeah, I am feel better than I have in a while." she said as she smiled. Closing her eyes she focused on the feeling on her stroking her cheek, part of her hoping she didn't stop anytime soon. Though when she heard vixens question she looked into her eyes. "All I have ever wanted was to be with the one person I love, nothing else." she said softly as she stayed close. "What about you?" she asked since she was getting curious. Vixen smiled gently and then sighed. "I have only wanted two things in my life... To avenge my parents... And become the best familiar I can... Since it's the only way I can be close to someone... It's the downfall of being what I am." she whispered softly and looked down into Shay's eyes softly. "I've been dreaming about becoming a familiar my whole life... The intimacy that comes with being the personal servant of the other is all succubus's dream... Because once you're a familiar of that person, they can never get married or change having partners except for their familiars.... It's the ultimate bond for my kind..." she said softly as she smiled down at her little pup. Shay was surprised by her words yet as she spoke she found herself smiling. It was the kind of smile that you wanted everyone to have, the one of pure happiness. "So if I were to be bound to you, I could only ever be with you. No marrying to anyone else or anything." she said since she wanted to make sure that was completely true. She then leaned up and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before muttering, "you just made me the happiest person in the world." being bound to vixen would be the batting ever. She knew she cared about vixen a lot, after everything she did for her, and she was so kind and beautiful that she doubted she would want to be bound to anyone besides her. Smiling softly Vixen smiled and nodded slowly. "Yes... That's completely correct." she said softly was surprised as Shay sat up a bit more. Looking into her eyes, the female was surprised feeling a kiss pressed to her Lucius lips. She kissed Shay back and then looked into her eyes deeply. "Would you like to be my master then, Shay?" she asked softly and cupped her cheek, letting her thumb gently caress her soft cheek. Shay smirked when she heard her, "would if of kisses you if the answer was no?" she asked as she moved closer to her. The feeling of being close to someone she knew cared about her was better than anything else. "But if you are a yes or no answer my answer is hell yes." she said happily as she looked into vixens beautiful eyes with her dark ones. Vixen grinned and then laughed hearing Shay's words. Pulling out her knife she then slit her palm slowly. She then looked to Shay. "Where would you want the mark?" she asked softly and then kissed Shay's cheek. She then nipped her cute little nose happily, hoping that she would choose a spot where she could cover it up, just in case. Shay watched her slit her palm and thought for a moment till she settled on a place. Tugging the neck of her shirt down a little so that you could see where her hear was she smiled. "Right over the heart." she said as she smiled at the kiss and nip. Being with ivory would be ten times better than being with anyone else. Leaning over she kissed ivories neck and nipped it gently before looking at her in the eyes, waiting for them to be connected. Nodding slowly Ivory laughed softly feeling Jordan nip her neck and then gently nicked the spot over Jordan's heart. Pressing her palm to her chest where the nick was, their blood mingled, and Suddenly a tattoo began to burn itself on the back of Ivory's hand and Shay's chest. The engraved markings looked like they would be on some prized medicine and had an abstract heart in the middle of it. Finally, the pain went away and Ivory smiled up at Jordan. "I'm now yours... Mistress." she whispered happily and bowed her head to her swiftly, a grin plastered on her lips. Shay smiled as she felt the nick and then pain ran threw her for a second. She watched as the tattoo burned into her skin and smiled as she looked at Ivory. "Stop the bowing, but I do like the sounds of mistress but still prefer Shay." she said as she moved closer to Ivory. She liked the feeling of being connected to her though when her father saw this he was probably going to sick the pack on them. Yet at the moment that thought was far formed her mind and she looked at Ivory in the face, "now I am the happiest werewolf ever." she then kissed Ivory's nose before her lips gently. Vixen lifted her head and chuckled as Shay commented about the mistress title. Smirking she then smiled widely hearing how happy her new mistress was and wrapped her arms around her waist in a bug. "I'm glad I've made you so happy Shay..." she said gently. Taken by surprise, the succubus blushed feeling the kiss on her nose, but willing fell into the kiss upon her lips. Kissing back with amazing talent and taste, Ivory wanted to make sure that Shay enjoyed everything about their kiss. Hopefully it would be memorable. Shay smiled as she felt vixen hug her close and loved how she looked right after hen missed her nose. Yet when he felt her kiss back she knew she would never forget this kiss or want to kiss anyone else. Pulling herself closer she knew she would try her best and make vixen happy with her. After kissing for a while she had to pull away to breath and smiled at her. Gently she reached out and stroked her cheek. "You know you're possibly the most amazing person I have met." she said softly. She truly was since it seemed she could do just about anything in shays eyes. She could fight, was caring and really good kisser. Furthermore, she couldn't ask anything else for her partner. Ivory smiled widely hearing Shay and then shook her head. "Almost? Oh, I'm going to have to change that." she said playfully and then nipped her werewolf's neck. She then hugged Shay close and looked down at her. "What do you want to do as our first thing being bonded like this?" she asked lightly, her tail flicking back and forth happily. Shay chuckled when she heard her and closed her eyes when she feet the nip. Her tail slowly started to come out when she heard her, and it wagged back and forth. "I can think of quiet a few things but one of them sticks out more than the others." she said as she looked at Ivory. She then started to nibble on Ivory's neck as she pulled herself closer to her. Both of their tales clinger back and forth happily. Ivory smiled seeing Shay's tail pop out and let out a giggle. It was so adorable and she petted it lightly. Though as she did, she felt Shay begin to nibble on her neck and she let out a soft sigh. "If it is the number one thing my kind is known for... I'm all for it..." she said happily and grinned. She pushed Shay onto her back and let her hands slowly rub the younger female's sides sensually, loving the closeness of their bodies. This is the kind of thing her kind loved for. Shay smiled when she heard her and soon found herself on her back and looking up at ivory. She then felt her touched and closed her eyes, enjoying this completely. "You hit the nail on the head." she said as she opened her eyes and grinned at her. She gently reached out and let her one hand run threw ivories long dark hair as the other one ran down her side. Being close to her like this was a dream come true for her, and she knew that she would never want to be with anyone else besides her. Grinning practically from ear to ear, Ivory let her hands play with Shay's body, knowing that she wanted to make her more hot for this. Keeping her hands messaging she then grinned feeling her wonderful warmth, keeping her eyes running over her little puppy. "MMM yes.... Shall I show you something that is all yours first?" she offered slowly and then reached behind her and unzipped her corset leather top. Letting it fall away to reveal the beautiful red lace bra underneath, that held her chest at a lovely, upward angle making them look bigger than they already were. Shay smiled as she felt ivory play with her. The feeling of her being so close was amazing, and she could feel her body climbing higher. Yet when she heard her words her ears perked up, and she looked at ivory curiously. Yet when she saw her with the red lace she was glad she was all hers. "You know your probably the hottest person I have met." she said and after a second she pulled her shirt off. Her body was slender, and she smiled at ivory as she wrapped her arms around her. "And I am so glad to be your mistress." she said before kissing her. Ivory grinned hearing Shay and then kissed her deeply. Though hearing her words she shook her head. "Probably? How come I'm not the hottest?" she said and fake poured before her eyes lingered on Shay. As she removed her shirt the succubus licked her lips, enjoying the view. "Darling, have I mentioned what a beautiful body you have?" she breathed softly against her collar bone and kissed lower, knowing that her skills would really pay off here. She could tell Shay hadn't done this before, and that made her all the more excited. "Mmm you're in good hands my mistress." Shay smiled as she kissed her back deeply though chuckled when she heard her, "I say probably since I am sure that you will possibly look hotter tomorrow." she said as she smiled at her. Yet when she heard her she blushed slightly and smiled wide. Before she could say a word to Ivory though she felt her kisses and instantly she just closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling. Hearing her she smiled, "I know I am, I trust you completely, Ivory." she whispered softly and could tell that Ivory was just as Excited as she was, possibly even more. "And I think I would tell before you liked how I looked." she said softly as she slowly lost herself to all the kisses. Smiling gently Ivory's hands moved swiftly, riding the clothes left on their bodies. Enjoying the feeling of their bodies pressed up against one another the black haired female let out a gentle sigh. "My mistress... Let me take you away..." she breathed and then began doing what her kind did best. She wanted to give her owner and lover everything she had to offer, to show how much this bond meet to her, no matter what the cost. Shay smiled as she laid next to Ivory and kissed her neck gently. That was the single best thing that she had ever done, and she looked at Ivory lovingly. "You are the most amazing thing to happen to me." she said softly as she felt her body calm down from everything. She then leaned up and kissed Ivory on the lips gently before snuggling up against her. She opulent' believe that just yesterday she had met Ivory, yet she knew she didn't need anyone and tomorrow was her birthday, yet she already had what she always wanted. Ivory smiled down at her precious little Shay as she held her close. There bodies were cooling off from their wonderful time together... And it was so worth it. Kissing her little pup back lovingly she stroked her head rhythmically with a gentleness that most didn't ever possess. Then looking down at Shay, the female decided to take her away from her father forever... Give her a new and improved life, one that would change her into a beautiful blossoming flower. "Mistress... You should rest... I plan on taking you to a wonderful place I like to eat at." she said softly and kissed her cheek, cradling her smaller body against her own. Shay smiled as she felt her being held so close and felt the kiss back. Slowly she wrapped her arms around her and snuggled up as close to her as possible. Nothing could ruin this day for her, and she smiled as she kissed her neck gently. Yet when she heard her SHR looked into her eyes. "The only way I am going to sleep is if you sleep too." she said, and you could tell she wasn't going too till sleep till she would. She then Smiled as she rested her head against her and closed her eyes, loving the feeling of her stroking her. Ivory smiled softly and then nodded. "Alright mistress shay." she said and then kissed her cheek. Laying her head down slowly she then kissed her lightly on her lips. Closing her eyes slowly, she let her body start to relate as her tail pulled up the surrounding covers, and then slithered back underneath the sheets. Keeping her body and legs entwined with Shay's body Ivory found herself at peace for the very first time since she lost everything. She felt renewed, like she had angel wings instead of demon wings. Shay smiled as she opened her eyes and watched her lay down with her. Kissing her back she snuggled up closer to her and her tail wagged under the covers when she pulled the covers up. Tangling herself with Ivory she felt herself happy, truly and completely happy for the first time. With Ivory by her side she didn't feel like she was being forced to do anything or being judged. She could just be herself and knew that she would be loved unconditionally just like how she led Ivory. Closing her eyes again she settled herself next to Ivory, breathing her in. After a few minutes she was fast asleep next to her. Ivory happily awaited Shay's sleep, watching her beautiful face as she fell asleep. Controlling her mistress's dreams she made sure that only good dreams came to her mind. Once everything was safe and secure with her powers the succubus then slowly fell asleep next to her new and eternal lover.((sorry short)) Shay smiled as she dreamed of never going back to her father or her pack. Ivory was there with her and everything was perfect in her life. She only woke up when she felt sun getting into her eyes. Even then she didn't want to wake up so she buried her face in Ivory and breathed her in. Her scent was dark and spicy, something she liked more than steak. As she breathed her in she slowly relaxed enough to fall back into a light sleep. Ivory slowly woke feeling Shay Barry her head into her chest. Cradling the back of her lover's head she sighed happily, her eyes slowly opening. Feeling her soft small body against her own she smiled gently. Her tail flicked up, and she then kissed the lover's soft cheek. "Wake up mistress... It is a new day, ready for new fun." she whispered and rubbed her back gently, hoping to slowly sooth the little wolf out of her sleep. Shay smiled in her sleep when she felt a kiss on her cheek and hearing a very beautiful voice. Her arms slowly wrapped around Ivory, pulling herself closer to Ivory. Slowly her eyes started to open as she felt a soothing hand on her back. Looking at her, she smiled and snuggled closer to her, "morning." she said softly and smiled happily, "you know this has to be the world's best way to wake up." she said as she leaned up and kissed her nose gently. Ivory blushed as she was surprised with the kiss to her nose. "I'm glad you liked it." she replied and then nuzzled Shay's cheek. "It seems that you are well rested ADN in a good mood, so I would like to offer a bath." she breathed and then grinned. "I will help clean you as well if you wish, mistress." the succubus added lightly and waited for Shay to say something. The sun on her beautiful tanned skin was something that Ivory was really adoring at the moment, because it made her new mistress glow. Shay smiled when she saw the blush and thought she looked cute. Closing her eyes when she felt her nuzzle her cheek she smiled at the sound of a bath. She looked absolutely beautiful right now, and she smiled at the thought of taking a bath with her. "Sounds like fun." she said and leaned closer to her. She then nipped and kissed at Ivory's neck slightly before kissing her lips, "a bath with the person you care about is always fun." she said softly as she looked at Ivory in the eyes. "Yes it is." Ivory replied and then sat up. Stretching out a bit, a few things cracked and popped making her sigh. She then scooped Shay up and walked with her cradled in her strong arms. She then set her down gently on the sink counter and started the water. Grabbing towels and soap to use she then poured in the bubble bath when the water got hot. Watching the water she stood next to where Shay was sitting, knowing that this bath would be wonderful. Shay smiled as she watched her stretched and thought that she looked gorgeous in the sun. Smiling as she was picked up she snuggled up close to her before she sat her down on the sink counter. Kicking her feet playfully she watched Ivory intensely. When she stood back and let the tub fill she leaned over and kissed her shoulder, "so besides this, what are our plans?" she asked as she looked at Ivory. Ivory smiled feeling Shay's kiss and turned around to cup her cheek. Stroking it gently with her thumb she smiled softly and shrugged. "Nothing really... We do whatever you wish... Since you are the mistress." she said lightly and then hearing the water again she turned back to look at it and then turned it off seeing it was full enough. "In we go." she said lightly as she lifted Shay easily by her waist and slowly lowered her into the warm water. She soon followed and sighed happily feeling the amazing warmth speed threw-out her body, warming her bones. Shay smiled when she felt her cup her cheeks and her thumb stroking her one cheek. She still thought she was the luckiest person ever to have her. Yet hearing her words she had to think about it, before she could though ivory picked her up. Closing her eyes as she feet the warm water hit her made her lose track of everything she had been thinking about. When she opened them ivory was in the tub with her. She looked beautiful with how the water shined off of her skin. She then smiled, "how about if we go do something fun? Like head to a club or go see a movie." she said happily and let the warm water spread threw her. Ivory grinned and then grinned. "Oh if we go to a club then you have to look amazing my mistress." she breathed and then reached for her soup and wash cloth. "Do you want me to wash you?" she offered lightly, her eyes glowing as she looked into Shay's eyes. She then reached over curiously and then scratched her cute little werewolf ears, unable to resist. She wanted it to be the best days of Shay's life, to make up for so much of her life that had been ruined by her father. Shay blushed slightly when she heard Ivory and smiled, "well you will have to too." she said as she smiled at her. Though she thought about weather or not she should wash her. Yet her thought was distracted when she felt her scratch her behind the ear. Leaning into the touch and then looked up at Ivory, "you can wash me only if I get to wash you." she said and then closed her eyes as she enjoyed the scratch. Ivory's eyes softened as she watched Shay lean into her fingers as she scratched her on the head. She then chuckled slowly and grinned. "Oh I will dress however you wish for me to dress my little Shay." the raven haired succubus whispered, moving to grab the soap and wash cloth. Loading up the wash cloth with bubbling cleanliness the older female moved to wash the younger female's body slowly, and lovingly. Her touch was soft and a bit suggestive as she cleaned the young werewolf, knowing that she was really enjoying the closeness she was receiving with her new mistress. Shay smiled when she heard her, "you can wear anything since everything makes you look amazing." she said softly and then let her wash her. She loved the touch, it was filled with love, and she could tell that it was a bit suggestive. Moving closer to her, she closed her eyes and smiled happily. She truly had to be the luckiest person in the world to have a girl like Ivory. Ivory smiled softly and then once she finished washing her new mistress she then minced her off as well. Smiling widely she then ran a hand threw shay's green hair and kissed her on the cheek. "Do you feel all clean and renewed? She asked lightly, her raven black hair damp and sticking to her Lucius skin. She loved the feel of it, and was enjoying everything she possibly could about this moment, it was like a dream come true. Shay smiles once she was completely clean and leaned into her hand as she ran it threw her hair. "Yes I do." she said softly and smiles as she looked at Ivory. She looked beautiful with how the water made her skin seem to glow slightly. She then took the soap and started to clean Ivory, "your turn." she said as she smiled at her and continued to wash her just as Ivory had done to her. When Shay took the soap from his hands, Ivory closed her eyes and waited for the luxurious bathing to begin. And it did. The little werewolf was a very good washer, and a few delicate little sighs escaped the succubi's lips as she was taken care of. She never really received any of this loving care, but she was truly loving it now. Deciding that because she had never experienced it before, it made this moment all the more special to her. She was going to do everything in her power to protect and serve her new mistress, and she really took a liking to the thought of doing so. Shay smiled when she heard the little sighs coming from Ivory. She had a feeling that she would have to do this more for Ivory. Ivory had already made her feel special, and it was time that Shay made ivory feel special. Once she was done he minced her off and then kissed her lips gently, "how do you feel now?" she asked as she looked at her happily. Right now she knew that she was the happiest person in the world because of Ivory. Yet it wouldn't last once her father found out she was bound to her bodyguard. Ivory's eyes slowly opened after receiving the sweet soft kiss from Shay. She then nodded and a grin creeped onto her lips. "Absolutely amazing..." she breathed and then leaned forward and ran her hands down Shay's body slowly. "Thank you mistress...." she whispered and then nipped her bottom lip. "Shall we get out and dry off?" she offered softly and kissed the werewolf's cute little nose. Shays miked when she heard ivory and then closed her eyes slightly when she felt her hands slowly go down her body. Ivory's touch was always warm and loving. It was something that she knew she had grown to want more and more. She then smoked when she heard her and was about to speak when she bit her lip. It was something she loved instantly and smiled. "Happy to do so." she said as she gently nipped at her nose, "and that sounds perfect." she said and they kissed her cheek after she kissed her nose. Pulling Shay into her sting arms, Ivory stood slowly and stepped out of the tub. Her tail flicked the towels up off the counter, and she then wrapped Shay in one and sat her on the counter. Rubbing her dry softly, her tail moved to flip the drain, so the water began to go down the drain. Kissing her mistress's forehead she then smiled softly and pulled the other towel around her own shoulders and began drying herself off. She was excited about going to a club with her new mistress, she had a feeling that it would be delightful. Shay smiled as she felt Ivory's arms around her and let her take her out of the tug. She giggled slightly as she let her dry her off and slowly her tail came out, wagging happily. Keeping her town around her, she kicked her feet out playfully as she watched Ivory dry herself off. She couldn't wait to head to a club with her and forget about everything. Yet she had a feeling she would still be on her toes, werewolves loved to head to clubs. Ivory smiled widely and then looked into her mistress's eyes. "So are you excited about the club? I hope you don't mind that its in Japan." she added and then grinned seeing Shay's surprise. "They have the best beats for dancing, and the wildest places to hang. I am in love with their clubs... Plus I know the owner, so free drinks for us." she said nearly purring in happiness at the thought. Then seeing the cute little tail she gave it a playful tug and laughed, retreating out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. She knew Shay would be after her in a second. Shay could only stare at her when she heard the club was in Japan and slowly a smile spread across her face. "That is perfectly fine with me." she said happily and couldn't wait to have fun with Ivory. Her tail wagged at the though of going there and not having to worry about a thing. When she felt a tug and heard a laugh a huge smile spread across her face and in seconds she was rushing after her. She then tackled Ivory onto the bed and smiled as she looked at her, "you can't get away from a werewolf." she said as she looked at her. Grinning Ivory gasped as she was pinned to the bed and laughed as Shay's comment. "Escaping a werewolf is a piece of cake for me... But escaping my cute mistress is a completely different ball game." she said charmingly and then leaned up and kissed Shay's Lucius and inexperienced lips. Then slipped out from underneath her lover she got up and then opened her closet in a flourish. "I will wear anything you pick out." she said waiting to see what Shay would do next. Shay smiled when she heard her and then felt her lips on hers. Smiling she then watched her slip out from under her and sat down on the bed, watching Ivory happily. "I say wear what ever, you look great in just about everything." she said as she smiled at her, "and by the way I will have to borrow some of your clothing." she said since after everything that happened she had no clothing but what she came with. Ivory grinned hearing such a compliment from Shay. It made her chest squeeze in happiness hearing such words comic from her eternal mistress. Then pouting slowly, she shook her head. "The whole fun part is wearing the things your lover wants you to wear... There are crazy things worn at the club we will be going to all the time." she said in a bit of a sad toned voice. "I was really looking forward to seeing what kind of clothes you would prefer on me. "And you do have clothes. I sent our my powers to get some, so I have a solid idea of what I want you to wear." she added lightly. Shay listened to Ivory and could tell she wanted to hear her tell her what to wear. Yet what really got her was that Ivory already had an idea of what she wanted her to wear. So walking to the closet she looked threw it. Smiling as she saw something that she knew right away would make Ivory irritable. Walking over to Ivory after she picked it up she smiled at her, "well if I had to pick I would pick this." she said as she smiled at Ivory and then kissed her cheek. "And I know for a fact you will look perfect in it." she said happily. ((may I ask what the thing Shay picked out is? Or am I just supposed to pick what it is?)) ((you can pick out what it is)) Vixen grinned widely seeing the dress that Shay pulled out. "Mistress, I like hour thinking." she said and took the dress from the hanger. Since she was already completely nude, the woman just simply had to put on the red and silver dress. Adjusting her tie that was between her breasts, the sexy seductress looked to her mistress. "What do you think Shay?" Vixen asked and slowly turned. The whole dress clung to her perfect body, giving her the ultimate look, even while being clothed.

Just how close can you get to a guard ~palmoun and seer rp~|rating:4.0

Still Not Safe IC Side Fights

Todd vs. Sara Battlefield is the same as the training arena at SECT. 'Kay. So HHH... Inititave!(1d20+10)[27] Initiative:(1d20+1)[11](12) Raw. My turn. Spoiler Hide Move Action: Move to the Loki. Action: Harlequin Explosion! On the Loki. (Harlequin Explosion! Reflex save of 20. If failed, take ten toughness damage and then roll for damage. If succeeded take five toughness damage and rolls for damage. Unless you have evasion.) Spoiler Hide You know, we're being pretty informal here? You don't have to put things in spoilers... Spoiler Hide Reflex Save: (1d20+3)[16](19) Spoiler Hide Pooh! So close. #post6621820 Spoiler Hide Rolling for Toughness save vs. 10 damage (So, DC 25) Spoiler Hide Toughness Save: (1d20+9)[13](22) Spoiler Hide Which means I am bruised Spoiler Hide But wait a second? Why isn't my Toughness reduced?!?! Spoiler Hide Immunity to Trait Effects, my friend. Technically, that makes me immune to Boost as well, but I bought selective as well. Speaking of which: Spoiler Hide 22-15 = 7 (which is less than the 10 damage you dealt), which means that all my powers are boosted by 7pp. Total Boost: 7pp Spoiler Hide These dice seem to hate you. Oh hey, after this do you want to do a rematch? I'd like you to go first next time, if you're willing. Try out different tactics, and think about the best way to move when I am the one on the defense. Up to you. Sure. Also, SO MANY SPOILERS! And check my edited post. Spoiler Hide That seems like a nice power. Seeing as I rely on Toughness a lot, I think I'll take it myself when I get some more point Spoiler Hide So, you used boost, correct? Assuming that you don't have any actions left, it's my turn.... Okay, I automatically heal from thebruisedcondition. Then, I try to hit you with an unarmed attack. Attack Roll:(1d20+8)[19](27), with a damage to +3Total Boost:7ppSpoiler Hide Immunity to Toughness trait effects would probably be 1 or 2 pp, if you don't want to spend the 5pp for all of them. Of course, once everyone starts getting immunity to trait effects, the SE's are probably going to start getting likewise. Which, conceptually makes sense, so I don't think it's all that big a deal. So... what is your damage, exactly? I don't see it on your character sheet. Here's a toughness roll anyway.(1d20+12)[19] Damage starts out at -1. All I got is an unarmed attack and my starting Strength of 8 (whopping 9 Strength in my armor). However, with 7 points of boost, my Strength is increased to 16, which means the damage is now +3 (or DC 18). I'm pretty sure that my armor is good enough, so a good amount of my points are going to be used to improve Sara herself. Ahhh, that's a good idea. I tried to do the same with my dude when it came to CIA related stuff. Being able to do things out of armor is nice.OH. And just in case, from now on count my defense as 5. Or 0 when I use all out attack. I'm using max withstand damage. Anyways. Spoiler Hide Emerald Trap (Star) (1d20+10)[11] Why Hello There Mister One! Nice To Meet You!>.(I assume Reflex?) Reflex Save:1 + 15 =16(Taking 1, pg. 10)My 1 beats your 1, but that's only because Saves have higher limits than Save DC's.(Reflex save starts out at +3, +6 in armor. Increased to +13 directly by Boost, and the increase in Dexterity puts it at the max of +15.EDIT:That was your attack roll, right? It hits. My Defense is 10. No bonus. Which, incidentally I need to do something about, since you can't use All-Out Attack if your Defense bonus is +0. Haha, yeah. Darn. Oh well, your move.-Edit: I thought we couldn't boost moves higher than our power level?-Double EDIT! Snare needs a reflex save. I thought that was all you needed to roll, not an attack roll... Triple Edit!: My mistake. I can use all out attack three, not five. Total Boost:6(+15 is the max Save bonus for PL 10)Unarmed Attack:1d20+7, DC 17I need to get some additional attack options...EDIT: Crap, I forgot to put the roll around that Rolling toughness. Watch me roll a one xD(1d20+17)[23]And huh. So if I took boost I could... boost my toughness save even higher? Or am I missing something here? Also, I'd like to try to snare you again... All Our Attack (3) Snare:(1d20+13)[14] ANOTHER ONE. Wtfffffff! XD!! Also, I added that incorrectly. It should be +12, not 13. Man, we're a pair:(1d20+7)[18](25)(That's for my previous attack that I didn't actually roll by accident)No, you can't use Boost to go over the PL (unless the GM allows it, which I personally wouldn't). It's just, the max Toughness save is +10, but the maxgeneralsaves are +15. Edit:Um, how is your Toughness +17? I have a defense of 8. I use Withstand to lower it by five, and boost my toughness by 5. My toughness is 12. I increase it by five. That means I have 17 toughness. The max I can boost it to is 20. Wish I knew how to get those other three points, but oh well. So uh... my turn or yours?-Edit: Actually, I think my toughness can be up to a tax of 24. My bad. Your turn, but I need to make another reflex save to resist snare.(1d20+14)[10](24)(remember, my defense is 10. My defense bonus is +Zip)Also, I'll might get Withstand. I had been looking for something like that but couldn't find it. Is it in the core book? Mecca and Manga. Remember, if you fail your save by five or more, or I use this on your twice and they both hit, you are bound and helpless. Yeah, I know, but the save is DC 20, right? Well, DC 19 now. And you only have 3 uses left. I'm not too worried. Unarmed Attack: (1d20+7)[2](9), DC 17 Toughness Hmm, you'll auto-succeed on that. I miss. I really need some sort of alt-attack. Total Boost:6Your turn. Graph. Attack (All out):(1d20+13)[25]If it hits: Grapple (Throw straight up):(1d20+30)[47] Of course it hits... Grapple:(1d20+10)[17](27)(why am I rolling? Okay. I'm assuming that this room is 50 feet by 50 feet and that the walls have a toughness of steel. Is that fine with you? Yep.WON'T LET ME POST WITHOUT MAKING THE MESSAGE LONGER. I'm not sure how to figure out how much damage you take from hitting solid steal, but I know you need to make a toughness save of DC 20 or take damage from the 50-foot fall down. Originally Posted by Mutants camp; Masterminds, pg. 166 The character suffers damage equal to the knock back result or the Toughness of any obstacle (such as a wall), whichever is less. Steel has a Toughness of 10. Which is equal to the Knock back damage. So 10 either way. Toughness Save:(1d20+12)[11](23), which means I fail by 2 (Damage DC 25)Boost:23-15 = 8, total boost = 14My turn? Don't forget to roll for the falling damage, assuming you take any. Your turn. Also, I hit you once as well. Once for when I hit you, then the damage from the throw. Okay, let's assume that the first save was versus the attack, since order matters:Toughness Save:(1d20+12)[7](19)vs. DC 25Boost:+4, total is now 18I am doublebruisedandstunned. My turn rolls around, I am nowbruisedandstunned. Boost:17 Ouch. You are stunned, correct? Two bruises and stunned. Well, one bruise and stunned once it's my turn. Which is now, btw. My turn then... All Our Attack (3):(1d20+13)[33]Grapple (Throw, up):(1d20+30)[32]And seeing as how you are stunned while falling, you should take falling damage this time. No way you can land on your feet >_>. If you want to though, we can ask Cuba. Not sure what the rules say on that honestly. Wait, wait, you're right. I had forgotten to roll for falling damage. Scatterbrain me. So, bruisedby attack, bruisedandstunnedby hitting steel wall, then falling damage. Toughness Save:(1d20+12)[19](31)vs. DC 20Full absorb, which means:Boost:+5, total 23CONT IN NEXT POST Toughness Save vs. Attack:(1d20+12)[14](26)vs. DC 25Full absorb of 10, so Boost:+10,+8 (which is my Boost rank)total3331CONT IN NEXT POST I'm confused. You can use boost while stunned? How? I'm stunned, which means that I can only take actions which are reactions.EDIT:Which includes my Boost, which is reaction speed but limited to when I'm damaged and has a max based on damage taken. Luckily for me, defending against Grapple is a reaction/no action on my part. With boost of 31, I now have 13 ranks of Unstoppable Immovable and my Strength is maxed out at 30. My opposed Grapple (to resist throw):(1d20+66)[10](76)72EDIT:Oops, should be slightly less (though still very high). Wait a sec That's what I don't get. In the Manuel it says Boost can't... Boost higher than your power level. It also says you can't boost perm powers. So I'm confused. Spoiler Hide You cannot Boost Permanent powers. Boosted traits must remain within the campaign’s power level limits, although the GM should feel free to waive or modify this requirement as best suits the needs of the game. They also don't stack... Originally Posted by Mater They also don't stack... Dean it, you're right. Cubey was okay with boosting the enhanced attributes and stuff, but both of us had completely forgotten about that (since one of the abilities requires having far too many points to acquire with just 8 Boost). Well, back to the old drawing board... Soon. Reroll? D: Yeah. Reroll character... Er, good game? I'm going to go redo my character right now. Kay Rematch when you are done? >_>. Definitely. Cat's up for a match against anyone interested. Initiative - (1d20+18)[33] Guido for it. I'd like to give my understanding of weapons a once over. Ini:(1d20+10)[15] Okay - but my understanding of weapons is nil, so... Cat has the initiative, so she gathers water to herself and surfs away to the far corner of the arena (move action), then attempts to freeze Todd in place (Snare 10, so DC 20 Reflex). Attack - (1d20+10)[18]...Armand thatjusthits - I think... so, you do have to roll. Hamm, is your sheet up to date with any changes you've been making? It'll be handier if I can check your saves, defenses etc. myself, so I can see when I post an attack whether it succeeds or not.(Oh, and I should specify that the snare is bound to the ground. Take that as the default whenever I use it.) Oh, it's 100% up to date. Not everything is done weapon why's, but it's up-to-date. Okay, but yes. The snare hits, so I roll for reflex.(1d20+10)[29]Also, are we cool with how TMS and I had it? A 50x50 room? Also, if I fail the reflex save, I'm serious. I have a +10 to breaking objects. And a +10 to damage. So, that means that I can break your snare as a standard Action even if I am hit by it, correct? Your snares Toughness is 15, my + to damage is 20. So I can break it as a standard action, right? Hm. (Oh, and I should specify that the snare is bound to the ground. Take that as the default whenever I use it.) Kay. I'm not effected by it anyway, but still. I'll wait for your post before moving in case you have anything to ask or whatever. Furthermore, I'm not actually sure about damaging the snare (I bought Regenerating for it, so I should probably check those rules...), but eh. You're dodged it, so go ahead and act - no questions or anything from here. I'm fine with the 50x50 room. Cat would currently be in one of the corners. I'm not actually sure about damaging the snare (I bought Regenerating for it, so I should probably check those rules...), but eh. You're dodged it, so go ahead and act - no questions or anything from here. Yeah. It heals damage over time, but if I break it in one shot... well, yeah. I'm fine with the 50x50 room. Cat would currently be in one of the corners. Kay. Spoiler Hide Move Action: Reach EMI in the corner. Green Punch: All our attack (5): (1d20+15)[20] If that hits, you fall prone and hit the wall behind you. The attack deals 10 damage. So you'd need to make a toughness save of 25 DC. I seem to have messed up on two things. One, I need to a roll a strength check VS your, uh... DEX Mod, Strength Mod, or Acrobatics mod. Which ever is highest. I... think? Does Super Strength boos this save? No sure... You need to roll a power check (1d20+rank) which I oppose with the higher of my Strength or Dexterity (which are equal in armor, so 1d20+10). (A normal trip attack would let me oppose with Acrobatics, but it seems the Trip power won't, for whatever reason.) Which I'll roll now:(1d20+10)[27]Now, does your Trip have the Knock back extra? If so, it's treated like it has a damage bonus equal to its rank for the purpose of calculating knock back, but I don't think there's any way it can deal any actual damage. Unless I hit a wall or something, I guess. (Actually, checking, I'm not totally clear on whether I suffer damage outright or only if I hit an obstacle. Anyway, you have to roll a 17 or higher to succeed in the trip, and only then will the knock back come in to play.) Yes, it has knock back. And there are steel walls behind you >_>. Power Check:(1d20+10)[20] Right so - Cat dodges the trip attempt. Move action to surf past to the opposite corner and up to near the ceiling, and she hits you with Hailstorm - Blast 10 Autofire. (And since you've reduced your defense with All-Out Attack, I really wish I'd bought Power Attack. _;)Attack - (1d20+10)[15]I do believe that's a hit (your defense should be 13 this round?), and exceeds your defense by 2 which means Autofire grants a +1 to damage. I think. So that's a DC 26 Toughness check for you. Lol. Alright, so toughness save of 25 to beat. Got it...(1d20+12)[30] I do believe that's a hit (your defense should be 13 this round?), and exceeds your defense by 2 which means Autofire grants a +1 to damage. I think. So that's a DC 26 Toughness check for you. ...13? My defense is 3 >_>. And yay! I passed it! Originally Posted by Mater ...13? My defense is 3 Sgt;_Sgt;. Your defensebonusis 3, but that's added to a flat 10 to produce the actual value people have to better with their attack. That kept tripping me up when I started, too - I was thinking of it as like AC in D&D, which it pretty much is except that the 10 is left out for ease of PL limit comparisons (I assume). Kept thinking I'd been knocked out by attacks that had missed me. Anyway, your turn. Your defense bonus is 3, but that's added to a flat 10 to produce the actual value people have to better with their attack. That kept tripping me up when I started, too - I was thinking of it as like AC in Damp;D, which it pretty much is except that the 10 is left out for ease of PL limit comparisons (I assume). Kept thinking I'd been knocked out by attacks that had missed me. WAS.WAAAAAAAT. I did not know this! I have some points to free up once this battle is over then, it seems... Also. My move. Hamm... Spoiler Hide Move: Jump to EMI. Stand: Attack (All out five): (1d20+15)[33] If hits: Grapple (Throw, down) (1d20+30)[45] From now on I am using withstand damage +5. I'm pretty sure you can't reduce your defense bonus below +0 by use of feats. So with a bonus of +8, you can't use both All-Out Attack 5 and Withstand Damage 5. Anyway, that certainly hits. And now I have to remember how grappling works - damn you! Grapple - (1d20+20)[29]Can't win, but I think I get some sort of consolation prize if I roll a natural twenty...? Also, I don't think you can move to Cat (not EMI...) and use a Throw in the same round. The Throw is a move action. Gosh darn it all, you are right. I hit you, and grapple you. But not throw you. Do you have leaping? I don't take any damage from the fall myself, but you do if you don't have leaping. I think.-Edit: I just noticed something myself. If I lower my Defense to 0 (Like I just did) I'm considered flat-footed. Not sure what the penalties of that are, but keep that in mind on your turn. No, Cat's only movement mode is Flight, flavored as riding a wave/spout of water. Well, and Swimming. I don't think your defense is of any use to me now - only our grapple checks count. Hamm, this is a pretty good reflection of why grapple rules one-on-one matches in the real world :PSO are you taking any action in the grapple - applying damage, pinning, etc.? If I'm pinned, what are my options as far as power use goes? And if we're falling, how does that work? Well. When grappled you can't move. You can use Standard action though, and I do think you have to roll to see if you hit though. And yes, I use grapple to deal damage to you. Seeing as how you can fly, I don't know if we fall or not =/ Well, I was wondering more how being pinned restricted me above and beyond simply being grappled. Basically, which of my powers could I use without freedom of movement. Okay. I'll save against the unarmed damage first. Then I'll roll Acrobatics to mitigate my fall. Then I'll save against the falling damage. We may just decide that we don't fall, or that I can cushion my fall with Flight, or that it's not enough of a height to matter, though. With all those complications, I'll just roll bare d20s.(3d20)[15][7][19](41)Okay - that's a save of25vs your +10 unarmed damage, so Cat takes no damage. The Acrobatics check is 7+18=25, exceeding DC 5 by 20, which means the fall is reduced by 20 feet for damage purposes. And then the toughness save vs the fall was29, which means that unless the fall was more than 160 feet Cat's fine. Phew! So, I guess we make opposed Grapple checks again. The grapple check:Grapple - (1d20+20)[29] Okay - that's a save of 25 vs your +10 unarmed damage, so Cat takes no damage. The toughness DC is 15+10. Or 25. I don't know if you take damage or not though. Does that mean you early make the save, or early fail it? The Acrobatics check is 7+18=25, exceeding DC 5 by 20, which means the fall is reduced by 20 feet for damage purposes. I don't even know how falling works, honestly XD. But here.(1d20+8)[13]I don't know if I have to roll it, seeing as how I have leaping. And grapple check.(1d20+30)[49] Originally Posted by Mater The toughness DC is 15+10. Or 25. I don't know if you take damage or not though. Does that mean you early make the save, or early fail it? As far as I know, like any save, if youequalor exceed the DC you succeed. I'm not sure how it works for opposed rolls, like the grappling, though. Not that we're likely to need to check... ;_; Originally Posted by Mater I don't even know how falling works, honestly XD. But here. [roll0] I don't know if I have to roll it, seeing as how I have leaping. I don't know how it affects you, no - I'm assuming it doesn't, since you seemed to think so. It works as, basically, damage with a bonus of +1 per 10 feet fallen. So, if we're falling 50 feet, it's +5 damage or a DC 20 save. Then, you can use Acrobatics to reduce the distance fallen by the amount your check exceeds DC 5. Anyway: you very much win the grapple check, so it's your action. I'm going to assume we're both still standing or at least have no bonuses/penalties relative to one another, because, well, it's simpler. Wait. You used a grapple check for your move, right? You know, you can still attack me. Furthermore, you can do a Standard action even if grappled. It's just that if you do so, you fail your grapple check. That's how Cuba ruled it, at least. Hamm. Okay. I would prefer to break out of the grapple than attack you, though. I can't do anything useful with the move action, can I? ... Could I perhaps use Flight to throw us at a wall, Todd-first? I don't think you can use move actions, actually. Only standard. And hm. Wouldn't that be knock back? If you think you can roll high enough, go for it. Also, uh. Unless you roll a 20, or I roll a one, I don't think you will be breaking out >_>. Might be best to just attack me. Your grapple modifier is only ten higher than mine, I have a better chance than that... but you're right, it's still not great. Something like a 13% chance, actually, unless I've totally flubbed my math. Well, I'll try attacking on my next round then. Ahhhh. I deal damage for my turn. Save is 25. Toughness - (1d20+10)[16]Let's see how this turns out... Stunned and bruised, eh? Hamm... so while in the grapple, Cat can make a touch-range attack normally? If so, I'll spend a hero point to remove the stun... Hah, duchy. You are stunned and Bruised. Unless you use a hero point. Assuming that this is possible, Cat will use Freezing Touch, spending a hero point to remove the stun to allow it. Attack - (1d20+10)[25]A hit - that's Fort DC 20 against Toughness drain, then Toughness DC 25. And it's Vampire. Oh, ho ho ho. You can. It's a standard action so JA. Defence:(1d20+13)[14]Toughness:(1d20+17)[28](In case it hits)What happens next depends on what I roll here. Messed up the rolls. Ugh. How much Darin is it if I fail my Fort Save? Fort:(1d20+10)[25] T-t-triple post power~! For fairness’s sake, seeing as how my toughness didn't change I'm just going to use the previous toughness roll. Anyways. My turn. Ii iii deal damage. DC 25. It's +10 damage either way, which is to say DC 25, it's just that your Toughness would have been reduced if you'd failed the Fort save. You passed both, though. You know, I'm starting to wonder about that Withstand Damage feat. I think it may need special handling - if you can see the roll on the attack, and judge that it's hit you anyway, it's a bit cheesy to then be able to say you penalize your Defense for a Toughness bonus. It seems to me you should have to declare that you're using it before the attacker rolls. You've said you're using it by default, so it's fine here, but is Cuba okay with the feat essentially giving its users an extra +/-5 Defense/Toughness tradeoff beyond the +/-2 already available around the PL? Uh, I did though. I said before that I was using a maxed out Withstand Damage, didn't I? From now on I am using withstand damage +5. Did I mess up on something and add more defense to myself then what I have? But is Cuba okay with the feat essentially giving its users an extra +/-5 Defense/Toughness tradeoff beyond the +/-2 already available around the PL? I... think so? Hah. He knows about it, so I'm sure he's fine. I think the highest it can go is up to 20, assuming I can find more ways to boost it. I don't know of any other ways though, so yeah. Toughness - (1d20+9)[24]Assuming Cat passes and isn't stunned again, she'll repeat that same attack. All-Out 5, because who cares? Attack - (1d20+15)[23]By the way, you don't need to roll Defense. Your +8/+3 bonus is added to a flat 10 which is supposed to represent an average roll, the resulting +18/+13 isn't then added again to a d20.edit: Like I said, Originally Posted by kamikaze You've said you're using it by default, so it's fine here It's a more general concern, I'm not saying you're doing anything questionable. I know, I rolled it and remembered it after I posted =/ So eh. You have two bruises now. And it hits XD. Toughness:(1d20+17)[31]And if it passes, and if I am not stunned I damage you again. DC 25. It's a more general concern, I'm not saying you're doing anything questionable. I think that, by the book, you need to say you're using it before someone attacks you to use that toughness score. Spoiler Hide Dodging is for wimps. You stand your ground in the face of an incoming energy blast the size of a mountain and take it like a real man...or woman... or android... When you are the target of an attack, you can take a penalty of up to –5 on your dodge defense bonus and add the same number (up to +5) to your Toughness save bonus. Your Defense bonus cannot be reduced below +0, and your Toughness bonus cannot more than double. If you reduce your dodge bonus to +0, you are considered flat-footed, and all attacks made against you are considered surprise attacks, even if you have Uncanny Dodge. You can declare this change as a free action or as a reaction, but only once in a turn and before your opponent makes his attack roll; the new values remain until the beginning of your next turn. Don't forget to roll Fort. You said you were attacking, not using freezing touch. Was that a mistake? If so I'm fine with letting you change it to Freezing Touch, just try to mention it in the post what you're using is all. Here's my Fort.(1d20+10)[15]How much does it reduce my toughness if that fails? I said "she'll repeat that same attack", meaning Freezing Touch - sorry if it wasn't clear. Save failed, which means the power rank is deducted from your Toughness before you make that save, which means you fail by 4 leaving you with a bruise but no stun. So I'll save vs. unarmed grapple damage now:Toughness - (1d20+9)[14]Anand Cat is stunned and staggered, but not quite unconscious. However, the Vampire bonus on the attack should have healed her of her bruise before she picked up this damage, so she should still only have one bruise. You'll regain Toughness at a rate of 1 point per round. Kay. And you are Bruised again, Stunned, and Staggered. Ow... Give me a sec to think of what I want to do next. Take your time - I'm going to be intermittently AFK for a while and then gone for a couple of hours. Want to know what I need? That flaw that lets me use powers while pinning, but only while pinning... Anyways, I damage you again because I have nothing else to use >_>DC 25. Toughness - (1d20+9)[28]... Aha! So Cat still has 1 bruise and is staggered, but is no longer stunned. And so she will attempt to use Freezing Touch again, because, well, what else to do? Especially since the Vampire aspect is so valuable in this situation. Attack - (1d20+10)[20] Ouch, does the toughness damage stack? Fort(1d20+10)[16] ... I'm not sure. I think so. In any case, it can't drain your Toughness below -5, which means +0 with the Withstand Damage factored in. So you've either got +7 or +0 to your Toughness save, if it doesn't stack or if it does. Vs. DC 25 - let's see if it makes a difference. Roll a 2 roll a 2 roll a 2... Yes, toughness damage is cumulative. So are any other drains, for that matter. Drain is IMA as a power. I'm using a hero point to reroll that Fort Save.(1d20+10)[29] Also, one round has passed, so I have +8 toughness now... ugh. Still... Toughness:(1d20+8)[18]Roll high damn limit. Oh, right. And the bruise. Either way, I lost that save and am stunned. I need immunity to toughness damage badly. Very. Very. Badly. I use another hero point to remove the stun. And then damage you. DC 25. Toughness - (1d20+10)[12]So, you have two bruises and have regained another point of toughness, leaving you at +7 still? Another bruise, stunned, and staggered... being already staggered, does that amount to any worse condition? Is Cat unconscious now? Well, she can't act in any case. I... don't know what happens when you get staggered twice honestly. Anyways, I deal damage again. DC 25. Toughness - (1d20+9)[13]So triply staggered, and stunned again. At this point I'm happy to call it for Todd. I wouldn't. My luck is horrible most of the time. Just watch... Damage: DC 25 *shrug*Toughness - (1d20+8)[25] SEDEE? I knew that would happen. Okay - Cat'll try a Freezing Touch again. It's been two rounds, so, your Toughness is +9 now? Attack - (1d20+10)[11] Natural one means auto fail >_>. Damage: DC 25 Toughness - (1d20+8)[20]Stunned again. Soon... stunned? I'm not stopping you form quitting if you want to >_>. I'm just saying if I mess up a roll, you have a good chance of winning. Damage, DC 25 Well, I just figure we've learned as much about how the combat works as we're going to. Toughness - (1d20+7)[16]Stunned again. Well, I just figure we've learned as much about how the combat works as we're going to. True, besides I guess I'd be good to give my new, more optimized build a test run. Although if someone else wants to fight against someone else I won't stop 'em. Damage: DC 25 I'll try something different if I pass this (or avoid being stunned at least), otherwise we'll call it quits. At this stage Todd has been bear-hugging Cat to death for about thirty seconds, after all. Toughness - (1d20+6)[18]Nope, stunned. Okay, Cat'll tap out. Next up! "CROW, GREY FOWL!"inititativeSpoiler Hide (1d20+9)[18] initiative "Time to party, GREEN WIZARD!" Ini:(1d20+14)[24] Unless you want to use a hero point, I go first. (Nah. Let Todd hug James.) Kay. FYI I'm using Withstand damage 5 and all out attack 3. Attack:(1d20+13)[27]Grapple: Pin(1d20+30)[44]Reaction: Green Rapid Fire.(1d20+10)[20](Remember, sense you are pinned you lose your dodge bonus and have your defense lowered by -4. For every two points above your defense that roll is, the save DC is boosted by 1)Extra Effort: Green Rapid Fire: Same as above.(1d20+10)[26]Use hero point to remove fatigue. Leaves me with... three. "Gas! Lego of me you silly green thing!"(What I can do when I'm pinned? And what is this green rapid fire?) Standard Action: Flaming Chicken Form: Fear (DC 20) You can do a standard action, but you can't move. Green Rapid Fire is a Strike Ten +auto fire that can only be used in a grapple. What penalty do I take if fear hits me? HRM... it's an AOE so it won't miss, so will save time.(1d20+6)[19]That is, of course, if you are not stunned. Both of those moves hit you. And you need to make a toughness save of... DC 30? Right? I think so. You might want to ask on the IOC thing just to be sure though. Toughness save(d20+9)[25](d20+9)[24]well... can't really succeed. What is this green rapid fire anyway. Hm, I may use hero point to shrug the stun after the second rapid fire, right? I'll just do that. Soon you have two bruises and are stunned. You can use a hero point to remove the stun though and continue on with your attack. How many bruises to end the fight? Oh, and fear gave you -2 penalties to attack, defense, and check. Not bruises. Each bruise lowers your toughness by -1 until healed. If you become staggered twice you become unconscious though. So, alright. I take a -2 to all those because I failed my save. In a one on one fight that doesn't seem like... much honestly. But if we ever fight a ton of dudes at once it'll help a ton. Anyways. My move. Grapple:(1d20+30)[50]Green Rapid Fire(1d20+11)[13]Extra effort Green Rapid Fire(1d20+11)[23]Hero point: Cure fatigue. I have two left. Each of those still hit you (Your defense while pinned is 6. Ouch.) You need to save for... the first one is a save of 28? The second is a save of 30. The damage boost of Autofire caps at +5 FYI. (That's not it's main purpose And, uh, how many hero points do I got?) You start with one. You get some either through the DM (Not sure how that works exactly.) or by taking the luck feat and starting with more. How to shrug stun normally again? It goes away after one round by itself. Honestly though, for the sake of fairness I think I should stop grappling on side fights >_>. This is to test our builds, not for Todd to grapple everyone to death >. And, the main purpose of the fear is to stop the grapple, actually. If you fail the roll by 5 or more, you must run the hell away from the initiator. When I pin someone I can use green fire as a reaction. And it counts as a FLAW. Because I can only do it while pinning. I'm limited to size though. I can't pin anything bigger than huge. And even that is freaking hard to pin. And ouch, didn't notice that. Count me as one lucky Sob. Anyone still checking this? Up for a match that doesn't involve Todd (no offense)? Soon yeah. Same type of area as before? A 50x50 metal room? Initiative:(1d20+12)[25] Sure, that works. Want to just say Borne has immunity to grapple from his Nemesis power, since I think we agreed not to have that here? (Oh, and the most I could get is a 22, so you're up.) Originally Posted by kamikaze Anyone still checking this? Up for a match that doesn't involve Todd (no offense)? Apparently not. Indeed, I actually have no plans to grapple. So, you have Immunity to Grapple. Cool. So, let's see... I Charge, All Our Attack (3), Power Attack (5) Withstand damage (5). I use my Unarmed Attack, and if that hits I gain One Combo point for later. My defense is 0, my Attack Bonus is 10, and my Damage is 15. Unarmed Attack (After Charge)(1d20+10)[13]-Edit: Oh, this may only turn out well. ... Hilariously, that just barely hits (since I'm flatfooted because Combat just started, my defense bonus is three... I knew I should have taken Uncanny Dodge.) Since you hit me you have to make a DC 17 Toughness save thanks to my Corrosion Aura (you're immune to the Toughness drain.) It's entirely possible I'm out in the first round though... I'll see if I make it by enough to keep fightin'. Toughness Save:(1d20+10)[27]Whew, thanks to a lucky roll I make it with a single bruise (-1 to Toughness saves). My turn: Borne flies 50 feet straight up and blasts Todd with a strange flurry of black winds from the cannon on his left arm, tuning it to sap his willpower. Defensive Power Attacking for +5 dodge, +5 save DC, -10 to-hit. If this hits, make a DC 23 (+ autofire bonus, maybe) Will Save or have your Will reduced by 6 (it returns at a rate of one point every five rounds). Attack Roll(1d20+2)[10](That's a hit, no autofire bonus though. Just a DC 23 will save) 'Kay. Never knew Power Attacked worked on Powers that didn't require a save, that's interesting. Quick Question: If you have Drain 6, and you're adding five, and it's a base of ten, wouldn't the save DC be 21? Or am I missing something? Originally Posted by Mater 'Kay. Never knew Power Attacked worked on Powers that didn't require a save, that's interesting. Quick Question: If you have Drain 6, and you're adding five, and it's a base of ten, wouldn't the save DC be 21? Or am I missing something? Oh, you're my favored opponent (which adds +2 to the save DC, though it doesn't affect how much gets drained). Guess I should have made that clear. Lorne analyzes Todd and discovers his hotbloodedness and color coordination are his greatest strengths; after sapping his will, Borne will proceed to tell him that green is no longer fashionable! Power Attack works on any power that needs both an attack roll and a saving throw--not just Toughness saves, any kind. Kay. Here's my will save.(1d20+9)[17]-Edit: I'm going to use a hero point to reroll that... (1d20+9)[29]Watch me keep rolling like ****.__. Or not. XD Foot! I have three hero points. I drop the Withstand Damage and attack with All Out 5 - Power Attack 5. If it hits I have three combo points.(1d20+10)[24]Roll well damn it >. Missed by one D:Oh right. I jump to reach you, using a move action to do so. You forgot to roll the Damage save from the Aura BTW. Anyway, I'll just go ahead and Power Attack with my Ball Lightning--if this hits DC 23 Fortitude save to avoid Paralyze, and DC 23 Will Save to avoid Stun.(1d20+7)[21] Kay. Toughness:(1d20+10)[27]vs 14Will Save:(1d20+9)[13]vs 23Fort:(1d20+10)[17]vs 23Here's hoping. Jesus, what smithy rolls today. Ugh, talk about unlucky. Let me see what to do next. Ouch. Well, you want to reroll that Will Save because it's a knock-out... Probably the Fortitude save too since it paralyzes him, but he'd get to make more Fort saves to shake it off. Well, even though I failed by ten, I wouldn't be out. I'd just be paralyzed until I rolled a successful will save. But yeah, I'm using two hero points leaving me with one left. One to reroll that Will Save, the other to remove that stun. Here's hoping.(1d20+9)[29]My will vs 23 Oh, no, the Stun is the will save. The Paralyze is the Fortitude save. (I used Alternate Save to switch it up--didn't mean to make it unnecessarily complex, I just thought it made more sense that way for some reason) AAAAA same as before. All Our Attack 5 with power attack five.(1d20+10)[21]I'm going to roll badly, just watch =|Your defense is 20, so I hit. I have... one combo point. Save is 25. Oh, no, the Stun is the will save. The Paralyze is the Fortitude save. (I used Alternate Save to switch it up--didn't mean to make it unnecessarily complex, I just thought it made more sense that way for some reason) Ah. Confusing. Let me Prefigure out what I need to do now.-Edit: Can you please explain this Power to me? From what I can tell, it's an AP of /Apprehension/. A linked Paralyze stun with different saves. However, from what I can tell it's Linked as an AP, which you can't do. As in, two APs from the same power can't be linked. From the post above, posting again so you know that I posted. -Edit: Can you please explain this Power to me? From what I can tell, it's an AP of /Apprehension/. A linked Paralyze stun with different saves. However, from what I can tell it's Linked as an AP, which you can't do. As in, two APs from the same power can't be linked. Originally Posted by Mater Ah. Confusing. Let me Prefigure out what I need to do now. -Edit: Can you please explain this Power to me? From what I can tell, it's an AP of /Apprehension/. A linked Paralyze stun with different saves. However, from what I can tell it's Linked as an AP, which you can't do. As in, two APs from the same power can't be linked. Sorry, my sheet's a little wonky--I had a lot of powers, so I grouped them together under different headings. Apprehension isn't a power name, it's just where I put all the offensive stuff. I have three attack powers--Damaging Telekinesis, which is the base and cost 26 points. It's got two APs--one of which is a ranged autofire two-point drain. The other one is this power, which is a Will-Save Full-Round Ranged Stun and a Fort-Save Full-Round Ranged Paralyze linked together. They're not two separate alternate powers--it's one, costing a total of 26 points (the ranged and full-round modifiers cancel out in each, so they both cost 2 points per rank, so together they cost 24, and then there's the Accurate and Improved Range power feats, for a total of 26). Sorry, I wasn't trying to be too complicated. The other one is this power, which is a Will-Save Full-Round Ranged Stun and a Fort-Save Full-Round Ranged Paralyze linked together. They're not two separate alternate powers--it's one, costing a total of 26 points (the ranged and full-round modifiers cancel out in each, so they both cost 2 points per rank, so together they cost 24, and then there's the Accurate and Improved Range power feats, for a total of 26). I'm still confused. It says it's an AP costing one point. You're using two powers at the same time, meaning it's a Linked power. Is it possible to use two different powers at the same time, as an AP, yet not have them be linked...? Where does it say that's allowed? I'm really not sure what's going on here.__. Spoiler Hide --AP: Paralyze 6 (Ranged, Full-Round action, Alt Save: Fortitude) + Stun 6 (Ranged, Full-Round action, Alt Save: Will) (Improved Range, Accurate) (1 point) Originally Posted by Mater I'm still confused. It says it's an AP costing one point. You're using two powers at the same time, meaning it's a Linked power. Is it possible to use two different powers at the same time, as an AP, yet not have them be linked...? Where does it say that's allowed? I'm really not sure what's going on here.__. Spoiler Hide --AP: Paralyze 6 (Ranged, Full-Round action, Alt Save: Fortitude) + Stun 6 (Ranged, Full-Round action, Alt Save: Will) (Improved Range, Accurate) (1 point) Well, technically it is actually possible to have multiple different powers in one AP (there's a note in Ultimate Power about it) without them being Linked. But in this case, they are Linked (the 'plus' was meant to represent that because that line was already pretty long). So maybe it's helpful to think of it as one power with two different effects which occur simultaneously? That is pretty much the case. Or are you confused about something else? Well, technically it is actually possible to have multiple different powers in one AP (there's a note in Ultimate Power about it) Where at? I've never seen anything about that. The closest I know of is what they are talking about Arrays, and it clearly says that you can't use two different powers from the same Array at once. So maybe it's helpful to think of it as one power with two different effects which occur simultaneously? I get that, but how is that possible? From what I understand of the rules, that's... not possible to do when it's two powers from the same Array. I mean, if one's from an array and the other isn't, then I'm sure that's legal. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you can link two APs from two different Arrays. But using two different powers from the same Array at once...? Originally Posted by Mater Where at? I've never seen anything about that. The closest I know of is what they are talking about Arrays, and it clearly says that you can't use two different powers from the same Array at once. I get that, but how is that possible? From what I understand of the rules, that's... not possible to do when it's two powers from the same Array. I mean, if one's from an array and the other isn't, then I'm sure that's legal. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you can link two APs from two different Arrays. But using two different powers from the same Array at once...? But it's not two different Alternate Powers from the same array--it's one Alternate Power, which encompasses two linked powers. And the bit I was thinking of is on page 109, which states:Spoiler Hide Multiple Effects in an Alternate Power An Alternate Power can contain more than one effect, and you can use all the effects of that Alternate Power normally, requiring their usual actions. Effects in the same Alternate Power need not be Linked, although they can be. For example, a rank 10 Array with 20 power points can have an Alternate Power that has Flight 5 (10 points) and Force Field 10 (10 points), both usable at the same time. Indeed, effects in the same Alternate Power must have points allocated to them at the same time and in the same proportion in order to use them at all, although they don’t have to be activated at the same time unless they are Linked. In the core book there's an example of it with the Mystic, who has one AP that has both Flight 3 and Force Field 12. Spoiler Hide An Alternate Power can contain more than one effect, and you can use all the effects of that Alternate Power normally, requiring their usual actions. Effects in the same Alternate Power need not be Linked, although they can be. For example, a rank 10 Array with 20 power points can have an Alternate Power that has Flight 5 (10 points) and Force Field 10 (10 points), both usable at the same time. Indeed, effects in the same Alternate Power must have points allocated to them at the same time and in the same proportion in order to use them at all, although they don't have to be activated at the same time unless they are Linked. Wait, what? This makes no damn sense to me. It says in the Core book that you can't link and use two APs together. Yet the Stun and Paralyze are linked? Forget it, I'm going to see what Cuba says on this, because I have no freaking clue what's going on. It's not your fault or anything, it's just the rules don't make any god-damn sense =| Originally Posted by Mater This makes no damn sense to me. It says in the Core book that you can't link and use two APs together. Yet the Stun and Paralyze are linked? Forget it, I'm going to see what Cuba says on this, because I have no freaking clue what's going on. It's not your fault or anything, it's just the rules don't make any god-damn sense =| It's not two separate APs. It's a single AP, but it's an AP that contains two effects, which are paid for from the points that the AP provides. Maybe think of it like this: if you were playing a psychic character, you could have Telekinesis with an Alternate Power of Telepathy. But Telepathy is two effects--Mind Reading and Mental Communication--bundled under one name. So I could write up a new power like this:Spoiler Hide Ball Lightning Effects: Paralyze, Stun Action: Full-Round (active) Range: Ranged Duration: Instant (Lasting) Saving Throw: Fort camp; Will Cost: 4 points per rank You can throw a powerful burst of electricity that locks down your opponent's muscles even as it fries their brain. Make an attack roll; if successful, the target must make a Fortitude save and I Will save. If the Fortitude save fails, they are slowed, if it fails by five or more, they are paralyzed. If the Save fails, they are dazed; if it fails by five or more, they're stunned; if it fails by 10 or more, they're unconscious. The target gets new saves each round to recover from these effects (except unconsciousness), with a +1 bonus per previous save. Would it have been clearer if I did that, and then took 6 ranks in this power, and then had that as my Alternate Power? It would have been the same thing, but it might have looked cleaner. 's not two separate APs. It's a single AP, but it's an AP that contains two effects, which are paid for from the points that the AP provides. No, no, I get that. What I don't get is how that's allowed, regardless. It's two different effects in the same AP, which... doesn't seem right. So basically. You can two different effects in the same AP so long as it does not go above the points in the Array? And that's a legal thing to do? If so, then I need to take another look at my build >_>. I apologize for slowing this thread down to a crawl due to my misunderstanding of the rules. The fight is yours Haven. I would have lost anyway XD. If anyone wants to fight someone other than me, go ahead. But I'm still up for a match/rematch.

Still Not Safe IC Side Fights|rating:2.0

The Double Agent (me and Zenith)

Maya's eyes widened, and she scooted back and then eked. In her startlement she lost the grasp over her barrier. Her eyes widening as the man stole her first kiss. She squirmed and struggled. She was pinned to the wall beside her bed. Furthermore, she struggled still as she tries hard to pry his fingers from her top. Struggling and she really didn't like this. Her sounds of protest let this be known. Her body trembled in fear, yet she fought like a wild cat. Jack lifted the door off its hinges and entered the house again. He looked around and spotted prone forms of men, probably guards. He spotted the crowbar and picked it up. Stupid girl, a pistol cannot compare to a crowbar in tight quarters. He climbed the steps silently, listening at the muted sounds from the room above.******Seethed lifted her top off her body, leaving it at her arms, entangling them. She was too weak, no wonder she used a pistol. He grabbed her ass and dumped her onto the bed before collapsing on her. He licked her jaw, running his hands over her body, touching... He glanced briefly over his shoulder at the door behind. Nobody. Good. He stroked the inside of her left thigh with his fingers, he mouths shifting lower to her collarbone. She didn't like it, and the noises she made just turned him on even more. Maya struggles as her arms became entangled. If she wasn't stuck in such a state of shock she might have remembered to use her psi powers. As it was, she WAS currently stuck in the state of shock. Seeking as he grabbed her ass. She struggles and tries to get away from him. Bringing her knee up so it hit him in the gut. Or the groin whichever target she happened to ram it into. "NO! Get off!" she cries out. Shivering as he touched her virginal body. She never let ANYONE this close. Not even her parents had ever been allowed more than momentary hugs. She weeks and protested his running those rough hands over her soft skin. She struggles and keeps. Eyes wide and she trembles. "No! Stop! Get off! No!" she protests. Seethed doubled back before returning to the girl. He grabbed her neck, reducing the air entering her lungs. He then proceeded to hook a finger on her shorts. As he pulled down the article of clothing, he barely registered a brief swish, then a crowbar connected with his head. He rolled off the bed, rubbing his head before pressing a finger onto the girl's wrist. "Stand back detective, or she'll get a Black Mark." Jack hefted the crowbar in his hands. Black mark, now that was seriously uncalled-for. "Black Mark? Well, go right ahead. She'll be able to survive. I think." Jack threw the girl's shirt back to her, disgusting. Seethed murmured a slight spell and his finger descended, his forefinger now glowing with ancient symbols. Jack lunged forward and swung the crowbar.(feel free to allow Maya to receive the Black Mark or allow Jack to break Seethed's movement with the crowbar. It's your choice. The Black Mark basically allows the Caster's pals to detect the victims' presence. Which means, should Maya receive the mark, she would have to team up with Jack to stay alive. The Black Mark Expires after 24 hours though) (I think it will be more interesting to find out what will happen with the Black Mark :P And you can't kill her off without checking with me first. :) Anywho let the games begin. ’D)Maya cries out. Trying to pull in more air even as the air was being forced to slow. Lack of oxygen was stilling her actions. Her head beginning to get light-headed feeling. She heard Jack's thoughts and her eyes glowed weakly with power. Then it faded. She pulled up her pants and put her top back on. She blinks as the detective spoke. Furthermore, she was not liking either man at the moment. Her features a bright red hue from head to toe. She grabbed her pistol from where it had fallen. Shooting him in the side so that he got shocked rather than a bloody side. The bullet exploding into electricity. She then weeks as she felt something happening. She looks at her wrist where he touched it. Looking at the strange marking upon it. She kicked Seethed in the head. Attempting to run past him and then past Jack.(also she has her own secrets that these guys don't know yet. :)) Seethed howled in pain as the crowbar connected with his wrist, he collapsed, spasming as the final tendrils of electricity ran through his body. "Now, Seethed, another charge on the list." Jack watched the girl run out. He stepped forward, sailed the man's collar and punched his squarely in the face. Metal jangled in front of a dazed Seethed. "Compressor cuffs. Get real comfortable, 'cos you are going to spend the night here." A cuff clicked over the criminal's wrist, after Jack dragged him out, the other cuff around the railing. Jack jogged down the steps to find the girl. She had the ability to use magic. It was illegal, he stomped down, holding the crowbar in his hands. "Miss Motion, you have some explaining to do. I know you were... recently traumatized, but, I need to know, how did you know how to use those powers? It's rare for anyone to learn their abilities on their own." Maya yips as she heard someone behind her. Whirling around and jumps backwards. Shaking a bit. Her father was going to kill that man. Kill him for touching her and she knew it. Didn't know how she just did. Blinking as it registers it was Jack. She backs up a bit as he was still holding the crow bar. Eyeing him warily. "Powers? My psychic powers? " She echoes. "I was born with my powers. My mother had powers too. I don't remember her well...." Looking at him in confusion. "Are you referring to the barrier which prevents people from entering at night? That was my mother's doing. I can maintain and lower and raise it, but that was created by mother." she says softly. Looking at him. "What are you even talking about that for? I didn't do anything wrong. Why are you people harassing me?" she asks. Traumatised and not thinking straight. Tears in her eyes. This was turning out to be a very trying day. She wasn't a bad person. She just had a family with a bad history. Though she didn't even know about the bad history. She looks at him. "I learned them...by accident...my mother vanished when I was four. I don't know how, but that is when the weird stuff started happening." Spring heeled Jack:[IMG]"I understand. The Black Mark," Jack pointed at her wrist. "Leave this house if you do not wish for Seethed's pals to come and thrash the house. They Black Mark allows them to sense you, they will find you and kill you." After some thought, he snapped his fingers, "No, they'll torture you then kill you. And I doubt you can hold out for five minutes, much less twenty-four hours. Follow me, and I should be able to keep them at bay with your help."h walked forward, "Whether you decide to come, use the crowbar. And I don't normally give advice, not even to my juniors. The crowbar is a light, strong and effective tool against people. And it has an intimidation factor involved." He tugged his cap, "Are you following? Miss?" And then, he stepped out of the house. Maya looks at him then follows the pointing to her wrist. She bites her lower lips. Shaking a bit as he said what they would do. She bites her lower lip. Looking at him in anger at his lack of faith in her. She was tired of people looking down at her. She nods her head slowly. Taking the crowbar and puts it on a belt. "I'm going to need to buy some clothing." she says softly. She follows him after a quick nod of her head. She follows him out of the house. Thinking -my dad is going to kill me and anyone near me.- She bites her lower lip harder. "Why are you two even in this vicinity? Have you seen my father? I haven't seen him for a couple of weeks now." she says softly. Not knowing Seethed was actually someone who was on the to hire list of her father's. The car was parked in the shade of some trees, shielding it from the lights of the streetlamps. It was a convertible, covered in Matt-black paint, hardly reflecting any light. "Well, here's your ride. As for your clothes, Hamm... I suggest that you stay alive, and on the day after tomorrow, I'll take you to see my pal, or my tailor." He glanced at her thin clothing and groaned, surely not that inexperienced? He sighed and unbuttoned his coat. Furthermore, he looked her up and down, "Wear this, it'll keep you warm, and it has protective charms all over it, it would protect you from all physical attacks. But don't get too confident." Jack walked to the Innovator and opened the passenger's door for the girl. She followed him to the shade of trees. Looking at the car. Her eyes widen. "Wow...so cool..." she says in awe. Looking at him. Tilting her head to the side. "Huh?" she looks at her clothing. Flushing shyly and shifts. "They are my pajama's." she says shyly. Stammering as she wasn't used to people staring at her night clothing. She looks at him. Flushing at his up and down look over. Taking it and puts it on. "Thank you. I won't get too confident." she says softly. Getting into the car and shuts the door. "Why did you two end up inside the dome of prevention?" she asks. "I'll lower it now." She says. Her eyes flash power and a dome of power appears visibly for a second than fades as it opened downwards from the top. "There...it is down." Jack did not say anything immediately, he held out a small device and tossed it to Maya. "A Psi-disruptor, it is a modified model to deal with people like you. You are an Esper, a Psi-user. While I am a Magician. Though we do have a force of Esper's and magicians, crime still exists. This Psi-disruptor was originally created by Accelerator the First. (History records differ greatly due to the burning of the Grand Library.) Oh, I'm Jack, Spring heeled Jack." The engine roared to life under his fingertips. Fingerprint-sensitive keypads picked up his fingerprints and the car roared to life. Its lights flared briefly, and the AI came on. "Sir, how was the 'Quick and Fast' tactic?"" Very good, thank you, Machine."" And who is this guest? You don't have many guests, so I assume this is another criminal? Should I autopilot to the nearest Context Force post?"" Nope, it is a guest." He turned to Maya, "Hail Marys, meet Machine, my personal AI and companion."" Greetings, Miss Motion. It seems as though you have managed to attract the man's attention. Perhaps I shall play some music?" As music began slithering out of the high-end speakers, Jack stepped down on the pedal, "Cut that music, play Rakuten." High energy beats pounded through the speakers.(I intended this to be in the distant future of UP if it is possible. I can edit.) (You can have your post the way it is, but this is not connected to UP at all.) Haya looks around for the voice. She wasn't used to a vehicle that talked. She had a smart house, but that was totally different. Furthermore, she blinks and looks at the car in confusion. "I am not a criminal." she says as she literally pouts. Why was it things bad kept happening? She didn't know or understand why this day was getting worse. She then remembers about school. "What about my schooling?" she asks. Looking at the man and then to the car. Smiling a bit. "Nice to meet you Machine." she says softly. Looking at the sky and then back at Jack. Listening to the music and giggles a bit. "I haven't heard this type of music before." she says softly. Looking out the window. "Why did you two end up at my father's manor mansion?" "Hamm, I intend to allow you to stay at the Headquarters before sending you back tomorrow. So, you'll miss one day of school, not much will be missed." Jack considered the girl's words carefully. "I was chasing Seethed. And he so happened to enter this area so, yeah, I came and caught him. There will be another force coming to pick him up later." The car turned smoothly around the corner, slowing to a halt before a lone traffic light. Maya looks at him. Blinking a bit. "Sending me back?" she echoes. "You are a strange man Jack. A very strange man." She sighs a bit and looks at him. "But it is against the law to miss that one day of school...is it not?" she asked in confusion. "I am still trying to figure out how he got past my mother's preventer barrier. Unless someone foolishly let it down which is unlikely...Hamm...." she ponders out loud. Looking at him. "I don't believe he'll be there later. He seems the type to be slippery as ice." She says softly. Looking at the light. Willing it to change so they were not at such a vulnerable location. Thankfully...it did. "Yes, sending you back. Surely you want to go home?" Jack steered the car forward. Jack blinked slightly, "School, compulsory? No. Not unless your father has been feeding you that type of information. Seethed must have used the Psi-disruptor to deactivate a portion of your shield and from! He was in." They had arrived at a small chophouse. Lamps flickered slightly, creating strange shadows that danced and twisted. He stepped out of the car. "Crowbar still in hand? Coat still buttoned? Good, now follow me." He waved at Maya." When, you go back you must forget about what happened, nothing happened at all. You don't look convinced, nothingmust be remembered." Maya looks at him. Blinking a bit. "I guess. If you say so." She says. Seriously though she was thinking of running away again. Like she did whenever her father forgot about her for weeks to months at a time. It was the only way she knew to get his attention. She looks at him. "Not really much at home. Just an empty house that is extremely intelligent. Father goes on business trips more times than he is at home." She says. Looking out the window. "I'm in a private school." She says softly. "Not public school. My father put me in some prep school with school uniforms that I rarely ever wear." She says. "I don't know why he would feed me that type of information." She looks at the thing he had given her again. Looking back at him. Looking where they were. She nodded her head. The crow bar was. The coat still buttoned up. She follows him. "Yeah. Go back. You keep saying it like it is such a promising thing." She says smart Assembly. Looking at him unconvinced. "Whatever." She says. She still didn't like Jack very much. Furthermore, she shoved her hands into the coat pockets. The crowbar hanging out one side. The Psi-disruptor on the other wrist. "Must be a damn powerful Psi-disruptor then. To get through without any nasty surprises. Mother rigged and booby trapped her shield to protect and if disrupted to have nasty side effects." She sighs a bit. "Anyway...how do I have a file when I am just a student who has never been in trouble with the law?" Jack cocked an eyebrow in amusement, "Are you mocking me already? Let me think, we have files on everyone, with their DNA so that we can save time when we are looking for a criminal. You on the other hand, are living in the area which major crimes occur so we figured that you could have a file to yourself. The attack would go into the file though," He climbed the narrow stairway.The landing led to two different doors, he took the one on the right. He flipped the switch and fluorescent lights came on, revealing empty cubicles where the members worked. "Follow me, don't touch their stuff. It looks messy, but that's how some of them like it." He pushed open a door at the end of the large room. "This is where you will spend the night. You can make use of anything you see here except the computer."AAT that moment, the monitor thrummed to life, and Machine crooned, "Surrounding intelligence indicate a small group of men approaching the building, Seethed is in it."" What? Seethed? Didn't I lock him up or something?"" I don't know sir one of his companions must have freed him." Came the automated voice. Â"Okay," to Maya he said, "It's not safe here, follow me. So much for mission accomplished eh?" He exited back into the street, to find two criminals just across the street.One of them barked, "Get her, I'll deal with the detective!" Jack moved forward to intercept the criminal who was after Maya, "Too fast. You have to entertain me first." He kicked the man in the shin and delivered an uppercut to the man's jaw, spilling saliva and blood onto the pavement. The man stumbled and returned with a roundhouse punch which Jack failed to duck under. The fist clipped him in the side of the head, sending him moving back slightly.The other man responded by charging towards Maya. Intending to put her in a fireman's carry. Â Maya looks at him. "I've probably been mocking you for a while, and you just now noticed." She says grumpily. Looking at him as he spoke on that. "Sounds both stupid and intelligent." She says bluntly. Rolling her eyes. "I feel so honored that because I live in a major crime area I am most likely considered a damn suspect." She says. Glaring at him as she followed him. "Great. Just great. So the rest of the world can know just how much more of a screw-up I am." She says bitterly. She was not liking that fact one bit. Furthermore, she was already for some reason considered a screw-up. People at the school were just waiting for her to mess up. Sure she got into fights some, but she never majorly hurt anybody. Plus most of those fights she had fought in self-defense not offense. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him. Blinking a bit. Following him still and shakes her head. Ignoring most of what he was saying while still listening to it. She sighs a bit. "I'm guessing I'm not allowed to use the computer because you have "top secret" information on them." She says. Half sarcastic and half seriously. She saw the monitor turn itself on, and it caused her to jump. Then relax as she heard Machine's voice. Blinking as she heard what was said. Her features paled, and she looked to the strange marking on her hand. Why wouldn't Seethed leave her alone? She didn't want to deal with the arrogant and sinister man. She followed him again. "So much. Looks like mission failed to me. Nothing against you. Bad guys tend to be smarter than good guys. For a long while anyway. My mother used to say it. Not that it makes much sense to me then or now." She sees the criminals across the street. Sighing and pulls her hands out of the pockets of the temporarily her jacket. She paled a bit. She did not want to be gotten. Furthermore, she had no plans of dying anytime soon. Her life might royally suck, but she quite enjoyed living. She watched as Jack moved to intercept the one trying to get her. She back up a bit. Watching with mild amusement as Jack both hit and got hit. She pulled the crow bar and swung it soon as the guy was in range. She just kept swinging. Defensive offense. Not once did she make to swing except to protect herself. She was a defensive fighter. Protecting herself was something she was used to doing. She just physically was no strength match for Seethed. She glares at the guy. "Leave me alone you crazy man!" She cries out. When he kept coming even after several bashing of the crow bar she tried a new tactic. She knew that Jack was going to flip. Or complain and bitch. Or say she was arrested, but she really had no choice. The crowbar wasn't doing a damn thing to stop the bastard trying to grab her and carry her fireman style away. She knew the stance so she knew the intent. Usually when fighting to protect herself she deployed her opponents' weakness. She knew weakness after studying and blocking, defending, or avoiding attacks enough. There was no time for it. Her eyes flash violet and from the ground in front of her a fist of pure psionic power rose up from the ground. She controlled it with her own fist. "Stay! Away! From! Me!" she cries out. Each word emphasized with another punching forwards by the psychic power fist. Her eyes violet as she formed an orb around herself. It sparked with electricity. Her hand controlling the fist opened, and she sent him flying back with an open-handed backhanded slap. She pants a bit. She wasn't used to using her powers, which she knew how to use to some extent, for longer periods of time than short ones. Furthermore, she kept her protection orb up and made it even more dangerous to touch it. Furthermore, she would only be able to keep it up for so long. Furthermore, she could only hope that Jack could kick the other guys ass before the other men with the two they were fighting showed up. Furthermore, she looks at Jack. "Hurry up! Do whatever it is people like you do to keep other people and yourself safe." She says seriously. Her protective orb beginning to flicker a bit. Still staying strong yet was at times flickering out for a second. The man whom Jack Was dealing with made towards Maya. Jack brought his pistol to bear, pointing it at the man's chest. Before he could say anything smart, the criminal grabbed the barrel and twisted. Jack grunted and let go. "Miss, get in the car. I'll catch up later." He grabbed the man's hand wrenching it with a pipping sound and the weapon fell back into his hands. They wrestled for the pistol until Jack kicked him in the chest, moving back, aimed at his chest and fired. Click.The criminal held out a fist and opened it slowly, causing six bullets to drop onto the pavement. "Now Thought was a tad light," He slotted the gun in its holster and swung a glinting fist. The knuckleduster missed the skull of the man as he ducked. Jack stepped forward and smashed his fist into the man's nose, breaking it. He followed up with a throw and a stomp on the man's good arm for good measure. Â******"Get in Miss Maya." Machine opened a door, revving the engines encouragingly. Once she was inside, the door slammed shut and roared off. "We'll be meeting our reinforcements at the riverside. For now, relax."******Jack clicked his fingers together and threw the resulting fireball at the last criminal. The flames spluttered and died out without a trace of damage. Â"He, figured I'd be fighting the rogue detective. And I had to prepare myself for the fire attacks he loves to use." He spat out a tooth, "Yer girlfriend hits quite hard. Going to get my medical payment from your corpse." The man smiled revealing a set of crooked teeth. Â"Well, I don't have time to goof around with idiots who can't walk and talk at the same time." With that, Jack sprinted after the car and leaped off the pavement, manipulating the air particles to allow his to hover above the ground. Â Maya looks at him. "Maya." She says in a grumpy tone. She was tired and pissed. Furthermore, she looks at him. Hearing the car pull up and open the door she ran over and jumped inside. She jumped as the door shut. She looked out the back window. Wondering what was going on. She bites her lower lip. She hoped the man didn't get himself killed because of her. Furthermore, she sits on her knees and just watches the fight as it fades away. Turning and looks at the car. "Reinforcements? Riverside? Isn't the riverside a long ways away from here?" She asks in confusion. Turning around and looks at Machine. "Well this is becoming a darker and darker night." She sighs a bit. "I don't even know why most of this is happening." She says softly. Slinking down a bit. Taking a nap until the car stopped moving. Instantly mostly alert. Yawning and stretching. "We're there already?" she asked lightly. Jack leaned on the door, "Oh, you're awake." He pushed himself off, "You are allowed to sleep. We," He gestured at the group of black-clad figures, "Will see to your safety." He nodded, signaling the figures to stand out of the light, leaving Jack standing beside the car. Â"Or if you wish, you may want to aid us. It's your choice." He pulled his hat lower over his eyes and grinned.Shouting of men signaled the start of the fight. Some idiot went crazy with a Molotov and blue flames seared the grass and pavement. Jack strode towards the mob confidently. He raised his hands and twin plumes of fire shot out, burning the first line of men. There was a metallic ring as swords were drawn, and one of the men charged. Â"Forgive me, I'm a fair man, I really am, but at this point, I think I'm allowed to cheat a little." He pulled out a pistol and fired into the man's face. The resulting force dislodged the man's jaw and ripped the skin off, providing him with an eternal grin. Jack winced inwardly but continued firing.AA man who managed to dodge the fire attack now rose into a kneed, his pupils vanished and Jack cocked his head curiously to the side. A wall of mirrors flew in between him and the man, reflecting the two narrow beams which were meant to rip Jack into two.The air screamed as crows and other creatures of feather rained down on Jack, pecking at his face. "Attack!" He bellowed, flailing as he did so. Â [IMG]Maya Morios19Haya was going to a very exclusive private school. Her father barely ever had time for her. And he wouldn't ever tell her what he did for a living. So though she lived in her dads huge mansion...she rarely saw her father. And he never discussed anything with her...unless it involved bettering her life. Which was weird...because she wasn't doing anything bad. She was a bit of a feisty rebel type of girl...but on a whole...she was just a good girl. She walks home from school. Lost in thoughts as she wonders why her dad had left her a note saying he'd be out of the country for a few weeks. She sighs. She wanted some friends. Yet didn't have any because of her spit fire temper. She got that from her father. Seethed panted, the detective was right behind him and if he wanted to stay out of magical imprisonment, he had to hide, fast. His shape wavered slightly as he approached a house and slipped through the brick wall, into the darkness of the kitchen. His eyes, caught every detail and upon further inspection, there was a teenaged female, currently present in the structure. He licked his lips as a cunning plan formed in his mind. Should the detective arrive, the girl would be used as a hostage, and if not... he licked his thin lips again.******Jack rose from a crouch, the criminal was here, definitely here. He stood at his full height at where the tracks had abruptly ended. Seethed would be... He clapped his hands softly, surely he did not think I am not allowed use of magic in public? He snorted and walked to the structure.(Jack is the Detective, the second main, NOT Seethed) Maya sensed someone else was within her home. She was gifted to say the least. She reached into her dresser drawer. Pulling out a small hand gun and slips it into her shorts. The thong underneath hid little of her rear end, but she was taught at an early age to use her body as a weapon. Well...for the most part anyway. She silently sneaks through the building. Leaving the kitchen as part of the shadows. She appears behind him. Then the sound of her gun clicking as she pressed it to the back of his head. "Why are you in my father's home?" she asks with amusement and seriousness mixed in with an attempt to hide the fact she was a bit afraid of why someone was in her home. "Did papa's men send you? If so why? If not get out before I blow your brains all over the kitchen floor. The smart house will remove that evidence." she says. Her voice trembling in a clear indication she really was afraid but hiding it pretty damn well. She hears another's approach as the house spoke. "Young mistress...there is a man approaching. Should I send out the droids?" the male voice asks. She shakes her head. "No...not yet. Maybe he will get this one out." A sound had her jumping and turning her gaze towards the door the detective would be approaching. Seethed licked his lips and turned slowly, so as not to shock the girl. My my my, she came to me, now that is a surprise. He stared down the barrel. "Miss, you have to help me, the man outside is a crazed murderer. He attempted to kill me and I barely escaped, he will torture me and kill me. Before turning against you." He walked slowly to the knife holder and attempted to pull out the knife. It was held in place. The door splintered open with a crash. Oh, crap. Seethed struggled to maintain a steadiness in his vocal patterns. "Miss, give me the gun. I have a good arm for shooting. Or, you could just shoot me, kill me. Then kill yourself."******Jack dusted his jacket, wood splinters fell off his narrow shoulders. He straightened his shades and stepped into the living room. God, Seethed had problems with hearing and his voice gave away where he was, the kitchen. Jack touched his revolver, buckled on his waist and then, shifted forward towards the kitchen. Maya looks at her intruder. She pulls the safety off. Cocking the gun. "I am going to kill you if you don't get out of my house. The house won't screw up and there won't be any evidence I shot you by the time my house is done." she says sharply. Though her wavering voice told a whole different story from the braveness in her words. She shoots the knife holder out of his grasp. "STOP! Or next one I shoot will be in you." she says. Running over to the opening to see what was going on. Momentarily forgetting about her other intruder... "Hello Miss Motion, if you would please get behind me, I don't mind if you keep the barrel aimed at me, just stay out of my way." Jack stepped forward, preparing to react at the slightest movement behind the girl's shoulders.******Seethed plucked out a steak knife and held it what most call 'the psycho knife hold'. This way, he will be able to keep the weapon concealed. All he had to do is wait, and his pals would probably come and shred the detective and bundle the girl off. He grinned and faded into the shadows. Maya glares at Jack. "Please get the hell out of my house, and we'll talk about me staying out of your way." she says. She was pissed and was trying to figure out who was the good and who was the bad guy. She turned her gaze to the shadows. Blinking and wondering where Seethed went. She darts her gaze back to Jack. "OUT! You broke down the fucking front door! You expect me to trust you not to shoot me the moment I move? Furthermore, you don't just kick in a door and murder it to shreds." she says. Glaring at him. "Also...stay out of MY way. This is MY house. AND HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?!" she demanded. Yelling the last part. "I have read your file," He pulled back his sleeve, allowing a glimpse of a Disgrace, before allowing it to slide back. "Now, please, step aside." He proceeded to wear padded fingerless gloves and stepped towards the kitchen. He stopped, a safe distance from both the kitchen and the girl. "He is in here isn't he?"******Oh, yes, Spring heeled Jack will definitely find what he is searching for. With a bit of a surprise... Maya blinks. "I have a file? I haven't convicted or done any crimes. Why would I have a file?" she asks in cluelessness. Staring at his Disgrace and backs up a bit towards the shadows. Not know Seethed was there. She just knew her father told her to be wary of those with such a device. He never told her why just that they would lie to her. "You are one of those...want to be cops. Or something like that. Feds... I think. The bigger cops. Why are you here and breaking down people's doors?" she asks. Pointing her gun and shoots the floor in front of Jack's feet. "What are you doing?" She cries out. Backing up more. The gun having fired on its own. Her hands trembling as now she had two invaders in her home. Seethed shifted in his place, the perfumed air was killing him, and it was made worst for the fact that he was beside the perfume dispenser. He coughed softly.******Jack did not blink when the gun fired. "Answers later. Pardon me for looking ungraceful and charming, I usually am." He charged to where the cough originated from and punched, hard.******What the- Seethed's thoughts were cut off as a fist smashed him squarely in the jaw.******Jack punched again and grabbed the fabric and tugged the criminal into the light. Seethed lunged forward, swiping in an arc of metal. Jack fell back, the knife grooving a shallow cut in his face, knocking the shades off. Seethed did not attack, he just stood there. Jack snapped his fingers, instantly reminded of an old phrase, 'Time out. Let me get my wear's. In slo-mo!'. Air hardened within his gloves, allowing him to hit his opponents the same way he would with a metal gauntlet. Seether snarled, noticing nothing, "Detective," He spat out." Criminal," Jack smiled, "Try not to fail too badly this time okay?"" I hope you'll do likewise." Seethed tensed, preparing to leap out of the window the moment the detective attempted to use magic. Maya blinks and watches them fighting. She shoots the gun upwards. As the house takes the silent cue and hands grab the back of the clothing and throwing them into separate sections of the room. Releasing them. "What is both of your deals?! This is my house! Not a fucking battleground. You want to fight...get the fuck out! You want dinner...sit down. Shut up and play nice." see says seriously. Going over to the stove and ignores them both. Waiting to find out what they are doing. Jack snapped his fingers, and fire enveloped his hands. There was a criminal, and no one was going to stop him from- Seethed leapt through the window. Shit. He turned to Miss Motion, "Sorry for the trouble, he might be back, so keep on your guard and keep the gun's safety on. Who knows if the bullet ricochets and ends up in your skull? I'll be back." He looked around for a suitable weapon. "Here, use this," He handed her a crowbar, "A bullet might be able to end lives, but a crowbar can bring pain, and scare the pants off your attackers... unless they be zombies." He winked and put on his shades. "I'll be back in an hour, if Seethed comes, try to stay alive until I come back alright?" As he walked out, he pulled the door back onto its frame and left it there. He would be back anyway. Maya looks at him. Growling and wanted to show him just how dangerous a damn gun could be in the hands of a psychic. She refrained from doing so. "It would have to be moving faster than the speed of light." she muttered too softly to hear. "You come back I will kick your ass." she yells at him. Throwing the crowbar into its holder. "Stupid. Arrogant. Idiot man." she shuts the door properly. She swore again. Her bodyguards coming in the side door afterward. She told one to watch the door. Telling the other to leave her alone she was going to bed. Entering her room she changed into a silk nightgown spaghetti strap top that had cute little short shorts of silk that matched. Both sky blue. She went and curled up in her bed. Gun not far just on the nightstand. She closed her eyes and begins to doze. Seethed panted, there was some invisible barrier around the area, preventing his escape. He bounded back towards the house, stopping when he spotted another man standing be the window. He turned into smoke and slowly seeped beneath the gap in the doorway, appearing behind the man and effectively breaking his neck. Furthermore, he grinned, his actions did not go unnoticed, the guard had let out a strangled yelp as Seethed grabbed his throat. Seether turned into smoke again, blending in with the railing and reappearing behind the other man. He grinned and punched him in the back of the head, landing on all fours on the body. He licked his lips and proceeded up the stairs. Maya fell into a slightly deeper sleep. Her body curling into a tight ball. Knees up to her chest as her arms hugged her knees. Holding them to her chest. A single strand of long blond hair fell across her face while she slept. Her mind scanning for danger and seeing none. Also, not seeing her guards but figures they were slacking off. Wasn't anything unusual to her. They always got slack after she went to bed. Her breathing calm and even. She sensed something coming nearer but was exhausted. Her mind only able to keep up the barrier while she was sleeping. Normally it prevented things from coming in. It was not intended to keep things from getting out. Only she could do that. Her body uncurls a bit. Laying more like a beautiful cat rather than in a tight ball as she relaxed further. (WTF?! LOL, you just reminded me of a freaking song lolololol)Seethed entered the room, and saw the girl sleeping, he reached out for the pistol. At last, a proper weapon. Then, if he wanted, he could do whatever he wished to do with the girl. After all, they were in a bedroom. Maya was sleeping but her mind...was not. It was always on constant guard. She murders out. "I wouldn't touch that if I were you..." she was slurring a bit as she was sleep talking...or so it would seem. She was far from a pushover. She just didn't fight unless necessary. Furthermore, she turned onto her back. "Touch it...you'll get a shocking surprise. "She says still asleep. Relaxing further as she was not yet scared of the man in the room. She opens her eyes though registering his presence. Whirling around and staring at him. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!" She demands. Sitting up with a jolt. Glaring at him, but a shiver of fear shot through her. Wondering where the hell her bodyguards were. "Gotcha!" Seethed swooped down on the pistol like an eagle. He stepped back, just out of the girl's reach. "Shut up, and you won't die. Stay still and really quiet while I do my thing." Seconds grew into minutes. The detective did not arrive, not like himself. Seether was bored. So very bored. He looked at the girl's creamy thighs and licked his lips, "I think, we could do something fun..." Maya glares at him and her eyes glowed with a faint power. She looks at him. "Fuck you." she says sharply. Even if he fired that gun the bullet would never find its way into her. She growls and looks at him. "If you are waiting for the detective...he can't come until I lower the barrier. How the hell you got in when it is made to keep assholes like you out... I have not the faintest idea." she hisses. Glaring at him and scoots back as he stared at her thighs. "No. I am not doing anything with you." she says defiantly. Staring at him. If he touched her, her powers might be not as effective. She never allowed others close so she didn't know. She narrows her eyes and starts to lower the barrier. This process could be halted by a startlement. Seethed considered his motives, weighing values, until he heard, "Fuck you." He laughed suddenly, "Gladly," He shifted forward nimbly and cupped her chin in his hand and crushed his lips against hers, pressing her body to the wall, not providing any escape. His hand gripped the hem of her top and began lifting it slowly. He grinned, she won't like it one bit. That was where the fun began.

The Double Agent (me and Zenith)|rating:2.0

Angels & Demons (Has nothing to do with the movie.)

This is about a war between angels and demons (By the title).(Need ppl)((I forgot to say this is a time when demons and angels live freely among humans and the humans are used to it.)) Rules camp; steps 1. You must be an angel or a demon 2. You can have a SMALL (10 tops) group of people u control 3. Msg me before you join Name of Angel or Demon: Type of creature: Pic: (Anime) Likes: Dislikes: History: Element: (Earth, Water,Air, Fire,Spirit (Pick one!)) Mother camp; Father: (Any god and goddess or angel/demon from any myths) 5.Don't post your own profile 6.Don't kill others characters without there ok please. 7. the rest is up to you. (Ask before making any changes please like if u want to be human ask me first and anything else.) Name of Angel or Demon: Catherine Labor Type of creature: Demon Pic: Likes: the color red camp; purple Dislikes: the color blue camp; white. History: Thrown out of heaven because of 'reckless behavior' thrown out of hell because she 'didn't belong' Element: Spirit Mother camp; Father: a demon and a human Name: Coat Labor type of creature: Demon Pic: Likes: Black Dislikes: White History: Also thrown out of Heaven and Hell like sister. But for sister not for same reasons. Element: Shadows Mother camp; Father: A demon and a human Name: Kira Type of creature: demon Pic: Likes: Blue Dislikes: Red History: Catherine's ex. girlfriend. Now Just her friend. Mother camp; Father: A demon and a demon Name of Angel or demon: Emerson Morris Type of creature: Demon Pic: Likes: The colors red camp; black Dislikes: The color white History: is defying father and now lives on earth because of it (Dead guy now.) Element: Fire Mother camp; Father: Dad is a demon named Emery Quote: Originally Posted by hellrose94 Name of Angel or Demon:Crispy Type of creature: Demon Pic: Likes: Purple and Red Dislikes: Green History: Was sent to live on Earth when her husband was killed. She couldn't stand it down there so she asked permission to be sent up to Earth... Element: Fire Mother camp; Father: Mother Aphrodite (Greek) - Goddess of Love (Venus) Father Crates (Greek)- the god of strength, might, power and sovereign rule. Name of Angel or Demon: Nala Type of creature: Angel Pic: Likes: White and Blue Dislikes: yellow History: She was sent on earth to live when her father started to rule heaven... Element: Spirit Mother camp; Father: Mother Hebe (Greek) - Goddess of Eternal Youth Father Mars (Roman) - God of War (Ares) Name of Angel or Demon:Joseph Type of creature:Demon/vampire Pic: Likes:black and red Dislikes:pink History:Living on earth because his father (the devil) wants him to get souls up here. Element:Spirit Mother camp; Father:Devil, an Angel named Priam Name of Angel or Demon:Rail Type of creature:Half Demon Half Angel Pic: Likes:Dark blue and Gray Dislikes:white History:Got sent from hell to earth because was a mix breed. Element:Water Mother camp; Father:An angel named Atlanta and a Demon named Nicki on (father) Name of Angel or Demon:Devote Type of creature:Demon/fallen angel Pic: Likes:red and gray Dislikes:dark green History:fell from heaven when little and stayed on earth becoming a demon Element:Fire Mother camp; Father:An angel name Athena (mother) and an angel named Ryan (father) Quote: Originally Posted by Yumiko Name of Angel or Demon: Ski Type of creature: Half Angel Half Demon Pic: Likes: blue and red Dislikes: pink and orange History: Mother an angel, Father a demon, she was sent to earth with no place to go and her parents disappeared. She wanders from place to place, just going with the flow. She doesn't like fighting and will only defend herself and others. Element: Water (Mainly healing) camp; Fire (Only used in defense) Mother camp; Father: Mother an angel, Father a demon Quote: Originally Posted by Radio Name of Angel or Demon: Anti (or Zane) Type of creature: Angel Pic: Likes: White and silver Dislikes: pink History: Went through years of training to become what his parents hoped for. Is working to become an Ark Angel to please them even further. Element: Air Mother camp; Father: Belong and Mars (Roman goddess and god of war) Quote: Originally Posted by Nicholas Trickster Name of Angel or Demon: Christian Type of creature: Half angel half human Pic: Likes: Brown camp; Gold Dislikes: Pink camp; Silver History: Was sent down to earth when it was found out he was half human, is very good at close combat but can't handle a weapon to save his life. Element: Air Mother camp; Father: Human female camp; Archangel Michael Quote: Originally Posted by angelbabe1 Name of Angel or Demon: Mehmet Type of creature: Fallen Angel Pic: Likes: fighting and training her skills Dislikes: being formed to smile History: She was banished from Heaven for killing intent humans at will and without mercy. She is now on the side of the demons. Element: Fire Mother camp; Father: God (she has no mother) Quote: Originally Posted by Another Mad Bloke Name: Shi Angel/Demon?: Angel/Demon hybrid (the closest thing to describe him, really). He is the human's interpretation of "Death" Appearance: Likes: Blood, sweets, especially the two combined. Also, occasionally has love interests. Dislikes: Angels, Demons, and other dogs of the gods. Element: Spirit Mother and Father: None that he knows of. He could've very well been made as a side effect of the war against heaven and hell... Catherine walked up to Emerson. "I love you" she said as she was about to dragged away from him again. "Goodbye" she said crying and sobbing. Emyrson didn't know what was happening or why All he knew was that the woman he loved was being taken from him again. "I love you too" he said and was then pulled in the opposite direction as Catherine. Crispy sighed just waking up next to Nala." Wake up sleepy head..." She said kissing her gently. Nala opened her eyes slowly waking when she felt Crispy's lips against hers." Hey..." She said stretching. Crissy smiled and said to her." Do you know how angry are parents are right now?" She asked her smiling and standing up changing into fresh clothes. Nala sighed." I have to go..." She said batting her lip and sitting up brushing her hair. Crissy sighed." Awe so soon." She asked her. Nala nodded and sighed standing walking out of the room... Ski wandered down the streets, a dazed look on her face as she thought about what she was going to do. "I hope Earth is more fun than those other places," she murmured as she started to look around. Catherine woke up. "It was just a dream" she said and sighed." Good morning Catherine" Emerson said. "Bad dream?" he asked her." Morning Emerson" she said and sighed. "Yes. A bad dream" she answered." Me too." he said and hugged her. "It's ok." he told her. "I love you." he said and kissed her." I love you too" she said.((I have to go. Bye bye.)) Crispy kissed Nala one more time before she left." See you tonight..." She said smiling at her. Nala smiled back and said." See ya." She said stepping onto the darkened street. She turned the corner and ran into her Father." Shit..." She cursed and smiled at him." Hello father..." She said smiling sweetly at him." Hello Nala." Ares said his eyes flashing." What were you doing at a demon's home?" He asked her. Nala looked away from him." I was just spending the night at her house." She said looking back at him. Ares sighed." If I find out different...child." He warned and disappeared. Nala sighed and continued walking. Running into a half demon/angel. She blinked." Hello..." She said to her. Ski blinked a couple of times, taking a second to register that she was being spoken to. "Good morning," she smiled and tilted her head a bit. She wasn't sure how to converse with others yet, she had been isolated until they threw her to Earth. "Uh, I'm Ski. I just got here." Crispy sighed and got ready to leave her house when her mother popped up scaring the hell out of her. Nala smiled at her." Hello Ski... I'm Nala..." She sighed. Her father was going to kill her. For spending the night with Crispy. ((I suppose we should wait for lily-Chan..... why do they leave us?)) ((ah the joys of living alone and having no life....)) Catherine sat up. "I'm going to get dressed." she said and walked over to her dresser." But you look fine just like that." Emerson said teasing her." What ever. I do have to get dressed you know. Cant torment the human race while I'm Naked." Catherine said proving a point. Emyrson sighed. "I know love. But you look good just like that." she said picking on her yet again." What ever." Catherine said and slipped on a black and purple dress. "I will see you later. Could you pick up the house while I'm gone?" she said and walked out the door and down the stairs. She saw to girls talking. One looked half angel half demon the other was an angel. She took a right turn to avoid them. Sorry ladies I don't have time to talk about the worlds problems she thought to herself. I guess I will. Emerson thought to himself. Christian walked down the street thinking to himself, wondering what he's supposed to do now. Being thrown out of Heaven is the worst thing he could ever have imagined happen to him if they ever found out about his human side. Suddenly he bumped into someone, still being in his own thoughts he just stopped and looked at the demon he had just walked straight into. He then realized what he had done reached out his arm to help her up and asked. "Sorry, are you alright?" Catherine got ran into bye someone. "Yeah I'm alright." she told him as he helped her up. "What's your name?" she asked him trying to be polite. Emyrson got up and did as Catherine asked. Picked up the house. Suddenly someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?" he asked. Then they burst into the room and he didn't have time to fight back the was grabbed and pulled out of his room. The room was trashed. A man in white shut the door behind them. They went down the hall and up the stairs to the third floor. He saw a dark Sterling purple mass. He knew what was about to happen. They were going to pull him thought the portly into there world... "My name is Christian." He looked away from her as he told her, he wasn't the greatest talker and didn't really want to start any conversation. "If you're alright then I'll take my leave." Christian walked across the street into a nearby park praying that she wouldn't follow him. Catherine sighed. "Alright then" she said to her self and went on her way. She was going to talk to her Mother. She was a demon that had terrorized people (Humans) for years, and now it was Catherine's job to stop the torment. Furthermore, she was tired of it. Furthermore, she had sided with the angels. The death and destruction was wrong. Emyrson knew what was about to happen to him. They were going to kill him. I am Catherine's weak point. And now I won't exist anymore. She will be devastated. He thought to himself right before they slit his thought.(Emerson is dead I didn't want to play him né more. Had no reason to.) Nala had seen the men in white burst into the home of the demon who had walked out she heard breaking items and her eyes widened." Hold on... I have to go see if someone was in there..." She said taking out her wings. She opened to door quietly and went into the home shutting the door quietly behind her. She followed the line of destruction up to the third floor and saw a purple portal. She tilted her head not knowing what it was. Nala screeched, and then her eyes widened as they looked at her. She ran flew out of the nearest window and hoped they didn't follow her. Crissy sighed putting on a defensive face." What do you want now?" She asked her mother teasing." With an angel?really?" Her mother asked her. Crissy giggled."Oh, about that... I don't think it's going to last..." She said quietly to her." I hope not." Aphrodite said flopping onto the couch. Crissy sighed walking out the door." I have some things...to do mother see ya later." She said snickering. Aphrodite sighed and disappeared going back with the other gods. Christian watched when some men in white came out of a house. "I wonder what they were doing there." He thought as he watched them disappear down the alley. Christian sat down on the ground not knowing what to do next, being an outcast doesn't really have any good sides. Maybe not having to choose a side in the war but other than that nothing seemed good anymore. The songs of birds that used to cheer him up now just felt like annoying noise. The color of the trees leaves which used to fill him with warmth now just felt like empty shells... Catherine walked into her mother's house. She took two steps then herd her mother say "Did you know they just killed your boyfriend? Cut his head clean off?" Catherine broke into tears and ran out of her mothers house crying heavily. Why? Why him? She asked herself. She began to fly. She didn't know where she was going just that it was away from her old home and her old life with him. Christian looked up into the sky just as the girl he bumped into before flied past, she was crying. "Maybe it had something to do with the white men." He thought, it wasn't really something that concerned him, but he still wanted to know more. He widened his wings to their full length a started to fly after her, but from a distance so she wouldn't notice him. Catherine slowed down she sensed someone was fallowing her but she couldn't see them. She landed on top on a building and sat down so she could cry without crashing. If anyone wants to talk to me, they can come to me. I'm in no mood to fly or go to them she thought. Christian saw that she landed on top of a building, he hesitated to land but in the end decided it would be better to follow through with something he had already started. He landed softly on the ground. She didn't seem like she cared about his presence, but he still asked: "Did something happen? Does it have something to do with the men dressed in white?" Nala almost ran into the girl she had seen come out before the people in white had gone into the house. She saw that she was crying and flew to her sitting next to her." Hey..." She said knowing it was because of what she had just seen. She blinked trying to get the image out of her head." I was there..."she said flinching. Her boyfriend died... Nala transported to the man that was by her. Crissy didn't know what she wanted to do so she went to a club underground that ran all day. She smiled as she got to the front of the line and Nick let her in." Thanks kid." She said gently letting her hand graze his chest. He shivered, and she laughed walking into the flashing lights. A demon dressed in a suit matching her dress walked over to her. Catherine continued to cry. "Yeah. The men in white are my mothers slaves. They-They killed the only guy I have ever loved. I- The last thing I said to him was will you pick up the house." she said and began to sob harder. "He's really dead isn't he? He's a demon too. His soul won't come back." she began to sob even harder. Nala didn't know her but hoped it would help. She scooted over to her and held her gently." It's okay..." She said sighing." I... I was there...when they killed him... I didn't expect it...they just-"She didn't say anything else her eyes watering. Crissy sighed." Hello..." She said smirking at him. He nodded at her and rested his hands on her waist." Wanna dance?"the demon asked her smiling at her. She smirked and moved her hips with the rhythm. She moved her body against his. She was surprised that he was a good dancer... "I'm sorry..." Christian wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, he just put his and on her head in an attempt to comfort her. He looked at Nala. "Do you know what happened?" Catherine let out another sob. "I don't even know you but thank you. It's not the first time my mother has ruined my life. She's the one who rules all the demons who hurt the humans and attack everyone. She's Lucifer's lover. She rules the underworld under Hades...It's complicated. But she wants to start a war and I lost my only chance to stop her." she said and stopped crying. Christian wasn't sure what he would say, for a couple of minutes he just sat beside her trying to figure out something to say. In the end he could only think of one thing. "This war is really stupid..." He was kinda ashamed for saying something so thoughtless but I couldn't think of anything else. "It is stupid. It's also my mothers fault." Catherine said.((we should wait for the others to post.)) Nala sighed." Well ya it is..." She said looking at him. She smiled at the girl."You're welcome... I couldn't just sit there and let you cry..."she said. Crissy was surprised when he kissed her. She smiled against his lips this felt right...not like with Nala. She kissed him back, and he sat down on a leather couch that was next to them and pulled her onto his lap kissing her still. "What's your name?" Catherine asked the girl. "Mmm..." Christian really wished he would have just stayed in the park rather than getting involved in this. He felt like he had to do something but didn't know what. Then he started to think of something. "What would happen if we took out your mothers slaves?"(I'm logging out now, I need some sleep, good night!) "I've tried that a million and one times. They just come back or she gets more." Catherine said and sighed.(Ok night.) Nala sighed." Well then that's messed up." She said listening to Crispy's thoughts. She came back her eyes watering she turned her head away from the girl." My name's Nala..." She said quietly her voice wavering. Crissy smiled against his lips kneeling over him. She leaned down kissing him again lacing her tongue with his." What's your name babe?" She asked him between kisses as she trailed them down to his neck making him shiver." Devontae..." He said giving her full access to his neck... "Nala." she said pondering it. "That's a pretty name." she said complementing Nala's name noticing she was upset. Nala sighed and rested her hand onto the girls. Showing her what her girlfriend was doing."...she's cheating...on me." She said a few of the tears sliding down her cheeks." It's okay whatever." She said sighing even though that wasn't the case. Crissy smiled." Devontae..." She said making him moan. She let her teeth graze his neck and then dug them into his neck knowing that the sensations would be wonderful. He moaned and pulled her closed to him. Crissy felt him against her and drank. She wasn't a vampire but had the fangs and sensations. She didn't know why but she did. It was probably from her mother the goddess of love. ((Before I start posting, can someone tell me what's going on?)) Ski watched as people seemed to flurry in emotions around her. She wasn't good with communicating with people and felt nothing when others were upset so she shrugged it off as she felt the death of a demon nearby. Wandering down the street she came to a park and wandered in. Finding a large tree she decided to climb it, sure she could fly, but she was used to doing things the hard way. Kicking off her shoes, she jumped to grab the first branch and climbed. When she reached branches that wouldn't normally hold her wait she used a bit of her water abilities to make herself nearly weightless so she could stand on her toes on the top most branch and look around the park and city.((Sorry I was working all day, and I'll be working afternoon/nights for the next 2 weeks (exception to weekends) so I may not post as much for a bit)) "Oh..." Christian fell silent as he couldn't think of anything more to say. Far away from them, he noticed somebody climbing a tree and standing on a very thin tree branch that shouldn't have held for her.(Radio: Basically Catherine's boyfriend was killed by her mother's slave and Nala and Christian is trying to comfort her. Nala's girlfriend is cheating on her and Ski is kinda on her own at the moment. Hope it helped! 3) "NO. That's not ok. It's not what ever. I've been cheated on before... It hurts." Catherine said with authority giving Nala a hug. "I- Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked knowing there probably wasn't. Nala hugged her back and pulled away." No.there's nothing even I can do..." She said flinching as she bit into Devote's neck." I just need to stop watching... I guess." She said sighing and not letting her real emotions show. A little of the pain that what Crispy was doing was shown, but the rest wasn't even a tad on her face. She stood"I should probably go...." She said smiling at her. The smile not touching her eyes. Devontae moaned and pulled Crispy's hips towards him. He held her against him letting her teeth sink into his neck. Crissy felt the endorphins as well and moaned against his neck. She finished and pulled away kissing his neck removing the evidence that she had bitten him. She smiled, and he asked her if she wanted to go to his house. She smiled at him taking his hand and leading him out of the flashing lights and loud music. He pulled her into his car and drove to his house. Crissy and Devote ended up in bed... Nala flinched again and looked away. She didn't know where she would go. Maybe she would go to the club as well. "This is really pain full for you. I think we both need a drink. I think, If you will except my invite, That you would let me take you out tonight. Or take each other or what ever." Catherine said Getting to know someone for once in a long time now that would be nice. She though to herself. Nala looked at her and sadly smiled." Sure." She said sighing." Where shall we be going?" She asked her. Crissy sighed and smiled kissing him again." I should go..." She said, and he shook his head pulling her back down to him kissing her." Why is that?" He asked her quietly." Because I have to go to work..." She said smiling putting her clothes back on." I work at that club we were at..." She said smiling putting back on the black Mary Jane's and the black and purple dress." Well then let me escort you..." Devontae said and put back on his suit." Okay fine." She said giggling and kissing him again." Ready?" She asked him as he kissed her back." Not really but let's go." He said smiling at her picking her up bridal style and taking her to his car. He drove to the club and got out opening her door he laced his fingers with her delicate ones. ((So I'm taking it that this is a romance/action RP?)) "Is there anything I can do for you?" Asked Christian Nala, getting confused over all the things happening at the same time. Yesterday he was just flying around carelessly in heaven. "Or maybe something for you?" He asked Catherine, he somehow wanted to help both but had no clue what to do and felt very clumsy asking many things about things that may be personal and nothing for him the deal in.(Radio: I would say so yes) Catherine smiled. "I know a place." she said. "What do you think? Anything he can help us with? Maybe we should bring him along?" she asked NASA. Nala smiled at him and sighed." No... I guess there is nothing I can do...or anyone can do for me...she cheated...I don't know what to do about that..." She said smiling at him sadly." You can come along with us though." She told him. Crissy sighed walking up to the bar going behind it." Hey babe... I'm back." She said to the man behind the desk. He turned around and smiled kissing each of her cheeks. She returned the favor and turned to Devote." Devontae this is Jerome. Jerome this is Devote." She said smiling at them both." You two go talk..." She said and pushed them over to a couch. Devontae and Jerome walked over to the couch and started to talk about what there lives were like when human... Crissy went behind the bar and took out a shaker flipping it in the air which attacked a lot of the people. She smiled and took their orders. Dropping from the tree, she landed on the ground gracefully and started wandering around town again. Seeing a club, she slipped in and looked around before sitting at the bar and watching the bartender put on a small show. Crispy growled as a man grabbed her hand. He smirked thinking she was too weak. She smiled back ripping her hand away as Devote walked up behind him. Devontae smiled evil and the man shrank down and backed off. Crissy laughed and continued with what she was doing. She looked around and saw a woman that looked familiar, but she couldn't place her name. She sighed and poured the drinks lighting them on fire looking like it had been light on fire when she poured it. The men around all seemed to want that, and she handed them it. She smiled at them and leaned back bored. She sighed this was so boring compared to what she could do downstairs. "Sure I can tag along with you two." Christian regretted that he said those words the moment they left his lips. He had no clue where they would go and nothing good comes out of following people you met 5 minutes ago. Still they seemed so sad both of them that he couldn't just take it back. "Where is the place?" He said and smiled rather nervously. Catherine smiled. "Seems I may have just made a couple of friends." she stood up. "First let's go downstairs and get a cab. I don't particularly feel like flying." she said and glided over the roof down to the street. Christian smiled again a little bit less nervous and followed Catherine down to the street, raising his arm to stop a taxi. Nala smiled at him and the girl she jumped off of the roof and landed in a crouched position next to the girl." By the way what's your name?" She asked both of them. After a while Jerome came back up to the bar." You can take a brake if you would like." He said smiling at her." Okay...how did you and Devote get along?" She asked him." Good he seems like a nice guy." He said taking an order." Great!" She said and walked over to a table that Devote had moved over to. She smiled at him, and he pulled her closer to her kissing her." Hello to you too." She said laughing resting her head against his chest." Yup!" He said smiling at her. She moved and sat on his lap motioning over the girl she had seen. Catherine straitened herself out. "I'm Catherine. C-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E. It's an older name. Given to me by my father. It means Pure in Greek. He thought my mother might like it." she said."I'm proud of my name because it came from my father." she said smiling at the thought."He's dead now tho. And that was a hundred or so years ago that he was still alive anyway." She said sighing. Nala smiled at her." It's a beautiful name... I'm sorry your father's gone...mine isn't... He's a Greek god..." She said sighing remembering her last encounter with him." He's anger with me..." She laughed." Over something very stupid..." She said. Seeing the bartender sit in a man's lap and motion her to come over, Ski pointed at herself and mouthed, "Me?" to double-check before getting up and moving to a seat next to the two. "Um... hello..." her voice was quiet, probably hard to hear in the bustling club, and trailed off questioningly, not sure why she was motioned over. "My name is Christian." He didn't know if he should say the meaning behind it like Catherine did, finally he said. "It means the exact same thing as you would think." "Oh God that was cheesy!" He thought looking away from the girls trying to think of something else to add. "It was given to me by the Christian God, my father doesn't really have any imagination at all." Crispy smiled at her." Do I know you? You look familiar..." Crissy said looking at her. She seemed familiar, but she couldn't place a name on her. She knew that the girl was half angel and half demon."Oh, by the way I'm Crispy..." She said shaking hands with her. Nala smiled at him and giggled." It's a good name... I knew someone whose name was Christian. He had turned out to not be very nice..." She said to him." My mother and father decided on the name Nala because it means successful, noble,and or attractive..." She said blushing." They said that they wanted me to be all of those things and liked the name..." She said to them both. "Oh goddess that's scary." Catherine said to Christian taking a few steps back. "I like your name Nala. As far as I can tell all this things are true of you." she told Nala. "Well no harm done Christian. Let's go." she said getting into the cab." Where to?" the man in the driver's seat asked." You need to go to 44765 south pacific lounge." Catherine told him wondering if he knew about that place." I know exactly where that is. Next to the watermark/hotel thing?" he asked." Yeah. Actually. Yes. How did you know that?" Catherine asked him." I know my way around." he said. "As soon as they get in I can take you there. Not my business but I think you should stay at the water park. It's really cool. I used to work there and used to stay there too. You go enjoy yourself. You look like you've had a rough day." he said." We just might. Thanks." she said skeptical. "Well are you coming or not?" Catherine asked them sticking her head out the door. Nala giggled again and got in the cab sitting next to Catherine." Thanks." She said and waited for Christian. "Your welcome Nala." Catherine said being sure to pronounce NASA's name perfectly. "I doubt it," she replied quietly. She wondered if there was someone out there who had blood like hers and shared her looks. "I'm Ski." "Yes sure!" Christian said getting in the backseat and closing the door. Crispy smiled."Oh, well anyway have you been in hell or heaven?" She asked her wondering where she would go if she did being half-and-half. Crissy had lived in hell most of her life and hadn't wanted to come to earth but was forced. She snuggled closer to Devote and sighed. Nala sighed trying not to think about Crispy. She shook her head and smiled at Christian. The cab started to drive and Nala couldn't think of anything to talk about so she sat in silence wondering where they were going. She knew it was a water park and hotel, but she wondered why it was so special. Ski shifted a bit, "I don't know." The room she had been in had had no windows and only two doors, one to a small bathroom and the other was always locked, only opened when food was brought to her. Catherine smiled hearing Nala's thoughts. "It's not the hotel that's special. It's the place across from it. The lounge that I was talking about." she told Nala. Nala giggled." Okay. I was just thinking." She said smiling at her." I haven't been to a lounge or hotel so far... I just got to earth a couple of weeks ago." She said smiling at Catherine. Crissy tapped into her thoughts." Oh...that sounds like what heaven would be like for me..." She said and sighed knowing she would have to work again soon. Crissy looked at her and smiled." I don't know where you were.how did you get out? If you don't mine me asking..." She asked her. "Well you're going to have a blast." Catherine said. Ski tilted her head, "Not sure, one minute I was sleeping in my room and the next I was here in this world." A waitress slipped a drink in front of her, and she stared at it. The color was a pretty blue, but she wasn't sure if she should drink it or not. Crispy nodded at her." Well that's interesting." She said trying to think of anyplace like that in hell or heaven. She couldn't think of any and then a thought came to her what if it was in the spirit world? She asked her self in her head. She saw the drink and smiled at her." Go ahead it's actually pretty good." She said to her. Devontae asked the waitress for a bloody Mary and the waitress smiled and went to go get him one. Crissy laughed and asked him." Really?" He smiled down at her." Yup!" He said grinning. Nala smiled and said to her." I bet I will." She said and heard a faint thought in the back of hers. What if it was in the spirit world Crispy said in the back of her head. Nala knit her eyebrows together and looked out the window trying to think of what that meant. "Here. This is the place." Catherine said as the driver pulled up to the Lounge." Hey don't worry about the pay. It's on me." the man in the driver seat said." Thanks. You're a lifesaver. I don't have any money on me." Catherine told the driver and got out of the car. "Come on guys. We have a long walk to go through." She said smiling." No problem." he told her. "Have fun." he said as a parting word. She shrugged and took a testing sip of the drink. Deciding it wasn't bad, she took another sip before setting it back on the table. The girl's thoughts slipped through her mind, "Spirit world? hmm, I didn't think anyone living could survive there... though I suppose we might not be classified as living." Christian went out of the car looking around. "What do you mean by a long walk?" He asked Catherine staring at her with a confused look in his face. He had only been on earth for a couple of days and didn't really know anything about it except the few things agents from heaven had told him when he still lived there. "We have like a mile of tunnels to go thought before we get there. But it's so cool. Its worth it." Catherine told Christian "Well not quite a mile." she added. Nala got out of the cab and looked around as well. She hadn't seen a place like it, she shrugged and looked at Catherine." Okay let's go." She said and then looked at Catherine wondering which way to go. Crissy sighed." Actually we could survive there..." She said remembering the time she had lived there for a while. The waitress came back with two of what Devote had asked for and gave one to Crispy and him." Thanks..." She said taking a drink and scrunching up her face. She set in onto the glass table beside her." Okay not drinking that..."she said and Devote laughed and drank his. "Can you tell us a little more exactly where we are going?" Christian said looking at Catherine. Nala looked at Catherine wondering as well. Crissy sighed as Joseph walked over." Okay chica breaks over..." He said sitting beside Devote. Crissy sighed and kissed Devote." Okay.... Tsuki... I have to go to you want to talk when I get done working?" She asked standing. Devontae wondered how he could help them figure where Ski had been...he had not clued as the room was completely blank except for doors. "Sure. Well its MMM... its... It's a club of sorts. Underground. Umm... Technical not underground tho. Umm... Its well your just going to have to see." Catherine said. "This way." Catherine said walking into the front door of the building in front of them. It was a small room with white walls and three doors. The one to the left of them was black. The one to the right of them was also black. The one strait ahead was red with and arch containing a window above it. You could see a black light hanging from a cord through the window. "It's that a way." she said walking towards the red door. "You guys ready for some walking?" she asked them. Nala followed her and smiled." Sure IMA ready..." She said. Looking around herself." My father is going to kill me..." She said laughing." You know what? Who cares what he thinks." She said angry with him. Ski shrugged and sipped her drink, "I guess." "A underground club that's not underground? Sounds interesting enough." Christian said walking towards the door- Nala laughed." Well that sounds...um fun?" She said a little questioningly following her. Crissy smiled." It's fine by me see you later." She said walking back to the bar and sighing as the first order she got was for something with flames. She laughed and made it spinning and tipping bottles. Devontae smiled at Ski"How do you like it up here?" He asked her knowing he liked it in hell better. "Mm. Underground but not underground. Plus I know the guy who owns the place. His name is Daedalus. He's a Greek Architect and Inventor. Follow me or you will get lost. And stay close." she said and went through the door into a room that was big and white with the black light so it would glow except for one spot that contained a symbol. A triangle. "Ready" Catherine asked. Ski shrugged, "It's different." Her eyes searched around the dim lights, definitely not something she had seen before. "Granted you don't see much in an isolated room," she stated, eyes traveling back to the hellion before her. Nala looked at the triangle on the floor." Yes..." She said unsure of what they were going to do. Devontae smiled at her reassuringly." We won't let that happen again..." He promised her knowing Crispy considered her as a friend already. Joseph growled as a man dressed in an all black suit and red silk tie walked into the room. The man looked at him and smiled." Excuse me for a second..." Joseph said standing and walking over the buff man." What are you doing here Hamlin?" He asked wrapping a hand around his neck and pushing him against a wall... "I'm ready." Christian said interested in what kind of place they would be off to. ((Joseph is Devote?)) Tsuki nodded at Devote's comment. She watched the man excuse himself and go at the one who just walked in. "I wonder who that is," she murmured, watching to see what would happen. Joseph's eyes flashed as Rail didn't answer him." Don't make me repeat myself..." He growled tightening the grip he had on his neck. Devontae watched as Joseph left and went over to the man." I don't know..." He said watching as well to see what would happen. Crissy became silent mechanically making the drinks now. She felt Rail in the room and looked up. She wanted to run but couldn't he would sense her. She sighed and the man at the counter asked if she was okay. Crissy smiled at him and he left her alone. Rali sighed Joseph didn't get that he didn't need to breathe." I'm here to see Crispy..." He said stepping out of his grasp and started to walk to the counter. The word friend flitted through her mind. Ski had never heard it before, but it had a nice ring to it. It was obvious the man was unwelcome. Standing, she made her way to the counter, between Crispy and the man. Sitting on a bar stool, she faced the man and glared, making a point that he wasn't wanted here. ((Rose! U needs to send me profiles for the extra ppl or say there human. :P its necessary unless there human.)) Catherine walked over to the door shouting them in. The door began to fade as if it was never there in the first place. She walked over to the triangle (Δ) leaning down to touch it. It began to glow a faint purple. It began to glow strongly and brightly. And soon it was the only thing glowing at all. The walls no longer shown. It was pitch black except for the triangle. (Δ) The light had disappeared. The room began to move downward seemingly slowly. The triangle was still glowing. Then the wall opened right in front of them. "Ok stay close. And be careful. If you see any other triangle signor them. They might just be a decoy to get you trapped. Follow me closely." Catherine stepped out into the hall. Nala blinked in surprise." Okay..." She said staying right behind and in step with her." That...well I don't know...I've never seen anything like that before." She said quietly as they passed a dark blue triangle. She ignored it not wanting to touch it. Rali laughed at the girl."You're trying to stop me?" He asked and went to knock her off of the stool... Joseph growled knocking Rail to the floor." Touch her and you die." He said digging his nails into his chest. Devontae growled and went over to Crispy behind the counter." There is no way in heaven he's going to get to you babe..." He said standing protectively by her. Crissy acted as if nothing happened and get taking orders everyone doing the same. Knowing Rail wasn't a person to mess with. Rali laughed again flinging Joseph off of him. ((Profiles?)) Catherine wound left and right through the tunnels all the while making sure they were still behind her. After an hour or two she came up to another black triangle. "This is it." she said and laid her hand on the triangle it began to glow purple. "It's going to take a minute. I just basically rang the doorbell. He should be coming, but it might take a bit. For now lets sit down and talk." Catherine said then took a seat on a couch made to look exactly like a random rock. "Have a seat its a lot softer than it looks." she said. As soon as he made a grab for her, flames surrounded Ski. Her one blue eye changed to red as they narrowed, "I'd prefer it if you quietly left." Voice colder than the South Pole, she refused to budge an inch. Nala giggled and walked over to her and sat next to her. She jumped as her father appeared in front of her." Hello Nala." He said smiling at her." Hi father..." She said looking down." I see you have new friends." He said smiling at Catherine and Christian." Ya." She said looking at Catherine and Christian as well." We're you going?" He asked knowing exactly where. Joseph grunted and got up off of the ground. Holding his wrist he had twisted it when he hit the wall. HE ran at Rail but was stopped by a ring of fire surrounding him." Sure I'll leave once I get to hold and kiss Crispy." Rali said walking past the girl and behind the counter getting stopped by Devote." What do you want pip squeak?" He asked him. Devontae's eyes flashed, and he advanced taking him to the ground pulling out a knife and holding it to his neck." I want to kill you. What are you here for?" He asked growling. Catherine smiled. "Hello Aries. You know were we are going. Matter of fact. You should prove. It was designed by the Greek god Daedalus. You should know this. He now uses the place as a club for outcasts. You know me. I am and outcast. I take good care of my friends. Besides. When have one of your children with me been hurt or worse?" she said calmly know he couldn't refuse easily with her logic. The whispered to Nala "I have dated some of his children. They normal hurt me. I never hurt them. He used to prove of me. I don't know if he still does." she said known he could hear her. Nala looked at her." You dated my brothers and sisters?" She asked her giggling and then looking back down. Aries looked at her and smiled." True Catherine by the way Aiden says hi." He said sighing knowing he couldn't argue with her. Catherine blushed. "Yes. Some. I've been around for a while." she said. "Tell him I said Hi and that he knows were to find me." she said to Aries. Daedalus then opened the door." Hello Catherine. Aras. Christian. Nala." Daedalus said to them. "Come right in. Except for you Aries. You know your not allowed since you trashed my place last time." he said teasing Aries."Oh, and Catherine. Your brother is on duty today and your ex girlfriend."(I'm not adding a profile for Daedalus. This is the first and last time he talks.(Hopefully.))" I know my way around Daedalus. Just needed you to open the door." Catherine said and then dropped her jaw when she heard her brother was there. Christian stood silent as he understood what Daedalus said. "Her ex-girlfriend? This can't be good." Christian thought ready to comfort Catherine if she felt sad again. He then saw when Catherine's jaw dropped to the ground. "Your brother?" Christian asked curiously. Aries smiled at her and laughed at Daedalus." Hey I didn't mean to and will do Catherine." He said vanishing. Nala relaxed as he left." That's okay bet you had fun." She laughed and then listened hearing her brother was on duty." You going to be okay?" She asked Catherine quietly walking over to her seeing her jaw drop. Rali laughed." Go ahead kill me you'd be doing the world a favor." He said letting the knife slid across his neck." Gonna have to do better than that." He said sighing and jumping up making Devote hit the wall of glasses. Devontae gasped in pain as a shard of glass went through his back." You'll pay for this."he said running at him and stabbing him in the heart. Rali laughed." Kid I don't die very easily." He said taking the knife out and hitting Devote with it in the arm. Joseph growled and caused Rail to fall to the floor in pain using spirit to torture him. He walked up to him and kneeled by him." Leave Rail." He said sternly. Crissy ran over to Devote." Are you okay baby?" She asked him laying her hand onto the wounds. Her hand glowed a light red, and she let fire heal him." Where else did you get hit?" She asked and then looked at his back. She said to him quietly getting a grip on the glass." This is going to hurt." She said ripping it out quickly and Devote moaned in pain." Okay I'm going to heal this one at first it's going to hurt...then you won't feel anything at all..." She said resting her hand onto his back getting blood on her hand glowed dark red this time using more power... Ski went over to the man and knelt next to Crispy, "Let me help." Summoning water, she maneuvered it around the glass so it could be removed painlessly. Letting Crispy heal it over, she moved to the next piece of glass. Devote tensed and let them take the piece's of glass out trying not to let the pain overtake him." Thanks girls..." He said grateful they were there. Crissy healed as Ski helped her take out the glass." It's no big babe." She said resting her hand another wound. Rali stood angrily as Joseph let him up. He went over to Crispy and kissed her and walked out of the room." I'll be back..." He called before exiting the room. Crissy stood in shock and disgust."Oh, my goddess..." She said angrily healing another of Devote's wounds on his back." I'm sorry babe I should have kept him back..." Devontae said angrily. "I think that's all of it," Ski said as she used water to clean away the blood from his back and clean up the mess on the floor. Dropping the glass filled water into the nearest garbage can, she turned back to Crispy. "Who was that man?" Crispy sighed and laced her fingers with Devote's." He was one of my ex's...and he thinks he can rule the damn world..." She said angrily kissing Devote to get the taste of Rail's lips off of hers. Devontae kissed her back and smiled at Ski." Thank you..." He said rolling his shoulders. Smiling when it didn't hurt. Joseph sighed and whipped Rail's blood off of his knife."He's an ass...he's royal demon..." He said sighing and rolling his wrist. Ski's head tilted, eyes showing unfamiliarity, "Royal demon?" Another thing she'd never heard of before, but this one she didn't like. "I will be fine. She is a good friend. I haven't seen my brother in years and years. Its just that simple. I'm excited to see him." Catherine said. "We should go in now." she said and walked in the door. Then she turned around. "Before we go in. Before we sit down. I'm going to get a back room for us. There is no reason to env ole ourselves in any trouble." she said. ((LILY-CHAN! :Glop: *skulls*)) Nala smiled." Good call..." She said to Catherine and looked at the inside of the club." Yes there are royal families of demon's that pass everything down from generation to generation..." Joseph said explaining a little. Devontae growled." He's one of the lower royal's but thinks he's all high and might..." He said angrily holding Crispy. Crissy sighed and nodded." Yes he said I'll always be his no matter what... With exceptions on the side." She said quietly resting her head onto his chest. Ski frowned a bit, "Well to be frank, it sounds like something humans would do." She could remember the stories of Earth the servants would tell her when they brought her food or cleaned her room. The place didn't sound very pleasant, and she didn't have a good impression of humans so far. "Well. Let's go talk to my brother then." Catherine said walking to the counter and up to her brother. "Hello Coat." she said to her brother." Good evening sister. It's good to see you" he said while wiping out a glass." I already know what you want sister. A room in the back yes? That can be arranged." he said. "Kira! I need you to show them to the back." he holler at Kira. Kira walked up to the group. "I'm-" she started. "Catherine? It's good to see you!!" she said. "I missed you. Right this way." she said walking toward the back room. Chandalere in hall leading to back room. Dinning room Room behind Back room Nala was amazed at what she saw when she followed Catherine into the room." Whoa..." She said looking around. She had all but forgotten about Crispy... Joseph smiled and wrapped his wrist tightly." Actually it does." He said knowing similar cases with humans. Devontae held Crispy close to him." Hey you guys want to get out of here?" He asked not wanting to stay there anymore. Crissy looked at him." I don't care." She said sighing and looking as some people left, and new people came for there shifts." Sure." She said. Ski hummed an agreement and approached Joseph, taking his hand. She removed the wrap and summoned healing water and wrapped it around his wrist. When she was done she smiled up at him, "Better?" "It's good to see you too, Kira." Catherine said. "This is Nala and Christian." she said." Hello." Kira said to Nala and Christian. "Go ahead and make your selves at home." she said and smiled. "Hello" Christian said while looking around in the room. Not as fancy as the halls in heaven but still very beautiful. "I will be right back with some drinks" Kira said." Okay Kira." Catherine said. "Well what do you guys think? It's not much but if you look out the window you will see the top civilization in the world right now." she said. Nala smiled and looked at her." I like it..." She told her looking out the window. Joseph smiled at her." Thanks..." He said rolling his wrist and smiling again as it didn't hurt. Devontae laced his fingers with Crispy's and sighed. He smiled at Ski." You and Crispy can heal... I can't, I haven't found out how to yet..." He said. Crissy smiled up at Devote and said." What's your element...?" She asked him wondering. Ski nodded as he thanked her and turned when Devote spoke. "I can't do much else. Heal with water, defend with fire. It was all experimentation when I was isolated," she was indifferent and shrugged her shoulders. Fighting wasn't fun for her, and she preferred to avoid it when possible. "That's good. I have a lot of history in this room and the room behind this one. There is also another room behind this one. It's a bedroom. Did I stay when I'm upset or don't have a place." Catherine said and got up to open a door to show them. She shut the door. "Its just kind of there." Catherine said and surged. Kira came back in with four cups. "Here." she said"Are you joining us? Since you brought an extra cup?" Catherine asked." Yes Cathy" Kira said and sat down next to Catherine. "It's nice to meat you two." she said. "It's nice meting you to." Christian said nodding to Kira. Nala smiled at Kira." Nice to meet you to..." She said quietly sighing and looked out the window. She didn't feel very good for some reason... Joseph nodded at her and then looked up as people danced, and the dim lights flashed smoke coming from fog machines in the walls and floors. Devontae answered Crispy's question first." Fire...and I don't know how to do anything except some tricks with fire." He said sighing. Crissy smiled." Well I can teach you to defend and heal if you would like." She told him holding out there laced fingers as a blue flame came of it. Devontae stared in awe." How did you do that?" He asked her. Ski grinned, her blue eye flickered red as little balls of flame appeared in the air and popped like tiny fireworks. "Tricks are always fun," she outlined little pictures in the air with the fire. Catherine smiled. "I'm glad you're all making nice. Kira here," she said poking Kira ", doesnt always like my friends. Especially when my friends are more friends." she said grinning." What?!?" Kira said startled. "Are you implying that I. Kira. Am jealous of your lovers?!?" she asked." You know it Kira." Catherine answered and grinned." Ok. First. We have been apart in the dating sense anyway for like a hundred years." Kira stated. "Second of all. You are full of your self. And third of all you can go eat poo if you think that." Kira continued on the very of laughing." Hmmm.... Tempting off but i don't like poo." Catherine remarked. "And I see the way you look at me when I'm with them." she said." What. Ever poo eater" Kira implied." I Do Not Eat Poo Kira. If anyone does, it is you." Catherine said." What? Not possible considering I don't even eat." she remarked." Ok. Ok. We should stop before we scare away my friends." Catherine said." You started it." Kira said grinning." Yeah? Well now I'm ending it." Catherine said then looked at her new-found friends. "Sorry. It's always like this between us two. Nala looked up at Catherine holding her hand on her stomach." Where's the bathroom?" She asked her hurriedly. Joseph looked back at Crispy and Devote's hand and laughed at Devote's shocked face. Crissy giggled and said." I have good control of it that's how." She said teasing him. Devontae looked up at her." That's helpful." He said smiling at her. Kira stared at Nala. She pointed to a door. "Its over there love." she said. Catherine stared. "Hey! Nala? Are you going to be okay??" she said. Nala looked at them once and then to the bathroom. She puked into the toilet and then held herself over it not wanting to move. She didn't know what was wrong... She sighed hoping she wouldn't do it again. Kira looked over at Nala. "Umm.... Cathy... She's sick." she said and looked away having the feeling she might be sick her self." Not good. Nala? Are you okay?" she asked and then walked into the bathroom. She held up Nala's hair. "You think your going to puke again?" she asked her. Nala gulped her throat sore." No I don't think I will...." She said quietly. She stood shakily looking at Cathy and Kira. "Okay. Do you want to lay down? You can rest in the room in the back. Well be here, Me and Kira, If you need anything" Catherine said helping Nala to her feet. Kira smiled at Nala. "Yep. We'll be here. Or in the hot tub catching up." she commented implying to Catherine that they should go use the hot tubs. Nala rested lightly against her not wanting to be too much of a hassle." Thank your for your hospitality..." She said quietly as tears rose to her eyes. Her eyes showed astonishment, and she realised what was wrong." Oh my god..."she said quietly her eyes glazing over. Catherine's eyes widened. "Are you okay?! What happened?! What's wrong?!" she asked luridly she was worried. Kira smiled. "I know what's wrong. She's pregnant. I can tell by your voice love. Why don't you sit down. You won't be sick again. What are you craving? I'll get us all something to eat." She said and grinned at Nala. Nala looked at her in shock and nodded." She's right...and white chocolate...." She said quietly to her eyes stinging with tears. Kira walked away. "I know I'm right and i going to get you some white chocolate love." she shouted back." She's such a good person. A great friend too. I'm glad she got along with you." Catherine said. Nala shook her head and sunk to her knees."Oh, god! But-I-no!" She cried her voice strangled as the tears started to roll down her cheeks." I love children, but I can't tend for one at the moment...it would get hurt!" She sobbed out her sobs shaking her shoulders and her back. "Shhh... It's okay. I'm here to help you." Catherine said. "Promise." Kira walked back with a white and dark chocolate fountain. "I'm here to help too. And I have fruit and Chocolate. Will this work for your craving?" she asked and smiled at Nala while healing it all in on a rather large tray."Let's go enjoy the Chocolate and Fruit Nala. We can talk while we eat." she said and helped Nala to her feet. Nala clutched back the tears and then tried to smile, it didn't work."okay..." She said weakly and walked with them to sit down. She went to grab a piece of fruit to dip into the white chocolate but didn't know if she should or not...." Go ahead love. I brought it out here for you." Kira said and smiled sitting down and putting her feet up on the table." Enjoy it." Catherine said. Nala half smiled at them and dipped the sweet apple into the white chocolate." Thanks..." She said quietly not knowing how this could have happened."Oh, goddess I can't do this!" She said as silent tears slid down her cheeks. She finished chewing the fruit and then held her head in her hands. Kira reacted as quickly as she possibly could to the tears. She ran over to Nala and held here close. "We are here for you don't worry so much." She whispered. "You're going to bring a beautiful child and a wonderful new life. Catherine stared as her ex hugged her new friend. She was more than slightly confused. Nala shook her head." I can't do this... I can't have this child... I don't even know how it happened... I can't!...." She cried resting her head against Kira's shoulder not letting her friend see the tears... She didn't know why she was crying...she never cried in front of people...the baby....she thought to herself as her thoughts jumbled and made her cry even harder. She was so scared...she didn't even know where the father was or if he'd even talk to her again... Kira smiled. "It's okay honey. It doesn't matter how it happened. Catherine and I are here for you. We promise. I promise I won't leave you. You don't need to worry." She said reassuring her and hugging her. Catherine began to wonder if Kira liked Nala and giggled to her self. "We should go relax in the hot tub. It would be good for you to relax Nala" Catherine suggested and stood up walking through the doors to the hot tubs. Nala gulped back the unshed tears and stood." I'm sorry galls..." She said her voice wavering slightly. She wasn't sure if she wanted to have this baby anymore...maybe she should get an abortion.... Kira looked at Nala and then at Catherine and then back at Nala. "What for?" She asked and helped her stand up and walk to the pool to relax. Catherine fallowed them with her hands in her pockets. "For...for being like this... I don't know what got into me." Nala said gently her voice straightening back up into her normal tone. She sighed softly and smiled slightly at Kira. She let the thoughts float away to be brought back up with herself when it was time to rest. Kira smiled at her. "Alright. Let's go relax." She said and walked Nala to the locker room. Catherine stepped into the locker room and opened her locker. (The one with clouds) Then took out a cute swimsuit. Catherine's suit Kira's Suit Name looked and saw a locker that was metallic purple. She looked at it and then Katherine as if asking is there a swimsuit in there I could borrow? She stepped up to it and gently opened it finding a one piece cut out swimsuit she picked it up and held it over he to see what it would look like. Kira grabbed a swimsuit in a black locker right in between Catherine and Nala's lockers. "That would look great on you Nala. And if you look on the tag it should say 'Able to wear even when pregnant' because that one is made to stretch and is gorgeous." She said and looked at her approvingly as she began to slip on her suit." What do you think?" She asked after she put it on. Catherine slipped off her clothes and on her white/rainbow suit while trying not to stare at Kira. Nala looked away while Kira was changing a smile on her lips. She looked back at her and smiled looking her over." You look amazing." She said her hand gently held over her swollen stomach. She slipped her clothes off and gently put the swimsuit on... She looked in a mirror and gulped slightly seeing her stomach. She looked away and back at Kira." How do I look?" She asked her voice quiet hiding the other emotions that wanted to slip past the quiet tone. Kira smiled at Nala. "You look gorgeous. Besides don't be so self conchs. We are here for you." She said walking up to her and grazing her hands while looking into her eyes. "We really are." She said again. "I promise." Catherine nodded her head in agreement. Nala smiled gently at them as a soft blush crept onto her cheeks. She looked out of Kira's eyes an embarrassed smile on her lips. (This is going really, really slow and um I was wondering if you wanted to use this to start a new thread. Still about angels and demons but yeah.) (dang I'm sorry -erase-) [it's okay. Don't worry bout it. I'm waiting to figure out WATS going on first.] (you. on page six rose)pg seven the girl THT posted servlets continue it tho I've had two ppl ask to join Kira dropped her hands and walked out to the poop. "We can stay on the shallow end for you." She told her and walked out the door." We shouldn't say for too long." Catherine said. "I think they have a party scheduled her tonight. Late tonight though." She said smiling at her and following Kira out. Crispy's body tensed."Oh, goddess..." She whispered to herself." D, J... Nala's is in trouble..." She said tears filling her eyes as she felt Nala's distress and anguish mixing with in her." She's my ex, but she's still my friend... I..." She didn't finish her sentence but tried to locate her friend." I can't find her..." She said her voice barely audible and defeated. Devontae sighed softly as he pulled her to him trying to comfort her." It'll be okay..." He said knowing he couldn't do anything to help. He looked at Joseph with helpless eyes. Joseph shrugged just as helpless and looked at his friend. He rubbed her back gently as Devote held her." Hey she'll be okay...she's in good hands." He told her while searched for her with spirit." She's fine hurt emotionally and scared... but fine..." He whispered knowing his words wouldn't be much of a reassurance. Nala followed them out." It doesn't matter if I stay in the shallow end..." She said a gentle smile on her lips as she felt a familiar presence trying to connect with her. She knew it was Crispy so she pushed her away as spirit brushed against her. She sighed inaudibly and walked to the water's edge gently dipping her feet in. Kira skilled at Nala. "If you say so." She said and swam down to the deep end and back, glad that the water was heated. When she came back she stood up and looked at them. The water came up to about her knees. "Want to go sit in the bath/shower house thing. We can talk, and the water is warmer there... and its gorgeous..." She said and looked down at the water. Then she got up and walked into the bath house. If they don't come I will just enjoy it my self. She decided. Catherine skilled. "The bath house here is gorgeous, and it might help release a lot of stress your dealing Nala." She said and stood next to Nala offering her had to help her up. "I promise." She said and skilled. "There are also bath's that heal and do wonders. It's amazing. Minor scrapes to major cuts suits and heals." She added. Most didn't know that Death danced. It was an obscure fact, such that it was forgotten long ago, like all truths. Those who have heard of it just regarded it as a legend. Like a figure of Death danced, even existed. But it was true. Death, did indeed, dance. To what one might ask? Mainly to the screams of war and battle, gazing upon the nearly endless feast before him. Oh, what a delightful treat it was. An almost limitless amount of human, angel, even demon souls resting before him. Only for him and him only...he grinned, the almost permanent look of boredom temporarily melting away to reveal a giddy, mad like expression...but it was short-lived." But only, there's no one to feast with..." Shi muttered to himself, diving into the crowded night marketplace below, awaiting his next relieving of life... Crispy pulled away from them with tears slipping silently down her cheeks. Devontae froze as she pulled away not knowing what he had done wrong as he saw the expression on her tear streaked face." Cr-"He started but was cut off as she started to speak." I'm so stupid! I broke her heart when I started messing around with you!" She said feeling the tears flow faster down her cheeks." You know what?... I just need to be alone for a while..." She told them turning on her heel and running down the street and toward the market. He was slightly astonished as he heard the words slipping off her lips." Wait!" He called after her as she turned, but she was already gone. She had to go threw the forest, but she didn't care... She was guilty and stricken as she felt the full extent of Nala's emotions. Turing to Joseph he said." Should we go after her?" His voice barely above a shocked whisper. Joseph was silent during the whole thing as we Devote, but the words weren't a surprise to him. He had felt Crispy and Nala's bond break as Crispy's lips made contact with Devote's." No we need to let her go. She needs to cool off..." He said matter-of-factly. Nala smiled up at them as she gently pulled her feet out of the water and gently took Catherine's hand." That sounds wonderful." She said to them the smile still on her lips even though she wanted to cry again. She still wasn't over Crispy even if she had been with a guy before her. She had loved her, still does, and it would take time for the pain she felt to leave her. Her smile faded away as her thoughts were directed towards Crispy, but she didn't let it show just walked with them to bathe house. She broke my heart when I needed her most... She thought to herself sadly. Kira slipped into one of the tubs that was sitting in the corner of the room. It was a large heart shaped one. There were two of them in the room right next to each other. They made the bottom half of a butterfly and the top half of the Butterfly was painted on the wall. She sighed a long relaxed happy sigh and sank into the water/goo healing stuff. She skilled and closed her eyes and shut out the rest of the world. Catherine smiled at Nala when she took her hand. They were small and fragile. They reminded Catherine of a shy puppy who needed help. She led Nala to the bath house and skilled. Kira was sitting in the Butterfly tub. The fountain showers were running full blast like they always did. It made the bath house steamy and comfortable. Crispy sobbed into her hands as she slid down a tree in the forest." Why did I do it?" She whispered to no one as her thoughts tumbled over each other." I love Crispy...but I love Devote too..." She sobbed out. The sobs shaking her whole frame. Devontae nodded and sighed." I'm going to wait for her at her apartment want to come?" He asked Joseph as he started to walked towards the building. Joesph sighed softly." Sure..." He replied at a loose for words as he followed the other man to his friends home. Nala sighed and dropped Catherine's hand. She walked to the showers wanting to be alone for a while. She just walked under the stream her body relaxing immediately. She leaned against the wall with a soft sigh and let her thoughts run over her. She couldn't truly let anything upset her at the moment so she let her thoughts run free.

Angels & Demons (Has nothing to do with the movie.)|rating:3.0

A Second Chance (Roguefairy13 + AryanaAeterna)

It had been so long since Mina had remembered being happy. Ten years in fact. Ten years since she had left college and the one thing in her life that had brought her any peace or joy at all. Now she was here, in a one-bedroom apartment in the middle of the city with a man whom she called her husband. But not by any choice of her own. A man that she had been force to marry in order to try and put away all those old memories. The ones that had gotten her in so much trouble in college. A man that barely looked at her anymore and spent most of his time working, drunk, or at the local strip club with his 'work buddies'. Compared to the happiness Jemima had in college, it was fair to say that her current living situation and state of being made her very unhappy. Depressed even. The scars from one time or another either hidden under a sleeve or tucked away in her soul. But nobody would notice, and if they did, they wouldn't say anything. She was alone, no one else to turn to but her hateful and abusive husband. He had made sure of that when he dragged her off to live in this disgusting place. She hated the city. It was too crowded and noisy and filled with everything that would either swiftly poison whatever living creature tried to inhabit it or because it's slow and painful demise. Pollution, smog, cars fizzing by without watching who or what they might run over in the street. Mina was miserable here. But not just because of her surroundings. Brandon, for that was the name of the man that she had married, had made sure to isolate her. Moving them away from her family, what little friends she had back in her hometown, moving her away from everything. And her parents didn't even bat an eyelash when he did so. To them, Brandon was an angel. He was the perfect man for Jemima. The one would set her back on the right track and keep her from the sin that she had committed while in college. He would make sure she was cleansed. Even if he had to beat it out of her. And at times....he did. The scars from Mina's self-inflicted pain were not the only ones she carried. Brandon had left his mark plenty of times. On more than one occasion leaving her bleeding and broken on the floor while he stormed out to go and 'cool down'. And like most of these situations, Mina had no, no to turn to for support. All the people she knew where Brandon's friends or coworkers. No friends of her own, far away from her family. Not that they would help her. She had already tried reaching out to them but they either didn't believe her or thought that in time, she would understand that it was all out of love. It was times like these where Mina hated her parents, while longing for their support at the same time. She felt so alone and helpless. And the worry that one night Brandon would go too far, and she would be left to die alone, it was always on her mind. Jemina was a shell of her former self. Resembling that youthful, happy girl she had been in college only in appearance. But only a little. She wouldn't be surprised if her old friends didn't recognize her. There were times when she didn't recognize herself. Back in college she had her hair longer, almost down to her lower back. But now it was short, just enough to put in a ponytail. She was a lot skinnier than before. Which was saying a lot of considering she had been slim ever since she could remember. The only thing that brought her any happiness was her painting, but she didn't even get to do that anymore. The arts school she had attended had said she had promise. That one day she might even be able to paint professionally. But now, not so much. She was thin and pale, whatever muscle strength she had before practically gone. No visible bruises mind you, but you could tell the look of a broken woman just by looking at her eyes. She lacked the spark of life from all those years ago. And there were many times when she would have no problem with just laying down to die.One of the few things that kept her going were memories. But even those sometimes were just there to make her even more miserable. Memories of a happier time. Before she had come out to her parents and everything had gone to hell. Before she had be ripped away from a lover who had made her their world. It was a happier time for Mina, but also that time that had put her in this very situation. Mina's life had changed because that lover was a woman. And her heavily catholic parents, upon finding out, had nearly had a heart attack. They pulled her out of school, dragged her back home, even sent her away to one of those clinics that are supposed to cure you. The final straw was having her marry Brandon, a family friend who her parents had decided would be the perfect husband. And Mina....always meek and mild and never wanting to cause any trouble, just went along with it. She married this monster and gave up everything. Why? Because she felt like she had no other choice. Even though everyone else told her she did. She just.gave up everything.because she was weak. And now...here she was. And as far as she knew the love she had left behind forever hated her, thought she had run off to never return. Even if she did ever come in contact with her again she had a good feeling she would never ever want to speak or see her again. She was lost and her only escape would be when he finally took her life.(( Duchamp, or Charlie as she preferred to be known, had been at the top of her pre-med class at one of the leading universities in the country. She'd been on track to get her degree early, and medical schools had been vying to get her into their own programs. As far as everyone was concerned, Charlie's future was already set in stone and iron clad. Guess it made it that much more surprising to everyone when she dropped out of school two terms shy of her bachelor's degree. Charlie hadn't been able to stand being there any longer. Not after the heartbreak she'd suffered. Her life had been amazingly wonderful back then. She was excelling in her field of study, and she had a girlfriend she was crazy about. Jem--her girl was crazy about her in return as well. At least, that's what she had thought. Boy, was she proven wrong one day when returning from a Biochemistry class to find her girlfriend just gone. As if she'd never even existed. Charlie had almost shut down completely with the crippling and debilitating sadness. Her grades had dropped steadily with her funk for several months before she dropped out completely. She'd spent time adrift with no real purpose, living off her savings until it was gone as well. Broke, adrift, and battling a resilient sadness, Charlie had done what many a young adult had done in the very same situation. She joined the military. Marine Corps, to be exact. Mostly for the enlistment bonus, but also because maybe it would take her mind offer. Surprisingly, she'd thrived there, under strict rules and expectations. Charlie found herself slowly recovering, becoming someone new. Someone colder and more emotionally withdrawn, but someone new. She would probably never become the same carefree pre-med student she had once been, but the woman she became wasn't someone to be ashamed of. Just someone different. Charlie had ended up serving eight years with the United States Marines before she chose to not re-up her enlistment. Taking her honorable discharge and the memories that several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan (and even one brief stint on board Marine One) left her with. She'd gotten a chest full of medals and ribbons for various awards and achievements and a bank account full of money. She'd set herself up for a quiet lifestyle quite easily. So, she'd moved to a large city with the intention to sling drinks at a bar or something until she decided on an actual career when she stumbled into a police officer position. Working herself hard for six months, she'd quickly become one of the city’s new law enforcement officers. And that's what she'd been doing for the two years since her discharge. So it wasn't too surprising when she'd gotten a call for a probably domestic violence incident. Charlie was a police officer. It was her job. Even if it turned out to be a yelling match that nosy neighbors had called in. She owed it to the people to make sure everyone was safe. Stepping from her patrol car, Charlie brushed some errant strands of her thick, black hair from her face before reaching down to readjust her gear belt around her hips and lift her gun slightly from its holster to make sure it wasn't sticking. It was always best to be prepared, that she'd learned as a Marine. And domesticanythingcalls could be some of the most dangerous. Slipping her Oakley wraparound sunglasses onto her face against the glaring sun, Charlie strode carefully up to the door. The place looked innocent enough, but the worst could be. Steeling herself for anything, she lifted her hand to rap firmly on the door with her knuckles before shifting off to the side of the door, her hand resting nervously on the handle of her weapon. "This is the police. Could I get you to open up," she called out firmly with the knock? On one particular day Brandon had been in a foul mood. Granted, he was always in a foul mood, but a big meeting at his job had gone badly and when he had come home the night before he had been more than a little angry. Jemima had tried to stay out of his way, to be quiet and have dinner ready when he got home. And she mostly succeeded. It wasn't until they had gone to bed that she had slipped up. He wanted her, and she had calmly tried to talk him out of it. She had never enjoyed being with men. Before Charlie, the woman from what seemed ages ago, she had only had one boyfriend, and they had only done it a few times before he had left her for someone who 'enjoyed' him more. It just wasn't her cup of tea. But that had never stopped Brandon. Rape was a common occurrence between the two of them. He always said she'd learn to love it eventually. And at first she thought that she might, for her own sake. But no, it still caused her pain and discomfort and disgust. Some nights when he was in a good mood he'd let her get away with doing other things. Still things she didn't enjoy but weren't as bad as him being inside of her. But not tonight. Tonight, her refusal made him angry. So he took her. The next morning she had not woken up on time to make his lunch. He dragged her forcibly from bed. The yelling, screaming was loud. The neighbors could surely hear her. Usually they didn't seem to care. No one ever called the police or came to help her. The house was in a neighborhood that preferred to mind their own business rather than be nosy and possibly have something negative thought about them. Maybe it had sounded worse this time. Maybe the cries and the sound of crashing and crying had sounded more desperate than normal. And when it finally did quiet down, maybe it was just a bit too silent after Brandon had left the house dressed for work. So someone called the police, giving no name, just an address and saying that maybe someone should check it out. Mina lay on the bedroom floor, covered in her own blood. Brandon had been furious with her. He had hot her, thrown her about, thrown things at her. Name-calling was always part of it. But this time he had practically ripped her clothes from her body in his rage. Bruises were already forming on her pale skin. A split lip leaked blood onto the floor, her left eyes already swelling. It hurt to breathe, to move, anything that required more than automatic effort. All Mina could think was that this was the time he killed her. She'd die here on the floor before he even got home. Or maybe worse...she wouldn't. And made to endure him for as long as he kept her alive. Alone, she curled her broken body against a wall and prayed for death, for this hell to end. And tried to lose herself in thoughts of a past which she wasn't even sure had been real anymore. Of a lover who had cared for her, loved her more than any other in the whole world. Someone who spoke soft words, caressed with gentle touches. Charlie had always made her smile and laugh. No more. Mina cried, and bled and waited for death. She did not here the knock on the door, the world already starting to fade around the edges. Shock setting in and a strong ringing in her ears. The window shades were drawn so it would not be easy to see inside. And the door, double bolted. Frowning at the utter silence that met her knock, Charlie reached up to pound louder on the door and repeat herself. The residents were most likely not home, and the call probably a false alarm. But there was just this niggling gut feeling that said her brain was probably wrong. The years had taught Charlie to trust her instincts, but that didn't mean she could kick the door open on a gut feeling. She needed proof; probable cause was entirely necessary in these instances. Glancing around once more, she stepped over to the window to peek in, hoping for the blinds to possibly be open so she could get a look inside. No such luck, however. Frowning in consternation, the police officer reached up to key on her radio at the shoulder, beginning to make her way around the side of the house. "Dispatch, this is Duchamp on that possible domestic. It's not looking like anyone is home. I'm going to take a look around before I call it a false alarm, over," she said smoothly, peeking in another window as the dispatcher's "Copy that, Duchamp," came through. Charlie had made it almost all the way around the house before she found a window that allowed her a tiny sliver of a view inside. Pulling her sunglasses off, she leaned in close to the window to get as good a look as she could manage. She was just about to pull back when she caught sight of a lot of shattered things and what looked like blood and a foot. Feeling a spike of adrenaline, the officer drew her weapon as she charged around to the front of the house, keying her radio once more. "Dispatch, this is Duchamp. I'm going to need some back up and a medic unit. It appears as though I have a positive on that domestic. I'm going in now," she said, her voice rising in adrenaline-fueled excitement. Drawing to a stop to balance herself outside the front door, the athletic officer reared back and kicked hard beside the door handle, easily causing the locking mechanism to tear through the jamb in a shower of splinters as the door crashes open. Pointing her gun into the darkness of the house, she carefully advanced, clearing the rooms as she passed before coming to the one she'd seen. Her eyes swept the room before falling onto the beaten form against the wall. Holstering her gun after seeing the room was otherwise clear, she crossed to the fallen form and knelt beside her, reaching out to immediately feel for a pulse. That was more important than anything else at the moment. She didn't even realize she had been holding her breath until she felt it whoosh out of her lungs when she felt the beating beneath her fingertips. "This is Duchamp. I've got a female Vic in pretty bad shape here. What's the ETA on the medics," she said evenly into the radio before her eyes dropped to the woman's face and barely opened eyes, a sense of familiarity hitting her as she tried to look past the damage. "I need you to stay with me, okay? Help is on the way. Try not to move, you're safe now. I'm Officer Charlie Duchamp, and we're going to get you fixed right up," she said soothingly, keeping her voice neutral as she spoke. The blackness that had been seeping into her vision had only grown by the time the sound of her front door being smashed in reached her ears. Panic swelled up inside if her. He'd come home early, forgot his key, was furious with her all over again. He'd finish the job this time. But he wouldn't let her slip away so easily. No, he would keep her alive and feeling every punishment he gave her for displeasing him. The next thing she focused on what not in fact Brandon but what might have been a police officer. She could barely see around the swelling and the quick loss of her vision. Her breaths were short and quick, she was barely holding on as it was. But the voice, the voice practically dragged her out of the overwhelming darkness for a moment. She recognized that voice. But no, she had to be dreaming. It was just a wishful fragment of her shattered mind. Charlie was gone....she'd never see her again. Mina allowed herself to slip back into comforting darkness. The pain was less there. Both emotional and physical. Maybe if she died before he got back home...it sounded like a very tempting idea. He wouldn't be able to hurt her anymore. She'd be free. Mina had just started to slip further away into numbness when that voice called to her again. But it didn't sound like it was from any dream. There was a hand on her, gentle and soothing. It pulled her out again, and she tried to blink and swallow and look up at the figure standing over her. They said their name, she barely caught it. But her heart fluttered......" Char?" The word was barely a croaked whisper, a tiny spark of recognition and hope came into her one good eye. If she was dreaming, then she'd be happy to stay here in it. She certainly had to be. Charlie was gone, she'd never be in her arms again, or hear her voice, or kiss her lips. She had been stolen from her. Yes, this was clearly a comfort dream her mind was putting forth to help her cope with death. Mina wasn't going to push it away. Spending her last moments with the one person who had ever truly loved her was worth losing the struggle and her mind. "I missed you Charlie....so...much." her strength seeped away from her and her eyes fluttered closed. Clearly, she would not make it much longer. Charlie could tell the damage to the woman was pretty severe. The fact that she was still awake was a miracle in itself. Looking around quickly for something to put under her head, the officer's heart lurched at the sound of an old nickname coming weakly from her lips. Stopping what she was doing, Charlie tried to place the last time she'd heard it. It had been years, at least...from her. The woman who broke her heart. So, to hear it now, in this situation, Charlie felt panic and a million other things settle in her stomach. Shifting her light blue eyes to the fallen woman, Charlie searched hard for similarities between her and the woman she'd known. Much to her sudden horrified displeasure, she began noticing some beginning to pop out at her. And with them came the pain of a decade past. Gasping slightly, Charlie gently cupped the woman's least injured cheek, eyes taking in the horrifying sight before her in a new light. "Mina," her mouth uttered in a whisper, thumb gently brushing over her skin, trying to instill some form of comfort with a simple touch." Hey. Hey, no. Don't close your eyes," she said quietly as the sound of an ambulance rolling to a stop outside reached her ears, "Mina, open your eyes. You need to stay awake, Hun. We'll get you help. I'll get you help, but I need you to stay with me. Please." She reluctantly drew back, the paramedics taking her place as they rush to her side, moving quickly to stabilize her. "Where are you taking her," she asked the paramedics as they carefully loaded her onto a gurney, "Don't let her be alone. At all. Make sure the hospital knows that. That bastard won't get a second chance at her if I can help it." The simple touch, the soft words, it only added to the wonderful dream that surrounded her. Jem let herself be swept away into the comforting arms of darkness. Away from the pain of her physical body, where she could be safe from the hell that her life had become. She was just glad she got to spend whatever time she had left with the one person who had ever made her happy. With her Char. Mina was ready to let go now, to free herself from this prison. So she let herself further into darkness let herself go. However, it seemed that life was not quite done with her yet. Slowly she started to retreat from the darkness, though her mind rebelled. It wanted to stay where it was safe. If she woke up, she knew she'd be in that house, and he would be waiting for her. So she fought herself, wanting to stay asleep. Hours, days, weeks, she didn't know how long she stayed away. But eventually she lost the battle with her body and slowly, slowly started to rise toward the light. And as she did, she became less terrified and more...confused. Mina found herself laying on something soft, covered by a blanket or something to keep her warm. That was strange. Her body hurt, and she recoiled from that a little, but it did not hurt as much as she thought it should. There were soft beeping noises, a murmur of voices. Clearly she was not at home. Then where was she. She allowed herself to push closer to the surface and slowly opened her eyes to a nearly blinding light overhead. Forcing her eyes shut again, needing to give them time to adjust to the light, she let out a soft whimper. Whoever was in the room with her would hear it, if anyone was. As for Brandon, he never returned home that night. Or for the next few days. Clearly someone had tipped him off to the police watching the house, of what had happened with Jemima. He was an asshole, but not stupid. He wouldn't make it easy for them to find him. Furthermore, he'd wait and watch from hiding. There would be a time when he'd find out where she'd gone, and he'd take her back. He was not one to let his possessions go lightly. Charlie couldn't remember much after the paramedics arrived. It was a blurred, messy haze of chaos and confusion. Never in her wildest dreams (or nightmares, if she was honest) would she have imagined finding Mina like this. Mina, her Mina. Her beautiful, sweet, loving Mina. She couldn't wrap her mind around it, no matter how hard she tried. This was a woman that didn't deserve treatment like this, not matter the reason. The fact that she shattered Charlie's heart wasn't even part of the equation, at all. And it never would be. Suffice to say, Charlie threw herself into finding the son-of-a-bitch that did this and lock him away on every charge and infraction she could get to stick. She'd put out both an APB and a SOLO on both Brandon and his car. She'd even gone as far as to get a warrant to look at his credit cards and keep a monitor on them so they could grab him when he used them. But evidently he'd been tipped off. His cards hadn't been touched, and they found his phone four blocks from the house. He was probably in the wind and running with an alias, not to mention using any and every friend and favor he probably had. He'd run out eventually. Then she'd get him. And she'd enjoy every single second of it. But for now, Charlie camped out at the hospital when she wasn't working. Thankfully, she kept several changes of clothes in both her locker and her car. And the police precinct had a laundry room for when she started running low. So thankfully, she had clean clothes and showers. But on days like today, Charlie usually skipped changing and taking a shower in favor of getting to the hospital. She'd become a regular fixture at Mina's bedside, oftentimes falling asleep there to be awakened the next morning by nursing staff making their morning rounds. It was in that position that a waking Mina would see her, cheek propped on her fist, mouth slack in sleep as she sat slumped low in her chair. Several buttons at the top of her dark blue uniform were unbuttoned, exposing the white t-shirt beneath. Her bulletproof vest had been pulled from beneath her uniform, and it sat discarded on the floor, but she was still wearing her utility belt and weapon. Her presence did two things: added a second police presence to discourage That Bastard from coming around (one was already at the door to the private room), and it kept Charlie close so she might get some answers to put some of her personal demons to rest. When Mina let out her soft whimper, Charlie subconsciously heard it, not quite realizing just what it was. But it did cause her to shift slightly in her uncomfortable chair, head slipping from her fist and dropping to her chest. The wrenching in her neck caused her to give a grunt of pain, blinking her eyes slowly and carefully lifting her head back up, pushing herself into a more upright position as she looks down at her watch. Apparently, she'd only been asleep for a couple of hours. Big surprise there. As Jem slowly made her way out of the darkness she heard the soft grunt of discomfort coming from somewhere. For a moment, she panicked and retreated a little. But then, came back to herself. She had to remind herself that while she didn't know where she was, it had to be somewhere safe. Or at least, it felt safe. With the sounds surrounding her, and the smell now that it was coming to her, probably a hospital. Memories suddenly came back to her, remembering the fight and what Brandon had done to her. She remembered someone finding her...had it been Charlie? She vaguely remembered hearing the women's voice, feeling the touch of her hand upon her cheek. Had that been a dream, wishful thinking while she had laid there dying? It had to be, Charlie was in the past. She would never see her again. But someone was in this room with her. Mina forced herself closer to the sound and light of the real world. Though as she came forward, her body protested with discomfort and pain. She pushed through it and made her eyes flutter open. Bright lights blinded her again, but she was prepared for it this time and managed to push past the bright lights and wait for hers to adjust. After a few moments she managed to open her eyes and look around without moving her head. She was in a hospital, hooked up to a few machines, bandaged and covered. She was alive, but by the look of all the machines and bandages, not by much. After assessing herself she looked toward the sound of whoever was in the room with her. Her breath caught for a moment at the sight of the very woman she had thought she was dreaming of asleep in a chair by her bed. Was she really dead, was this a dream? How could Charlie be here? Had she been the one to find and save her, the voice she heard the real thing instead of something made up to comfort her as she slipped from the world? Tears started to fill her eyes as she watched her. She hoped this wasn't a dream, but dreaded it as well. It had been so long since she had seen Charlotte. And she knew that whatever was between them, if anything, was filled with pain and suffering. While she was so very happy to see her old lover again, she also feared what was to come. So much hurt.... Taking a few moments to calm herself and attempt to reign in her emotions, she softly called out to the other women. "Char.... Charlie?" her voice was still rough from screaming, from almost dying. But she knew they had words to share. Once upon a time, Charlie may have been one of the women wearing the white lab coats making the big bucks. But she lost that dream a long time ago. Around when she'd lost her thirst and desire for many things, really. Losing Mina had definitely changed her in many ways, and it had been a wound that didn't heal over as it should have. Just the thoughts of the other woman had caused her pain even now, ten years later than their sudden and warning-less end. It had been a soul-deep pain that even the escape to the Marine Corps and the other side of the world hadn't been able to cure...or even mask. Now, Charlie lived the life of the faceless woman behind a badge. Something that hadn't even been on her radar all those years ago. When Charlie tracked her eyes up at the sound of her voice, she felt the bottom of her stomach drop out and erupt in butterflies all at once. She didn't say anything immediately, the emotions too much to comprehend. Pushing herself upright in her chair, she wiped the back of her hand against her mouth, her ice blue eyes never wavering as her mind ran through several different possible things to say to the other woman. There were so many things that she wanted to say; she'd rehearsed them many a time over the last decade, ranging anywhere from furious crying to broken-hearted sobbing to joyous laughter. Every possible scenario had raced through her head, but not this one. Not the one where Mina sat before her, having been beaten by someone who was supposed to care for her." You're awake, then," Charlie said softly several minutes later, her voice cracking due to the strain of her emotions. Even as she struggled to come to terms with their current situation, she felt the rational part of her mind forcing itself forward. It had been cultivated from its whimsical, imaginative, optimistic state into something highly logical and realistic, "The doctors weren't sure you were going to pull through." Her eyes finally dropped from the injured woman's, Charlie's clear blue focusing instead on her hands as she slowly wrung them together, sitting forward to brace her elbows on her knees. She wasn't sure what to do in this situation, but avoiding the emotional topics lingering between them like some chilling omen seemed like a good start. Mina found herself in the same boat as Charlie, unknowing what to say and how to proceed. It had been such a long time since they had seen or spoken to one another. And that last time they had been close to one another things had gone very badly. Mina had run off without saying a word, for one thing. After the fact she had regretted not at least speaking to Char about it. But...she had been trying to protect her. Her crazy family was her problem, not Charlie's. They could hurt her, but she didn't want them to hurt Charlie. At least, not directly. In a way they had hurt her through Jem, but it was better than what they could have done with her. In her mind, she thought she had chosen the best option. At the mention of her doctors thinking she wouldn't make it she closed her eyes for a moment. It might have been better if she hadn't. Then Charlie wouldn't be tortured by her presence and Brandon would have no cause to continue to look for her. But he would, she knew he would. Once things calmed down, and she thought she was safe he'd show up again. And Charlie would be in his path as well now. It seemed all she was good at when it came to Charlie was putting her in danger. After a few moments she opened her eyes again and looked over at the other woman who had started studying her hands, determined to keep any melancholy from her voice. "T-thank you for saving me..." Her voice was still quiet and weak, a little raspy still. Charlie studied the other woman quietly for several moments, lifting her hand to prop her chin on her fist. The black-haired, blue-eyed woman couldn't help it. It had been years, but evidently she still couldn't keep her eyes off Mina now that she'd found her again. More so because of the current situation. "Don't mention it. I'm a cop. It's kinda my job," she said softly after a couple of moments, eyes meeting hers, "I'd have done it for anyone." Ten years ago, Charlie would have laughed in the face of anyone who said she'd join the Marines and become a cop. Then have them committed to the psyche ward. But 'lo and behold, they'd have been right, and she'd look like an ass." Is there anyone we could call for you, considering your emergency contact slash next of kin is on the run and rather unavailable to us," the officer said, her eyes flashing from their mildly cold blue to blazing blue fire in no time at all, "I...took the liberty of making medical decisions for you. I hope you don't mind. The hospital gave me temporary power of attorney...at least until you woke to change it." Charlie already knew some of Jemima's medical info, having been seriously dating all that time ago. Medical students needed to know these things...or thought they needed to at any rate. Thankfully, it also gave the brunette an excuse to spend more time at Mina's bedside in the hospital. So Charlie was a cop now? That did surprise her a little. When she had thought about her, which was often, she always imagined her as some big important doctor in a hospital somewhere. Briefly she wondered why she had chosen this path for her life. But in the end, she didn't think about it too much. Char had always wanted to help people. And she could do that as either a doctor or a police officer. When she asked if there was anyone she could call, Mina just shook her head. "No...he made sure that we were isolated. I guess he didn't do a good enough job though. How... How did you know to come and find me?" She was sure she hadn't called the police. And most of the neighbors made sure to mind their own business. Brandon had a temper and most of them had found that out the hard way when they had come to see if everything was alright when they heard yelling. Shifting herself to brace her elbows on her knees and lean toward her ex-girlfriend, Charlie gave a small nod, adding that nugget of information to what she knew about Brandon. "Someone called in an anonymous tip. I went to investigate. Thankfully someone didn't pull the curtains as well as they probably could have, or you might have actually died," the officer said quietly, folding her fingers together before her as she silently studies Jemima's face for a moment, "How long has this been going on, Jem? Why didn't you leave?" Her last couple questions weren't for the investigation so much as the part of her that still cared so much for the injured woman. Sighing softly to herself, she lifted a hand to slide through her hair slowly. "You could have found me, you know," she added quietly after a couple of moments, "I'd have been more than happy to help you." Mina had been looking at Charlie until the other women started looking at her and asking her things she didn't know the answer to. She couldn't meet the other woman's eyes. She didn't deserve to. Not after what she had done to her. It was almost like she was closing in on herself, shutting down a little. It was trick she had used to pull when they were first dating, back when her self-esteem was shit, and she had taught herself how to hide from the world. Clearly she had gotten good at it again. "I.... I couldn't." She didn't have a better answer. She had been too terrified to leave. He'd always find her, and she had nowhere to go. And when he did find her, it'd be worse for her than it already was. That thought made her curl up a little tighter. Death would be kinder than this. Now he'd hurt other people, Charlie...someone she cared about to hurt her more. "You shouldn't have saved me....he'll come back, he'll find me. And he'll hurt you in the process." She paused, looking down at her blankets and fighting the moisture that was coming to her eyes. "I can't...let him hurt you." 'I can't be the cause of any more pain for you' was what she had truly wanted to say, but couldn't bring herself to form the words. Tears formed in her eyes and she couldn't stop them, couldn't stop the rising panic attack she felt coming. He was going to find her, he was going to hurt Char, kill her, make Mina watch. Then he was going to kill her. And no one would care. No one would even know. He'd make sure of it. Charlie could see the internal turmoil swirling around in Mina's head. So she gave her a negative shake of her head as she sat back slightly to watch her. "He couldn't hurt me. I'm not that pre-med student you remember. I'm a former United States Marine with extensive training both armed and unarmed. Furthermore, I did multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Whatever he thinks he could do to me will be done to him five times over," she said simply, giving a small shrug, "If he comes back, we'll catch him, Mina. You just have to trust us. Trust me." Her features softened at the sight of tears in the other woman's eyes, rising slowly to her feet to move to perch on the edge of the bed looking down at her. She wanted to point out that Jemima didn't have any room to talk about hurting her, since the brunette had done that worse than anyone else could have at the time." Calm down, Jem," the officer said softly, reaching her hand down to gently squeeze her forearm, "I'm the policewoman. I do the protecting. Which is why I'm going to insist you come stay with me when you get out of here. Even if it's until you can get another place. I want you safe. You've been through enough shit." Charlie's words only made Mina feel worse. She didn't deserve any of this, especially not from Charlie. She had done enough to the woman already. Why should she put herself in danger just to protect the girl who had broken her heart all those years ago. When she felt Charlie touch her arm, she looked up at her, wiping the moisture from her eyes. Even though she knew what Brandon was capable of, there was trust still in the other women. She had always been protective of her. And now, now it seemed that she could take care of herself and Mina put together. But surely she didn't need the burden of picking up the pieces of Mina's life and putting them back together." T-That's sweet Charlie.but I couldn't do that to you." "Unfortunately for you, I'm not accepting no for an answer. I have a perfectly good guest room that isn't being used. It's in a good neighborhood, and all of my neighbors are good, nosy people. You'll be safe there," Charlie said simply, light eyes softening slightly at the sight of tears, "It's the least I can do after everything, Mina. You're in danger so long as he's loose, and I'd rather you be safe." Her hand lingered on her arm for several moments, thinking the brunette looked like she needed a giant hug, but Charlie wasn't sure if that was even something wanted or allowed. She'd been so terrified when she'd recognized Mina in the broken mess left by Brandon; a terror the likes of which she hadn't even felt staring down death many times in the desert. She hadn't even been sure she could feel as deeply and suddenly as she had. Guess true love really doesn't die. What was she supposed to say, clearly Char wasn't going to let her refuse. Though she had a few choice arguments for the "it's the least I can do" comment. Charlie had done everything right. It was Jem that owed her, not the other way around. The response Charlie got was a small nod, Mina averting her eyes once more to start down at the blanket that was covering her. "Thank you..." Why was Charlie even being this nice to her? She certainly didn't deserve it. Could she still care for her? No...it couldn't be that. Why would she after all that happened. It was more than likely that she felt sorry for her. Whatever it was Mina couldn't say she wasn't at least a little happy about it. Char was in her life again, even if it wasn't under the best circumstances. After a few long moments of silence she pulled herself together and looked back over at Charlie, "So, how much longer do I have to stay here?" Looking at Jem, Charlie gave her a half-hearted smile. Just making a guess, she assumed the doctors would want to keep the other woman another day or two just for observation. Pushing herself to her feet, she brushed her hands along her unbuttoned uniform shirt, giving Mina a small shrug. "I don't know. I'll go ask. I'd imagine they'll want to keep you another day or so, but stranger things have happened," she said as she moves to the door to give the officer there a small nod as she walks over to the first available doctor to get the information. Returning a few minutes later the officer brushed her hands down the front of her pants slowly. "Just as I thought. They want to keep you another day, but won't fight it if you want to leave today. So it's pretty much your choice," she said simply, dropping herself back into her chair. As Char left the room Mina did her best to try and put herself into some form of not hysterical. A lot had happened in the past few days. Had it been days since she'd been out? She wasn't really sure. Either way, a lot had happened, and it was going to take her a while to process through it all. Brandon was out of her life, for the moment. She knew very well it wasn't going to be permanent. He'd come back and look for her, he might just wait a while to let things cool down. Charlie was back in her life and in a way, that was the biggest shock of them all. When Jem had left all those years ago, she had never expected to see or hear from the other woman again. To protect not only herself but Char, she had tried to put her out of her mind, forget the times they had shared, erase her. But she had found it impossible. Now here she was and Jemima had no idea where they were or where they were going. Things would be awkward and painful, for both of them. But...what was she supposed to do? She had nowhere else to go. Charlie came back and told her the doctors wanted her to stay another night, she nodded softly. It was probably best that she did. Plus it would give Charlie some time to herself, to process all of this. It would give them both some time. "I think I'll stay. You should go home and get some real sleep. I'll be fine here..." Stepping back into the room, Charlie found her eyes scanning around for danger as she always did now before flicking her blue eyes over to Jemima again. She moved smoothly to sink into her chair once more, shrugging nonchalantly. "I'm too light a sleeper anymore to get real sleep," Charlie countered easily as she shifted in her seat, "But I can go if you need some alone time. I would understand if that's what you want." Charlie had gotten her processing done while Mina had been sleeping, but she wasn't the kind of person to deprive someone else of their alone time to get their head on straight. Finding out your life was saved by an ex would definitely count as a situation in need of some alone time to process everything. For so long Charlie had placed the blame of Mina leaving squarely on her own shoulders. A multitude of reasons had crossed her mind all those years ago, some legitimate, and some beyond ridiculous. But one small part of her was ecstatic that the other woman was back. Beyond ecstatic. A part of Jemima did want the alone time, but she had been alone for so long...when she really thought about it the idea scared her. Another part of her did in fact want Charlie to stay, was ecstatic to see the other woman again. Another part of her was afraid she was only causing Charlie pain, because of what she had done to her. And the final part of her was actually legitimately concerned that Charlie wasn't sleeping well sitting in that hospital chair. It didn't take her long though to shake her head a little, alone time would be good for her, but she'd end up over thinking everything and seeing people in shadows when there wasn't anyone there. "You can stay...if it's what you really want. I just don't want to be more of a burden than I already am." There were so many things she wanted to say to her, to explain. But she couldn't, not yet. Too much had happened and now was not the time or the place to drag up the past. Not when it was so painful for both of them. She vowed to herself she'd apologize though and explain everything. Tell her that she hadn't wanted to leave, that she had only been trying to protect her, that she loved her. That thought made her pause a moment. Did she still love Charlie? The immediate answer that resounded within her was yes. But....when she looked at her, she wasn't sure. They had both changed a lot since college. And the woman standing next to her seemed very different from the Char she remembered. She probably looked and seemed a lot different too. It seemed that they had a lot of catching up to do, find out who each other was again. After a moment Mina allowed herself to reach out and gently take Charlie's hand, giving a gentle squeeze. She met her eye and let her see the gratitude and affection in them. "Either way, thank you for saving me Charlie. I..... I owe you a lot." Straightening her shoulders slightly, Charlie found herself looking at Jemima unwaveringly. Even after all this time, the other woman seemed apparently timid. At least on the surface. She had always come across as a quiet and shy woman. "One thing that has changed about me...if you were a burden, I would tell you, Mina," the officer said after a moment, dragging her nail along the woven strands of her uniform pants, "Polite doesn't often get you what you want or need. It's...unnecessary. If you want me to go, I'll go. If you want me to stay, I'll stay. You don't have to concern yourself with my well-being. I'll survive. It's something I've picked up over the years." Leading the life she'd lived, Charlie had surely done exactly that. She'd survived heartbreak, training, and war zones, and she would go right on surviving as had become more of a habit for the dark-haired woman. Leaning forward slightly, she braced her elbow on her knee, propping her chin in her palm as she offered her a half-smile and gently squeezed her hand in return. "You don't owe me anything, because despite what history we may have...you'd do the same for me," Charlie said simply, giving the other woman a steady look, shrugging off her gratitude. She had to fight the urge to just burst forth with the questions nagging in the back of her mind. Sure, she wanted answers--not just to the questions pertaining to this situation, but to questions as old as ten years--but Charlie knew the other woman had just awakened to a world that had invariably been turned on it's head. The last thing she probably wanted to do was to add stress to the situation. She'd be better off waiting, there was plenty of time." Look...there's an officer at your door if you want me to leave. He's checking ID's against the ID of your...husband, so you'll be safe here tonight if you want me to leave. He's going to be there regardless of my presence," she said quietly, thinking that was the reason Jem was hesitant to send her away. There was certainly more than one thing that had changed about Char. When she spoke about surviving, she had to force herself to keep the small smile on her lips. She knew that it was her fault, that Charlie had to learn how to survive like that. If she had stayed, not broken her heart, where would they both be right now? Would things have worked out? Would they have stayed together and just been stronger through all the shit that would certainly have happened? Maybe. But all of those scenarios were in the past now, it was pointless to think about them. What they had to worry about was right now and what was in the future. The hand squeeze was returned, though Mina's eyes had grown sad now. "I want you to stay if you want to stay. I don't want you to feel obligated." They both probably needed the space, to think things out and wrap their heads around what had happened. But they might need the company more right now. She looked toward the door and the officer, then back to Charlie. "He'll get a new ID, he has his ways and his friends. But he won't come back any time soon. Not with everyone on high alert. He'll be patient and wait until things have calmed down. But he'll be back." She sighed gently and ran her thumb over Charlie's hand. "I'll come and stay with you, but only until I get to my own feet again." She left the part out where she didn't want to put her in danger. Charlie had already insisted that she wouldn't be. But Mina knew better. She knew Brandon and the lengths he would go to get her back. Once she was strong again she'd make her own way. But for right now, she'd take what help she could get. And she couldn't lie to herself about wanting to be around Charlie again. To at least explain and apologize, try to be friends. Getting back together was a dream she was sure wouldn't happen. She wasn't even going to allow herself to hope. There was too much going on anyway. Charlie was unable to keep the small smile from quirking the corner of her lips, head bowing slightly as she gives a small shake of her head. She just didn't understand how Mina could be so...selfless in this particular instance. It was a quality that the officer had often found herself wondering over even when they were together. "Mina," she began, not quite sure how to articulate her thoughts, lips curving down ever so slightly in frustration, "In this situation...my wants and desires are of no importance. I think we're all in agreement that damn the obligations, if you don't want me here, I won't be. If you do, then I've had plenty of practice with these chairs already. It's not my decision to make." Charlie dropped her blue eyes to focus on their clasped hands, watching the other woman's digit playing across her sun-darkened skin. Giving a small, nearly imperceptible nod, the black haired woman found herself heaving a soft sigh. "I know," Char said quietly, slowly dragging her eyes up to meet Mina's, showing every shred of determination, "I won't let him hurt you anymore. Damn the past. You don't deserve it. I will catch him and lock him up. If it's the last thing I do. I promise."

A Second Chance (Roguefairy13 + AryanaAeterna)|rating:4.0